Modular solution for cold and warm aisle containment with caging capabilities

We took our CoolControl curtains one step further to create a completely modular containment system called CoolControl Containment. This new system is suitable for structural as well as “soft” containment of the cold or warm aisle in data centres. The basic structure consists of aluminium profiles that can be connected to form a frame which is then attached to the wall, ceiling or the racks of a data centre. Soft elements (e.g. curtains) and/or solid panels made of plastic, glass or Plexiglas are integrated into these frames to completely contain the racks along the cold or warm aisle, even if the racks were made by different manufacturers or are different sizes and heights. Blinding panels can also be integrated into the containment system to seal off unoccupied rack units in racks and prevent warm air from recirculating back to the cold aisle. The containment solution comes with special airflow panels to ensure the optimum flow of cold from the raised floor to the front of the rack. CoolControl Xpand, an accordion-shaped foam insulation system for cable openings in the rack floor, can also be combined with the containment solution to prevent bypass airflow. The final element in the system is a caging module made of steel rods or metal sheets for reliable and low-cost colocation and housing.

Highly flexible containment for heterogeneous server rooms and data centres

The resulting system eliminates weaknesses such as thermal imbalances caused by recirculating exhaust air and, unlike conventional solutions, can be integrated into existing fire alarm or prevention systems. The solution’s modular design lets you choose “soft” containment, i.e. with curtains, or structural containment with panels, or a combination of both. This eliminates the common problem of containing heterogeneous rack environments that have evolved over time with different dimensions, installation heights and cabinets from different manufacturers. The CoolControl Containment system is a forward-looking, sustainable and reliable investment because it can be scaled “on demand” and is easy to dismantle or reuse.

Smart rack containment: cooling optimisation, energy savings and much quicker ROIs

According to the best practices and recommendations for boosting energy efficiency in data centres from BITKOM, EU Code of Conduct on Data Centre Efficiency and the Uptime Institute, containment is extremely effective and has the potential to optimise energy use by between 20 and 30 per cent. In the case of cold aisle containment, for example, an entire room can be cooled or just the isolated cold aisle. The temperature difference between the cold and warm aisle is then between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius. The room temperature in the cold aisle can be significantly increased this way – and for every additional degree Celsius, the output of the cooling systems can be reduced by approx. 3 per cent.

When other CoolControl components are integrated into the CoolControl Containment system to optimise the cold airflow e.g. rack panels, cable opening seals and airflow panels, containment is even more effective and less energy is consumed because the cooling systems don’t have to work as hard. More time and money can be saved thanks to Daxten’s low material costs and ready-made profiles, curtains and panels which also reduce installation times. Operation of the rack hardware can continue during installation with no downtime.

By and large, the average ROI period for conventional containment systems of 12 to 18 months can be reduced by a couple of months with the Daxten solution.

Longer hardware service life, failure protection and reserve cooling capacity

The functional advantages of the containment system give rise to other indirect benefits: constant humidity, steady cool air pressure and low ambient temperatures in the contained cold aisle increase the durability of the hardware in the racks and protect them against heat-related malfunctions and failures.

Housing and colocation providers will appreciate that Daxten offers complete steel rod and metal sheet panels for its containment system. Compartments can be installed both quickly and flexibly with the aluminium base profiles – of course with integrated containment at the customer’s request.

Daxten CoolControl Containment highlights at a glance:

• Low-cost separation of warm and cold aisles with containment
• Caging modules to quickly set up compartments for housing and colocation
• Combined “soft” and structural containment layouts
• Simple containment for different racks with different dimensions and installation heights
• Prevents warm air from recirculating to the cold aisle
• Up to 30% more cooling and energy efficiency in data centres
• Constant humidity and temperatures extend the service life of the hardware
• Ready-made parts make installation quick and easy installation (within days, not weeks)
• Installation during hardware operation with no downtime!
• Scalable modular structure
• Easy to dismantle and reuse
• Seamless integration of existing fire alarm and prevention systems
• The ROI period for conventional containment systems of 12 to 18 months can be reduced by a couple of months with the Daxten solution.

Solution elements

• Square aluminium profile: modular design, as self-contained frame or for attachment to wall or ceiling, for solid panels or curtain
• PVC curtain strips: with mounting bracket, flame retardant, anti-static
• Connecting plates: aluminium, powder-coating, for continuous profile connection and reinforcement
• Profile connector: Steel connection element, not visible from the outside, slidable and adjustable, also for cross connections
• Installation angle: easy to install with any M6 screw and sliding nut, adjustable, also when profiles are retrofitted at a later time
• Cover strip: aluminium (powder-coating), cover to secure curtain elements

To enhance the efficiency of your Daxten CoolControl containment systems we recommend integrating:

• Daxten CoolControl airflow panels for use in the cold aisle
• Daxten CoolControl Xpand to panel racks with cables running to the front
• Daxten CoolControl baffles to seal racks on the side
• Daxten CoolControl Quickfix panels with integrated rivets
• Daxten CoolControl blanking panels/side baffles
• Daxten CoolControl raised floor seals
• Daxten CoolControl raised floor baffles

Download

Download our white paper on how to make the right choice of the right Aisle Containment for your data centre.
Download White Paper: Aisle Containment