Phase change cold storage coupled direct evaporative cooling regulation and control system and method for data center

Abstract

The invention discloses a phase change cold storage coupling direct evaporative cooling regulation and control system and method for a data center, and the system comprises an air processing channel with an air inlet at one end communicated with outdoor fresh air and an air outlet at the other end communicated with a data machine room, and a fresh air mixing section, a phase change plate section and a fan section are sequentially arranged in the air processing channel from the air inlet to the air outlet; spraying sections are arranged between the fresh air mixing section and the phase change plate section and between the phase change plate section and the fan section. An intelligent control unit is arranged in the system, temperature and humidity real-time data are collected through a multivariable sensor network, a multivariable state space model is constructed based on a fuzzy PID algorithm, and four operation modes are dynamically switched according to the temperature and humidity. The temperature and humidity of the data center are accurately regulated and controlled, the air supply requirement of a machine room is met, phase change cold storage and direct evaporative cooling paths are flexibly combined, the system adapts to changeable climate conditions, and an efficient and reliable solution is provided for construction of the green low-carbon data center.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of temperature and humidity control in data centers, and in particular to a phase-change cold storage coupled direct evaporative cooling control system and method for a data center. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of cloud computing and artificial intelligence technologies, the scale and energy consumption of data centers continue to rise, with cooling systems accounting for up to 40% of energy consumption. In humid climates, high humidity poses significant challenges to temperature and humidity control in data centers. The GB 50174-2017 "Data Center Design Specification" requires a cabinet inlet temperature of 18-27°C and a relative humidity of ≤60%. Traditional mechanical cooling, which relies on compressor cooling and electric reheat dehumidification, is subject to the problem of excessive dehumidification, leading to heat and cold offsets and a sharp increase in energy consumption. Furthermore, direct evaporative cooling technology can exacerbate the risk of excessive humidity in computer rooms due to humidification. While coupling phase change materials with direct evaporative cooling is seen as a promising approach for energy savings, most solutions suffer from functional fragmentation and insufficient synergy. Existing solutions for coupling phase change materials with direct evaporative cooling often focus on either cooling or cold storage, lacking the ability to coordinate the dynamic load of hot and humid air, making it difficult to strike a balance between efficient dehumidification and energy-efficient cooling. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an innovative temperature and humidity control system that can integrate the use of natural cold sources, phase change cold storage time shift, evaporative cooling efficiency enhancement, and has intelligent dynamic switching capabilities to solve the coupling problem of cooling and dehumidification in high-humidity environments and promote the evolution of data center cooling technology towards high efficiency and low carbon. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a data center phase change cold storage coupled direct evaporative cooling control system and method that breaks through the collaborative problem of efficient cooling and precise dehumidification in high humidity environments and can significantly reduce the cooling energy consumption of data centers.

[0004] The technical solution is as follows: The first aspect of the present invention provides a data center phase change cold storage coupled direct evaporative cooling control system, the key points of which are that it includes an air treatment channel with an air inlet at one end connected to the outdoor fresh air and an air outlet at the other end connected to the data room. The air treatment channel is provided with a fresh air mixing section, a phase change plate section and a fan section in sequence from the air inlet to the air outlet, and a spray section is provided between the fresh air mixing section and the phase change plate section and between the phase change plate section and the fan section; a return air duct is connected between the data room and the fresh air mixing section.

[0005] Preferably, filters are provided at both the air inlet and the air outlet of the air processing channel.

[0006] Preferably, the spray section includes a corrugated packing layer, a high-pressure atomizing nozzle array is arranged above the corrugated packing layer, and a water return system is arranged on the bottom plate of the corrugated packing layer.

[0007] Preferably, the phase change plate segments are honeycomb aluminum-based composite phase change plates arranged side by side along the air circulation direction, and the number of groups of the phase change plates is at least five.

[0008] The second aspect of the present invention provides a data center phase change cold storage coupled with direct evaporative cooling control method, including a data center phase change cold storage coupled with direct evaporative cooling control system of the first aspect of the present invention, which obtains the real-time temperature and humidity of the air inlet of the air handling channel, and selects the operating mode of the return air, phase change panel section and spray section according to the air supply requirements of the data room; wherein, the operating mode includes mixed air mode, natural cold source mode, phase change auxiliary mode, and combined operation mode; wherein the combined operation mode includes phase change panel pre-dehumidification + direct evaporative cooling secondary cooling or direct evaporative cooling pre-cooling + phase change panel dehumidification.

[0009] Preferably: the air supply requirements of the data room are a temperature of 18-27°C and a relative humidity RH ≤ 60%, and also include an intelligent control unit. The intelligent control unit constructs a multivariable state space model based on the fuzzy PID algorithm according to the real-time temperature and humidity of the air inlet and the air supply data of the data room, and dynamically switches between four operating modes according to the temperature and humidity data to achieve temperature and humidity control of the data center.

[0010] Preferably: when the outdoor temperature is monitored to be ≤18°C and the relative humidity RH ≤60%, the mixed air mode is started, the spray section and the phase change plate section are closed, the return air channel is opened, and the fresh air ratio of the fresh air mixing section is dynamically adjusted by the intelligent control unit;

[0011] When the outdoor temperature is monitored to be 18°C ​​≤ ≤ 27°C and the relative humidity RH ≤ 60%, the natural cooling source mode is activated, the spray section and the phase change panel section are closed, and air is directly supplied to the data center room using the natural cooling source;

[0012] When the outdoor temperature is monitored to be 27℃ < ≤ 31℃, the phase change panel auxiliary mode is activated, the spray section is closed, and the outdoor air is dry-cooled to the target state point before being sent into the data center room;

[0013] When the outdoor temperature is greater than 31°C, the phase change plate pre-dehumidification + direct evaporative cooling secondary cooling path in the combined operation mode is activated. The spray section between the fresh air mixing section and the phase change plate section is closed, and the spray section between the phase change plate section and the fan section is activated. The phase change plate section is first used to cool and dehumidify to the intermediate state point, and then the temperature is cooled to the target state point through direct evaporative cooling.

[0014] Alternatively, when the outdoor temperature is >31°C, start the direct evaporative cooling pre-cooling + phase change plate dehumidification path in the combined operation mode, start the spray section between the fresh air mixing section and the phase change plate section, and close the spray section between the phase change plate section and the fan section. First, use direct evaporative cooling to cool to the intermediate state point, and then use the phase change plate section to cool and dehumidify to the target state point.

[0015] Preferably: In the combined operation mode, the fuzzy PID algorithm is used to optimize the path selection in real time: when the return air humidity of the computer room approaches the threshold of 60%, the phase change panel pre-dehumidification + direct evaporative cooling secondary cooling path is preferred to enhance dehumidification;

[0016] When the return air temperature in the equipment room approaches the threshold of 27°C, direct evaporative cooling pre-cooling + phase change panel dehumidification path is preferred to enhance cooling.

[0017] Compared with the existing technology, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: through the multi-mode collaboration of "phase change cold storage + direct evaporative cooling", the phase change plate synchronous cooling and dehumidification is combined with direct evaporative cooling and isenthalpic cooling, so that the supply air temperature and humidity meet the requirements of the "Data Center Design Specifications"; the modular design is adaptable to a wide range of environments and can still meet the air supply requirements of the data center under extreme working conditions; based on the fuzzy PID algorithm, the natural cooling source, phase change assistance and joint operation modes are dynamically switched, and according to the characteristics of the humid climate, the phase change cold storage and direct evaporative cooling paths are flexibly combined to adapt to changeable climatic conditions, especially suitable for humid areas such as Southeast Asia and southern China; the fresh air ratio is adaptively adjusted according to the working conditions, the utilization rate of the natural cooling source is greatly improved throughout the year, and the PUE value of the data center is reduced; the system does not use Freon refrigerants, and CO2 emissions are reduced, providing an efficient and reliable solution for the construction of green and low-carbon data centers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a simple schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 Provides operation logic and path selection strategies for intelligent control units. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0021] like Figure 1As shown, a phase-change cold storage coupled direct evaporative cooling control system for a data center comprises an air handling channel with an air inlet at one end communicating with outdoor fresh air and an air outlet at the other end communicating with a data room, wherein a fresh air mixing section 1, a phase-change plate section 3 and a fan section 5 are sequentially arranged in the air handling channel from the air inlet to the air outlet, and a spray section 2 is arranged between the fresh air mixing section 1 and the phase-change plate section 3 and between the phase-change plate section 3 and the fan section 5; wherein the fresh air mixing section comprises a mixing air section 1a and a filtering section 1b, and at least two fans are arranged in the fan section 5, which is close to the data room, and a return air duct 6 opposite to the airflow direction is arranged at the upper part of the air handling channel, one end of the return air duct 6 is communicated with the data room, and the other end is provided with a shutter communicating with the mixing air section 1a.

[0022] Filters 4 are provided at the air inlet and outlet of the air treatment channel. The spray section 2 includes a corrugated packing layer. A high-pressure atomizing nozzle array is provided above the corrugated packing layer. A water return system is provided on the bottom plate of the corrugated packing layer.

[0023] The phase change plate segment 3 is a honeycomb aluminum-based composite phase change plate arranged side by side along the air circulation direction. The number of groups of the phase change plates is at least five. The phase change plate not only has cooling performance, but also has a dehumidification effect, which can reduce the relative humidity by 35%.

[0024] A data center phase change cold storage coupled with direct evaporative cooling control method includes the above-mentioned data center temperature and humidity control system, obtains the real-time temperature and humidity of the air handling channel inlet, and selects the operating mode of the return air, phase change panel section and spray section according to the air supply requirements of the data room; wherein, the operating modes include mixed air mode, natural cooling source mode, phase change auxiliary mode, and combined operation mode; wherein the combined operation mode includes phase change panel pre-dehumidification + direct evaporative cooling secondary cooling or direct evaporative cooling pre-cooling + phase change panel dehumidification.

[0025] The air supply requirements for the data room are a temperature of 18-27°C and a relative humidity RH ≤ 60%. It also includes an intelligent control unit, which collects real-time data on outdoor air temperature, outdoor relative humidity, phase change plate cooling capacity, and return air temperature and humidity of the data room through a multivariable sensor network. It can build a multivariable state space model based on the fuzzy PID algorithm according to the real-time temperature and humidity of the air inlet and the air supply data of the data room, and interact with various parts in the air treatment channel to dynamically switch between four operating modes according to temperature and humidity data, thereby achieving precise control of the temperature and humidity of the data center, while maximizing the utilization rate of natural cooling sources and reducing the energy consumption of the cooling system.

[0026] Among them, the outdoor temperature is the main control parameter, which determines the mode switching priority. The outdoor relative humidity is an auxiliary parameter, which affects the dehumidification path selection. The phase change plate cold storage capacity reflects the cold storage / release state of the phase change material. The return air temperature and humidity of the computer room are used as feedback parameters to dynamically adjust the control quantity.

[0027] When the outdoor temperature is monitored to be ≤18°C and the relative humidity RH ≤60%, the mixed air mode is activated, the spray section 2 and the phase change plate section 3 are closed, the return air duct 6 is opened, and the fresh air ratio of the fresh air mixing section 1 is dynamically adjusted by the intelligent control unit;

[0028] When the outdoor temperature is monitored to be 18°C ​​≤ ≤ 27°C and the relative humidity RH ≤ 60%, the natural cooling source mode is activated, the spray section 2 and the phase change panel section 3 are closed, and the natural cooling source is directly used to supply air to the data center room;

[0029] When the outdoor temperature is monitored to be 27℃ < ≤ 31℃, the phase change panel auxiliary mode is activated, spray section 2 is closed, and the outdoor air is dry-cooled to the target state point before being sent to the data center room;

[0030] When the outdoor temperature is greater than 31°C, the phase change plate pre-dehumidification + direct evaporative cooling secondary cooling path in the combined operation mode is activated. The spray section 2 between the fresh air mixing section 1 and the phase change plate section 3 is closed, and the spray section 2 between the phase change plate section 3 and the fan section 5 is activated. The phase change plate section 3 is first used to cool and dehumidify to the intermediate state point, and then the temperature is cooled to the target state point through direct evaporative cooling.

[0031] Alternatively, when the outdoor temperature is >31°C, start the direct evaporative cooling pre-cooling + phase change plate dehumidification path in the combined operation mode, start the spray section 2 between the fresh air mixing section 1 and the phase change plate section 3, and close the spray section 2 between the phase change plate section 3 and the fan section 5. First, use direct evaporative cooling to cool to the intermediate state point, and then cool and dehumidify to the target state point through the phase change plate section 3.

[0032] In the combined operation mode, the fuzzy PID algorithm is used to optimize the path selection in real time: when the return air humidity in the computer room approaches the threshold of 60%, the phase change panel pre-dehumidification + direct evaporative cooling secondary cooling path is preferred to enhance dehumidification;

[0033] When the return air temperature in the equipment room approaches the threshold of 27°C, direct evaporative cooling pre-cooling + phase change panel dehumidification path is preferred to enhance cooling.

[0034] The intelligent control unit updates the mode judgment every 5 minutes to avoid frequent switching. When the sensor data is abnormal, it switches to the safe mode and enables the phase change plate pre-dehumidification + direct evaporative cooling secondary cooling path of the joint operation mode by default.

[0035] During the day, the fuzzy PID algorithm is called to calculate the optimal mode based on the temperature and humidity data detected by the intelligent control unit, and the four paths of mixed air mode, natural cooling source mode, phase change auxiliary mode, and joint operation mode are switched, and the fan speed and spray volume are dynamically adjusted to ensure that the supply air temperature and humidity meet the air supply requirements of the computer room. At night, the fresh air mixing section 1, spray section 2, and phase change plate section 3 in the modular air treatment channel are opened. At night, the outdoor ambient temperature is low, and outdoor cold air is directly introduced. The phase change plate section 3 is naturally cooled and solidified to store energy.

[0036] This temperature and humidity control system and method adopts a modular segmented design, integrating phase change cold storage, direct evaporative cooling and multi-mode dynamic switching technology, and utilizing the "cold storage-cold release-dehumidification" three-in-one function of phase change materials. The phase change panel has a cooling effect of 3-5°C and an intelligent multi-mode switching mechanism. Through the multivariable optimization algorithm of the phase change panel section 3 for nighttime cold storage and daytime cooling and dehumidification, the spray section 2 for evaporative cooling and the intelligent control unit, a breakthrough is made in the coordinated problem of efficient cooling and precise dehumidification in high-humidity environments, which significantly reduces the cooling energy consumption of data centers. It provides an innovative solution to the problems of low efficiency and high dehumidification energy consumption of traditional direct evaporative cooling in humid climate areas. The system's cooling and dehumidification efficiency is increased by 15% (PCM + evaporative cooling combined), and when the humidity is ≥40%, simultaneous cooling and dehumidification can be performed in the first 3 hours.

[0037] The data center established based on the above-mentioned data center phase change cold storage coupled direct evaporative cooling control system and method has intelligent dynamic switching capabilities, can solve the coupling problem of cooling and dehumidification in high humidity environments, and promote the evolution of data center cooling technology towards high efficiency and low carbon.

[0038] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Under the guidance of the present invention, ordinary technicians in this field can make various similar expressions without violating the purpose and claims of the present invention. Such changes fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A data center phase change cold storage coupled with direct evaporative cooling control system, characterized by: The invention comprises an air processing channel with an air inlet at one end communicating with outdoor fresh air and an air outlet at the other end communicating with a data center room. A fresh air mixing section (1), a phase change plate section (3) and a fan section (5) are sequentially arranged in the air processing channel from the air inlet to the air outlet. A spray section (2) is arranged between the fresh air mixing section (1) and the phase change plate section (3) and between the phase change plate section (3) and the fan section (5). A return air duct (6) is connected between the data center room and the fresh air mixing section (1).

2. The data center phase change thermal storage coupled direct evaporative cooling control system according to claim 1 is characterized by: Filters (4) are provided at the air inlet and the air outlet of the air processing channel.

3. The data center phase change cold storage coupled with direct evaporative cooling control system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The spray section (2) comprises a corrugated packing layer, an array of high-pressure atomizing nozzles is arranged above the corrugated packing layer, and a water return system is arranged on the bottom plate of the corrugated packing layer.

4. The data center phase change cold storage coupled with direct evaporative cooling control system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The phase change plate segments (3) are honeycomb-shaped aluminum-based composite phase change plates arranged side by side along the air circulation direction, and the number of groups of the phase change plates is at least five.

5. A data center phase change thermal storage coupled with direct evaporative cooling control method, characterized by: It includes a data center phase change cold storage coupled direct evaporative cooling control system as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, obtains the real-time temperature and humidity of the air handling channel inlet, and selects the operating mode of the return air, phase change panel section and spray section according to the air supply requirements of the data room; wherein, the operating mode includes mixed air mode, natural cooling source mode, phase change auxiliary mode, and combined operation mode; wherein the combined operation mode includes phase change panel pre-dehumidification + direct evaporative cooling secondary cooling or direct evaporative cooling pre-cooling + phase change panel dehumidification.

6. The data center phase change thermal storage coupled with direct evaporative cooling control method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The air supply requirements for the data room are a temperature of 18-27°C and a relative humidity RH ≤ 60%. It also includes an intelligent control unit. The intelligent control unit builds a multivariable state space model based on the fuzzy PID algorithm according to the real-time temperature and humidity of the air inlet and the air supply data of the data room. It dynamically switches between four operating modes according to the temperature and humidity data to achieve temperature and humidity control in the data center.

7. The data center phase change thermal storage coupled with direct evaporative cooling control method according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the outdoor temperature is monitored to be ≤18°C and the relative humidity RH ≤60%, the mixed air mode is started, the spray section (2) and the phase change plate section (3) are closed, the return air channel (6) is opened, and the fresh air ratio of the fresh air mixing section (1) is dynamically adjusted by the intelligent control unit; When the outdoor temperature is monitored to be 18°C ​​≤ ≤ 27°C and the relative humidity RH ≤ 60%, the natural cooling source mode is activated, the spray section (2) and the phase change plate section (3) are closed, and the natural cooling source is directly used to supply air to the data center room; When the outdoor temperature is monitored to be 27℃<≤31℃, the phase change panel auxiliary mode is activated, the spray section (2) is closed, and the outdoor air is dry-cooled to the target state point before being sent to the data center room; When the outdoor temperature is greater than 31°C, the phase change plate pre-dehumidification + direct evaporative cooling secondary cooling path of the combined operation mode is started, the spray section (2) between the fresh air mixing section (1) and the phase change plate section (3) is closed, and the spray section (2) between the phase change plate section (3) and the fan section (5) is started. The phase change plate section (3) is first used to cool and dehumidify to an intermediate state point, and then the temperature is cooled to the target state point by direct evaporative cooling. Alternatively, when the outdoor temperature is greater than 31°C, the direct evaporative cooling pre-cooling + phase change plate dehumidification path of the combined operation mode is started, the spray section (2) between the fresh air mixing section (1) and the phase change plate section (3) is started, and the spray section (2) between the phase change plate section (3) and the fan section (5) is closed. The air is first cooled to an intermediate state point by isenthalpic direct evaporative cooling, and then cooled and dehumidified to the target state point by the phase change plate section (3).

8. The data center phase change thermal storage coupled with direct evaporative cooling control method according to claim 7, characterized in that: In the combined operation mode, the fuzzy PID algorithm is used to optimize the path selection in real time: when the return air humidity in the computer room approaches the threshold of 60%, the phase change panel pre-dehumidification + direct evaporative cooling secondary cooling path is preferred to enhance dehumidification; When the return air temperature in the equipment room approaches the threshold of 27°C, direct evaporative cooling pre-cooling + phase change panel dehumidification path is preferred to enhance cooling.

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