Optimising data centre resilience during critical events
At Navier Flow Consultants, we specialise in Thermal Ride Through and Short Break Studies, utilising advanced 1D system modelling to simulate and analyse thermal responses during power outages or interruptions in cooling systems. These studies provide actionable insights for mitigating risks, protecting critical IT equipment, and maintaining operational continuity.
What are thermal ride through and short break events?
Thermal Ride Through refers to a data centre’s ability to maintain safe operating temperatures during a power outage, leveraging the thermal inertia of the cooling system. Short Break Studies focus on brief interruptions such as:
- UPS Transitions: Evaluating system behaviour during power transfer delays.
- Chiller Restarts: Assessing thermal impact during cooling system reactivation.
Typical scope of our studies
Our approach focuses on critical transient scenarios, such as:
- Complete cooling system outage with rapid recovery.
- Partial system failure, such as loss of an electrical power block, during recovery.
We assess parameters like:
- Air and water temperature changes in hot and cold aisles.
- CRAH unit performance (e.g., fan speed, water flow rates).
- Chiller recovery timelines and capacity under thermal loads.
Our methodology
Utilising Flownex a 1D system modelling tools, we simulate and analyse complex cooling networks efficiently, offering:
- Scenario-Based Simulations:
- Predicting thermal behaviour for predefined outage scenarios.
- Simulating interactions between chillers, pumps, CRAHs, and piping networks.
- Transient Analysis:
- Tracking temperature peaks and recovery trends in cold aisles.
- Evaluating pressure and flow dynamics during restarts.
- Performance Validation:
- Verifying system design against operational and safety limits.
- Identifying vulnerabilities and improvement opportunities.
Typical deliverables
Our studies provide detailed, actionable outputs, including:
- Time-stamped thermal profiles and peak temperature data.
- Equipment performance metrics (e.g., CRAH fan speeds, chiller recovery curves).
- Recommendations for optimising thermal resilience, such as adjusting setpoints or adding redundancy.
Why thermal ride through matters?
Thermal Ride Through studies help prevent:
- Equipment Damage: Overheating of servers and network components during outages.
- Service Interruptions: Prolonged cooling delays leading to SLA breaches.
- Costly Repairs: Avoidable system failures requiring emergency interventions.
Who can benefit?
- Data Centre Designers: Validate cooling resilience during the planning phase.
- Facility Operators: Identify and mitigate risks in existing systems.
- Consultants and Contractors: Ensure compliance with design specifications and performance benchmarks.
Why Navier?
- Proven Expertise: Decades of experience in thermal and fluid system modelling.
- Advanced Tools: High-accuracy simulations tailored to complex data centre cooling systems.
- Customised Solutions: Insights and recommendations specific to your facility’s needs.
Prepare your data centre for the unexpected. Contact Navier Flow Consultants today to discuss how our Thermal Ride Through and Short Break Studies can ensure your operations remain resilient and compliant.
Need Help?
Contact Navier on +44(0)115 6979141 or info@navier-flow-consultants.com for a free initial consultation with one of our CFD experts and receive a competitive fixed price quotation, with zero obligation. Alternatively, if you’d like to learn more about how we structure a CFD project, browse our ‘How We Work’ page.