Cooling Capacity Formula:
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The Server Room AC Calculator determines the appropriate cooling capacity needed for data center environments based on IT equipment heat load. It helps size air conditioning systems to effectively dissipate heat generated by servers and networking equipment.
The calculator uses the cooling capacity formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula converts electrical load to thermal load and applies a safety margin to ensure adequate cooling capacity.
Details: Correctly sized air conditioning is critical for maintaining optimal server room temperatures, preventing equipment overheating, ensuring system reliability, and maximizing equipment lifespan.
Tips: Enter total IT load in kilowatts and safety factor (typically 1.2-1.5). IT load must be greater than 0, safety factor should be 1.0 or higher to account for system requirements.
Q1: Why is 3.5 kW used per ton of cooling?
A: This is the standard conversion factor where 1 ton of cooling equals 3.5 kW of heat removal capacity, based on the refrigeration cycle.
Q2: What is a typical safety factor for data centers?
A: Safety factors typically range from 1.2 to 1.5, depending on redundancy requirements, future expansion plans, and criticality of the systems.
Q3: Should I include non-IT equipment in the load calculation?
A: Yes, include all heat-generating equipment such as UPS systems, PDU losses, lighting, and personnel heat load for comprehensive calculations.
Q4: How does room size affect AC requirements?
A: While this calculator focuses on equipment load, larger rooms may require additional capacity for air distribution and to overcome building envelope heat gains.
Q5: What are the consequences of undersized AC?
A: Undersized AC can lead to equipment overheating, reduced performance, increased failure rates, and potential data loss or system downtime.