Highly modular cooling system design

Abstract

A modular cooling system for a data center is disclosed. An airflow section forms a duct for air flow, and a plurality of core units are attached in series to each other and to the airflow section. A fan unit is attached to each core unit. A plurality of electric dampers are arranged between: each core unit and the airflow unit, between every two core units, and between each core unit and its corresponding fan unit. A plurality of fluid ports are attached to each core unit. At least one core unit is loaded with one or more devices selected from the following devices: an air filter, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, a heat exchanger, an evaporator, a condenser, a refrigerator, a computer room air conditioner (CRAC), a dry cooler, a cooling tower or other types of cooling equipment. The combined operation of the components on the compartment and the cooling unit enables rapid deployment and operation.

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 modular cooling systems that can be easily adapted to specific data center cooling requirements. Background Art

[0002] Cooling is a prominent factor in the design of computer systems and data centers. The number of high-performance electronic components (such as high-performance processors) packaged inside servers has steadily increased, thereby increasing the amount of heat generated and dissipated during normal operation of the servers. If the temperature in the environment in which the servers used in a data center operate is allowed to increase over time, the reliability of the servers decreases. Maintaining a proper thermal environment and proper air quality is critical to the normal operation of these servers in a data center, as well as server performance and life. This requires more effective and efficient cooling solutions, especially in the case of cooling high-performance servers.

[0003] In this document, an active cooling system involves using electrical energy 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] A system that uses ambient air and / or water from nearby air currents is sometimes referred to as "free cooling" or direct free air cooling. These systems are able to switch between "active" cooling to "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] Currently, each cooling system is designed and built according to the specifications of the specific data center in which it will be installed. The individual elements of the cooling system must be specifically designed and built according to the overall design of the data center. The various elements are then assembled on site, making it impossible to test the entire system prior to on-site assembly. Moreover, because different parts of the system may be supplied from different suppliers, sometimes the various parts do not fit together properly and require on-site modifications. This approach increases design and manufacturing costs and extends the time it takes to complete and assemble the system.

[0006] Furthermore, prior art cooling equipment is designed and built for specific applications and cannot be interchanged or used in different applications. Thus, for example, equipment built for a free cooling system can only be used in that system, and equipment (e.g., a heat exchanger) built for indirect evaporative cooling (IDEC) can only be installed in that specific system. Summary of the invention

[0007] An embodiment of the present invention provides a modular cooling system for a data center, comprising: an airflow section, which forms a duct for air flow; a plurality of core units, which are attached to each other in series to form a linear assembly, and the linear assembly is attached to the airflow section; a plurality of fan units, each fan unit is attached to one of the core units; a plurality of electric dampers, which are arranged: between each of the core units and the airflow unit and between every two core units; and a plurality of fluid ports, which are attached to each of the core units; and wherein at least one of the core units is loaded with one or more cooling devices.

[0008] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device is selected from: an air filter, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, a heat exchanger, an evaporator, a condenser, a refrigerator, a computer room air conditioner (CRAC), a dry cooler, a water spray system and a cooling tower.

[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, one of the core units is equipped with an air filter and a humidifier / dehumidifier unit.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, one of the core units is loaded with a water reservoir and a pump, a second core unit is loaded with an air-to-air heat exchanger and a condenser with a water spray arrangement, and a third core unit is loaded with an evaporator, thereby forming an indirect evaporative cooling system.

[0011] In an embodiment of the invention, said water spray arrangement is connected to said pump via said fluid port.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, one of the core units is loaded with a water reservoir and a pump, a second core unit is loaded with an air-to-air heat exchanger with a water spray arrangement, and a third core unit is loaded with an evaporator and a condenser, thereby forming an indirect evaporative cooling system.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, one of the core units is loaded with a cooling tower, a second core unit is loaded with a chiller, and a third core unit is loaded with a CRAC unit, thereby forming a CRAC system with a chilled water loop.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present invention, one of the core units is equipped with a cooling tower, and the second core unit is equipped with a refrigerator to supply cooling water.

[0015] In an embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator is connected to the cooling tower via the fluid port.

[0016] In an embodiment of the invention, at least one core unit is equipped with a dry air cooler and has an ambient air inlet for allowing ambient air to flow through the dry air cooler, thereby providing cooling water.

[0017] An embodiment of the present invention also provides a method for assembling a cooling system for a data center, comprising: attaching a plurality of core units to an airflow portion, the airflow portion forming a duct for air flow; attaching a plurality of fan units, one fan unit being attached to each of the core units; attaching a plurality of fluid ports to each of the core units; attaching a plurality of electric dampers: between each of the core units and the airflow unit, between every two core units, and between each core unit and its corresponding fan unit; and loading at least one of the core units with a cooling device.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device is selected from: an air filter, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, a heat exchanger, an evaporator, a condenser, a refrigerator, a computer room air conditioner (CRAC), a dry cooler, a water spray system and a cooling tower.

[0019] In an embodiment of the invention, the method comprises: loading one of the core units with an air filter and a humidifier / dehumidifier unit, thereby forming an ambient air cooling system.

[0020] In an embodiment of the present invention, the method includes: loading one of the core units with a water reservoir and a pump, loading the second core unit with an air-to-air heat exchanger and a condenser with a water spray arrangement, and loading the third core unit with an evaporator, thereby forming an indirect evaporative cooling system.

[0021] In an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises: connecting the water spray arrangement to the pump via the fluid port.

[0022] In an embodiment of the present invention, the method includes: loading one of the core units with a water reservoir and a pump, loading the second core unit with an air-to-air heat exchanger with a water spray arrangement, and loading the third core unit with an evaporator and a condenser, thereby forming an indirect evaporative cooling system.

[0023] In an embodiment of the present invention, the method includes: loading one of the core units with a cooling tower, loading a second core unit with a chiller, and loading a third core unit with a CRAC unit, thereby forming a CRAC system with a chilled water loop.

[0024] In an embodiment of the present invention, the method includes: installing a cooling tower in one of the core units and installing a refrigerator in the second core unit, so as to supply cooling water to the data center.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises: connecting the chiller to the cooling tower via the fluid port.

[0026] In an embodiment of the present invention, the method also includes: configuring operating modes, wherein each operating mode includes indications, the indications including cooling device operation, fan operation and shutter operation; selecting an operating mode according to cooling requirements and main conditions; starting the cooling device, fan and shutters according to the selected operating mode; and monitoring the cooling requirements and main conditions to determine whether to change the operating mode, and if it is determined that the operating mode has changed, starting the cooling device, fan and shutters according to the newly selected operating mode. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] 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.

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a modular cooling architecture according to one embodiment.

[0029] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a free cooling system according to one embodiment.

[0030] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an indirect evaporative cooling system according to one embodiment.

[0031] Figure 4 are schematic diagrams each illustrating another example of an indirect evaporative cooling system according to an embodiment.

[0032] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a computer room air conditioning (CRAC) unit according to an embodiment.

[0033] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a chiller-based water cooling system according to an embodiment.

[0034] Figure 7is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a dry cooler-based water cooling system according to an embodiment.

[0035] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a modular cooling system attached to an IT module according to an embodiment.

[0036] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a modular cooling system attached to a data center building according to an embodiment.

[0037] Fig.10 is a flow chart illustrating a method for assembling and configuring a cooling system for a data center according to an embodiment.

[0038] Fig.11 A process for operating a cooling system according to disclosed embodiments is illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] The present disclosure provides a highly modular design for a cooling system for a data center. The solution improves the efficiency of data center design, construction and deployment while providing a high level of flexibility for designing a cooling system.

[0042] The disclosed embodiments may be used to configure different types of cooling systems, whether active or free, including free air cooling, indirect evaporative cooling, chilled water systems, chilled water systems, and any other type for operating liquid-cooled data centers and air-cooled data centers.

[0043] The disclosed aspects also provide a highly standardized design for most of the structure of the cooling system. This means that a lot of work for designing, building and deploying the cooling system is saved. The only procedure is to identify the appropriate equipment to be loaded onto the core unit and assemble the modular parts into the system.

[0044] In addition, the disclosed embodiments make it very convenient to upgrade the system if capacity needs to be increased or changed. The life of the cooling system is much longer than that of the servers and IT equipment. Therefore, the current design makes it easy to upgrade the cooling system, which avoids the need to redesign and drastically modify the cooling system. This upgrade process is much less disruptive to the operation of the data center.

[0045] According to the disclosed aspects of the modular design for the cooling system, separate compartments for assembling cooling units are arranged together to build a complete cooling system. The fan section is used to move the air, while the air channels are attached to a structure that is primarily used for air recirculation inside the data center. The compartments are equipped with standardized fluid connections that can be used to connect different cooling unit fluid circuits, supplies, and returns. In different configurations, dampers are used to define airflow paths or block airflow, which avoids the need to manufacture custom ducts. The entire structure is highly modular, including individual components as well as the entire system. Different types of cooling solutions can be easily designed and assembled, making it a highly productized design with no or minimal on-site engineering construction work required. The entire system can be easily installed, mostly plug-and-play, and can be flexibly modified based on changing needs.

[0046] Aspects of the present disclosure include a modular cooling system for a data center, the modular cooling system comprising: an airflow section that forms a duct for air flow; a plurality of core units that are attached in series to each other and to the airflow section; a plurality of fan units, each fan unit or a group of fans being attached to one of the core units; a plurality of electric dampers that are arranged between: each core unit and the airflow unit, between every two core units, and between each core unit and its corresponding fan unit; a plurality of fluid ports that are attached to each core unit; and wherein at least one core unit is loaded with one or more devices selected from but not limited to the following devices: an air filter, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, a heat exchanger, an evaporator, a condenser, a refrigerator, a computer room air conditioner (CRAC), a dry cooler, a water system, a water spray system, and a cooling tower.

[0047] According to other aspects, a method for assembling a cooling system for a data center is provided, the method comprising the following steps: attaching a plurality of core units in a linear row to an airflow section that forms a duct for air flow; attaching a plurality of fan units, one fan unit to one core unit; attaching a plurality of fluid ports to each core unit; attaching a plurality of electric dampers between: each core unit and the airflow unit, between every two core units, and between each core unit and its corresponding fan unit; loading at least one core unit with equipment selected from but not limited to the following equipment: air filters, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, heat exchangers, evaporators, condensers, chillers, computer room air conditioners (CRAC), dry coolers, water systems, water spray systems, and cooling towers. It should be mentioned that other types of cooling units or cooling components can be assembled or installed into the compartment.

[0048] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a modular cooling system according to one embodiment. Figure 1 A general modular concept is introduced, and specific examples of implementing different cooling systems using this modular concept will follow. According to this embodiment, the system is configured using several cooling modules 100, three cooling modules are shown here, but any number can be used. Each module 100 is fully assembled at the factory, and the required number of modules can be connected together to form a complete system, so that custom manufacturing for each data center is not required. The equipment installed inside each module 100 can be different, but because it is assembled in the factory, the entire system arrives on site ready for service after being installed in the data center.

[0049] Each cooling module 100 has an independent housing structure with means for attachment to other housings and includes the following components: a core 105 (also referred to as a cooling equipment room), a cooling air blower section 110, a damper section 115, an air flow section 120, and a fluid circuit with standardized ports 125. In the core 105, different types of cooling units or equipment 107 can be assembled, such as air-to-air heat exchangers, liquid-to-air heat exchangers, chillers, DX (direct expansion) units, dry cooling, water spray systems, CRAH (computer room air handler) units, CRAC (computer room air conditioning) units, etc. By loading the core 105 with different equipment, the cooling module is transformed from a generic unit into a customized unit to provide specific functions required by the system as a whole. Moreover, as will be explained below, in some systems, some cores 105 can simply remain empty, but can still be used as part of the air path.

[0050] The fan section 110 is equipped with fans for moving external or ambient airflow, and each fan section can be individually operated as an air inlet (blowing air into the system) or an air outlet (blowing air out of the system). This can be implemented by having fans equipped with motors and blades that can move air in either direction, or by being designed as a modular section that enables easy replacement between fans that move air in one direction and fans that move air in the opposite direction. In some cases, one or more fans can remain idle or inoperative.

[0051] The damper section 115 is used to form and generate airflow paths by individually activating each damper as needed. Using the damper section to generate different flow paths avoids the need to design and manufacture specific ducts for various applications. Here, the damper can take a variable opening position to control the air flow through each damper. The airflow section 120 is used to receive data center airflow or discharge airflow to a data center or IT area. If a fluid connection is required between devices, the fluid circuit 125 is used to connect the devices. The fluid circuit 125 includes standard ports in each cooling module 100. In this way, if the equipment loaded into the core 105 requires fluid circulation, it can be easily connected to the standard port. Moreover, the standard port enables the sharing of fluid flow between different cooling modules 100. Although each compartment is usually manufactured with a fluid port, the fluid port can be assembled and disassembled from the compartment as needed.

[0052] In some embodiments, the housings of all cooling modules 100 have the same size and the same form factor. On the other hand, specific interfaces may be attached to each cooling module 100 depending on its location or purpose in the system. For example, an intermediate cooling unit will require connection interfaces 102 on both sides in order to connect to an adjacent cooling unit, while an end unit will require a termination interface 104 on only one side and a connection interface 102 on the opposite side. Similarly, a cooling unit attached to an IT container or data center will require a connection interface 102 to connect to another cooling unit and a facility interface 106 to connect to the IT container or data center. In some embodiments, the connection interface 102 includes a fluid port, while the termination interface 104 will not include a fluid port. The facility interface 106 may include a fluid port for delivering a cooling fluid (e.g., chilled water) to the facility.

[0053] The following system is composed of modular parts that are assembled to form different styles of cooling systems to meet specific requirements. Basically, there are two key procedures for configuring a system using a cooling frame: 1. Assembling the cooling unit to the cooling chamber; and 2. Adjusting the working conditions of the components on the compartment (such as dampers / louvers, fluid ports, fans).

[0054] Figure 2 An example of a system implementing a free air cooling design is illustrated. Again, three modules 100 are used to illustrate concepts and features, but any number of units can be used to form a complete system. The cores 105-A and 105-B of the first two modules are essentially empty, but form part of the air flow path. The third core 105-C can be equipped with an optional mechanical or chemical filter 130 and / or a dehumidifier / humidifier 135 according to the expected ambient air quality. In this example, ambient air (e.g., the atmosphere from outside the data center facility) is pumped directly into the building and supplied to the load to remove heat. Ambient air is blown into the system by fans 112, fans 114, or both fans 112 and 114 as needed, and is directed into the building through core 105-C as shown by the dotted arrows. The electric damper 115 is operated to take a position that forms the air delivery path shown by the dotted arrows. The shaded block indicates an open damper, while the absence of a shade indicates a closed damper. For example, shutter 115-1 (if equipped) and shutters 115-4 and 115-5 assume a closed position. Conversely, shutters 115, 115-2, and 115-3 are open to allow air to flow through cores 105-A and 105-B to 105-C. It should also be noted that in this configuration, fan 116 and airflow section 120 are inoperative. Further, in this configuration, the hot air outlet is formed by other ducts in the data center, in Figure 2 is not shown in the figure as it does not form part of the system.

[0055] As another configuration, Figure 3 An indirect evaporative cooling (IDEC) system assembled using a current modular design is shown. The first core section 105-A is equipped with a water spray system 140 for wet cooling mode. The water system 140 includes a water reservoir 142, a water pump 143, and a water sprayer 144. In this embodiment, the water reservoir 142 and the pump 143 are disposed in the first section 105-A and are connected to the water sprayer 144 installed in the second section 105-B using a standard port 125.

[0056] The middle core 105-B is equipped with an air-to-air heat exchanger 145, and the DX (direct expansion) system 150 is partially assembled in the second core 105-B (e.g., condenser 152) and partially assembled in the third core 105-C (e.g., evaporator 154). The fan unit 112 is used to exhaust hot air to the environment, while the fan 114 can be used to flow air to cool the air-to-air heat exchanger 145 and the condenser 152. The air flow section 120 is configured to collect hot air from the data center and direct it to the air-to-air heat exchanger 145. Moreover, ambient air flows through the air-to-air heat exchanger 145 to remove heat from the data center air. The flow path of the air through the different modules is regulated using electric dampers 115, where a hash mark indicates an open position and no hash mark indicates a closed position. As Figure 3 As shown, shutters 115-1, 115-2, and 115-4 are closed, while shutters 115-3 and 115-5 are open.

[0057] Note that the inlet for ambient air to the middle core 105-B is third dimensional (into the page) so that it is simply shown by the slanted solid arrow. This means that outside air is delivered into the middle core 105-B through the side. Also, in this embodiment, ambient air does not flow into the data center, but is merely used as a transfer medium in the air-to-air heat exchanger and then exhausted to the atmosphere through fans 114 and / or 112. Fan 116 is idle in this configuration. It should be noted that a corresponding sealing design for a unit with a compartment can be added using a structure attached to the cooling unit or as a separate unit. The sealing design involves assembling a cooling unit such as an exchanger into a cooling room while ensuring that airflow entering the damper / louver is prevented from leaking and that outside air is prevented from mixing with the internal recirculating airflow.

[0058] exist Figure 3 In the example of , the DX system is split between two modules 105-B and 105-C, but this is not mandatory. Figure 4 Another configuration of IDEC is illustrated in which the entire DX system is assembled in the third module 105-C. In this case, the fan 116 on the top of the third unit 100 is used to flow air in the DX system, while the fan 112 is idle. Figure 3 Compared with the design shown, the Figure 4The same equipment in the drawings but rearranging it can provide a higher cooling capacity. As mentioned before, the inlet of ambient air is third-dimensional (into the page), so that it is simply shown by an inclined solid arrow. This representation is repeated in the other figures. Moreover, some figures show shutters between the fan unit and the core compartment; however, it is not mandatory to have such shutters. Some fan and / or blower arrangements do not allow air flow when not activated and can therefore be installed without shutters.

[0059] As another example, Figure 5 It is shown how to arrange several modules 100 to form a traditional multi-loop cooling water and cold water loop system. In this example, the cooling unit is a CRAC unit 160 as shown in the third core compartment 105-C. The first compartment 105A is a cooling tower 165 or cooling tower equipment with ambient air flowing through the unit through the fan 112. That is, the ambient air is not introduced into the data center, but is only used as a heat exchange medium in the cooling tower 165. The second core unit 105-B includes a chiller system 170, which includes a condenser, an evaporator, an expansion valve and a compressor. The standard ports of the fluid circuit 125 are used to connect equipment and transfer fluids between equipment installed in the three core units 105-A to 105-C. The air from the data center is transported by the third fan 116 through the CRAC unit 160 and returned to the data center. The fan 114 is idle and the airflow section 120 is not working. When the fan 116 generates a 90° change in airflow direction, a centrifugal or radial fan may be used, which also provides constant air velocity and low noise operation. In this case, the louver 115-6 is not required. The various air paths in this embodiment are formed as follows: the louvers 115-1, 115-2 and 115-4 are closed, and the louver 115-7 (if equipped) is opened to form a path for ambient airflow through the cooling tower 165. The louver 115-3 is closed, thereby limiting the air moved by the fan 116 from flowing out to the load.

[0060] In addition to cooling air, data centers can also use chilled water. The modular system can be configured to deliver chilled water. Figure 6 An example of configuring the system to function as a chilled water circuit for delivering chilled water to a load is shown. In this example, the first core unit 105-A and the second core unit 105B are configured as two cooling tower units 165. Although only one cooling tower may be sufficient, two cooling towers 165 may be provided for redundancy or enhanced cooling purposes. Therefore, although Figure 6Two fans 112 and 114 are shown to flow ambient air through cooling tower 165, but when less cooling is required, only one fan may be operated while the other is idle. Ambient air may be supplied to each cooling tower through the side of the core unit and exhausted via the fans. The chiller circuit is installed in core unit 105-C and coupled to cooling tower 165 through a standard port of fluid circuit 125. Figure 6 In the figure, the water system for cooling tower 165 is not shown in the figure.

[0061] Figure 7 Another example of using a modular system to deliver coolant is illustrated in . Figure 7 An example of a liquid cooling circuit without a chiller is illustrated. In this example, no equipment is assembled in the first compartment 105-A, and the fan 112 remains idle. Two dry coolers 175 are installed, one in the second compartment 105-B and one in the third compartment 105-C. Fans 114 and 116 blow ambient air through these dry coolers 175, thereby removing heat from the cooling water flowing in the fluid cooling circuit. Ambient air can be supplied to each dry cooler through the side of the core unit and exhausted via the fan.

[0062] Figure 8 An example of a system design when a cooling module is attached to an IT container 190 having multiple IT racks 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 begin 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 reducing operational time. The standard interface 180 includes standard fluid connections, air channels, etc.

[0063] Fig. 9 An example of a cooling system deployed at a data center campus 194 is shown. In this example, the cooling modules are attached to the building and can deliver chilled air and chilled water into the building to cool racks 192. In this case, a standard interface 180 can also be used to quickly integrate the system into the data center building.

[0064] Thus, the disclosed embodiments provide a modular cooling system comprising a plurality of modules interconnected in a linear manner, and an air flow section, wherein each module comprises a core unit, a fan section, a plurality of dampers and fluid ports, and wherein any of the core units may be loaded with equipment selected from the group consisting of: an air filter, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, a heat exchanger, an evaporator, a condenser, a chiller, a CRAC, a dry cooler and a cooling tower.

[0065] The disclosed embodiments also provide a method for assembling a cooling system for a data center, an example of which is provided in Fig.10 ; however, note that Fig.10 The order of operations shown is only an example, and the operations may be performed in a different order than shown. At block 1000, the process begins by forming a plurality of core units, each of which may have the same size and the same form factor. Conversely, the core units may be formed to have different form factors between the end units, the intermediate units, and the attachment units. The end units have only one side that can be attached to another core unit; the intermediate core unit has two opposing walls, each of which can be connected to another core unit; and the attachment unit has one wall that can be attached to another core unit and an opposing wall that is configured to be attached to an IT structure (IT container, data center, etc.).

[0066] In box 1005, the process continues by attaching a plurality of mechanical dampers to each core unit, followed by attaching a plurality of fluid ports to each core unit in 1010. In box 1015, fans are attached to each core unit. In box 1020, the cooling requirements are reviewed to determine the configuration and number of core units required. In box 1025, the number of core units determined in box 1020 are attached to each other to form a linear assembly, and in 1030, air flow sections are attached to the linear assembly. In box 1035, the configuration determined in 1020 is used to load at least one core unit with cooling equipment. Depending on the configuration determined in 1020, the cooling equipment can be selected from, for example, air filters, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, heat exchangers, evaporators, condensers, chillers, CRACs, water spray systems, dry coolers, cooling towers, etc. The system is then ready for installation.

[0067] It should also be noted that, depending on shipping and other requirements, the core units may be assembled and loaded as described, but not attached to each other until they arrive at the installation site. Since the core units include fluid ports, dampers, fans, etc., they can be easily attached to each other on site and ready for operation.

[0068] Fig.11A process for operating a cooling system according to the disclosed embodiments is illustrated. The process may be programmed into a controller of the system and automatically executed by the controller. The controller may be a specially designed computing system or a general purpose computer preprogrammed to perform the process. In block 1100, the system configuration is determined. This may include inputting the configuration into the controller, and may include identifying the number of core units, the cooling equipment loaded into each core unit, the number and position of dampers, the number and position of any valves installed on the fluid circuit, the number and type of fans, etc. Based on the system configuration, the operating mode is configured. The operating mode may include data about the conditions and / or requirements that will trigger each operating mode (e.g., outside air temperature and quality, return air temperature, air humidity, etc.). Each operating mode may include identification of the cooling equipment to be started, the fan to be operated and the rotation direction of each operated fan, identification of each shutter to be opened and the amount of opening, etc. In block 1110, it is determined whether a request for cooling is received. If so, then in 1115, the process determines which operating mode best responds to the specific request and main conditions received. Based on the determination in block 1115, and based on the operating mode configured in block 1105, appropriate activation signals are sent to the various elements (cooling devices, fans, shutters, etc.) associated with the selected operating mode. The method then continues to monitor whether a new cooling request has been received that requires a change in operating mode. If so, the appropriate operating mode is determined and a new activation signal is issued to change the operating mode. This process can continue until the system is shut down or the request received in block 1110 indicates that cooling is not required.

[0069] 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. A modular cooling system for a data center, comprising: an air flow portion, the air flow portion forming a duct for air flow; a plurality of core units attached to each other in series to form a linear assembly, and the linear assembly is attached to the airflow portion; a plurality of fan units, each fan unit being attached to one of the core units; A plurality of electric dampers, wherein the plurality of electric dampers are arranged between: each of the core units and the airflow portion and between every two core units; as well as a plurality of fluid ports attached to each of the core units; and Wherein, at least one of the core units is equipped with one or more cooling devices.

2. The modular cooling system of claim 1, wherein: The cooling equipment is selected from the group consisting of: air filters, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, heat exchangers, evaporators, condensers, refrigerators, computer room air conditioners CRAC, dry coolers, water spray systems and cooling towers.

3. The modular cooling system of claim 1, wherein: One of the core units houses the air filter and humidifier / dehumidifier unit.

4. The modular cooling system of claim 1, wherein: One of the core units is loaded with a water reservoir and a pump, the second core unit is loaded with an air-to-air heat exchanger and a condenser having a water spray arrangement, and the third core unit is loaded with an evaporator, thereby forming an indirect evaporative cooling system.

5. The modular cooling system of claim 4, wherein: The water spray arrangement is connected to the pump via the fluid port.

6. The modular cooling system of claim 1, wherein: One of the core units is loaded with a water reservoir and a pump, a second core unit is loaded with an air-to-air heat exchanger with a water spray arrangement, and a third core unit is loaded with an evaporator and a condenser, thereby forming an indirect evaporative cooling system.

7. The modular cooling system of claim 1, wherein: One of the core units is loaded with a cooling tower, a second core unit is loaded with a chiller, and a third core unit is loaded with a CRAC unit, thereby forming a CRAC system with a chilled water loop.

8. The modular cooling system of claim 1, wherein: One of the core units is loaded with a cooling tower, and the second core unit is loaded with a refrigerator to supply cooling water.

9. The modular cooling system of claim 7, wherein: The chiller is connected to the cooling tower through the fluid port.

10. The modular cooling system of claim 1, wherein: At least one core unit is equipped with a dry air cooler and has an ambient air inlet for flowing ambient air through the dry air cooler, thereby providing cooling water.

11. A method for assembling a cooling system for a data center, comprising: attaching a plurality of core units to an airflow portion that forms a duct for air flow; Attaching a plurality of fan units, one fan unit being attached to each of the core units; attaching a plurality of fluid ports to each of said core units; attaching a plurality of electric dampers: between each of the core units and the airflow portion, between every two core units, and between each core unit and its corresponding fan unit; and At least one of the core units is equipped with a cooling device.

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