CFD Analysis of HVAC Airflow, Thermal, and Humidity Distribution in a 1MW Floating Data Center Server Room

Pakpahan, Gemilang Friyan Finn (2026) CFD Analysis of HVAC Airflow, Thermal, and Humidity Distribution in a 1MW Floating Data Center Server Room. Other thesis, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember.

Text 5019221062-Undergraduate_Thesis.pdf Download (4MB)

Abstract

Floating Data Center muncul sebagai solusi menjanjikan untuk mengatasi keterbatasan lahan dan meningkatnya kebutuhan pendinginan pada pengembangan pusat data konvensional, dengan keunggulan modularitas, skalabilitas, dan kedekatan dengan air laut sebagai potensi sumber daya termal. Namun, menjaga kestabilan aliran udara, suhu, dan kelembapan di ruang server yang terbatas pada platform terapung tetap menjadi tantangan desain yang krusial. Penelitian ini menyajikan analisis Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) terhadap distribusi aliran udara HVAC, termal, dan kelembapan relatif di ruang server Floating Data Center berkapasitas 1 MW dengan konfigurasi hot aisle–cold aisle. Rak server dimodelkan menggunakan pendekatan media berpori dengan resistansi viskos anisotropik dan sumber momentum terarah untuk merepresentasikan karakteristik aliran udara internal peralatan. Dua simulasi steady-state dilakukan pada beban IT 50% dan 70%, dilengkapi simulasi perpindahan panas dinding dan simulasi transient tambahan untuk mengevaluasi respons ruang server terhadap infiltrasi udara luar sementara. Pada beban 50%, udara suplai bersuhu 20°C meninggalkan domain dengan suhu rata-rata 25,72°C, dengan suhu rak server berkisar 20,04–28,79°C; pada beban 70%, suhu maksimum mencapai 31,79°C, tetap dalam rentang ASHRAE TC 9.9 Allowable Class A2 sebesar 10–35°C. Peningkatan suhu lokal terjadi di sekitar rak yang berada di tengah ruangan, disebabkan oleh udara buang dari rak-rak di sekitarnya yang sebagian bersirkulasi kembali alih-alih mengalir langsung ke outlet. Kelembapan relatif menurun dari 30% pada suplai menjadi rata-rata 18,95–21,04% pada outlet, tetap dalam rentang yang diizinkan yaitu 8–80%. Pada skenario infiltrasi transient, suhu dan kelembapan relatif rata-rata ruangan hanya meningkat masing-masing sebesar 0,14°C dan 4,76 poin persentase, kembali mendekati kondisi awal dalam 60 detik setelah pintu ditutup. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa konfigurasi yang diusulkan mampu menjaga kondisi ASHRAE Class A2 dan kenaikan maksimal untuk temperature dan kelembapan relatif SNI di seluruh skenario, sekaligus menyoroti resirkulasi lokal sebagai faktor untuk optimasi aliran udara di masa mendatang.
=======================================================================================================================================
Floating Data Centers have emerged as a promising solution to land constraints and rising cooling demands in conventional data center development, offering modularity, scalability, and proximity to seawater as a potential thermal resource. However, maintaining stable airflow, temperature, and humidity within the confined server room of a floating platform remains a critical design challenge. This study presents a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis of HVAC airflow, thermal, and relative humidity distribution in the server room of a 1 MW Floating Data Center employing a hot aisle–cold aisle configuration. Server racks were modeled using a porous-media approach with anisotropic viscous resistance and a directional momentum source to represent internal equipment airflow. Two steady-state simulations were performed at 50% and 70% IT workload, complemented by a wall heat transfer simulation and a supplementary transient simulation evaluating server room response to temporary outdoor air infiltration. At 50% load, supply air at 20°C exited the domain at an average of 25.72°C, with server row temperatures between 20.04–28.79°C; at 70% load, the maximum reached 31.79°C, remaining within the ASHRAE TC 9.9 Allowable Class A2 range of 10–35°C. A localized temperature increase occurred around the racks near the middle of the room, attributed to exhaust air from neighboring racks partially recirculating instead of flowing directly to the outlet. Relative humidity decreased from 30% supply to an average of 18.95–21.04% at the outlet, within the 8–80% allowable range. Under transient infiltration, room-average temperature and relative humidity increased by only 0.14°C and 4.76 percentage points, returning close to baseline within 60 seconds after the door closed. These findings demonstrate that the proposed configuration maintains ASHRAE Class A2 conditions and SNI maximum rise of Temperature and Relative Humidity across all scenarios, while highlighting localized recirculation as a factor for further airflow optimization.

Item Type:	Thesis (Other)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Computational Fluid Dynamics, Floating Data Center, HVAC, hot aisle–cold aisle, hotspot termal, kelembapan relatif, ASHRAE, SNI, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Floating Data Center, HVAC, hot aisle–cold aisle, thermal hotspot, relative humidity, ASHRAE, SNI
Subjects:	V Naval Science > VM Naval architecture. Shipbuilding. Marine engineering > VM485 Cold storage on ships. Marine refrigeration.
Divisions:	Faculty of Marine Technology (MARTECH) > Marine Engineering > 36202-(S1) Undergraduate Thesis
Depositing User:	Gemilang Friyan Finn Pakpahan
Date Deposited:	15 Sep 2026 07:25
Last Modified:	15 Sep 2026 07:25
URI:	http://repository.its.ac.id/id/eprint/143300

Actions (login required)

View Item