Software developer Applied Math Modeling released version 2.0 of its AutoCAD add-on for CoolSim, a data center Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling application. CoolSim for AutoCAD 2.0 has several user enhancements and reduces CFD model build time by as much as 50 percent, according to the company.
After defining a data center layout in AutoCAD, users can use the CoolSim for AutoCAD add-on to define rack rows with data such as airflow direction, thermal loads, height and rack name. The add-on makes it easy to define the entire rack row at once, rather than repeating the process for each individual rack. Users can also define Computer Room Air Conditioners (CRACs) with information including height, airflow direction and cooling capacity. Once the CoolSim data is defined in AutoCAD, it can be exported as a CoolSim for AutoCAD file (.cfa).
Once in CoolSim, users simply import the .cfa file to load a faithful model of their data center. All the data defined in CoolSim for AutoCAD can be edited in CoolSim, so any mistakes or omissions can easily be corrected without having to re-export/re-import the data.
“This [update] speeds up the overall CFD modeling process significantly by eliminating the tedious task of rebuilding the model within the CFD analysis tool,” said Paul Bemis, CEO of Applied Math Modeling.
Other elements that can be defined in CoolSim for AutoCAD 2.0 include:
- Room height, supply plenum and ceiling plenum return
- Perforated tiles, including percent area open parameters
- Power Distribution Unit (PDU) height and thermal load
- Underfloor cable trays and other airflow obstacles
“From the beginning, CoolSim was designed to deliver industry leading price/performance while providing outstanding ease-of-use so users don’t have to climb a steep learning curve,” Bemis said. “CoolSim for AutoCAD continues this tradition by greatly speeding up the CFD model building process, allowing the geometry and respective parameters to be defined and extracted directly from AutoCAD. For companies that utilize AutoCAD for their data center layout representation, this new add-in is a significant time saver.”