Investigation of indoor climate and power usage in a data center

The power requirement within the data center is considerably high, due to an oversized air conditioning system. An infrared camera was used to visualize the airflow and temperature pattern, showing that cool air does not reach the upper levels of the racks, despite a very high air exchange rate. Point measurements of temperatures in a rack show that recirculation cells are present, causing accumulation of heat and improper cooling of electronic equipments. Thus, the chilled air is not distributed properly and consequently the cooling energy is not used effectively.