Tate Examines Sealing Air Leakage at the Rack Level in the Data Center Environment

JESSUP, Md., May 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In Tate's recent blog, 'How much containment is enough?', we discussed three levels of containment, and the ones that have the largest impact on a full containment strategy. The first step in that process, we noted, was to make sure your room is containment-ready by addressing air leakage at the floor and rack level. In this blog we would like to spend some time talking about the topic of leakage in more detail, and to address vulnerabilities found at the rack in the form of unsegregated airflow.

Tate is no stranger to the issue of managing airflow within the data center. Mismanaged airflow at the rack itself can be just as big a culprit in efficiency losses in the average data center environment as unsealed penetrations in a raised access floor. We have a range of Airflow Management Accessories that are designed to improve the performance of your data center by creating a clear demarcation between hot and cold aisles at the rack, and some of these accessories seal some not-so-obvious areas.

The goal of our rack-level airflow management products is to keep warm exhaust air at the back of the cabinet by isolating it from the front.  One of the most common areas to focus on is the area between the equipment rails, and more specifically, open up space not occupied by IT equipment. We provide the flexible Hotlok Blanking Panel solution to form a barrier that covers from 1u to 42u of space between the equipment rails.

Although most utilize blanking panels of some sort, surprisingly few address the gap between the equipment rail and the side of the cabinet. To seal this area of leakage, Tate worked with experts in the field of airflow management to develop the Rack Airflow Management Kit. The kit includes a universal mounting extrusion that clips between the equipment rail and the side of the rack to ensure that the entire face of the equipment rack is immune to bypass airflow.

In addition to these more obvious areas of concern, there are two lesser-known areas that must be sealed to ensure complete segregation between the front and rear of the cabinet. First, we suggest you address the gaps between the racks themselves with a product called Airlock Air Sealing Tape. There is also a small gap between the bottom of the rack and the floor which can be sealed with an Under Rack Panel.

Tate is your expert for sealing and managing airflow in the data center. For more information on our technical services, or to schedule an audit of your data center airflow, visit our Project Support page.

Learn more about Tate Airflow Management Accessories 

SOURCE Tate

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