One Silver Linings Raft unit. Image courtesy of Silver Linings

A new vendor has entered the market for powered and cooled data center modules that fit inside of a shipping container. A company called Silver Linings announced on Tuesday its new Silver Linings Raft product, a module that accommodates total of up to 250U of servers and includes its own cooling system and power distribution.

While a Silver Linings Raft can fit inside a standard shipping container, it can be assembled and delivered according to customer specifications. Modules are available in standard configurations, ranging in capacity from 180U to 250U. The pre-assembled modules are delivered ready to be filled with IT equipment and connected to utility feeds.

To differentiate its product, Silver Linings emphasizes its patented cooling system that leverages a proprietary airflow process called Augmented Convective Cooling, which occurs inside the container’s heat exchanger. According to the vendor’s news release, the system is capable of removing up to 50 percent more heat than a traditional coil-based air conditioning system, while using the same amount of energy.

Cold air is delivered by variable-speed fans across the entire front surface of equipment racks. Hot air is drawn from the back of the racks by similar variable-speed fans and fed back into the heat exchanger, where it gets cooled before being returned to the front of the servers.

Some year-long performance tests of the Rafts have achieved PUE ratings of 1.4 and lower, according to the news release.

The solution is compatible with any brand of servers and support equipment. The rafts can be housed either inside standard shipping containers or sheathed individually. They can also be delivered in parts and assembled on-site for locations that are difficult to access.