Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1386104
July/August/September 2021 I 31 More density means data center operators can serve more users with more compute capacity—an invaluable benefit to business operations—but it also means that heat loads within the cabinet increase. The Data Center Cabinet, Focused on Efficiency At higher rack densities, adding more air conditioning to the room is not the most effective option, although a large number of data centers continue to oversupply cold air in order to keep equipment operational. Instead, airflow containment, which is simply the physical separation of hot and cold air within the server room, can easily be the most important practice for maximizing cooling system efficiency. Segregating the hot and cold air not only improves chiller efficiencies, it also reduces the total plant cooling capacity and creates more free cooling hours. This can be achieved by building an enclosure around the hot aisle, known as hot aisle containment (HAC); building an enclosure around the cold aisle, known as cold aisle containment (CAC); or by using a vertical exhaust duct accessory at the top of the cabinet to remove hot exhaust air. Specifying cabinets that provide a complete front/rear seal around equipment and removing constraints around critical airflow design allows higher power and heat densities. The best possible isolation can be achieved with a combination of accessories (e.g., blanking filler panels, equipment-mounting area perimeter sealing air dams, and floor tile cut-out brush seal grommets) and the right system to remove the return air from the room into a suspended ceiling return air space. It is expected that Zero Net Energy (ZNE) buildings will be a requirement in the future. 1 Presently, California is leading the pack when it comes to state regulations, and it has an aggressive goal to transition all new commercial buildings to this standard by 2030. For European Union (EU) countries, the European Commission has issued directives for nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEBs). 2 It stands to reason that new data center facilities should begin prioritizing ZNE while mandatory codes and standards continue to evolve. To this end, it is wise to consider an integrated design approach that considers multiple systems and incorporates cabinet designs with passive cooling and ventilation. The Data Center Cabinet, Strengthened by Design Considering high-density racks—particularly those with more advanced, heavier equipment installed including accessories and overhead cabling—a typical load rating of 2000 to 3000 pounds (≈907 to 1361 kg) may no longer suffice for the long run. Modern cabinet design manufacturers are addressing the increasing demand for higher static and dynamic loads (Figure 6). FIGURE 6: To meet the growing need for high-density racks, including overhead cabling and accessories, manufacturers are addressing higher load ratings beyond 3000 pounds (≈1361 kg) in next generation cabinet designs.