Containment Drop Ceiling Panels put Fire Fighters at Risk.

Over the past decade an increasing number of local AHJ’s (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) are denying the use of heat-shrink, drop-out ceiling tiles as a means of creating cold and hot isle isolation in data centers due to the danger these panel pose to fire fighting personnel.  The panels, after dropping out of the overhead rails, litter the floor, and create a tripping hazard for the fire fighters as they try to contain the fire.

Without the ability to provide separation between hot and cold isle air flow, data center owners are seeing their HVAC cost jump 10-20% and a decrease in computing efficiency due to higher temperatures.

To address these issues, Cambridge R&D’ has introduced a new solution (CRD Dissolvable Air Barrier Paper, or “DAB” panel ™) designed for both horizontal (ceiling tiles) and vertical (containment panels) Cold Isle Isolation designs. This new panel provides airflow separation and dissolves completely when in contact with water. When the sprinkler system activates, the panels literally DISSOLVE in seconds.