Cooling Best Practices

Most data centers have implemented some best practices for cooling, including the hot-aisle/cold-aisle rack arrangement. Potential also exists in sealing gaps in floors, using blanking panels in open spaces in racks, and avoiding mixing of hot and cold air in order to increase cooling efficiency. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be used to identify cooling inefficiencies and optimize data center airflow. Many organizations, including Emerson Network Power, offer CFD imaging as part of data center assessment services focused on improving cooling efficiency. Additionally, temperatures in the cold aisle may be able to be raised if current temperatures are below 68° F. Chilled water temperatures can often be raised from 45 F to 50 F. ASHRAE has published several papers on these best practices In the 5,000-square-foot data center model, cooling system efficiency is improved five percent simply by implementing best practices. This reduces overall facility energy costs by one percent with virtually no investment in new technology.