A recent patent filed by Google reveals that the search giant is ready take on its competitors by building first every Computer Navy.
Google is considering to deploy floating data centres on sea waters to carry out billions of search engine query it receives from users across the world. The floating data centres would be located to 7 miles from shore and in 50 to 70 meters of water.
The patient documents describes
Computing centers are located on a ship or ships, which are then anchored in a water body from which energy from natural motion of the water may be captured, and turned into electricity and/or pumping power for cooling pumps to carry heat away from computers in the data center.
In particular examples, the water-powered devices for generating electricity are depicted as so-called Pelamis machines. The data centers may also be on shore and receive power and/or cooling water from floating systems.
Advantages of Computer Navy
- Wave farms to create electricity – The floating data centers would use wave energy to power and cool their computers thus reducing Google’s operational costs
- No Property Tax – As the data centers are located offshore, Google would not have to pay real estate or property taxes
- Going Green – Lot of electricity is required to cool the data centers located on ground and in turn they result in global warming. The Google patent describes that it uses cooling system based on sea-powered pumps and seawater-to-freshwater heat exchangers which are more green.
Challenges to maintain Computer Navy
There would be lot of challenges for Google to convert this patent concept into a reality. The main challenge is to keep the data centers safe from natural forces like hurricanes and ships passing through the way.
Other Innovative Data Centers
Along with Google, its rival Microsoft and other industry giants like Yahoo & Sun are trying to be innovate to run their data centers effectively. To reduce electricity bills and run the data centers cost effective Microsoft is planning for data centers in cold climes of Siberia and Sun is planning to build data centers in abandoned cool mines to use water from the using water from the ground as a coolant.
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