Smoke detection in data centers is critical, not only for life safety reasons, but also to reduce fire-related business interruption and property damage. Data centers are unique environments, which can prove challenging. Heavy power loads or a defective piece of equipment can very quickly lead to overheating or a short circuit in a data center. A constant ignition source such as electricity, and combustible materials, such as plastics in printed circuit boards, are always present. Also, hot/cold aisle systems lead to extremely high air velocity and complex airflow patterns that tend to dilute smoke. Additionally, in some vertical market businesses, interruption costs could be measured in millions of dollars per minute. For these reasons, it is essential that smoke be detected as early as possible.
FIGURE 1: Complex airflow pattern in a data center.