Aisle Containment Systems
Modular Hot & Cold Aisle Containment Solutions
Aisle Containment offers a recognised solution to manage the thermal environments found in modern data centres. As data centres grow in both density and power consumption, organisations must manage their environment carefully. By managing it precisely, they maintain reliability, reduce energy costs, and maximise performance.
With over 15 years of expertise in data centre airflow management, we specialise in these systems. EDP designs, manufactures, and installs custom aisle containment systems. These systems help manage airflow in data centers. They are suitable for retrofits, new builds, and hype-scale projects.
Aisle Containment strategically improves airflow management in data centres and helps optimise cooling systems. It physically separates the hot and cold airflow streams found in server rows and prevents them from mixing.
To manage airflow in data centres, teams arrange rows of server cabinets in a hot-aisle-cold-aisle configuration. After establishing this layout, they implement measures at raised floor, rack, and row levels to enhance airflow management. Experts commonly refer to these measures as the 4Rs of Airflow Management.
The most important part of any airflow management plan is to keep cold air separate from hot air. This means teams should not let the cold air used to cool servers mix with the hot air that servers expel.
At row level, installing an Aisle Containment System (ACS) creates a physical barrier that separates hot and cold airflow. This system creates dedicated “hot aisles” where servers release hot air. It also creates “cold aisles” that only contain cold air that gets drawn in by the servers. By fully separating these two air streams, hot exhaust air cannot flow back into the server intakes. This helps prevent overheating, improves performance, and reduces the risk of hardware failure.
Aisle Containment manages the airflow by ensuring that cooling resources flow precisely where teams direct them. This targeted approach allows data centre operators to remove heat more efficiently and significantly improve overall data centre performance and energy efficiency.
Primarily, two main types of Aisle Containment exist. Each type offers its own set of advantages and applications suited to different data centre environments:
- Cold Aisle Containment (CAC) means enclosing the cold aisle. You can achieve this by putting a roof over the aisle and adding doors at the ends. This creates a sealed environment. Data centre operators find it easier to implement changes in existing data centres. However, the rest of the data hall can get hot.
- Hot Aisle Containment (HAC) encloses the hot aisle with panels and end-of-row doors. It directs hot exhaust air into the ceiling plenum. This method boosts energy efficiency by removing hot exhaust air before it mixes with cold air. However, it may need bigger changes to the current setup.
AisleLok Modular Containment offers a ready-to-use solution that users can self-install in minutes. It installs in hot or cold aisles and delivers similar benefits to a full containment system.
Installing a containment system in hot or cold aisles of a data centre offers many benefits. These include better efficiency, reliability, and cost savings.
Key advantages include:
- Improved Cooling Efficiency: Containment stops hot exhaust air from mixing with cold air. This helps facility managers optimise cooling systems and make them more efficient.
Cooling systems can now focus on specific areas that need cooling. This reduces the workload on the units since they do not have to cool the whole space. This reduces energy consumption and lowers operating costs. - Enhanced Equipment Reliability: By maintaining consistent temperatures and eliminating hot spots, containment helps extend the lifespan of IT equipment. Servers operate more reliably and efficiently, reducing the risk of failure.
- Increased Server Density: Better cooling helps data centre operators fit more servers in racks. This prevents overheating and makes good use of valuable floor space.
- Improved PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness): Aisle containment helps data centres use less energy for cooling. This directly lowers their PUE, which is an important measure of efficiency. Lowering PUE demonstrates a commitment to sustainability and can enhance a data centre’s reputation.
- Lower Operating Costs: Facility managers save money over the life of the data centre. This is due to better cooling, less energy use, and more reliable equipment.
Why Partner with EDP?
EDP expertly engineer aisle containment solutions in the UK that customers worldwide trust. Our own skilled teams install them across the UK, Europe, and the USA, providing global reach. Their modular design offers flexibility and scalability, future-proofing your requirements.
Being rack-independent and ready to deploy, we deliver a turnkey solution with minimal disruption. We create each custom design to fit your needs. We work around obstacles, adjust for different rack heights, and support future growth. Finally, our premium zero-threshold synchronised sliding doors open fully to the aisle width, making aisle access easy.
Read more about the benefits of Cold Aisle Containment, or the benefits of Hot Aisle Containment. Alternately, watch our short videos on aisle containment, cold aisle containment, or hot aisle containment.
