External CFD simulation for data centers
EOLIOS takes care of your Data Center
- Study of thermal plumes
- Validation of maximum air temperature at equipment inlet
- Selection of equipment adapted to climatic conditions
- Study of critical failure scenarios
- Identification of bypass and recirculation air flows
- Generator impact study
- Validation of installation layout
- Optimizing placement and control of air handling systems
- Tailor-made solutions
Our Data Center projects :
Why run an external CFD simulation of a data center?
Study the heat dissipation of rooftops
Whether in the courtyard or on the roof, mechanical heat rejection systems such as cooling towers and DRYs share space with emergency generators.
A compact, high-density layout of server racks inside the building translates into a compact layout of outdoor equipment.
This leads to significant challenges and airflow management issues outside the building.
External CFD studies are used to complete the risk assessment, optimize the design and reduce the energy consumption of the data center.
Schematic diagram of an adiabatic air cooler.
The influence of wind and weather on data center performance
The impact of thermal plumes outside the building is difficult to predict due to the various variables that design engineers and architects are unable to control. These variables include wind speed, air temperature and humidity, wind direction and other activities surrounding the building.
However, these phenomena have an impact on the performance of equipment positioned outdoors.
EOLIOS can help you study the impact of these issues to ensure optimal operation in all circumstances, even the most extreme.
Modeling wind-driven thermal plumes on a data center roof
Why run an external CFD simulation of a data center?
Design validation under extreme conditions
These simulations provide results that help data center owners and designers in the decision-making process by determining cost-effective layouts and performance.
CFD analysis, when carried out prior to design finalization and implementation, helpsmitigate the risks associated with design errors, which can lead to costly and extensive modification requirements, construction delays or even loss of computing capacity in the event of a critical failure during a heatwave.
"Is your data center protected against climate system failure during a heatwave? "
Systems suitable up to a certain temperature level
Most manufacturers’ equipment documents provide minimum clearance requirements for air-conditioning equipment, usually positioned on the roof.
Although this information is provided as a guide, designers are expected to take these parameters into account when laying out machines.
The manufacturer’s recommendations on equipment installation are generally included: minimum distance between systems, maximum operating temperature, etc.
However, these guidelines do not take into account ambient air conditions, wind speed or the nearby built environment.
The figure below shows how compliance with the minimum distances recommended by the manufacturer can still lead to undesirable performance .
A detailed model that adapts to different scenarios
We create a detailed computer model including surrounding buildings, all cooling devices on data center roofs, all exhausts, fresh air intakes and details such as windscreens, louvers and roofs…
We then use this model to study airflow, temperature and water vapour (relative humidity) distribution in several scenarios.
These scenarios vary according to operational mode (normal, maintenance, emergency) and weather conditions (high or low temperature, wind speed and direction).
Illustration of thermal plumes in several data center buildings, during a heatwave, and during an emergency restart of generator-type systems.
Study of the interaction of rooftop air-conditioning systems in relation to wind conditions
The hot air exhausted through the chimney flues is made up of generator fumes and air overheated by the heat exchange coils.
These air flows are blown back into the building by the wind, causing heat to be recirculated via the roof systems.
As a result of these conditions, the ambient air temperature range at the inlet to the mechanical air-conditioning equipment may fall outside the operating range recommended by the manufacturer.
This can lead to a loss of power, or even the shutdown of certain equipment.
CFD analysis allows us to understand how several systems will interact with each other.
The video below shows the impact of exhaust air (thermal plume) from generators in relation to rooftop air-conditioning equipment.
Defining power losses under extreme conditions
The pooling of systems, the superimposition of server halls, and the continuous increase in power of server racks all lead to extremely high dissipation of heat from the roof.
As the dissipation surface is constrained by the size of the building, the result is a very high concentration of air-conditioning systems on the roof, leading to a high risk of power loss, and even cascading system failures in extreme climatic conditions.
In very hot weather, or in the event of a power cut on the site, plumes of overheated air generated by the cooling systems can lead to a sharp drop in cooling power, or even a cascade shutdown of the roofing systems, resulting in a site-wide fault.
Outdoor CFD studies for data centers enable us to study the risk of power loss and optimize the layout of rooftop cooling systems.
Study of pollutant emissions - Nox from generators
At the same time, it is possible to check that the exhaust fumes (Nox) from the generators are not taken up by rooftop AHUs, which would lead to air pollution in the offices.
What use is internal CFD simulation for data centers?
Indoor CFD modeling is generally used at the design stage for system sizing analysis.
Computer simulation provides information on the relationship between the operation of air-conditioning systems and variations in the thermal load of IT equipment.
With this information, IT and site personnel can optimize airflow efficiency, eliminate hot spots and maximize cooling capacity.
Data centers: on the same subject
Thermal study of technical premises
Find out more
Data Center Fire Simulation
Find out more
Understanding how a Data Center works
Find out more
