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Modelling building with a data-center in sketchup

asked 2018-01-17 03:02:26 -0600

Mans_sopers's avatar

updated 2018-01-17 08:58:43 -0600

Hello,

I'm trying to make a building with amongst others some rooms with data equipment. In order to know how much cooling and heating is needed in these rooms (by using a free air cooling unit and electric heater), I think it is necessary to implement the data towers in the model. The data towers heat up ofcourse, but I'm not sure how to model that in sketch-up with the openstudio 2.3 plugin. Any suggestions?

The data rooms are relatively small, only about 10 data/communication towers.

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answered 2018-01-18 02:03:39 -0600

Avi's avatar

First you need to define the Electric Equipment Load. To do that you will need to go to the Loads tab and then to select on the upper left the Electric Equipment Definition. Now press the green + in the lower left and fill in name and load characteristics.image description

Now, if you have many similar spaces you can define Space Type for them; In the Space Types tab press the + sign in the lower left. Then you can fill in Rendering color, Default Construction set, Default Schedule set, Design Specification Outdoor Air, Space Infiltration Design Flow Rates and Space Infiltration Effective Leakage Area. All of those are optional as you could set them latter specifically to each space. Those definitions should be first created in the relevant tab and then dragged from My Model tab on the left into to right place. Now select the Loads button in the upper part. From the My Model tab on the left find the Electric Equipment Definition and locate the load you had created. Drag it to place. image description

Now in the Spaces tab find the relevant spaces. From My Model on the left find the space definition you created and drag it into the right place. You are done.

Alternatively, if you have only one or two spaces you could go straight to spaces tab (After defining the Electrical load) And drop the load into the space. To do that you will have to select the loads tab in the upper part of the Spaces tab and again from the My Model Tab drag the Electric Equipment Definition into the Definition column of the space.

image description

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Great, this will work. For my research I also want to see what temperature ranges these data towers will get without any cooling or heating in a relay cubicle with only very small (natural) ventilation shafts in the walls. I can imagine the placement of these towers is relevant for that question. Is it possible to build the set up in SketchUp and apply the electrical load to the placed data towers (for example with interior partitions)?

Mans_sopers's avatar Mans_sopers  ( 2018-01-18 02:35:07 -0600 )edit

@Mans_sopers you could do that or even create another space inside your The Thermal Zone but I don't know enough about heat transfer algorithms to tell you if it is needed. My uneducated guess on that is that it is not needed especially if there are not big windows in those spaces the Actual placement of the towers should not be critical.

Avi's avatar Avi  ( 2018-01-18 02:42:40 -0600 )edit

Ok, I will try the interior partition and otherwise just work with what you said before. Thanks for the help once more Avi.

Mans_sopers's avatar Mans_sopers  ( 2018-01-18 04:15:06 -0600 )edit

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Asked: 2018-01-17 03:02:26 -0600

Seen: 436 times

Last updated: Jan 18 '18