Data center too hot to handle? Don’t sweat – try the right accessories instead!

Just this month, Utility Thames Water announced it was launching a probe into the use of water for cooling at data centers in Slough, home to the largest concentration of data centers in Europe. In August, it was discovered that the Microsoft data center in drought-stricken Holland consumed 84 million liters of drinking water in 2021.

Clearly, there is a critical need to focus on improving data center cooling systems as it could help solve water usage issues as well as power woes. But can accessories such as rack enclosures and panels have to do with cooling? You’ll be surprised to know that they can.

Among the best racks for managing equipment cooling are floor-standing rack enclosures because they provide the most control over airflow. They also include built-in and add-on features to keep hot air from recirculating and polluting the cold air supply. Airflow can be further unrestricted by using enclosures with fully ventilated front and rear doors. At some data centers, front and rear doors are completely removed to aid airflow.

Floor-standing rack enclosures

The sides of the enclosure are where hot air tends to recirculate. Solid side panels can help prevent this. Solid side panels must be used especially in bayed enclosures to prevent hot air from traveling from rack to rack inside the row.

Side panels

Blanking panels prevent hot air from recirculating through open spaces, forcing cold air to pass through equipment. In addition to blanking panels, one can install brush strips and gaskets to block air leaks.

Blanking panels

Unmanaged cabling blocks airflow. Under raised floors, this can prevent efficient cold air distribution and trap heat inside enclosures. In raised-floor environments, it is better to move under-floor cabling to overhead cable managers that connect to racks. Inside enclosures, just using horizontal and vertical cable managers to organize patch cables and power cords can help in airflow management.

Cables

Overhead thermal ducts are similar to adjustable chimneys. They move exhaust directly to the HVAC/CRAC return air duct. In this manner, they help to isolate hot air and prevent it from recirculating and polluting the cold air supply. This helps create an efficient airflow path. Hot air out, cold air in.

Thermal Ducts

Give Hardy Racks a call today to explore cooling options. Our smart cooling units or cooling fan trays, for example, are used to facilitate air flow within the rack by adding ventilation where it is needed most. Our blanking panels are individually formed by coining each bend, which adds as much as five times the product strength and can easily be installed with any rack hardware.

Hardy Racks is one of the leading manufacturers of server and network enclosures in India, delivering high-quality data center accessories ranging from enclosures to power distribution units, cooling solutions, and more.