Investigation on the energy and air distribution efficiency with improved data centre cooling to support high-density servers

Abstract

Cooling has become a key issue in data centers where cooling accounts for about 40% of total energy usage. This study evaluated the energy and thermal performance of two data center cooling approaches: row-based cooling and room-based cooling. This research examines the temperature and humidity distribution and air distribution efficiency of an IT environment using field measurements and six performance indices. According to the observations and index evaluation results, we suggest that a row-based cooling strategy is more efficient for server cooling. Air management helps to reduce cooling energy by enhancing optimal operation and improving cooling system efficiency.