What is Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD?)
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a field of engineering that uses specialised computer software to solve complex numerical equations to predict the behaviour of a fluid and calculate variables such as the velocity, temperature and pressure of the fluid within a space.
Data Centre Design and Analysis using Reality DC Design
At Future-tech we use Reality DC Design; an industry leading, data centre specific CFD tool for data centre design and analysis. Using data sheets, technical drawings and BIM models, we use Reality DC Design to create a detailed 3D model of a data centre, known as a digital twin. CFD simulations are performed, the results from which can be used to make informed decisions at all stages of the life cycle of a data centre.
What is CFD Used For?
We use CFD for data centre design and analysis in many ways:
1) Internal Data Centre Design and Cooling Analysis:
Throughout the design process at Future-tech, the CFD team work in tandem with the mechanical and electrical designers, building and solving digital twin models to ensure the design behaves as intended. These models can be easily updated as the design moves through the different design stages to ensure the final design is compliant and can support contracted customer SLAs related to cooling, which are typically defined by ASHRAE TC9.9 Thermal Guidelines. We can model all areas of a data centre, including:
- Data halls
- UPS rooms
- MMR rooms
- Power distribution rooms
2) External Data Centre Site Analysis:
We can model the data centre in an external environment. This external Digital Twin will include the data centre site buildings including all plant such as generators, chillers, indirect air to air cooling units, and surrounding buildings. Using ASHRAE weather data, different external scenarios can be simulated to assist the design team in making decisions that will affect the external plant:
- Typical site operating conditions: mean coincident wind speed and temperature at most frequent wind direction(s)
- Worst case ambient temperature: Mean coincident wind speed and direction at peak ambient temperatures.
- Worst case wind speed scenario: mean coincident wind direction and temperature for high wind speeds (non-gust).
- Predict potential problems such as ‘heat pooling’ resulting in external heat rejection equipment performance loss.
3) Redundancy Testing for Mission Critical Data Centres:
Redundancy testing is incredibly important for data centres as many are mission critical, however it can be difficult to test redundancy in a real-world scenario. Reality DC has two simulation modes; ‘steady state’, which captures a snapshot in time, and ‘transient (time varying)’, which captures results over a set time period.
- In Reality DC, steady state failure scenarios can be performed to analyse the failure of specific cooling units. This can be used to identify any negative effects if one or a number of cooling units fail or are taken offline for maintenance.
- The Digital Twin model can be also used to run transient (time varying) power failure scenarios (also called short break or thermal ride through studies), reporting the results over time, to examine the thermal performance of the data centre during an unexpected failure.
4) Data Centre Health Checks:
For existing sites, CFD can be used to analyse the current thermal performance of the data centre. This can be used to:
- Analyse problem areas or hotspots, identify their root cause and suggest methods for improvement.
- Optimise the cooling performance for better Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and increased resilience.
- Check and ensure SLA compliance.
- Locate areas of stranded capacity and assist capacity planning teams identify the most optimal location to install equipment.
5) Digital Twin Modelling:
Reality DC Design has a sister programme called Reality DC Insight. We can create and provide a Digital Twin model that, through Reality DC Insight, links to the customer’s database. It automatically updates IT deployment, power load and BMS data and then runs regular CFD simulations. This provides engineers, capacity planners and site managers with automated reporting on the performance of the data centre throughout time.
Data Centre Design with Future-tech
Using CFD in our design process allows Future-tech to make rapid, well-informed decisions on the data centres we design and analyse. We can quickly verify designs for cooling capacity, SLA compliance, and redundancy, giving both Future-tech and our customers increased confidence that the data centre will operate as intended.
To find out more, get in touch with our expert engineers.