centre of attention
concern, systems that can support
space conscious upgrade cycles
could be critical.
Optimising your data centre
cooling for the unknown
demands of the future
Data centre cooling must be a big
consideration in the cloud based data
centre age. Poor separation of hot
and cold air expose the data centre to
cooling energy inefficiencies (causing
loss of cooling effectiveness), that
can be caused by air leaking through
cabinets (allowing hot air circulation
back into equipment inlets instead
of flowing into the CRAC units) and
airflow obstructions (that constrict
cooling airflow).
To combat these challenges, aisle
containment systems that address
efficient thermal management should
be deployed. Efficient aisle control,
as well as good environmental
management, are key to helping a
data centre to remain environmentally
friendly. Cold aisle containment, for
example, can reduce fan energy by
20–25 per cent, and deliver 20 per
cent energy savings from the chiller,
all while paying for itself in about two
years, according to PG&E.
As rack heat densities increase,
data centre managers should look
for holistic cooling optimisation
approaches such as airflow
containment systems, cabinets with
enhanced sealing features and energy
efficient computer room layouts.
Seven best practices
The way data centres utilise their
resources will undoubtedly continue
to change as new technologies keep
emerging. Furthermore, as more
devices become integrated with the
Internet of Things (IoT), downtime will
not be an option. With this in mind,
here are seven best practices to be
taking into consideration:
ddress airflow management
A
In airflow management, the separation
of hot and cold air within the server
room is the first critical step to
maximising cooling system efficiency.
The segregation of hot and cold
air has the ability to improve chiller
efficiencies, reduce the total plant
cooling capacity, and create more
hours of ‘free cooling’, helping justify
an economiser that otherwise might
not have provided adequate payback.
There are three basic solutions:
• A vertical exhaust duct at the top of
the cabinet to remove hot exhaust
air from the cabinet
• Hot aisle containment, which is
an enclosure built around the hot
aisle that provides strong seal to
minimise leakage
• Cold aisle containment, which is
an enclosure built around the cold
aisle that provides strong seal to
minimise leakage
By specifying cabinets that can
provide a complete front/rear seal
around equipment, airflow through the
equipment can be maximised. This
typically requires an extra set of baffles
for use within the cabinet, blanking
panels for open rack spaces and a
barrier at the base of the cabinet.
emove barriers to higher
R
power/heat densities
Removing constraints around critical
airflow design opens the door to
higher power and heat densities.
This isolation is accomplished by
a combination of accessories such
as blanking filler panels, equipment
mounting area perimeter sealing air
dams and floor-tile cut-out brush
seal grommets, along with a system
to remove the return air from the
room into a suspended ceiling return
air space.
rack rack conditions and
T
environmental variables
Keeping track of environmental
variables will help create a more
efficient rack design. Some servers
generate more heat, while others may
need more power. By seeing what
system is taking up which resources,
data centre managers can optimise
their operations.
It’s important to work with
solutions that can provide the
ability to look into the thermal and
environmental performance of your
infrastructure, giving you the ability
to monitor, record and analyse
environmental security and safety
The separation of
hot and cold air
within the server
room is the first
critical step to
maximising cooling
system efficiency.
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