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Created on 07.08
Case Study: Custom FNB-840 Closed Circuit Cooling Towers for Beijing Police College Data Center
Project Overview
In a mission-critical environment where downtime is not an option, thermal management becomes a matter of national security. The Beijing Police College — operating under the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau — recently completed a major infrastructure upgrade to its on-campus data center. The facility’s existing cooling system had been in service since the building’s construction in 2013, and key components, including the rooftop cooling towers and chiller units, had reached the end of their service life.
After a rigorous public procurement process, Arkora Cooling was selected to design, manufacture, and deliver six custom FNB-840 counterflow closed circuit cooling towers — a project that would ultimately provide approximately 2,250,000 Kcal/h of cooling capacity to support the police academy’s critical IT infrastructure.
This case study examines the project requirements, the technical solution Arkora delivered, and why this installation represents a significant milestone for both Arkora and the public sector cooling market.
The Challenge: Aging Infrastructure in a Mission-Critical Environment
Data centers operated by law enforcement agencies face unique challenges. They must maintain 24/7/365 uptime to support emergency response systems, criminal databases, surveillance networks, and administrative operations. Any cooling failure — even a brief one — could compromise public safety.
The Beijing Police College data center faced several pressing issues:
·Aging equipment: The original cooling towers had been in continuous operation for over a decade. Performance had degraded, efficiency had declined, and the risk of catastrophic failure was increasing.
·Space constraints: The rooftop installation area was limited, requiring compact equipment with a small footprint.
·Reliability requirements: As a public safety facility, the data center demanded cooling equipment with built-in redundancy and fail-safe operation.
·Energy efficiency goals: Like all government facilities in China, the police college was under pressure to reduce energy consumption and improve operational efficiency.
·Water quality concerns: The facility required closed-loop cooling to prevent contamination of the chilled water system — a critical requirement for sensitive electronic equipment.
The Arkora Solution: Six Custom FNB-840 Counterflow Closed Circuit Cooling Towers
After a comprehensive site assessment and thermal load analysis, Arkora Cooling engineered a solution centered on six FNB-840 counterflow closed circuit cooling towers. Here is what we delivered:
Cooling Capacity: Each tower contributes to a total system capacity of approximately 2,250,000 Kcal/h — sufficient to maintain optimal operating temperatures for the data center’s server racks, UPS systems, and cooling infrastructure.
Key Technical Specifications per Tower:
Parameter | Specification |
Model | FNB-840 |
Inlet Pipe | DN150 × 2 |
Outlet Pipe | DN150 × 2 |
Blowdown Port | DN50 |
Make-up Water Port | DN40 |
Overflow Port | DN40 |
Bottom Drain | DN32 |
Chemical Dosing Port | DN40 |
Fan Motor Power | 7.5KW × 4 units |
Fan Diameter | 1500mm |
Spray Pump Motor | 5.5KW × 2 units |
Spray Pump Flow | 150 m³/h × 2 |
Spray Pump Head | 8m |
Dimensions (L×W×H) | 5950 × 3270 × 4970 mm |
Voltage | 380V / 50Hz |
Total Operating Power | 41KW per tower |
Dry Weight | 9,000 kg |
Operating Weight | 18,000 kg |
Why Closed Circuit Cooling Towers Were the Right Choice
For a data center operated by a law enforcement agency, closed circuit cooling towers offer distinct advantages over open-circuit alternatives:
Water Quality Protection: In a closed circuit system, the process fluid (chilled water) never comes into direct contact with ambient air. This eliminates contamination risk — a critical factor when cooling sensitive electronic equipment that cannot tolerate scale, debris, or biological growth.
Lower Maintenance Requirements: Closed circuit towers require less water treatment and have a lower risk of scaling, which is particularly important in mission-critical environments where maintenance windows are limited.
Redundant Design: The FNB-840 features multiple fans (4 × 7.5KW) and dual spray pumps (2 × 5.5KW), providing built-in redundancy. If one component fails, the others continue operating, maintaining at least partial cooling capacity.
Counterflow Configuration: The counterflow design delivers higher heat transfer efficiency than crossflow alternatives, allowing the towers to achieve the required cooling capacity within a compact footprint.
Precision Engineering and Quality Components
The FNB-840 towers are built with premium materials and components sourced from leading manufacturers:
·Cooling Coils: Φ25×0.5mm TP2 copper tubes from Jiangyin Huaxi or equivalent — China’s leading copper tube manufacturer
·Drift Eliminators: PVC, vacuum-formed in a single piece, from Formosa Plastics Nanya or equivalent
·Spray Pipes: PPR/U-PVC from LESSO Group or equivalent — corrosion-resistant and durable
·Spray Nozzles: PVC/ABS from LESSO Group — ensuring even water distribution with no dry spots
·Spray Pumps: Cast iron, high-efficiency, high-flow, low-head design from Ashland or equivalent
·Fan Blades: Hollow aluminum alloy from Mingxin/Ashland — high-strength, corrosion-resistant, adjustable pitch
·Panel and Basin: Magnesium-aluminum-zinc coated steel from Shougang or equivalent
·Stainless Steel Strainers: Custom-designed by Arkora to filter debris and prevent nozzle clogging
·Stainless Steel Float Valves: From Amico or equivalent — precise water level control
·Sealing Tape: Butyl rubber from Jujiao or equivalent — leak-proof performance
Installation and Commissioning
The six towers were installed on the rooftop of Building 1 at the Beijing Police College campus. The existing cooling towers were removed and replaced with the new FNB-840 units, with performance specifications carefully matched to the original system requirements.
The installation process included:
1.Structural assessment: Ensuring the rooftop could support the operating weight of 18,000 kg per tower (108,000 kg total)
2.Piping integration: Connecting the towers to the existing chilled water loop and cooling infrastructure
3.Electrical integration: Connecting the 41KW per tower power supply to the facility’s electrical system
4.System testing: Verifying thermal performance, water flow rates, and control system functionality
5.Chiller integration: Coordinating with the existing chiller unit that was simultaneously refurbished
Operational Benefits
Since commissioning, the Beijing Police College data center has achieved:
·Reliable cooling: Continuous, uninterrupted thermal management for mission-critical IT systems
·Improved efficiency: The new towers deliver higher heat transfer efficiency than the original equipment
·Reduced maintenance: Closed circuit design minimizes scaling and biological growth, extending service intervals
·Enhanced redundancy: Multiple fans and pumps ensure cooling continues even during component maintenance
·Future-proof capacity: The system provides ample cooling capacity for future data center expansion
Why This Project Matters
This installation represents more than just a equipment replacement — it demonstrates Arkora Cooling’s capability to deliver customized, high-reliability cooling solutions for mission-critical government infrastructure.
For the Beijing Police College, the new cooling towers provide:
·Peace of mind: Reliable cooling for systems that support public safety
·Operational continuity: Redundant design ensures cooling continues during maintenance
·Energy savings: High-efficiency components reduce operating costs
·Regulatory compliance: Meets government requirements for energy efficiency and environmental responsibility
A Growing Market: Data Center Cooling
This project comes at a time of unprecedented growth in the data center cooling market. The global data center cooling market is projected to grow from USD 11.08 billion in 2025 to USD 24.19 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 11.8%. Cooling towers specifically designed for data center applications are expanding at a CAGR of 10.9%.
Law enforcement and public sector data centers represent a particularly important segment. As government agencies digitize their operations and adopt AI-powered analytics, cooling requirements will only increase. Facilities that fail to upgrade their cooling infrastructure risk downtime — with potentially severe consequences for public safety.
Arkora Cooling: Your Partner for Mission-Critical Cooling
With nearly 30 years of experience in industrial cooling, Arkora Cooling has the engineering expertise to design and deliver custom solutions for the most demanding applications. Our FNB series counterflow closed circuit cooling towers are proven in data centers, power plants, petrochemical facilities, and other mission-critical environments.
Key Capabilities:
·Custom engineering for specific site requirements
·High-efficiency closed circuit and open circuit designs
·Premium components from leading global manufacturers
·Built-in redundancy for continuous operation
·Comprehensive testing and quality assurance
·Global service and support network
Contact Us
If you are planning a data center cooling upgrade — whether for a government facility, enterprise data center, or colocation provider — contact Arkora Cooling today. We will work with your team to design and deliver a cooling solution that meets your specific requirements for reliability, efficiency, and performance.
This case study is based on the Beijing Police College data center cooling tower replacement project, completed in 2024. Six FNB-840 counterflow closed circuit cooling towers were designed, manufactured, and installed, providing approximately 2,250,000 Kcal/h of cooling capacity.