EDP Europe Explore How Aisle Containment Systems Help Optimise Airflow with Data Centres in The Latest Issue of Networks Europe
Aisle Containment systems create a physical barrier that prevents the mixing of hot and cold air within a Computer Room or Data Centre hall. This is achieved by either enclosing the cold aisle which feeds the IT equipment – Cold Aisle Containment, or containing and removing the warm air that has been exhausted from the IT equipment – Hot Aisle Containment.
As part of a holistic approach, the implementation of an aisle containment system contributes to a greater level of control, which in turn allows significant improvements in the performance of the Data Centre environment as a whole while realising cost savings, but only as part of a wider airflow management strategy. This strategy needs to include the implementation of basic low cost hot/cold air segregation best practices at a raised floor & rack level, including sealing holes in the raised floor with raised floor grommets, blanking unused RU spaces between rack-mounted IT equipment with blanking panels and sealing other gaps within, between and below the rack. At this point more significant investments at room level that include the installation of aisle containment systems can be considered. Airflow optimisation should be part of any new Data Centre’s design brief, as well as forming part of efficiency and sustainability initiatives across legacy Data Centres.
In the September/October 2016 issue of Networks Europe magazine, an editorial provided by EDP Europe discusses airflow optimisation and the part that aisle containment systems play in achieving better performance and driving energy cost savings. The article looks at not only implementing an aisle containment system but the options that are now available including an out-of-the-box partial aisle containment solution, and compares the performance and cost savings achieved between a full aisle containment system and a partial system.
To read the article in Networks Europe click here and turn to pages 34-35. If you would like to know more about airflow optimisation or are considering implementing an aisle containment system please contact us.
