Tradeoffs in Managing Data Center External Airflow

By Matthew Kaufeler, Senior Principal Product Engineer

When you build a data center, your data hall design team needs to consider how your server rack layout impacts cooling while maximizing usable space. They must plan where to place cable and pipework for easy access and minimal interference with airflow. The role of lighting and power distribution equipment in adding to the heat load that the cooling system needs to service must also be considered.

These intertwined considerations present a design challenge in and of themselves, but the constraints within which a solution must be found are the outcome of decisions made by the project team - by the building design and the requirements of the end user of the facility.

Similar considerations apply to the design of the external layout of the plant around a data center or campus, but with an added dimension. While in-house decisions constrain internal design, external data center design must meet local government requirements. Failure to do so leads to a project rejection or ongoing conflict with the surrounding community.

Managing external airflow is crucial for maintaining optimal performance and efficiency of the plant servicing the data center. This task comes with unique challenges beyond thermal regulation of the external plant, including emissions control, noise management, and aesthetic considerations. Let’s explore the tradeoffs in balancing various aspects of external airflow management that could be addressed with digital twin technology.

Data Center External Airflow Challenges

1. Emissions: Data centers are substantial energy consumers, often relying on backup generators to provide power during a grid failure, which emits pollutants. Managing these emissions is critical to complying with environmental regulations and minimizing the data center's ecological footprint. The impact of emissions on the site's surroundings is often of particular interest to local government.
2. Noise (Acoustic Management): The operation of chillers, generators, and other cooling equipment can generate significant noise. Acoustic management is essential to ensure compliance with local noise ordinances and maintain a comfortable environment for nearby communities and onsite staff.
3. Appearance: Data centers are often located in urban or suburban areas where their appearance can impact the visual appeal of the surroundings. In more rural settings, their incongruous appearance relative to their surroundings can become an even more significant consideration when located outside of populated areas. Managing the aesthetic aspect involves designing infrastructure that blends with or enhances the local landscape – man-made or natural.
4. Thermal Management: Efficient thermal management is vital to ensure the reliable operation of cooling the plant and, in turn, prevent overheating of servers that the data center houses. However, balancing thermal performance with other factors, such as noise and emissions, can be complex. Alongside this balancing act, designers must bear in mind the pressure to minimize footprint in the interest of reducing costs for land as well as interconnecting pipe and cable runs.

Potential Solution - Digital Twin Technology

One innovative approach to managing these challenges is using digital twin technology. A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical system to simulate and analyze different scenarios in both the design and operational stages of a data center’s lifecycle. In the context of data center airflow, a digital twin can help:

• Optimize airflow patterns to enhance thermal performance while accommodating noise and emissions control strategies
• Simulate the impact of design changes on the functionality of the data center’s support infrastructure.
• Understand the implications for internal cooling systems of changes to external plant performance through linked solving of external and internal domains

Tradeoffs in Managing Data Center Airflow

Acoustic Management vs. Thermal Performance

One significant tradeoff is between acoustic management and thermal performance. For example, using an acoustic attenuator on a chiller can reduce noise, but forces the fan to work harder against the pressure difference, increasing energy use and potentially reducing airflow through the chiller.

Aesthetic Solutions vs. Airflow Access

Another tradeoff involves using parapets or other structures to hide data center chillers and backup generators. While these solutions improve the appearance, they can limit access to fresh air if they obstruct the airflow to intakes and can negatively impact cooling efficiency if obstructed outflows result in warm exhaust air recirculating to the plant's intakes.

Pressure Flow Performance

Managing pressure-flow performance in generators and chillers presents additional challenges. Resistance to airflow can starve the plant of air, especially those positioned in the middle of clusters, which may not generate enough flow to maintain optimal cooling when competing with their neighbors.

Conclusion

Effectively managing external airflow around data centers requires carefully balancing competing priorities. While acoustic management, emissions control, and aesthetic considerations are critical, they must be weighed against the need for efficient thermal regulation. Digital twin technology offers a promising solution by enabling data center operators to simulate and optimize airflow scenarios before implementing them in the real world

Exploring digital twin technology is a worthwhile investment for data center professionals looking to enhance their airflow management strategies. By leveraging this advanced tool, you can achieve an optimal balance between performance, compliance, and community acceptance.

Ready to take your data center to the next level? Learn more about how data center digital twin technology can revolutionize your operations.