Case Study: When New Isn’t Efficient: Fixing Airflow Leaks in a Fresh Data Center
Project Overview
Purkay Labs was brought in to test the cooling efficiency of a newly commissioned single-story data center. The facility used hot aisle containment with rooftop-mounted cooling units. Air was supplied by air handlers on either end of the hall, supporting rack loads between 5–10 kW.
The client wanted to know why the data hall seemed to be consuming more airflow than necessary. Without rack-level visibility, they suspected both recirculation and imbalance but couldn’t confirm the cause. That’s where Purkay Labs stepped in.
What We Did
Representation of the AUDIT-BUDDY
To build a complete thermal and airflow profile, Purkay Labs deployed three key tools during a 1 day scan:
AUDIT-BUDDY: measuring temperature and humidity at four heights, front and back of each rack.
Airflow meters: calculating CFM at selected points.
Differential pressure gauges: assessing sealing effectiveness and plenum balance.
Purkay Labs used these tools to measure:
Temperature and Humidity at four different heights for every cabinet – both front and back – measuring delta-T across the cabinets
Airflow at selected points of the data hall
Differential air pressure at selected points of the data hall.
Measurement of Temperature at the Air Handlers feeding the Data Hall
Together, these measurements provided high-resolution environmental data and a clear picture of airflow dynamics across the hall.
What the Data Revealed
Our assessment identified several issues:
Before
After
Delta-T Variation: Cabinet Delta-Ts ranged from 7.6°F to 10.2°F. Oversupply was found at cabinets C2-1 through C2-5, while recirculation occurred between the air handlers and server inlets.
Plenum Leakage: Positive pressure readings confirmed hot air was leaking from the plenum into the hall.
Airflow Imbalance: CFM varied widely by cabinet. Higher Delta-Ts correlated with lower airflow, confirming uneven distribution.
Sealing Gaps: Several leaks between server cabinets and the slab floor led to temperature variance in the hot aisle.
Resolution
The client used this data to identify the leaks in the hot air plenum and adjust the air flow handlers. All leaks were blocked and the CFM settings were dialed down by 10%. Purkay Labs conducted a measurement to confirm the changes had been successful and found:
Seven days later, follow-up measurements showed marked improvement:
Cabinet Delta-Ts stabilized in a consistent 10°F–20°F range.
Hot aisle containment temperatures were uniform.
The hot air plenum-to-hall Delta-T increased to 18°F, confirming containment improvements.
Facility staff reported reduced fan energy use and greater airflow stability.
The Takeaway
Even in new facilities, airflow imbalances and leaks can waste cooling capacity and increase operating cost. A holistic, rack-level assessment provided the visibility needed to isolate problems quickly and implement targeted fixes. By measuring Delta-T, airflow, and pressure together, Purkay Labs helped the client optimize cooling performance and reduce unnecessary energy use.
About Purkay Labs
Purkay Labs helps data center operators and facility managers diagnose airflow and thermal issues that impact equipment reliability. Our portable AUDIT-BUDDY System delivers detailed, rack-level environmental data to identify hot spots, validate airflow performance, and support informed cooling decisions. Whether troubleshooting isolated problems or conducting full-site audits, Purkay Labs provides actionable insight that helps operators protect their infrastructure and optimize performance.
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