GLOBAL IBX STANDARD:

EMS-3: COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS MODELING AND

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA
Content Approval: Craig Pennington, Frank Hassett, John Mansfield, Rick Matteazzi, Diraj Bamola
Distribution: Ops Engineering, Design Engineering, Product Management, Site Ops, Construction
Contributors:

History:

Version Comments Author Date

1.0 Originally issued Donovan O’Callaghan 09/06/2016
1.1 Revised to include global review comments Donovan O’Callaghan 02/20/2017

Application of Standards
Standards Documents contain requirements that are to be complied with on a global basis. However, it is
recognized that market, operational and technical requirements will change over time, so input from regional
engineering teams and other stakeholders is encouraged. Also, as regional teams work with outside engineering
firms, it should be emphasized that those firms are responsible to provide designs and detailed construction
documents that are fully compliant with all applicable codes, and that conflicts between Equinix standards and
applicable codes are to be brought to our attention.

Purpose
The purpose of this standard is to define the requirements, assumptions and acceptance criteria for
Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) modeling of IBX whitespace and exterior air flow conditions.

Applicability
This standard shall apply to all new IBX Facilities and significant expansions to existing facilities.

1.0 RESPONSIBILITIES:
Global Design and Construction Director shall maintain this standard current with the assistance of the global
design engineering teams.

It is the responsibility of the design manager, construction manager, and their designates to ensure that the
Engineer of Record and the Mechanical and Electrical contractor adheres to the content of this standard during
the design and construction of the HVAC and electrical systems for a particular project.

2.0 SCOPE
This standard covers the modeling assumptions and acceptance criteria for CFD modeling of both the interior
whitespace airflows as well as modeling of total building airflows and prevailing wind conditions to validate the
performance and heat rejection capacities of exterior equipment in relation to all building intake and exhaust air
paths.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling and Page 1 of 6 Version: 1.1

Acceptance Criteria
Global Design Standards Equinix Confidential Date: February 20, 2017
3.0 REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The IBX shall have CFD modeling performed to validate the mechanical cooling and airflow design for the white
space and exterior equipment areas where large volumes of air flow are required and where equipment is in close
proximity to each other.

The CFD model shall be a computerized 3-dimensional, finite numerical analysis of simulating air flow of all
spaces including in the air flow of the space together with flow patterns for ceiling and/or floor plenums, air
handlers or CRAC units, and all electronic equipment. The finite numerical analysis model must include the
temperature, pressure and velocity results.

The preferred CFD modeling software is Future Facilities 6SigmaDC. The version of 6Sigma being used shall be
coordinated with Equinix. Original format data files for the CFD model shall be turned over to Equinix for our use
after project completion. The version of 6Sigma being used shall be coordinated with Equinix. Any other
modeling software must be preapproved and capable of performing the same analysis requirements.

During schematic design and design development milestones, the models may be simplified to reduce the
processing time and facilitate decision making. During these stages the models may contain the major equipment
and geometries of the room and details of the room infrastructure appropriate to the level of completeness for the
design documents. During these early stages the failure transient analysis may be omitted and the control
functionality may be simplified.

3.1 WHITESPACE MODELING

A. The whitespace shall have CFD modeling completed for the following operational modes:
1. Normal Steady State Operation at 100% loads with even distribution of load throughout the data hall.
2. Failure Mode (N) where the designated number of redundant air handling and cooling equipment are offline
in the worst case scenario, i.e. adjacent units are non-functional.
3. Transient Condition – This model should demonstrate the performance of the system during a power
outage or transition from utility. The transient conditions should include outage time, time for generator
restart, time to perform switching procedures, time for fan restart, time for pump restart, time for chiller
restart and time to return to steady state operation.

B. As subsets of the above conditions, the space should be modeled to demonstrate the effect of high density
cabinets in the following cases for the failure condition, only:
1. Evenly distributed high density loading in 25% of the cabinets at 10kW/cab, with the rest of the design load
spread evenly throughout the remaining cabinets.
2. Localized extreme high density in 1% the cabinets of 45 kw/cab located in close proximity, with the
remaining load distributed evenly across the remaining cabinets.
3. A variation request should be submitted if it is desired to omit these scenarios as being outside of the site
specific design criteria.

C. The model shall be developed with the following requirements included:

1. Planned walls and partitions used to block the room from another space and any architectural features shall
be used to set the boundaries of the CFD model.
a. The wall boundary conditions shall be set based on the environment exterior to the room that has
the potential to affect thermal characteristics in the room.
b. Wall openings, such as doors, windows, or pipe and duct penetrations that are not 100% sealed
shall be included in the model.

2. Actual expected whitespace installed equipment, and infrastructure including obstructions, physical
geometries, heat loads material, air flow, and thermal characteristics for the following:
a. HVAC equipment

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling and Page 2 of 6 Version: 1.1

Acceptance Criteria
Global Design Standards Equinix Confidential Date: February 20, 2017
 b. any piping (including insulation)/conduit/cable tray/obstruction >= 4" in diameter or height/width
as well as any obstruction less than 1' in front of any air discharge or intake
c. raised access floor systems
d. suspended ceiling systems
e. ductwork
f. structural members
g. aisle containment partitions
h. blanking panels
i. PDUs or transformers
j. Equipment cabinets
k. IT equipment for each cage to be installed generically (unless otherwise known) and based on
the design kw/cab loading with remaining U slots to be filled with blanking panels.
l. Lighting
m. Floor grilles and return air grilles, manufacturer specific with model number and damper locations.
n. Customer cages.

3. Where there are raised access floors or suspended ceilings being used as air plenums the model shall
include leakage rates appropriate to the system used [starting point of 0.02” (0.51 mm) gap between tiles]
+10% for imperfect penetrations.

4. System bypass rate (airflow bypass through/around IT room equipment) shall be calculated, values less
than 25% of the total system air flow shall be validated.

5. All Computer Room Air Conditioning units, in row air conditioners, along with any external air handling units
that supply and return conditioned air to the space via ductwork. Inputs into the model shall include, but is
not limited to:
a. Computer Room Air Conditioner (CRAC) or Air Handler (CRAH) Length, Width, & Height - this
shall be manufacturer specific with model number.
b. Duct connections to the raised floor plenum or mechanical gallery walls.
c. Location and type of supply airflow fans - in the units or under the raised floor, EC plug fans or FC
centrifugal fans.
d. Damper installations used to limit recirculation of conditioned air through failed/off units.
e. External air handling units supply and return registers.

D. Acceptance Criteria: The model, including all failure conditions shall demonstrate the following conditions for
acceptance of the proposed design.
1. The standard Service Level Agreement (SLA) conditions shall be maintained at the designated SLA sensor
locations for temperature measurements at between three (3) and five (5) feet (0.9m to 1.5m) from the floor
and no closer than twelve (12) inches (0.3m) from the cool air intake side of all cabinet.
a. Temperature: 64.4°F (18.0°C) to 80.6°F (27°C)
2. The temperature at the top intake of every rack shall not exceed ASHRAE Class A1 allowable:
a. Temperature: 59°F (15°C) to 89.6°F (32°C)
3. Upon request, it may be acceptable for the design to accommodate a short term excursion beyond the
above SLA at peak IT loads during a transition between utility and generator within the SLA limit of ~4
minutes/month. An evaluation of the utility supply reliability as well as the transient model required above
should be done to validate this requirement can be met. This condition must be identified in the CFD report
with the expected duration and magnitude of the excursion prior to acceptance by Equinix.

3.2 EXTERIOR AIRFLOW MODELING

A. To be done in areas of concern only and if requested by Equinix, the exterior equipment and building shall
have CFD modeling completed to validate all equipment performance during peak design conditions for the
following conditions
1. Normal Steady State Operation at 100% load.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling and Page 3 of 6 Version: 1.1

Acceptance Criteria
Global Design Standards Equinix Confidential Date: February 20, 2017
 2. Post failure mode when all cooling equipment could run at 100% of rated design (i.e. redundant units at
100% too).
3. This model should demonstrate the performance of the system during a power outage when the generators
are operating with 100% expected heat rejection, intake and exhaust air flows.
4. The worst case prevailing wind direction and speed.

B. The model shall be developed with the following requirements included:

1. The local environment shall be modeled with the best accuracy available.
a. The boundary conditions shall be set based on the ambient environment that has the potential to
affect thermal and flow characteristics around the building, including.
b. Adjacent buildings and geographic features should be modeled if they are likely to influence the
airflow around the building.
c. Infrastructure for adjacent buildings shall be included in the overall model to ensure that the new
facility does not affect existing facilities, and vice-versa. This includes generators, air intake and
exhaust openings, and any other heat rejection equipment on the adjacent facilities.

2. Actual structures, equipment and infrastructure including obstructions, physical geometries, heat loads
material, air flow, humidity (if required,) and thermal characteristics for the following::
a. Building geometries, including structure, louvered walls, fences, equipment access platform
grating, sound attenuating walls, parapets, etc.
b. Buildings exhaust openings and airflows.
c. Building outside air intake airflows.
d. Heat rejection equipment airflows including radiators, condensing units, cooling towers, dry-
coolers, etc.
e. Generator exhaust stacks
f. Generator air intake and exhaust air flows.
g. Exterior mounted equipment.

3. The airflow path information for the above components shall include directional vectors, volume,
temperature and humidity.

4. If requested by Equinix, Generator and evaporative heat rejection equipment modeling results shall include
particulate dispersion mapping and humidity dispersion mapping to determine the likelihood of cross
contamination or impact to adjacent equipment.

C. Acceptance Criteria: The model, including all failure conditions shall demonstrate the following conditions for
acceptance of the proposed design.
1. The modeled outside air intake temperature and humidity conditions at the equipment intakes match the
selection criteria for all equipment and that adjacent unit operation and airflow influences do not result in a
required derating of equipment capacities.
2. If requested by Equinix, the generator exhaust particulate dispersion map shall indicate that while
generators are in operation and all other equipment intakes are at full flow rate, the exhaust concentration
at outside air intakes are less than 296 μg/m³.

3.3 REPORTING
A. To be done by External Consultants as part of design milestones deliverables.
B. Upon completion of the CFD model a detailed report shall be provided which details the modeling process, the
assumptions within the model, and an analysis of the results of both steady state and worst case failure
conditions.
C. The report shall be submitted with the following content:
1. Introduction – Description of the project,

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling and Page 4 of 6 Version: 1.1

Acceptance Criteria
Global Design Standards Equinix Confidential Date: February 20, 2017
 2. Executive Summary – Summarizing modeling methods, loads, cooling systems, structure, air distribution,
modeling methods and analysis results.
3. CFD Model Inputs
a. Room and Wall Dimensions and material and boundary conditions.
b. Raised Floor and Suspended ceiling heights, materials, gaps, etc.
c. Light Fixtures with heat output.
d. Major obstructions below raised floor and above suspended ceiling.
e. Total IT load and density distribution within whitespace.
f. Rack configurations and loading
g. CRAH, CRAC, or air handling unit model numbers, controls, operating parameters, layouts and
setpoints.
i. Identify if the unit will control supply air temperature on return or supply air monitoring.
ii. Identify if the supply airflow control shall be constant volume or variable based on under
floor pressure.
iii. Cooling unit sensible cooling capacity - this shall be manufacturer specific with model
number with at least the following:
1. Constant cooling capacity
2. Sensible cooling curve based on return air temperature
h. PDU, RPP, and UPS layouts and heat contributions.
i. Air supply and return diffusers, grilles, louvers, etc. locations and configurations.
j. Ductwork
k. Central plant capacities, storage time and restart times
l. Generator cooling air requirements exhaust flow rates and temperatures, if required.
m. Outside air intake and exhaust opening locations and airflow rates and conditions, if required.
n. Heat rejection equipment air flow rates and associated temperature and humidity, if required.
4. Description of each modeled scenario
a. Temperature distribution in space
i. At SLA level
ii. At top of rack
iii. Below raised floor or in distribution plenum or ductwork
iv. Above suspended ceiling or ceiling level.
b. Equipment inlet air conditions
i. Comparison to ASHRAE recommended
ii. Comparison to ASHRAE allowable
c. Pressure distribution in space, below raised floor, in cold aisles and hot aisles, in return ceiling
plenums, etc.
d. Supply airflows and stream lines associated with worst case condition and equipment.
e. Return airflows and stream lines associated with worst case condition and equipment.
f. Supply diffuser air flows.
g. Air handling unit supply and return air temperatures
h. Air handling unit operating capacities (cooling load and air flows)
i. Bypass amounts and locations
j. Generator exhaust concentration dispersion, if requested.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling and Page 5 of 6 Version: 1.1
Acceptance Criteria
Global Design Standards Equinix Confidential Date: February 20, 2017
 k. Outside air intake and equipment air intake temperatures, if requested.
l. Cooling tower or heat rejection plume distribution, if requested.
m. Prevailing wind and airflow streamlines associated with worst case condition and equipment if
requested.
5. Results and Recommendations will include consideration of the following:
a. Identification of hot spots.
b. Identification of obstructions from piping, conduits, cable trays, etc.
c. Identification of by-pass and recirculation air flow
d. Maximum equipment inlet air temperature
e. Recommendations for improving air flows and cooling efficiency including optimized placement
and control of air handling systems, supply air distribution, diffuser locations, and containment
solutions.
f. Recommendations for chilled water temperatures and air handling system set points.
g. Recommendation for exterior equipment ratings based on influences from adjacent equipment
and modeled intake air temperature and humidity.
h. The preference is that the report shall not include temperature plots that show the cabinet color
based on its maximum inlet temperature (sometimes called an SLA plot), rather that
section/elevation plots shall be provided that show the actual inlet temperatures across the face
of the cabinets highlighting only where the acceptance criteria detailed in 3.3.C above are not
met.

4.0 ACCEPTABLE REGIONAL VARIANCES

None.

End of Document

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling and Page 6 of 6 Version: 1.1

Acceptance Criteria
Global Design Standards Equinix Confidential Date: February 20, 2017