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Definition: raised floor
An elevated floor for datacenters and laboratory facilities that allows wires to be run underneath. A raised floor is also used as a return for the cooling that flows from the ceiling to the floor. Cold air sinks downward because it is denser than warm air.
Less Popular for Major Datacenters
Raised floors were the norm when operators were constantly stationed at computer consoles. In many "darkened" datacenters today, raised floors have given way to concrete floors with overhead cables and water cooling. However, there are under-floor cooling systems, and raised floors are widely used in scientific laboratories and clean rooms. See darkened datacenter.
The Traditional Raised Floor
Less Popular for Major Datacenters
Raised floors were the norm when operators were constantly stationed at computer consoles. In many "darkened" datacenters today, raised floors have given way to concrete floors with overhead cables and water cooling. However, there are under-floor cooling systems, and raised floors are widely used in scientific laboratories and clean rooms. See darkened datacenter.
The typical raised floor uses square tiles over an aluminum grid that creates a plenum (space) several inches above the actual floor. Each tile can typically be lifted up and out for access to the cables below. (Image courtesy of Imprint Data Center Solutions.)