Hot vs Cold Aisle Containment: Effective solution for your data centre

We understand that data centres face constant pressure to reduce energy consumption. That’s why we offer bespoke hot and cold aisle containment systems that are designed to deliver guaranteed cost and energy savings. Cross-Guard has a wide variety of cold and hot aisle systems that are tailored to provide exceptional value and enhance your data centre design.

What is Aisle Containment?

Aisle containment is a technique used to enhance the cooling process in data centres. It helps to minimise energy consumption and maximise return on investment while ensuring the safety of your servers by preventing excess levels of heat. In a data centre, air conditioning units (ACUs) are responsible for maintaining a specific temperature for the servers. However, the hot air released by the servers mixes with the cold air generated by the ACU, which increases the workload of the air conditioning system, leading to higher energy bills and carbon footprint while reducing efficiency.

Aisle containment is a solution which helps separate hot server exhaust air from cold air generated by your ACU, meaning your cooling system doesn’t need to work as hard and less energy is consumed. The solution involved secure doors and a roof which seals the aisle. There are two different ways of setting up an aisle containment solution: cold aisle containment and hot aisle containment.

What’s the difference between Cold Aisle and Hot Aisle Containment?

The principles of the solution remain the same for cold aisle and hot aisle containment, but the setup is different. With cold aisle containment, server cabinets are lined up with hot air exhausts facing out from the aisle. Cold air from the ACU is contained within the aisle and hot air is unable to enter and mix.

For hot aisle containment, the server exhausts face into the aisle, and it is the hot air (not the cold air) which is contained within the aisle. This hot air is then safely vented away from the cold air using a plenum, and in certain cases can be re-used within a client’s heating system.

How can Aisle Containment Benefit You?

Aisle containment is becoming increasingly popular within the data centre industry due to the benefits it brings. The core benefit is the return on investment- making the implementation of an aisle containemnt system a good business decision. Additionally, power usage effectiveness (PUE) is increased, you’ll make the cost savings on your energy bill, server equipment life is extended, and hot spots are reduced. Aisle containment also provides numerous benefits to the environment by reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Contact us today to learn more! Email: sales@cross-gurd.com Telephone: +44 (0)20 8108 9328