US manufacturer Polargy has received a patent for its ceiling-suspended data center aisle containment solution.

Containment, or thermal isolation, of cold or hot aisles in data centers is a common way to tackle the problem of mixing hot server exhaust air with cold air. With containment, it is easier to keep air temperature in the cold aisles constant without unnecessary energy consumption by the cooling system.

Polargy claims Facebook, Dell, Pixar and Verizon as customers of its containment solutions.

The company received a patent for its PolarPlex Suspended Panel System, which it said was functionally and aesthetically better than vinyl curtains (a common alternative) but was priced competitively

Another advantage is that instead of being supported by server cabinets, the system is supported by the ceiling, which means cabinets can be moved around without affecting the containment system.

Cary Frame, Polargy CEO, said the invention had filled a product gap in the data center containment.

“The novel SPS channel design means these panels hang straight and strong for optimal airflow management, but can be installed and removed quickly and easily without tools,” he said. “PolarPlex SPS has raised the bar on hot- and cold-aisle containment solutions.”