Numerical Modeling of Data Center Clusters

Abstract

This chapter deals with the numerical modeling of data centers. The chapter presents an overview of the fundamental equations governing the conservation of mass, energy, and momentum, with an emphasis on the most widely used numerical approaches used for discretizing the equations and solving them. The specific simplifications and assumptions that are typically used in modeling data centers are reviewed. Turbulent modeling is covered in some detail, with an emphasis on the suitability of different models for data centers. A review of recent numerical studies of data centers is presented and compared to available measurements and characterization studies. Results for different air cooling protocols are presented and ranked according to their overall performance. A detailed discussion of the impact of blockages in the plenum, due to wiring and cooling water pipes, is presented and general design guidelines are made pertaining to placement of such blockages. Specific attention is given to the modeling of data centers during dynamic fluctuations in power, airflow, and temperature. This is of particular relevance for the establishment of dynamic self-regulating data centers that may be optimized to operate at the lowest possible energy level while they are meeting specific performance metrics. A case is made for verified reduced order modeling of dynamic data centers. Such an approach may be the most suitable and pragmatic one to achieve real-time holistic models that are capable of predicting and optimizing the overall performance of complex data centers.