Save up to 30% in cooling energy costs
Cold Aisle Containment (CAC) is quickly becoming a best practice in many corporate data centers. It’s ideal for both raised floors and hard floor overhead applications. CAC creates a uniform, predictable airflow within a data center and ensures optimal operating efficiencies. Plus, it assures companies that their data center equipment is being cooled within the manufacturer’s specifications and to the new ASHRAE TC 9.9 guidelines.*
CAC creates a physical barrier with ceiling panels above the servers, with doors at the end of each aisle. This approach contains the cold air and delivers it to server air inlets, creating a comfortable, controllable temperature for critical equipment. Like Hot Aisle Containment systems, a CAC system can save companies millions of dollars in energy costs and reduces their carbon footprint dramatically.
Critical Benefits of Cold Aisle Containment
Cold Aisle Containment systems deliver a wide variety of benefits to a company.
- Eliminates Data Center hot spots
- Reduces Data Center costs
- Reduces energy consumption
- Optimizes Data Center equipment performance
- Increases cooling efficiency
- Increases rack population
- Boosts equipment/Data Center up-time
- Extends hardware life
- Increases Data Center productivity
Pros of Using Cold Aisle Containment systems
- Easier to implement than HAC
- No additional build needed for exhaust air or return to AC equipment
- Has doors at end of aisle and a partition or drop ceiling at the top
- Simpler to retrofit to older Data Centers
Cons of Cold Aisle Containment systems
- Could result in higher extreme exhaust temperatures
- Increases mixing of return air, lowering delta T
- Conditioned air could escape from raised floor
Cold Aisle Containment systems are typically more cost-effective then HAC systems, are quick and easy to install, and can be deployed without shutting down critical systems. Altimir follows industry-recognized protocols and solutions for installing and maintaining Data Center best practices.
*ASHRAE recommends a maximum air supply temperature for standard Data Centers of 80.6 F. for critical equipment. Many CRAC units in today’s companies are set to deliver 55 degrees F. air.
Not sure if a CAC system is right for you? Consult one of our technical team members to help you decide. Call us at (828) 395-6597.
