Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is the thermal modeling of flows of liquids and gasses across solid surfaces and through or around three-dimensional structures. It is used for predicting and optimizing the cooling performance of existing data centers and for designing new data centers more efficiently by modeling how air flows through the data center floor and cabinets.
CFD can be used to:
- Predict hot spot formation
- Optimize floor and cabinet space for the most efficient air flow possible
- Understand the impact of installing equipment on airflow
- Predict the maximum IT load a data center can handle
- Anticipate the effect of disaster scenarios
CFD differs from a thermal floor map visualization in Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) software in that CFD simulates the predicted state of the heat flow field, while a DCIM software thermal map is generated by the actual temperature sensors’ real-time readings and locations, providing at-a-glance views of what is happening in the data center to improve uptime and efficiency.
Want to see how Sunbird’s world-leading DCIM software makes it easy for you to visualize your data center environment with thermal time-lapse videos? Get your free test drive now!
