Air-side energy-saving system design for IT clusters

Abstract

An air-side energy-saving cooling system for a data center is capable of being configured and operated in different modes depending on ambient air conditions. The system includes: a mixing module, an evaporative cooling module, and an air supply module, which are attached to each other and have an air passage between them. The system also includes a return air channel having an opening. An operating method of a cooling system for a data center includes: setting multiple operating modes, the multiple operating modes including: a direct mode, in which a heat exchanger is deactivated, and multiple fans and multiple shutters are activated to deliver ambient air to a load; an indirect mode, in which a heat exchanger is activated, and multiple fans and multiple shutters are activated to deliver ambient air to the heat exchanger; and a mixed mode, in which the heat exchanger is deactivated, and multiple fans and multiple shutters are activated to mix ambient air with recirculated air.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to systems for data center cooling. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to an air-side economizer system that can operate in different modes depending on the prevailing conditions of the ambient air and specific data center cooling requirements. Background Art

[0002] Cooling is a prominent factor in the design of computer systems and data centers. As the power of a single chip continues to increase, the number of high-performance electronic components (such as high-performance processors) packaged inside the server has steadily increased, thereby increasing the heat generated and dissipated during the normal operation of the server. Therefore, energy efficiency is important, especially due to the increasing heat dissipation. If the temperature in the environment in which the server operates is allowed to increase over time, the reliability of the server is reduced. Maintaining a proper thermal environment and proper air quality is critical to the normal operation of these servers as well as server performance and life. Especially in the case of cooling high-performance servers as well as general computing servers, effective and efficient cooling solutions are needed.

[0003] In this document, a mechanical cooling system involves using electrical energy to power one or more compressors in order to cool the air inside a data center. This system circulates a coolant to transfer and remove heat from inside the data center. The coolant is a phase change fluid, such as using a refrigeration cycle, or a liquid, such as a water cooling tower. In either case, some form of heat exchanger is used, which requires the application of electrical power to operate the active cooling system. In this regard, a heat exchanger is any device used to transfer heat between two or more fluids.

[0004] Systems that use ambient air and / or water directly or indirectly without any mechanical cooling such as compressors are called "free cooling" or cooling economizers. These systems are able to switch between "mechanical" cooling and "free" cooling when the ambient temperature is low enough. The basic concept is that the system turns off the compressor or other active air cooling equipment, but the pumps and fans continue to run and pump outside air (optionally after filtering) directly into the data center. When the outside temperature rises, the system starts the air cooling equipment to provide active air cooling.

[0005] Indirect air cooling operation without the use of a compressor, such as in dry mode and wet mode, is also considered an air-side economizer.

[0006] Generally speaking, an economizer is a component or subsystem in a cooling system. With respect to HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems, air-side economizers can be used to save energy costs by directly or indirectly using outside (also called ambient) air to cool the indoor space without using any air conditioning compressor. When the outside air is cool enough and dry enough and of good quality, it can be pumped directly into the interior space, a mode known in the art as free cooling.

[0007] The temperature and quality of ambient air vary over time and are different in different geographic locations. This variability in ambient air temperature and air quality complicates the design and operation of air-side economizers. Summary of the invention

[0008] The present application proposes an air-side energy-saving cooling system for a data center. The system can be configured and operated in different modes according to ambient air conditions including humidity, temperature and quality. The system includes: a mixing module, an evaporative cooling module and an air supply module, wherein the mixing module, the evaporative cooling module and the air supply module are attached to each other and have an air passage between them. The mixing module includes a housing, an ambient air fan attached to the housing, and at least one motorized shutter; the evaporative cooling module includes a housing, an exhaust fan attached to the housing, a heat exchanger, an evaporative nozzle and a water system, and an ambient air inlet; the air supply module includes a housing, an intake fan attached to the housing, a filter positioned between the intake fan and the housing, and a facility interface for delivering cold air to the data center. The system also includes: a return air channel having an opening that delivers return air from the data center to the mixing module.

[0009] According to some embodiments, the mixing module, the evaporative cooling module and the air supply module are attached to each other in series to form a linear assembly.

[0010] According to some embodiments, the mixing module includes an upper compartment attached to the ambient air blower and a bottom compartment attached to the return air channel.

[0011] According to some embodiments, the bottom compartment comprises an exhaust louver for exhausting the return air to the surrounding environment.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the bottom compartment further comprises return louvers that direct the return air into the evaporative cooling module.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the evaporative cooling module includes: a first air passage, the first air passage defining a fluid path from the ambient air inlet through the heat exchanger and reaching the exhaust fan; and a second air passage, the second air passage defining a fluid path from the mixing module to the air supply module.

[0014] According to some embodiments, the air delivery module includes a top compartment and a bottom compartment, wherein the filter is positioned between the air intake blower and the top compartment.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the air delivery module further comprises a water atomizing nozzle within the top compartment.

[0016] According to some embodiments, at least one of the top compartment and the bottom compartment includes a fan arrangement positioned at the facility interface.

[0017] The present application proposes an operating method for a cooling system for a data center. The cooling system includes a plurality of fans, a plurality of motorized shutters, a heat exchanger, and an air filter. The method includes: setting a plurality of operating modes, wherein each operating mode includes a start-up setting for the plurality of fans and the plurality of shutters. The plurality of operating modes include: a direct mode, wherein the heat exchanger is deactivated, and the plurality of fans and the plurality of shutters are activated to deliver ambient air to the load; an indirect mode, wherein the heat exchanger is activated, and the plurality of fans and the plurality of shutters are activated to deliver ambient air to the heat exchanger; and a mixed mode, wherein the heat exchanger is deactivated, and the plurality of fans and the plurality of shutters are activated to mix ambient air with recirculated air. The method also includes: determining the ambient air temperature, humidity, and quality, and activating one of the plurality of operating modes according to the determined ambient air temperature and ambient air quality.

[0018] According to some embodiments, the method further comprises: activating the direct mode; and delivering the ambient air directly to the load when air quality is acceptable, and filtering the ambient air before delivering the ambient air to the load when air quality is unacceptable.

[0019] According to some embodiments, the method further comprises activating the indirect mode and circulating return air through the heat exchanger.

[0020] According to some embodiments, the method further comprises activating the hybrid mode and conveying the ambient air through at least one of a filtered path and an unfiltered path.

[0021] According to some embodiments, the method further comprises generating an aerosol within the filtration path.

[0022] According to some embodiments, the method further includes starting the cooling system in a composite mode by: starting the heat exchanger and operating a first fan to flow ambient air as a heat removal medium in the heat exchanger; recirculating return air through the heat exchanger and delivering it to a first load through a first delivery path; and operating a second fan to flow ambient air through a filter and delivering the filtered ambient air to a second load through a second path.

[0023] The present application also proposes an air-side energy-saving cooling system for a data center, wherein the system can be configured and operated in different modes according to the ambient air temperature and the ambient air quality. The system includes: a mixing module, an evaporative cooling module, and an air supply module, wherein the mixing module, the evaporative cooling module, and the air supply module are attached to each other and have an air passage therebetween; a plurality of fans, each fan being attached to one of the mixing module, the evaporative cooling module, and the air supply module; a plurality of motorized shutters, at least one shutter being attached to each of the mixing module, the evaporative cooling module, and the air supply module; a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger being positioned within the evaporative cooling module; a return air channel, the return air channel having a fluid opening leading to the mixing module; and a controller, the controller receiving ambient air data and using the ambient air data to control the cooling system to operate alternately in one of the following modes: a direct mode, wherein the direct mode delivers ambient air directly to the load; an indirect mode, wherein the indirect mode delivers ambient air to the heat exchanger; a mixed mode, wherein the mixed mode delivers ambient air to be mixed with return air delivered by the return air channel; and a compound mode, wherein the compound mode delivers ambient air partially to the heat exchanger and partially to the load.

[0024] According to some embodiments, the controller is preprogrammed to selectively activate the plurality of fans independently according to a selected mode.

[0025] According to some embodiments, the controller is preprogrammed to selectively activate the plurality of louvers to form different air paths, wherein a first path delivers the ambient air directly to the load, a second path delivers the ambient air to the heat exchanger, a third path delivers the ambient air to mix with return air delivered by the return air duct, and a fourth path delivers the ambient air partially to the heat exchanger and partially to the load.

[0026] According to some embodiments, a first fan of the plurality of fans is mounted to the mixing module and is operable to deliver ambient air into the mixing module; a second fan of the plurality of fans is mounted to the evaporative cooling module and is operable to deliver ambient air to the heat exchanger; and a third fan of the plurality of fans is mounted to the air delivery module and is operable to deliver ambient air through a filter.

[0027] According to some embodiments, the air delivery module includes an upper compartment defining a first air delivery path to a first load and a lower compartment defining a second air delivery path to a second load, the second air delivery path being separate from the first air delivery path. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements.

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a modular air-side economizer according to one embodiment.

[0030] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a free cooling system according to one embodiment.

[0031] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a free cooling system according to another embodiment.

[0032] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an indirect evaporative cooling system according to one embodiment.

[0033] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a hybrid operation mode according to an embodiment.

[0034] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of a hybrid operation mode according to an embodiment.

[0035] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a cooling system attached to an IT module according to an embodiment.

[0036] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a cooling system attached to a data center building according to an embodiment.

[0037] Fig. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a process according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Various embodiments and aspects of the present invention will be described with reference to the details discussed below, and the accompanying drawings will illustrate various embodiments. The following description and accompanying drawings are illustrative of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Many specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. However, in some cases, in order to provide a concise discussion of embodiments of the present invention, known or conventional details are not described.

[0039] References in this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0040] The present disclosure provides an air-side energy-saving system for IT cluster thermal management. The system is composed of several modules that can be controlled and configured to form the system in different modes. The cooling system enables the use of external air in different modes based on the dry-bulb temperature, wet-bulb temperature, humidity and quality conditions of the external air. In addition, in a hybrid operating mode, external air can be directly supplied to the IT cluster or data center, and at the same time used to cool the recirculated air inside the data center. By controlling the modules and equipment to operate under different conditions and combined scenarios, the air supplied to the data center can be conditioned and processed external air, internal recirculated air, or a mixture of external air and recirculated air.

[0041] The disclosed embodiments can be used to configure different types of cooling operations according to specific requirements at specific times. The present disclosure first provides an overview of the system and then demonstrates different air-side economizer configurations and corresponding different operating modes.

[0042] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the overall structure of an air-side energy-saving system according to an embodiment. The entire system is highly modular because it is assembled using several prefabricated modules. In this example, three prefabricated modules are connected in series with each other: a mixing chamber 105, an evaporative cooling chamber 110, and an air supply chamber 115, which form a linear assembly. Moreover, in this particular example, the three modules are assembled on a return air channel 120, and each module includes a blower or fan 102, 104, and 106. A plurality of motorized shutters are installed between different elements and are used to generate different air paths for different operating modes, as will be described more fully below. This avoids the need to design and manufacture different air ducts to generate different operating modes.

[0043] The three modules can be attached to each other and to the return air duct 120 in the factory and delivered as an integral system ready for field installation. Alternatively, each of the three modules can be manufactured in the factory as described, but not attached to each other until they arrive at the installation site. Since the modules include all fluid ports, dampers, fans, etc., they can be easily attached to each other on site and then ready for operation. Moreover, each of the three modules can have a housing of the same size and form factor, and include appropriate interfaces for interconnecting the modules to each other and to the load. Still optionally, all three modules can be arranged in a common housing.

[0044] The mixing chamber 105 includes a housing having an upper housing 106 and a lower housing 107 separated by a motorized shutter #1. The fan 102 is operable as an intake fan to blow ambient air into the system through the upper compartment 106. The return air duct 120 delivers hot air from the load into the lower compartment 107 through a motorized shutter #2 installed between the mixing chamber 105 and the return air duct 120. Air shutter #3 is installed at the exhaust port of the lower compartment 107 and, when open, provides a free flow path between the lower compartment 107 and the surrounding environment. Air shutter #7 is installed in the opening between the upper compartment 106 and the evaporation chamber 110.

[0045] By the way, in Figure 1 In the drawings, the hatch marks in air shutters #1 and #2 indicate the open position, while air shutters #3 and #7 are shown without hatch marks, which indicate the closed position. This convention is used for all figures presented herein. Moreover, some figures show shutters between the blower unit and the attachment compartment; however, it is not mandatory to have such shutters. Some fans and / or blower arrangements do not allow air flow when not activated and can therefore be installed without shutters.

[0046] The evaporative cooling chamber 110 houses an air-to-air heat exchanger 125 and a water cooling system 130 for evaporative cooling. The water cooling system 130 includes a water reservoir 132, a water pump 134, a three-way valve 136, and an evaporative nozzle 138. The three-way valve can be operated to close to provide a first flow path, such as to the evaporative nozzle 138, or to provide a second flow path, such as to the atomizing nozzle 139. Figure 1 The specific details of the water system design are not shown, as any conventional water system may be used. Moreover, the specific positioning of the elements shown is for visualization only and may vary. For example, the water reservoir 132 may be positioned below the heat exchanger 125, where the water reservoir may collect excess water from the evaporation nozzles 138.

[0047] The blower 104 operates to pass ambient air as a cooling medium through the air-to-air heat exchanger 125. The inlet for providing ambient air as a cooling medium for the heat exchanger is from the side of the housing of the evaporative cooling chamber 110, which cannot be shown in this view, as will be further described below. The shutter #7 can be opened to supply ambient air to the air supply chamber through the air-to-air heat exchanger 125, but is not used as a cooling medium in the heat exchanger 125. That is, the evaporative cooling chamber 110 includes: a first air passage that defines a fluid path from the ambient air inlet on the side of the housing through the heat exchanger 125 to the blower 104; and a second air passage that defines a fluid path from the mixing module 105 through the heat exchanger 125 to the air supply module 115. Note, however, that within the heat exchanger 125, the two paths are not in fluid communication with each other, thereby preventing mixing of air from the two paths.

[0048] The housing of the air supply plenum 115 is divided into an upper air plenum 116 and a lower air plenum 117 by motorized shutter #4. A water atomizing nozzle 139 is positioned within the upper air plenum 116. Also, a chemical filtration system 140 is positioned between the fan 106 and the upper air plenum 116 to filter the ambient air delivered by the fan 106. In this example, the air supply plenum 115 also includes optional fans or fan wall systems 152 and 154 that deliver cooled air to the loads.

[0049] Figure 1 The illustrated embodiments can be configured in different modes and operated in various modes depending on the ambient air temperature and quality and the requirements imposed by the load, as well as the actual use case and corresponding requirements. The operating mode can be changed by activating specific elements of the system while deactivating other elements. For example, in different modes, different fans will be activated or deactivated, and their rotation direction may also vary. Moreover, in different modes, different shutters will be closed, partially opened, or fully opened to generate air flow paths customized for specific operating modes. Mechanical cooling elements can be activated in some operating modes and deactivated in other operating modes. Importantly, changing the operating mode does not require physically replacing any element or component of the system. Some description of how to configure and operate the various modes will be provided below. Since the following figures illustrate examples related to Figure 1 The same system is shown and therefore only references relevant to the description will be repeated.

[0050] As mentioned above, when the outside air temperature and quality are acceptable for directly cooling the load, it is called free cooling. Figure 2 The system operating mode for direct free air cooling is illustrated. Figure 2Three different options are illustrated that may be operated simultaneously or selectively. First, some data centers or data clusters may have separate ducting to exhaust hot air independently of the cooling system. In these applications, no air is exhausted through the cooling system. If such ducting is not present or used, hot air may be exhausted through the system. This is shown by hot air flowing through the return air channel 120, through louver #2 into the lower compartment 107, and thus through louver #3 to the outside environment (see double dot arrows). This path is optional, and louvers #2 and #3 may remain closed when not needed.

[0051] Figure 2 The other two options illustrated relate to the delivery of ambient air to the load (IT cluster or data center). Which option is chosen depends on the quality of the ambient air and the requirements of the IT equipment. These two options provide two ambient air paths, wherein either path can be operated independently, and the air from each path can be used to cool different loads with different air quality requirements. The first ambient air path is formed by a fan 102, which blows ambient air from the surrounding external environment into the upper compartment 106. The blown air leaves the upper compartment 106 via the louver #7, and passes through the evaporation chamber 110, and thus enters the lower compartment 117 through the louver #5. Air is optionally supplied to the load from the lower compartment 117 using a fan or fan wall 154. However, it is noted that it is not necessary to operate the equipment inside the evaporation chamber, so that no conditioning of the ambient air is implemented in this path.

[0052] The second ambient air path provides a filtered air path. Specifically, the ambient air supplied by the blower 106 is filtered by the chemical filtration system 140. The filtered air then enters the upper compartment 116, where humidity in the air is optionally increased by a water atomizing nozzle 139. The air is then optionally provided to the load using a fan or fan wall 152. In another embodiment, the air can be mixed in the upper compartment 116 and the lower compartment 117.

[0053] When the ambient air quality is acceptable, it can be used Figure 2 The two ambient air paths shown, or only the path from the blower 102 may be used, thereby reducing the operating costs associated with the chemical filtration system 140. In some embodiments, the path through the filter 140 may be used for loads requiring high quality air, while the direct path through the lower compartment 117 may be used for less sensitive applications requiring less stringent air quality. On the other hand, if the air quality is unacceptable for the load, then only the path through the upper compartment 116 may be used. This mode is Figure 3In any case, in any of these operating modes, ambient air is supplied directly to the load without any active cooling.

[0054] exist Figure 3 In the case of return air, the return air follows the Figure 2 117. On the other hand, fan 102 is not activated and shutters #7 and #5 are closed, so that no ambient air flows from chamber 106 to lower compartment 117. Instead, fan 106 is operational and delivers ambient air through chemical filtration system 140. The filtered air can reach the load only through upper compartment 116, or if shutter #4 is open, through upper compartment 116 and lower compartment 117 to the same or different loads. Also, if the air is too dry, water atomizing nozzle 139 can be activated to add humidity to the air.

[0055] When the ambient air temperature and / or quality is unacceptable for direct application to the load, the ambient air can still be used as a cooling medium in a heat exchanger. Figure 4 In this operating mode, only the fan 104 is working and it pumps ambient air from the outside through the air-to-air heat exchanger 125 in the evaporation chamber 110. Note that the ambient air is pumped through an inlet provided on the side of the evaporation chamber 110, which inlet cannot be illustrated in this view because it is in the third dimension (into the page), so it is schematically represented by an inclined arrow.

[0056] In this mode, the air received from the return air channel 120 is cooled in the air-to-air heat exchanger 125 and then recirculated to the load via fans 152 and / or 154. In this mode, the water cooling system 130 can be operated to improve the heat exchange efficiency. The operation can be a dry bulb operation mode or a wet bulb operation mode. A path for recirculating air is formed by opening shutters #2, #5, #8 and #9. Optionally, shutter #4 can also be opened. The remaining shutters are closed. If necessary, in some cases, such as when the air is not used directly to cool electronic components, the water atomizing nozzle 139 can be activated to add humidity to the recirculating air.

[0057] In environments where the outside air is very cold, the ambient air can be used to directly reduce the temperature of the recirculated air by mixing. Figure 5106. This hybrid mode is particularly suitable for operation during extremely low ambient temperatures. In this case, the data center return air is mixed with cold outside air so that mechanical cooling is not required and the air-to-air heat exchanger 125 is not operated. Instead, the hot return air from the return air duct 120 is mixed with the extremely low temperature outside air delivered by the fans 102 and / or 106, and the mixture is then supplied to the load by the fans 152 and / or 154.

[0058] There are multiple mixing scenarios that can be performed depending on the environment. For example, if the air quality is acceptable, but a large amount of cold air is required for cooling, then both fans 102 and 106 can be operated to deliver ambient air. Conversely, if the ambient air quality is low, but the temperature is low enough to provide cooling from a single fan, then the ambient air can be delivered by fan 106 alone. On the other hand, if the quality is acceptable and the temperature is low enough to provide cooling from a single fan, then only fan 102 can be operated, thereby reducing the costs associated with the maintenance of filter 140. Air mixing can be designed in either compartment.

[0059] Instead of mixing return air and ambient air inside the cooling system, the return air may be recirculated and the ambient air may be delivered to the load alone. Figure 6 Such a composite mode is exemplified in , where ambient air is used for direct cooling through one flow path and indirect cooling through a second flow path. This mode of operation is particularly effective when the outside air quality is poor but its temperature is cool enough or suitable for use as a cooling medium.

[0060] The return air path is formed by opening the shutters #2, #5, and #9 so that the return air from the return air channel 120 passes through the heat exchanger 125. The fan 104 is operated so that the ambient air passes through the heat exchanger 125 from the side inlet and is exhausted to the atmosphere. That is, the ambient air pumped by the fan 104 does not enter the IT container or data room. Instead, the return air is transported to the IT container or data center by the fan 154 after being cooled in the heat exchanger 125.

[0061] In addition, ambient air is pumped in by fan 106 and filtered by filter 140. It is then delivered to the IT container or data center by fan 152. If necessary, water mist 139 can be used to control the humidity of the air. In this mode, cooled recirculated air and filtered ambient air can be supplied to different loads in the IT cluster or data center.

[0062] In one embodiment, supply air #1 and supply air #2 are used for different parts of the load and the return air in 120 comes from supply air #2, while the exhaust of supply air #1 is not shown in the figure because it uses the exhaust air provided by the IT cluster.

[0063] This mode is beneficial when the ambient air quality is not good enough for direct contact with IT equipment and electronic devices but is good enough for cooling other non-IT equipment. Therefore, the filtered ambient air is supplied separately from the recirculated air so that it can be used alone for non-IT equipment. This uses the availability of outside air directly for thermal management of non-IT loads. This not only improves the system efficiency but also increases the flexibility of system operation. In addition, the availability of the system is significantly improved and the system can be deployed in different regions and weather conditions. Moreover, the system can also be used in a backup cooling mode in which outside air is used as the only available cooling source.

[0064] Figure 7 An example of a system design when a cooling module 100 is attached to an IT container 190 having an IT rack 192 is illustrated. It is noteworthy that the entire system can be assembled from different system integration suppliers and tested before it is delivered to the site. Since these are highly productized solutions and designs, the system can be plug-and-play and start to function quickly. The common standard interface 180 between the cooling module 100 and the IT module 190 enables rapid integration of the system, thereby shortening the operation time. The standard interface 180 includes standard fluid connections, air channels, etc. as needed. Moreover, the controller 101 can receive sensor data indicating the temperature and quality of the ambient air and control the operating mode of the system according to the condition of the ambient air. Each of the blowers, fans, and shutters can be independently controlled by the controller 101 so as to control the system according to the operating mode selected by the controller 101.

[0065] Figure 8 An example of three cooling systems 100 deployed at a data center campus 195 with IT racks 192 is shown. In this example, the cooling modules 100 are attached to the building 195 and can deliver cooled air into the building by any of the modes described herein. In this case, a standard interface 180 can be used to quickly integrate the system 100 into the data center building 195. The controller 101 can receive sensor data indicating ambient air temperature and quality and control the operating mode of the various systems individually or in unison.

[0066] Fig. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a process according to an embodiment. The process may be programmed into a controller of the system and automatically performed by the controller. The controller may be a specially designed computing system or a general purpose computer preprogrammed to perform the process. For purposes of illustration, the operations of the process are illustrated in a particular order, however, the operations may be performed in an order different from that illustrated. The flow chart may also be understood to illustrate an adaptive process of the system to configure the best and most efficient operating mode based on ambient air conditions and load requirements.

[0067] At box 900, the process obtains the outside air temperature (using dry bulb, wet bulb, etc.). It is then determined whether the air temperature is below a threshold Td that is acceptable for direct delivery of ambient air to the load. If so, then at box 910, the active cooling system is deactivated. At box 915, the ambient air quality is determined by, for example, measurements of particulates in the air, measurements of smoke, measurements of humidity, etc. If it is determined at box 920 that the air quality is acceptable for direct delivery, then the direct cooling mode is initiated at box 925. This can be accomplished by, for example, operating appropriate louvers and activating appropriate fans, such as Figure 2 The ambient air example in #1 is shown. Conversely, if it is determined at 920 that the air quality is unacceptable, the filtering path is initiated at block 930, such as Figure 2 The ambient air and Figure 3 Furthermore, as illustrated by the dashed arrows, both paths may be optionally initiated by implementing blocks 925 and 930 simultaneously.

[0068] When it is determined, for example, that the ambient air temperature is not cold enough for direct cooling (solid arrow), or when it is determined that the ambient air quality is unacceptable for direct cooling (dash-dotted arrow), block 935 may be implemented. At block 935, it is determined whether the ambient air temperature is low enough for indirect cooling. If the ambient air is below the indirect cooling threshold Ti, then at block 940, the indirect cooling mode is activated by activating the air-to-air heat exchanger and operating the shutters, such as Figure 4 Example.

[0069] At box 945, it is checked whether the ambient air temperature is below the mixing threshold Tm. If so, it is checked in box 950 whether the ambient air quality is acceptable. If the air quality is acceptable, the process starts a hybrid cooling mode in box 955, in which the ambient air is mixed with the recirculated air, such as Figure 5 Conversely, if the air quality is unacceptable, then at block 960, indirect cooling is initiated by circulating ambient air through an air-to-air heat exchanger to cool the recirculated air, such as Figure 6 Optionally, filtered ambient air is delivered to a separate section of the IT center, also as shown Figure 6 shown.

[0070] Thus, the disclosed embodiments provide a modular cooling system that can be assembled using multiple interconnected modules in a linear manner, wherein the system can operate in different modes depending on specific ambient air temperature and quality and specific facility requirements. The system includes a mixing chamber, an evaporative cooling chamber, and an air supply chamber, wherein each compartment includes a fan and a plurality of motorized shutters. The system also includes a return air channel having an opening for fluid communication with the mixing chamber. The evaporative cooling chamber includes an air-to-air heat exchanger and a water evaporation system. The water evaporation system can also supply water to an atomizing nozzle in the air supply chamber. The evaporative cooling chamber can also include a side inlet with an opening to the surrounding environment. The air supply chamber can include a water atomization system and at least one fan. The system also includes a fluid passage from the mixing chamber to the evaporative cooling chamber and from the evaporative cooling chamber to the air supply chamber.

[0071] The disclosed embodiment also provides a method for operating a cooling system of a data center, the system including multiple fans, multiple motorized shutters, a heat exchanger and an air filter, the method including the following steps: setting multiple operating modes, wherein each mode includes a start-up setting for multiple fans and multiple shutters, the operating modes including: a direct mode, in which the heat exchanger is disabled, and multiple fans and multiple shutters are activated to deliver ambient air directly to the load; an indirect mode, in which the heat exchanger is activated, and multiple fans and multiple shutters are activated to deliver ambient air to the heat exchanger; and a mixed mode, in which the heat exchanger is disabled, and multiple fans and multiple shutters are activated to mix ambient air with recirculated air; the method also includes the following steps: determining the ambient air temperature and the ambient air quality, and starting one of the cooling modes based on the determined ambient air temperature and the ambient air quality.

[0072] In the foregoing description, embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention. However, it will be apparent that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. Therefore, the description and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. An air-side economizer cooling system for a data center, the system being configurable and operable in different modes depending on ambient air conditions including humidity, temperature and quality, the system comprising: a mixing module, an evaporative cooling module and an air supply module, wherein the mixing module, the evaporative cooling module and the air supply module are attached to each other and motorized shutters are arranged between the mixing module and the evaporative cooling module and between the evaporative cooling module and the air supply module to achieve air circulation within the mixing module, the evaporative cooling module and the air supply module; The mixing module includes a housing, an ambient air blower attached to the housing, and at least one motorized shutter; The evaporative cooling module includes a housing, an exhaust fan attached to the housing, a heat exchanger, an evaporative nozzle and water system, and an ambient air inlet; The air supply module includes a housing, an intake fan attached to the housing, a filter positioned between the intake fan and the housing, and a facility interface for delivering cool air to the data center; as well as A return air duct has an opening that delivers return air from the data center to the hybrid module.

2. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein: The mixing module, the evaporative cooling module and the air supply module are attached to each other in series to form a linear assembly.

3. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein: The mixing module includes an upper compartment attached to the ambient air blower and a bottom compartment attached to the return air duct.

4. The cooling system according to claim 3, wherein: The bottom compartment includes exhaust louvers for exhausting the return air to the surrounding environment.

5. The cooling system according to claim 4, wherein: The bottom compartment also includes return louvers that direct the return air into the evaporative cooling module.

6. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein: The evaporative cooling module includes a first air passageway defining a fluid path from the ambient air inlet, through the heat exchanger, and to the exhaust blower, and a second air passageway defining a fluid path from the mixing module to the air supply module.

7. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein: The air delivery module includes a top compartment and a bottom compartment, wherein the filter is positioned between the intake blower and the top compartment.

8. The cooling system according to claim 7, wherein: The air delivery module also includes a water atomizing nozzle within the top compartment.

9. The cooling system according to claim 8, wherein: At least one of the top compartment and the bottom compartment includes a fan arrangement positioned at the facility interface.

10. A method for operating a cooling system for a data center, the cooling system being the cooling system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a plurality of fans, a plurality of motorized shutters, a heat exchanger and an air filter, the method comprising: A plurality of operation modes are set, wherein each operation mode includes activation settings for the plurality of fans and the plurality of motorized blinds, the plurality of operation modes comprising: a direct mode, wherein the heat exchanger is deactivated and the plurality of fans and the plurality of motorized louvers are activated to deliver ambient air to a load; an indirect mode, wherein the heat exchanger is activated and the plurality of fans and the plurality of motorized louvers are activated to deliver ambient air to the heat exchanger; and a mixing mode, wherein the heat exchanger is deactivated and the plurality of fans and the plurality of motorized shutters are activated to mix ambient air with recirculated air; The method further comprises: Ambient air temperature, humidity, and quality are determined, and one of the plurality of operating modes is initiated based on the determined ambient air temperature and ambient air quality.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: activating the direct mode; and delivering the ambient air directly to the load when the air quality is acceptable, and filtering the ambient air before delivering the ambient air to the load when the air quality is unacceptable.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: The indirect mode is activated and return air is circulated through the heat exchanger.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: The hybrid mode is activated and the ambient air is delivered through at least one of a filtered path and an unfiltered path.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: An aerosol is generated within the filtration path.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: The cooling system is activated in compound mode by: starting the heat exchanger and operating a first blower to flow ambient air as a heat removal medium in the heat exchanger; recirculating return air through the heat exchanger and delivering it to a first load through a first delivery path; and The second blower is operated to flow ambient air through the filter and deliver the filtered ambient air to a second load via a second path.

16. An air-side economizer cooling system for a data center, the system being configurable and operable in different modes depending on ambient air temperature and ambient air quality, the system comprising: a mixing module, an evaporative cooling module and an air supply module, wherein the mixing module, the evaporative cooling module and the air supply module are attached to each other and motorized shutters are arranged between the mixing module and the evaporative cooling module and between the evaporative cooling module and the air supply module to achieve air circulation within the mixing module, the evaporative cooling module and the air supply module; a plurality of fans, each fan attached to one of the mixing module, the evaporative cooling module, and the air supply module; a plurality of motorized shutters, at least one shutter attached to each of said mixing module, said evaporative cooling module, and said air supply module; a heat exchanger positioned within the evaporative cooling module; a return air passage having a fluid opening leading to the mixing module; as well as a controller that receives ambient air data and uses the ambient air data to control the cooling system to operate alternately in one of the following modes: a direct mode that delivers ambient air directly to a load; an indirect mode that delivers ambient air to the heat exchanger; a mixed mode that delivers ambient air to mix with return air delivered by the return air duct; and a combined mode that delivers ambient air partially to the heat exchanger and partially to the load.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein: The controller is preprogrammed to selectively activate the plurality of fans independently according to a selected mode.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein: The controller is preprogrammed to selectively activate the plurality of motorized shutters to form different air paths, wherein a first path delivers the ambient air directly to the load, a second path delivers the ambient air to the heat exchanger, a third path delivers the ambient air to mix with return air delivered by the return air passage, and a fourth path delivers the ambient air partially to the heat exchanger and partially to the load.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein: A first fan of the plurality of fans is mounted to the mixing module and is operable to deliver ambient air into the mixing module; a second fan of the plurality of fans is mounted to the evaporative cooling module and is operable to deliver ambient air to the heat exchanger; and a third fan of the plurality of fans is mounted to the air delivery module and is operable to deliver ambient air through a filter.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein: The air delivery module includes an upper compartment defining a first air delivery path to a first load and a lower compartment defining a second air delivery path to a second load, the second air delivery path being separate from the first air delivery path.

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