Data center cooling device and method

Abstract

A cooling system and method for cooling devices housed in a data center. A cabinet housing a set of condenser coils is located within the data center positioned on its floor and including fans for drawing air passed the condenser coils and exiting the device angularly to the floor of the data center. The present invention also contemplates the use of redundant compressors and condensers, a system that includes a secondary evaporator coil and configuration which enables the device, under certain conditions, to bypass its compressor.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention involves a cooling system and method for its operation used for cooling devices in a data center. Data centers are rooms that contain electronic systems generally arranged on racks, the standard rack being defined by the EIA as an enclosure approximately 78″ high, 24″ wide and 40″ deep. These racks are employed to house printed circuit board-based devices which, under normal operation, can generate significant amounts of heat. For the proper operation of such devices and for maintaining them throughout their normal life cycle, proper temperature and humidity must be maintained.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Historically, computer room air conditioning (CRAC) systems were manufactured by those who supplied residential and commercial air conditioning systems, generally. The design philosophy was to build such systems at the lowest possible cost, that is, the cost of manufacturing being more important than the operational cost of the system....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention is about cooling systems for data centers. The first embodiment involves a cooling system that uses evaporator coils and a fan to cool devices in a data center. The air flow is angled to the floor to improve cooling efficiency. The second embodiment involves a cooling system that uses multiple sets of compressors, condensers, and control systems to cool the data center to a specific temperature and humidity. The third embodiment involves a cooling system that uses a secondary evaporator coil in series with the primary evaporator coil and a measurement device and actuator to control the coolant flow based on the temperature measurement. The fourth embodiment involves a cooling system that uses a compressor, condenser, and evaporator coils, with a measurement device and actuator to control the coolant flow based on the humidity measurement. These improvements can lead to better cooling efficiency and better control over the temperature and humidity of the data center."

Problems solved by technology

These design considerations have changed considerably over time as computing systems of the type typically located within a data center consume considerable amounts of energy while generating heat necessitating CRAC systems of greater efficiency.

Small fans are employed even though smaller fans are generally more inefficient than those which are larger.

These systems do not integrate redundancy in the form of additional heat exchange area in order to make them more efficient.

It is quite apparent that previously suggested CRAC systems made no attempt to maximize operating efficiencies as most prior designs were created well before energy became as expensive as it is today and before the explosive use of Internet-based communications and information downloading created such a severe impact upon energy usage and resultant heat generation.

Since the chiller and “free cooling” cycle cannot operate simultaneously, free cooling of this type can only be used when the cooling capacity of water tower 11 is sufficient to meet the entire building load.

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