Summary
In this article, Gordon Johnson discusses the impact of airflow containment on data center efficiency and why many facilities remain limited to partial containment due to fire code requirements and sprinkler system constraints. He explains how Dissolvable Air Barrier (DAB) Panels enable full aisle containment without relocating sprinkler heads, allowing operators to reduce airflow mixing, improve cooling performance, lower energy consumption, and accelerate ROI. The article explores the thermal, operational, and financial benefits of DAB Panels, along with practical implementation considerations for both new and retrofit environments.
Data centers consume tremendous amounts of energy, yet a surprising proportion of cooling capacity is squandered on air that never reaches the equipment it’s designed to cool. As a result, managing airflow presents both a monetary and thermal problem.
Full aisle containment has long been the gold standard in data center thermal management: isolating hot and cold airstreams that reduces cooling demand and lowers PUE values. Unfortunately, the real world gets in the way of things.
Many operators have felt compelled to use partial containment systems due to fire regulations, sprinkler head placement, and the physical constraints of existing facilities. Although such configurations provide some of the positive effects of full containment, they leave an efficiency gap that is reflected in higher energy consumption and operating costs.
A solution to that trade-off is provided by Dissolvable Air Barrier (DAB) panels. In locations where full containment was previously impractical, DAB panels can completely seal the aisle without moving the overhead fire safety sprinkler systems. This has significant effects on ROI, energy consumption, CapEx and OpEx.
Why Containment Matters
Efficient data center cooling is essentially about separating hot and cold air. When hot and cold air mix, if the supply air arriving at the server inlets is warmer than the intended temperature, the cooling systems need to work harder to compensate, wasting energy.
That waste is significant. Studies conducted by ASHRAE and the Green Grid consistently show that
uncontained or partially contained data halls are known to operate at significantly higher PUE values than facilities with full aisle containment.
Containment creates a physical barrier between supply and return air paths. Hot/cold air mixing is
eliminated by physically enclosing the end-of-aisles with doors, and over-rack roof systems or over-rack containment up to the ceiling. The tighter the barrier, the less mixing occurs, and the greater the efficiency gain.
Partial containment will always result in some supply and return air mixing, higher than necessary cooling demand, and lower cooling efficiency than full containment could provide. In retrofits, the targeted sealing of the most problematic airflow gaps is often considered. This can include the use of curtains, end-of-row doors, and blanking panels.
However, even full containment often faces a major implementation obstacle: compliance. Most fire codes insist that sprinkler heads must be placed within a certain distance of the ceiling, and many containment structures, like overhead roof panels, obstruct this relationship. In addition, over-rack containment up to the ceiling may also not be possible if sprinkler heads are not correctly located in both the cold and hot aisle after containment. Relocating sprinklers to fit into a containment structure can be complex, expensive, disruptive, and, in some facilities, practically impossible without a full infrastructure overhaul.
The result has been a divided market: facilities that can achieve full containment do, and facilities that are unable to do so make do with partial containment solutions that reduce, but do not eliminate, airflow mixing.
DAB panels change that calculation.
The Role of DAB Panels
DAB panels are purpose-engineered vertical over-rack panels or horizontal roof panels designed to meet fire code requirements by completely sealing the top of a contained aisle without obstructing the sprinkler system. The key difference is the material from which they are constructed. DAB panels are composed of a unique cellulose-based composition that, when exposed to sprinkler water, dissolves completely in less than 30 seconds.
They function as a solid, continuous air barrier that seals the aisle as effectively as any rigid containment panel, but in the event of a fire suppression activation, DAB panels effectively disappear. They clear the way for the sprinklers to do their job, thus maintaining full compliance with fire code requirements.
Maintaining the thermal isolation between hot and cool aisles while adhering to fire regulations has grown more difficult as data center fire safety compliance codes change. DAB panels meet these requirements, by offering containment that functions within current fire suppression systems without posing the safety risks associated with falling panels.
Calculating the ROI of DAB Panels
The ROI calculation also considers the installation footprint. If sprinkler relocation is avoided, the capital cost of attaining complete containment can be significantly decreased. DAB panels are installed inside the aisle seals and the current containment structure. The financial argument for DAB panels operates on two levels.
First, CapEx reduction comes from avoiding sprinkler relocation. A full containment retrofit that requires sprinkler relocation can add significant cost and project complexity – in some facilities, it has been the reason full containment projects have been put on hold indefinitely. DAB panels remove that cost.
Secondly, OpEx reduction follows from the efficiency gains. Reduced cooling demand results in lower electricity use, which directly lowers monthly operational costs. These potential annual savings from switching from partial to full containment are considerable, particularly in those facilities with high rack density or substantial cooling infrastructure expenditure.
Design and Implementation
Instead of requiring modifications to current fire suppression systems or changing the physical structure of the facility, DAB panel installation follows the same process as other containment systems. For horizontal roof containment (typically CAC deployments), DAB panels are fitted across the top of the contained aisle to create a continuous seal. For vertical over-rack containment (typically HAC deployments), DAB panels are easily fitted up to the ceiling of the contained aisle to again create a continuous seal.
Ongoing maintenance considerations are minimal. The maintenance profile of the panels is like that of other passive containment components, since they are not moving elements and can be easily visually inspected to eliminate gaps and openings that result in unnecessary containment leakage.
Efficiency Without Compromise
The choice between full and partial containment has never really been a question about performance. Operators have always recognized that full containment is more effective. The question has always been whether full containment was possible under practical limitations.
DAB panels provide the affirmative. Facilities that have previously been restricted to the limitations of partial containment designs can now reach the efficiency ceiling of full containment by completely closing the aisle while still adhering to fire suppression regulations. Better thermal performance, effective energy use, lower capital and operating expenses, and a quicker return on investment are the outcomes, without forcing operators to choose between efficiency and safety.
For data center operators weighing their next infrastructure investment, the question is no longer whether full containment is possible. The question is how quickly it can be implemented.
