3 Tips to Help Your Data Center Keep its Cool Without Extra Spending
June 25, 2021
Record temperatures across the United States and beyond are putting a strain on power grids and consumer spending on air conditioning is expected to soar. In data centers, where cooling efficiency and operating costs have a direct impact on the bottom line, spending on electricity—and cooling—must be carefully addressed.
As you work to optimize your data center efficiency and operations, consider these three tips to help you elevate your airflow management strategy and minimize cooling costs.
1. Fully equip your cabinets to prevent bypass airflow
Ensure your data center cabinet has seamless integration with airflow and thermal management accessories that provide effective conditioned/exhaust air separation and maximum equipment cooling.
Thermal management accessories for data center cabinets are the low hanging fruit in an airflow management strategy. Consider:
- Snap-In Filler Panels to block airflow through open rack-mount spaces and keep the hot air at the back of the cabinet.
- Air Dam Kit to block airflow around the sides and top of the equipment mounting space so cold air passes through equipment and hot air does not recirculate around equipment.
- Side Panels with Grommet or Brush Seal Cable Openings to allow cables to enter the side of the cabinet while containing exhaust air within each cabinet.
- Equipment Mounting Rail Brush Kit to conceal openings in the equipment mounting rails to block airflow around the equipment.
- A Floor Seal Kit to seal the space between the bottom of the cabinet and the floor when leveling feet or casters are in use, and are ideal for aisle containment applications.
PRO TIP: CPI’s ZetaFrame™ Cabinet System can be configured with a variety of standard thermal management accessories.
2. Ensure your hot/cold aisles are fully contained
As you consider a containment strategy, it’s important to understand the differences, challenges and advantages of different containment systems so you can determine the best option for your data center’s specific requirements. In the meantime, consider the following solutions:
- The Build to Spec Kit is a field-fabricated duct that is used over a contained hot aisle as part of a closed hot air return. This solution integrates with perimeter cooling, provides immediate improved cooling efficiency and is compatible with economization methods. It is ideal for retrofit applications over a mix of cabinets, including cabinets of varying heights, widths and depths.
- Vertical Exhaust Ducts, a patented cabinet-level solution, are attached to cabinets, and channel the hot exhaust air out of the cabinet and up into the drop ceiling, segregating the hot air out of the room, and ducting it back passively into the CRAC units.
- Aisle Containment Doors slide open and automatically close behind you. The patented door seal design minimizes airflow leakage and maximizes energy savings.
3. Consider the color of your cabinet
Your ideal data center may be driven by aesthetics, but before you move ahead with deployment of equipment, it’s important to understand the benefits of a specific color choice. CPI Glacier White cabinets are highly reflective, helping to brighten narrow equipment rows, while providing better visibility and reducing the need for additional lighting.
Get Free Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis from CPI
To help you understand the before and after conditions of airflow through your data center cabinet, Chatsworth Products (CPI) offers free Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis to its customers. CFD uses numerical analysis and data structures to provide visual guidance on the best containment solution and the extent needed for each application and can help justify design changes to your planned or legacy data center.
As part of this service, you'll have access to a panel of onsite consultants, field application engineers and technical experts who provide a rigorous checklist of your installation's existing and planned airflow, equipment placement, and take into account the following factors:
- Shape and size of your data center
- Raised floor and ceiling heights
- Location and type of CRAC units
- Location and open area perforated tiles, cut-outs and under-floor obstructions
Schedule a free consultation today.
Posted by Brittany Mangan, Digital Content Specialist at 6/25/2021 11:54:11 AM