Airflow Management Strategies

Data Center Airflow Management Strategies

Data center cooling is, at its essence, airflow management. Air handlers supply cold air; servers expel hot air. Don't allow them to mix and you've positioned your data center for future success. It sounds simple in theory. In practice, airflow in the data center is largely unpredictable and erratic.  The challenge for data center professionals is one of visibility. On top of your other responsibilities, how do you proactively measure and manage something you cannot see?

42U is accomplished at airflow management best practices and strategies including computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and on-site data center assessments.

Computational Fluid Dynamics

To evaluate airflow dynamics, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software is particularly useful. Data center operators receive a color-coded map that graphically displays temperatures throughout the room-cold aisle, hot aisle, and individual racks. The visual representation provides actionable data for data center staff to better manage the airflow within their facilities.

There are some qualifications to CFD analysis. Cooling equipment doesn't always perform to spec. The data entered into the software program could miss some key obstructions. And the model itself could take considerable time to create.

For this reason, some users value onsite monitoring and adjustments offered through 42U's Data Center Assessments.

Data Center Assessments

Airflow analysis is a hallmark of 42U's data center assessments.

Power & Cooling Health Check

• A cost-effective study of your entire data center
• Visual inspection of data center infrastructure and floor layout
• Best practice recommendations to increase efficiency, improve reliability, and maximize equipment lifespan

RESULT: Based on our unobtrusive evaluation, our analysis will recommend strategies to better manage airflow, optimize cooling systems, and cut costs.

Condition & Capacity Assessment

• A comprehensive data center study with real time monitoring
• Airflow analysis includes: Real-time thermal maps of temperature, humidity, and pressure levels throughout the data center
• Customizable wireless sensors for environmental trending and ongoing data collection

RESULT: Imagine changing a floor tile and seeing the impact in real-time. The Condition & Capacity Assessment provides that convenience. Data center professionals receive immediate feedback and feel empowered to take corrective action.

Control airflow, Control Costs

One data center's internal study revealed roughly 35% of the total supply air was lost to bypass airflow, which escaped through cable cutouts under floormount PDUs. The data center, before remediation, was forced to supply excess airflow in order to meet the load. Excess airflow means excessive costs. And these days, very few companies can afford to be wasteful.

42U works in concert with clients to measure and, most importantly, manage airflow. From CFD modeling and real-time analysis, through product solutions like containment and liquid cooling, 42U has the application expertise and solutions experience. Contact us today for a free project consultation.