Dry cooling arrangement for data center

Abstract

There is provided a data center dry cooling system for cooling a heat source, the data center dry cooling system comprising a first closed loop arrangement comprising: an air-to-liquid heat exchanger, the air-to-liquid heat exchanger is used for re-cooling heat applied to the first cooling fluid; and a first pump that transfers the recooled first cooling fluid to the heat source. A second cooling fluid open circuit arrangement delivers a second cooling fluid through a second pump to supply the second cooling fluid onto an evaporation pad of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger for cooled wetting. The system also incorporates: at least one fan that passes an air flow through the evaporation pad and the first air-to-liquid heat exchanger; and an electronic controller for managing and controlling the flow rates of the first and second pumps, the flow rate of the second cooling fluid valve, and / or the rotational speed of the at least one fan.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present technology relates generally to the field of data center cooling measures, and more particularly to dry cooling arrangements for data center rack mounted components. Background Art

[0002] Dry coolers and other heat exchanger systems operate to dissipate heat energy from a cooling fluid (e.g., water) circulated therethrough to the surrounding environment. For example, in a data center, a dry cooler may be used to cool heated water that is pumped from within the data center (e.g., water circulated through water blocks coupled to heat-generating electronic components).

[0003] To improve the efficiency of the heat exchanger system, some arrangements implement direct spray evaporation techniques that reduce the temperature of (i.e., pre-cool) the ambient air flowing through the heat exchanger system. For example, in some cases, a water spray system (i.e., atomizer) is placed at the air inlet of the dry cooler to spray water and increase the humidity level of the ambient air, thereby reducing the temperature of the ambient air. Other adiabatic cooling implementations may also be utilized, including, for example, evaporative pads in which water is applied to the ambient air before entering the heat exchanger system.

[0004] However, these cooling implementations may have some disadvantages. For example, the use of direct spray techniques may consume large amounts of water, which negatively impacts the water utilization efficiency (WUE) of such techniques and may also promote the spread of pathogenic bacteria, such as Legionella. In addition, the evaporative pad may obstruct the flow of ambient air through the evaporative pad, which may result in increased power consumption and noise emissions of the heat exchanger system.

[0005] Therefore, while the above-described cooling implementations and techniques provide certain benefits, further improvements are needed that may alleviate some of the disadvantages.

[0006] The subject matter discussed in the Background section should not be considered prior art merely because it is mentioned in the Background section. Similarly, it should not be considered that problems mentioned in the Background section or problems related to the subject matter in the Background section have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the Background section merely represents different approaches. Summary of the invention

[0007] Embodiments of the present technology were developed in light of certain shortcomings associated with conventional dry cooling techniques and implementations.

[0008] In one aspect of the inventive concept of the present technology, a data center dry cooling system for cooling a heat source is provided, the data center dry cooling system comprising a first closed-loop arrangement structure, the first closed-loop arrangement structure being configured to transport a first cooling fluid and circulate the first cooling fluid through the heat source, the first closed-loop arrangement structure comprising: an air-to-liquid heat exchanger, the air-to-liquid heat exchanger being suitable for receiving the circulating first cooling fluid leaving the heat source, and being configured to dissipate heat imparted (impart) to the first cooling fluid by the heat source to re-cool the first cooling fluid; and a first pump, the first pump being suitable for receiving the re-cooled first cooling fluid from the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and forwarding the re-cooled first cooling fluid to the heat source.

[0009] The data center dry cooling system also includes: a second cooling fluid open loop arrangement structure, which is configured to transport a second cooling fluid from a second cooling fluid source, the second cooling fluid open loop arrangement structure includes a second fluid access component, a second cooling fluid valve, the second fluid access component is suitable for supplying a flow of the second cooling fluid from the second cooling fluid source to the second cooling fluid open loop arrangement structure, the second cooling fluid valve is fluidly connected to the second cooling fluid open loop arrangement structure to provide the flow of the second cooling fluid to an evaporative pad, wherein the evaporative pad is arranged at the input air flow side of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and is suitable for receiving the flow of the second cooling fluid for cooling humidification; at least one fan, which is suitable for passing the air flow through the evaporative pad and through the first air-to-liquid heat exchanger; and an electronic controller, which is configured to manage and control the pumping flow of the first pump, the second fluid access component, the flow of the second cooling fluid valve, and / or the rotational speed of the at least one fan.

[0010] The data center dry cooling system also includes at least a second temperature sensor and a leakage detection sensor, wherein the second temperature sensor is configured to detect the temperature of the air flow entering the evaporative pad, and the leakage detection sensor is configured to detect fluid leakage from the evaporative pad, wherein the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor and the leakage detector are connected to the electronic controller in a communicative manner.

[0011] The data center dry cooling system may also be combined with: one or more sensors that detect the air inlet temperature / air outlet temperature of the heat exchanger, the inlet temperature / outlet temperature of the cooling evaporative pad, the air outlet temperature of the fan, and the water outlet temperature; and a sensor for detecting the humidity level, wherein each of these sensors is connected to the electronic controller in a communicative manner.

[0012] The data center dry cooling system may also incorporate a variable pressure sensor configured to detect a loss of air flow across the heat exchanger based on a damaged cooling evaporative pad due to dirtiness or clogging, wherein the variable pressure sensor communicates an alarm message.

[0013] The data center dry cooling system can also be implemented with: one or more solar panels, the one or more solar panels being configured to convert solar energy into electrical energy; and one or more rechargeable battery packs, the one or more rechargeable battery packs being electrically connected to the solar panels to receive electrical energy from the one or more solar panels, wherein the one or more rechargeable battery packs are operated to power at least one of a temperature sensor, a leak detection sensor, and an electronic controller.

[0014] In a related aspect of the inventive concept of the present technology, a data center dry cooling method for cooling a heat source is provided, wherein the method circulates a flow of a first cooling fluid through the heat source in a first closed-loop arrangement structure, the first closed-loop arrangement structure being implemented with an air-to-liquid heat exchanger and a first pump, the air-to-liquid heat exchanger receiving the circulating first cooling fluid leaving the heat source and dissipating the heat applied to the first cooling fluid by the heat source to re-cool the first cooling fluid, the first pump receiving the re-cooled first cooling fluid from the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and transferring the re-cooled first cooling fluid to the heat source. The dry cooling method also circulates a flow of a second cooling fluid in a second open-loop arrangement, which is implemented with a second pump, a second cooling fluid valve and an evaporative pad, the second pump supplies the flow of the second cooling fluid from a second cooling fluid source to the second cooling fluid open-loop arrangement, the second cooling fluid valve is fluidly connected to the second cooling fluid open-loop arrangement for providing the flow of the second cooling fluid to the evaporative pad, the evaporative pad being disposed at the input air flow side of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger for receiving the provided flow of the second cooling fluid for cooling-type humidification.

[0015] The dry cooling method also includes: providing at least one fan, which is suitable for causing air flow to pass through the evaporative pad and through the first air-to-liquid heat exchanger; and providing an electronic controller, which is used to manage and control the pumping flow of the first pump and the second pump, the flow of the second cooling fluid valve, and the speed of the at least one fan.

[0016] In the context of this specification, unless otherwise explicitly stated, a computer system may refer to but is not limited to an "electronic device", "operating system", "system", "computer-based system", "controller unit", "monitoring device", "control device", and / or any combination thereof suitable for handheld related tasks.

[0017] In the context of this specification, unless expressly provided otherwise, the expressions "computer-readable medium" and "memory" are intended to include media of any nature and kind, non-limiting examples of such media including RAM, ROM, disks (CD-ROM, DVD, floppy disks, hard disk drives, etc.), USB keys, flash memory cards, solid-state drives, and tape drives. Still in the context of this specification, "a" computer-readable medium and "the" computer-readable medium should not be interpreted as the same computer-readable medium. On the contrary, where appropriate, "a" computer-readable medium and "the" computer-readable medium may also be interpreted as a first computer-readable medium and a second computer-readable medium.

[0018] In the context of this specification, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the terms "first", "second", "third" etc. are merely used as adjectives to distinguish the nouns they modify rather than for the purpose of describing any specific relationship between these nouns.

[0019] The implementation schemes of the present technology each have at least one of the above-mentioned purposes and / or aspects, but not necessarily all of them. It should be understood that some aspects of the present technology generated in an attempt to achieve the above-mentioned purpose may not meet the purpose and / or may meet other purposes not specifically described herein.

[0020] Additional and / or alternative features, aspects, and advantages of implementations of the present technology will become apparent from the following description, drawings, and appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] For a better understanding of the present technology and other aspects and additional features of the present technology, please refer to the following description used in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1A shows a conceptual representation of a dry cooler according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present technology;

[0023] Figure 1B shows a high-level functional block diagram of a dry cooling arrangement for a heat source according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present technology;

[0024] Figure 2 An adiabatic dry cooling system according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present technology is shown;

[0025] Figure 3 A functional block diagram illustrating an electronic controller according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present technology; and

[0026] Figure 4 A functional flow diagram indicative of the operation of a method for cooling a heat source in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present technology is shown.

[0027] It should be understood that the accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale unless otherwise explicitly stated herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The examples and conditional language described herein are primarily intended to help readers understand the principles of the present technology, rather than to limit the scope of the present technology to these specifically described examples and conditions. It will be understood that a person skilled in the art may design various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, still embody the principles of the present technology.

[0029] In addition, to aid understanding, the following description may describe relatively simplified implementations of the present technology. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various implementations of the present technology may have greater complexity.

[0030] In some cases, useful examples that are considered to be modifications of the present technology may also be set forth. This is merely to aid understanding and, once again, is not intended to limit the scope of the present technology or to clarify the limits of the present technology. These modifications are not an exhaustive list, and those skilled in the art may make other modifications while still falling within the scope of the present technology. In addition, where no modified examples are listed, it should not be interpreted as being impossible to modify and / or that the content is the only way to implement the element of the present technology.

[0031] In addition, all statements describing the principles, aspects, and implementations of the present technology and specific examples of the present technology herein are intended to cover structural and functional equivalents of the present technology, whether these equivalents are currently known or developed in the future. Thus, for example, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that any block diagram herein represents a conceptual view of an illustrative circuit that implements the principles of the present technology. Similarly, it will be understood that any flow chart, flow chart, state transition chart, pseudocode, etc. represent various processes that can be substantially represented in a non-transient computer-readable medium and thus executed by a computer or processor, regardless of whether such a computer or processor is explicitly shown.

[0032] The functions of the various elements shown in the figure, including any functional blocks marked as "processors", can be provided by using dedicated hardware and hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriate software. When provided by a processor, the function can be provided by a single dedicated processor, a single shared processor, or a plurality of separate processors, some of which can be shared. In some embodiments of the present technology, the processor can be a general-purpose processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a processor dedicated to a specific purpose, such as a digital signal processor (DSP). In addition, the explicit use of the term "processor" should not be interpreted as referring only to hardware capable of executing software, and may implicitly include, but are not limited to, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), and non-volatile memories for storing software. Other conventional and / or customized hardware may also be included.

[0033] Software modules, or modules that are merely implied to be software, may be represented herein as any combination of flow chart elements or other elements indicating the execution of process steps and / or textual descriptions. Such modules may be executed by hardware that is explicitly or implicitly shown. In addition, it should be understood that a module may include, for example, but not limited to, computer program logic, computer program instructions, software, stacks, firmware, hardware circuits, or combinations thereof that provide the desired capabilities.

[0034] In certain aspects, the present technology provides a cooling arrangement. The cooling arrangement includes a closed loop, a semi-open loop, and at least one fan. The closed loop includes a primary side of a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger that receives a first cooling fluid from a heat source, such as a heat generating unit of a data center. The first cooling fluid may be, for example, water or any other suitable cooling fluid. The closed loop also includes an air-to-liquid heat exchanger that receives the first cooling fluid from the primary side of the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger. The air-to-liquid heat exchanger may be, for example, part of a dry cooler. The closed loop also includes a first pump that receives the first cooling fluid from the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and returns the first cooling fluid to the heat source. The semi-open loop may also include a tank for storing and supplying a second cooling fluid, or the semi-open loop may also be configured to directly receive a second cooling fluid from a local municipal water source. The second cooling fluid may be, for example, water or any other suitable cooling fluid. The semi-open loop also includes a second pump and a secondary side of the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger that draws the second cooling fluid from the tank. The secondary side receives the second cooling fluid from the second pump. The semi-open circuit also includes an evaporative pad that receives a second cooling fluid from the secondary side of the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger and returns at least a portion of the second cooling fluid to the tank, the inlet being fluidly connected to a source of the second cooling fluid, the inlet being controlled to maintain a level of the second cooling fluid in the tank. The cooling arrangement includes at least one fan that flows outside air through the evaporative pad and through the air-to-liquid heat exchanger.

[0035] With this basic understanding in mind, attention is turned to some non-limiting examples to illustrate various implementations of aspects of the present technology.

[0036] In a non-limiting embodiment of the present technology, a cooling arrangement includes a distribution system for supplying water to an evaporative pad for cooling a cooling fluid through a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger. The liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger may be, for example, but not limited to, a plate heat exchanger (PHEX). The distribution system is a semi-open loop in which water flowing down the evaporative pad is collected in a tank where the water collected in the tank flowing down the evaporative pad may be cooled using low temperature makeup water, such as, for example, but not limited to, tap water. The distribution system pumps the cooled water from the tank to the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger where thermal energy is transferred from the cooling fluid from a heat source, such as, but not limited to, a data center, to the water entering the PHEX from the tank. Thus, the cooling fluid from the heat source is pre-cooled and enters an air-to-liquid heat exchanger, such as, for example, but not limited to, a heat exchanger panel of a dry cooler, and is cooled by passing air drawn by one or more fans through the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. For example, but not limited to, the air-to-liquid heat exchanger can be part of a dry cooler that includes a fan to draw ambient air through the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. Thus, thermal energy is transferred from the pre-cooled cooling fluid to the atmosphere, causing the pre-cooled cooling fluid to recirculate back to the heat source.

[0037] Additional pre-cooling of the cooling fluid from the heat source at the PHEX is performed using a distribution system. Thus, effective cooling can also be achieved by reducing the air flow over the evaporative pad and through the dry cooler. As a result, the power consumption and noise emission of the fan of the dry cooler can be reduced. As will be described in more detail below, even a small ratio of heat dissipation to the PHEX is sufficient to significantly reduce the power consumption and noise emission of the fan.

[0038] In this regard, Figure 1A A conceptual representation of a dry cooler 10 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present technology is shown. The dry cooler 10 can be located on any suitable support surface, such as, for example, the top of a data center building. As shown, the dry cooler 10 includes the following components: at least one heat exchanger 20, at least one fan assembly 140, and at least one evaporative pad 150. These components and elements of the non-limiting embodiment will be described in more detail below.

[0039] In certain non-limiting embodiments, the dry cooler 10 may include a first frame 14 A and the second frame 14 B Each of the first frame and the second frame supports the heat exchanger 20 and the evaporation pad 150 disposed outside the heat exchanger 20 in use. The first frame 14 A and the second frame 14 BExtending vertically and facing the first frame 14 A and the second frame 14 B The first frame 140 is connected to the fan assembly 140 for support. A and the second frame 14 B The first frame 14 is spaced apart. A and the second frame 14 B It will be understood that although the dry cooler 10 is depicted as exhibiting a certain shape and configuration, the depicted shapes and configurations are merely examples, as other dry cooler shapes and configurations are equally applicable to the overall inventive concept, such as, for example, a V-shaped dry cooler design, a semi-V-shaped dry cooler design, a vertically arranged dry cooler design, a horizontally arranged dry cooler design, etc.

[0040] Regardless of the specific overall dry cooler design, the frame 14 of the dry cooler 10 A , 14 B The support surface may be anchored to any suitable support surface (e.g., the ground) by fasteners. For example, the support surface may be a surface surrounding a data center building or a roof of a data center building. However, in other implementation examples, the support surface may be a structural member specifically constructed to support the frame 14 of the dry cooler 10. A , 14 B The supporting part.

[0041] Figure 1B A high-level functional block diagram of a dry cooling arrangement 100 is shown that provides cooling to a heat source 110 that generates thermal energy, in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present technology. The heat source 110 may be a plurality of heat-generating electronic processing components 112 (e.g., processing servers) housed by a data center. For ease of understanding and clarity, Figure 1B Frame 14 is not depicted A , 14 B And details of cooling pad 150.

[0042] As shown, the dry cooling arrangement 100 includes a first cooling fluid closed loop 120 in which the first cooling fluid circulates to extract thermal energy generated by a heat source 110 (e.g., a processing server 112) and carries the extracted thermal energy to a heat exchange dry cooler 10, which dissipates the thermal energy to re-cool the first cooling fluid. A pump 105 may be used to circulate the re-cooled first cooling fluid from the dry cooler 10 back to the heat source 110. It will be understood that the first cooling fluid circulated through the first cooling fluid closed loop 120 may include water, a dielectric fluid, a refrigerant fluid, a two-phase fluid, or any other fluid suitable for collecting and discharging thermal energy.

[0043] exist Figure 1B In the illustrated embodiment, the first cooling fluid closed loop 120 includes one of the heat exchangers 20 of the dry cooler 10. Another heat exchanger 20 may be included in another cooling fluid closed loop for cooling another heat source. In certain other embodiments, the first cooling fluid closed loop 120 may include two of the heat exchangers 20 of the dry cooler 10, which are arranged in a parallel or series configuration. Again, for ease of understanding and clarity, the following description is directed to one of the heat exchangers 20 of the dry cooler 10 and the corresponding cooling pad 150. However, it will be understood that the following description is equally applicable to the configuration of other heat exchangers 20 and corresponding cooling pads 150.

[0044] exist Figure 1B In the illustrated embodiment, the dry cooler 10 includes a heat exchanger panel 20 for rejecting the thermal energy of the first cooling fluid to the atmosphere. In this illustrative example, the heat exchanger panel 20 is a liquid-to-air heat exchanger panel 20 that transfers thermal energy from the circulating first cooling fluid to air flowing through the liquid-to-air heat exchanger panel. Figure 1B As shown, the heat exchanger panel 20 has an air inlet side 26 and an air outlet side 28 through which ambient air enters into and exits from the heat exchanger panel 20, respectively.

[0045] The liquid-to-air heat exchanger panel 20 includes a cooling coil (not shown) for circulating a first cooling fluid therein, and the liquid-to-air heat exchanger panel 20 may define a plurality of fins (not shown) in thermal contact with the cooling coil. Figure 1BAs shown, the cooling coil incorporates a fluid inlet 22 for supplying a first cooling fluid into the cooling coil and a fluid outlet 24 for discharging a heat transfer fluid from the cooling coil. The fins may be spaced apart from one another so that air flows between the fins from an air inlet side 26 to an air outlet side 28.

[0046] In some embodiments, the fan assembly 140 is connected to the frame (e.g., frame 14 A , 14 B ) and generates an air flow through the dry cooler 10. In particular, the fan assembly 140 includes a plurality of fans 142 located at the upper end of the dry cooler 10 (at Figure 1B 14). In this example, the fans 142 are rotatable about respective vertical axes 144. It will be appreciated that other implementations are contemplated, such as, for example, the fans 142 may be configured to generate an air flow directed to the cooling pad 150 of the dry cooler 10, so that the air flow can interact directly with the heat exchanger 20.

[0047] The fan assembly 140 may include a corresponding motor (not shown) that drives each of the fans 142 to rotate the fans 142 about their corresponding axes 144. Figure 1B As shown by the dashed air flow arrows in FIG. 1 , the fan assembly 140 draws ambient air from the side of the dry cooler 10 , passes the drawn ambient air through the heat exchanger panel 20 , and dissipates the heated air through the fan assembly 140 into the surrounding environment vertically above the dry cooler 10 .

[0048] Thus, the dry cooler 10 operates by transferring the heated first cooling fluid extracted from the heat source 110 (e.g., the processing server 112) through the cooling coils of the heat exchanger panel 20 while drawing ambient air between the fins and around the cooling coils of the heat exchanger panel 20. The ambient air absorbs heat from the heated first cooling fluid circulating through the cooling coils, and as the ambient air is drawn through the heat exchanger panel 20 into the interior space of the dry cooler 10, thermal energy is transferred from the first cooling fluid circulating in the heat exchanger panel 20 to the ambient air. That is, the heated air is now discharged from the interior space of the dry cooler 10 to the ambient air through the air flow generated by the fan assembly 140.

[0049] Thus, the first cooling fluid circulating through the heat exchanger panel 20 is recooled and circulated back to the heat source 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the first cooling fluid closed loop 120 also includes a temperature sensor 107 that detects the temperature of the first cooling fluid at the fluid outlet 24 of the heat exchanger panel 20. The temperature sensor 107 can be communicatively coupled to the electronic controller 500 (see, e.g., Figure 1B ), the electronic controller 500 is used to control the pumping flow rate of the first pump 105 and / or the rotation speed of the fan 142 in response to the detected temperature of the first cooling fluid. For example, if the temperature sensor 107 detects that the temperature of the first cooling fluid exceeds a high temperature threshold, the electronic controller 500 may increase the pumping flow rate of the first pump 105 and / or the rotation speed of the fan 142 to improve the cooling capacity of the dry cooler 10. According to the specific implementation scheme of the water cooling and / or air measures, the high temperature threshold may be set to be between about 35°C and about 45°C.

[0050] Figure 2 An adiabatic dry cooling system 200 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present technology is shown. The adiabatic cooling system 200 incorporates an evaporative pad 150 and a distribution system 160 for controlled spraying or dripping of a second cooling fluid onto the evaporative pad 150 to dampen the cooling evaporative pad 150. The second cooling fluid may be water or other suitable liquids, and the second cooling fluid may have additives such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) and / or polypropylene glycol (PPG).

[0051] The distribution system 160 includes: a second cooling fluid open loop 166 presenting a conduit 168 for conveying the second cooling fluid; a second cooling fluid supply source 202; a pump 204 for urging the second cooling fluid through the conduit 168; a valve 206 for controlling the flow of the second cooling fluid; a nozzle 162 for dispensing (e.g., spraying / dripping) the second cooling fluid onto the evaporative pad 150 (e.g., onto the top portion of the evaporative pad 150) for wetting purposes; a temperature sensor 208 for detecting the temperature of the air flow entering the evaporative pad 150 and / or a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the air flow leaving the evaporative pad 150; and a fluid leakage sensor 210 for detecting any second cooling fluid moisture leaking from the evaporative pad 150. The valve 206 may include a temperature responsive PICV or ABQM valve that includes a differential pressure regulator to automatically adjust for changes in system pressure caused by the opening and closing of the valve.

[0052] The cooling evaporative pad 150 is disposed on the lateral side of the dry cooler 10. In one embodiment, the frame 14 of the dry cooler 10 includes an enclosure that integrates the evaporative pad 150 to the side of the dry cooler 10 so that ambient air drawn in by the fan 142 of the dry cooler first travels through the cooling evaporative pad 150 and then travels to the heat exchanger panel 20.

[0053] The evaporation pad 150 is designed with a structured pattern that promotes ambient air flow through the evaporation pad. Therefore, the structure of the evaporation pad 150 can include a mesh, a net, a honeycomb, or other suitable patterns. In addition, the structure of the evaporation pad 150 can be made of plastic material, cellulose, or fiberglass, but in alternative embodiments, other materials are also contemplated.

[0054] The distribution system 160 operates to provide controlled spraying / drip of the second cooling fluid to wet the evaporative pad 150. In certain embodiments, the distribution system 160 may also be combined with a flow sensor (not shown) to help quantify the precise flow required for evaporation. Thus, ambient air flows through the wetted evaporative pad 150. As a portion of the second cooling fluid (e.g., water droplets) distributed to the evaporative pad 150 evaporates, the temperature of the ambient air flowing through the evaporative pad 150 is reduced (i.e., cooled). Thus, the thermal energy of the ambient air is absorbed by the evaporation of the portion of the wetted evaporative pad 150, so that the temperature of the ambient air flow is reduced.

[0055] The distribution system 160 of the adiabatic dry cooling system 200 is configured to deliver the second cooling fluid from the supply source 202 to the nozzle 162 via the second cooling fluid open loop 166. In particular, the pump 204 transfers the second cooling fluid from the supply source 202 along the open loop 166 to the valve 206. The valve 206 controls the flow rate of the second cooling fluid to be sprayed / dripped onto the evaporative pad 150. Therefore, the pump 204 and the valve 206 are configured to be communicatively coupled to the electronic controller 500, wherein the electronic controller 500 manages and controls the valve 206 to provide an optimal flow rate of the second cooling fluid based on data collected from other related communicatively coupled elements of the adiabatic dry cooling system 200, such as, for example, the temperature sensor 208 and the fluid leakage sensor 210.

[0056] Relatedly, the temperature sensor 208 is configured to detect the temperature of the air flow entering the evaporative pad 150. Depending on the geographic location, the high and low temperature extremes detected by the temperature sensor 208 may be in the range of about -40°C to about 60°C. The temperature sensor 208 is communicatively coupled to the electronic controller 500 to report the detected temperature of the air received by the evaporative pad 150. Relatedly, in certain implementations, a humidity sensor (not shown) may be arranged in juxtaposition with the temperature sensor 208, or may be implemented as a combined temperature / humidity sensor to help quantify the exact amount of water required for cooling.

[0057] In addition, the fluid leakage sensor 210 is configured to detect any level of second cooling fluid moisture leaking from the evaporative pad 150. The fluid leakage sensor 210 is communicatively coupled to the electronic controller 500 to report any detected moisture leak. Depending on the implementation and related requirements, a maximum leakage of about 5% to about 10% of the total water flow rate may be acceptable for a predetermined period of time.

[0058] As mentioned above about Figure 1B As discussed, the electronic controller 500 controls the pumping flow rate of the first pump 105 and / or the speed of the fan 142 in response to the detected temperature of the first cooling fluid. In a similar manner, the electronic controller 500 adjusts and controls the flow rate of the second cooling fluid of the valve 206 and / or the pumping flow rate of the pump 204 based on the detected temperature data of the air flow entering the evaporative pad 150 reported by the temperature sensor 208 and the detected moisture leakage data of the second cooling fluid reported by the fluid leakage sensor 210. It will be understood that the temperature and relative humidity of other areas of the dry cooling system 200 can be detected to help adjust and control the fluid flow rate of the valve 206 and / or the pumping flow rate of the pump 204. Therefore, it is possible to implement: other temperature and relative humidity sensors (not shown) to detect, for example, the air inlet temperature / air outlet temperature of the heat exchanger 20, the inlet temperature / outlet temperature of the cooling evaporative pad 150, the air outlet temperature of the fan, the water outlet temperature, etc.; relative humidity sensors before the evaporative cooling pad 150 and / or after the evaporative cooling pad 150.

[0059] The electronic controller 500 may adjust and control the determination of the second cooling fluid flow rate of the valve 206 and / or the pumping flow rate of the pump 204 based on the detected data of the temperature sensor 208, the air inlet temperature / air outlet temperature of the heat exchanger 20, the inlet temperature / outlet temperature of the evaporative cooling pad 150, the fan air outlet temperature, the water outlet temperature, and the fluid leakage sensor 210. This data may also be combined with the detected temperature of the first cooling fluid, the detected flow rate of the first pump 105, and the rotation speed of the fan 142 to determine the timely and accurate adjustment / control of the cooling fluid flow rate of the valve 206 and / or the pumping flow rate of the pump 204.

[0060] In operation, the electronic controller 500 is configured to determine a target amount of the second cooling fluid to be sprayed / dripped onto the cooling pad 150 so that the second cooling fluid is substantially (if not completely) evaporated on the cooling pad 150 before reaching the bottom of the cooling pad 150, while providing sufficient cooling of the ambient air drawn through the cooling pad 150. For example, in response to the fluid leakage sensor 210 detecting a water leak exceeding about 5% of the total water flow, the electronic controller 500 may reduce the amount of the second cooling fluid sprayed / dripped onto the cooling pad 150. As another example, in response to the temperature sensor 208 detecting an increase in the ambient air temperature, the electronic controller 500 may increase the amount of the second cooling fluid sprayed / dripped onto the cooling pad 150.

[0061] Back to Figure 2 The dry cooling system 200 may also include one or more delta pressure sensors 220 configured to determine whether air flow across the heat exchanger panel 20 is lost due to damage to the cooling evaporative pad 150. Damage to the cooling evaporative pad 150 may be caused by clogging or dirtiness of the cooling evaporative pad 150, which may result in reduced evaporation rate and increased water leakage. The variable pressure sensor 220 may also be configured to communicate with the electronic controller 500 to send an alarm message to clean or replace the clogged / dirty cooling evaporative pad 150.

[0062] In some implementations, the dry cooling system 200 may also be implemented with one or more solar panels 250, and one or more rechargeable battery packs 225 electrically connected to the solar panels 250. The solar panels 250 may be disposed on the top of the data center or other locations that provide optimal sunlight exposure to convert solar energy into electrical energy. The rechargeable battery packs 225 may be disposed between the air-to-liquid heat exchanger panels 20, and may also be configured to accommodate any minor leaks. In this way, the converted electrical energy provided by the solar panels 250 is transferred to the rechargeable battery packs 225 and stored by the rechargeable battery packs 225. Thus, the electrical energy stored by the rechargeable battery packs 225 may be used to power various sensors, the electronic controller 500, and the second pump 204 through a DC / AC inverter.

[0063] Figure 3 A functional block diagram of an electronic controller 500 according to an embodiment of the present technology is shown. As shown, the controller 500 includes: a processor or multiple cooperating processors (for simplicity, represented as a processor 512); a storage device or multiple storage devices (for simplicity, represented as a storage device 514); one or more input devices and one or more output devices, which may be combined in one or more input / output devices (for simplicity, represented as a single input / output device 516). The processor 512 is operatively connected to the storage device 514 and operatively connected to the input / output device 516. The storage device is configured to store a parameter list 518, which includes, for example, relevant temperature, humidity and leakage thresholds, wherein, for simplicity, only a few of the above sensors are depicted. The storage device 514 may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing control logic instructions 520 that can be executed by the processor 512.

[0064] The processor 512 is communicatively coupled to the temperature sensors 107 and 208 and to the leak detection sensor 210 via the input / output interface 516, and is operatively coupled to the valve 206, operatively coupled to the pumps 204 and 105, and operatively coupled to the at least one fan assembly 140 for regulating and controlling the elements that may be present in a particular embodiment. The processor 512 is configured to execute the control logic instructions 520 stored in the storage device 514 to implement the various above-described functions of the controller 500.

[0065] It will be understood that in certain embodiments, the control logic instructions 520 of the processor 512 may also be configured to evaluate detected data received from the sensors 107, 208, 210 over a period of time to provide predicted and / or recommended operating control parameters for operatively coupled elements such as valve 206, pumps 204 and 105, and fan assembly 140.

[0066] The depicted embodiments are not intended to limit the present disclosure, but are provided for illustration purposes. Thus, in certain embodiments, only some of the sensors, valves, pumps, or fans may be implemented.

[0067] Figure 4 A functional flow chart indicating the operational steps of a process 400 for cooling a heat source according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present technology is shown. The process 400 is configured to be executed by an electronic controller 500 in coordination with a processor 512, a memory device 514, and stored instructions 520 incorporated in the memory device 514.

[0068] The process 400 starts at step 402, and in step 420, a first cooling fluid is caused to flow within the first cooling fluid closed loop 120. As described above, the first cooling fluid circulating within the first cooling fluid closed loop 120 is used to cool the heat source 110 by transferring heat energy from the circulating first cooling fluid to the air flowing through the panel 20, and thus, during the operation of the data center, the first cooling fluid is heated by the heat generating components of the heat source 110. Therefore, at step 404, the temperature of the first cooling fluid is detected, for example, by the temperature sensor 107.

[0069] At step 406, the second cooling fluid is caused to flow within the second cooling fluid open loop 166. As described above, the dispensing system 160 is used to provide controlled spraying / dripping of the second cooling fluid to moisten and cool the evaporative pad 150, which is caused by the evaporation of the dispensed second cooling fluid due to the flow of ambient air through the evaporative pad 150. Therefore, at step 408, the temperature of the ambient air flow entering the evaporative pad 150 is detected, such as, for example, by the temperature sensor 208, and at step 410, the amount of fluid leakage from the evaporative pad 150 is detected, such as, for example, by the leakage sensor 210.

[0070] Based on the detected temperature of the first cooling fluid, the detected temperature of the air flow entering the evaporative pad, and the detected fluid leakage, at step 412, the process 400 determines control adjustments for the flow of the valve 206 for the second cooling fluid, the pumping flow of the pump 204 for processing the second cooling fluid, the speed of the fan 142 and / or the pumping flow of the pump 105 for processing the first cooling fluid to achieve optimal cooling of the data center heat source 110.

[0071] As described above, the control logic instructions 520 of the processor 512 can be configured to evaluate the detected data received from the sensors 107, 208, 210 over a period of time to provide predicted and / or recommended operating control parameters for operatively coupled elements such as valve 206, pumps 204 and 105, and fan assembly 140. In certain implementations, the control logic instructions 520 can incorporate an artificial intelligence (AI) method that analyzes the operating parameters of all detected sensors over time to provide adjustments / controls to the relevant elements to optimize the cooling operation based on historical experience such as, for example, time of day, weekdays, weekends, different seasons, etc. Thus, at step 414, the process 400 provides a recommended predictive control for the operating parameters of the flow rate of the valve of the second cooling fluid, the pumping rate of the second cooling fluid, the fan speed, and / or the pumping rate of the first cooling fluid.

[0072] Although the above implementation scheme has been described and illustrated with reference to specific steps performed in a specific order, it will be understood that these steps can be combined, subdivided, or reordered without departing from the teachings of the present technology. At least some of these steps can be performed in parallel or in series. Therefore, the order and grouping of steps are not limitations of the present technology.

[0073] Modifications and improvements to the above implementations of the present technology may be obvious to those skilled in the art. The foregoing description is intended to be exemplary rather than restrictive. Therefore, the scope of the present technology is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A data center dry cooling system (200) for cooling a heat source (110), the data center dry cooling system (200) comprising: A first closed-loop arrangement (120), the first closed-loop arrangement (120) being configured to convey a first cooling fluid and circulate the first cooling fluid through the heat source (110), the first closed-loop arrangement (120) comprising: an air-to-liquid heat exchanger (20) adapted to receive the first cooling fluid circulating away from the heat source, and configured to dissipate heat applied to the first cooling fluid by the heat source to re-cool the first cooling fluid, and a first pump (105) adapted to receive the first recooled cooling fluid from the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and transfer the first recooled cooling fluid to the heat generating source; A second cooling fluid open circuit arrangement (166), the second cooling fluid open circuit arrangement (166) being configured to convey a second cooling fluid from a second cooling fluid source, the second cooling fluid open circuit arrangement comprising: a second fluid access component (204) adapted to supply a flow of the second cooling fluid from the second cooling fluid source to the second cooling fluid open circuit arrangement, a second cooling fluid valve (206) fluidly coupled to the second cooling fluid open loop arrangement to provide a flow of the second cooling fluid to the evaporative pad (150), and the evaporative pad (150), the evaporative pad (150) being disposed at the input air flow side of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger (20), and the evaporative pad (150) being adapted to receive the flow of the second cooling fluid for cooling humidification; at least one fan (142) adapted to cause air flow through the evaporative pad and through the first air-to-liquid heat exchanger; and An electronic controller (500) is configured to manage and control the pumping flow of the first pump (105), the second fluid access component (204), the flow of the second cooling fluid valve (106), and / or the rotation speed of at least one of the fans (142).

2. The data center dry cooling system according to claim 1, wherein: The heat generating sources include a plurality of data center rack mounted electronic processing components (112).

3. The data center dry cooling system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The first pump, the second fluid access component, the second cooling fluid valve, and at least one of the fans are communicatively coupled to the electronic controller.

4. The data center dry cooling system according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein: The second fluid access component includes a second pump (204).

5. The data center dry cooling system according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein: The second cooling fluid valve includes any one of a solenoid valve, a PICV valve, or an ABQM valve.

6. The data center dry cooling system according to any one of claims 1 or 2, further comprising: at least a first temperature sensor (107) for detecting the temperature of the first cooling fluid at the outlet of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger; at least a second temperature sensor (208) configured to sense a temperature of the air flow entering the evaporative pad; as well as a leak detection sensor (210) configured to detect fluid leakage from the evaporative pad, Wherein, the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor and the leak detector are connected to the electronic controller in a communicative manner.

7. The data center dry cooling system according to claim 6, wherein: The electronic controller regulates and controls any one of the flow rate of the first pump or the second pump, the speed of the fan, and / or the flow rate of the second cooling fluid valve based on data provided by the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the leak detector.

8. The data center dry cooling system according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising: one or more sensors for detecting the air inlet temperature / air outlet temperature of the heat exchanger, the inlet temperature / outlet temperature of the cooling evaporative pad, the air outlet temperature of the fan, and the water outlet temperature; and one or more sensors for detecting the humidity level arranged before and / or after the cooling evaporative pad.

9. A data center dry cooling system according to any one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the data center dry cooling system further comprises one or more variable pressure sensors (220), wherein the variable pressure sensors (220) are configured to: detect a loss of air flow throughout the heat exchanger due to damage to the cooling evaporative pad; and convey an alarm message related to the detected loss of air flow.

10. The data center dry cooling system according to any one of claims 7 or 8, further comprising: one or more solar panels (250), the one or more solar panels (250) configured to convert solar energy into electrical energy; One or more rechargeable battery packs (225) electrically coupled to the solar panels to receive electrical energy from the one or more solar panels.

11. The data center dry cooling system according to claim 10, wherein: The one or more rechargeable battery packs are operative to power at least one of the temperature sensor, the leak detection sensor, and the electronic controller.

12. A data center dry cooling method for cooling a heat source (110), the data center dry cooling method comprising: A flow of a first cooling fluid is circulated through the heat generating source in a first closed loop arrangement (120), the first closed loop arrangement (120) comprising: an air-to-liquid heat exchanger (20) that receives the first cooling fluid that is circulated away from the heat source and dissipates heat applied to the first cooling fluid by the heat source to re-cool the first cooling fluid, and a first pump (105) receiving the first recooled cooling fluid from the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and transferring the first recooled cooling fluid to the heat generating source; A flow of a second cooling fluid is circulated in a second open circuit arrangement (166), the second open circuit arrangement (166) comprising: a second pump (204) supplying a flow of the second cooling fluid from a second cooling fluid source to the second cooling fluid open loop arrangement, a second cooling fluid valve (206) fluidly coupled to the second cooling fluid open loop arrangement for providing a flow of the second cooling fluid onto the evaporative pad (150), and the evaporative pad (150) being arranged at the input air flow side of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger for receiving the provided flow of the second cooling fluid for cooling humidification; providing at least one fan (142) adapted to cause air flow through the evaporative pad and through the first air-to-liquid heat exchanger; and An electronic controller (500) is provided, and the electronic controller (500) is used to manage and control the pumping flow of the first pump and the second pump, the flow of the second cooling fluid valve, and the rotation speed of at least one of the fans.

13. The data center dry cooling method according to claim 12, further comprising: The first and second pumps, the second cooling fluid valve, and at least one of the fans are arranged to be communicatively coupled to the electronic controller.

14. The data center dry cooling method according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising: operating a first temperature sensor (107) for detecting the temperature of the first cooling fluid at an outlet of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger; operating a second temperature sensor (208) for detecting the temperature of the air flow entering the evaporative pad; as well as operating a leak detection sensor (210) for detecting fluid leakage from the evaporative pad, Wherein, the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor and the leak detector are connected to the electronic controller in a communicative manner.

15. The data center dry cooling method according to any one of claims 12 or 13, wherein: The electronic controller regulates and controls any one of the flow rate of the first pump or the second pump, the speed of the fan, and / or the flow rate of the second cooling fluid valve based on data provided by the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the leak detector.

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