HOT AISLE CONTAINMENT SOLUTION

In a world run by technology protecting your data is more important than ever. With both physical and cyber threats being able to manage and protect your valuable information is a large undertaking. Data centers that store and manage information for technology such as cloud computing, data management, and mobile computing have become increasingly important. Data centers may be exposed to anything from data theft or alteration to the physical destruction of equipment leading to data destruction or corruption.

While many data centers have safeguards like video monitoring, security guards, single entry point facilities, and fire protection systems, one of the more intricate parts of physical data protection is the temperature control of the system. The computer servers that host the valuable data generate high amounts of heat and without proper management, that heat can lead to computer servers and other IT equipment overheating resulting in data corruption or destruction. Instead of attempting to manage and control the temperature of an entire data center warehouse or room, many professionals choose a data center cooling solution such as hot aisle containment or cold aisle containment to ensure both precision temperature control and energy efficiency.

Best Practices of Hot Aisle Containment Design

Hot and cold aisle containment efficiencies are often influenced by various design elements such as a raised floor height, tile placement, specialized tile perforation, the materials used to create the data center aisle framing, the types of doors on the aisles, and other room architecture. Many of the best hot aisle cold aisle designs involve creating a physical barrier between the hot air that the computer servers produce (the hot aisle) and the cool air produced from the Computer Room Air Conditioner (CRAC) or Computer Room Air Handler (CRAH) therefore creating a cold aisle. This physical barrier is often created using an aluminum framing system, a series of curtains or doors, fixed vertical panel walls, thermal drop panels, exhaust fans, and strategically raised flooring and ventilation systems.

The use of exhaust fans and barriers allow the removal of hot air produced by the IT equipment through an exhaust system while also forcing the cold air created by a conditioning unit (the CRAC or CRAH) under the raised floor systems and up through specialized perforated floor tiles that are located under the cold aisle. This data cooling aisle containment solution allows the cool air to rush up and to the air intake of the servers while simultaneously exhausting the hot air out the back of the servers into the hot aisle. The cool air that is forced to the computer servers keeps them at an optimum performance temperature working to prevent overheating and data corruption and protecting the data within the system. The primary goal of aisle containment systems is to keep the data center machines operating at a room temperature between 64.4 and 80.6 degrees Fahrenheit, with optimum efficiencies achieved at temperatures between 70 degrees and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Aluminum and Hot Aisle Cold Aisle Containment Solutions

While there are many ways to construct hot aisle cold aisle containment solutions, many professionals choose to use stocked or custom aluminum extrusions from Eagle Mouldings. We are committed to assisting you in creating an aisle containment solution with simplistic yet precise airflow management. Our 1″ aluminum tubing and 3/4″ aluminum tubing is designed to be used with specialized nylon connectors allowing for virtually unlimited shapes and framing options for hot aisle cold aisle containment solutions.  The system of aluminum tubing and nylon connectors can be used in applications such as fixed vertical panels, containment panel walls, barrier walls, and thermal drop panels.

Advantages of Using Aluminum in Hot Aisle Cold Aisle Design

· Heat conductive — Dissipates heat, perfect for heat shielding applications.

· Lightweight – Aluminum is about one-third the weight of steel, iron, brass, and copper.

· Low Maintenance – Naturally resistant to corrosion, does not require a protective layer.

· Affordable – Cost-effective material and less expensive than other metal forming processes.

· Attractive Finishes – Aluminum can be anodized, polished, buffed.

· Time-to-Market – Creating aluminum tooling is easier, reducing lead times in manufacturing.

· Malleable – Aluminum is easy to form, extrude, and machine into complex shapes.

· Non–toxic – Commonly found material and used safely.

· Paramagnetic – Avoids interference of magnetic fields when used in magnet x-ray devices.

· Precise – Can conform to very tight or close tolerances.