A data center air flow processing system and method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a data center air flow processing system and method, including a first exhaust device, a first heat energy transmission pipeline; a heat exchange pipeline and a microalgae cultivation center; the first exhaust device conveys the hot air in the hot return air area of the data center to the first heat energy transmission pipeline, and the heat energy transmission pipeline transmits the hot air to the heat exchange pipeline; the heat exchange pipeline is arranged in the pool water or the pool wall of the microalgae cultivation center. It further includes a second heat energy transmission pipeline, which is connected to a second exhaust device arranged in the space above the pool water of the microalgae cultivation center, and the second heat energy transmission pipeline returns the air in the microalgae cultivation center to the air recovery pipeline of the data center. The improved system utilizes the waste tail heat of the data center to provide the necessary heat for microalgae cultivation, and utilizes microalgae cultivation to provide cooling and purified air for the data center, improving the energy conservation and consumption reduction efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of data centers, and particularly to energy conservation and emission reduction processing in data centers. Specifically, it relates to an airflow processing system and method for data centers. Background Art

[0002] A data center generally consists of a computer room and a support space, and is a center for electronic information storage, processing, and dissemination. A large number of information technology (IT) devices generate a large amount of heat. The data center needs to configure an air conditioning system, etc. to meet the airflow standards (GB 50174-2017) such as temperature, humidity, dust concentration, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxide content required by the data center to maintain the normal operation and performance of IT devices. IT devices and air conditioning systems are the main energy-consuming devices in the data center, usually accounting for 85% of the total energy consumption of the data center. The air conditioning system is usually an air conditioning device and / or an air conditioning device with a fresh air system. In order to save energy, the air outlet of the air conditioner in a green data center usually corresponds to the cold aisle, and the air return outlet of the air conditioner corresponds to the hot aisle. Most of the exhaust gas discharged from the air return outlet is directly discharged outdoors without being utilized, resulting in a large waste of heat energy. It may also have an adverse impact on the surrounding environment due to containing a large amount of heat. Under some climatic conditions, the air conditioning device with a fresh air system also has problems such as the fresh air containing flying flocs, pollen, or dust, resulting in large losses of the air conditioning system; or the fresh air temperature being too low, resulting in an increase in power consumption.

[0003] With the modular development and large-scale trend of data centers, larger sites are needed to accommodate computer rooms. Data centers are gradually located in areas with low population density, such as the western and northern regions of China. These regions have low temperatures, large temperature differences, high altitudes, long sunlight hours, and soil salinization. How to comprehensively and effectively utilize energy according to local conditions to achieve green environmental protection, energy conservation, and emission reduction has become an issue that needs to be considered in the construction of green data centers and energy utilization.

[0004] Microalgae are an important biological resource, rich in protein and unsaturated fatty acids, and have a wide range of applications in the preparation of medical health products, aquaculture, water quality improvement, soil improvement, etc. Different algal species have different requirements for the environment, but basically prefer alkaline conditions and require sufficient light and heat. Microalgae also absorb carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides during growth and release oxygen. The northwestern region has the characteristics of high altitude, long sunlight hours, and soil salinization, which has the advantage of being suitable for microalgae cultivation. However, an important problem that needs to be solved for microalgae cultivation in cold and high-altitude regions is that providing sufficient environmental temperature for microalgae cultivation requires a large amount of energy. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to propose an airflow processing system and method for a data center to solve the problems that occur in the data center and microalgae cultivation mentioned in the above background art.

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides a data center air flow processing system, the system comprising a first exhaust device; a first heat energy transmission pipeline and a microalgae cultivation center; the first exhaust device is connected to the first heat energy transmission pipeline, and the exhaust gas of the data center is discharged by the first exhaust device into the first heat energy transmission pipeline and transmitted to the microalgae cultivation center. Thus, the air flow containing a large amount of heat discharged from the data center is transmitted to the microalgae cultivation center that requires heat to maintain the growth temperature of microalgae and is utilized.

[0007] In some embodiments, substances or gases harmful to the data center or the data center personnel may be generated during the operation of the data center. Therefore, in addition to the heat generated by the data center equipment, the air flow discharged from the data center may also include a certain concentration of carbon dioxide. The heat and substances in these air flows supply the air to the microalgae cultivation center from the data center, providing the required heat and carbon dioxide for the growth of microalgae, while the growth of microalgae generates oxygen, purifying the air.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first heat energy transmission pipeline in the microalgae cultivation center has a plurality of openings and is arranged for the air flow discharged from the data center to be transmitted to a position beneficial to the growth of microalgae in the microalgae cultivation center. In this case, the air flow will be dispersed into the microalgae cultivation center through the openings on the pipeline. The positions of the heat energy transmission pipeline and the openings can be adjusted in combination with the distribution position of the microalgae, so as to optimize the specific points of the air flow, namely the supply of heat energy, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides, to facilitate the optimization of microalgae cultivation and / or to facilitate the optimization of the air flow circulation to return the purified and cooled air to the data center.

[0009] Preferably, the system further comprises a second exhaust device and a second heat energy transmission pipeline. The second exhaust device discharges the air in the microalgae cultivation center into the second heat energy transmission pipeline, and the second heat energy transmission pipeline is connected to the data center.

[0010] Since microalgae absorb carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, microdust, etc. in the air and release oxygen during cultivation, the air in the microalgae cultivation center is rich in oxygen after the photosynthesis of microalgae, removing microdust, which is beneficial to removing corrosive gases to the data center and some substances harmful to the data center personnel and equipment, and at the same time has a certain humidity, which is beneficial to removing the static electricity effect of the data center.

[0011] The air flow discharged from the data center is the hot air discharged from the hot return air area of the data center, and these hot air provide heat energy for the microalgae cultivation center to help the microalgae cultivation center reach the required cultivation temperature.

[0012] Regarding the temperature of the air flow in the present invention:

[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust gas discharged from the data center is the hot air in the hot return air area. Most of the time in some areas, such as in the transitional seasons of spring and autumn and in winter, the temperature of the exhaust gas is higher than the outdoor ambient temperature and also higher than the cultivation temperature required to be maintained in the microalgae cultivation center. After the air in the data hot return air area is transmitted to the microalgae cultivation center, it is cooled and purified in the environment of the microalgae cultivation center and then sent back to the data center to provide air closer to the cold aisle temperature for the data center. For example, the average outdoor ambient temperature in winter in Ningxia, China is approximately between 2°C and -10°C, and the outdoor ambient temperature in spring is approximately between -6°C and 6°C; the cultivation temperature required to be maintained in the microalgae cultivation center is approximately between 25°C and 35°C. The temperature in the hot return air area of the data center is approximately between 35°C and 40°C, while the temperature in the air inlet area of the data center is approximately between 18°C and 27°C.

[0014] In addition, in some embodiments of the present invention, the air in the microalgae cultivation center is more suitable as fresh air to be transported to the data center for most of the time, especially during periods when the outdoor air temperature is low and the outdoor air quality is poor. For example, the climate characteristics in the Ningxia area of China have the characteristics of low outdoor air temperature and large amount of sand and dust in winter and spring. Since the air quality recovered from the microalgae cultivation center to the data center is better than the return air of the data center and better than the external fresh air in the above situations, it is suitable to be used as fresh air or inlet air in the air flow of the data center.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the air flow processing system according to the present invention includes a heat exchange pipeline connected to the first heat energy transmission pipeline in the microalgae cultivation center, and a second heat energy transmission pipeline connected to the heat exchange pipeline, and the second heat energy transmission pipeline is connected to the data center. The air from the data center is transmitted to the second heat energy transmission pipeline through the heat exchange pipeline via the first heat energy transmission pipeline and then flows back to the data center. In these embodiments, the exhaust air flow of the data center is not dispersed through an outlet in the microalgae cultivation center but always remains in the pipeline for circulation. The heat energy is exchanged to the microalgae cultivation center through the pipe wall of the heat exchange pipeline to provide the heat required for the growth of microalgae in the microalgae cultivation center. Then, the air flow in the pipe after heat exchange and cooling continues to return to the air conditioning system of the data center through the second heat energy transmission management. After being processed, it enters the cold aisle of the data center. The air flow that flows back to the data center after heat exchange and cooling in the microalgae cultivation center reduces the refrigeration energy consumption of the air conditioner.

[0016] In some embodiments, the heat exchange pipeline is arranged in the pool water or on the pool wall of the microalgae cultivation center to improve the heat exchange efficiency and / or be beneficial to the growth of microalgae. More preferably, the heat exchange pipeline is arranged at the bottom of the microalgae cultivation pool.

[0017] Preferably, the first and second heat energy transmission pipelines are made of heat-insulating materials; the heat exchange pipeline is made of materials with anti-corrosion, rust-proof, high pressure resistance, and high heat conduction coefficient. The heat energy transmission pipeline needs to maintain the heat energy of the air flow flowing in the pipeline and reduce the loss of heat energy. The heat exchange pipeline needs to dissipate the heat energy of the air flow flowing in the pipeline to conduct sufficient heat exchange with the microalgae cultivation center.

[0018] Preferably, sensors are provided in the microalgae cultivation center and / or the data center to detect the environmental parameters at various locations in the microalgae cultivation center and / or the data center; electric air valves are provided in the first heat energy transmission pipeline and / or the second heat energy transmission pipeline, and a bypass valve is provided in the bypass pipeline. The system further includes a control center, which controls the opening degrees of the electric air valve and the bypass valve, the start-stop and operation of the first exhaust device and / or the second exhaust device according to the environmental parameter information sent by one or more of the sensors in combination with a predetermined threshold. The control of the operation of the exhaust device by the control center may include the operation speed and / or the operation direction.

[0019] Preferably, the environmental parameters detected by the sensors refer to one or more of temperature, humidity, air pressure, oxygen, carbon dioxide and / or nitrogen oxide concentration, and dust content rate, and the sensors respectively or simultaneously detect at least one of the environmental parameters.

[0020] Preferably, the control center completes the control through PID calculation to maintain the stable temperature, air pressure and / or other environmental parameters of the data center and the microalgae cultivation center in the air flow processing system of the present invention.

[0021] Preferably, the air flow processing system further includes a bypass pipeline, which communicates with the second heat energy transmission pipeline, and the data center controls the opening degree of the bypass valve in the bypass pipeline so that the bypass pipeline communicates with, partially communicates with or is isolated from the first heat energy transmission pipeline. By controlling the opening degree of the electric air valve in the first heat energy transmission pipeline, it is possible to control the communication, partial communication or isolation between the first heat energy transmission pipeline and the data center exhaust pipeline.

[0022] Preferably, the air flow processing system adjusts and processes the introduction and discharge of the air flow between the data center and the microalgae cultivation center according to the different requirements of the data center and the microalgae cultivation center for environmental parameters, and / or further processes the introduced and discharged air flow.

[0023] Preferably, the first exhaust device communicates with the hot return air area of the data center, and the second heat energy transmission pipeline communicates with the air conditioning air inlet area of the data center.

[0024] Preferably, the air flow transmitted by the second heat energy transmission pipeline to the data center is used as air conditioning air inlet or fresh air by the data center.

[0025] Preferably, the air flow conveyed by the second heat energy transmission pipeline to the data center is directly discharged into the cold aisle of the data center.

[0026] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for processing the air flow in a data center by using the data center air flow processing system of the present invention, including the following steps:

[0027] (1) Discharging the air flow discharged from the data center to the first heat energy transmission pipeline through the first exhaust device, and conveying it to the heat exchange pipeline distributed in the microalgae cultivation center through the first heat energy transmission pipeline, so as to supply the heat energy in the air flow to the microalgae cultivation center through the heat exchange pipeline;

[0028] (2) The air flow in the heat exchange pipeline is cooled in the microalgae cultivation center through the heat exchange pipeline, and the cooled air flow is conveyed to the data center through the second heat energy transmission pipeline connected to the heat exchange pipeline.

[0029] In another embodiment, according to the method for processing the air flow by using the data center air flow processing system of the present invention, it is characterized in that it includes the following steps:

[0030] (1) Discharging the air flow discharged from the data center to the first heat energy transmission pipeline through the first exhaust device, and conveying it to the microalgae cultivation center through the first heat energy transmission pipeline and its opening;

[0031] (2) The second exhaust device discharges the air in the microalgae cultivation center to the second heat energy transmission pipeline and conveys it to the data center.

[0032] Preferably, sensors are arranged in the microalgae cultivation center, and electric air valves are arranged in the first heat energy transmission pipeline and / or the second heat energy transmission pipeline. The control center controls the opening degree of each electric air valve according to the environmental parameters detected by the sensors and in combination with the preset thresholds; controls the start-stop and operation of each exhaust device.

[0033] The environmental parameters are one or more of temperature, humidity, oxygen and / or carbon dioxide concentration, and dust content rate.

[0034] Preferably, the air in the hot aisle of the data center is recovered by the air conditioning system to the hot return air area, and then discharged to the first heat energy transmission pipeline through the first exhaust device; the air flow in the second heat energy transmission pipeline returns to the data center air conditioning system, and after being processed, the air conditioning supply air is sent to the cold aisle of the data center.

[0035] Preferably, the second heat energy transmission pipeline is connected to the air inlet area of the ventilation system, air conditioning system, refrigeration system and / or fresh air system of the data center and used as high-quality return air or fresh air.

[0036] The data center air flow processing system and method provided by the present invention discharge the hot air that needs to be discharged from the hot return air area of the data center to the first heat energy transmission pipeline and introduce it into the microalgae cultivation center through the first exhaust device, and exchange heat energy to the microalgae cultivation center through the heat exchange pipeline, utilizing the waste heat energy of the data center to increase the temperature of the microalgae cultivation center; then the air flow in the heat exchange pipe, whose temperature has decreased after heat exchange in the microalgae cultivation center, is transported to the data center. Since the temperature of the cooled air flow is close to the required outlet air temperature of the data center, the cooling power of the refrigeration system and the air conditioning system is reduced, saving energy and reducing consumption. Specifically, generally, the temperature of the air flow in the hot return air area that needs to be discharged from the data center is around 35 to 40 degrees Celsius. After passing through the first heat energy transmission pipeline and the heat exchange pipeline, the temperature of the air flow in the pipeline can increase the temperature of the microalgae cultivation center (the required temperature of the microalgae cultivation center is, for example, 25 to 35 degrees Celsius). After heat exchange in the microalgae cultivation center, the temperature of the air flow decreases, and the temperature of the air flow returning to the data center through the second heat energy transmission pipeline will be close to the required cold aisle temperature of the data center, that is, 18 to 27 degrees Celsius, so that the heat energy contained in the air flow is recycled reasonably and effectively.

[0037] In some embodiments, the waste heat air flow discharged from the data center is directly discharged into the microalgae cultivation center to increase the temperature of the microalgae cultivation center, and then the air in the microalgae cultivation center space is transported to the data center through the second exhaust device and the second heat energy transmission pipeline, and is used as the return air or fresh air of the data center air conditioning system. Since microalgae digest carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides through photosynthesis during growth and produce oxygen and have a certain ability to remove dust with humidity, the air collected from the microalgae cultivation center and sent back to the data center is not only cooled by the microalgae cultivation center, and its temperature can meet the requirements of the data center for the temperature of fresh air and internal circulation return air. Moreover, the air purified by the microalgae cultivation center removes components harmful to the data center, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and dust, and at the same time contains oxygen and appropriate humidity that are friendly to the data center operators, providing high-quality fresh air or return air for the data center. Therefore, according to the data center air flow processing system and method of the present invention, the waste heat and air flow components in the air flow that needs to be discharged from the data center are effectively utilized, the advantages such as long sunshine hours and alkaline soil in high altitude areas suitable for microalgae growth are utilized to provide the necessary heat for microalgae cultivation, and the microalgae cultivation center is used to provide cooled air and / or purified air for the data center, optimizing the air flow energy saving and consumption reduction efficiency of the data center and the microalgae cultivation center, and at the same time having the effect of environmental protection.

[0038] In application scenarios with relatively low outdoor temperatures, the temperature brought by the waste heat airflow discharged from the data center provides a suitable temperature environment for the growth of microalgae in the microalgae cultivation center. Although the temperature of the air after heat exchange in the green algae cultivation chamber is lower than the temperature of the waste gas discharged from the data center computer room, it is much higher than the outdoor temperature, thus reducing energy consumption. For example, in the winter scenario in the northwest region where the outdoor temperature is below zero, the temperature of the air recovered from the microalgae cultivation center is between 25 and 30 degrees. The air recovered from the air in the microalgae cultivation center is the air purified by microalgae. The discharged carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides promote the growth of microalgae through microalgae photosynthesis, and after being converted into oxygen, the air is purified, providing favorable working conditions for the data center staff. Moreover, the air in the microalgae pond has a suitable humidity, which is beneficial to removing the electrostatic effect in the data center. It is the moist and oxygen-rich purified air required in winter. Therefore, the air transported back from the microalgae cultivation center to the data center computer room provides low-energy consumption and high-quality fresh air for the data center computer room. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0039] The following examples in conjunction with the drawings illustrate the characteristics of the technical solutions according to the present invention:

[0040] Figure 1 Schematically shows an example diagram of the airflow direction of a data center (2) in the prior art.

[0041] Figure 2 Shows a schematic diagram of an airflow processing system (1) for a data center (2) and a microalgae cultivation center (5) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 3 Shows a schematic diagram of an airflow processing system (1) for a data center (2) and a microalgae cultivation center (5) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 4 Schematically shows a control flow diagram of an airflow control system for a data center (2) according to the present invention.

[0044] Figure 5 Displays a schematic diagram of an embodiment in which the waste heat of multiple data centers (2) according to the present invention flows to the microalgae cultivation center (5). Detailed Description of the Invention

[0045] The following further describes the present invention in detail in conjunction with the drawings and embodiments.

[0046] The following specific embodiments are only used to explain the present invention and are not considered as limitations to the present invention. For the convenience of description, the drawings only show parts related to the present invention. It should be noted that, without conflict, the embodiments in the present invention and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0047] Figure 1 It shows an example diagram of the air flow direction in a data center (2) of the prior art. Referring to the data center design specification (GB50174-2017), the racks or cabinets (15) in the data center (2) can be arranged face to face or back to back. The front of the rack or cabinet (15) is the cold aisle (16), and the back is the hot aisle (17). The cold and hot aisles are isolated. Cold air enters the cabinet from the front of the cabinet (15) and flows out of the cabinet (15) from the back of the cabinet (15). The temperature range of the air inlet area of the cabinet (15) is 18°C to 27°C. The temperature difference between the supply air and the return air is 8°C to 15°C. The air flow in the hot aisle (17) is guided by the air conditioning system of the data center (2) to the hot return air area (18), and the temperature of this area is approximately 35°C to 40°C. The heat of the data center is directly discharged outdoors without being utilized. These hot air flows are not utilized, resulting in a large amount of wasted thermal energy and may affect the surrounding environment. The direction of the air flow in the data center (2) is indicated by arrows.

[0048] It should be understood that the cold and hot aisles in the data center (2) of the prior art can also adopt other arrangement methods, such as a closed cold aisle (16) or a closed hot aisle (17). In this configuration, the air outlet of the air conditioner in the data center (2) also sends air to the cold aisle (16), and the return air outlet also collects the hot return air from the hot aisle (17). The heat of the data center is also directly discharged outdoors without being utilized.

[0049] Figure 2 It shows a schematic diagram of an air flow processing system (1) for a data center (2) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 2 In it, a first exhaust device (3) is installed in the hot return air area (18) of the data center (2). The first exhaust device (3) communicates with the hot return air area (18) of the data center (2) and discharges the hot air in the hot return air area (18) into the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4). The first exhaust device (3) is connected to the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4). The first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) is made of heat-insulating material, and the heat energy of the hot air flowing through it is maintained. The first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) starts from the data center (2) and extends into the microalgae cultivation center (5) and is connected to the heat exchange pipeline (9) in the microalgae cultivation center (5), and the hot air is transmitted from the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) into the heat exchange pipeline (9).

[0051] In this embodiment, the microalgae cultivation center (5) has cultivation ponds (20). The heat exchange pipeline (9) is made of a material with high anti-corrosion, rust-proof, pressure-resistant and high thermal conductivity, and the surface of its pipe wall may have fins or corrugated contact surfaces for increasing the heat exchange surface area. The heat exchange pipeline (9) connected to the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) upstream in the air flow extends to the bottom of the cultivation pond (20). The hot air in the pipeline indirectly exchanges heat with the solution in the cultivation pond (20) through the pipe wall. The microalgae solution close to the heat exchange pipeline (9) is heated and its volume expands due to the heat, forming a natural upward turning shape in the cultivation pond (20). At the same time, the unheated microalgae solution in the cultivation pond (20) will naturally sink to the surface of the heat exchange pipeline (9) for heat exchange again. In this way, the solution in the entire cultivation pond (20) can be circulated and evenly heated, and at the same time, the timely exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the pond is ensured. All these are very beneficial to the growth of microalgae. The waste heat of the data center (2) provides the required temperature for microalgae cultivation and is utilized.

[0052] After heat exchange, the temperature of the water in the microalgae cultivation pond (20) rises, and the temperature of the air in the heat exchange pipeline (9) drops. The cooled air returns to the data center (2) through the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) connected to the heat exchange pipeline (9) downstream in the air flow. The second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) can also be made of heat-insulating material so that the air flow temperature in the pipeline can be maintained. The air flow in the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) is transported to the data center (2), and can be processed by the air conditioning system and discharged into the cold aisle (16) of the data center through the air conditioning air supply outlet. The cooled air is much lower in temperature than the air in the hot return air area of the air system and is close to the air temperature required by the cold aisle (16); in cold weather, this temperature is also much higher than the outdoor temperature, thus reducing the energy consumption of air conditioning refrigeration or heating and achieving the energy-saving effect of the data center (2).

[0053] Sensors (10) can be installed in the microalgae cultivation center (5) and / or the data center (2) to detect environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, oxygen concentration and dust content in the microalgae cultivation center (5). In this embodiment, a temperature sensor (10) is installed near the microalgae cultivation pond (20), a carbon dioxide concentration sensor (10) is installed in the upper space of the microalgae cultivation pond (20), and pressure sensors (10) and temperature sensors (10) are installed in the cold aisle (16) and the hot aisle (17) of the data center (2). According to the heat exchange speed requirement, the heat exchange pipeline (9) can also be set as a multi-way network to increase the heat exchange area.

[0054] An electric air valve (11) is provided in the above-mentioned first heat energy transmission pipeline (4), and the opening degree of the electric air valve (11) can control the closing, opening and / or partial opening of the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4).

[0055] A control unit (12) may be provided in the data center (2). The control unit (12) receives signals from each sensor (10), and according to a preset threshold value, can control the closing, opening or partial opening of the first heat transfer pipeline (4) by controlling the electric air valve (11) provided in the pipeline, and control the start-stop and operation of each exhaust device (3, 7, 19). When the electric air valve (11) in the first heat transfer pipeline is closed, the air flow in the first heat transfer pipeline cannot be transmitted to the heat exchange pipeline (9).

[0056] In addition, the control unit (12) can also control the operation, start and stop of the first exhaust device (3) to control the speed and start and stop of the air flow discharged from the data center (2) to the first heat transfer pipeline (4).

[0057] A third exhaust device (19) is also provided in the microalgae cultivation center (5) for discharging the air in the cultivation tank (5) to the outside when necessary. The control center (12) can control the start-stop and operation of the third exhaust device.

[0058] In some other embodiments, a bypass pipeline (13) may also be provided between the first heat transfer pipeline (4) and the second heat transfer pipeline (8) for connection. When the opening degree of the electric air valve (11) in the first heat transfer pipeline (4) becomes smaller or closed, the bypass valve (14) is opened or increased, and the air flow discharged from the first exhaust device (3) is shunted or diverted to the bypass valve (14) and flows to the second heat transfer pipeline (8) to reach the data center (2), playing a regulating role.

[0059] The data center air flow control system (1) of the present invention can also test the temperature of the pool water in the cultivation pool (20), the air pressure and temperature of the cold and hot channels in the data center (2) according to the sensors (10) distributed in the data center (2) and the microalgae cultivation center (5), and transmit them to the control center. The control center controls the air flow processing system (1) according to the preset threshold values.

[0060] Figure 3 Fig. shows a schematic diagram of an air flow processing system for a data center (2) according to another embodiment of the present invention. And Figure 2Similar to the embodiments, a first exhaust device (3) is installed in the hot return air area (18) of the data center (2). The hot air in the hot return air area (18) is discharged into the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) through the first exhaust device (3). The first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) transports the hot air to the microalgae cultivation center (5). In this embodiment, a second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) is provided. The second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) transports the air flow discharged from the microalgae cultivation center (5) to the air conditioning system of the data center (2). After being processed by the air conditioning system of the data center (2), the air flow is discharged into the cold aisle (16) of the data center (2). Multiple sensors (10) can also be provided in the data center (2) and the microalgae cultivation center (5) to detect various environmental parameters. Electric air valves (11) and bypass valves (14) are provided in the heat energy transmission pipelines (4, 8) and the bypass pipeline (13). The control center controls the electric air valves (11) and the bypass valves (14), as well as the exhaust device, according to the signals of the sensors (10) and the preset thresholds, controlling their start / stop and operation, so as to control the air flow speed and direction. The following mainly describes Figure 3 the differences between the embodiments in Figure 2 and the embodiments shown in

[0061] Figure 3 The differences between the embodiments in Figure 2 and the embodiments are as follows:

[0062] Figure 2 In the embodiments shown, the air flow always circulates in the pipeline. The heat exchange with the microalgae cultivation pool water in the microalgae cultivation center (5) is carried out through the wall of the heat exchange pipeline to increase the temperature in the microalgae cultivation center (5) and cool the air flow returning to the data center (2).

[0063] While Figure 3 in the embodiments shown, there is no heat exchange pipeline (9). The first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) has multiple openings (6) in the microalgae cultivation center (5). The air flow in the first heat energy pipeline passes through these openings (6) and is dispersed at positions beneficial to microalgae cultivation. The hot air from the data center (2) is mixed with the air in the microalgae cultivation center (5), increasing the temperature in the microalgae cultivation center (5) and bringing the carbon dioxide required for microalgae growth. During the growth process of microalgae, oxygen is released, dust is removed, and the temperature and humidity are regulated, purifying the air. In this embodiment, a second exhaust device (7) is provided in the microalgae cultivation center (5) to discharge the air in the microalgae cultivation center (5) to the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8), which is transported to the air conditioning system of the data center (2). After being processed by the air conditioning system, it is discharged into the cold aisle (16) of the data center. The air in the microalgae cultivation center (5) is lower in temperature than the hot return air area of the data center (2) and closer to the temperature of the cold aisle of the data center (2).

[0064] Figure 4 Schematically shows a control flow diagram of the air flow control system of the data center (2) according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the sensor (10) measures the pool water temperature, and the pressure sensor measures the air pressure in the hot and cold channels of the data center. The measured data is transmitted to the control center (12). After the system is started, in the initial mode, the rotation speed of the first exhaust device (3) is 50%, the opening degrees of the bypass valve (14) and the electric air valve (11) are 50%, and the set pool water temperature is SP; the operation time is t1 under this condition. After the time t1, the sensor (10) measures the temperature of the pool water in the aquaculture pond (20), and the control center calculates the difference ΔT between the pool water temperature PV and the set temperature SP. Perform PID split-range operation. According to ΔT and the predetermined threshold, readjust the start-stop and operation of the first exhaust device (3) and the opening degrees of the bypass valve (14) and the electric air valve (11), that is, when ΔT is a positive deviation, close the electric air valve (11), increase the bypass valve (14), and the rotation speed of the first exhaust device (3) decreases. The lower limit of the rotation speed of the first exhaust device (3) is to keep the pressure difference between the hot and cold channels not lower than the minimum set value; when ΔT is a negative deviation, increase the electric air valve (11), decrease the bypass valve (14), and the rotation speed of the first exhaust device (3) increases. The upper limit of the rotation speed of the first exhaust device (3) is: keep the pressure difference between the hot and cold channels not higher than the maximum set pressure difference value. Through the above control process, the temperature at each part of the data center air flow processing system (1) and the pressure difference between the hot and cold channels are kept stable.

[0065] In this embodiment, the main control parameters are the pool water temperature PV and the set pool water temperature value SP. Through the calculation of the PV and SP parameters, what the control center needs to control includes: the start-stop and operation of the first exhaust device (3), and the opening degrees of the electric air valve (11) and / or the bypass valve (14) located in the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4). Perform PID operation through the PV value and the SP value. When loading, first adjust the electric air valve (11) and the bypass valve (14) located in the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4), and then adjust the first exhaust device (3). When unloading, first adjust the first exhaust device (3), and then adjust the electric air valve (11) and the bypass valve (14) located in the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4). Reciprocally adjust each part during operation to make the system reach balance.

[0066] Specifically, after the control center (12) is started, the system first enters the initial mode. At this time, the rotation speed of the first exhaust device (3) is 50%, the opening degrees of the electric air valve (11) and the bypass valve (14) in the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) are 50% (adjustable), and the air flow processing system (1) first circulates for a time t0, such as 3 minutes (adjustable). After the time of t0, such as 3 minutes (adjustable) has passed, the system enters the automatic adjustment mode. At this time, each device is adjusted according to the value calculated by PID and the predetermined threshold. If the difference ΔT between the pool water temperature PV and the set temperature SP is a negative deviation compared with the predetermined threshold at this time, then first reduce the rotation speed of the first exhaust device (3). When the rotation speed is reduced to the minimum rotation speed, the lower limit of the rotation speed of the first exhaust device (3) is to keep the pressure difference between the hot and cold channels not lower than the minimum set value, and then reduce the opening degree of the electric air valve (11) in the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4); increase the opening degree of the bypass valve (14), and the corresponding relationship between the opening degrees of these two valves is inverse. If the difference ΔT between the pool water temperature PV and the set temperature is a positive deviation compared with the predetermined threshold at this time, then there are two cases of loading for the system (1) at this time. First: when the loading demand is relatively low, adjust the electric air valve (11) and the bypass valve (14) in the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4), and the first exhaust device (3) is reduced to the minimum rotation speed. The lower limit of the rotation speed of the first exhaust device (3) is to keep the pressure difference between the hot and cold channels not lower than the minimum set value. Second: when the loading demand is high, when the electric air valve (11) and the bypass valve (14) in the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) are adjusted and still cannot meet the requirement that ΔT is at the target value, at this time, the electric air valve (11) in the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) is opened to the maximum and the bypass valve (14) is closed, and then start to adjust the rotation speed of the first exhaust device (3). The rotation speed increases until the maximum rotation speed. The upper limit of the rotation speed of the first exhaust device (3) is: to keep the pressure difference between the hot and cold channels not higher than the maximum set value of the pressure difference. According to the above loading and unloading methods, dynamic adjustment is performed to make the temperature and air pressure required by the system stable.

[0067] It should be understood that the solutions for controlling the temperature and the pressure difference between the hot and cold channels in the above embodiments should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. According to the system and method of the present invention, according to actual needs, by adjusting the types and quantities of the sensors (10), adjusting the predetermined thresholds, and / or using other calculation methods, various environmental indexes such as the air pressure, temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide content, oxygen content, and / or dust content in the air flow processing system (1) can be controlled.

[0068] Figure 5The figure shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment in which the waste heat of multiple data centers (2) according to the present invention flows to the microalgae cultivation center (5). In this embodiment, the hot air flow in the hot return air areas (18) of the three data centers (2) is sent into their respective first heat energy transmission pipelines (4) by their respective first exhaust devices (3), and converges into one heat energy transmission pipeline outside the microalgae cultivation center (5) and then enters the microalgae cultivation center (5). The air flow in the microalgae cultivation center (5) can be as Figure 2 shown, that is, the air flow transmitted in the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) flows to the heat exchange pipeline (9) connected to the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4). The hot air flow in the pipeline exchanges energy with the pool water at the bottom of the microalgae cultivation pool (20) through the surface of the heat exchange pipe, raising the temperature of the pool water and lowering the temperature of the air flow in the pipeline. Subsequently, the heat-exchanged air flow continues to flow to the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) connected to the heat exchange pipeline (9), is transmitted outside the microalgae cultivation center (5), and is divided into three paths and transmitted to the three data centers (2) respectively. After the air conditioning systems of the three data centers (2) process the air flow returned from the microalgae cultivation center (5), it is discharged into the cold aisle (16).

[0069] Sensors (10) are provided everywhere in the microalgae cultivation center (5) and the data centers (2) to detect environmental parameters. Electric air valves (11) are provided in the first heat energy transmission pipelines and the second heat energy transmission optical paths of the three data centers (2) respectively, and bypass valves (14) are provided in their respective bypass pipelines (13). The control center controls the opening degrees of the electric air valves (11) and the bypass valves (14) of the three data centers (2) respectively, as well as their respective first exhaust devices (3) according to the environmental parameters transmitted by the sensors (10) in combination with the preset thresholds, so as to control the direction and speed of the air flow in the system.

[0070] In this embodiment, the direction of the air flow is also shown by arrows.

[0071] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present application and is not used to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, various changes, combinations, and variations can be made to the present application. For example, the positions of the sensor tests, the environmental parameters detected by the sensors, the calculation methods, and the threshold settings can all be changed according to actual needs. Whether the one-to-many matching or many-to-one matching between the data center and the microalgae cultivation center is also adjusted according to the specific environment. In addition, the positions of the electric air valves can be adjusted according to the pipeline conditions. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

[0072] Reference numerals

[0073] 1 Air flow processing system

[0074] 2 Data center

[0075] 3 First exhaust device

[0076] 4 First heat energy transmission pipeline

[0077] 5 Microalgae breeding center

[0078] 6 Opening

[0079] 7 Second exhaust device

[0080] 8 Second heat energy transmission pipeline

[0081] 9 Heat exchange pipeline

[0082] 10 Sensor

[0083] 11 Electric air valve

[0084] 12 Control unit

[0085] 13 Bypass pipeline

[0086] 14 Bypass valve

[0087] 15 Cabinet

[0088] 16 Cold aisle

[0089] 17 Hot aisle

[0090] 18 Hot return air area

[0091] 19 Third exhaust device

[0092] 20 Microalgae breeding pond.

Claims

1. A data center (2) air flow processing system (1), Characterized in that, Comprising: A first exhaust device (3), a first heat energy transmission pipeline (4), a second exhaust device (7) and a second heat energy transmission pipeline (8), and a microalgae cultivation center (5); the first exhaust device (3) is connected to the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4), and the air in the data center is discharged by the first exhaust device (3) into the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) and transmitted into the microalgae cultivation center (5); the second exhaust device (7) discharges the air in the microalgae cultivation center (5) into the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8), and the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) is communicated with the data center (2).

2. The data center (2) air flow processing system (1) according to claim 1, Characterized in that, A section of the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) located inside the microalgae cultivation center (5) has a plurality of openings (6), and this section is arranged to transmit the air from the data center (2) to a position beneficial to microalgae cultivation.

3. A data center (2) air flow processing system (1), Characterized in that, Comprising: A first exhaust device (3), a first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) and a microalgae cultivation center (5); the first exhaust device (3) is connected to the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4), and the air in the data center is discharged by the first exhaust device (3) into the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) and transmitted into the microalgae cultivation center (5); inside the microalgae cultivation center (5) includes a heat exchange pipeline (9) connected to the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4), and a second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) connected to the heat exchange pipeline (9), and the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) is communicated with the data center (2), and the air from the data center (2) passes through the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4), and then exchanges heat with the microalgae cultivation center (5) through the heat exchange pipeline (9), and is transmitted to the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) and flows back to the data center (2).

4. The data center (2) air flow processing system (1) according to claim 3, Characterized in that, The microalgae cultivation center (5) has a microalgae cultivation pond (20), and the heat exchange pipeline (9) is arranged in the pool water or on the pool wall of the microalgae cultivation center (5).

5. The data center (2) air flow processing system (1) according to claim 4, Characterized in that, The heat exchange pipeline is located at the bottom of the pool water.

6. The data center (2) air flow processing system (1) according to claim 3, Characterized in that, The first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) and the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) are made of heat preservation and heat insulation materials; the heat exchange pipeline (9) is made of materials with anti-corrosion, rust prevention, pressure resistance, and high thermal conductivity.

7. The data center (2) air flow processing system (1) according to claim 3, Characterized in that, The surface of the heat exchange pipeline (9) has fins or corrugated contact surfaces for increasing the heat exchange surface area.

8. The data center (2) air flow processing system (1) according to any one of claims 1-7, It is characterized in that sensors (10) are provided in the microalgae cultivation center (5) and / or the data center (2) for detecting environmental parameters in the microalgae cultivation center (5) and / or the data center (2); electric air valves (11) are provided in the first heat transfer pipeline (4) and / or the second heat transfer pipeline (8), and the air flow processing system (1) further includes a control center (12), and the control center (12) controls the start / stop and operation of the electric air valve (11) according to the information sent by the sensor (10) in combination with a predetermined threshold.

9. The air flow processing system (1) of the data center (2) according to claim 8, It is characterized in that the environmental parameters refer to one or more of temperature, humidity, oxygen and / or carbon dioxide concentration, and dust content rate. One or more of the sensors (10) respectively or simultaneously detect at least one of the environmental parameters, and the control center (12) also controls the start / stop and operation of the first exhaust device (3) and / or the second exhaust device (7) according to the environmental parameters.

10. The air flow processing system (1) of the data center (2) according to claim 9, It is characterized in that it further includes a bypass pipeline (13) which is respectively communicated with the first heat transfer pipeline (4) and the second heat transfer pipeline (8), and a bypass valve (14) is provided in the bypass pipeline (13), and the bypass valve (14) starts, stops and operates under the control of the control center (12) so that the bypass pipeline (13) is communicated with, partially communicated with or separated from the first heat transfer pipeline (4).

11. The air flow processing system (1) of the data center (2) according to claim 10, It is characterized in that when the bypass valve (14) in the bypass pipeline (13) is opened, the air flow in the first heat transfer pipeline is introduced into the bypass pipeline (13) and flows to the second heat transfer pipeline (8) and then is sent into the data center.

12. The air flow processing system (1) of the data center (2) according to any one of claims 1-7 or 9-11, It is characterized in that the first exhaust device (3) is communicated with the hot return air area (18) of the data center (2) and receives the air flow from the hot channel (17) of the data center, and the second heat transfer pipeline (8) is connected to the air conditioning system of the data center (2), and the air flow enters the cold channel (16) of the data center after being processed by the air conditioning system.

13. The air flow processing system (1) of the data center (2) according to any one of claims 1-7 or 9-11, It is characterized in that the air flowing back to the data center (2) through the second heat transfer pipeline (8) is used as high-quality return air and / or fresh air by the air conditioning system.

14. The air flow processing system (1) of the data center (2) according to claim 8, It is characterized in that The control center (12) calculates the difference between the water temperature in the microalgae cultivation pond (20) and the set temperature, as well as the air pressure difference between the cold channel (16) and the hot channel (17), and controls the start, stop, and operation of each exhaust device, and the opening degree of the bypass valve and / or the electric air valve according to a predetermined threshold, so as to maintain the temperature and pressure stability of the data center air flow processing system (1).

15. A method for processing air flow by using the air flow processing system (1) of the data center (2) as described in any one of claims 1-14, characterized in that, it includes the following steps: (1) Discharge the air flow discharged from the data center (2) to the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) through the first exhaust device (3), and transmit it to the heat exchange pipeline (9) distributed in the microalgae cultivation center (5) through the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4), so as to provide the heat energy in the air flow to the microalgae cultivation center (5) through the heat exchange pipeline (9); (2) The air flow in the heat exchange pipeline is cooled in the microalgae cultivation center (5) through heat exchange in the heat exchange pipeline, and the cooled air flow is transmitted to the data center through the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) connected to the heat exchange pipeline (9).

16. A method for processing air flow by using the air flow processing system (1) of the data center (2) as described in any one of claims 1-14, characterized in that, it includes the following steps: (1) The air flow discharged from the data center (2) is discharged to the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) through the first exhaust device (3), and is transmitted to the microalgae cultivation center (5) through the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) and its opening (6); (2) The second exhaust device (7) discharges the air in the microalgae cultivation center (5) to the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) and transmits it to the data center (1).

17. The method for processing air flow as described in claim 15 or 16, characterized in that, it further includes setting a sensor (10) in the microalgae cultivation center (5), setting an electric air valve (11) in the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) and / or the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8), and the control center (12) controls the start, stop, and operation of each electric air valve (11) according to the environmental parameters detected by one or more of the sensors (10) and in combination with a preset threshold value.

18. The method for processing air flow as described in claim 17, characterized in that, the environmental parameter is one or more of temperature, humidity, oxygen and / or carbon dioxide concentration, and dust content rate.

19. The method for processing air flow as described in claim 15 or 16, characterized in that, the air in the hot channel (17) of the data center is recovered by the air conditioning system to the hot return air area, and then discharged to the first heat energy transmission pipeline (4) through the first exhaust device (3); the air flow in the second heat energy transmission pipeline (8) flows back to the data center air conditioning system, and after being processed, is sent to the cold channel (16) of the data center.

20. The method for processing air flow as described in claim 15 or 16, characterized in that, The control center (12) calculates the difference between the pool water temperature and the set temperature and the air pressure difference between the cold and hot channels, and adjusts the start and operation of the exhaust device and the opening degrees of the bypass valve and / or the motorized air valve according to the preset thresholds, so as to maintain the temperature and pressure stability of the data center air flow processing system (1).

Images