Telect has released its universal CFlow energy management strip. Designed for integration with data center server racks, the device is a slender, vertical strip of plastic engineered with color-shifting properties responsive to temperature changes in real time. It is billed as an intuitive diagnostics solution for managing data center energy usage while optimizing HVAC efficiency, ultimately lowering data center energy costs.
"The CFlow strip is a simple solution for enabling people to visualize data center airflows and temperatures -- and most importantly, empowering them to increase energy efficiencies," says Paul Knight, vice president of product development for Telect. "It's like having your own personal expert in computation fluid dynamics -- that never sleeps and can ship in a box."
Telect notes that cooling systems constitute roughly 30% of a network facility's energy bill, so robust thermal monitoring systems are essential to saving money. Studies show that with proper air flow management and hot/cold aisle optimization, facilities can reduce overall power consumption by several percentages. The challenge resides in where and how to implement common methods for increasing efficiencies, such as floor tile changes and blanking plates -- opportunities that become clear with CFlow strip, contends the company.
The CFlow strip was originally launched as an accessory to Telect's earthquake-safe data center rack, but due to its success in providing temperature maps for facilities, it is now being offered with a removable Carrier base that mounts to any rack. A standard universal CFlow and Carrier kit includes two strips to manage and monitor the airflow on both the front and back of a rack.
Related story:New cooling technology could save data centers millions in energy costs
