An experimental study of thermal management of rack
of servers of a data centers is presented for different
schemes of server’s power loadings. Four scheme of
server’s power loading (uniform, discrete, segmented
and clustered) are considered. A total of eleven cases of
servers loading conditions are investigated.
Temperature distributions and dimensionless
measuring indices (SHI/RHI) are used to measure and
evaluate the thermal management of the data center.
The results showed that (i) uniform power
loadingprovides the best results for (SHI/RHI) among
the other schemesconsidered where the optimum benefit
of cold air in server cooling is obtained at uniformly
power loading of servers, (ii) clustering of active servers
lead to better air flow management compared to
discretely individual active servers and segmented
distributions of active servers, and (iii) servers located
at the bottom rack cabinet always has better thermal
performance compared to servers at higher levels.