Air Containment and Cooling Curtains for Data Centers

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The growing data center sector requires several different products to assist with vital cooling needs, including data center cooling curtains. Data center air containment curtains play a major role in helping facilitate cooling to maintain data center equipment.

As leaders in plastic film distribution, Adams Plastics supplies clear PVC vinyl and other plastic materials to manufacturers that produce industrial vinyl curtains. Learn how containment curtains work, how they compare to other containment methods, and what to consider when choosing a curtain material.

Why Cooling is Important for Data Center Equipment

Within any data center, there is a significant amount of heat generated by the numerous servers and other equipment. This heat needs to be constantly managed to prevent damage to the sensitive electronics and ensure efficient operation.

In fact, cooling is one of the most critical factors in maintaining the functionality and longevity of a data center. Without proper cooling, the internal temperature of a data center can quickly reach dangerous levels, causing equipment to overheat and malfunction.

Data centers typically cool equipment with a mix of methods: air conditioning units, fans, and liquid cooling handle most of the heat removal, while air containment curtains work alongside them. Curtains physically separate hot exhaust air from cold intake air, keeping mechanical systems from fighting recirculated heat. This approach has become a common part of data center design, whether in new builds or retrofits.

Hot Aisle vs. Cold Aisle Containment

Server racks in a data center are typically arranged in alternating rows, with equipment facing each other so that cool air intakes line up on one side and hot air exhausts line up on the other. This creates a natural pattern of alternating hot and cold aisles. Containment curtains are used to seal off one of these aisle types from the rest of the room, and facilities generally choose between two approaches.

Hot Aisle Containment

Hot aisle containment encloses the aisle where equipment exhausts hot air. The rest of the room stays at the cooler ambient temperature, and the enclosed hot aisle is ducted or otherwise routed back to the cooling system. This approach tends to suit facilities where most of the room needs to remain at a comfortable working temperature for staff and other equipment.

Cold Aisle Containment

Cold aisle containment takes the opposite approach: the aisle receiving cooled air from the HVAC system is enclosed instead, concentrating the cold supply where it’s needed most and letting excess heat dissipate into the broader room. This method is often simpler to retrofit into an existing space, since it doesn’t require the same level of ducting back to central cooling infrastructure.

The best approach for a facility usually comes down to existing room layout, and how easily the space can be sealed given existing racks and overhead infrastructure. In both cases, containment curtains serve as the physical barrier along the aisle, forming the wall that keeps hot and cold air from mixing.

Why Plastic Film for Data Center Aisle Containment Curtains?

Temperature Control: Plastic data center containment curtains are designed to control temperature and maintain a stable environment within the data center. They act as a barrier between hot and cold zones, allowing for efficient cooling of equipment.
Cost-Effective: Using data center curtain materials can be a cost-effective solution compared to traditional methods such as building walls or installing permanent partitions. These curtains are easily installed and can be adjusted or moved as needed, making them a flexible and economical option.
Customizable: Data center curtain materials come in a variety of sizes, colors, and materials, allowing for customization based on the specific needs of each data center. This flexibility makes it easy to create separate areas within the data center for different temperature requirements.
Improved Airflow: By creating designated zones with data center curtains, airflow can be controlled and directed more efficiently. This helps to prevent hot spots and maintain a consistent temperature throughout the data center.
Easy Maintenance: Data center curtain materials are designed for easy maintenance and cleaning. They can be quickly removed for cleaning or repairs without disrupting the rest of the data center operations.

Plastic Material Considerations for Data Center Curtains

Once a facility decides on curtain containment, the material choice matters more than it might seem. A few properties come up most often in data center applications specifically:

Fire rating: Many facilities are subject to flame spread requirements under building or fire code, so curtain material intended for a server room typically needs a fire-retardant rating rather than a standard formulation.
Anti-static properties: Given the proximity to sensitive electronics, static discharge is a real concern in a server environment in a way it isn’t for most other curtain applications. An anti-static formulation reduces that risk.
Optical clarity: Depending on how the space is used, staff may need to visually monitor equipment or aisle conditions through the curtain without opening it, which makes clarity and light transmission relevant to the material choice.

Note that PVC materials are not universally accepted for hot/cold aisle containment. Some insurers and industry guidelines exclude PVC materials in certain data center environments, so confirming acceptability with your facility’s insurer and local code authority before specifying a material is key, and the sole responsibility of the user.

For a closer look at fire-retardant and anti-static gauge options, view our guide to choosing clear PVC vinyl.

Contact Us to Source Plastic Film for Air Containment Curtains

If you’re evaluating a containment strategy for a specific facility, our data center curtain manufacturing page has more detail on the materials we supply. As leaders in plastic film distribution, Adams Plastics supplies clear PVC vinyl and other plastic materials used in industrial clear plastic curtains, including those manufactured for data center air containment. We supply specialized data center cooling curtain materials to meet those needs.

* Note: Adams Plastics supplies component film materials for use by fabricators and manufacturers; we do not manufacture or install finished data center containment curtains. The fabricator and end user are responsible for confirming that any finished product meets project specifications, applicable building and fire codes, insurer requirements, and approval by the authority having jurisdiction.