AB-10-C010 -- Cooling Efficiency in Contained Applications Using Intelligent Controls PDF

Two of the biggest challenges in data centers today are the increasing heat density of the IT equipment and the energy required to operate and cool that equipment. In order to operate efficiently while dealing with these increasing loads, many best practices must be incorporated. Best practices such as arranging racks in hot-aisle/cold-aisle configurations covering all unused rack space with blanking panels, and sealing all cable cutouts in the raised floor must be done to accomplish effective and efficient cooling. This paper will go beyond these basic requirements to look at the effect of using aisle containment in conjuntion with the necessary monitoring and control of the cooling system to provide a more efficient cooling system. This is accomplished by controlling both the supply air temperature and airflow to align the cooling system with the rack temperature and airflow requirements. Comparisons between several scenarios will be made.