In previous blog articles we have examined ways of improving and optimising existing under floor airflow, and addressing other Data Centre cooling issues. Today we are going to look at the Triad floor grille which improves how the under floor airflow is distributed in front of the racks.
For the last 40 years it has been the responsibility of the raised floor to provide the cooling to the Data Centre. Air is sent into the under floor plenum, while perforated tiles are placed in front of the server racks. The hope is that air will rise through these perforated tiles and be pulled through the servers. This system has been relatively effective as heat loads from the servers have been very low. However, over the last few years Data Centre servers have been asked to do much more with the introduction of virtualisation products (VMWare), video, digital security, IP telephony and CRM / ERP applications. This growth in server usage has seen an increase in rack power requirements, resulting in a rise in heat output. With higher heat loads within the server racks, inefficiencies in the raised floor cooling system have become highlighted. As Data Centre managers attempt to combat hot spots they often decease set points to make the room colder.
According to Eaton “As much as 30 to 60 percent of the Data Centre utility bill goes to support cooling systems”; so finding ways to reduce this cost is beneficial both on expenditure and to the effect on the environment. Poor airflow management reduces both the efficiency and the capacity of computer room cooling equipment; it can also affect the longevity of I.T. equipment.
In a study of ‘Airflow in the Data Centre’, Dr. Bob F. Sullivan and Kenneth G. Brill, of the Uptime Institute, estimate that only 28% of the air in the raised floor airflow system actually gets to the servers. This means 72% of the air is wasted, and is only present so as to guide the other 28%. We are, in effect, using air to divert air. As a result it often means that Data Centres are using on average 2.6 times more cooling than is necessary, but can still be suffering from hot spots.
One of the causes of this inefficiency is the standard flat bottom floor grilles used in the cold aisle, which cause short cycling. As air passes under the grille it creates a pull on the hot air above and drags it into the plenum causing a mix of hot and cold air (known as the Venturi effect). Another issue flat bottom grilles have is that they have no dissipation; this means the cool air can not break through the boundary layer of heat across the front of the racks. The fact that the air can not break through the boundary layer leads to poor stratification resulting in temperature discrepancies between the bottom and top of the racks – the result hot spots.
This inefficiency has lead some companies to move away from raised floor cooling to more active solutions such as liquid cooling. These systems are often 10 times more expensive than there passive counterparts. So, from a capital outlay perspective the ideal solution would be a passive cooling system that’s able to supply air to the front of the servers, and capable of delivering it to the top of the rack. Could this be possible? The simple answer is Yes!
According to Eaton “As much as 30 to 60 percent of the Data Centre utility bill goes to support cooling systems”; so finding ways to reduce this cost is beneficial both on expenditure and to the effect on the environment. Poor airflow management reduces both the efficiency and the capacity of computer room cooling equipment; it can also affect the longevity of I.T. equipment.
In a study of ‘Airflow in the Data Centre’, Dr. Bob F. Sullivan and Kenneth G. Brill, of the Uptime Institute, estimate that only 28% of the air in the raised floor airflow system actually gets to the servers. This means 72% of the air is wasted, and is only present so as to guide the other 28%. We are, in effect, using air to divert air. As a result it often means that Data Centres are using on average 2.6 times more cooling than is necessary, but can still be suffering from hot spots.
One of the causes of this inefficiency is the standard flat bottom floor grilles used in the cold aisle, which cause short cycling. As air passes under the grille it creates a pull on the hot air above and drags it into the plenum causing a mix of hot and cold air (known as the Venturi effect). Another issue flat bottom grilles have is that they have no dissipation; this means the cool air can not break through the boundary layer of heat across the front of the racks. The fact that the air can not break through the boundary layer leads to poor stratification resulting in temperature discrepancies between the bottom and top of the racks – the result hot spots.
This inefficiency has lead some companies to move away from raised floor cooling to more active solutions such as liquid cooling. These systems are often 10 times more expensive than there passive counterparts. So, from a capital outlay perspective the ideal solution would be a passive cooling system that’s able to supply air to the front of the servers, and capable of delivering it to the top of the rack. Could this be possible? The simple answer is Yes!
The Triad floor grille is different from standard flat bottom floor grilles. It is constructed in such a way that it ensures a positive airflow out of every part of the tile; the result is no short cycling. The design of the Triad floor grille diverts the air to the servers and creates a greater dispersion pattern that enables the air to penetrate the boundary layer of heat.
So why is the Triad grille so different? The Triad floor grille features a unique Hi-Plume Stratification fin which redirects and concentrates the available airflow into the front of the racks far better than standard flat bottom grilles. It also enables the air to stratify to the top of the racks, so ensuring that the servers at the top of the rack are correctly cooled. The curved shape of the fin creates a greater dispersion pattern that has the effect of “bending” the air outwardly so that it can flow into the servers and up to 7’, the result allows the Triad grilles to be deployed in a chequer board layout, resulting in less grilles being required. The effectiveness of the Triad floor grille allows the Data Centre to be cooled at much higher temperature set points; the result - Savings in energy costs.
Apart from the Hi-Plume fin the Triad grille also features TopSat leveller adjusters that enable the level to be adjusted both vertically and horizontally, allowing the Triad grille to fit flush to the existing raised floor. It also has dual Lift-n-Lock integrated handles that enables the grille to be lifted without the need of suction cup lifters. There are also optional dampers and baffles that can be fitted for greater airflow control.
To find out more about the Triad floor grille please visit http://www.edpeurope.com/ or contact our sales team by e-mailing sales@edpeurope.com. 