Comments on: Google’s Budget Containment System

By: Cold Aisle Containment

Cold Aisle Containment — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 07:11:44 +0000

PVC Provides the best Cold Aisle containment solution….

By: How To Roundup: Hot/Cold Aisles — ecoINSITE

How To Roundup: Hot/Cold Aisles — ecoINSITE — Sat, 21 May 2011 00:19:58 +0000

[...] Google’s Budget Containment System – Data Center Knowledge Clear vinyl data center curtains are offered by vendors including Simplex, and are being used in a growing number of facilities, including high-profile sites like Sun’s Colorado data center. Steve O’Donnell at The Hot Aisle has long argued for curtains as a pragmatic approach to airflow separation. In highlighting isolation strategies using curtains, Weihl focused on best practices that are accessible to companies with modest data center operations. [...]

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 03:42:31 +0000

This is a very interesting idea for use in large centers where the hot air pockets never seem to go away no matter how much a/c you install. I will have to play with this idea one of our server rooms and see how it works out.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 07:39:14 +0000

We have been supplying strip curtains for data centers
for many years. There are various types of strip curtains,
with different formulations….For Data Center anti
static strips rated by the California state fire marshal
are common. The strips are considered self
extinguishing (short flame spread) and are typically
hung from drop ceilings, uni strut or a custom frame…Haven’t
heard of these strips being rejected by insurance cos…There are
imported materials in the US market that may not have
the fire rating which could make them unacceptable to certain
projects

By: jeremy hartley

jeremy hartley — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:54:30 +0000

As a manufacturer and installer of containment systems for over 5 years I will add my part.
Meat locker curtains first. We use them,generally as an aisle end closing and notabove racks.T
There is only PVC material available that is clear and flexible (willing to learn otherwise). PVC is band as a material by many DCs and more importantly their insurance companies. Based on they wont have PVC cable sheaths so it goes for everything.The reasons above re fire are correct. There are grades of PVC. New virgin PVC and that from recycled material, which is low spec. from the fire point.
I have seen it used in DIY builds, as its simple, but these DIYs dont generally thing to imform anyone either insurance, building regs or local fire departments!
The USA suprisingly is less fussy than the UK and EU about fire regs.
But it works very well.
Down side, fire,pushing crash trollies through.Heavy and needs something to hang from. The biggest it dont look good!
Why curtains to aisle ends only and then it is only rack height. Closing to the ceiling is not practicle in may DCs as the ceilings often a long way up, difficult to get to(cabletray,pipes, ligh fittings etc) very much so in retro fit.
Above rack can hinder water based fire suppression and detection.No problem with gas if your system is installed correctly.
On our hot aisle containment with ceiling plenum return we use a rigid material to close to ceiling.Self supporting and plastics used are higher spec than PVC.
How do we stop mixing over the rack.
Close of at rack height across the aisle with polycarbonate sheets. Water based fire suppression needs to have a system that allowes panels to fall away. Easy when you know how.
Fire detection should not be an issue if the above floor and below are correct. Same for gas suppression.
Even had containment put forward as a benifit for detection as smoke particles are less diluted and picked up sooner.
There are many myths around about the benifit of CAC and can tell (as we have proof) that it works very well.
Its very simple.
Its not expensive.
Thats my bit and hope it helps.
I will follow the chat on this and help with advise if needed.
Jeremy, @ eCool Solutions.

By: Ken

Ken — Fri, 14 May 2010 22:17:42 +0000

We’ve found about 50% of the time fire marshals will approve of hanging curtains and then only if fuse links are used and adequate clearance from sprinklers can be guaranteed. This still allows hot air to mix into the cold aisle but is better than nothing.

Another approach is to cap the cold aisle with a panel that passively drops out of its frame in the event of a fire, providing access to sprinklers. Polargy is one of the companies that offers this.

By: Dave Larson

Dave Larson — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:53:40 +0000

This post makes it sound like you just have to hang the curtains, set up the door and you are ready to go. Most building inspectors require having firing suppression systems located inside the contained aisle because you have basically built a small room inside a bigger one. You will either need to have your fire suppression system re-piped to locate nozzles inside the containment, or use a brand name curtain containment system that is designed to automatically detach from the ceiling right before the fire suppression system is activated. Granted, the brand name systems are more expensive than the “meat locker” material, but it is definitely cheaper than having to modify the fire system.

By: Richard Trumbull

Richard Trumbull — Sun, 02 May 2010 02:26:53 +0000

@Steve Grant
Why would you assume that Google is using PVC? Their underwriter’s position on this very well could be as follows: Are the curtains PVC? No? Ok, we’re done then.
Stupid question.

By: Hot Aisle Or Cold Aisle For Containment? | JetLib News

Hot Aisle Or Cold Aisle For Containment? | JetLib News — Sat, 01 May 2010 22:01:08 +0000

[...] to be fancy or expensive, as Google showed in a presentation Thursday in which was discussed the use of clear vinyl curtains in isolating hot and cold aisles. Containment systems have been in use at least since 2004, but [...]

By: ATS guy

ATS guy — Sat, 01 May 2010 16:50:21 +0000

Why is this news? Curtains have been used for years for hot aisle/cold aisle containment. Google is not the first to use curtain containment concept.

Why did Bill use 80% efficiency for double conversion UPS? His numbers are old.

Were there not any other new and interesting data center concepts to come from the GreenNet 2010 event?