THM-01 · Thermal path · source-backed
Legacy open-room cooling
Room units and an open volume can support modest loads, but uncontrolled mixing and bypass air often hide the real constraint.
How it works
Supply conditioned air to the room and return mixed room air to perimeter or in-room cooling equipment.
Where it fits
Existing low-density rooms where staged airflow hygiene can precede larger retrofit work.
Where it breaks
High-density racks or persistent hot spots are being answered only by lowering setpoints and adding fan power.
Tradeoff register
- Simple and familiar
- Tolerant of rough layouts at low density
- Poor separation can strand cooling capacity
Interactive teaching model
This card connects to the airflow lab. Its output is a bounded calculation or an illustrative directional model, not measured site data or a commissioned design result.
Source register
These sources support the teaching summary. Use current standards, site engineering and authority approval for real work.
- Best Practices Guide for Energy-Efficient Data Center Design
U.S. Department of Energy · Public web page and downloadable guide · reviewed 2026-08-26. Rights note: Link and summarize; asset reuse requires a separate rights check. - ASHRAE Data Center Resources and Thermal Guidelines
ASHRAE · Public catalog; technical publications may be paid · reviewed 2026-08-26. Rights note: Link and summarize public descriptions; do not reproduce protected publication content.