Rack Power Density Calculator

Plan electrical load per rack with quick, transparent density metrics today easily. Add redundancy, PDU losses, and floor area to size feeders accurately now.

Calculator Inputs

Choose a fast estimate or a device roll-up.
U
mm
mm
m²
If blank, we estimate from footprint plus space factor.
%
kW
Used when input mode is Total IT load.
Used when input mode is Device-based.
W
%
1.00 = fully coincident, 0.80 = expected simultaneity.
Example: 1.10 adds 10% headroom.
%
%
%
Lighting, controls, minor auxiliaries (as % of upstream).
V
Reset

Example Data Table

Scenario Racks Coincident IT Load (kW) Power per Rack (kW/rack) Room Area (m²) Density (kW/m²)
Small equipment room 6 18 3.00 35 0.51
Medium data room 16 96 6.00 120 0.80
High-density pod 8 120 15.00 90 1.33
These examples are illustrative for planning discussions only.

Formula Used

  • Device-based IT load: IT kW = (Devices × Watts × Utilization%) ÷ 1000
  • Coincident load: ITcoincident = IT × Diversity factor
  • Power per rack: kW/rack = ITcoincident ÷ Rack count
  • Power per U: W/U = (kW/rack × 1000) ÷ Rack U
  • Density: kW/m² = ITcoincident ÷ Effective room area
  • Upstream electrical: Upstream kW = (ITcoincident × Redundancy) ÷ (1 − UPS loss − PDU loss)
  • 3-phase current: I = (kW × 1000) ÷ (√3 × V × PF)
  • 1-phase current: I = (kW × 1000) ÷ (V × PF)
  • Heat load: BTU/hr = ITcoincident × 3412.142

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Pick Total IT load or Device-based input mode.
  2. Enter rack count, rack size, and either room area or a space factor.
  3. Set diversity, redundancy, and loss percentages to match your design basis.
  4. Enter voltage, phase, and power factor to estimate current and breaker sizing.
  5. Press Calculate to see results above the form.
If you are sizing upstream feeders, use the upstream kW and current outputs. If you are benchmarking density, use coincident IT kW per rack and per area.
Use results to balance capacity, cost, and safety well.

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Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.