| Title |
Noise Exposure Assessment in the Occupational Environment of Air-Cooled Data Centers |
| Authors |
조진균(Cho, Jinkyun) ; 임한솔(Lim, Hansol) ; 변상우(Byeon, Sangwoo) ; 김하람(Kim, Haram) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2026.42.1.273 |
| Keywords |
Data Center; Air-cooled System; Noise Exposure; Occupational Environment; In-situ measurement |
| Abstract |
Data centers are rapidly expanding as essential infrastructure for AI, cloud computing, and telecommunication services. While energy
efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions have been widely studied, occupational noise exposure in air-cooled data centers remains largely
unexplored. This study quantifies noise levels within an operational data center and evaluates worker exposure against international and
national regulatory standards. Field measurements were carried out in a large-scale data center featuring both hot aisle containment (HAC)
and cold aisle containment (CAC) systems. Following ISO 9612 guidelines, A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure levels and
C-weighted peak sound levels were measured at standing and seated ear heights, along with frequency spectra and Noise Rating (NR)
analysis. Acoustic camera measurements were also used to visualize spatial noise sources. Results show that average noise exposure often
exceeded 85 dBA, with peak levels surpassing 100 dB in the CAC, exceeding NIOSH and OSHA occupational noise limits. Frequency
analysis identified dominant noise between 500 Hz and 4 kHz, affecting auditory fatigue and verbal communication. NR evaluations revealed
multiple zones exceeding NR-70. This case study highlights the challenging acoustic environment of air-cooled data centers and its
implications for occupational health and facility design. Future research should expand measurements across various data centers to support
broader conclusions and inform policy development. |