Improving Prediction Accuracy Concerning the Thermal Environment of a Data Center by Using Design of Experiments

Abstract

In data centers, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) consumes 30–40% of total energy consumption. Of that portion, 26% is attributed to fan power, the ventilation efficiency of which should thus be improved. As an alternative method for experimentations, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used. In this study, “parameter tuning”—which aims to improve the prediction accuracy of CFD simulation—is implemented by using the method known as “design of experiments”. Moreover, it is attempted to improve the thermal environment by using a CFD model after parameter tuning. As a result of the parameter tuning, the difference between the result of experimental-measurement results and simulation results for average inlet temperature of information-technology equipment (ITE) installed in the ventilation room of a test data center was within 0.2 °C at maximum. After tuning, the CFD model was used to verify the effect of advanced insulation such as raised-floor fixed panels and show the possibility of reducing fan power by 26% while keeping the recirculation ratio constant. Improving heat-insulation performance is a different approach from the conventional approach (namely, segregating cold/hot airflow) to improving ventilation efficiency, and it is a possible solution to deal with excessive heat generated in data centers.

Keywords

• data center
• air-conditioning
• computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
• design of experiments (DOE)
• prediction accuracy
• air-management metrics