The 9 types of air distribution (traditional
room-based cooling implementations)
Flooded return Targeted return Contained return
Small LAN rooms < 40kW General use Large data center / colocation
Not recommended for most Not recommended for most data Upgradeable (vendor specific)
data centers centers
Flooded supply
Most energy efficient of all air
Low cost, simple installation Low cost, ease of install distribution architectures since it
Least energy efficient of all air More energy efficient than flooded allows increased cooling unit supply
distribution architectures return since 40-70% of IT hot exhaust temp resulting in increased
because 100% of the cold air is captured and delivered back to economizer hours. 70-100% of IT
supply air is allowed to mix with the cooling unit. Supply air more equipment hot exhaust air is
hot return air. Supply air predictable than flooded supply since captured and delivered back to the
temperature extremely less hot air is allowed to mix with cold cooling unit. Supply air is most
unpredictable above. supply air. predictable since no hot air is
allowed to mix with cold supply air.
Distribution type can cool up to Distribution type can cool up to 6kW
3kW per rack per rack Distribution type can cool up to
30kW per rack
The 9 types of air distribution (traditional
room-based cooling implementations)
Flooded return Targeted return Contained return
Data centers with static Small to medium data centers Hot spot problem solver
power densities More energy efficient than flooded Upgradeable (vendor specific)
Targeted supply
Not recommended for new return since 60-80% of IT equipment More efficient than targeted supply
designs – unable to keep up hot exhaust air is captured and and return since 70-100% of IT
with power density projections delivered back to the cooling unit. equipment hot exhaust air is
More energy efficient than Supply air more predictable since less captured and delivered back to the
flooded supply since more IT hot air is allowed to mix with cold cooling unit. Supply air is most
equipment hot exhaust air is supply air. predictable since no hot air is
diverted back to the cooling Distribution type can cool up to 8kW allowed to mix with cold supply air.
unit. per rack Allows increased cooling unit
Distribution type can cool up to supply temp resulting in increased
6kW per rack economizer hours.
Distribution type can cool up to
30kW per rack
Flooded return Targeted return Contained return
Mainframes / racks with Mainframes / racks with vertical Harsh non-data center
vertical airflow airflow environments
Contained supply
More energy efficient than More energy efficient than targeted Slightly less efficient than contained
targeted supply but less supply but less efficient than contained return with flooded or targeted
efficient than contained return. return. Containing the supply air, supply - requires more fan energy.
Containing the supply air, forces forces the rest of the room to become Allows increased cooling unit
the rest of the room to become the hot aisle which limits the number of supply temp resulting in increased
the hot aisle which limits the economizer hours. Supply air is most economizer hours.
number of economizer hours. predictable since no hot air is allowed
Distribution type can cool up to
Supply air is more predictable to mix with cold supply air.
30kW per rack
since little hot air is allowed to Distribution type can cool up to 30kW
mix with cold supply air. per rack
Distribution type can cool up to
30kW per rack