Belden Maximizes Data Center Energy Efficiency to Lower Operating Costs

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Belden Inc., a global leader in signal transmission solutions for mission-critical applications, introduces a new flexible, high-performance aisle containment system that eliminates mixing of hot and cold air in data center environments to maximize energy efficiency and lower operating costs.

A major challenge faced by data center managers today is ensuring that cooling systems do not fail and continue to provide uninterrupted cool air to equipment. However, it is estimated that cooling accounts for up to 30 percent of a data center's total energy load. By completely eliminating the mixing of hot exhaust and cold supply air, the aisle containment system allows for an increased differential between the inlet and outlet temperatures of computer room air conditioner (CRAC) units. This significantly improves overall operating efficiency of the cooling system, eliminating the need to oversupply cold air and the potential for hot spots that can cause equipment overheating and failures. As a result, today's high-density data centers can sufficiently support the higher heat loads of advanced data processing equipment while lowering energy consumption and total operating costs.

One of the fundamentals of operating an energy efficient data center is to eliminate the mixing of hot and cold air to help keep hot return air hotter and cold supply air cooler. This allows CRAC systems to operate at maximum efficiency and keeps the intake temperature for networking equipment cooler, which is especially critical for today's advanced networking environments to effectively host more equipment with heat loads that can reach up to 30kW per cabinet, says Michael Peterson, data center product line manager.

For use in both hot- and cold-aisle containment applications, the aisle containment system features innovative transparent panels that are lightweight and easily attached horizontally or vertically to data center cabinets using a universal rail system. Panels that are horizontally attached form a roof over the aisle between rows of cabinets, while panels that are vertically attached extend the aisle to the ceiling where overhead hot air return or ducted cooling systems reside. Depending on whether rows of cabinets are placed back to back or front to front, the panels trap and contain hot exhaust air from critical network equipment at the back of the cabinets or cold supply air drawn in by the equipment at the front of the cabinets. The panels are field modifiable to meet varying height and space requirements between rows of cabinets and from the top of the cabinets to the ceiling.

Unlike thermally-activated containment panels that cause the potential for hazards or equipment damage when they fall or shrink, the panels of the aisle containment system are intelligently controlled by smoke or fire alarm systems to simply angle away from the ceiling. This ensures early and immediate obstruction of critical fire suppression systems. The panels are also fully resettable following an alarm event or testing.

Available with multiple aisle door choices, including sliding, swing and access control options, the aisle containment system can be used with any data center cabinet size or style. The lightweight nature of the panels also places no undue stress on cabinets or the ceiling grid. The system rounds out Belden's data center efficiency offering, which includes active and passive chimney systems, filler panels, fans and a variety of cable management solutions.

For more information about the new aisle containment system, please visit the aisle containment page on Belden's website at www.belden.com.

Only Belden's innovative enterprise connectivity solutions take a universal approach to customers' enterprises, resolving signal transmission needs with IP- and legacy-based solutions that enable a smooth migration to convergence. Belden's extensive portfolio spans LAN, data centers, building automation and security and access control to keep information running smoothly. Outstanding global service and support capabilities and application-specific warranty programs complete Belden's unique offering.

About Belden

Belden Inc., a global leader in high-quality, end-to-end signal transmission solutions, delivers a comprehensive product portfolio designed to meet the mission-critical network infrastructure needs of industrial, enterprise and broadcast markets. With innovative solutions targeted at reliable and secure transmission of rapidly growing amounts of data, audio and video needed for today's applications, Belden is at the center of the global transformation to a connected world. Founded in 1902, the company is headquartered in St. Louis and has manufacturing capabilities in North and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit us at www.belden.com; follow us on Twitter @BeldenInc.

Belden, Belden Sending All The Right Signals, and the Belden logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Belden Inc. or its affiliated companies in the United States and other jurisdictions. Belden and other parties may also have trademark rights in other terms used herein.

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