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A review on airflow management in data centers

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  • Chu, Wen-Xiao
  • Wang, Chi-Chuan

Abstract

This study provides a review upon airflow management in data centers. Based on the available airflow path, cooling systems in data centers are categorized as long-distance cooling or short-distance cooling systems. Investigations on airflow management include tests in real data center or in simulated data center. Besides, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) had been widely employed upon the thermal and airflow management of the data centers. For the long-distance cooling system, the airflow management normally adopts raised-floor configuration and hot/cold aisle arrangement. The major problems in airflow management include hot-air recirculation, cold-air bypass, leakages, over-provisioned and under-provisioned air supply, and airflow/temperature non-uniformity. The aforementioned effects often interact with the geometry layout of the data center. Related literatures regarding the effect of plenum depth, perforated tiles, enhanced facility such as induced bypass fans, infrastructure layout, aisle containment and leakage are discussed and compared. In addition, studies on the overhead air supply method are also examined and compared with the raised-floor ones. For the short-distance cooling system, the effect of server layout and heat exchanger layout concerning the airflow uniformity are investigated. It is found that the appropriate management of the original design into centralized server layout can ease the mal-distribution of airflow into the severs by 30%. This review aims to emphasize the criteria of implementing airflow management to data centers that serve as a reference guide for energy saving in data center as far as airflow arrangement is concerned. Moreover, some recommended future research efforts are also addressed.

Suggested Citation

  • Chu, Wen-Xiao & Wang, Chi-Chuan, 2019. "A review on airflow management in data centers," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C), pages 84-119.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:240:y:2019:i:c:p:84-119
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.02.041
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    7. Cheng Liu & Hang Yu, 2021. "Evaluation and Optimization of a Two-Phase Liquid-Immersion Cooling System for Data Centers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-21, March.
    8. Prina, Matteo Giacomo & Manzolini, Giampaolo & Moser, David & Nastasi, Benedetto & Sparber, Wolfram, 2020. "Classification and challenges of bottom-up energy system models - A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
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    12. Zhang, Yingbo & Shan, Kui & Li, Xiuming & Li, Hangxin & Wang, Shengwei, 2023. "Research and Technologies for next-generation high-temperature data centers – State-of-the-arts and future perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    13. Teresa Murino & Roberto Monaco & Per Sieverts Nielsen & Xiufeng Liu & Gianluigi Esposito & Carlo Scognamiglio, 2023. "Sustainable Energy Data Centres: A Holistic Conceptual Framework for Design and Operations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-14, August.
    14. Wang, Xinyue & Liu, Yang & Tian, Tong & Li, Ji, 2022. "Directly air-cooled compact looped heat pipe module for high power servers with extremely low power usage effectiveness," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 319(C).
    15. Hu, Zhi-Hua & Zheng, Yu-Xin & Wang, You-Gan, 2022. "Packing computing servers into the vessel of an underwater data center considering cooling efficiency," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    16. Fujen Wang & Yishun Huang & BowoYuli Prasetyo, 2019. "Energy-Efficient Improvement Approaches through Numerical Simulation and Field Measurement for a Data Center," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-18, July.
    17. Emelie Wibron & Anna-Lena Ljung & T. Staffan Lundström, 2019. "Comparing Performance Metrics of Partial Aisle Containments in Hard Floor and Raised Floor Data Centers Using CFD," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-17, April.
    18. Du, Yahui & Zhou, Zhihua & Yang, Xiaochen & Yang, Xueqing & Wang, Cheng & Liu, Junwei & Yuan, Jianjuan, 2023. "Dynamic thermal environment management technologies for data center: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).

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