Tips for Air Cooling in High Density Environments

As power densities in data centers have risen over the past decade, many have wondered if the days of air cooling IT equipment (ITE) are over. While liquid cooling is often talked about as the only solution for the future, most new mainstream data centers are still being designed for air-cooled ITE.

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High Density IT Cooling: Breaking the Thermal Boundaries, featuring TechnoGuard, outlines how manufacturers and data center operators are pushing the boundaries of what air cooling technology can do. Check out our recent article series focused on the special report:

Pushing the Boundaries of Air Cooling in High Density Environments: As power densities rise in data center cabinets, the challenges associated with keeping that IT equipment cool have also grown. In the first article in our series, we explore power density limits for air cooled ITE, the differences between air and liquid cooling, and thermal boundaries.

Understanding the Physics of Airflow in High Density Environments: The physics of airflow and ASHRAE thermal guidelines are covered in the second article in our series on high density IT cooling. The article includes a table that outlines IT airflow requirements in relation to the ∆T of the IT equipment. It also includes an explanation of the capture index, airflow velocity, and the challenges that must be addressed around air leakage and gaps.

Containment Strategies in High Density Data Centers: In the third article on high density IT cooling, we explore some potential containment solutions. We start by comparing some of the issues related to hot and cold aisle containment as well as having no containment at all. Among the topics discussed are partial and complete containment, cold aisle width, and plenum ceilings in hot aisles.

The Importance of Rack Hygiene in High Density Data Centers: We wrap up the article series by exploring the importance of rack hygiene. As the article says, “no matter how well a containment system is constructed and installed, its benefits can be reduced or negated if good ‘rack hygiene’ practices are not followed.” We also look at the energy efficiency cost of airflow leakage.

Download the entire special report High Density IT Cooling: Breaking the Thermal Boundaries, featuring TechnoGuard, to learn more.