Rack inlet airflow is an important factor in data center cooling, and it’s not going away. To prevent IT equipment failure and ensure uptime, cooling air must be properly managed in operational data centers. The °C SPAR rack system provides engineers and technicians an effective way to characterize and optimize server rack airflow.
The °C SPAR multipoint airflow measurement system collects numerous points of air velocity, temperature, and humidity simultaneously. It consists of sensor pole arrays installed in a flexible frame assembly on caster wheels, the size of a data rack. The sensing arrays plug into a °C Port data acquisition instrument which is connected to a PC with AccuTrac datalogging software. Windows®-based AccuTrac collects and analyzes data for up to 180 sensor locations in real time.
Built to client specifications, you choose the air velocity range, quantity of sensor points per array, and frame dimensions for the airflow measurement system. Frames are fabricated to allow for an experimentation resolution of 1 RU intervals, and °C SPAR sensor arrays can be moved vertically within the frame to accommodate racks with different configurations of IT gear. Rotational hardware allows 15 degrees of rotation for individual sensor poles. To increase the number of measurement points, you may install additional sensing arrays in the frame at any time.
Consider the °C SPAR test equipment for IT rack airflow and inlet temperature measurement. The flexible, planar airflow analysis system enables rapid, complex measurements of air velocity, temperature, and humidity to profile data center racks and optimize airflow management.
ASHRAE launched a new Data Center Resource Page last month. It contains publications, standards, guidelines, and other technical materials to address a broad range of data center design and operation elements including cooling, thermal management, humidity, and energy efficiency. The new page is intended to help engineering and operations professionals optimize performance, achieve compliance, and enhance sustainability for data centers.