Temperature-based self-regulated cooling intensification

Abstract

A self-regulating solar delivery system for a data center. The ambient temperature outside the data center is monitored. When the temperature exceeds a preset threshold, a controller activates a switch to connect a photovoltaic system to a DC / DC converter, and the DC / DC converter to a plurality of thermoelectric coolers (TECs). When the temperature drops below a second threshold, the controller disconnects the photovoltaic system. In this way, when the most additional cooling is needed, i.e. during hot ambient temperatures, the photovoltaic system also produces the most energy and is available to power the TECs, which enhances heat transport away from the processors. The photovoltaic system can also be used to activate a liquid cooling pump or other cooling device to enhance heat removal from the servers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of this disclosure generally relate to architectures for powering data centers and IT clusters and devices within data centers, and more specifically, to self-regulating power distribution based on temperature measurements. Background Technology

[0002] Typically, data centers include redundant power supplies for servers and various auxiliary equipment (such as cooling and lighting) to ensure uninterrupted service. Power supplies may include mains power (provided by the power company), diesel generators, and battery backup. In modern data centers, mains power is supplied to servers via an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which performs the necessary power regulation and charges backup battery banks. The UPS also provides backup power via lead-acid batteries for short-term mains power outages; however, in the event of a longer outage, diesel generators provide backup power.

[0003] The power redundancy required to ensure uninterrupted operation increases the cost and complexity of data centers. Furthermore, much of the equipment dedicated to redundancy is idle most of the time, leading to inefficient resource utilization. This is exacerbated by the fact that backup equipment requires regular maintenance even when not in use.

[0004] Recently, there has been increasing focus on developing and introducing solar power systems to power data centers. However, solar power depends on the availability and direction of sunlight, causing its output to cycle over a 24-hour period and also vary during the day depending on cloud cover and the sun's angle. Furthermore, data center loads can also be variable and cycle on different periods, for example, a first level of demand during operating hours and a second level of demand during backups that may be performed during off-peak hours. Therefore, there is a mismatch between the power levels provided by photovoltaic systems and the load levels generated by data centers.

[0005] Controlling the new power supply to the data center is also a challenge, as this control may involve complex power scheduling for different workloads. Developing robust solutions to control the power supply to the data center is crucial. Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to one aspect of this application, a self-regulating power system for supplying power to an information technology (IT) system is provided. The system may include: a photovoltaic (PV) system; a power converter; a main switch inserted between the PV system and the power converter; a temperature sensor; a cooling system for cooling the IT equipment; and a controller that receives temperature readings from the temperature sensor and, when the temperature reading is higher than a preset threshold, activates the main switch to connect the PV system to the power converter to deliver solar energy to the cooling system.

[0007] According to another aspect of this application, a power system for a data center is provided. The data center may have multiple servers and multiple thermoelectric coolers (TECs) configured to extract heat from the servers. The power system may include: an AC mains system connected to the multiple servers; an AC / DC converter; an AC mains switch inserted between the AC mains system and the AC / DC converter; an AC mains power switch inserted between the AC / DC converter and the multiple thermoelectric coolers; a photovoltaic (PV) system; a DC / DC converter; a PV switch inserted between the PV system and the DC / DC converter; a PV power switch inserted between the DC / DC converter and the multiple thermoelectric coolers; a temperature sensor; and a controller that receives temperature readings from the temperature sensor and, when the temperature reading is higher than a preset threshold, activates the PV switch and the PV power switch to connect the PV system to the DC / DC converter and the DC / DC converter to connect the multiple thermoelectric coolers to supply solar energy to the multiple thermoelectric coolers.

[0008] According to another aspect of this application, a method for powering a data center is provided. The data center has multiple servers and multiple thermoelectric coolers (TECs) configured to extract heat from the servers. The method may include: measuring an ambient temperature outside the data center; monitoring the ambient temperature to determine when the ambient temperature exceeds the preset threshold, and at this time activating a first switch to connect a photovoltaic (PV) system to a DC / DC converter; and activating a second switch to connect the DC / DC converter to the multiple thermoelectric coolers. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings by way of example rather than by way of limitation, and the same reference numerals in the drawings denote similar elements.

[0010] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system architecture according to an implementation method.

[0011] Figure 2 A block diagram of another power control device according to an embodiment is shown.

[0012] Figure 3 An example of a solar power generation system including power supply to a cooling pump, according to the disclosed embodiments, is shown.

[0013] Figure 4 An example of an apparatus according to the disclosed embodiments in which mains power and solar energy are used for the cooling system is shown.

[0014] Figure 5 An example of a solar energy design including an enhanced cooling pump, according to an embodiment, is shown.

[0015] Figure 6 An example of the control flow according to an implementation method is shown.

[0016] Figure 7 An example of control flow according to another implementation is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0017] Various embodiments and aspects of the invention will be described with reference to the details discussed below, and the accompanying drawings will illustrate various embodiments. The following description and drawings are illustrative of the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the invention. However, in some cases, well-known or conventional details have not been described in order to provide a concise discussion of embodiments of the invention.

[0018] The reference to "one embodiment" or "implementation" in the specification means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0019] The following detailed description provides examples highlighting certain features and aspects of the innovative solar power source to be protected herein. Different implementations or combinations thereof may be used for different applications or to obtain different results or benefits. Depending on the desired outcome, the different features disclosed herein may be utilized partially or fully, individually or in combination with other features, thereby balancing advantages with requirements and constraints. Therefore, reference to different implementations will highlight certain benefits, but is not limited to the disclosed implementations. That is, the features disclosed herein are not limited to the implementations described herein, but may be “mixed and matched” with other features and combined in other implementations.

[0020] This disclosure presents a modular design and architecture that enables self-regulating power supply for data centers. The disclosed implementation provides a “green” or sustainable solution that reduces capital and operating costs and maximizes the utilization and efficiency of power distribution networks.

[0021] The disclosed embodiments provide an architecture for efficiently powering data centers using simplified control. The disclosed embodiments utilize the observation that the same environmental conditions leading to increased power generation also result in high power demands on specific components of the data center, namely cooling components.

[0022] The disclosed embodiments provide a module for supplying power during periods when the cooling system requires increased power, while avoiding increased mains power consumption. The increased power demand of the cooling system can be understood as the cooling system potentially failing to meet thermal management requirements under existing operating conditions, determined by mains power efficiency requirements. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments reduce the operating costs of the data center.

[0023] The disclosed implementation includes the design of a power system distributed among different cooling elements within a data center. This design comprises two levels: a power delivery level and a control level. The aim of the implementation is to improve power utilization efficiency during varying operating conditions by controlling power flow based on temperature measurements.

[0024] For power delivery, modern data center and IT cluster designs demand simplified systems and ease of deployment and operation. Therefore, a modular design approach is beneficial. The disclosed implementations provide an efficient method for implementing photovoltaic (PV) systems into IT clusters, particularly where PV systems may not be used as a completely reliable power source. The disclosed architecture improves the cost efficiency of data center power systems while enhancing system robustness without sacrificing reliability.

[0025] Regarding control, the disclosed embodiments describe a method using a photovoltaic system with multi-level control mechanisms. Detecting and controlling PV power is critical and challenging because PV power is highly dependent on multiple factors. The disclosed design implements a novel detection mechanism that effectively correlates the utilization of PV output with appropriate usage conditions.

[0026] The disclosed implementation simplifies the control strategy for solar energy. By using temperature (and optionally load and voltage inputs), control is self-regulating and correlates well with increased cooling demand and increased solar energy availability. That is, higher temperatures indicate increased cooling demand and, consequently, increased solar energy availability.

[0027] The disclosed aspects also provide a power system for a self-regulating data center. External ambient temperature is measured and used to control the entire system. The external temperature is used as a representative of the photovoltaic (PV) system output, controlling the switches connected to the PV system to complete the closed circuit for powering the load. PV power is connected to the thermoelectric cooler (TEC) and other cooling enhancement hardware or systems for cooling IT equipment. Rack-level power distribution is used for multiple TECs and / or other cooling units. The power distribution design is used to distribute and control the power flow from the PV system to different types of loads, calculating load or cooling load. Controllers are used to collect temperature measurements and control switch states and load analysis. The control design can be integrated into a single controller or in a hierarchical manner.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a general schematic diagram illustrating an implementation of a power distribution system 100 in a data center. Figure 1 The embodiment shown only illustrates power transmission from photovoltaic system 110, as the remaining power transmission devices may include any other conventional systems, such as mains power. IT equipment unrelated to the cooling discussion is also omitted from the figure, as this particular embodiment illustrates an application of solar power generation solely for cooling equipment.

[0029] Similar to conventional systems, rack 125 includes multiple TECs, denoted as TEC1 to TECn. Each of the TECs extracts heat from the corresponding IT equipment and transfers the heat to cooling system 130, which then uses, for example, cooler 135 to transfer the heat to the surrounding environment. In this regard, cooler 135 can be understood as an air-cooled cooler; however, element 135 can also be used to represent different cooling units, such as cooling towers, dry coolers, etc. In implementation, cooling systems 130 and 135 can be understood as any type of cooling system used in a data center. In this respect, the term "environment" is used herein to refer to the atmospheric environment existing outside the data center.

[0030] Each of the TECs requires electrical energy to perform its heat pump and heat transfer functions. The inventors have recognized that the load imposed by the TEC is related to ambient temperature; that is, the required cooling load increases during periods of rising ambient temperature. In other words, rising ambient temperature leads to a decrease in the cooling capacity of the main cooling system, thus requiring power to the TEC to provide enhanced heat transfer. Furthermore, the inventors have recognized that this increase in cooling load is also actually related to an increase in solar energy output. That is, an increase in ambient temperature is generally related to an increase in solar radiation, and thus to an increase in solar power output. Therefore, in this embodiment, temperature sensor 122 sends a signal indicating the ambient temperature to controller 120. Based on this signal, the controller operates switches S1 to S2. n+1This directs the electricity generated by the solar system 110 to power the TEC.

[0031] Temperature sensor 122 can be an existing temperature sensor used by a data center or data center cooling unit, as most data center cooling units are equipped with ambient temperature sensors. Alternatively, the temperature sensor can be a temperature sensor used in standard cooling systems, such as a fluid temperature sensor installed in a cooling water circuit, cooler water circuit, etc. This temperature may be directly or indirectly affected by the ambient temperature, thus reflecting an increase or decrease in the ambient temperature. In other words, the temperature signal received by the controller can be any temperature reading that serves as a representation of the ambient temperature.

[0032] When the temperature rises, the controller manages the system and enables the system to supply power generated by the photovoltaic system 110 to the TEC; when the temperature drops, the controller manages to disconnect the power generated by the photovoltaic system 110. When the power generated by the photovoltaic system 110 is connected and delivered to the TEC unit, the TEC acts as a heat pump, pumping heat from the hot side (which contacts the electronic equipment) to the cold side (which may contact the liquid cooling plate). In this way, the flow of current in the photovoltaic system enables heat transfer from the electronic equipment to the cooling system. Therefore, when cooling conditions are operational, the temperature of the electronic equipment (such as T...) is... case It can be temporarily reduced or maintained at the specified value.

[0033] Note that in Figure 1 In this implementation, switch S1 is positioned between the photovoltaic system and the DC / DC converter 115. The DC / DC converter 115 modulates and regulates the power supplied by the photovoltaic system. However, when the TEC does not require energy, the photovoltaic system is disconnected from the DC / DC converter 115.

[0034] In one example, server rack 125 includes a dedicated bus or power delivery design that supplies power to the TECs of the individual servers. The bus is powered directly by solar energy from DC / DC converter 115 using a switch controlled by controller 120 based on signals from sensor 122.

[0035] exist Figure 1In the illustrated implementation, ambient temperature is used for system control. Cooling systems in IT clusters and data centers rely on external ambient temperature because heat is ultimately extracted into the atmosphere. Therefore, when ambient temperatures are high, such as during hot summer months, cooling capacity may decrease without additional mechanical cooling. However, when external temperatures are high, primarily occurring in the early morning and afternoon when the sun is bright, solar energy is highly available. Therefore, the disclosed implementation utilizes external temperature as a representative of the solar energy output from the photovoltaic system and uses this indicator to control the solar circuitry via a switch, thereby enhancing the system's cooling capacity.

[0036] pass Figure 1 In this implementation, the system self-regulates based on the external ambient temperature. When the external temperature rises, the system triggers the photovoltaic system and connects the PV to the TEC to provide enhanced heat extraction and transfer from the IT equipment. Once the external temperature drops, normal cooling resumes, and enhanced heat extraction is no longer required, the photovoltaic system can be disconnected from the load.

[0037] Figure 2 A slightly more general implementation is shown, in which power from the photovoltaic system can be used to power IT equipment other than cooling elements. System 200 includes a photovoltaic system 210 coupled to a switch S1, which, when the switch S1 is engaged, delivers power to a DC / DC converter 215 to modulate and regulate the delivered power. Power from converter 215 can be used as follows: Figure 1 The components are supplied to TEC 226 as in the implementation described above, and additionally or optionally, to server 240 and / or storage system 250. Note that each of TEC 226, server 240, and storage system 250 may represent multiple such elements; that is, TEC 226 may be multiple TECs, server 240 may be multiple servers, and storage 250 may be multiple storage systems.

[0038] thus, Figure 2 This implementation allows for more diverse use of PV power because TEC may not be needed even during periods of high ambient temperature. For example, when IT computing power or demand is low, this means that IT equipment does not generate a large amount of power. Even when ambient temperatures are high, TEC may not need to pump out much heat. In such cases, PV power can still be used for various types of loads by appropriately activating one or both of switches S2 and S4.

[0039] Figure 2The illustrated implementation combines two features, which, while not exclusive, are particularly advantageous in implementations where PV power can be used for purposes other than cooling. The first feature is a load controller 224 that transmits computing load from server 240 to controller 220. When PV power is available to power server 240, information from load controller 224 can be used by controller 220 to determine an optimized operating strategy for allocating PV power. Controller 220 can determine the optimization strategy based on variables such as IT load demand, PV output capacity, and overall cooling requirements.

[0040] The second feature is the inclusion of an optional voltage sensor 217. The voltage sensor 217 is used at the output of the photovoltaic system 210 as a backup or replacement for the temperature sensor 222. Since the photovoltaic system in this embodiment can also be used in systems other than the cooling system, the backup detection can be used to improve system reliability in the event of temperature sensing failure.

[0041] Figure 2 The design shown enables more precise and flexible power management of the rack based on various parameters, including server load and ambient temperature, to achieve greater efficiency.

[0042] Figure 3 Another embodiment is shown that utilizes photovoltaic system 310 to power TEC 326 and other cooling units such as cooling pump 323. Cooling pump 323 can be, for example, a rack-mounted liquid cooling pump (e.g., for liquid cooling plates) or an IT-class pump. Cooling pump 323 can also be a main pump for normal cooling operation or an auxiliary pump dedicated to cooling enhancement. It is recommended to design a separate auxiliary pump for this application. Although only one pump 323 is shown in the figure, multiple pumps are possible, including a main cooling pump and / or enhanced cooling pumps.

[0043] As described in other disclosed embodiments, controller 320 receives temperature readings from temperature sensor 322 and determines whether to engage photovoltaic system 310 by closing switch S1. The controller determines whether to apply power from photovoltaic system 310 to TEC 326 by closing switch S2, or to apply power from TEC 326 to cooling pump 323 by closing switch S3, or vice versa. For example, when the external temperature is high, controller 320 may apply PV power to power TEC 326 and cooling pump 323, thereby enhancing cooling. The use of pump 323 increases the flow rate of cooling fluid, thereby improving heat dissipation, such as from cold plates. Conversely, when the ambient temperature decreases, the controller may change the operating mode so that only one of TEC 326 or pump 323 is powered by photovoltaic system 310.

[0044] In implementation, the cooling pump may be other types of cooling units, such as a fan or a valve.

[0045] Figure 4 A more comprehensive illustration of the system architecture is provided, which incorporates both a main utility power supply and a PV power supply. In this embodiment, either power source can be used to power both the TEC 426 and the cooling pump 423. This arrangement enables enhanced cooling even when the solar panels are not receiving sunlight, such as under cloudy conditions.

[0046] Mains power 402 is conventionally connected to server 440. Additionally, mains power 402 is connected to AC / DC converter 404 via switch S2 controlled by controller 420. When switch S2 is closed by the controller, closing switch S5 supplies mains power to TEC 426, and closing switch S6 supplies mains power to cooling pump 423. When the reading of temperature sensor 422 indicates a temperature rise, controller 420 can engage photovoltaic system 410. To engage solar energy 410, controller 420 closes switches S1 and S3 to supply solar energy to TEC 426 and / or closes switch S4 to supply solar energy to cooling pump 423. This design utilizes PV power more efficiently because it is used not only for cooling enhancement equipment such as TEC but also for normal operation. For example, when TEC is not needed, PV power is used directly for cooling pumps, for example, when the calculated workload is not heavy, where switch S4 is closed.

[0047] Figure 5 Another implementation method utilizing solar energy is shown. Figure 5 In some implementations, solar energy can be used to power IT cooling components as well as facility-side or cluster-side cooling enhancement designs. Figure 5The cooling systems shown represent facility-level, cluster-level, or rack-level units. These systems handle and deliver coolant to IT racks and receive heat return fluid.

[0048] As in other disclosed embodiments, temperature sensor 522 transmits temperature measurements to controller 520, which controls power delivery from photovoltaic system 510 to TEC 526 by closing switches S1 and S3. When cooling enhancement is required, controller 520 also closes switch S2 to supply PV power to the cooling enhancement system.

[0049] Specifically, during normal operation, valve 1 is open, and cooling pump 1 operates on mains power. When enhanced cooling is required, the controller closes switch S2 to supply solar energy, thereby opening valve 2 and powering cooling pump 2. This provides increased coolant flow, which improves the cooling rate. In this respect, cooling pump 2 is used for enhanced cooling when operating with photovoltaic system power.

[0050] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating a process according to an embodiment. This embodiment corresponds to a device in which the PV power output is dedicated to powering a TEC system. The flowchart illustrates a basic method using an ambient temperature control switch. The temperature can be obtained using a sensor that is part of the control system or by obtaining readings from existing sensors that form part of the existing data center infrastructure.

[0051] Step 600 represents the initial state, where all system switches are in the open position, thus no solar energy is applied to the TEC system. In step 605, the ambient temperature reading is checked to see if it exceeds a preset threshold. If not, the process returns to step 600. Otherwise, if the temperature reading exceeds the threshold, in step 610, the controller activates the solar connection by closing switch S1, thereby connecting the photovoltaic system to the converter. Self-activation can be understood as the photovoltaic system being connected to a dedicated sensor when no actual sensor is available.

[0052] Then, in step 615, the controller closes the switch to the TEC to supply power from the converter to the TEC. Thereafter, the controller continues to monitor the temperature, maintaining connection to the TEC as long as the temperature remains high. Conversely, when it is determined in step 620 that the temperature T has dropped below a predetermined threshold Th (which may differ from the initial threshold in step 605), the controller returns to the initial state of step 600, where all switches are open.

[0053] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the control process according to an implementation method. Figure 7In this implementation, the control operation corresponds to an implementation in which the photovoltaic system is connected to various types of IT loads, as illustrated in several implementations disclosed herein. There exists a... Figure 7 The process achieves two design goals. First, the current operational design can be integrated into existing infrastructure and control architecture. Second, the process can further optimize cooling operations.

[0054] PV power can also be used in battery-based energy systems, with temperature measurements used to connect the photovoltaic system to the battery. In this case, the temperature setpoint used to connect the photovoltaic system to the battery can be lower than the setpoint used to operate / power the TEC. Alternatively, when PV power is used to power the TEC and other IT loads, configurable optimized solutions can be used for performance enhancements, including cooling and computing performance.

[0055] exist Figure 7 In step 700, an initial point is defined where all switches are in the open position. In step 705, the availability of usable solar energy is determined based on temperature measurements. Figure 7 As shown, optionally, as a backup, voltage measurements can also be used to determine the availability of available solar energy. Figure 2 As shown, the readings of temperature sensor 222, voltage sensor 217, and the switch are correlated. As long as no solar energy is available, the process returns to the initial state of step 700.

[0056] When available power is determined to be available in step 705, the main switch is closed in step 710 to connect the photovoltaic system to the converter. Then, in step 715, it is determined whether the available power is higher than a heat load threshold. If not, the process proceeds to step 730, where the converter is connected to charge the battery. Conversely, if the available power is higher than the heat load threshold, the process proceeds to step 720 to determine if additional computational power is needed. If not, the process proceeds to step 735, where solar energy is applied to the TEC. Instead, in step 725, the controller applies PV power to both the TEC and the server, while optimizing power distribution between the TEC and the server.

[0057] Subsequently, the controller continues to monitor the temperature, maintaining connection to the load as long as the temperature remains high. Conversely, when it is determined in step 740 that the temperature T has dropped below a predetermined threshold Th, which may differ from the starting threshold in step 705, the controller returns to the initial state of step 700, where all switches are open.

[0058] Utilizing the above disclosure, a power system for a computing system having a cooling system is provided, the system including a solar energy system and a controller connected to an ambient temperature sensor that measures the ambient temperature outside the facility housing the computing system, wherein when the temperature sensor provides a temperature reading higher than a current threshold, the controller is programmed to connect the solar energy system to a power converter and the power converter to the cooling system.

[0059] In the disclosed embodiments, the cooling system may include a thermoelectric cooling TEC and a cooling pump. Additionally, solar energy may be applied to servers and / or batteries within the computing system. The controller may alternate between mains power and solar power based on temperature readings from a temperature sensor. A voltage sensor may be positioned to read the voltage supplied by the solar system as a backup for the temperature sensor.

[0060] In the foregoing description, embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will be apparent that various modifications may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Therefore, the description and drawings are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. A self-regulating power system for supplying power to an information technology system, the self-regulating power system comprising: Photovoltaic systems; Power converter; The main switch is inserted between the photovoltaic system and the power converter; A temperature sensor is used to read the ambient atmospheric temperature outside the information technology system. Cooling systems are used to cool information technology equipment; as well as The controller receives temperature readings from the temperature sensor and, when the temperature reading is higher than a preset threshold, activates the main switch to connect the photovoltaic system to the power converter to deliver solar energy to the cooling system to enhance the cooling capacity of the cooling system; and disconnects the main switch when the temperature reading decreases.

2. The self-regulating power system according to claim 1, wherein, The cooling system includes multiple thermoelectric coolers.

3. The self-regulating power system according to claim 2, wherein, Each of the thermoelectric coolers is inserted between the corresponding processor and the cooling device.

4. The self-regulating power system according to claim 1 further includes a power switch inserted between the power converter and the cooling system and activated by the controller.

5. The self-regulating power system according to claim 4 further includes a computing server and an auxiliary switch inserted between the power converter and the computing server, the auxiliary switch being activated by the controller.

6. The self-regulating power system according to claim 5 further includes a load controller, wherein the load controller sends a signal to the controller indicating the computing load of the computing server.

7. The self-regulating power system according to claim 6, wherein, The temperature sensor forms part of the cooling system.

8. The self-regulating power system according to claim 2, wherein, The cooling system also includes: At least one cooling pump; A first power switch is inserted between the power converter and the plurality of thermoelectric coolers; and A second power switch is inserted between the power converter and the at least one cooling pump; The first power switch and the second power switch are activated by the controller.

9. The self-regulating power system according to claim 2, wherein, The cooling system also includes: The main cooling pump is connected to the mains power supply and can be operated to pump coolant via the main valve; An auxiliary pump is capable of pumping coolant via an auxiliary valve; An auxiliary switch is inserted between the power converter and the auxiliary pump, and the auxiliary switch can be operated by the controller to deliver photovoltaic power to the auxiliary pump when the temperature reading is higher than the preset threshold.

10. A power system for a data center having multiple servers and multiple thermoelectric coolers configured to extract heat from the servers, the power system comprising: The mains power system is connected to the multiple servers; AC / DC converter; A mains switch is inserted between the mains power system and the AC / DC converter; A mains power switch is inserted between the AC / DC converter and the plurality of thermoelectric coolers; Photovoltaic systems; DC / DC converter; A photovoltaic switch is inserted between the photovoltaic system and the DC / DC converter; A photovoltaic power switch is inserted between the DC / DC converter and the plurality of thermoelectric coolers; A temperature sensor is used to read the ambient atmospheric temperature outside the data center; as well as The controller receives temperature readings from the temperature sensor and, when the temperature reading is higher than a preset threshold, activates the photovoltaic switch and the photovoltaic power switch to connect the photovoltaic system to the DC / DC converter and the DC / DC converter to connect the plurality of thermoelectric coolers to supply solar energy to the plurality of thermoelectric coolers; and disconnects the photovoltaic switch and the photovoltaic power switch when the temperature reading decreases.

11. The power system of claim 10, further comprising at least one cooling pump connected to the AC / DC converter via a first switch and connected to the DC / DC converter via a second switch.

12. The power supply system of claim 10 further includes a main cooling pump connected to the mains power system and an auxiliary pump connected to the DC / DC converter.

13. The power system of claim 11 further includes a load controller, the load controller sending a signal to the controller indicating the computational load of the server.

14. A method for powering a data center having a plurality of servers and a plurality of thermoelectric coolers configured to extract heat from the servers, the method comprising: Measure the ambient temperature outside the data center; The ambient temperature is monitored to determine when the ambient temperature exceeds a preset threshold, and at this time, a first switch is activated to connect the photovoltaic system to the DC / DC converter, and a second switch is activated to connect the DC / DC converter to the plurality of thermoelectric coolers. And continue to monitor the ambient temperature to determine when the ambient temperature drops below the second threshold, and at that time disconnect the first switch and the second switch.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: Monitor the power level provided by the photovoltaic system to determine when the power level exceeds a heat load threshold, and at that time connect the photovoltaic system to the battery pack to charge the battery pack.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising: The voltage output of the photovoltaic system is monitored as a backup for the ambient temperature measurement.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising: The system monitors the computing load of the multiple servers and, when the computing load exceeds a load threshold, connects the photovoltaic system to the multiple servers to supply solar energy to them.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising: When the ambient temperature is higher than a preset threshold, the photovoltaic system is connected to the cooling unit.

Images