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Ventilation for Cryptocurrency Mining Centers

Cryptocurrency/ bitcoin mining centers produce a tremendous amount of heat. Purging this heat from the data centers is important because the facility’s ambient temperature directly impacts its bottom line. Most mining rigs have internal controllers that adjust the voltage and clock speed of the rig according to the surrounding temperature. Moreover, a temperature higher than 149° F can damage the hardware and must be carefully monitored. An industrial ventilation system is a significant consideration in a cryptocurrency data center design where the ventilation system monitors the internal environment and adjusts critical airflow.

Ventilation of crypto mining facilities requires a detailed design process because the mining location sites are so diverse. A typical cryptocurrency mining facility or data center has machines stacked on racks, aptly known as rigs. These machines come in different sizes and depend on the target cryptocurrency. Bitcoin mining is mainly done with ASIC (chip) machines, with more powerful and efficient chips coming out every few months.

What is Cryptocurrency/Bitcoin Mining?


Cryptocurrency mining is the process of generating hashes that validate transactions in a publicly shared ledger. This process is also referred to as adding a block to the blockchain. The blockchain is stored across the network, on individual systems, called nodes. This is why forging anything on the blockchain is basically impossible – one would need to hack an insurmountable amount of devices in a coordinated strike in order to even make an attempt at altering the ledger. As of May 11, 2020 the reward for mining one block in bitcoin is 6.25 BTC. Back in 2009 this was far higher, at 50 BTC. With more competition and demand, the act of cryptocurrency mining demands more efficiency, but with the rise of cryptocurrency use worldwide the competition is just beginning to heat up.

Cryptocurrency/ Bitcoin Ventilation Systems


Cryptocurrency mining rigs run constantly, and as a result, a lot of heat is generated in a confined space. And because the rig’s performance can be adversely affected by heat, exhausting accumulated hot air is a top priority. There are multiple ventilation designs used, all based on the configuration of the space used for the miners. A typical ventilation design would have exhaust fans on one wall pulling air across the rigs drawn through the louvers and air filters on the opposite wall.

Because heated air exchange is critical, the fan selection process is essential. Once air volume is determined, pressure losses through the louvers and air filters are calculated based on the intake air velocity. The CFM and SP determination will allow a fan selection. The fan size selected will have the least required BHP to minimize power demand.

Designing Cryptocurrency Mining Ventilation Systems


Although there is a diverse number of ventilation designs, preliminary design input includes some or all of the below criteria:

  • Air changes per hour (ACH)
  • Amount of particulate in the ambient airstream.
  • BTUH/Wattage for heat rejection
  • Solar loads
  • State and local ordinances
  • Permissible Noise Levels (PNL)
  • Equipment layout within the enclosure or dedicated facility location
  • Stratification of air temperatures within a facility
  • Site location
  • Local weather patterns
  • Available power

Equipment Needed for Crypto/Bitcoin Ventilation


Cryptocurrency mining can be placed in shipping containers or new/ existing buildings constructed of brick, block, or stick build construction. The mining area may be a small part of a much larger facility. Typically, large volumes of outside air are supplied and moved through the process by roof or wall openings and fan-powered ventilation modules to exhaust the warm air from the container or space.

Each ventilation design package is tailored to available utilities, local weather conditions, ambient air quality, occupational safety and comfort, noise criteria, and specific requirements required by a client. Based on these criteria, components for the ventilation system are selected and include:

  • Supply and exhaust fans – wall or roof-mounted configured to move heated air out of the building, container, or dedicated space. Fans are selected based primarily on pressure losses through the louvers and air filters.
  • Fan silencers – where noise is an issue, silencers can be fitted to attenuate fan noise.
  • Louvers, dampers & diffusers – Supply louvers or grills are for outside air intake and are necessary to prevent the entrainment of rain and snow.
  • Air filters – Selected to remove particulate from the outside air supply.
  • Air filter holding frames, racks, or housings – Filters need to be held securely to prevent outside air bypass issues.
  • Intake hood (s) – weather conditions will determine the hood requirement.
  • SysTech custom ventilation modules.
  • Electrical control packages.

Design Criteria For a Cryptocurrency Ventilation System


Essential criteria when designing cryptocurrency ventilation systems:

  • Heat – large volumes of heat need to be exhausted from the building or container. The air movers are fans either in supply or exhaust mode.
  • Noise – Noise is generated by ventilating fans and needs to be addressed with noise mitigation at the facility and sometimes for the community surrounding the facility. Noise levels at property lines can significantly depend on local ordinances. SysTech has addressed mitigating building noise with custom-designed Lo-Noise™ ventilation modules
  • Ambient particulate or dust – Outside air needs to be filtered as it enters the enclosure. The selection of air filter efficiency is based on ambient air particulate loads.
  • Other factors determining the final design include the geographic location of the facility, equipment installed, heat loads, and on-site staffing.

Consult with SysTech for Ventilation in Your Cryptocurrency Mining Facility

We’ve successfully navigated the challenges posed by many of these buildings and containers and look forward to helping you solve your ventilation questions. We have the experience, the necessary components, and installation knowledge, and we’re available to assist with your project development needs. Call SysTech to discuss your Ventilation for Cryptocurrency Facility needs.

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