Heat removal system and method for data center with automatic fire suppression

Abstract

In an open-loop heat removal system for a building, such as a data center or a residence, a refrigeration unit supplies cold air into the building, hot air is discharged from the building, and the hot air is not recovered, recirculated or recooled. To suppress a fire, the system receives temperature readings from one or more temperature sensors and determines if any temperature readings reach or exceed a temperature indicative of the presence of a fire. If so, a shutter located above the inlet module is closed automatically or in a programmed manner, thereby cutting off the supply of air to the building. The system determines whether the interior of the building is under negative pressure. If not, an exhaust fan at the exit of the building is turned on to generate negative pressure in the building. The system determines whether the oxygen level of the building indicates that the fire behavior has been suppressed. And if not, activating the water spraying fire extinguishing system.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 850,869, filed on April 16, 2020, entitled “HEAT REMOVAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS,” which is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 230,799, filed on December 21, 2018, entitled “HEAT REMOVAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS,” issued as U.S. Patent No. 10,667,436, which is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 678,961, filed on August 16, 2017, entitled “DATA CENTER HEAT REMOVAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS,” issued as U.S. Patent No. 10,212,855, which is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 678,961, filed on August 16, 2017, entitled “DATA CENTER HEAT REMOVAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS” filed on December 30, 2014, which claims priority under 35 USC §119 to provisional application No. 62 / 098,176, entitled “DATA CENTER HEAT REMOVAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS”. All applications listed in this paragraph are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to data centers. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a new approach to removing heat from industrial buildings such as data centers. Even more particularly, the present disclosure relates to heat removal systems, methods, and computer program products with automatic fire suppression for data centers. Background Art

[0004] A data center is an example of an industrial facility that can be used to house computer systems and related cooling equipment (e.g., air conditioning systems). A large data center may include hundreds or thousands of server machines and may require as much energy as a small town to power the data center computer equipment and cooling equipment.

[0005] Therefore, the energy usage consumed by a data center is a major cost consideration for all parties involved. The energy cost of a data center comes from computing, network activities, and power conversion which use energy and generate heat as a byproduct. However, the majority of energy costs are associated with heat removal from the data center. Active thermal management equipment (i.e., air conditioning systems) is significantly less than 100% efficient, which means that thermal monitoring and management equipment adds to the heat removal problem in a data center because they generate heat through their own operation.

[0006] In traditional data center environments, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) is used to maintain the desired temperature. In fact, HVAC systems are an integral part of almost every data center. They are essential to maintaining the temperature, humidity and air quality of the data center.

[0007] An HVAC system typically includes a furnace, evaporator coil, condensing unit, ventilation, and refrigerant lines. Typically, the ambient temperature is monitored by a thermostat, which turns the heating or air conditioning on and off to maintain the temperature set by the thermostat.

[0008] For heating, air is heated by the furnace and then distributed throughout the data center through ductwork or piping. The furnace can be large and is the largest of all HVAC components. With hundreds or thousands of server machines constantly running at the same time in a data center environment, maintaining a minimum temperature with the furnace is less of a problem than keeping the data center cool and not exceeding a certain acceptable temperature with the rest of the HVAC components.

[0009] For cooling, a condensing unit is installed outside the data center and is filled with refrigerant gas. The condensing unit may include a compressor to pump the liquid refrigerant to the evaporator coil as the refrigerant gas cools to liquid form. The indoor air is cooled by the liquid refrigerant in the evaporator coil as the indoor air's heat is absorbed into the refrigerant. This process converts the refrigerant from liquid to gas again. As the cooled air is distributed inside the data center, the gas circulates back to the condensing unit through the refrigerant lines. When the refrigerant turns back into a liquid, the heat is released to the outdoors through the outdoor unit, and a fan blows air across the condenser to dissipate the heat to the outdoors.

[0010] HVAC systems regulate heat inside buildings and perform air conditioning, while air conditioners (also known as AC units) are primarily used for air conditioning. HVAC systems and AC units are not designed to bring in fresh air from the outside for cooling purposes. Typically, outside air is introduced into the HVAC system from an air intake, which is usually located next to the furnace. Through this air intake, air is sucked in from the outside and cooled for indoor distribution. Similarly, air is initially sucked into the AC unit. The sucked air passes through the coil. When the refrigerant returns to the building, it passes through a narrow valve into the evaporator. The valve expands rapidly as the refrigerant flows into the evaporator. This expansion causes the refrigerant to become very cold. A fan blows the air toward the very cold evaporator. The coil of the evaporator is the component that ultimately cools the air. The cooled air is distributed throughout the building via a duct system. As the cooled air is distributed, the air blowing from the return duct onto the evaporator again transfers heat to the refrigerant. The refrigerant is then pumped back to the condenser, starting the cycle all over again. This creates recycled air. That is, the HVAC system and AC unit recycle indoor air rather than continuously bringing in fresh outdoor air. Summary of the invention

[0011] Embodiments disclosed herein provide a fire suppression method for an open loop heat removal system, wherein a fire can be suppressed because hot air is exhausted from a building (e.g., a data center or a residence) without recovery, recirculation, or re-cooling of the hot air. Although an open loop heat removal system is disclosed herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the principles of heat, oxygen, and airflow monitoring and control (e.g., by blinds, ventilation, or other devices) can also be applied to fire suppression / protection in a closed loop environment.

[0012] As a non-limiting example, a heat removal system may include:

[0013] a refrigeration unit for supplying cool air to a building through an inlet of the building;

[0014] an inlet module located at an entrance of a building, the building having an outlet through which hot air is exhausted from the building without recovery, recirculation or re-cooling of the hot air;

[0015] an exit module located at an exit of a building;

[0016] shutters located at the entry module;

[0017] an exhaust fan located at the outlet module;

[0018] A temperature sensor located inside the building to sense the internal temperature of the building;

[0019] Oxygen sensors, which are used to sense the internal oxygen levels of buildings;

[0020] Pressure sensors, which are used to sense the internal pressure of a building;

[0021] Smoke detectors, which detect smoke in buildings;

[0022] Controller;

[0023] non-transitory computer readable media; and

[0024] Instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the instructions being interpretable by a controller for implementing a fire suppression method for a heat removal system.

[0025] In some embodiments, a fire suppression method may include:

[0026] receiving an indication from a smoke detector that smoke has been detected in the building;

[0027] In response to an indication from a smoke detector, closing a shutter at an inlet module to cut off a supply of cool air through an inlet of the building;

[0028] Use pressure sensors to determine whether the interior of a building is under negative pressure;

[0029] In response to the interior of the building not being under negative pressure, operating the exhaust fan to create negative pressure inside;

[0030] Use oxygen sensors to determine if the building's internal oxygen levels have dropped to a level that indicates the fire has been contained;

[0031] Determine if smoke is still detectable in the building, and

[0032] In response to the fire not being contained or smoke still being detected in the building, the sprinkler system in the building is activated.

[0033] In some embodiments, when temperature readings from temperature sensors located inside the building indicate that the temperature readings have reached or exceeded a default temperature or a user-set temperature indicating the presence of a fire in the building, closing of shutters at the inlet modules can be triggered to cut off the supply of cool air through the inlet of the building.

[0034] In some embodiments, the fire suppression method for a heat removal system may further include setting the temperature for activating the sprinkler system to be higher than a default temperature or a user-set temperature that triggers the shutters at the entrance module to close. In some embodiments, the fire suppression method may further include setting the temperature for activating the sprinkler system to be higher than a default temperature or a user-set temperature. This allows the heat removal system to take appropriate measures step by step. First, the system completely closes the shutters at the entrance of the building to cut off the supply of cold air. Next, the system checks whether one or more exhaust fans at one or more outlet modules are working. If not, the system closes one or more outlet modules and checks whether the fire is contained by closing both the entrance and the exit.

[0035] If one or more exhaust fans are operating, the system checks the internal pressure and oxygen level. Reducing oxygen levels can help extinguish fires, and negative pressure can help reduce oxygen levels within a building. Therefore, in some embodiments, the system is operable to determine whether the interior of the building is under a negative pressure of 1 KPa or greater. In some embodiments, the system is operable to determine whether the internal oxygen level of the building is 15% or less. If so, the fire is considered to have been contained and the process ends. If smoke is still detected after the oxygen is reduced, the sprinkler system can be programmed to activate. The above-described fire suppression method can be particularly useful for buildings without windows. For example, data centers typically do not have windows for safety reasons.

[0036] These and other aspects of the present disclosure will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the following description, although indicating various embodiments of the present disclosure and many specific details thereof, is given as an illustration only and not as a limitation. Many substitutions, modifications, additions and / or rearrangements may be made within the scope of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure includes all such substitutions, modifications, additions and / or rearrangements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The accompanying drawings, which are included and constitute a part of this specification, are used to describe certain aspects of the present disclosure. It should be noted that the features shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. The present disclosure and its advantages may be more fully understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate like features.

[0038] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary data center heat removal system configured for use in a data center and having a refrigeration unit is shown in accordance with some embodiments.

[0039] Figure 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary server compartment of a data center implementing the exemplary data center heat removal system disclosed herein.

[0040] Figure 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary arrangement of a refrigeration unit according to some embodiments.

[0041] Figure 4-7 is a diagram of an exemplary refrigeration unit according to some embodiments.

[0042] Figure 8 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary data center heat removal system configured to maintain a desired temperature in a data center, according to some embodiments.

[0043] Fig. 9 is a logic control diagram for an exemplary data center heat removal system, according to some embodiments.

[0044] Fig. 10A Depicted is a building having an example of a heat removal system disclosed herein installed, according to some embodiments.

[0045] Fig. 10B Depicted is a building having another example of a heat removal system disclosed herein installed, according to some embodiments.

[0046] Fig.11 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method for removing heat and cooling air from a building according to some embodiments.

[0047] Fig.12 A diagram depicting a closed-loop heat removal system utilizing an HVAC system to regulate the indoor temperature of a building.

[0048] Fig.13 Depicted is a diagram of an open loop heat removal system utilizing a refrigeration unit to supply cool air to a building, in accordance with some embodiments.

[0049] Figures 14A-14D Depicted is a diagram of a closed-loop heat removal system having an inlet module, an outlet module, and thermal shutters, according to some embodiments.

[0050] Fig.15 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a fire suppression method for an open loop heat removal system according to some embodiments.

[0051] Fig.16 is a flow chart illustrating another example of a fire suppression method for an open loop heat removal system according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The present invention and its various features and advantageous details can be more fully explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail in the following description. Descriptions of well-known starting materials, processing techniques, components and equipment are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the details of the present invention. However, it should be understood that these detailed descriptions and specific examples, although indicating some embodiments of the present invention, are given only by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various substitutions, modifications, additions and / or rearrangements within the spirit and / or scope of the basic inventive concept will be apparent from this disclosure.

[0053] Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and computer program products that allow for the combination of active and passive thermal processes for removing heat and / or reducing oxygen levels (for fire suppression reasons) from industrial buildings with computing equipment, network equipment, and / or power distribution systems. For illustrative purposes, the examples provided in this disclosure are described in the context of a data center. However, some embodiments disclosed herein may be adapted or otherwise implemented for different types of industrial buildings, environments, situations, and the like. Some embodiments may automatically utilize convection for cooling. Some embodiments are designed to allow multi-stage cooling. Some embodiments utilize pressure to exhaust hot air and inhale cold air. Some embodiments may be built into new buildings. Some embodiments may be retrofitted to remove heat from existing buildings or environments and provide cold air thereto. Some embodiments are particularly useful for high-capacity applications. Although described as an open-loop heat removal system, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a closed-loop heat removal system may also implement the fire suppression method disclosed herein. Many additional embodiments are also feasible.

[0054] In some embodiments, a data center heat removal system may include an adjustable heat supply cold air intake system, a distribution system for cold air and warm air including one or more hot aisles and one or more cold aisles, and a convection system that uses naturally occurring convection processes to exhaust hot air and draw cold air through the data center equipment. That is, some embodiments utilize passive pressure differentials to exhaust hot air and introduce cold air, which can be used alone or in combination with actively used fans or other air circulation devices. In addition, some embodiments may use heat exchangers.

[0055] In some embodiments, these components are interchangeable and modular, and are the basis for a novel solution that provides an efficient method of removing heat from a data center.

[0056] Embodiments utilize natural convection to remove heat from the data center, including using the pressure differential between the hot aisle and the cold aisle. Embodiments may also use cold air from sprayers and / or freezer boxes to draw in cold air. Some embodiments may use natural processes to create two different pressure zones in the data center. Some embodiments may use natural processes to maximize the air pressure differential between the cold aisle input of each individual server and its output to the warm aisle. Some embodiments allow multi-stage air cooling driven by natural processes.

[0057] Advantageously, embodiments effectively manage the climate within a data center (which may include temperature, humidity, airflow, and air quality, among others) and minimize energy usage for air distribution. Some embodiments minimize the use of active thermal management equipment that generates heat through its own operation. Some embodiments minimize and eliminate the use of mobile cooling components. Some embodiments minimize maintenance costs associated with server heating and cooling. Some embodiments manage the cost of computing services.

[0058] In some embodiments, a system for removing heat from a building and cooling air in the building may include a refrigeration unit for supplying cooled air to the building at a constant rate, the building having a heat containment for capturing or receiving hot air inside the building, the building also having an exhaust structure for exhausting the hot air from the building, so that the hot air captured or received thereby is not recovered, recycled, or re-cooled. The refrigeration unit may include a housing having an air inlet end and an air outlet end, and at least one fan located in the housing and configured to operate at a constant speed to draw ambient air from the air inlet end of the housing, cool the ambient air, and direct the cooled air to an opening of the building.

[0059] In some embodiments, a system for data center heat removal includes: an adjustable pressure supply cold air intake system; one or more heat exchangers; a distribution system for cold and warm air (cold aisle and warm aisle); and a convection system for drawing cold air through data center equipment in conjunction with embedded server fans. The system can also use the naturally occurring convection process to exhaust hot air, thereby creating a relative vacuum to draw in cold air (and can optimally use adjustable fans to dispose of warm air). Thus, embodiments can include sealed warm low pressure areas and cold pressure areas.

[0060] In some embodiments, a method for removing heat from a building (e.g., a data center or any industrial building that generates heat) and cooling the air in the building may include positioning an exhaust end of a refrigeration unit in an opening of the building (e.g., in a wall, roof, or ceiling of the building), the refrigeration unit having a housing and at least one fan located in the housing, the housing having an air intake end and an exhaust end, the fan being configured to operate at a constant speed (whether the at least one fan is a fixed speed fan or a variable speed fan) to draw ambient air from the air intake end of the housing, cool the ambient air, and direct the cooled air to the opening of the building. The method may also include capturing or receiving the hot air within the building through a thermal enclosure within the building; arranging an air conditioning unit within the building to maintain a target temperature; and exhausting the hot air from the building through an exhaust structure of the building. In some embodiments, the target temperature may be a minimum service temperature required by the owner or operator of the building. The air conditioning unit may be part of any existing or commercially available HVAC system.

[0061] As described above, conventional HVAC systems and AC units do not continuously bring in fresh outdoor air. Instead, they recycle indoor air. Such HVAC systems and AC units can be considered to employ a closed-loop heat removal scheme. The embodiments disclosed herein employ a different heat removal scheme, in which hot air is exhausted from the building without being recovered, recycled, or re-cooled.

[0062] Expelling hot air from a building without recovering, recirculating, or recooling the hot air creates a pressure differential, wherein the air pressure on the hot side of the building is lower than the air pressure on the cold side of the building. The pressure differential draws cooled air supplied by a refrigeration unit from the hot side of the building to the cold side of the building through an opening in the building. A building may use an air conditioning unit that is configured to maintain a target temperature. In response to a temperature within the building rising above a target temperature, the air conditioning unit may be operable to operate until the temperature within the building drops to or below the target temperature, wherein the refrigeration unit supplies cooled air to the building at a constant rate without recovering, recirculating, or recooling the air heated within the building. In this way, the refrigeration unit may significantly reduce the energy consumption of the air conditioning unit.

[0063] In some embodiments, thermal containment may be implemented in a server compartment enclosing one or more server groups. The server compartment may have openings for taking in cooled air and vents for directing air heated by one or more server groups to an exhaust structure. In some embodiments, thermal containment may further include a sealed hood, housing, ductwork, or pipes.

[0064] In some embodiments, the refrigeration unit may further include at least one filter, evaporative cooler, evaporative cooling element, freezer coil, or refrigerator to further cool the air drawn from the air intake end of the housing.

[0065] The following provides non-limiting examples of data center environments in which heat removal systems may be implemented according to some embodiments. Figure 1 Depicted is a diagram schematically illustrating a layout of a data center heat removal system according to some embodiments. Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 1 , a data center heat removal system for a data center 100 includes a refrigeration unit 102. As will be described in more detail below, the refrigeration unit 102 may include a housing, one or more fans or similar devices configured to draw air from outside the data center, one or more atomizers for cooling the air, and one or more chiller units for further reducing the temperature of the air.

[0066] The data center 100 may include one or more server cabins 106a and 106b. The server cabins 106a and 106b may be implemented as separate rooms or enclosures having walls 107, doors 116a, 116b, 116c, 116d, and a ceiling (not shown). The server cabins 106a and 106b are configured to house one or more server groups 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d, respectively. The server groups 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d may include server racks stacked on top of each other. It should be noted that although two server cabins are shown, in practice, more server cabins may be used in the data center. Therefore, these figures are provided as examples only.

[0067] The server compartments 106a and 106b include openings 112 for drawing cold air from the refrigeration unit 102 via one or more "cold aisles" 115. In examples where the data center includes multiple server compartments, additional cold aisles may be formed between other server compartments. The server compartments 106a and 106b may be further configured so that the server groups 108a and 108b (and similarly, the server groups 108c and 108d) are separated by "hot aisles" 110a and 110b, respectively. In operation, cold air is drawn from one or more cold aisles 115 and flows through the server groups 108a and 108b (and similarly, through the server groups 108c and 108d), where the air is heated by the servers. The heated air isolated in the hot aisles 110a and 110b is then drawn up and drawn outward through the vents 117a and 117b on the ceilings of the respective compartments 106a and 106b. The heated air escaping from the hot aisles 110a and 110b will create a lower pressure in the hot aisles 110a and 110b, causing cool air to be drawn from one or more cold aisles 115. The air circulation can be controlled by varying the volume of air allowed through the supply side or exhaust side, or both (described in more detail below).

[0068] Thus, the air heated by the server groups 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d will rise to the top of the cabins 106a and 106b via natural convection and be exhausted through the vents 117a and 117b. Some embodiments provide a sealed enclosure for the hot air flow (see, e.g., Figure 2 In some embodiments, additional fans may be provided in or with vents 117a and 117b to help draw out heated air and / or maintain a desired pressure differential.

[0069] like Figure 1 As shown by the exemplary flow lines in FIG. 1 (represented by lines 114a and 114b), air flows from the refrigeration unit 102 into one or more cold aisles 115, from which it is drawn into the server bays 106a and 106b via openings 112. Inside the server bays 106a and 106b, the servers' internal fans (not shown) can draw air through the servers and out into the hot aisles 110a and 110b. The heated air is exhausted from the hot aisles 110a and 110b through vents 117a and 117b.

[0070] In some embodiments, the vents 117a and 117b may be provided with or associated with fans that draw air therein. In some embodiments, the fans are coupled to or controlled by one or more pressure sensors that may be used to ensure that the pressure in the hot aisles 110a and 110b is lower than the pressure in the cold aisle 115. For example, if the pressure in the hot aisle 110a or 110b is detected to be equal to or higher than the pressure in the cold aisle 115, the corresponding fans may be operated at a higher speed to draw more air upward into the hot aisles 110a and 110b so as to be exhausted through the vents 117a and 117b. This ensures that a desired pressure differential and / or desired airflow rate can be maintained or otherwise controlled.

[0071] Figure 2 1 is a perspective view showing an exemplary server bay of a data center housing multiple server groups (not shown). For clarity, only one server bay is shown. Figure 2 The data center in can be Figure 1 An embodiment of the data center 100 shown. In this example, the server compartment 206a and the adjacent server compartment (not shown) are separated by a cold aisle 215. The side of the server compartment 206a includes a mesh 212 for introducing cold air into the server compartment 206a. As shown, the server compartment 206a includes an access door 216a, which defines an opening to a hot aisle (not shown) inside the server compartment 206a. In the example shown, the server compartment hot aisle (inside the server compartment 206a) extends from the ceiling of the server compartment 206a to the ceiling of the data center via a housing or hood 211. The cold aisle 215 is pressurized with cold air, which is then drawn through the racks of the server compartment 206a, as shown by arrows 214. The air is then drawn out of the top of the server compartment 206a via a closed or sealed hood 211.

[0072] As mentioned above about Figure 1 As described, the data center heat removal system may include one or more refrigeration units, such as refrigeration unit 102 . Figure 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary arrangement of a refrigeration unit 300 that may be used in a data center according to some embodiments. The refrigeration unit 300 may include a structure or housing for housing the various components of the refrigeration unit described below. In one example, according to a non-limiting example, the housing may include a shipping container housing that is approximately 20 feet long, 7'10" high, and 7'8" wide. Other types and sizes may also be used.

[0073] exist Figure 3In the exemplary refrigeration unit 300 shown, the direction of airflow through the refrigeration unit 300 is indicated by arrows at each end of the refrigeration unit 300. Ambient air enters the refrigeration unit 300 at a first end 301 (as indicated by arrow 303) and exits at a second end 305 into a data center (as indicated by arrow 307). Figure 3 In the example shown, the refrigeration unit 300 includes a first fan unit 314, a first filter 312, a second fan unit 310, a sprayer 308, a chiller unit 306, a third fan unit 304, and a second sprayer 302. In some embodiments, each of these components can be configured to extend through a cross-section of the container. In addition, in some embodiments, one or more of the components may not be required. For example, in some embodiments, the data center heat removal system disclosed herein (e.g., Figure 1 The data center 100 shown may not require chiller unit 306, where the air outside the data center configured with the data center heat removal system is typically at a sufficiently cold temperature that artificial cooling is not required (e.g., depending on the climate, location, and / or altitude at which the data center is located). Additionally, in some embodiments, the humidity of the air may be such that only one mister is required.

[0074] In some embodiments, the number and configuration of the fan units in the refrigeration unit 300 can be selected based on the airflow requirements as needed. In some embodiments, the fan units 314, 310 and 304 can each include four 44'' blower fans capable of moving about 72000 CFM of air. The control of the fan units is described in detail below. In some embodiments, the filter unit 312 can be implemented as a four-stage high efficiency particulate air (Hepa) filter.

[0075] In some embodiments, the refrigerator unit 306 can be configured to include refrigerators located on two sides of the refrigeration unit 300, with coils extending from the two sides at 45 degrees to meet each other. In some embodiments, the coil unit can be hinged so that it can be swung to the side of the refrigeration unit using a motor when not in use.

[0076] In some embodiments of the data center heat removal system, various types of sensors may be placed in the data center to sense various conditions in the data center. In some embodiments, the sensed conditions are stored in a database and used by a control system to control the operation of components of the refrigeration unit and associated fans, vents, etc. (as described below). The control system may be associated with the refrigeration unit 300 or the data center itself or both. The sensors may include temperature sensors, humidity sensors, airflow sensors, pressure sensors, and / or other types of environmental sensors. In some embodiments, each refrigeration unit 300 may provide up to 60,000 CFM of air to the data center at or below 78 degrees. In other embodiments, each refrigeration unit 300 may provide more or less capacity as needed.

[0077] When the refrigeration unit 300 is pressurizing the data center, the variable speed ceiling fans (e.g., for Figure 1 The vents 117a and 117b or Figure 2 211) to keep the pressure in the hot aisle lower than the cool side of the system. When the temperature is below a threshold (e.g., 65 degrees), one of the fans can be slowed down or turned off to reduce the pressure, and the ceiling fan will slow down to reduce the amount of air being released.

[0078] Figure 4-7 is a diagram of an exemplary refrigeration unit according to some embodiments. Other configurations and layouts are also possible. Figure 4-7 In the illustration, the housing walls are hidden to show the refrigeration unit components inside the housing. Figure 4 is an isometric view of a refrigeration unit. Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C Each of Figure 4 A top view of a refrigeration unit is shown. Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A side view of a refrigeration unit is shown. Figure 7 yes Figure 4 An end view of a refrigeration unit is shown.

[0079] As described above, in some embodiments, a standard shipping container may be used to house the refrigeration unit. A typical shipping container consists of a steel box with a door at one end. While a standard shipping container works well as a refrigeration unit housing, a custom housing may also be used. In one example, a standard 20-foot refrigerated shipping container is used. In this example, an air intake area is formed at one end of the container (described below).

[0080] like Figure 4-7As shown, the refrigeration unit 400 includes a housing 410 having a door 412 at one end. During use of the refrigeration unit 400, the door 412 is opened or completely removed. Figure 4-6 , the direction in which air flows through the refrigeration unit 400 is from right to left.

[0081] A plurality of vents 414 are provided at the right end of the refrigeration unit 400, which form openings in the housing 410 to allow air to be drawn into the refrigeration unit 400 from the outside. Figure 4 In the example shown, vents 414 are formed on this end and on three sides of the housing 410. Downstream of the vents 414 are one or more fans 416. Figure 4-7 In the example shown, four fans are arranged to substantially cover the cross-section of the housing 410. More or fewer fans may be used. As described in more detail below, the fans 416 may be single speed or variable speed and may be controlled together or independently. The fans 416 draw air into the refrigeration unit 400 via the vents 414 and force the air through one or more filters 418. In one example, the fans 416 are 42 inch blowers, each capable of moving 18,200 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air. Figure 4-7 In the example of , four fans are placed on the intake side. In other examples (e.g. Figure 3 ), four additional fans are placed at the exhaust end of housing 410. In one example, the filter is a 3-stage high efficiency particulate air filter at a 45 degree angle on both sides to provide a larger surface area.

[0082] Downstream of the filter 418 is a sprayer 420. In the example shown, the sprayer 420 includes a series of sprayer nozzles 421 pointing downward near the top of the housing 410. When the sprayer 420 is activated, a fine mist 422 is sprayed downward as the air flows through the refrigeration unit 400. Depending on the temperature and relative humidity, the sprayer 420 can reduce the temperature of the air by about 10 degrees.

[0083] Downstream of the sprayer 420 is the sprayer cooling element 424. For the sake of clarity, the sprayer cooling element 424 is not shown in FIG. Figure 4 is shown in Figure 5A-6. The spray cooling element 424 is made of a metal material, which helps to further cool the air by providing a surface for mist condensation. As the air flows through the spray cooling element 424, the air is cooled not only by evaporating the mist, but also by passing through the spray cooling element 424. The spray cooling element 424 can be any configuration that allows air to flow through while providing a surface (e.g., a metal surface) for mist condensation. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, examples of the spray cooling element 424 can include coils, metal grilles or metal meshes, and the like.

[0084] Downstream of the sprayer 420 and the sprayer cooling element 424 is a pair of refrigerators 426 mounted on opposite walls of the housing 410. The refrigerators 426 can be conventional off-the-shelf air conditioning or freezer units configured to cool air. If further cooling of the air is desired, one or more of the refrigerators 426 can be turned on. Figure 5A-6 Also shown is a freezer element, such as a freezer coil 428 disposed between refrigerators 426 within housing 410. The freezer element 428 is an extension of the tubing extending from refrigerator 426 into refrigeration unit 400 to improve heat transfer with the air. In one example, the freezer element 428 is configured to extend from the side of housing 410 at a 45 degree angle. In one example, the freezer element 428 is movable to automatically swing back onto the inner wall of housing 410 when not in use.

[0085] Note that the configuration of the refrigeration unit can be configured in a variety of ways as needed. For example, Figure 3 The refrigeration unit 300 shown has three sets of fans and two sets of atomizers.Depending on various factors, such as local climate, data center size, cost constraints, etc., the refrigeration unit can be configured in a manner that balances desired performance and cost.

[0086] As described above, the temperature of a data center may be controlled and maintained by sensing various conditions in the data center and controlling various components of the system accordingly. Figure 8 8 is a block diagram illustrating a system 800 configured to maintain a desired data center temperature in the most energy efficient manner. The system 800 has a controller 810 that can connect and control the various components of the system 800. The controller 810 can consist of a single device that connects to the components of the system 800, or can include multiple devices working together. For example, a data center can have separate fan controllers, chiller controllers, etc. In one example, a web-based application runs on a server 812 and controls the operation of the controller 810. A technician can use one or more client devices 814 to configure and monitor the controller via the web-based application.

[0087] The system 800 uses a plurality of sensors 816 to sense various conditions in the data center. The sensors may include temperature sensors, humidity sensors, airflow sensors, smoke detectors, and / or pressure sensors, as well as any other desired sensors. The temperature sensor may sense the temperature in the hot aisle, cold aisle, server compartment, refrigeration unit, exhaust vents, individual servers, and the like. The ambient temperature may also be sensed outdoors or at the air intake portion of the refrigeration unit. Similarly, the humidity sensor may also sense the humidity anywhere in the data center as needed. The smoke detector may be installed at various locations to detect smoke in the data center. The smoke detector is installed near the exhaust vent. The signal from the smoke detector may indicate to the controller 810 whether smoke can still be detected in the exhaust after the oxygen level in the building has been reduced to suppress the fire. The pressure sensor senses the air pressure at various locations in the data center. By monitoring the air pressure throughout the data center, the desired airflow through the system may be maintained. In one example, the air pressure in the cold aisle, hot aisle, and exhaust vents is sensed. The system 800 may also use any other type of sensor desired.

[0088] The system 800 controls the operation of the fans 818 of the system to maintain a desired airflow throughout the system. For example, a data center may have fans in a refrigeration unit (e.g., Figure 4 416 in the exhaust vents) and fans in the exhaust vents (e.g., Figure 1 117a and 117b in the vents 117a and 117b). The controller 810 controls whether the fans are on or off, and when a variable speed fan is used, the speed of the fans. The controller 810 can determine how to most efficiently use the fans to maintain the desired airflow, and therefore the temperature. For example, if a given amount of airflow is required to maintain a target temperature, the controller can selectively activate individual fans and control them at a desired speed or speeds to achieve the desired airflow using as little power as possible.

[0089] If the system is equipped with a closable vent, the system 800 can also control the opening and closing of the vent 820 in the system. For example, the intake vent of the refrigeration unit may include shutters that are opened and closed by the controller 810. Similarly, the exhaust vent can be opened and closed by the controller 810. The vent 820 can not only be opened and closed, but also opened a desired amount to further control the amount of airflow through the vent 820.

[0090] The system 800 also controls the system's nebulizer 822 (e.g., Figure 4822) to reduce the air temperature in the system. As described above, under appropriate conditions, activating the sprayer 822 can reduce the air temperature by about 10 degrees. The sprayer 822 has the best effect under low humidity conditions. By knowing the humidity of the air, the controller 810 can determine when activating the sprayer 822 will have a beneficial effect.

[0091] The system 800 also controls a chiller unit 824 (e.g., Figure 4 The operation of the refrigerator 426 in the refrigerator unit 824 is to reduce the air temperature. By activating the refrigerator unit 824, the air temperature can be significantly reduced to help achieve the desired air temperature.

[0092] The controller 810 may also control various other components as desired. In addition, the controller 810 and the web-based application may monitor, record, and report various aspects of the operation of the system 800. The system 800 may include monitors, visual indicators, alarms, and the like, either via a client device or via separate indicators and devices, to allow a user or technician to monitor the operation of the system 800.

[0093] The control system 800 achieves the desired target temperature in the server compartment in the most efficient manner possible. Power usage is a major factor in determining the cost of cooling a data center. Each of the various components in the system 800 that contribute to lowering the air temperature uses a different amount of power. Therefore, the controller 810 is configured to achieve and maintain the target temperature by controlling the system components in a manner that minimizes power usage.

[0094] The goal of the controller is to maintain the desired target temperature using as little power as possible. When the refrigerator unit may use more power than the fan and sprayer, the controller will attempt to maintain the desired target temperature without using the refrigerator unit or at least minimizing the use of the refrigerator unit. Similarly, the controller will selectively activate the fan and control the speed of the fan to achieve the desired airflow using the least amount of power.

[0095] In one example, the controller 810 uses an algorithm to control the system. Where possible, the algorithm can maintain the desired target temperature without using the chiller unit 824. For example, under appropriate conditions, the desired target temperature can be maintained by controlling the activation and speed of the fan 818 alone. Under appropriate conditions (e.g., relatively low humidity levels), the sprayer 822 can be used with the fan. The use of the sprayer 822 can allow for reduced use of the fan, thereby further reducing power usage.

[0096] The control algorithm learns the conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, air pressure difference) in the system via sensors, and can control the system accordingly. For example, suppose a temperature drop of X degrees is required. Given the external ambient air temperature, various temperatures in the system, and the relative air pressure in the system, the controller can determine that Y cubic feet of airflow is required to reach the desired target temperature. Then, the controller selectively activates and controls the speed of the fan in the system to achieve the determined airflow rate. The controller also considers how the activation of the sprayer will affect the air temperature and thus how to affect the desired airflow rate. When the sensed condition indicates that the use of the sprayer will be beneficial, the sprayer will be activated. Therefore, the controller can use a combination of a fan and a sprayer to maintain the desired target temperature in the most efficient way possible, preferably without relying on a refrigerator unit. If the external ambient temperature is high enough (in one example, it may be 78 degrees), the desired target temperature may not be achieved using only a fan and a sprayer. When this is the case, the controller will turn on one or more of the refrigerator units to reduce the air temperature to the desired target level.

[0097] Fig. 9 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing how fans in a cooling unit / data center can be controlled based on one or more sensed conditions (e.g., Figure 4 416). Fig. 9 In the example shown, the controller controls the amount of air flowing through the system based on, for example, the temperature of the air at the air inlet of the refrigeration unit. Generally speaking, cooler air requires less airflow to cool a data center, while warmer air requires more airflow to cool a data center.

[0098] like Fig. 9 As shown, the controller obtains temperature readings from one or more temperature sensors. The one or more temperature sensors may be located at the air inlet of the refrigeration unit, outside the refrigeration unit, or any other suitable location. In this example, if the air temperature reported by the sensor is approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the controller sends a digital signal to the fan to cause it to run at 50 CFM / kW. Fig. 9As shown in the airflow rate values ​​in , the desired airflow rate also depends on the amount of electricity consumed in the data center (50 CFM / kW in this example). In other words, when the data center consumes more electricity, more heat is generated, and therefore more airflow is required. The desired airflow rate can be achieved by selectively activating fans and setting the speed of the activated fans. In some examples, the airflow rate can also be fine-tuned by controlling the exhaust fan. If the air temperature reported by the sensor is approximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the controller sends a digital signal to the refrigeration unit fan to operate at 126 CFM / kW. If the air temperature reported by the sensor is approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the controller sends a digital signal to the refrigeration unit fan to operate at 225 CFM / kW.

[0099] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, other components of the system (e.g., nebulizers, coolers, etc.) may be controlled in a similar manner based on any desired sensed condition. It is also noted that the activation of different components of the system may affect each other. For example, if a nebulizer is activated, a lower airflow rate may be desired compared to the desired airflow rate without the nebulizer.

[0100] Note that it is important not only to reduce the temperature of the data center to the desired level, but also to not let the temperature drop too far below the desired level. The reliability of some server equipment depends on relatively constant temperature. Therefore, in some cases (e.g., winter months), the outside ambient air will be cold enough that the controller will restrict the airflow to keep the air temperature from exceeding the desired target value.

[0101] The above-described system can be built into a new data center or retrofitted into an existing data center using existing structures (e.g., ductwork, one or more chimneys, etc.). In the example where the system is retrofitted into an existing data center, one or more cooling units can be installed in openings formed in the walls of the data center, such as Figure 1 In each hot aisle, create exhaust vents / hoods (e.g. Figure 1 Ventilation ports 117a and 117b in the data center can be used to draw hot air out of the data center. Controllers and various sensors (e.g., temperature, humidity, and / or pressure, etc.) can also be installed to monitor and control the operation of the system.

[0102] The difference between the above system and a conventional cooling system is that the system disclosed herein does not recycle or re-cool the air in the building. Conventional cooling systems recycle and / or re-cool the air in the building and are characterized by being a "closed loop" heat removal system because the indoor air circulates or mostly circulates in a closed loop. This system considers cooling the air already inside the building to be more energy-efficient. Conventional cooling systems (e.g., HVAC systems) may need to (depending on the climate zone where the HVAC system is located) use economizers to draw outdoor air into the building and use dampers to control the amount of air that is inhaled, recirculated, and exhausted from the building. Using such economizers can reduce the running time of the AC, thereby reducing HVAC energy consumption. However, the outdoor air must be below the set temperature and the humidity must be below the set percentage. That is, economizers do not work well when the outdoor air is humid and warm. In such places, economizer cooling is not needed because the potential energy savings may not be enough to justify the additional cost of implementing it.

[0103] To this end, in some embodiments, the refrigeration unit described above can be modified to work in conjunction with the AC unit. However, unlike conventional HVAC systems, the air heated in the building is not recovered, recirculated, or re-cooled. Instead, the hot air is exhausted or otherwise discharged from the building (the building can be any industrial building that generates heat, such as a data center, a manufacturing plant, etc.).

[0104] In this case, the building is constructed so that it has a thermal envelope. The structure of the thermal envelope may vary from implementation to implementation, depending on the building design. Figure 2 In an example, the thermal containment is constructed as a cabin (e.g., server cabin 206a) having a sealed hood or housing (e.g., hood 211) that directs hot air (heated by the server groups (e.g., server groups 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d) inside the cabin and rising to the top of cabin 206a via natural convection) to a vent or exhaust opening of the building. Additionally or alternatively, the thermal containment may include a duct system (referring to a system of ducts) and / or pipes (e.g., for directing hot air to an exhaust opening with or without a sealed hood). Other embodiments are also possible.

[0105] Exhausting hot air from the thermal enclosure can create a relative vacuum in the building. In some embodiments, the refrigeration unit disclosed herein can supply cooled air to the building as described above. However, one or more fans and / or similar devices configured to extract ambient air from the air intake end of the refrigeration unit are set to run at a constant speed. The refrigeration unit may or may not include a sprayer or an evaporative cooler. Since one or more fans and / or similar devices in the refrigeration unit are set to run at a constant speed, a controller is not required to change their speed. Therefore, in such an embodiment, the refrigeration unit does not require a customer controller. On the contrary, the AC in the building can be used as a controller of a heat removal system to maintain the desired target temperature in the building. The AC unit can be set to a certain temperature so that it only runs when it senses that the temperature in the building is higher than the set temperature. In this way, the refrigeration unit can reduce the energy consumption of the AC unit without replacing the AC unit.

[0106] The heat removal system can be implemented in a variety of ways including refrigeration units and AC units. Fig. 10A An example is shown in which the refrigeration unit 1000 is positioned or installed in an opening formed in a wall of a building 1010. Fig. 10A As shown, the contained hot air is exhausted from the building 1010 through a vent or exhaust structure 1030. This creates a pressure difference between the hot side of the building (e.g., the thermal enclosure in the building) and the cold side (e.g., the air intake side of the building). To this end, the refrigeration unit 1000 draws ambient air from its air intake end and supplies the cooled air to the air intake of the building 1010 through its exhaust end. The building 1010 has an HVAC system 1020, which is set to maintain the minimum service temperature of the building. One or more fans and / or similar devices in the refrigeration unit 1000 are set to run at a set speed so that the HVAC system 1020 is only activated when the temperature of the ambient air is higher than the minimum service temperature of the building. In this example, both the HVAC system 1020 and the vent or exhaust structure 1030 are mounted on the top of the building 1010. However, the HVAC system 1020 can be located on the side of the building 1010 or on the ground near the building, and the exhaust structure 1030 can be located on the side of the building 1010. In addition, the refrigeration unit 1000 can be installed on the top of the building 1010, such as Fig. 10B Other implementations are also possible.

[0107] Therefore, reference Fig.11In some embodiments, a method of removing heat from a building and cooling air may include mounting or positioning an exhaust end of a refrigeration unit to an opening formed in a wall or roof of the building (1101). As desired, if the building is not already equipped with a thermal enclosure and / or AC unit, the building may be equipped with a thermal enclosure and / or AC unit (1103). As described above, the thermal enclosure may be configured to confine and / or direct heat generated inside the building to a vent, exhaust structure, or opening (e.g., a duct) of the building. The AC unit may be the building's existing HVAC unit or any commercially available AC unit. The AC unit is set to maintain a target temperature (e.g., a minimum service temperature required by the building owner or operator) (1105). As the air inside the building heats up, the air rises and is received or captured by the thermal enclosure and then exhausted from the building (1110). The hot air exhausted from the building creates a pressure differential, wherein the pressure on the hot side of the building (where the thermal enclosure is located) is lower than the pressure on the cold side of the building. Thus, the method also includes supplying cooled air from the refrigeration unit to the building at a constant rate (1115). The refrigeration unit supplies cooled air to the building at a constant speed (in some embodiments, this may be achieved using one or more fans and / or the like) because the one or more fans and / or the like are set to run at a constant speed. Therefore, no controller is required to change the speed of the one or more fans and / or the like in the refrigeration unit, and therefore no additional temperature sensor is required. Instead, the AC unit acts as an external controller, and when the AC unit itself senses that the temperature inside the building is above the target temperature, it will start and start cooling the air inside the building, and once the temperature inside the building returns to or below the target temperature, it will stop running.

[0108] In some embodiments, the minimum requirement for the refrigeration unit is that one or more fans and / or similar devices are set to run at a constant speed, with or without a filter. In some embodiments, the refrigeration unit may additionally include an evaporative cooler (e.g., atomizer 420 and / or an evaporative cooling element (e.g., atomizer cooling element 424)). In some embodiments, the refrigeration unit may include one or more freezer coils and / or one or more refrigerators. Other embodiments are also feasible.

[0109] Fig.12A schematic diagram of a closed loop heat removal system 1200 is depicted that utilizes an HVAC system to regulate the indoor temperature of a data center. In a typical closed loop heat removal system, dampers can close when the temperature rises. The closing action of the damper is typically activated by a thermal element that melts at a temperature above ambient temperature, but low enough to indicate the presence of a fire, thereby allowing a spring to close the damper blades. Typically, in the event of a fire, sprinklers, halons, or other flame retardants are activated and the air conditioner is shut down automatically or manually by personnel. Even so, due to the closed loop configuration, smoke is still recirculated. Unfortunately, this recirculation provides more oxygen, which can become fuel for the fire and pose a danger to firefighters. The fire produces toxic smoke, which in turn can be trapped in the closed loop heat removal system. Toxic smoke is the number one killer in fires.

[0110] Fig.13 A schematic diagram of an open-loop heat removal system 1300 that utilizes a refrigeration unit (not shown) to supply cold air to a data center is depicted. In an open-loop heat removal system, other issues must be considered in light of potential fire hazards. For example, on the one hand, due to the negative pressure and large amounts of outdoor air constantly entering the open-loop heat removal system, in the event of a fire, oxygen continues to be fed, which in turn can sustain and spread the fire. On the other hand, due to the negative pressure and open-loop configuration, the open-loop heat removal system can release toxic gases more promptly, more efficiently, and more effectively.

[0111] Fig.14A and Fig. 14B A schematic diagram of a closed-loop heat removal system having an inlet module, an outlet module, and a thermal shutter is depicted in accordance with some embodiments. More specifically, Fig.14A A schematic diagram of an open loop heat removal system 1400 is depicted having an inlet module 1410 for receiving cool air from a refrigeration unit 1450 and an outlet module 1420 for exhausting hot air, according to some embodiments. Figures 14A-14D Not shown, but shutters are located above the inlet module 1410.

[0112] The open loop heat removal system may have a temperature sensor configured to notify a central controller of the location of a fire in the building. In some embodiments, the shutters are held in tension via a spring mechanism to maintain an open position. Figures 14A-14D In the example of FIG. 1 , a fire occurs between server rooms in a building near the inlet module 1410. When activated by heat, the spring mechanism releases the tension, allowing the shutters to automatically close, thereby forming a containment and preventing outside air from being drawn in through the inlet module 1410.

[0113] The exit module 1420 remains open, exhausting the fire from above. In addition, the central controller enabled with artificial intelligence (AI) software is operable to instruct the sprinkler system in the building to activate the sprinklers only where the fire is contained, leaving other equipment unaffected by the fire / water, thereby protecting the life of the equipment.

[0114] To suppress the fire, at least both the inlet module and the outlet module should be closed. Fig. 14B As shown, in some embodiments, both can be closed purely by heat. In this case, each of the shutters at the inlet module and the vents at the outlet module can have a component that melts when a certain temperature is reached. The melting of the component can close the shutters or vents with 99.99% up time.

[0115] In some embodiments, a first thermal shutter is positioned on the exhaust side of the open loop heat removal system and a second thermal shutter is positioned on the intake side. There are many types of shutters. Some shutters are triggered by heat. For example, a thermal shutter closes once the passage reaches 135°F. Such thermal shutters are made of a material that melts when the room temperature reaches or exceeds a default temperature or a user set temperature. Melting closes the thermal shutter.

[0116] In some embodiments, the maximum operating temperature of the data center is 78°F. However, setting the temperature at which the thermal shutters melt and close to 78°F may result in false alarms. This is because the average temperature at which a fire may ignite and burn is between 424 and 475 degrees Fahrenheit (or between 218 and 246 degrees Celsius), while the room temperature in a fire may be 100°F at floor level and may rise to 600°F at eye level. At 78°F, the maximum operating temperature of the data center may not necessarily indicate the presence of a fire. Therefore, in some embodiments, the default temperature may be preset to 97°F. In some embodiments, the preset temperature may be user adjustable.

[0117] When used in conjunction with a fire sprinkler system, the default temperature or user-set temperature for closing the shutters should be set to a temperature lower than that required to activate the sprinkler system. This is because, in an open-loop heat removal system, if a fire occurs, fire suppression begins by shutting off the supply of cool air through the building inlet. This can be accomplished by melting and closing the thermally sensitive shutters at the inlet module when the controller of the open-loop heat removal system receives or otherwise detects the presence of abnormally high temperatures that reach or exceed the default temperature or user-set temperature. Additionally or alternatively, the open-loop heat removal system may include electronic shutters located above the inlet module and / or outlet module. When the temperature reaches or exceeds the default or user-adjusted value, and as an alternative or in addition to closing the thermally sensitive shutters, the controller may programmatically instruct the electronic shutters to close so as to shut off the supply of cool air.

[0118] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that fire sprinkler systems are typically heat activated, one sprinkler at a time. Each sprinkler has a component that melts when a certain temperature is reached. The melting of the component can open a valve on the sprinkler, allowing water to be dispersed from the valve. When the temperature rises to a fire initiation temperature, typically between 155°F and 165°F (i.e., between 57°C and 74°C), such a sprinkler can be activated. In some embodiments, the temperature required to activate the sprinkler system should be set to a temperature (e.g., 155°F) that is higher than a default temperature or a user-set temperature (e.g., 97°F, 100°F, 135°F, etc.), at which one or more shutters will be thermally or electronically activated. The temperature required to activate the sprinkler system may vary from implementation to implementation.

[0119] For heat-sensitive shutters, once the material melts, the inlet module closes. Fig. 14B As shown, once the material of the heat-sensitive shutters located above the outlet module melts, the outlet module closes. Such heat-sensitive shutters must be replaced after use. In some embodiments, a VCD23-V HVAC control damper available from Dodge Engineering & Controls, Inc. of Massachusetts, USA, can be used. Some shutters can be electronically controlled by a controller. Electronically controlled shutters can be opened and closed by an operator, or can be opened and closed programmatically by a controller through preset settings. This decentralized fire suppression for an open-loop heat removal system also has the advantage of allowing for decomposition by aisle or compartment fire suppression, rather than by room-level sprinkler or other fire suppression.

[0120] like Fig. 14C and Fig.14DAs shown, in some cases it may be desirable to leave the outlet module open as long as the exhaust fans are running at a sufficient volume to create a vacuum / negative pressure of 1 bar or greater internally. This not only reduces the oxygen that fuels the fire, but also removes toxic byproducts of combustion and incomplete combustion, such as CO. Most fire deaths are not caused by burns, but rather by toxic byproducts of combustion. The central controller is only operable to close the exhaust vents or shutters in the event of a fan failure, such as when no signal is received from the fan operating controller, when the fans have stopped operating and sufficient heat / pressure is present, or when oxygen levels are below 15%. Fig.14D In the example of , louvers are positioned at the top and bottom of each channel on the upper and lower vents.

[0121] Fig.15 1 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a fire suppression method 1500 for an open-loop heat removal system. In some embodiments, a central controller is configured to receive temperature readings from one or more temperature sensors located throughout a building (e.g., a data center). In some embodiments, the central controller may be configured to actively and programmatically check temperature readings throughout the data center using one or more temperature sensors. In some embodiments, the central controller may determine whether the temperature reading is above a default temperature or a user set temperature (1501). If not, one or more inlet modules will remain open (1503). Otherwise, the central controller may be operable to close one or more shutters at one or more suitable inlet modules at or near the location where the temperature reading was sensed (1505). After closing the one or more shutters, the central controller may be operable to determine whether the fire has been contained (1507). If so, the process ends. Otherwise, a sprinkler is activated (1509).

[0122] Fig.16 is a flow chart illustrating another example of a fire suppression method 1600 for an open loop heat removal system. In this example, the open loop heat removal and fire suppression system has a temperature sensor, an oxygen sensor, a central controller, an electronic shutoff default, and a pressure sensor.

[0123] In some embodiments, the central controller is configured to receive temperature readings from one or more temperature sensors throughout a building (e.g., a data center). In some embodiments, the central controller may be configured to actively and programmatically check temperature readings throughout the data center using one or more temperature sensors. In some embodiments, the central controller may determine whether the temperature reading is above a default temperature or a user set temperature (1601). If not, one or more entry modules will remain open (1603). Otherwise, the central controller may be operable to close one or more shutters at one or more suitable entry modules at or near the location where the temperature reading is sensed (1605). After closing the one or more shutters, the central controller may be operable to determine whether the fire has been contained (1607). If yes, the process ends. If not, the central controller may be operable to determine whether the exhaust fan is working (1611).

[0124] The exhaust fan may or may not be running at the time. In the event of a fire, the central controller may check whether there is a negative pressure of 1 bar or more inside the building through one or more pressure sensors (1621). If so, the central controller may check whether the fire has been contained (1607). If so, the process ends. If there is no negative pressure of 1 bar or more inside the building, the central controller may be operated to turn on the exhaust fan to create a negative pressure of 1 bar or more inside (1623). The central controller then checks the oxygen level via one or more oxygen sensors and determines whether the oxygen level is less than 15% (1625). If so, the central controller may be operated to determine whether the fire has been contained (1615). When the oxygen in the air is less than 15%, the fire cannot burn in the containment passage without full air intake and an exhaust pressure of 10KPa (for example, a cigarette lighter cannot be ignited). Therefore, if the oxygen level is less than 15%, the fire is considered to be contained and the process ends. Otherwise, the sprinkler is activated (1609). If the oxygen level is not less than 15%, the fire is not contained and the sprinklers are activated (1609).

[0125] If the exhaust fan is not operating, the central controller is operable to instruct the corresponding one or more shutters to close one or more appropriate outlet modules (1613). The central controller is then operable to determine whether the fire has been contained (1615). If so, the process ends. Otherwise, the sprinkler is activated (1609). If the exhaust fan is operating, the central controller is operable to instruct the exhaust fan to begin operating to exhaust air / smoke (1623).

[0126] Some embodiments described herein may be implemented in the form of control logic in software or hardware or a combination of both. The control logic may be stored in an information storage medium (such as a computer-readable medium) as a plurality of instructions suitable for instructing an information processing device to perform a set of steps disclosed in the various embodiments. Based on the disclosure and teachings provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand other ways and / or methods of implementing the present invention.

[0127] It is also within the spirit and scope of the present invention to implement the steps, operations, methods, routines, or parts thereof described herein in a software program or code, wherein such a software program or code can be stored in a computer-readable medium and can be operated by a processor to allow a computer to perform any steps, operations, methods, routines, or parts thereof described herein. The present invention can be implemented by using a software program or code in one or more control systems, and various types of sensors (including temperature, humidity, and / or pressure sensors) can be used by using application-specific integrated circuits, programmable logic devices, field programmable gate arrays, optical, chemical, biological, quantum, or nanoengineering systems, components, and mechanisms. The functions of the present invention can be implemented by various means including distributed or networked systems, hardware components, and / or circuits. In another example, the communication or transfer of data (or otherwise moving from one place to another) can be wired, wireless, or any other means.

[0128] A "computer-readable medium" may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate or transport a program for use in or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, device, system or apparatus. A computer-readable medium may be, by way of example only and not limitation, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared or semiconductor system, device, system, apparatus, propagation medium or computer memory. Such computer-readable media should be machine-readable and include software programs or codes that may be human-readable (e.g., source code) or machine-readable (e.g., object code). Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media may include random access memory, read-only memory, hard drive, data cartridge, tape, floppy disk, flash drive, optical data storage device, optical disc read-only memory, and other suitable computer memory and data storage devices. In an illustrative embodiment, some or all of the software components may reside on a single server computer or on any combination of separate server computers. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a computer program product implementing the embodiments disclosed herein may include one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer instructions that may be interpreted by one or more processors in a computing environment.

[0129] "Processor" includes any hardware system, mechanism, or component that processes data, signals, or other information. A processor may include a system having a central processing unit, multiple processing units, dedicated circuits, or other systems for performing functions. Processing need not be limited to a geographic location, nor need it be limited in time. For example, a processor may perform its functions in "real time," "offline," "batch mode," and so on. Portions of processing may be performed by different (or the same) processing systems at different times and in different places.

[0130] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a suitable control system may include a central processing unit ("CPU"), at least one read-only memory ("ROM"), at least one random access memory ("RAM"), at least one hard disk drive ("HD"), and one or more input / output ("I / O") devices. The I / O devices may include a keyboard, a monitor, a printer, an electronic pointing device (e.g., a mouse, a trackball, a stylus, a touchpad, etc.), or the like. In an embodiment of the present invention, the control system may access at least one database via a network connection.

[0131] ROM, RAM and HD are computer memories for storing computer executable instructions that can be executed by the CPU or can be compiled or interpreted as computer executable instructions that can be executed by the CPU. Suitable computer executable instructions can reside on computer readable media (e.g., ROM, RAM and / or HD), hardware circuit systems or the like or any combination thereof. In the present disclosure, the term "computer readable medium" is not limited to ROM, RAM and HD, and can include any type of data storage medium that can be read by a processor. Examples of computer readable storage media can include, but are not limited to, volatile and non-volatile computer memories and storage devices, such as random access memory, read-only memory, hard disk drives, data cartridges, direct access storage device arrays, tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, optical data storage devices, optical disc read-only memory and other suitable computer memories and data storage devices. Therefore, computer readable media can refer to data cartridges, data backup tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, optical data storage drives, CD-ROMs, ROMs, RAMs, HDs or the like.

[0132] As used herein, the terms "comprises," "including," "comprising," "containing," "having," "with," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, product, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, product, article, or apparatus.

[0133] In addition, the term "or" as used herein is generally intended to mean "and / or" unless otherwise stated. For example, condition A or B satisfies any of the following: A is true (or exists) and B is false (or does not exist), A is false (or does not exist) and B is true (or exists), and both A and B are true (or exist). As used herein (including the attached appendix), a term beginning with "a" or "an" (and "the" when the antecedent basis is "one" or "an") includes both the singular and plural forms of the term, unless otherwise expressly stated (i.e., a reference to "a" or "an" expressly means only the singular or only the plural). In addition, as used in the description herein and the attached appendix, the meaning of "in..." includes "in..." and "on..." unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0134] In addition, any examples or illustrations given herein should not be considered as limiting, restricting or explicitly defining any one or more terms used in them in any way. On the contrary, these examples or illustrations should be considered as describing a specific embodiment and are illustrative only. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that any one or more terms used in these examples or illustrations cover other embodiments and their implementations and adjustments, which may or may not be given together with the embodiment or elsewhere in the specification, and all these embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the one or more terms. The language specifying such non-limiting examples and illustrations includes, but is not limited to: "for example", "such as", "as", "in one embodiment", etc.

[0135] Those skilled in the art of the present invention will recognize that the disclosed embodiments relate to various fields in addition to the specific examples described above. For example, although the above examples are described in the context of a data center, some embodiments disclosed herein may be adapted or otherwise implemented to work in other types of environments, situations, and the like. In this case, the description and drawings should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should be determined by the following claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. A fire suppression method for a heat removal system, the fire suppression method comprising: receiving, by a controller of the heat removal system, temperature readings from a temperature sensor located inside a building having: an inlet through which cool air is supplied to the building; and an outlet through which hot air is exhausted from the building without recovery, recycling or re-cooling of the hot air, the heat removal system further having an inlet module located at the inlet of the building, an outlet module located at the outlet of the building, a louver located at the inlet module, and an exhaust fan located at the outlet module; determining, by the controller, whether the temperature reading reaches or exceeds a default temperature or a user-set temperature indicating the presence of a fire in the building; In response to the temperature reading reaching or exceeding the default temperature or the user set temperature, closing the shutter at the inlet module to cut off the supply of the cool air through the inlet of the building; Determining whether the interior of the building is under negative pressure by using a pressure sensor through the controller; In response to the interior of the building not being under negative pressure, operating the exhaust fan via the controller to generate negative pressure inside; determining, by the controller, using an oxygen sensor, whether an internal oxygen level of the building indicates that the fire has been contained; as well as In response to the fire being uncontained, a sprinkler system in the building is activated by the controller.

2. The fire suppression method according to claim 1, wherein: The heat removal system also includes a refrigeration unit for supplying cool air to the building without recovering, recirculating or re-cooling indoor air.

3. The fire suppression method according to claim 1, wherein: The fire suppression method further comprises: The temperature for activating the sprinkler system is set to be higher than the default temperature or the user set temperature for closing the shutters.

4. The fire suppression method according to claim 1, wherein: Determining whether the interior of the building is under negative pressure includes determining whether the building is under a negative pressure of 1 KPa or greater.

5. The fire suppression method according to claim 1, wherein: The fire suppression method further comprises: A determination is made as to whether the internal oxygen level of the building is 15% or less.

6. The fire suppression method according to claim 1, wherein: The fire suppression method further comprises: determining whether the exhaust fan is operating; and In response to the exhaust fan not being operational, closing the vents or shutters at the outlet module.

7. The fire suppression method according to claim 1, wherein: The fire suppression method further comprises: determining an entry module located at or near a location where the temperature reading was sensed from a plurality of entry modules located above a corresponding plurality of entryways to the building; and A shutter positioned above the inlet module at or near the location where the temperature reading was sensed is electronically closed.

8. A heat removal system comprising: a refrigeration unit for supplying cool air to the building through an inlet of the building; an inlet module located at the entrance of the building, the building having an outlet through which hot air is exhausted from the building without recovery, recirculation or re-cooling of the hot air; an exit module located at said exit of said building; a shutter located at the entry module; an exhaust fan located at the outlet module; a temperature sensor located inside the building, for sensing the internal temperature of the building; an oxygen sensor for sensing an interior oxygen level of said building; a pressure sensor for sensing the internal pressure of the building; Controller; non-transitory computer readable media; and instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium and interpretable by the controller for: receiving a temperature reading from the temperature sensor; determining whether the temperature reading reaches or exceeds a default temperature or a user-set temperature indicating the presence of a fire in the building; In response to the temperature reading reaching or exceeding the default temperature or the user set temperature, closing the shutter at the inlet module to cut off the supply of the cool air through the inlet of the building; Determining whether the interior of the building is under negative pressure using the pressure sensor; In response to the interior of the building not being under negative pressure, operating the exhaust fan via a controller to generate negative pressure inside; determining, using the oxygen sensor, whether an internal oxygen level of the building indicates that the fire has been contained; as well as In response to the fire being uncontained, a sprinkler system in the building is activated.

9. The heat removal system of claim 8, wherein: The heat removal system further comprises: A thermal shutter or electronic shutter located above the outlet module.

10. The heat removal system of claim 8, wherein: The temperature for activating the sprinkler system is set to be higher than the default or user set temperature for closing the shutters.

11. The heat removal system of claim 8, wherein: Determining whether the interior of the building is under negative pressure includes determining whether the building is under a negative pressure of 1 KPa or greater.

12. The heat removal system of claim 8, wherein: The instructions can be further translated by the controller to: A determination is made as to whether the internal oxygen level of the building is 15% or less.

13. The heat removal system of claim 8, wherein: The instructions can be further translated by the controller to: determining whether the exhaust fan is operating; and In response to the exhaust fan not being operational, closing the vents or shutters at the outlet module.

14. The heat removal system of claim 8, wherein: The instructions can be further translated by the controller to: determining an entry module located at or near a location where the temperature reading was sensed from a plurality of entry modules located above a corresponding plurality of entryways to the building; and A shutter positioned above the inlet module at or near the location where the temperature reading was sensed is electronically closed.

15. A computer program product for fire suppression in a heat removal system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions interpretable by a controller for: receiving a temperature reading from a temperature sensor located inside a building, the building having: an inlet through which cool air is supplied to the building; and an outlet through which hot air is exhausted from the building without recovery, recirculation or re-cooling of the hot air, the heat removal system further having an inlet module located at the inlet of the building, an outlet module located at the outlet of the building, a louver located at the inlet module, and an exhaust fan located at the outlet module; determining whether the temperature reading reaches or exceeds a default temperature or a user-set temperature indicating the presence of a fire in the building; In response to the temperature reading reaching or exceeding the default temperature or the user set temperature, closing the shutters at the inlet module to cut off the supply of the cool air through the inlet of the building; Using a pressure sensor to determine whether the interior of the building is under negative pressure; In response to the interior of the building not being under negative pressure, operating the exhaust fan to create negative pressure inside; determining, using an oxygen sensor, whether an internal oxygen level of the building indicates that the fire has been contained; as well as In response to the fire being uncontained, a sprinkler system in the building is activated.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein: The temperature for activating the sprinkler system is set to be higher than the default or user set temperature for closing the shutters.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein: Determining whether the interior of the building is under negative pressure includes determining whether the building is under a negative pressure of 1 KPa or greater.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein: The instructions can be further translated by the controller to: A determination is made as to whether the internal oxygen level of the building is 15% or less.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein: The instructions can be further translated by the controller to: determining whether the exhaust fan is operating; and In response to the exhaust fan not being operational, closing the vents or shutters at the outlet module.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein: The instructions can be further interpreted by the controller to: determining an entry module located at or near a location where the temperature reading was sensed from a plurality of entry modules located above a corresponding plurality of entryways to the building; and A shutter positioned above the inlet module at or near the location where the temperature reading was sensed is electronically closed.

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