Case Study: Designing Mounting Supports for HVAC Ducts, Cable Trays, and Piping Systems in European Data Centers

Introduction At Yas Tech services, we pride ourselves on delivering cutting-edge design solutions for mounting supports that secure HVAC ducts, cable trays, and piping systems in commercial and data center projects. Our recent collaboration with a prominent Europe-based company for data center projects in Denmark and Finland showcases our ability to tackle complex technical and commercial challenges. By leveraging advanced software tools and adhering to stringent European standards, we designed robust mounting supports for high-velocity HVAC ducts, power and data cable trays, and liquid-cooling piping systems, ensuring operational reliability and safety in high-density IT environments. Project Scope The projects required the design and detailing of mounting supports for: • HVAC Ducts: Including high-velocity systems critical for efficient air distribution in data centers, designed to handle dynamic loads and minimize noise. • Cable Trays: Supporting power and data distribution infrastructure, requiring precise alignment and load-bearing capacity. • Piping Systems: For liquid-cooling systems, essential for managing heat in high-density server racks, with a focus on leak prevention and structural stability. Located in Denmark and Finland, these data centers demanded designs that complied with European standards, such as EN 12237:2003 for ductwork and EN 1991 for load calculations. The mounting supports were engineered to withstand operational loads, environmental factors like wind and snow, and minor seismic activity, ensuring long-term performance and safety. Design Approach Our design process integrated advanced software tools to achieve precision, efficiency, and compliance: • Navisworks: Utilized for clash detection and coordination, ensuring seamless integration of HVAC ducts, cable trays, and piping systems with other building elements. This minimized installation conflicts and enhanced project efficiency. • Tekla Structural Designer: Employed for structural modelling and analysis, allowing us to simulate real-world conditions, including wind, snow, and seismic loads, to optimize support designs. • Tedds: Used for detailed load calculations, ensuring that all supports could withstand operational, environmental, and dynamic loads as per EN 1991-1-4 (wind actions) and EN 1991-1-3 (snow loads). • Ideastatica: Applied for designing robust connections, critical for the structural integrity of the supports under various loading conditions. • Advance Steel: Facilitated the creation of detailed fabrication drawings, enabling accurate manufacturing and streamlined on-site installation. This integrated approach ensured that our designs were technically sound, compliant with European standards, and tailored to the client’s specific requirements. Key Challenges and Solutions Technical Challenges 1. High-Velocity HVAC Ducts: o Challenge: High-velocity air flow in HVAC ducts generates significant vibration and noise, which can compromise system performance and occupant comfort. These ducts also impose dynamic loads on supports, requiring enhanced structural stability. o Solution: We designed supports with integrated vibration isolators and selected materials with high damping properties to absorb vibrations and reduce noise transmission. Our designs adhered to EN 12237:2003 and EN 1507:2006 for ductwork strength and leakage, ensuring the supports could handle dynamic loads. Additionally, we used Tekla Structural Designer to model and analyze the supports under dynamic conditions, optimizing their performance. 2. Seismic and Wind Load Considerations: o Challenge: Although Denmark and Finland experience low seismic activity, wind loads and snow loads are significant, particularly for rooftop or exposed installations. The supports needed to withstand these environmental forces while maintaining structural integrity. o Solution: Using Tedds, we performed detailed calculations for wind loads (EN 1991-1-4), snow loads (EN 1991-1-3), and operational loads. For seismic considerations, we followed EN 1998, ensuring the supports could withstand rare seismic events. Our designs incorporated flexible yet robust support systems, such as trapeze hangers and seismic restraints, to accommodate these loads without compromising stability. 3. Compliance with European Standards: o Challenge: The designs had to meet stringent European norms for ductwork (EN 12237, EN 1507), steel structures (EN 1993), and load calculations (EN 1991), Health and Safety regulations requiring meticulous attention to detail. o Solution: Our team conducted thorough reviews to ensure compliance with these standards at every stage of the design process. We incorporated material specifications and fabrication details that aligned with European norms, and used Ideastatica to verify connection designs, ensuring structural integrity and safety. 4. Liquid-Cooling Piping Systems: o Challenge: Piping systems for liquid cooling required supports that could prevent leaks and handle thermal expansion, especially given the high-density server environments. o Solution: Drawing on guidelines from ASHRAE TC 9.6, we designed supports with flexible mounts to accommodate thermal expansion and used dripless quick-disconnect fittings to minimize leak risks. Navisworks ensured proper alignment and coordination with other systems, enhancing reliability. Commercial Challenges 1. Tight Project Deadlines: o Challenge: The client imposed accelerated timelines to align with the data centres’ operational schedules, requiring rapid design and delivery. o Solution: By leveraging Building Information Modelling (BIM) coordination with Navisworks and efficient design workflows in Tekla Structural Designer and Advance Steel, we streamlined the design and review process. This enabled faster client approvals and ensured on-time delivery without compromising quality. 2. Budget Constraints: o Challenge: The projects had strict budgetary limits, necessitating cost-effective solutions without sacrificing performance or compliance. o Solution: Through value engineering, we optimized material usage by selecting cost-effective, high-strength materials and simplified support designs where possible. For example, we used standardized Unistrut, Sikla frames and rod supports to reduce fabrication costs while maintaining structural integrity. These efforts kept the project within budget while meeting all technical requirements. Benefits of Our Approach Our comprehensive approach delivered several key benefits: • Enhanced Reliability: Robust support designs ensured the longevity and safety of HVAC, cable tray, and piping systems, even under dynamic and environmental loads. • Cost Efficiency: Value engineering and optimized workflows reduced project costs without compromising quality. • Faster Installation: Detailed fabrication drawings and clash-free designs minimized on-site issues, accelerating installation timelines. • Compliance and Safety: Adherence to European standards guaranteed regulatory compliance and operational safety. These benefits align with industry best practices for data center infrastructure, as noted by ASHRAE for precision cooling and system reliability. Conclusion The successful execution of these projects in Denmark and Finland underscores our expertise in designing mounting supports for complex HVAC, cable tray, and piping systems in data centres. Our ability to address technical challenges—such as high-velocity duct vibrations, seismic and wind load considerations, and compliance with European standards—demonstrates our technical proficiency. Additionally, our solutions to commercial challenges, including tight deadlines and budget constraints, highlight our commitment to delivering value-driven outcomes. By leveraging advanced software tools like Navisworks, Tekla Structural Designer, Tedds, Ideastatica, and Advance Steel, we ensured precision, efficiency, and compliance throughout the design process. Our work on these projects not only met but exceeded client expectations, reinforcing our position as a trusted partner for critical infrastructure projects across Europe and beyond.