Controlling The Temperature Inside Equipment Racks © 2002-2010 Middle Atlantic Products, Inc

CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE EQUIPMENT RACKS
2002-2010 Middle Atlantic Products, Inc.
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Table of Contents
Controlling the Temperature Inside Equipment Racks .......................................................................................................................................... 4
Preface ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Definitions ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Thermal System ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Rack Placement ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Enclosure Designs .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8
Equipment .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
Radiated Dissipation .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
BTU/Hr. Calculations .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Amplifier Calculations ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Planning Airflow Inside the Rack ........................................................................................................................................................................ 13
Rear Equipment Fan Intake Common Mistake vs. Simple Solution .................................................................................................................... 14
Planning Airflow: Passive Convection................................................................................................................................................................. 15
Passive Thermal Management Common Mistake vs. Simple Solution ................................................................................................................ 16
Planning Airflow: Forced Air (Active Thermal Management) ............................................................................................................................ 17
Active Thermal Management Common Mistake vs. Simple Solution ................................................................................................................. 18
Active Thermal Management Additional Simple Solutions ................................................................................................................................. 19
Vent Sizing for Forced Air (Fans)........................................................................................................................................................................ 20
Airflow Obstructions............................................................................................................................................................................................ 20
Fans (Forced Air) ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
Fan Life ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 22
Static Pressure ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Vents, Fans, And Equipment Layout ................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Filters ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
Forced Air Filtered Simple Solutions ................................................................................................................................................................... 26
Pressurizing Racks ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 27
Heat Exchangers & Air Conditioning Units ......................................................................................................................................................... 28
Planning for Thermal Management with NVRs & DVRs .................................................................................................................................... 29
Raised Computer Room Floors ............................................................................................................................................................................ 30
How to Calculate Ventilation Required to Provide an Interior Rack Temperature of 85F ................................................................................. 31
Thermal Solutions ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 33
Future Planning .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 34
Standards.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 34
REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 35

Controlling the Temperature Inside Equipment Racks

Maintaining the temperature inside racks is critical to the proper functioning and survival of the circuits
operating within them. The best way to control this temperature is to take a systems (integrated) approach to
thermal management.
Thermal design of equipment racks and enclosures is essential to ensuring the functionality of the equipment
and system when subjected to the surrounding environment. The most robust designs for thermal management,
for instance, occur in the telecom industry, where equipment reliability can literally be a matter of life and
death. People expect an immediate dial tone when they lift the receiver, even during a power failure.
Heat has been proven to substantially reduce the service life of most equipment, which makes it vital to
engineer the removal of this heat.
85F is the maximum recommended constant operating temperature for most equipment; it will help provide a
long service life for the equipment inside an enclosure.
Why 85F? Most studies have shown that for every 10F rise over 85F, digital equipment life is reduced
by approximately 40%! However, the Uptime Institute states, For every 18 F increase above 70 F, long-term
reliability is reduced by 50%. Clearly there is a need to control the temperature inside electronic enclosures.
Both the performance reliability and life expectancy of electrical equipment are inversely related to the
component temperature of the equipment.
Amplifiers on the other hand, can operate at far hotter temperatures; many operate well (with reduced thermal
headroom) at 110F! At elevated temperatures, computers and networking equipment fail more frequently than
A/V equipment. With the continued integration of computer equipment and A/V equipment, more care needs to
be taken when approaching thermal planning. Where conditioned space is at a premium, amplifier racks should
be separated from digital audio/video racks.

Preface
HVAC systems should be engineered to meet the needs of the room. The HVAC system must be properly sized
to accommodate the heat load generated by AV and IT equipment. In some cases, the HVAC system must
maintain a low background noise level when operating. The objective there is to maintain the rooms
environment for safe equipment operating temperatures and noise-free acoustics, where low ambient sound
levels are important. Heat loads, background noise specifications and ventilation requirements must be
addressed very early with the HVAC designer/installer to ensure they are included with the design.
The objective of this guide is to calculate and understand when to vent a rack using natural convection, and
when its time to force the air (using fans).
When fans are the choice, you will be able to calculate the required amount of airflow (CFM), and where to
place the vents.
Fan choices, filtering and environmental variables are discussed, along with a range of real-world application
diagrams and helpful charts on how proper thermal management can be achieved.
Definitions
CFM - Cubic feet per minute, of airflow
Ton - One Ton of air conditioning = 400 CFM (on most units)
BTU/Hr. - British thermal units per hour, of heat
12,000 BTU/Hr. = 1 Ton of air conditioning
Watt - One Watt of current draw (Volts X Amps) = 3.413 BTU/Hr.
Rack - Enclosure, cabinet, for housing electronic equipment
Room Load Capacity The point at which the equipment heat load in the room no longer allows
the equipment to operate within the specified temperature requirements
HVAC - Heating, ventilation, air-conditioning
Measured Power Actual current draw measured by an amp meter to determine waste heat, for
all equipment other than amplifiers
Nameplate Rating A power, voltage and frequency rating used for regulatory approval [should
not be exclusively used for waste heat calculations]

Thermal System
There are three airflows involved in this thermal system; one is how the heat travels through the rack, another is
how the air moves throughout the room and the last is how room heat is removed. The interactions between
these airflows are important, and must be considered when taking a systems approach.
All heat (BTU/Hr.) generated by equipment must first be removed from the rack, and then the room itself must
have the ability to remove the total heat from all racks. Many installations do not have the luxury of an airconditioned environment, so consideration must be given to how the room itself will vent.
If the equipment room does not have the ability to remove the heat generated by the rack(s), then all of the
following calculations will have little meaning. It is important to ensure that whatever heat is removed from the
rack will not raise the room temperature significantly.
For digital equipment, the room itself should be no hotter than 75F. This gives a 10F temperature difference
between the room and the recommended 85F internal rack temperature for optimum equipment life.
The cooler the room (as long as the room temperature is above the dew point so condensation does not occur),
the fewer vents or fan CFM will be needed.
All necessary information is included within to calculate the total BTU/Hr. that will need to be removed.
Rack Placement
Heat flows from hot to cold and you cannot make the heat come out of a cabinet unless the outside air is cooler.
Convection is the process of air passing over a hot object and carrying the heat away.
It is always better to focus on removing heat from above, rather than adding cold air.
In quiet office environments where equipment is housed in racks in closets, fan noise is often not welcome.
Ambient temperature can be higher in closets, and heat should be exhausted out if the ambient air inside the
closet exceeds 75F. In the case of a single rack in a closet, it is important to use a fully louvered closet door
and monitor the temperature when there is no active ventilation in the closet. If natural convection is not
adequate to maintain 75F a thermostatic exhaust fan needs to be installed.
In the case of equipment racks in an air-conditioned room (without a raised computer floor), it is better to have
the supply ducts and diffusers in front of the racks, and the return ductwork and registers in the rear of the room.
Avoid locating the racks directly under supply ductwork. Cold air falls, and the flow of the hot air that rises
from the top of the rack should have no impediments on its way back to the return air (intake) duct.

Supply
Duct
Must be spaced far enough apart so

no re-circulation occurs
When close: use a "2 way" or "3 way" diffuser
Return
Duct
FRONT
2002 Middle Atlant ic Products, I nc.
SIDE VIEW

Enclosure Designs
For passive convection (no fan) applications, wider racks are beneficial; a good chimney effect is made
possible by the space between the sides of mounted equipment and the enclosures sides. The presence of this
space facilitates the drawing of heat upward.
In forced-air applications, a narrower cabinet can be selected to save space. Additionally, the best way to
exhaust the air is to incorporate a fan top.
An enclosure without venting built-in to the top face should be selected when top-mount fans are required.
Some enclosure manufacturers do not take proper thermal engineering into consideration, so care should be
given to the rack selection process.
Enclosures with a wide

footprint are ideal for
achieving a chimney effect
For The Side Chimney Effect On

Front-Intake Equipment
Airflow Out
Equipment
Sides Not
"Choked"
2001 - 2004 Middle Atlantic Products, Inc.

Equipment
In most integrated audio/video installations, the largest heat load will come from power amplifiers while they
are driven. However, there are an increasing amount of digital devices that produce a considerable amount of
heat. Microprocessors, which are often embedded to do signal processing, emit greater heat from equipment
than ever before.
Additionally, as the speed of microprocessors increases, the heat continues to rise. Coupled with the continuing
miniaturization of electronics, the trend is for more and more heat to be generated per rackspace of equipment.
This is also known as increased heat density.
Radiated Dissipation
Non-vented solid areas of all racks dissipate internal heat to the outside by radiation. As the internal temperature
rises, so does the temperature of the sheet metal enclosure. This heat is then radiated to the ambient
environment.
This is an important calculation for extremely dirty environments or outside installations where the cabinet must
be sealed airtight.
This paper covers only passive convective venting and forced-air cooling, where the dissipated heat by radiation
is negligible in the calculations of these scenarios.

BTU/Hr. Calculations
When designing electronics systems, it is critical to ensure that not only can heat be removed adequately, but
also that any thermal management system, whether passive or active, can handle the heat generated by the
specific components being installed. Waste heat output will vary greatly between different types of equipment,
therefore consideration must be given to the individual components as well as how they act as part of the whole
system in each rack or enclosure.
Most equipment converts almost all of the power drawn into waste heat. Calculating BTU/Hr. output for most
equipment is simple: the more current it draws, the more BTU/Hr. will be produced. At 117 volts, each ampere
of current drawn produces exactly 400 BTU/Hr. of heat output.
Note: estimating BTU/Hr. for amplifiers requires different considerations; see Amplifier Calculations section.
Nameplate ratings should never be used as a sole measure of equipment heat release. The purpose of a
nameplate rating is solely to indicate the maximum power draw for safety regulatory approval. In real-world
tests, equipment nameplate ratings far exceeded actual current draw. The drawback of thermal management
planning based solely on the nameplate ratings is that in many cases, the specified AC equipment will be
oversized for the actual amount of heat released, resulting in wasted money and decreased operating efficiency.
The following example illustrates just how different a typical systems actual measured amperage is, compared
to the nameplate ratings of its equipment:
Typical Financial Institution Video Teleconferencing Rack
Equipment
Nameplate
Actual
Rating*
Measured
CATV Tuner
DVD Player
Presentation Switcher
Video Scaler
Audio Mixer
VTC Codec
Transmitter/Volume Controller
Control Processor
4 Channel Amplifier
75 W Power Supply
0.16
0.13
1.2
0.3
1.69
2.3
0.12
2.4
6.3
2.3
Total System Amps:

Resulting in BTU Output:
CFM Required** for obtaining 85F equipment temperature
16.9
6760
418
2.54
1016
63
* Units with nameplate rating in watts have been converted to amps. Total system power factor averaged .78
**In 70F Room, actual (after frictional losses) airflow CFM, not fan manufacturers spec

10
Amplifier Calculations
Amplifiers are not as straightforward, due to the different nature of circuit designs and other variables. Taking
into consideration which output design is found in the amplifier, the type of power supply, what type of
program material is played, how many Ohms the speaker load is, and at what level the amplifier is to be driven
on average, the real-world BTU/Hr. output can be estimated. Amplifiers are available in many design classes,
which have varying degrees of efficiency. Class A, B, AB, and D are several examples.
At the low end of the thermal efficiency spectrum, Class A amplifiers average no more than 20% efficiency,
which means 80% of the line current draw will be converted to waste heat. It is extremely rare to find this class
of amplifier installed in banks of equipment racks. At the other end of the thermal efficiency spectrum (high
thermal efficiency), Class D amplifiers have up to 90% of the power cord draw watts converted to useable
output watts, which means they will only generate 10% waste heat. Class D amplifiers, however, work more
efficiently under loads, and actually generate more heat at idle than when driven! As with class A, it is rare to
see class D amplifiers used in larger jobs.
Class AB amplifiers are the most common; therefore this papers associated charts and graphs are based on that
class of circuitry. Although most amplifier manufacturers publish their class AB amps at 60% to 70% efficiency
with sine waves, real-world program material measurements show that a more conservative realistic efficiency
is 50%, and is the basis for all calculations found in this paper.
Several amplifier manufacturers recognize the importance of thermal planning, and publish excellent data on
how much waste heat in BTU/Hr. are generated for varying loads and input material. It is highly recommended
to obtain this heat loss (waste heat) information from the amplifier manufacturers. The proper calculations then
can be derived with that information.

11
The following is typical of an amplifier manufacturers information sheet:

Model X: 8 Ohm Stereo Mode, 16 Ohm Bridged Mono, or 4 Ohm Parallel Mono
Program
Program
Waste Heat
Current Draw
Material
Duty Cycle
BTU/Hr.
120VAC
Individual Speech
10%
390
1.6A
Acoustic/Chamber Music
20%
460
2.2A
Full Range Rock Music
30%
540
2.9A
Compressed Rock Music
40%
620
3.5A
Pink Noise
50%
700
4.2A
Model X: 4 Ohm Stereo Mode, 8 Ohm Bridged Mono, or 2 Ohm Parallel Mono
Program
Program
Waste Heat
Current Draw
Material
Duty Cycle
BTU/Hr.
120VAC
Individual Speech
10%
390
1.6A
20%
480
2.4A
30%
560
3.1A
40%
650
3.8A
Pink Noise
50%
730
4.5A
Model X: 70V Mode, Any Configuration
Program
Program
Material
Duty Cycle
Individual Speech
10%
20%
30%
40%
Pink Noise
50%
Waste Heat
BTU/Hr.
390
480
560
640
720
Current Draw
120VAC
1.6A
2.3A
3.0A
3.7A
4.4A
The information provided on this page is calculated data based on driving both channels to rated output. Other
parameters used in calculation include a conservative idle current estimate of 90 Watts and a conservative
estimation of efficiency at 65%. Information is provided for the purpose of getting an idea of current draw and
heat produced. Actual performance will vary depending on environment, program material, load, signal, and
AC mains voltage and frequency. Values of calculated current draw are intended to represent average draw
corresponding to the thermal breaker requirements that should be met to handle the amplifier as a load on the
AC mains. Peak current draw with dynamic program material may be significantly higher. Thermal
information is provided to assist with calculating air conditioning needs. The above data should not be
construed as specifications.

12
Planning Airflow Inside the Rack

Proper planning of the cooling air path inside a rack ensures that no hot-spots occur, and that the waste heat is
effectively removed.
Good thermal designs require an understanding of the rack-mounted equipment airflow. There is some
equipment that has internal fans that draw air in through the rear (or sides), and exhaust out the sides (or rear).
This re-circulates the cabinet air and care should be taken as to its placement so the natural convective rise of
heat is not disturbed. In forced-air racks (using fans to exhaust the heat) this is moot.
The most common airflow found in almost all equipment is that which pulls cooler air in from the front, and
exhausts the heated air towards the rear or sides (known in this paper as front-intake equipment).
There are a few amplifier manufacturers who take the cabinet air through the rear and exhaust it out the front
(known as rear-intake equipment). This presents some special thermal design challenges, as it does not allow
hot air to exit the top of the rack. The fans in the rack top must push the air down when using this type of
amplifier.
Downward airflows can be less than ideal, creating mixed convection (mixture of forced air and convection)
during operation and in the event of fan failure. However, with proper installation there should be no issues.
Simulations and real-world testing show that moving air through a cabinet from bottom to top results in the
lowest internal cabinet temperatures.
Front to Rear
Front to Top
Front to Top and Rear

c
Fig. 12
Bottom to Top, on Raised Floor
Rack-mounted equipment should follow this protocol for best operation, and cabinet systems can follow any of
the methods shown. The recommended airflow protocols for equipment follow closely those recommended in
Telcordia GR-3028-CORE.

13
Rear Equipment Fan Intake Common Mistake vs. Simple Solution
With Rear Equipment Fan Intake

Fan
Fan
Vented Top
Door
FRONT
These fans are not designed
to pull a high static pressure,
so airflow slows and the
equipment heats up
Vented Bottom
Door
With Rear Equipment Fan Intake

c
Fan
SIDE VIEW
No Vent!
FRONT
Vented Bottom
Door (not top)
Vented Lower
Sides OK
SIDE VIEW

14
Planning Airflow: Passive Convection

In an environment at normal room temperature, a rack is able to dissipate 300 to 500 watts of heat (not audio
watts) through natural convection. This requires adequate vent openings at the bottom and top of the rack (none
in the middle for effective chimney flow), and unimpeded airflow inside.
The main advantage of natural convection is its intrinsic reliability. Air movement in a properly configured
cabinet is generated by thermal gradients. Proper configuration most importantly includes optimization of
component placement. Hotter equipment located lower in the rack will provide a greater natural airflow.
When using passive convection in high ambient temperatures (approximately 90 F and higher), the components
that generate the most heat should be placed near the top of the cabinet, except when loaded racks are
transported to job sites, or in a seismic installation.
Calculating airflows in a passive convection enclosure is complicated. The slow speed of airflow makes it
nearly impossible to measure, and smoke tests show air can enter and exit from the same vent.
Equipment that passively vents (without fans) sometimes has intake vents on the bottom, or vents on the top, so
care must be taken not to block these with equipment stacked directly on top of each other. Otherwise, it is
acceptable to stack equipment directly on top of each other.
Many times installers simply put vents between each piece of equipment without regard to the re-circulation of
hot air. This can short-circuit the airflow because the vents are placed too close to fans or heat sources.
Good airflow strategies break the temperature stratification areas, which cause hot-spots. In some cases the
re-arrangement of vents and equipment is required.
For equipment with front-intake, it is perfectly acceptable to save rackspace by stacking equipment directly on
top of each other as long as this equipment has no vents on the top or bottom of its chassis.
The following diagrams show this arrangement with passive convection. As with any passive convection
scheme, the more venting up top and on the bottom, the better. Choose racks that have vents built into the top
and bottom face for optimum performance, and ensure that a fully vented top option has been installed.
Installing a vented rear door in a passive cooling scenario is not necessarily required; this is dependent on the
total BTU/Hr. produced within the rack. For clarification, consult the nomograph at the end of this paper.
It is important to note how the passive convection scheme changes, with front-intakes on equipment (fans inside
the amplifier, for example) and without fans built in.

15
Passive Thermal Management Common Mistake vs. Simple Solution
With Front-Intakes On Equipment
Vented
Rack
Face
COMMON ERROR!
Many times installers simply
put vents between each piece
of equipment without regard
to the re-circulation of hot air.
This can "short-circuit" the airflow
because the vents are placed
too close to fans or heat sources.
Non-Amplifier
Non-Amplifier
Non-Amplifier
Non-Amplifier
Non-Amplifier
FRONT
Amplifier
Amplifier
DON'T: Install vented

rack panels between
front-intake equipment
Fully Or Partially
Vented Rear Door
Amplifier
Amplifier
2001 - 2004 Middle At lantic Product s, Inc.
Fig. 10
SIDE VIEW
Vented
Rack
Face
FRONT
Do: Leading
amplifier
manufacturers
recommend stacking
amplifiers on top
of each other
Vented Rack Face
Fully Or Partially
Vented Rear Door
Fig. 09
SIDE VIEW

16
When Amplifiers Are Not Fan Cooled
Hot air rises while cold air falls. The hotter it gets, the
more CFM flow occurs by natural convection. The
friction of all vents gets in the way of the flow; more
open area, in the form of slots or perforations, is
always better.
For multiple convection-cooled amplifiers, put vents in
between, unless the amplifier manufacturer states
otherwise.
Amplifier
Vent
Amplifier
Vent
Fig. 11
Do: If the amplifier is not fan cooled

put vents underneath
Planning Airflow: Forced Air (Active Thermal Management)

In certain cases when there are too many BTU/Hr. for natural convection to adequately remove heat, it is
essential to force the heated air from the rack. Active thermal management involves the use of fans to
effectively remove heat from an equipment rack.
In these cases where forced air is required, it is acceptable (but not essential) to put vents between equipment
with front-intakes.
Most front-intake equipment fans are between 25 and 50 CFM each. If a fan is required for the top of the rack,
ensure that this fans CFM rating is at least the sum of the CFM ratings of all the equipment fans. Hot air will
not short-circuit and re-circulate between equipment, as the fan will draw air from all openings. A solid rear
door is recommended in this situation to control airflow from front to rear.
It is important to note that Fan CFM is a maximum rating, as if you mounted it in free air. As soon as you
connect it to an enclosure, the flow rate decreases because of air friction.
Note that the Proper Forced Air With Front-Intakes on Equipment diagram shows no vents in the upper rack
face, no vents in the upper rear door, and no vents in the upper 6 spaces of the rack. This will prevent the shortcircuiting of air at the top of the rack.

17
Active Thermal Management Common Mistake vs. Simple Solution

THE FIX:
Keep fan inlet and exhaust
air far apart. Avoid vented
rack panels in upper
6 spaces of rack
Fan
Vented
Rack
Face
Partially
Vented
Rear Door
FRONT
SIDE VIEW
No Vent
In Rack Face!
Rack Fan
No upper vents in rack sides
Avoid vented
rack panels in
upper 6 spaces
of rack
No Vent!
Blank
Panels
FRONT
Rack fan CFM should

equal or exceed
combined
equipment fan CFM.
If not, avoid the use
of vents between
amplifiers
SelectivelyVented
Rear Door
2001 - 2004 Middle At lantic Products, Inc.
Fig. 08
SIDE VIEW
18
Active Thermal Management Additional Simple Solutions
Amplifier Placement In Hot Ambients With Fans
Fan
CAUTION!
Block Sides,
Top & Rear Top Vents
with heavy equipment up

top, un-anchored racks will tip
over easily
FRONT
In hot ambients with
fans, put amps on top
(for passive convection put
amps on bottom)
Vents
Selectively Vented
Rear Door
With Fans Mounted in Rear Door
Vented Bottom Side

c
Fig. 06
SIDE VIEW
Fan Panel
installed in
rear door
No Vent
In Rack Face!
Avoid vented
rack panels in
upper 6 spaces
of rack
Blank
Panels
FRONT
Vent Panel
installed in
Selectively Vented
Rear Door
Fan CFM should equal

or exceed combined
equipment CFM.
If not, avoid the use
of vents between
amplifiers
c
Fig. 07
SIDE VIEW

19
Vent Sizing for Forced Air (Fans)

To avoid starving the forced airflow, consideration must be given to provide adequate intake venting area.
The following are minimum recommendations on the number of rackspaces of venting - more venting is better,
if properly placed. See the diagrams elsewhere in this paper for where to put them, and where NOT to put them.
Assumptions:
1. Rackmounted vents have 64% minimum open area
2. No equipment has front-intake (Less venting is required if series conditions are present from the frontintake fans in equipment)
3. 4 fans deliver 95 CFM
6. H10 (High-output) fans deliver 825 CFM
Fan
Qty
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
1
1
Fan
size
4
4
4
4
6
6
6
10
H10
Minimum # of
vented rackspaces
2 spaces
3 spaces
4 spaces
5 spaces
4 spaces
5 spaces
6 spaces
6 spaces
8 spaces
If the rack has a vented rear door (Bottom-only is ideal for top mounted fans), less rackmount venting is
required. Visual interpolation is adequate for approximating how many vented rackspaces are required in this
situation. Please note that the overall vented area should not be less than specified in the above chart.
Airflow Obstructions
Shelves can be an important component of the enclosures internal airflow planning process. Shelf surfaces that
overhang the internal natural rise of heat should be vented.
Any obstruction to airflow will raise the temperature in the lower portion of the
rack, possibly creating a stratification zone, and should be avoided if possible.
Large horizontal cable bundles, when not properly dressed, can also obstruct
airflow.

20
Fans (Forced Air)

Fans will substantially reduce interior operating temperatures if intake vent placement, size, and airflow are
done correctly.
Fans however, add little value over good convection designs if air short-circuiting occurs from having
air intake points close to the fan.
Venting in the wrong locations can also cause hot spots, where air does not flow. Proper fan/vent placement
will force more air disturbance inside of a rack, breaking up these hot spots. The use of a fan tray can also
remove hot spots. Additionally, fans help reduce condensation in colder ambients. Condensation increases
equipment downtime.
The ideal spot for fan placement (unless it is a dirty environment) is in the top, where the hotter air needs to be
removed. This also aids the natural force of the hot air rising. Rack mounting fans is recommended where there
is a likelihood of contaminants falling into the rack from above.
Baffles can be installed in difficult situations as a solution to maintain a proper airflow. A baffle will channel air
across a problem location, as in an excessive heat spot, or an isolated area.
Using multiple fans mounted next to each other requires that they be checked regularly for proper operation.
Once one fan stops functioning, it provides a short-circuit path for the airflow. Dont be fooled by thinking two
fans will help; when one fails, it acts as a vent near a fan and will not remove heat from the enclosure
effectively. Care should be taken to ensure fans are operating properly to avoid this re-circulation of heated
enclosure air.
One Fan Not

Working
2001 - 2004 Middle Atlantic Product s, Inc.
One Fan
Working
Fig. 05
Both Fans Working
2001 - 2004 Middle At lantic Products, I nc.

21
Fan Life
All fans fail over time. Of the many types of fans available, ball-bearing fans outlast sleeve-bearing fans by
about 50%. At 90F a ball-bearing fan will last approximately 55,000 hours, while a sleeve-bearing fan will
quickly become inoperable at this temperature.
Because of the necessary bearings inside fan assemblies, fans are more susceptible to failure than any other
component. The most practical way to extend fan life is to use a proportional speed thermostatic fan control.
These fan controls extend equipment life and reduce service calls by varying fan speed based upon temperature.
A temperature probe triggers fans when an enclosures internal temperature reaches a pre-set level.
The faster a fan runs, the faster it wears out. Variable speed fans are also self-adaptive - they take into account
changes in ambient temperature and the varying power dissipated by equipment. Even if filters are employed,
the more unnecessary air that is forced through the rack will deposit dust inside the electronics, reducing its
thermal transfer. Slowing the airflow down to the required amount will reduce the deposited dust.

22
Static Pressure
Two terms are used to describe fan performance: Airflow Rate and Static Pressure. Airflow rate is the volume
of air moved per unit of time, commonly expressed as cubic feet of air per minute (CFM). Static pressure (S.P.)
is the pressure or suction the fan is capable of developing. In a rack, it is the measurement of resistance to
airflow.
There is system impedance involved with forced-air cooling. As air travels through intake vents and filters, the
air pressure drops. The system impedance is the sum of all pressure drops. The fan selected must be capable of
operating at this static pressure, or the CFM will drop.
All fans have performance curves, which show how much CFM will be delivered at various static pressures. All
diagrams and fans referred to in this paper operate within the proper range.
In situations where there are inlet restrictions, a blower should be selected rather than a fan. Blowers typically
are capable of a higher static pressure.
By definition, a fan is an axial device in which the air moves straight through. A blowers air intake is 90
degrees to the discharge outlet, and is not frequently used in an audio/video rack. Blowers also produce a more
concentrated airflow than fans, and can lead to more audible noise.
Vents, Fans, And Equipment Layout

The optimum configurations presented in this paper have been derived using both thermal modeling and actual
temperature measurements.
The installation of front doors in most cases has an effect on airflow. A fully perforated front door (64%
minimum open area) does not impede any fans performance; the paths of air inside the rack and temperatures
are not changed. A vented plexiglass front doors performance varies based on the design of the door, from
inadequate to adequate.
As a general rule, if a vented front door with less than 64% open area is chosen, fans are recommended. The
exception to this rule is when the equipment has high static pressure front-intake fans built in (which is rare).
In all other cases, the use of a fan in the top of the rack in series with the equipments built-in fans will
increase the static pressure (decrease the air systems impedance), so air can be pulled through the vented
door more effectively. In this series arrangement, both the rack fan and equipment fans work together as a team,
increasing the cooling effectiveness.
It is a common misconception that the equipment fan working in conjunction with a rack fan will increase the
airflow. As you can see from the Parallel vs. Series Fans chart on the next page, all this provides is a greater
static pressure. It does NOT increase the airflow. The only way to increase airflow is to add a fan in parallel, or
obtain a fan with a greater CFM rating.

23
Blower
Fan
0
Increasing Airflow (CFM)
chart #1
2 fans in series
2 fans in parallel
Single fan
0
Increasing Airflow (CFM)
chart #2
24
Filters
Filtering helps protect digital and other sensitive equipment from hygroscopic dust failure, which occurs in
humid environments (generally 65% relative humidity or higher).
Dust absorbs moisture and deposits itself on circuit boards. Computers and other digital equipment utilizing
rapid microprocessor clock rates will be most affected by this hygroscopic dust failure.
Many manufacturers sell washable filter kits that can be mounted over fans or used as a filtered vent panel to
protect equipment from the hazards of hygroscopic dust failure.
Inlet air filters are highly recommended to extend the service life of digital equipment, as most switchers,
routers, hubs, and other processing equipment have their power supply fans in the rear, without any filtered
front air intake.
Filters are especially important in environments where airborne particles or dust can be found.
Filter loading and subsequent maintenance requirements can be greatly reduced with the use of a
proportional speed thermostatic fan control circuit, since the overall volume of air is lower when not
required.
Good filters should have a long service life, low static pressure drop and should be washable. Filters require
maintenance or they will clog! Filters that are extremely dirty act like blank panels, and will dangerously
elevate rack temperatures. Do not use filters unless an effective maintenance process is in place.
A heat exchanger is a better solution for keeping contaminants out of the enclosure in very dusty environments
or when maintenance is questionable.

25
Forced Air Filtered Simple Solutions
With & Without Front-Intakes On Equipment
No Vent
In Rack Face!
Fan
Avoid vented
rack panels in
upper 6 spaces
of rack
No Vent!
FRONT
Vent
Panels
Fan CFM should equal

or exceed combined
equipment CFM
Blank
Panels
Solid Rear Door
Filter Kits in base

(you can mount up to 3)
c
SIDE VIEW
Without Front-Intakes On Equipment
Fan
No Vent
In Rack Face!
No Vent!
FRONT
Rear Door
With Bottom
Opening
Filter
SIDE VIEW

Filter
26
Pressurizing Racks
The best solution for dusty or dirty environments where filters will need to be changed regularly is to pressurize
the rack, rather than sucking the air out of the top.
Although less thermally efficient, pressurizing guarantees that clean air escapes through cracks and openings,
rather than allowing dirty air to enter.
Without Front-Intakes On Equipment

ADVANTAGE:
For dirty environments,
cracks around equipment
and doors let filtered
air escape, rather than
sucking dirty air in
Vented
Top Rear
Door
No Vents
Anywhere
FRONT
Fan
Filter
SIDE VIEW

27
Heat Exchangers & Air Conditioning Units

In very harsh environments such as dirty factory floors, filters quickly become clogged and heat inside the rack
builds rapidly. In these applications, NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) rated racks that
are gasketed and sealed should be installed.
Heat exchangers and air conditioning units (mostly installed in NEMA rated racks) do not allow the ambient
dirty air to mix with the enclosure interior air, which ensures that the interior rack air stays clean.
These devices (either water-coil or refrigerant-compressed) are also the only way to make the temperature
inside the rack cooler than the ambient air. Care should be taken to avoid condensation when cooling the rack
with an air conditioning unit. The dangers of condensation from cool air are overcome by ensuring the air
temperature is above the dew point.
A good resource for heat exchangers can be found at: http://www.kooltronic.com

28
Planning for Thermal Management with NVRs & DVRs

The most common airflow found in most digital video recorders (DVRs), network video recorders (NVRs) and
higher current draw equipment is that which pulls cooler air in from the front with the aid of front-intake fans,
and exhausts the heated air towards the rear or sides (known in this paper as front-intake equipment).
Effective thermal planning for NVR or DVR equipment cabinets involves the use of large perforated front &
rear doors that ensure 64% minimum open area for adequate airflow into and out of the cabinet.
PROPER
Passive Thermal Management
Passive Thermal for
Management
NVRs & DVRs with
NVRs &forDVRs
Front Fan Intake and Rear Passive Exhaust
Vented or
Pagoda Top
PROPER
Active Thermal Management
for NVRs & DVRs
FRONT
Large Perf or
Fully Vented
Rear Door
High-CFM
fan rear door
SIDE VIEW
FRONT

29
Raised Computer Room Floors

There are many strategies for introducing cool air into enclosures while on a raised computer floor. One
provides an air outlet grate in front of the rack, and another is to have the air enter through the bottom of the
rack. Both methods work well, as long as proper airflow is engineered into the system, ensuring adequate air is
provided to the intakes of equipment. However, floor grates in front are recommended.
The downside to a totally perforated cabinet with cold air-cooling in a raised floor environment is uneven
cooling and short-circuiting of airflow. If the air is too cold, condensation can occur, and energy costs for the
facility will be high.
Most industry experts agree that the optimum layout for high heat density racks is an arrangement in rows of
two, to produce hot and cold aisles. The fronts of the racks face each other in the cold aisle, with air grating
down the center for cold air supply. The rear sides of the racks face each other in the hot aisles, with return
grills overhead for optimum utilization of the air conditioning system.
Racks
H
O
T
Supply grills in
raised floor grates
Racks
Return grills ABOVE

hot aisle
Racks
H
O
T
F
c
C
O
L
D

30
How to Calculate Ventilation Required to Provide an Interior Rack

Temperature of 85F
This nomograph will show the minimum ventilation (active or passive) required, to provide an interior rack
temperature of 85F.
Amplifiers vary greatly in waste heat output. This nomograph should be used ONLY when waste heat data is
available from the amplifier manufacturer
To calculate total waste heat (column B):
1. Obtain total waste heat output by combining the published waste heat BTU/Hr. of all amplifiers in the
rack.
2. Add up total measured amperage draw from all other equipment and multiply by 400 (total amperage x
400 = total BTU/Hr. @117v.)
Important Note: Nameplate ratings should at no time be used as a measure of
equipment heat release. The purpose of a nameplate rating is solely to
indicate the maximum power draw for safety regulatory approval.
3. Combine BTU/Hr. totals from steps 1 and 2 to obtain total for all equipment. Mark total in column B.
To obtain minimum ventilation requirements:

1. Mark ambient room temperature in column C, and connect points in B and C with a straight-edge.
2. The minimum cooling required providing an interior rack temperature of 85F will be shown on column
A, where the straightedge intersects the minimum cooling requirements column.
System Requirements:
1. For passive and active ventilation, ensure adequate intake vents are installed
2. Be certain no short-circuiting of air occurs (See earlier diagrams)

31
Calculate ventilation required to provide an

interior rack temperature of 85o F
Minimum
Ventilation
(active or passive)
Required
BTU/Hr. Total Waste

Heat From
Equipment
Ambient Room
Temperature
825 CFM
(one high output 10" fan)
Active
550 CFM
(one 10" fan)
380 CFM
(four 4" fans @ 95 CFM)
(A)
(B)
Use of passive
ventilation is
recommended
when possible
(C)
(D)
Passive
285 CFM
(three 4" fans @ 95 CFM)
190 CFM
(two 4" fans @ 95 CFM)
600 F
15,000
650 F
10,000
8,000
700 F
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
750 F
77 0 F
2,000
1,000
95 CFM
(one 4" fan)
(E)
PASSIVE VENTILATION REQUIREMENTS

(A) - Fully vented rear door, vented rack top, in vented-face rack
(B) - Fully vented rear door, vented rack top, in solid-face rack
(C) - Solid rear door, vented rack top, in vented-face rack
(D) - Solid rear door, 4 space vent in upper rackspace, solid top
(E) - Solid rear door, 2 space vent in upper rackspace, solid top

32
Thermal Solutions
Careful placement of vent blockers, as part of your proper thermal management planning, will prevent the shortcircuiting of airflow in rack enclosures. Magnetized on one side only to eliminate stray magnetic fields, vent
blockers will ensure that heated enclosure air will be forced out through top-mounted exhaust fans.
UPPER INSIDE SIDE PANEL
UPPER INSIDE REAR DOOR
ENCLOSURE
UPPER FACES
High CFM Rear Doors

Fan Tray Systems
High-CFM cupboard
style split rear doors
pull hot air from the
rear of the cabinet and
direct it up towards
return air ducts.
Rackmount fan tray systems

allow the placement of fans
directly above vents on
equipment to help remove hot
air, or to promote vertical
airflow in the rear of racks.

33
Future Planning
The design of racks and thermal loading should take into account future expansion & changes. As stated
earlier, the room needs to exhaust all the heat produced by the equipment, so it is important that the facility be
able to handle future expansion.
Blanking panels should be installed in all unused rack and cabinet spaces to maximize and improve the
functionality of the controlled air system. Vented panels should be added to the front cabinet rails, if properly
oriented (per diagrams contained within this document), thereby preventing the recirculation of hot air to the
equipment inlet.
Many times when equipment is added to a rack, the effective thermal design is compromised. Care should be
taken to identify and correct these if the interior rack temperature exceeds 85F.
On some rack tops, laser knockouts are provided if additional fans are necessary once all equipment has been
installed.
**Troubleshooting Tip**
In some cases where airflow is inadequate, equipment fails. A quick, short-term fix can sometimes be achieved
by opening the rear door, placing a floor fan facing the rear and cooling out the rack. This should never be used
as a long-term fix, but it may keep heat-sensitive equipment working while a replacement is obtained.
Standards
Some current standards relating to thermal management, heat release, and temperature requirements are found
in the NEBS (Network Equipment Building Standards) series.
Telcordia GR-63-CORE had been found to be unclear in many respects, so a new standard was released, GR3028-CORE (Thermal management in telecommunications central offices). This includes the results of
advanced computer modeling techniques for thermal management. Currently, Telcordia is revising this
document to meet current industry requirements.

34
REFERENCES
ASHRAE. (2009). 2009 ASHRAE Handbook - Fundamentals. ASHRAE.
ASHRAE Technical Committee 9.9, Mission Critical Facilities, Technology Spaces, and Electronic Equipment.
(2009). Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments, Second Edition. ASHRAE.
Azar, K. (1997). Thermal Measurements in Electronics Cooling. Andover: CRC Press.
Coyne, J.C., 1982, An Approximate Thermal Model for Outdoor Electronics Cabinets (Bell System Technical
Journal, Vol. 1, No. 2)
EIA. 2005. EIA-310, revision E, Dec. 1, 2005: Cabinets, Racks, Panels, and Associated Equipment.
ELLISON, G.N., 1995, Fan Cooled Enclosure Analysis Using First Order Method (Electronics Cooling
Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 2)
ETS 300 019-2-3: May 1994/A1: June 1997, Environmental Conditions And Environmental Tests For
Telecommunications Equipment
JDA, 1995, Meeting New Demands In Computer Room Air-Conditioning
Kreith, F. (2000). CRC Handbook of Thermal Engineering. CRC Press.
Lall, P., Pecht, M., & Hakim, E. B. (1997). Influence of Temperature on Microelectronics and System
Reliability. CRC Press.
MIASALE, M., 1993, Electronic cabinet cooling by natural convection: Influence of Vent Geometry
Schmidt, R., & Cruz, E. Raised Floor Computer Data Center: Effect on Rack Inlet Temperatures of Chilled Air
Exiting Both the Hot and Cold Aisles. IBM Corporation.
SMACNA. (2004). HVAC Sound and Vibration Manual. Chantilly, VA: Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning
Contractors National Association.
SMACNA. (2006). HVAC Systems Duct Design. Chantilly, VA: Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning
SMACNA. (1987). HVAC Systems Applications. Chantilly, VA: Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning
SMACNA. (2002). HVAC Systems Testing, Adjusting and Balancing. Chantilly, VA: Sheet Metal and Air
Conditioning Contractors National Association.
Telcordia. 2001. Generic Requirements NEBS GR-3028-CORE, Thermal Management in Telecommunications
Central Offices, Issue 1, December 2001, Telcordia Technologies, Inc., Piscataway, NJ.
THE UPTIME INSTITUTE, Changing Cooling Requirements Leave Many Data Centers at Risk, Version 1.0
VanGilder, J. A Non-Trial-and-Error CFD-Based Mthod for Balancing Airflow Through Floor Tiles in Raised
Floor Data Centers. Flomerics.

35

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CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE EQUIPMENT RACKS

2002-2010 Middle Atlantic Products, Inc.