IT Cleaning Ltd., have been cleaning up in a 1000m2 2MW Data Hall, after a retrofit of new CRAC units contaminated the Data Hall. The CRAC units required the floor and the wall of the DH to be drilled and cut through. This caused masses of very fine particles to entre the air flow and be circulated around the room. Lab results showed that the particles were mainly Silica (SIO2), which is a key component of cement. This dust is very abrasive in nature, which can cause mechanical issues in the equipment. It also was present in large quantities, so can cause air flow disruption and insulation of component within the equipment. Below you can see the dust on the hot aisles side of the cabinet doors. To get on these doors the dust has had to pass through the equipment.
IT Cleaning Ltd., do offer a ProtectIT solution to stop this happening during refurbishment. It entails protecting the equipment (clean zone) with a positive pressure enclosure, to stop dust entering the clean zone. Or protecting the work (dirty zone) area with a negative pressure enclosure to stop the dust leaving the dirty zone. For more information on this solution visit Protecting IT Equipment.