Appendix H - HC1028R0067.pdf

APPENDIX H

Excerpt from CSI 360-95-3, Facilities Standards

Encapsulation of subfloors

1. After initial subfloor cleaning activities have been completed at sites requiring encapsulation or re-coating, the Contractor shall encapsulate subfloor areas including raised floor pedestal bases. Method of Procedure for the Under Floor Cleaning shall include removal of contamination from the subfloor plenum using a HEPA filtered exhaust vacuum system that filters exhaust particles down to .3 microns at a 99.97% efficiency rating will be utilized. Data Centers are considered class 100,000 clean room zones by Federal

Standard 209e, and as a result must be able to maintain an airborne particulate level of less than 100,000 particles per cubic foot of air at a size of .5 microns or smaller.

2. The contractor shall use equipment that meets or exceeds the established standards for cleaning data centers and will provide dust and contamination removal in accordance with

Federal Standard 209e. All vacuums shall be fitted with GFCI protectors and will never be plugged in under the raised floor. Only designated power outlets will be utilized when performing decontamination functions. Establish reasonable limits for each site layout to reduce the impact of static pressure, hardware cooling, and plenum airflow disruption during these activities.

3. The natural and continuous oxidation of the concrete subfloor is a major cause of controlled environment contamination, introducing concrete dust into the air plenum which is blown directly into IT equipment via cooling intakes. The only way to eliminate this source of contamination is to seal the surface of the concrete.

4. Unfinished areas under the raised floor, to include trenches, trench walls, columns, room exterior and interior walls, and other surfaces shall be sealed with at least two coats (6-mil total dry film thickness) of epoxy paint or sealer. The material used shall be noncorrosive, nontoxic, and nonflammable. The sealer will provide both dust control and a vapor barrier.

5. The encapsulant used shall have the following properties:

a. Flexibility: A high flexibility is necessary in order to bridge minor cracks in the deck surface, and to achieve a suitable bond between the deck and other surfaces, such as access floor pedestals and perimeter walls.

b. Porosity: The finished seal should have a low porosity so as to effectively isolate the subfloor deck, as well as to limit and contain any deposits or liquid accumulations on the surface of the seal.

c. Out-gassing: If the subfloor deck is to be sealed in an on-line room, the encapsulant used should not emit any chemicals which could be considered a serious and direct threat to hardware reliability. In a newly designed room, more options are available, as long as ample curing time is allowed.

d. Encapsulant: The encapsulant used should be pigmented to match the blue that is installed at several facilities already (see Appendix 1). A pigmented encapsulant ensures a complete and effective seal. Any unsealed areas are immediately evident.

A clear encapsulant is not easily visible, and large portions of the subfloor supply air plenum may be missed in the application.

6. The encapsulant must be manually applied with brushes and rollers by trained personnel.

The encapsulant shall be applied UNDER cables, conduits, raceways, piping, and other equipment and materials located on the subfloor. Lift and apply the encapsulant under these obstructions, and ensure that cables and conduits are not adhered to the floor during sealant drying. A drying time of 30 to 45 minutes will be provided before cables are laid back down on the floor.

7. Spray applications shall NOT be used. Spray applications, such as those typically used with clear encapsulants, can atomize the sealant, and transfer it to the hardware in the airflow of the subfloor void. Spray applications can also cause problems when the encapsulant is applied over cables, adhering them to the subfloor deck. This makes future removal of the cables difficult, and can expose unsealed concrete when the cables are dislodged.

8. All corrosion on frames and girders, the modular floor tile support jacks, and underside of floor tiles will be addressed as necessary with the appropriate materials and sealant. All floor jacks will be thoroughly cleaned, and any corrosion on the metal surfaces will be encapsulated to limit any further deterioration and to prevent any of this contamination from entering the subfloor supply airflow.

9. All corrosion on subfloor and on pipe work within the floor void will be treated with appropriate and approved materials and sealant.

10. Cracks in the subfloor, expansion joints, and other voids shall be mitigated prior to encapsulation. The Contractor shall provide a detailed plan for consideration prior to encapsulation that explains how and why they will be repair the surface in the manner proposed.

11. The Contractor shall provide an MSDS and cut sheet for the encapsulant and for any other chemicals and materials to be applied at the time of bid.

DISA FACILITY STANDARD

09 96 56 Epoxy Coatings

Epoxy coatings are applied to underfloor plenum spaces in the datacenter in order to reduce degradation of the concrete subfloor and resultant equipment contamination by concrete dust, as well as to plant, warehouse, staging, and similar industrial sections of the facilities. These encapsulating coatings are applied through the enterprise-wide “underfloor cleaning contract.”

The same requirements apply to epoxy coatings used in all spaces.

Unfinished areas under the raised floor, to include trenches, trench walls, columns, room exterior and interior walls, and other surfaces shall be sealed with at least two coats (6-mil total dry film thickness) of epoxy paint or sealer. The material used shall be noncorrosive, nontoxic, and nonflammable. The sealer will provide both dust control and a vapor barrier.

The encapsulant used shall have the following properties:

a. Flexibility: A high flexibility is necessary in order to bridge minor cracks in the deck surface, and to achieve a suitable bond between the deck and other surfaces, such as access floor pedestals and perimeter walls.

b. Porosity: The finished seal should have a low porosity so as to effectively isolate the subfloor deck, as well as to limit and contain any deposits or liquid accumulations on the surface of the seal.

c. Out-gassing: If the subfloor deck is to be sealed in an on-line room, the encapsulant used should not emit any chemicals which could be considered a serious and direct threat to hardware reliability. In a newly designed room, more options are available, as long as ample curing time is allowed.

d. Encapsulant: Underfloor encapsulants used should be pigmented to match the blue that is currently installed at DISA facilities (approximate color Pantone 15-4323 TPX). A pigmented encapsulant ensures a complete and effective seal. Any unsealed areas are immediately evident. A clear encapsulant is not easily visible, and large portions of the subfloor supply air plenum may be missed in the application.

The encapsulant must be manually applied with brushes and rollers by trained personnel. The encapsulant shall be applied UNDER cables, conduits, raceways, piping, and other equipment and materials located on the subfloor. Lift and apply the encapsulant under these obstructions, and ensure that cables and conduits are not adhered to the floor during sealant drying. A drying time of 30 to 45 minutes will be provided before cables are laid back down on the floor.

Spray applications shall NOT be used for underfloor applications. Spray applications, such as those typically used with clear encapsulants, can atomize the sealant, and transfer it to the hardware in the airflow of the subfloor void. Spray applications can also cause problems when the encapsulant is applied over cables, adhering them to the subfloor deck. This makes future removal of the cables difficult, and can expose unsealed concrete when the cables are dislodged.

Encapsulants used for floor sealing in plant and industrial areas shall be selected specifically for chemical resistance and ability to withstand heavy traffic (to include forklifts, pallet jacks, and similar). These areas shall be applied with a non-slip grit installed to enhance safety in these areas, particularly in the event of a liquid spill. Under no circumstances shall these areas have a high gloss product or topcoat installed, as these are contradictory to the primary purposes for the encapsulation. Epoxy coatings are limited to a gloss of 30 on a 60º meter determined by ASTM D-523-89 (1999).