Testing and Commissioning

The commissioning begins with the manufacturing process. When purchasing mission critical equipment from a supplier, the data center owner/operator should outline the testing protocol in their purchase specifications. This way the manufacturer knows the expectations in advance and performs tests according to the owner/operator’s standards before the equipment is approved and shipped to the site.

In many cases, obtaining the results of the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) will suffice as evidence that the system performed to expectations while at the factory.

Once the equipment arrives to the construction site, it must be inspected before it is accepted. This is to ensure that the equipment brought to the site meets the end user’s specifications before it enters the facility. In most cases, the equipment does not match the owner/operator’s specifications when it arrives, even after level one testing is performed.

The acceptance of equipment is the responsibility of the installing contractor, however, it is a great opportunity to verify that all components have been shipped and any loose items have been inventoried and stored in a secure location.

Pre-functional test involves the inspection of the installation of all equipment. Both the contractors and commissioning agent will verify that all equipment is installed properly, and that installation meets compliance requirements and owner/operator standards. Equipment is also started for the first time to check functionality.

During these start-up tests, commissioning agents ensure ducts are airtight, they check for leaks, and they check pressure gauges, valves, fans and various other components. Of course, if errors in installation are found, they must be addressed and fixed to meet standards, and PFT must be performed all over again for that piece of equipment

Although all the equipment has already been started and reviewed, functional performance testing is necessary to put every piece of equipment through a full cycle to test performance in all settings. According to an article in the ASHRAE Journal, “Each control loop of every system is checked to make sure its control sequence actually does what it is supposed to do.”

This is additional testing of equipment to ensure that is working as designed and that the fault systems are properly integrating. It is during this phase that setpoint adjustments are made as necessary and equipment is properly tuned. Systems are tested and adjusted to run according to owner/operator standards.

The final tests that include all systems working together as designed. It is the final reliability test before opening a data center. This is what we refer to as “pulling the plug”. Basically, the electrical power is suddenly disconnected while all systems are running, just as if an outage had occurred. The data center’s backup power systems (UPS and generators) should kick in, and there should be a seamless transition to backup power with no interruptions to cooling.

Numerous tests will occur to create a comprehensive test routine and is added into the Operations & Maintenance Manuals (O&M). Once a data center passes this test, it is ready to serve customers with mission critical needs.