Hot or Cold Aisle Containment?
The real answer is both!
The facts are that the properties of hot/cold air naturally require management.
For instance, hot air naturally rises. This means the focus of hot air containment should be above the rack ... not at the end of the aisle.
Cold air is just the opposite. Cold air is denser (heavier) and tends to drop and run across the floor (unless it is being moved by mechanical means). Thus containment for cold air is the perimeter around the racks.
Containment Systems Design
Aisle End Doors (primarily for cold aisle containment)
Aisle end door are a key function to create a pool of cold supply air to the IT equipment intake. Aisle end doors are essential to fully populate the rack and to prevent air stratification. Without cold aisle doors the AC units must cool the entire room or create a pool of supply air throughout the room. The AC fans cannot create enough subfloor pressure to supply cold air above 3 or 4 feet.
Roof Systems primarily cold aisle containment or hot aisle with in-row coolers
The key purpose for roof systems is to prevent ambient room air (with higher temperatures then supply air) from mixing. A key design is to have the ability to remove the roof for maintenance above the containment.
Hot aisle containment
Since hot airs naturally rises the containment design should be focused on guiding the air away from the supply airflow. If possible using the rooms drop ceiling void to channel the air back to the AC intake. This will also help to balance the AC load by drawing the warm return air from a common plenum.
Fire Suppression
Containment systems are designed to separate hot and cold airflow. Unfortunately it also alters the sprinkler patterns of aqueous fire suppression systems (Containment systems do not alter gaseous fire suppression systems because airflow is not restricted.) Attachment links that release in a fire suppression event solve the containment blockage problem.
There are two types of links:
1 — Thermal links. These separate at the same time as the sprinkler heads activate. The ceiling partition drops and preserves the designed sprinkler patterns.
2 — Electronic thermal links. These are tied to the smoke detectors. When the smoke detectors are activated a low voltage signal from the detector will melt the thermal link.
Another key area of concern is ceiling mounted smoke detectors. A containment system must be designed to allow smoke to run across the ceiling. This is because all smoke detectors are cross-zoned activated. If a smoke detector is isolated it will render the system inoperable. Subero thermal links are mounted 1 ½ inches below the ceiling to allow smoke detectors proper operation.
Connectivity, Installation Cost, Potential Adjustments or Changes, Aesthetics.
Containment systems should have parts that easily connect to each other. This ensures low installation cost. In the event a containment area is enlarged or reduced, a modular approach will allow for instant and easy adjustment. Lastly, an aesthetically appealing containment system will look like one continuous unit. All of these requirements point to the need of a fully modular system.
Modular Design
Why is modular design important?
All work performed in a data center presents a level of risk to the computer environment. Products that require cutting and/or drilling present a danger to the continued operation of computer equipment. Metal slivers can find their way through the subfloor plenum into sensitive electronic equipment. Most data centers have a no cutting or drilling policy. The Subzero Engineering modular designed system requires no cutting or drilling. Each component is designed to attach to another.
Subzero Engineering Containment products are all modular in design.
Our products are built to install without using tools. Each product snaps or overlaps together to create one seamless product. As a result our products are very easy to install, easy to adjust, and look great!
