Cooling device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a cooling device. The cooling device is capable of operating in a first mode and a second mode, the cooling device comprising a liquid cooling portion and an air cooling portion. The liquid cooling portion comprises: a first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger; a first cooling assembly; and a second cooling assembly. The air cooling portion comprises: a third heat exchanger; a fourth heat exchanger; and a third cooling assembly in communication with the fourth heat exchanger and arranged at an air outlet of the third heat exchanger for discharging cooled air. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a cooling device with both liquid cooling and air cooling portions, which implements a full-distributed refrigeration architecture, reduces failure domains, and improves data center reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to the field of cooling equipment, and more specifically to cooling equipment for data centers. Background Technology

[0002] Data centers are globally collaborative networks of specific devices used to transmit, accelerate, display, compute, and store data information on the internet infrastructure. With the advancement of digitalization across industries, data centers are rapidly developing, rack power density is continuously increasing, and energy consumption is rising, placing higher demands on data center cooling equipment. Some traditional cooling systems only provide chilled water cooling, not chilled air. Other traditional solutions only provide chilled air, not chilled water. Some traditional solutions use a packing + refrigerant pump + compressor system structure without employing indirect heat exchange cores.

[0003] Traditional solutions risk failing to meet the cooling requirements of data centers. Therefore, cooling systems that combine air cooling and liquid cooling are needed to meet these demands. However, traditional cooling systems typically have separate air and liquid cooling sections. This layout presents several problems: the air cooling section has high peak power and low efficiency; one liquid cooling tower corresponds to one or more server rooms, resulting in a large fault domain; and the liquid cooling tower is prone to icing in winter. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The embodiments disclosed herein are intended to provide a cooling device to solve the aforementioned or other potential technical problems.

[0005] The cooling device according to the embodiments of this disclosure can integrate air-cooled and liquid-cooled components, and simultaneously provide the required cold air and cold water to the computer room. The ratio of cold air to cold water is adjustable, realizing a distributed cooling architecture and reducing the fault domain.

[0006] A first aspect of this disclosure provides a cooling device. The cooling device is operable in both a first mode and a second mode, and includes a liquid-cooled section and an air-cooled section. The liquid-cooled section includes: a first heat exchanger adapted to be in communication with a liquid conduit for containing liquid in the first mode; a second heat exchanger adapted to be in communication with the liquid conduit in the second mode; a first cooling assembly adapted to provide a first working fluid to the first heat exchanger via a conduit in the first mode; and a second cooling assembly adapted to provide a second working fluid to the second heat exchanger via a conduit in the second mode. The air-cooled section includes: a third heat exchanger including a passage for air flow; a fourth heat exchanger adapted to receive the second working fluid from the second cooling assembly via a conduit in the second mode; and a third cooling assembly connected to the fourth heat exchanger and disposed at the air outlet of the third heat exchanger, the air outlet of the third heat exchanger being used to discharge cooled air.

[0007] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the cooling equipment can operate in a first mode or a second mode to meet the cooling needs of the computer room while reducing the energy consumption of the cooling equipment. The cooling equipment has integrated air-cooled and liquid-cooled components to meet the cooling requirements of the data center. Furthermore, the cooling equipment can simultaneously provide the required cold air and chilled water to the computer room, and the ratio of cold air to chilled water is adjustable, achieving a fully distributed cooling architecture and reducing the fault domain.

[0008] Furthermore, in the first mode, the activated components include: a first heat exchanger, a first cooling component, and a third heat exchanger. This reduces the number of activated components, lowering energy consumption while ensuring the cooling needs of the computer room. In the second mode, the activated components include: a second heat exchanger, a second cooling component, a third heat exchanger, a fourth heat exchanger, and a third cooling component. This ensures the cooling needs of the computer room, and the second working fluid can cool multiple components, enabling the sharing of the cooling working fluid, reducing the cost of the cooling equipment, and achieving energy-saving effects.

[0009] In the context of this disclosure, the first mode and the second mode are two different operating modes. The control system of the cooling equipment can automatically switch between the first mode and the second mode based on certain conditions, so that the cooling equipment operates in the first mode or the second mode. For example, the control system of the cooling equipment can achieve the following switching through a control valve: in the first mode, the liquid pipeline is connected to the first heat exchanger; in the second mode, the liquid pipeline is connected to the second heat exchanger.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first heat exchanger includes a first cooling channel and a first working fluid channel. The first cooling channel is adapted to communicate with a liquid conduit in a first mode, and the first working fluid channel is adapted to receive a first working fluid from a first cooling assembly in the first mode. In the first mode, cooling of the liquid to be cooled can be achieved through the first heat exchanger and the first cooling assembly, simplifying the structure of the cooling device. In the first mode, the first heat exchanger can cool the fluid in the liquid conduit, thereby providing cooled fluid.

[0011] In some embodiments, the second heat exchanger includes a second cooling channel and a second working fluid channel. The second cooling channel is adapted to communicate with a liquid pipeline in a second mode, and the second working fluid channel is adapted to receive a second working fluid from a second cooling assembly in the second mode. In the second mode, cooling of the liquid to be cooled is achieved through the second heat exchanger, with the second working fluid provided by the second cooling assembly. This ensures the cooling efficiency of the liquid to be cooled and reduces the power consumption of the cooling equipment.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first cooling assembly includes a dry cooler. Providing the first working fluid via the dry cooler simplifies the structure of the cooling equipment, makes full use of outdoor conditions, reduces costs, and achieves energy savings.

[0013] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling section further includes a first pump for circulating a first working fluid between a first heat exchanger and a first cooling assembly. The first pump circulates the first working fluid to cool the fluid in the liquid conduit.

[0014] In some embodiments, a first cooling assembly is arranged on a first side of the third heat exchanger; the air-cooled section further includes a first fan arranged on a second side of the third heat exchanger opposite to the first side. The first fan is used in a first mode to guide outdoor air to flow sequentially from the first side to the second side through the first cooling assembly and the third heat exchanger, and in a second mode to guide outdoor air to flow from the first side to the second side through the third heat exchanger. In the first mode, outdoor air is used to cool the first working fluid in the first cooling assembly and the air in the channel. Moreover, in the first mode, the outdoor air first passes through the first cooling assembly, is then heated, and then flows to the third heat exchanger, thus solving the problem of condensation and icing in the third heat exchanger caused by excessive temperature difference in the first mode. In the second mode, the first fan increases the flow rate of the outdoor air, which is beneficial to improving the heat exchange efficiency of the third heat exchanger.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first working fluid includes Freon or water. In the first mode, the liquid cooling section is waterless, which solves the problem of icing in traditional cooling towers.

[0016] In some embodiments, the third cooling component includes an evaporator. The evaporator can further reduce the temperature of the air to be cooled, thereby providing the computer room with cool air at the required temperature.

[0017] In some embodiments, the fourth heat exchanger includes a third working fluid channel and a fourth working fluid passage. The third working fluid channel is adapted to receive a second working fluid from the second cooling assembly in a second mode, and the fourth working fluid passage is in communication with the third cooling assembly. In the second mode, the fourth heat exchanger is adapted to supply the third working fluid to the third cooling assembly via a pipe. The fourth heat exchanger provides the third cooling assembly with a lower-temperature third working fluid, thereby further reducing the temperature of the air to be cooled. In the second mode, the air in the passage is cooled by the third heat exchanger and the third cooling assembly to reach the required cooling temperature. Moreover, the second working fluid provided by the second cooling assembly cools the third working fluid, making full use of the second working fluid of the second cooling assembly, maximizing the use of the cooling equipment's resources, reducing the cooling equipment's energy consumption, and improving the working fluid utilization efficiency.

[0018] In some embodiments, the air-cooled section further includes a second circulation component for circulating a third working fluid between the fourth heat exchanger and the third cooling assembly.

[0019] In some embodiments, the air-cooled section further includes a second fan arranged on the side of the third cooling assembly opposite the third heat exchanger. The second fan is used in the second mode to guide airflow through the third heat exchanger and the third cooling assembly. The second fan facilitates the flow of air to be cooled, thereby regulating the air exchange rate within the computer room.

[0020] In some embodiments, the second cooling assembly includes a tower body, packing material disposed inside the tower body, a first spray head disposed above the tower body, and a collection trough disposed below the tower body. The first spray head is used to spray the second working fluid onto the packing material. Thus, a second cooling assembly consisting of a tower body, packing material, and spray head is realized, which cools the second working fluid, and the cooled second working fluid is supplied to a second heat exchanger and / or a fourth heat exchanger.

[0021] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling section further includes a third fan disposed above the second cooling assembly for guiding outdoor airflow over the packing. The third fan can increase the outdoor airflow velocity and improve the cooling efficiency of the second cooling assembly.

[0022] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling section further includes a third pump disposed between the second heat exchanger and the collection tank for conveying the second working fluid in the collection tank to the second heat exchanger and then to the first spray head.

[0023] In some embodiments, the air-cooled section further includes a fourth pump disposed between the collection tank and the fourth heat exchanger, the fourth pump being used to deliver the second working fluid to the fourth heat exchanger and then to the first spray head.

[0024] In some embodiments, the air-cooled section further includes an additional pipe and a second spray head. The second spray head is connected to a collection tank via the additional pipe and is arranged on one side of the third heat exchanger to spray the second working fluid onto the third heat exchanger. Using the second working fluid to assist in cooling the third heat exchanger facilitates more efficient cooling of the air to be cooled in the second mode. Furthermore, using the second working fluid to further reduce the temperature of the air to be cooled maximizes the utilization of the cooling equipment's resources and improves the utilization efficiency of the cryogenic working fluid.

[0025] In some embodiments, each of the first, second, and fourth heat exchangers includes at least one of the following: a plate heat exchanger, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, and a coil heat exchanger.

[0026] In a second aspect of this disclosure, a data center is provided. The data center includes: a server room housing electronic devices; cooling equipment according to a first aspect of this disclosure; and gas conduits connecting air in the server room to a channel; wherein the liquid in the liquid conduits is a liquid heated by the electronic devices, and wherein the air to be cooled in the channel is air heated by the electronic devices that flows in via the gas conduits.

[0027] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the cooling equipment can operate in a first mode or a second mode to meet the cooling needs of the computer room while reducing the energy consumption of the cooling equipment. The cooling equipment has integrated air-cooled and liquid-cooled components, which can simultaneously provide the required cold air and chilled water to the computer room, and the ratio of cold air to chilled water is adjustable, realizing a fully distributed cooling architecture and reducing the fault domain.

[0028] It should be understood that the description in the Summary of the Invention is not intended to limit the key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to restrict the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0030] Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of a cooling device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0031] Figure 2 Schematic diagrams of cooling devices according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown, wherein the cooling devices operate in a first mode; and

[0032] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a cooling device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown, wherein the cooling device operates in a second mode. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0034] In the description of embodiments of this disclosure, the term "comprising" and similar terms should be understood as open-ended inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on". The term "one embodiment" or "the embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0035] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0036] The term "comprising" and its variations as used herein signify open inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". Unless otherwise stated, the term "or" means "and / or". The term "based on" means "at least partially based on". The terms "one example embodiment" and "one embodiment" mean "at least one example embodiment". The term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below.

[0037] The embodiments of this disclosure provide a cooling device that integrates air-cooled and liquid-cooled components, which can simultaneously provide the required cold air and cold water to the computer room, and the ratio of cold air to cold water is adjustable, realizing a fully distributed cooling architecture and reducing the fault domain.

[0038] Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of a cooling device 100 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. For example... Figure 1 As shown, server room 90 houses multiple electronic devices. These electronic devices are, for example, housed in server racks. Server room 90 can be, for example, a data center server room. Cooling equipment 100 is provided to cool the electronic devices in server room 90. Figure 1 As shown, the cooling device 100 may include an air-cooled section for cooling hot air in the computer room 90. The air to be cooled (i.e., hot air heated by electronic devices) in the computer room 90 can be transported to the cooling device 100 via gas duct 92, where the air-cooled section cools the air. The cooled air can then be returned to the computer room 90 via return air duct 93. This reduces the temperature of the electronic devices in the computer room 90. In some embodiments, a filter device may be provided between the gas duct 92 and return air duct 93 and the computer room 90 to filter the air entering the cooling device 100 and the computer room 90. The gas flow direction is... Figure 1The arrows in the diagram are schematically shown along the gas duct 92 and the return air duct 93.

[0039] In addition to the air-cooled section, the cooling equipment 100 also includes a liquid-cooled section. The liquid in the liquid-cooled section absorbs heat from the electronic components in the computer room 90, becoming the liquid to be cooled. This liquid is transported to the cooling equipment 100 via liquid pipes 91, where the liquid-cooled section cools it. The cooled liquid can then be returned to the computer room 90 via return water pipes 94 to further reduce the temperature of the electronic components in the computer room 90. The direction of liquid flow is from... Figure 1 The arrows in the diagram are schematically shown along the liquid pipe 91 and the return water pipe 94.

[0040] The cooling device 100 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure is capable of operating in a first mode and a second mode. The cooling device 100 includes a liquid cooling section 1 and an air cooling section 2. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a cooling device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown, wherein the cooling device operates in a first mode; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a cooling device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown, wherein the cooling device operates in a second mode.

[0041] In some embodiments, the first mode may be a mode for operation in winter or when the outdoor temperature is low, and the second mode may be a mode for operation in summer or when the outdoor temperature is high. For example, the control system of the cooling equipment may switch as follows via a valve: in the first mode, the liquid pipe 91 (and the return water pipe 94) is connected to the first heat exchanger 10; in the second mode, the liquid pipe 91 (and the return water pipe 94) is connected to the second heat exchanger 20. In some embodiments, the control system of the cooling equipment 100 may include a controller, which may determine whether to select the first mode or the second mode based on at least one or at least two of the following: the degree of air cooling and / or liquid cooling required to maintain the normal operation of the electronic devices in the computer room 90, the energy consumption of the cooling equipment 100, and the ambient temperature. For example, the controller may determine the energy consumption of the cooling equipment 100 in the first mode and the second mode based on the degree of air cooling and / or liquid cooling required to maintain the normal operation of the electronic devices in the computer room 90 and the ambient temperature, respectively; then, the controller compares the energy consumption of the first mode and the second mode, thereby selecting the mode with the lowest energy consumption between the first mode and the second mode as the operating mode of the cooling equipment 100.

[0042] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The liquid cooling section 1 of the cooling equipment includes a first heat exchanger 10, a second heat exchanger 20, a first cooling component 41 and a second cooling component 42, and the air cooling section of the cooling equipment includes a third heat exchanger 50, a fourth heat exchanger 30 and a third cooling component 43.

[0043] In some embodiments, the third heat exchanger may be an air-to-air heat exchanger.

[0044] A first heat exchanger 10 is configured to communicate with a liquid conduit 91 containing the liquid to be cooled in a first mode. In some embodiments, the first heat exchanger 10 includes a first cooling channel 11 and a first working fluid channel 12. The liquid to be cooled originating from the computer room 9 flows from the liquid conduit 91 into the first cooling channel 11 of the first heat exchanger 10, where it exchanges heat with the working fluid in the first working fluid channel 12. In the first heat exchanger 10, the liquid to be cooled in the first cooling channel 11 is cooled and flows back to the computer room 90 from the return water conduit 94 to cool electronic devices. The first working fluid in the first working fluid channel 12 is provided by a first cooling assembly 41.

[0045] In some embodiments, the first cooling assembly 41 is cooled by outdoor air; for example, the first cooling assembly 41 includes a dry cooler. A first working fluid flowing from the first heat exchanger 10 flows into the first cooling assembly 41 via channel 61. As the first working fluid flows through the first cooling assembly 41, it is... Figure 2 The first working fluid is cooled by outdoor air flowing in the direction indicated by arrow A, and the cooled first working fluid then flows back to the first heat exchanger 10 to cool the liquid to be cooled. In some embodiments, the cooling device may further include a first pump 62 for circulating the first working fluid between the first heat exchanger 10 and the first cooling assembly 41. In some embodiments, the first pump 62 may be a refrigerant pump or a compressor. In some embodiments, the first working fluid may be Freon, water, or other available working fluids. It should be understood that the type of the first working fluid is merely exemplary, and other types of media may be used as the first working fluid depending on actual needs.

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, the third heat exchanger 50 (i.e., the air-to-air heat exchanger) includes a channel 51 through which the air to be cooled flows. The third heat exchanger 50 cools the air in the channel 51 by using outdoor air. In the third heat exchanger 50, the outdoor air absorbs heat and becomes warm, while the air to be cooled in the channel 51 releases heat and becomes cool.

[0047] The air to be cooled (i.e., hot air) originating from the computer room 90 flows into the channel 51 through the gas pipe 92. In the channel 51, the air to be cooled is cooled by the third heat exchanger 50, and the cooled air in the channel 51 then flows along... Figure 2 The air flows back to the machine room 90 through return air duct 93, as indicated by the middle arrow B.

[0048] According to embodiments of the cooling device of this disclosure, a first cooling assembly 41 is arranged adjacent to a third heat exchanger, for example, the first cooling assembly 41 is arranged on a first side of the third heat exchanger 50. In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first cooling assembly 41 is arranged on the inlet side of the third heat exchanger 50 for outdoor air. Thus, in the first mode, outdoor air first flows through the first cooling assembly 41 to cool the first working fluid, and the outdoor air flowing out of the first cooling assembly 41 then flows into the third heat exchanger 50 to cool the air to be cooled in the channel 51. In some embodiments, for the third heat exchanger 50, the flow direction of the outdoor air (arrow A) and the flow direction of the air in the channel 51 (arrow B) can be substantially perpendicular to each other.

[0049] In some embodiments, the cooling device may include a first fan 72. The first fan 72 is arranged on the second side of the third heat exchanger 50 opposite to the first side, and the first fan 72 is used in a first mode to guide outdoor air to flow sequentially through the first cooling assembly 41 and the third heat exchanger 50 in a direction from the first side to the second side.

[0050] In some embodiments, the air-cooled section 2 may further include a second fan 71, which is used in the first mode to guide the air to be cooled into the channel 51 and back to the machine room 90 via the return air duct 93.

[0051] In summary, in the first mode (e.g., low outdoor temperatures), the cooling equipment provides the computer room 90 with a liquid-cooled section 1 and an air-cooled section 2 through the first heat exchanger 10, the first cooling component 41, and the third heat exchanger 50, and can achieve a fully distributed cooling architecture, reducing the fault domain and improving data center reliability. Furthermore, in the first mode, the first cooling component 41 (equivalent to a heat source) of the liquid-cooled section 1 heats the air intake of the third heat exchanger 50, solving the industry-wide problem of icing inside the third heat exchanger 50 structure in winter or low outdoor temperatures. In addition, in some embodiments, the liquid-cooled section 1 in the first mode uses a waterless system, solving the problem of cooling tower icing in winter or low outdoor temperatures in traditional solutions.

[0052] See Figure 3 The second heat exchanger 20 is used to connect to the liquid pipe 91 containing the liquid to be cooled in the second mode. The switching between the liquid pipe 91 and the return water pipe 94 and the first heat exchanger 10 and the second heat exchanger 20 can be achieved by a switching valve.

[0053] In some embodiments, the second heat exchanger 20 includes a second cooling channel 21 and a second working fluid channel 22. Liquid to be cooled originating from the computer room 90 flows from a liquid pipe 91 into the second cooling channel 21 of the second heat exchanger 20, where it exchanges heat with the second working fluid in the second working fluid channel 22. In the second heat exchanger 20, the liquid to be cooled in the second cooling channel 21 is cooled and flows back to the computer room 90 from the return water pipe 94 to cool electronic devices. The second working fluid in the second working fluid channel 22 is provided by a second cooling assembly 42. In some embodiments, the second working fluid is water. In other embodiments, the second working fluid can be other types, and the embodiments of this application are not strictly limited in this respect.

[0054] In some embodiments, the second cooling assembly 42 includes a tower body 423, packing material 420 disposed inside the tower body 423, a first spray head 422 disposed above the tower body 423, and a collection tank 421 disposed below the tower body 423. The first spray head 422 is used to spray a second working fluid onto the packing material 420. In some embodiments, the packing material 420 in the second cooling assembly 42 may also be replaced with a thin-film heat exchange core. The packing material 42 (and / or the second working fluid on the packing material 42) in the second cooling assembly 42 can be cooled by outdoor air, thereby cooling the second working fluid sprayed from the first spray head 422. The cooled second working fluid is collected in the collection tank 421.

[0055] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling section 1 may further include a third pump 63, which is disposed between the second heat exchanger 20 and the collection tank 421. The third pump 63 transfers the second working fluid in the collection tank 421 to the second heat exchanger 20, and the second working fluid leaving the second heat exchanger 20 is transferred to the first spray head 422 through the pipe 64.

[0056] In the second heat exchanger 20, the liquid to be cooled originating from the machine room 90 exchanges heat with the second working fluid in the second working fluid channel 22. The second working fluid in the second working fluid channel 22 absorbs heat and heats up. The heated second working fluid flows into the first spray head 422 and is sprayed onto the packing 420, where it is cooled by the outdoor air and / or the packing 420, and then collected in the collection tank 421.

[0057] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling section 1 may further include a third fan 73 disposed above the second cooling assembly 42. The third fan 73 guides outdoor air along... Figure 3 The flow passes through packing 420 in the direction indicated by arrow C.

[0058] The fourth heat exchanger 30 of the liquid cooling section 1 is used to receive the second working fluid from the second cooling assembly 42 in the second mode. In some embodiments, the air cooling section 2 further includes a fourth pump 65. The fourth pump 65 is arranged between the collection tank 421 and the fourth heat exchanger 30. In the second mode, the fourth pump 65 delivers the second working fluid to the fourth heat exchanger 30, and the second working fluid leaving the fourth heat exchanger 30 is delivered to the first spray head 422 via the pipe 66.

[0059] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the third cooling assembly 43 is in communication with the fourth heat exchanger 30. In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the fourth heat exchanger 30 includes a third working fluid channel 31 and a fourth working fluid channel 32. The third working fluid channel 31 is used to receive the second working fluid from the second cooling assembly 42 in the second mode, and the fourth working fluid channel 32 is connected to the third cooling assembly 43 and is used to supply the third working fluid to the third cooling assembly 43 in the second mode. Inside the fourth heat exchanger 30, the second working fluid originating from the second cooling assembly 42 flows through the third working fluid channel 31 and exchanges heat with the third working fluid flowing through the fourth working fluid channel 32. Thus, the second working fluid in the third working fluid channel 31 absorbs heat and heats up, and is then sprayed onto the packing 420 from the first spray head 422; simultaneously, the third working fluid in the fourth working fluid channel 32 releases heat and cools down, and the cooled third working fluid is then supplied to the third cooling assembly 43 through the pipe 68.

[0060] In some embodiments, the air-cooled section 2 further includes a second circulation component 67, which, in a second mode, circulates a third working fluid between the fourth heat exchanger 30 and the third cooling assembly 43. In some embodiments, the second circulation component 67 may be a pump or a compressor.

[0061] In some embodiments, the third working medium may be Freon, water, or other available working medium. In other embodiments, the third working medium may be of other types, and the embodiments of this application are not strictly limited in this respect. In some embodiments, the third cooling component 43 may include an evaporator. The evaporator can further reduce the temperature of the air to be cooled, providing the computer room with cool air at the required temperature.

[0062] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, a third cooling assembly 43 is arranged at the air outlet of the third heat exchanger 50 for discharging cooled air. Thus, the air to be cooled, which has been cooled by the third heat exchanger 50, can be further cooled by the third cooling assembly 43, allowing the air to be cooled to a predefined level for return to the server room 90. Similar to the first mode, the third heat exchanger 50 is cooled by outdoor air.

[0063] In some embodiments, the first fan 72 can guide outdoor air in a second mode along a direction from the first side to the second side. Figure 3 (In the direction of arrow A) flows through the third heat exchanger 50.

[0064] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the air-cooled section 2 also includes a second fan 71, which is arranged on the side of the third cooling assembly 43 opposite to the third heat exchanger 50. In the second mode, the second fan 71 guides the air to be cooled through the third heat exchanger 50 and the third cooling assembly 43. Thus, in the second mode, it provides cooling air to the computer room 90 at a predefined temperature.

[0065] In some embodiments, the air-cooled section 2 may further include an additional pipe 69 and a second spray head 70. The second spray head 70 is connected to the collection tank 421 via the additional pipe 69. The second spray head 70 is arranged on one side of the third heat exchanger 50 to spray the second working fluid onto the third heat exchanger 50 in the second mode. Thus, in the second mode, effective cooling of the air to be cooled can be further achieved.

[0066] According to embodiments of this disclosure, in the second mode, the second working fluid provided by the second cooling assembly 42 can both cool the liquid to be cooled via the second heat exchanger 20 and assist in cooling the air to be cooled via the third cooling assembly 43. This achieves efficient utilization of the second working fluid. In some embodiments, the second working fluid can also assist in cooling the third heat exchanger 50 via the second spray head 70, which is beneficial for further reducing the temperature of the air to be cooled and improving the operating efficiency of the cooling equipment.

[0067] According to embodiments of this disclosure, each of the first heat exchanger 10, the second heat exchanger 20, and the fourth heat exchanger 30 includes at least one of the following: a plate heat exchanger, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, and a coil heat exchanger. It should be understood that the heat exchanger types listed above are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure; other heat exchangers may also be selected.

[0068] In some embodiments, in the second mode, the filler 420 is bypassed to reduce air resistance. In some embodiments, in the first mode, the first cooling assembly 41 is bypassed to reduce air resistance.

[0069] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the cooling device can cool the liquid to be cooled after being heated by electronic devices through a liquid cooling section, and can also cool the air to be cooled after being heated by electronic devices through an air cooling section. This provides both air cooling and liquid cooling methods for the computer room.

[0070] In this document, electronic devices include information technology equipment and / or supporting equipment.

[0071] The cooling equipment provided by the embodiments of this disclosure integrates air-cooled and liquid-cooled components, reducing on-site engineering work by more than 30% and overall infrastructure costs by more than 10%. Furthermore, in the first mode (e.g., low outdoor temperatures), the first cooling component 41 of the liquid-cooled section 1 heats the air intake of the third heat exchanger 50, solving the industry-wide problem of icing inside the third heat exchanger 50. Meanwhile, in some embodiments, the liquid-cooled section 1 in the second mode employs a waterless system, solving the icing problem of traditional cooling tower solutions.

[0072] The air-cooled section 2 and liquid-cooled section 1 of the cooling device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure automatically and smoothly switch between a first mode (e.g., low outdoor temperature) and a second mode (e.g., high outdoor temperature), making it simple to use.

[0073] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a cooling device having an air-cooled section 2 and a liquid-cooled section 1 is provided. In a first mode, the liquid-cooled section 1 uses a first cooling component 41, a first heat exchanger 10, and an optional first pump 62 to cool the liquid to be cooled; the air-cooled section 2 uses a third heat exchanger 50 to cool the air to be cooled. Outdoor air can first pass through the first cooling component 41 to exchange heat and be heated before entering the third heat exchanger 50, solving the problem of, for example, icing inside the third heat exchanger 50 when the outdoor temperature is low. In a second mode, the liquid-cooled section 1 uses a second heat exchanger 20, a second cooling component 42, and an optional third pump 63 to cool the liquid to be cooled; the air-cooled section 2 uses a third heat exchanger 50 (and an optional second spray head 70) and a third cooling component 43 to cool the air to be cooled. Therefore, the cooling device of the embodiments of this disclosure realizes a fully distributed cooling architecture, reduces the fault domain, and improves the reliability of the data center.

[0074] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or improvement of the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0075] Although the subject matter has been described using language specific to structural features and / or methodological logic, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are merely illustrative examples of implementing the claims.

Claims

1. A cooling device, characterized in that, The cooling device can operate in either a first mode or a second mode, and includes a liquid cooling section and an air cooling section. The liquid cooling section includes: A first heat exchanger is adapted to be in communication with a liquid conduit for containing liquid in the first mode; A second heat exchanger is adapted to be in communication with the liquid conduit in the second mode; A first cooling assembly, adapted to supply a first working fluid to the first heat exchanger via a pipe in the first mode; and A second cooling assembly is adapted to supply a second working fluid to the second heat exchanger via a pipe in the second mode; and The air-cooled component includes: The third heat exchanger (50) includes a channel (51) through which air to be cooled is cooled by outdoor air passing through the third heat exchanger (50) in the channel; A fourth heat exchanger, adapted to receive the second working fluid from the second cooling assembly via a pipe in the second mode; and A third cooling component is connected to the fourth heat exchanger and disposed at the air outlet of the third heat exchanger, wherein the air outlet of the third heat exchanger is used to discharge the cooled air after it has been cooled by the third heat exchanger. In the first mode, the first heat exchanger, the first cooling component, and the third heat exchanger are activated, wherein the outdoor air is guided to first be heated by the first cooling component and then pass through the third heat exchanger, thereby achieving cooling of the air to be cooled in the channel (51). In the second mode, the second heat exchanger, the second cooling component, the third heat exchanger, the fourth heat exchanger, and the third cooling component are activated, wherein the air to be cooled is guided to flow through the channel of the third heat exchanger and then further flows through the third cooling component.

2. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first heat exchanger includes a first cooling channel and a first working fluid channel, the first cooling channel being adapted to communicate with the liquid pipeline in the first mode, and the first working fluid channel being adapted to receive the first working fluid from the first cooling assembly in the first mode.

3. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second heat exchanger includes a second cooling channel and a second working fluid channel, the second cooling channel being adapted to communicate with the liquid pipeline in the second mode, and the second working fluid channel being adapted to receive the second working fluid from the second cooling assembly in the second mode.

4. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first cooling assembly includes a dry cooler.

5. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid cooling section also includes a first pump, which is used to circulate the first working fluid between the first heat exchanger and the first cooling component.

6. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first cooling assembly is arranged on the first side of the third heat exchanger; The air-cooled section further includes a first fan, which is arranged on the second side of the third heat exchanger opposite to the first side. The first fan is used to guide the outdoor air to flow sequentially through the first cooling component and the third heat exchanger in the first mode from the first side to the second side, and to guide the outdoor air to flow through the third heat exchanger in the second mode from the first side to the second side.

7. The cooling device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first working medium includes Freon or water.

8. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The third cooling component includes an evaporator.

9. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fourth heat exchanger includes a third working fluid channel and a fourth working fluid channel, the third working fluid channel being adapted to receive the second working fluid from the second cooling assembly in the second mode, and the fourth working fluid channel being in communication with the third cooling assembly, and in the second mode, the fourth heat exchanger being adapted to supply the third working fluid to the third cooling assembly via a pipe.

10. The cooling device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The air-cooled section also includes a second circulation component, which is used to circulate the third working fluid between the fourth heat exchanger and the third cooling assembly.

11. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air-cooled section also includes a second fan, which is arranged on the side of the third cooling assembly opposite to the third heat exchanger. The second fan is used in the second mode to guide the air to be cooled through the third heat exchanger and the third cooling assembly.

12. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second cooling assembly includes a tower body, packing material disposed inside the tower body, a first spray head disposed above the tower body, and a collection trough disposed below the tower body, wherein the first spray head is used to spray the second working fluid onto the packing material.

13. The cooling device according to claim 12, characterized in that, The liquid cooling section also includes a third fan arranged above the second cooling assembly for guiding outdoor air through the packing.

14. The cooling device according to claim 12, characterized in that, The liquid cooling section also includes a third pump, which is arranged between the second heat exchanger and the collection tank, for transferring the second working fluid in the collection tank to the second heat exchanger and then to the first spray head.

15. The cooling device according to claim 12, characterized in that, The air-cooled section also includes a fourth pump, which is arranged between the collection tank and the fourth heat exchanger. The fourth pump is used to transfer the second working fluid to the fourth heat exchanger and then to the first spray head.

16. The cooling device according to claim 12, characterized in that, The air-cooled section also includes an additional pipe and a second spray head. The second spray head is connected to the collection tank via the additional pipe and is arranged on one side of the third heat exchanger to spray the second working fluid into the third heat exchanger.

17. The cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, and the fourth heat exchanger includes at least one of the following: a plate heat exchanger, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, and a coil heat exchanger.

18. A data center, characterized in that, The data center includes: The computer room houses electronic components; The cooling device according to any one of claims 1-17; and A gas pipeline connects the air in the computer room to the channel; The liquid in the liquid pipe is a liquid heated by the electronic device, and The air in the channel is air that has been heated by the electronic device and flows in through the gas pipe.

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