Heat recovery device, cooling dehumidification system of data center and dehumidification method

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat recovery device, a cooling dehumidification system of a data center and a dehumidification method. The heat recovery device comprises an air-liquid heat exchanger which comprises a heat exchange pipeline and a heat exchange air duct, and the heat exchange pipeline is used for being connected with a cooling liquid pipeline of the liquid cooling unit so as to heat regenerated air flowing through the heat exchange air duct through cooling liquid flowing into the heat exchange pipeline; the regeneration area is communicated with the heat exchange air channel through a regeneration air channel, so that the adsorption material in the regeneration area is desorbed and regenerated through regeneration air in the regeneration air channel; the dehumidification area is connected with the first channel and the second channel and used for dehumidifying air entering from the first channel and then exhausting the air through the second channel. And the bypass channel can be opened and closed, the two ends of the bypass channel are connected with the first channel and the second channel correspondingly, and the bypass channel is used for being opened when the humidity value of inlet air in the first channel is lower than a preset humidity value. The heat recovery device and the cooling and dehumidifying system of the data center are wide in applicability.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of servers, and in particular to a heat recovery device, a cooling and dehumidifying system of a data center and a dehumidifying method. BACKGROUND

[0002] Data centers are important infrastructure in the Internet era, which carry massive amounts of data and computing tasks. In order to meet the stable and efficient operation of the server cluster, the data center generally sets up a liquid cooling unit to take away the heat generated by the server cluster through liquid heat exchange, and the cooling liquid with increased temperature in the liquid cooling unit of the data center is also cooled through a water chiller, a dry cooler and other means, which wastes a large amount of heat energy. Therefore, people focus on converting the heat generated by the server into usable energy through waste heat recovery technology, so as to improve the energy utilization rate of the data center and reduce energy consumption. In specific implementation, for example, the heat in the high-temperature cooling liquid can be raised to 70℃ through a heat pump to increase the temperature of hot water, and the hot water is distributed to a public heating pipe network for heating demand, however, this scheme requires a supporting heating pipe network system, heating targets and a large number of equipment and sites, and is not flexible to deploy and is difficult to apply to scenarios where there is no heating target near the data center, which has the problem of poor applicability. SUMMARY

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a heat recovery device, a cooling and dehumidifying system of a data center and a dehumidifying method with wider applicability.

[0004] The first aspect of the embodiment of the present application provides a heat recovery device for recovering waste heat of a liquid cooling unit of a data center, the heat recovery device comprising:

[0005] an air-liquid heat exchanger comprising a heat exchange pipeline and a heat exchange air duct, the heat exchange pipeline being connected to a cooling liquid pipeline of the liquid cooling unit to heat regenerative air flowing through the heat exchange air duct by cooling liquid flowing into the heat exchange pipeline;

[0006] a rotary dehumidifier comprising a regeneration zone and a dehumidification zone, the regeneration zone being communicated with the heat exchange air duct through a regenerative air passage to cause adsorbent material in the regeneration zone to be desorbed and regenerated by regenerative air in the regenerative air passage; the dehumidification zone being connected to the first passage and the second passage respectively, and being used to dehumidify air entering through the first passage and discharge the dehumidified air through the second passage; and

[0007] an openable and closable bypass passage, the bypass passage being connected to the first passage and the second passage at two ends respectively, the bypass passage being used to open when the humidity value of the air in the first passage is lower than a preset humidity value; and being used to close when the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value.

[0008] The rotary dehumidifier itself is a single unit, with a partition separating the regeneration zone and the dehumidification zone. The adsorbent material in the dehumidification zone absorbs moisture and then rotates to the regeneration zone for desorption and regeneration. After desorption, it returns to the dehumidification zone.

[0009] By installing a wind-liquid heat exchanger and a rotary dehumidifier, the high-temperature coolant in the data center's coolant pipes can be utilized to heat the regeneration air in the heat exchange duct. The heated regeneration air in the regeneration duct then desorbs and regenerates the adsorbent material in the regeneration zone of the rotary dehumidifier. This not only utilizes the excess heat energy in the high-temperature coolant in the data center but also reduces the energy consumption of the data center to cool this portion of the high-temperature coolant, further reducing the overall system energy consumption.

[0010] In addition, the dehumidification zone of the rotary dehumidifier is connected to the first channel and the second channel respectively, and is used to dehumidify the air entering from the first channel and then discharge it through the second channel. As long as the first channel is connected to the return air channel of the air conditioning unit of the data center and the second channel is connected to the air intake channel of the air conditioning unit, the dehumidification zone can be used to dehumidify the return air of the data center before it flows into the air intake channel of the air conditioning unit to assist the air conditioning unit in dehumidification, which also reduces the energy consumption of the air conditioning unit for dehumidification.

[0011] Furthermore, the bypass channel is connected to the first channel and the second channel at both ends, respectively. The bypass channel is closed when the humidity value is higher than or equal to a preset humidity value, so that the air from the first channel is dehumidified by the dehumidification zone before entering the second channel. Additionally, the bypass channel is opened when the humidity of the incoming air in the first channel is lower than the preset humidity value. When the bypass channel is open, the return air entering the first channel tends to pass through the less resistant bypass channel into the second channel, increasing the return air velocity in the second channel and thus accelerating the airflow within the air conditioning unit. This also reduces the energy consumption of the drive components that drive the return airflow.

[0012] In one embodiment, a first sensor assembly is provided in the first channel, and a first on / off valve is provided in the bypass channel;

[0013] The first sensor assembly is used to measure the humidity value of the incoming air in the first channel;

[0014] The first on / off valve is used to open when the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, and to close when the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value.

[0015] With this configuration, when the humidity value of the incoming air in the first channel is lower than the preset humidity value, it can be considered that the humidity value of the incoming air in the first channel is low and no dehumidification treatment is required. When the humidity value of the incoming air in the first channel is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value, it can be considered that the humidity value of the incoming air in the first channel is high and dehumidification treatment is required through the dehumidification zone, so as to reduce the energy consumption of the dehumidification operation of the air conditioning unit.

[0016] In one embodiment, the dehumidification recovery device includes a hollow housing with a partition inside to divide the housing into a first chamber and a second chamber.

[0017] The rotary dehumidifier is located inside the casing. The regeneration zone of the rotary dehumidifier is located in the first chamber. A portion of the first chamber located on one side of the regeneration zone forms a regeneration air duct.

[0018] The dehumidification zone of the rotary dehumidifier is located in the second chamber; the portions of the second chamber located on both sides of the regeneration zone form the first channel and the second channel, respectively.

[0019] This design allows for a simpler structure and a more reasonable layout for the heat recovery device.

[0020] In addition, the bypass channel is connected to the housing, and the first on / off valve is located on the bypass channel.

[0021] In one embodiment, the heat recovery device further includes a second fan;

[0022] The second fan and the air-liquid heat exchanger are both located in the regeneration air duct. The two ends of the regeneration air duct are connected to the regeneration zone of the rotary dehumidifier and the outside world, respectively, so that the regeneration zone is connected to the heat exchange air duct through the regeneration air duct.

[0023] With this setup, the second fan acts as the driving source, drawing outside air into the regeneration air duct when it starts, and then allowing the regeneration air to enter the regeneration zone after passing through the heat exchange duct.

[0024] In one embodiment, the heat recovery device further includes a heater and a second sensor assembly;

[0025] Both the second sensor assembly and the heater are located in the regeneration air duct, and the second sensor assembly is located between the air-liquid heat exchanger and the heater, and is used to measure the temperature value of the outlet air of the heat exchange duct of the air-liquid heat exchanger.

[0026] The heater is configured to turn on when the temperature value is lower than the preset temperature value.

[0027] With this setup, the regenerated air is sent to the air-liquid heat exchanger by a second fan for heating, and then passes through a second sensor assembly to detect whether the regeneration temperature has been reached. If the regeneration temperature has not been reached (i.e., the temperature value is lower than the preset temperature value), the heater is activated; if the regeneration temperature is reached (i.e., the temperature value is greater than or equal to the preset temperature value), the heater is deactivated. The regenerated air then passes through the heater and is sent to the regeneration zone of the rotary dehumidifier, resulting in a better regeneration effect of the adsorbent material.

[0028] A second aspect of this application provides a cooling and dehumidification method for a data center, employing the aforementioned heat recovery device for dehumidification. The method includes:

[0029] Control the operation of the air-liquid heat exchanger and the rotary dehumidifier so that the coolant flowing into the heat exchange pipe heats the regeneration air flowing through the heat exchange air duct, and the adsorbent material in the regeneration zone is desorbed and regenerated through the regeneration air in the regeneration air duct.

[0030] Obtain the humidity value of the air in the first channel;

[0031] If the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, the bypass channel will be opened so that the air from the first channel can enter the second channel through the bypass channel.

[0032] If the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value, the bypass channel will be closed so that the air from the first channel passes through the dehumidification zone and enters the second channel.

[0033] With this configuration, when the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, dehumidification is not required. When the bypass channel is opened, the return air entering the first channel tends to pass through the bypass channel with lower wind resistance to enter the second channel. This increases the flow rate of the return air in the second channel, which speeds up the air flow in the air conditioning unit and reduces the energy consumption of the drive components that drive the return air flow.

[0034] If the humidity value is higher than or equal to the preset humidity value, the bypass channel will be closed so that the air from the first channel will be dehumidified in the dehumidification zone before entering the second channel.

[0035] In one embodiment, a first on / off valve is also provided on the bypass channel;

[0036] The specific steps for controlling the opening of the bypass channel include: controlling the opening of the first on / off valve to open the bypass channel;

[0037] The specific steps for controlling the closure of the bypass channel include: controlling the first on / off valve to close the bypass channel.

[0038] Thus, the bypass channel can be opened or closed via the first on / off valve. In practice, the first on / off valve can be a solenoid valve, electrically connected to the controller, which controls the opening and closing of the first on / off valve.

[0039] In one embodiment, the heat recovery device further includes a second fan located within the regeneration air duct;

[0040] If the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, the specific steps for controlling the bypass channel to open include:

[0041] If the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, the bypass channel will be opened, and the second fan, air-liquid heat exchanger and rotary dehumidifier will be stopped.

[0042] If the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value, the bypass channel will be closed, and the second fan, air-liquid heat exchanger, and rotary dehumidifier will be kept running.

[0043] With this setup, dehumidification is unnecessary when the humidity level is below the preset level. By controlling the bypass channel to open, the second fan, air-liquid heat exchanger, and rotary dehumidifier can be stopped, further reducing energy consumption.

[0044] In one embodiment, the heat recovery device further includes a heater;

[0045] Data center cooling and dehumidification methods also include:

[0046] Obtain the temperature value of the outlet air in the heat exchange duct of the air-liquid heat exchanger;

[0047] If the temperature value is lower than the preset temperature value, the heater will be turned on to heat the regeneration air flowing into the regeneration zone from the heat exchange duct.

[0048] With this setup, after the regeneration air is heated by the air-liquid heat exchanger, it needs to be checked to see if the regeneration temperature has been reached. If the regeneration temperature has not been reached, i.e., the temperature value is lower than the preset temperature value, the heater is activated to heat the regeneration air. After passing through the heater, the regeneration air is sent to the regeneration zone of the rotary dehumidifier, resulting in a better regeneration effect of the adsorbent material.

[0049] Of course, when the second fan, the air-liquid heat exchanger, and the rotary dehumidifier are all stopped, the heater can be turned off.

[0050] A third aspect of this application provides a cooling and dehumidification system for a data center, including a liquid cooling unit for the data center, an air conditioning unit for the data center, and the aforementioned heat recovery device;

[0051] The heat exchange pipes of the air-liquid heat exchanger are connected to the coolant pipes of the liquid cooling unit. The first channel is connected to the return air channel of the air conditioning unit of the data center, and the second channel is connected to the air intake channel of the air conditioning unit of the data center.

[0052] Here, the air conditioning units in the data center are used to regulate the temperature and humidity of the environment surrounding the data center. Attached Figure Description

[0053] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the heat recovery device provided in this application embodiment applied to a cooling and dehumidification system in a data center;

[0054] Figure 2 This is another structural schematic diagram of the heat recovery device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0055] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the air-liquid heat exchanger in the heat recovery device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0056] Figure 4 for Figure 3 The left view;

[0057] Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of a data center cooling and dehumidification method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0058] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0059] 100. Heat recovery device; 110. Shell; 111. First chamber; 112. Second chamber; 120. Partition; 10. Liquid cooling unit of data center; 11. Coolant pipeline; 12. Coolant distribution unit; 13. Cooling source; 20. Air-liquid heat exchanger; 21. Heat exchange pipeline; 22. Heat exchange air duct; 23. Water inlet; 24. Water outlet; 25. Fin;

[0060] 30. Rotary dehumidifier; 31. Regeneration zone; 32. Dehumidification zone;

[0061] 40. Regenerated air duct; 41. Exhaust air duct; 42. Second fan; 50. First duct; 51. First fan; 60. Second duct; 70. Bypass duct; 71. First on / off valve; 80. Air conditioning unit of data center; 90. Heater; 91. First sensor assembly; 92. Second sensor assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0062] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0063] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0064] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0065] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0066] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0067] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0068] The heat recovery device, the cooling and dehumidification system for a data center, and the dehumidification method according to embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the data center may be a liquid-cooled data center.

[0069] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the heat recovery device provided in this application embodiment applied to a cooling and dehumidification system in a data center; Figure 2 This is another structural schematic diagram of the heat recovery device provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the air-liquid heat exchanger in the heat recovery device provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 for Figure 3 The left view.

[0070] Reference Figure 1 The heat recovery device 100 provided in this application embodiment is used to recover the waste heat of the liquid cooling unit 10 of the data center. The heat recovery device 100 includes a wind-liquid heat exchanger 20, a rotary dehumidifier 30, and an openable and closable bypass channel 70.

[0071] The air-liquid heat exchanger 20 includes heat exchange pipes 21 and heat exchange air ducts 22 (see reference). Figure 3 The heat exchange pipe 21 is connected to the coolant pipe 11 of the liquid cooling unit 10, so that the coolant flowing into the heat exchange pipe 21 heats the regeneration air flowing through the heat exchange duct 22. The rotary dehumidifier 30 includes a regeneration zone 31 and a dehumidification zone 32. The regeneration zone 31 is connected to the heat exchange duct 22 through a regeneration air channel 40, so that the adsorbent material in the regeneration zone 31 is desorbed and regenerated by the regeneration air in the regeneration air channel 40. The dehumidification zone 32 is connected to the first channel 50 and the second channel 60 respectively, and is used to dehumidify the air entering from the first channel 50 and discharge it through the second channel 60. An openable and closable bypass channel 70 is connected to the first channel 50 and the second channel 60 at both ends. The bypass channel 70 is opened when the humidity value of the air in the first channel 50 is lower than a preset humidity value, and closed when the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value.

[0072] By setting up the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 and the rotary dehumidifier 30, the high-temperature coolant in the coolant pipe 11 of the liquid cooling unit 10 of the data center can be utilized to heat the regeneration air in the heat exchange air duct 22. The heated regeneration air in the regeneration air duct 40 is used to desorb and regenerate the adsorbent material in the regeneration zone 31 of the rotary dehumidifier 30. This not only utilizes the excess heat energy in the high-temperature coolant in the data center, but also reduces the energy consumption of the data center to cool down this part of the high-temperature coolant, thereby further reducing the energy consumption of the entire system.

[0073] Furthermore, the dehumidification zone 32 of the rotary dehumidifier 30 is connected to the first channel 50 and the second channel 60 respectively, and is used to dehumidify the air entering through the first channel 50 and then discharge it through the second channel 60. As long as the first channel 50 is connected to the return air channel of the air conditioning unit 80 of the data center, and the second channel 60 is connected to the air inlet channel of the air conditioning unit, the dehumidification zone 32 can be used to dehumidify the return air of the air conditioning unit 80 (hereinafter also referred to as the air conditioning unit 80) before it flows into the air inlet channel of the air conditioning unit 80 to assist the air conditioning unit 80 in dehumidification, which also reduces the energy consumption of the air conditioning unit 80 in dehumidification. No supporting heating network system, heating target, or a large amount of equipment and space is required; the excess heat in the liquid cooling unit 10 of the data center can be directly used for dehumidification of the data center, making it highly applicable.

[0074] Furthermore, the bypass channel 70 is connected to the first channel 50 and the second channel 60 at both ends. The bypass channel 70 is used to open when the humidity of the air in the first channel 50 is lower than the preset humidity value. When the bypass channel 70 is open, the return air entering the first channel 50 tends to pass through the bypass channel 70 with lower wind resistance and enter the second channel 60. This increases the flow rate of the return air in the second channel 60, which speeds up the air flow in the air conditioning unit and reduces the energy consumption of the drive components that drive the return air flow.

[0075] The preset humidity can be determined according to actual needs. The air-liquid heat exchanger 20 is a device that can exchange heat between the liquid phase and the gas phase, such as a plate-fin air-liquid heat exchanger.

[0076] The plate-fin air-liquid heat exchanger 20 is compact and can be easily integrated into an air conditioning unit. Furthermore, the heat exchange duct 22 is perpendicular to the heat exchange pipe 21 of the plate-fin air-liquid heat exchanger 20, resulting in good heat exchange performance.

[0077] In this embodiment, a first sensor assembly 91 is provided in the first channel 50, and a first on / off valve 71 is also provided in the bypass channel 70. The first sensor assembly 91 is used to measure the humidity value of the incoming air in the first channel 50. The first on / off valve 71 is used to open when the humidity value is lower than a preset humidity value, and to close when the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value.

[0078] With this configuration, when the humidity value of the incoming air in the first channel 50 is lower than the preset humidity value, it can be considered that the humidity value of the incoming air in the first channel 50 is low and no dehumidification treatment is required. When the humidity value of the incoming air in the first channel 50 is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value, it can be considered that the humidity value of the incoming air in the first channel 50 is high and dehumidification treatment is required through the dehumidification zone 32, so as to reduce the energy consumption of the dehumidification operation of the air conditioning unit.

[0079] In a specific implementation, a controller can be set up. The controller is electrically connected to both the first sensor assembly 91 and the first on / off valve 71. The controller is used to open the first on / off valve 71 when the humidity value measured by the first sensor is lower than a preset humidity value, and to close the first on / off valve 71 when the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value.

[0080] Of course, when the first on / off valve 71 is open, the regeneration operation of the regeneration zone 31 can be shut down to further reduce energy consumption. For example, the second fan 42, described later, can be shut down.

[0081] A first fan 51 may also be provided in the first channel 50 to serve as a driving source for the air in the first channel 50.

[0082] In this embodiment, the first channel 50 is used to connect with the return air channel of the air conditioning unit 80 of the data center, and is provided with an air inlet that connects to the outside.

[0083] This configuration allows the return air and fresh air (air from the outside environment) of the data center air conditioning unit to mix before entering the first channel 50, thereby reducing the humidity and temperature of the incoming air in the first channel 50 and further reducing energy consumption.

[0084] In the embodiments of this application, reference is made to Figure 2 The dehumidification recovery device includes a hollow shell 110, and a partition 120 is provided inside the shell 110 to divide the shell 110 into a first chamber 111 and a second chamber 112.

[0085] The rotary dehumidifier 30 is located inside the housing 110. The regeneration zone 31 of the rotary dehumidifier 30 is located in the first chamber 111. A portion of the first chamber 111 located on one side of the regeneration zone 31 forms a regeneration air duct 40.

[0086] The dehumidification zone 32 of the rotary dehumidifier 30 is located in the second chamber 112, and the portions of the second chamber 112 located on both sides of the regeneration zone 31 form the first channel 50 and the second channel 60, respectively.

[0087] This design allows the heat recovery device 100 to have a simpler structure and a more reasonable layout.

[0088] Figure 2In the diagram, the area to the left of the regeneration zone 31 is the regeneration air duct 40, and the area to the right of the regeneration zone 31 is the exhaust air duct 41. After the regeneration air desorbs from the regeneration zone 31, it will be discharged into the external environment through the exhaust air duct 41.

[0089] In addition, the bypass channel 70 is connected to the outer wall of the housing 110, and the first on / off valve 71 is located inside the bypass channel 70.

[0090] In this embodiment, the heat recovery device 100 further includes a second fan 42. The second fan 42 and the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 are both located in the regeneration air duct 40. The two ends of the regeneration air duct 40 are respectively connected to the regeneration zone 31 of the rotary dehumidifier 30 and the outside world, so that the regeneration zone 31 is connected to the heat exchange air duct 22 through the regeneration air duct 40.

[0091] With this configuration, the second fan 42 acts as a driving source. When it starts, it draws outside air into the regeneration air duct 40 and heats the regeneration air through the heat exchange duct 22 before entering the regeneration zone 31.

[0092] In this embodiment, reference continues to be made to... Figure 1 The heat recovery device 100 also includes a heater 90 and a second sensor assembly 92. Both the second sensor assembly 92 and the heater 90 are located within the regeneration air duct 40, with the second sensor assembly 92 positioned between the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 and the heater 90, and used to measure the temperature of the outlet air from the heat exchange duct 22 of the air-liquid heat exchanger 20. The heater 90 is configured to activate when this temperature value is lower than a preset temperature value.

[0093] In this configuration, the regenerated air is sent to the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 by the second fan 42 for heating, and then passes through the second sensor assembly 92 to detect whether the regeneration temperature has been reached. If the regeneration temperature has not been reached (i.e., the temperature value is lower than the preset temperature value), the heater 90 is activated; if the regeneration temperature is reached (i.e., the temperature value is greater than or equal to the preset temperature value), the heater 90 is deactivated. After passing through the heater 90, the regenerated air is sent to the regeneration zone 31 of the rotary dehumidifier 30, resulting in a better regeneration effect of the adsorbent material.

[0094] Continue to refer to Figure 1 Another aspect of this application provides a cooling and dehumidification system for a data center, including a liquid cooling unit 10 for the data center, an air conditioning unit 80 for the data center, and a heat recovery device 100 as described in the above embodiments.

[0095] The heat exchange pipe 21 of the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 is connected to the coolant pipe 11 of the liquid cooling unit, the first channel 50 is connected to the return air channel (not shown) of the air conditioning unit 80 of the data center, and the second channel 60 is connected to the air inlet channel (not shown) of the air conditioning unit 80 of the data center.

[0096] Because the cooling and dehumidification system of the data center includes the heat recovery device 100 mentioned above, similarly, by setting up the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 and the rotary dehumidifier 30, the high-temperature coolant in the coolant pipe 11 of the data center can be utilized to heat the regeneration air flowing through the heat exchange air duct 22. The heated regeneration air is used to desorb and regenerate the adsorbent material in the regeneration zone 31 of the rotary dehumidifier 30. This not only utilizes the excess heat energy in the high-temperature coolant in the data center, but also reduces the energy consumption of the data center to cool down this part of the high-temperature coolant, thereby further reducing the energy consumption of the entire system.

[0097] Furthermore, the dehumidification zone 32 of the rotary dehumidifier 30 is connected to the first channel 50 and the second channel 60 respectively, and is used to dehumidify the air entering through the first channel 50 and then discharge it through the second channel 60. The first channel 50 is connected to the return air channel of the air conditioning unit 80 of the data center, and the second channel 60 is connected to the air intake channel of the air conditioning unit 80. The dehumidification zone 32 can be used to dehumidify the return air of the data center before it flows into the air intake channel of the air conditioning unit 80 to assist the air conditioning unit 80 in dehumidification, which also reduces the energy consumption of the air conditioning unit 80 in dehumidification. No supporting heating network system, heating target, or a large amount of equipment and space is required; the excess heat in the liquid cooling unit 10 of the data center can be directly used for dehumidification of the data center, making it highly applicable.

[0098] Furthermore, the bypass channel 70 is connected to the first channel 50 and the second channel 60 at both ends. The bypass channel 70 is used to open when the humidity of the incoming air in the first channel 50 is lower than the preset humidity value. When the bypass channel 70 is open, the return air entering the first channel 50 tends to enter the second channel 60 through the bypass channel 70 with lower wind resistance. This increases the air velocity in the second channel 60, which speeds up the air velocity in the air conditioning unit 80. This also reduces the energy consumption of the drive component (first fan 51) that drives the return air flow.

[0099] Here, the air conditioning unit 80 of the data center is used to regulate the temperature and humidity of the environment surrounding the data center.

[0100] In this embodiment of the application, the data center includes multiple cabinets. The liquid cooling unit 10 of the data center also includes a coolant distribution unit 12 and a cooling source 13. The coolant is connected to the cooling source 13 through a coolant pipe 11. The coolant distribution unit 12 is used to distribute coolant to each cabinet.

[0101] With this configuration, the coolant distribution unit 12 can utilize the high-temperature coolant that has completed heat exchange in each cabinet and fully exchange heat with the regenerated air through the air-liquid heat exchanger 20.

[0102] In this embodiment, the heat recovery device 100 is installed on the outer wall of the air conditioning unit 80 of the data center.

[0103] Because the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 and the rotary dehumidifier 30 are small in size, they can be integrated into the air conditioning unit 80, for example, by setting them on the outer wall of the air conditioning unit 80. There is no need to set up a separate machine room; they can simply be added to the air conditioning unit 80, making the deployment very flexible.

[0104] In the embodiments of this application, reference is made to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The air-liquid heat exchanger 20 and the second fan 42 are integrated into one structure. The heat exchange pipe 21 of the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 includes an inlet 23 and an outlet 24. The inlet 23 and the outlet 24 are respectively connected to the coolant pipe 11. The air-liquid heat exchanger 20 is also provided with multiple fins 25, and a heat exchange air duct 22 is formed between two adjacent fins 25.

[0105] The following is combined Figure 1 This application describes the working process of the data center cooling and dehumidification system:

[0106] Dehumidification process: Humid air exhausted from the return air duct of the air conditioning unit 80 in the data center is mixed with outdoor fresh air and enters the first duct 50. After passing through the first sensor component 91, the first sensor component 91 detects whether the air condition (humidity value) after mixing meets the environmental requirements of the computer room. If the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value, dehumidification is required, and the first on / off valve 71 is closed, allowing the mixed air to pass through the dehumidification zone 32 for dehumidification. The dehumidified dry air enters the air intake duct of the air conditioning unit 80, is processed, and then enters the data center computer room. If the humidity value is less than the preset humidity value, dehumidification is not required, and the first on / off valve 71 is opened, allowing air to enter the air intake duct of the air conditioning unit 80 through the bypass duct 70.

[0107] Regeneration process: The coolant distribution unit 12 collects the high-temperature coolant generated by each cabinet, and then enters the plate-fin air-liquid heat exchanger 20 through the coolant pipe 11. The air-liquid heat exchanger 20 acts as a regeneration heating component to heat the regeneration air to the regeneration temperature, for example, around 40°C. Of course, if the temperature detected by the second sensor assembly 92 is less than 40°C, the heater 90 is activated to heat the regeneration air to the regeneration temperature. Then, through the action of the second fan 42, the heated regeneration air is blown through the regeneration zone 31 of the rotary dehumidifier 30 to regenerate the adsorbent material. Afterward, the regeneration air is discharged to the outside.

[0108] Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of a data center cooling and dehumidification method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0109] ReferenceFigure 5 This application also provides a cooling and dehumidification method for a data center, the method comprising:

[0110] S10. Control the operation of the air-liquid heat exchanger and rotary dehumidifier so that the coolant flowing into the heat exchange pipe heats the regeneration air flowing through the heat exchange air duct, and the adsorbent material in the regeneration zone is desorbed and regenerated through the regeneration air in the regeneration air duct.

[0111] S20. Obtain the humidity value of the air in the first channel;

[0112] S30. If the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, the bypass channel is opened so that the air in the first channel enters the second channel through the bypass channel.

[0113] S40. If the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value, the bypass channel is closed so that the air from the first channel passes through the dehumidification zone and enters the second channel.

[0114] With this setting, when the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, there is no need to dehumidify. When the bypass channel 70 is opened, the return air entering the first channel 50 tends to pass through the bypass channel 70 with lower wind resistance and enter the second channel 60. This increases the flow rate of the return air in the second channel 60, which speeds up the air flow in the air conditioning unit and reduces the energy consumption of the drive components that drive the return air flow.

[0115] If the humidity value is higher than or equal to the preset humidity value, the bypass channel 70 is closed so that the air from the first channel 50 is dehumidified in the dehumidification zone 32 before entering the second channel 60.

[0116] In this embodiment, the bypass channel 70 is further provided with a first on / off valve 71. The step of controlling the opening of the bypass channel 70 specifically includes: controlling the first on / off valve 71 to open the bypass channel 70.

[0117] The steps for controlling the closure of the bypass channel 70 specifically include: controlling the first on / off valve 71 to close the bypass channel 70.

[0118] Thus, the bypass channel 70 can be opened or closed through the first on / off valve 71. In specific implementation, the first on / off valve 71 can be a solenoid valve, electrically connected to the controller, and the controller controls the opening and closing of the first on / off valve 71.

[0119] Furthermore, the steps for obtaining the humidity value of the first channel 50 include:

[0120] The step of obtaining the humidity value of the first channel 50 is performed once at a preset time interval.

[0121] In practice, the preset time interval can be 5 minutes. Setting the time interval in this way can ensure that the humidity of the incoming air can remain stable near a suitable humidity value.

[0122] In this embodiment of the application, as described above, the heat recovery device 100 further includes a second fan 42, which is located within the regeneration air duct 40.

[0123] If the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, the specific steps for controlling the bypass channel 70 to open include:

[0124] If the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, the bypass channel 70 will be opened, and the second fan 42, the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 and the rotary dehumidifier 30 will be stopped.

[0125] If the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value, the bypass channel 70 is closed, and the second fan 42, the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 and the rotary dehumidifier 30 are kept running.

[0126] With this setting, when the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, there is no need to dehumidify. While controlling the bypass channel 70 to open, the second fan 42, the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 and the rotary dehumidifier are controlled to stop running, which can further reduce energy consumption.

[0127] In this embodiment, the heat recovery device 100 further includes a heater 90.

[0128] Data center cooling and dehumidification methods also include:

[0129] Obtain the temperature value of the outlet air of the heat exchange duct 22 of the air-liquid heat exchanger 20;

[0130] If the temperature value is lower than the preset temperature value, the heater 90 is turned on to heat the regeneration air flowing into the regeneration zone 31 from the heat exchange duct 22.

[0131] With this setup, after the regenerated air is heated by the air-liquid heat exchanger 20, it needs to be checked to see if the regeneration temperature has been reached. If the regeneration temperature has not been reached, i.e., the temperature value is lower than the preset temperature value, the heater 90 is activated to heat the regenerated air. After passing through the heater 90, the regenerated air is sent to the regeneration zone 31 of the rotary dehumidifier 30 to achieve a better regeneration effect of the adsorbent material.

[0132] Of course, if the temperature value is greater than or equal to the preset temperature value, the heater 90 will be turned off to reduce energy consumption.

[0133] When the second fan 42, the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 and the rotary dehumidifier 30 are all stopped, the control heater 90 is turned off.

[0134] Furthermore, the specific steps for obtaining the outlet air temperature value of the heat exchange duct 22 of the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 include:

[0135] The step of obtaining the temperature value of the outlet air of the heat exchange duct 22 of the air-liquid heat exchanger 20 is performed once at a preset time interval. In specific implementation, the preset time interval can be 5 minutes. Setting the time interval in this way can ensure that the temperature of the regenerated air can remain stable near a suitable temperature.

[0136] Of course, the temperature value can be detected by the second sensor component 92.

[0137] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0138] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A heat recovery device, characterized in that, The heat recovery device is used to recover waste heat from the liquid cooling unit of a data center, and includes: A wind-liquid heat exchanger includes a heat exchange pipe and a heat exchange air duct. The heat exchange pipe is used to connect to the coolant pipe of the liquid cooling unit so as to heat the regenerated air flowing through the heat exchange air duct by the coolant flowing into the heat exchange pipe. A rotary dehumidifier includes a regeneration zone and a dehumidification zone. The regeneration zone is connected to a heat exchange duct via a regeneration air duct, allowing the adsorbent material in the regeneration zone to be desorbed and regenerated by the regeneration air in the regeneration air duct. The dehumidification zone is connected to a first channel and a second channel, respectively, and is used to dehumidify the air entering through the first channel before it is discharged through the second channel. An openable and closable bypass channel is provided, with its two ends connected to the first channel and the second channel, respectively. The bypass channel is used to open when the humidity value of the wind in the first channel is lower than a preset humidity value, and to close when the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value.

2. The heat recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first channel is equipped with a first sensor assembly, and the bypass channel is also equipped with a first on / off valve; The first sensor assembly is used to measure the humidity value of the wind in the first channel; The first on / off valve is used to open when the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, and to close when the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value.

3. The heat recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dehumidification recovery device includes a hollow shell, and a partition is provided inside the shell to divide the shell into a first chamber and a second chamber; The rotary dehumidifier is disposed inside the housing, and the regeneration zone of the rotary dehumidifier is located in the first chamber. A portion of the first chamber located on one side of the regeneration zone forms the regeneration air duct. The dehumidification zone of the rotary dehumidifier is located in the second chamber; the portions of the second chamber located on both sides of the regeneration zone form a first channel and a second channel, respectively.

4. The heat recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat recovery device also includes a second fan; The second fan and the air-liquid heat exchanger are both located in the regeneration air duct. The two ends of the regeneration air duct are respectively connected to the regeneration zone of the rotary dehumidifier and the outside, so that the regeneration zone is connected to the heat exchange air duct through the regeneration air duct.

5. The heat recovery device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The heat recovery device also includes a heater and a second sensor assembly; The second sensor assembly and the heater are both located in the regeneration air duct, and the second sensor assembly is located between the air-liquid heat exchanger and the heater, and is used to measure the temperature value of the outlet air of the heat exchange duct of the air-liquid heat exchanger; The heater is configured to turn on when the temperature value is lower than a preset temperature value.

6. A cooling and dehumidification method for a data center, characterized in that, Dehumidification is performed using the heat recovery device as described in any one of claims 1-5, the method comprising: The operation of the air-liquid heat exchanger and the rotary dehumidifier is controlled so that the coolant flowing into the heat exchange pipe heats the regeneration air flowing through the heat exchange air duct, and the adsorbent material in the regeneration zone is desorbed and regenerated through the regeneration air in the regeneration air duct. Obtain the humidity value of the air in the first channel; If the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, the bypass channel is opened so that the air from the first channel enters the second channel through the bypass channel. If the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value, the bypass channel is controlled to close, so that the air from the first channel passes through the dehumidification zone and enters the second channel.

7. The cooling and dehumidification method for a data center according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bypass channel is also equipped with a first on / off valve; The step of controlling the opening of the bypass channel specifically includes: controlling the first on / off valve to open the bypass channel; The step of controlling the bypass channel to close specifically includes: controlling the first on / off valve to close the bypass channel.

8. The cooling and dehumidification method for a data center according to claim 7, characterized in that, The heat recovery device further includes a second fan, which is located inside the regeneration air duct. The step of controlling the bypass channel to open if the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value specifically includes: If the humidity value is lower than the preset humidity value, the bypass channel is opened, and the second fan, the air-liquid heat exchanger, and the rotary dehumidifier are stopped. If the humidity value is greater than or equal to the preset humidity value, the bypass channel is closed, and the second fan, the air-liquid heat exchanger, and the rotary dehumidifier are kept running.

9. The cooling and dehumidification method for a data center according to claim 7, characterized in that, The heat recovery device also includes a heater; The cooling and dehumidification method for the data center also includes: Obtain the temperature value of the outlet air from the heat exchange duct of the air-liquid heat exchanger; If the temperature value is lower than the preset temperature value, the heater is turned on to heat the regeneration air flowing into the regeneration zone from the heat exchange duct.

10. A cooling and dehumidification system for a data center, characterized in that, Includes a liquid cooling unit for a data center, an air conditioning unit for a data center, and a heat recovery device as described in any one of claims 1-5; The heat exchange pipe of the air-liquid heat exchanger is connected to the coolant pipe of the liquid cooling unit, the first channel is connected to the return air channel of the air conditioning unit of the data center, and the second channel is connected to the air intake channel of the air conditioning unit of the data center.

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