Liquid cooling system for cooling server room of data center using hybrid air conditioning system

Abstract

To provide a liquid cooling system for cooling a server room of a data center using a hybrid air conditioning system.SOLUTION: A liquid cooling system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a heat exchanger that cools a refrigerant using a heat source of a server room cooling device cooling a server room in a data center by an air cooling technique, and a cooling distribution unit that distributedly supplies the refrigerant cooled by the heat exchanger, to servers placed in the server room by a liquid cooling technique.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The following description relates to a liquid cooling system for cooling a server room in a data center utilizing a hybrid air conditioning system. [Background technology]

[0002] The servers, network equipment, and enterprise equipment in the server rooms of data centers generate heat. Therefore, data centers that operate such equipment also operate large-scale facilities such as air conditioning systems to cool the heat. To cool the heat in a data center, it is necessary to supply cool air to each piece of equipment.

[0003] However, conventional air-cooled systems alone have been unable to solve the thermal runaway problem of high-power servers such as GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) servers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1548328 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] We provide a liquid cooling system for cooling server rooms in data centers by utilizing existing air conditioning systems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A liquid cooling system is provided that includes a heat exchanger that cools a refrigerant using the heat source of a server room cooling device that cools a server room in an air-cooled manner in a data center, and a cooling distribution unit that distributes and supplies the refrigerant cooled by the heat exchanger to servers arranged in the server room using a liquid cooling method.

[0007] According to one aspect, the server may include piping for a liquid cooling system therein, and the piping included within the server may be connected to a cooling distribution unit so that the refrigerant is distributed and supplied to the server via the piping.

[0008] According to another aspect, the server room cooling device may include a first cooling unit that uses outside air from the data center to cool the air inside the air-conditioned room, and the heat exchanger may be characterized by cooling the refrigerant in conjunction with the first cooling unit.

[0009] According to another aspect, the server room cooling device may include a second cooling unit that receives a supply of refrigerant whose temperature has been adjusted by a refrigerator and cools the air inside the air-conditioned room, and the heat exchanger may be characterized by cooling the refrigerant in conjunction with the second cooling unit.

[0010] According to another aspect, the server room cooling device may include a first cooling unit that uses outside air from the data center to cool the air inside the air-conditioned room, and a second cooling unit that receives a supply of refrigerant whose temperature has been adjusted by a refrigerator to cool the air inside the air-conditioned room, and the heat exchanger may be characterized as being linked to each of the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit and cooling the refrigerant using at least one selected from the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit.

[0011] According to another aspect, the server room cooling device may include an evaporative humidifier that adjusts the humidity of the air inside the air-conditioned room by introducing outside air from the data center to form an evaporative cooling system, and the heat exchanger may be configured to operate in conjunction with the evaporative humidifier to cool the refrigerant using the evaporative cooling system of the evaporative humidifier.

[0012] According to another aspect, the heat exchanger may be implemented inside a cooling distribution unit, and the cooling distribution unit may be implemented between the server room cooling device and the server room.

[0013] According to another aspect, the heat exchanger may be characterized in that a first refrigerant is transferred from the heat source of the server room cooling device through a first pipe connected to the heat source to cool a second refrigerant, and the second refrigerant is delivered through a second pipe connected to each of the servers arranged in the server room, thereby cooling the servers using a liquid cooling method.

[0014] According to another aspect, the first refrigerant may include water, and the second refrigerant may include insulating oil.

[0015] According to another aspect, at least a portion of the second piping may be provided inside a double floor structure provided on the floor of the server room.

[0016] According to yet another aspect, the cooling distribution unit may include pumps for transmitting coolant to each of the servers, the pumps including a first pump for current operation and a second pump that is on standby for operation in the event of an abnormality in the first pump.

[0017] According to another aspect, the heat exchanger may be connected to a heat source of a server room cooling device outside the server room, and the cooling distribution unit may be arranged in server rack units inside the server room, receiving the refrigerant cooled by the heat exchanger and transmitting it to the servers in the corresponding server racks.

[0018] According to another aspect, the heat exchanger may be characterized by cooling the refrigerant in conjunction with the heat source of the server room cooling device and transmitting the refrigerant through piping connected to each of the cooling distribution units arranged in server rack units.

[0019] According to another aspect, at least a portion of the piping may be provided inside a double floor structure provided on the floor of the server room.

[0020] According to another aspect, the control unit may be characterized in that the heat exchanger supplies cooled refrigerant to the cooling distribution unit by utilizing the pressure of a pump that supplies free cooling or refrigerant to the server room cooling device.

[0021] According to yet another aspect, the cooling distribution unit may be characterized by including a pressure gauge that measures the pressure of the refrigerant supplied from the heat exchanger, and an auxiliary pump that increases the pressure of the refrigerant when the pressure measured by the pressure gauge is equal to or lower than a preset pressure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] It is possible to provide a liquid cooling system for cooling a server room in a data center by utilizing an existing air conditioning system. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a server room cooling device using indirect outside air according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a server room cooling device using indirect outside air according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a server room cooling device using indirect outside air according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of server room cooling using indirect outside air in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of server room cooling using indirect outside air in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of server room cooling using indirect outside air in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 illustrates an example hybrid cooling system utilizing both direct and indirect outdoor air in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of cooling a server room based on an external environment and an external temperature in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of cooling a server room based on an external environment and an external temperature in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of cooling a server room based on an external environment and an external temperature in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of cooling a server room based on an external environment and an external temperature in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 illustrates another example of a hybrid cooling system utilizing both direct and indirect ambient air in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of cooling a server room based on an external environment and an external temperature in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of cooling a server room based on an external environment and an external temperature in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of cooling a server room based on an external environment and an external temperature in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of cooling a server room based on an external environment and an external temperature in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a CDU in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 1 illustrates an implementation of a liquid cooling system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] FIG. 1 illustrates an implementation of a liquid cooling system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of the configuration of a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] FIG. 1 illustrates another implementation of a liquid cooling system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] FIG. 1 illustrates another implementation of a liquid cooling system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] 1 to 16 illustrate examples of environments in which a liquid cooling system according to one embodiment of the present invention can be applied, and Fig. 17 to Fig. 23 illustrate the liquid cooling system in more detail.

[0026] 1 to 3 are diagrams showing an example of a server room cooling device that uses indirect outside air according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the server room cooling device 100 according to this embodiment includes an inside air inlet section 110, a first bypass damper 120, a second bypass damper 130, a first cooling section 140, a second cooling section 150, a blower section 160, and an air supply section 170.

[0027] The internal air inlet section 110 may form a passage for allowing the internal air of the server room to flow into the air-conditioning room. For example, the "space 1" shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 may correspond to the internal air inlet section 110. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the internal air inlet section 110 may be disposed at the upper ends of the first cooling section 140, the second cooling section 150, and the blower section 160, and may be disposed so that the direction in which air flows from the server room into the air-conditioning room is opposite to the direction in which air is supplied from the air-conditioning room to the server room.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the first bypass damper 120 may be disposed at a position corresponding to between the first cooling section 140 and the second cooling section 150 on the internal air inlet section 110. The first bypass damper 120 may be used to control the path of air. For example, when the first bypass damper 120 is closed, air flowing in through the internal air inlet section 110 may be supplied to the server room via the first cooling section 140, the second cooling section 150, and the blower section 160. When the first bypass damper 120 is opened, the air in the internal air inlet section 110 may be supplied between the first cooling section 140 and the second cooling section 150 due to the pressure created by the blower section 160, and then may be supplied to the server room via the second cooling section 150 and the blower section 160.

[0029] A second bypass damper 130 may also be positioned around the second cooling section 150 to control the path of the air.

[0030] The first bypass damper 120 and the second bypass damper 130 may have the function of changing the direction of air movement by closing or opening the passage through which the air moves.

[0031] The first cooling unit 140 may receive a refrigerant (e.g., water) whose temperature has been adjusted (e.g., cooled) by a cooling tower or dry cooler that utilizes the outside air of the data center, and may cool the air inside the air-conditioned room using an indirect outside air method. In other words, the first cooling unit 140 may indirectly utilize the cooling energy contained in the outside air to cool the air inside the air-conditioned room. A free cooling system for heat exchange between the refrigerant and the outside air cooling heat source may be configured outside the server room cooling device 100, and the first cooling unit 140 may receive a refrigerant whose temperature has been adjusted by the outside air from the free cooling system and cool the air inside the air-conditioned room. Depending on the embodiment, the first cooling unit 140 may include a free filter for removing foreign matter mixed in the air. In this embodiment, outside air is not directly introduced into the air-conditioned room, so the server room cooling device 100 can be operated without a high-performance filter.

[0032] The second cooling unit 150 may receive a refrigerant whose temperature has been adjusted by a refrigerator and cool the air inside the air-conditioned room. For example, the second cooling unit 150 may be realized as a chilled water coil that uses water as a refrigerant. The second cooling unit 150 may cool or dehumidify the air by heat exchange between the chilled water and the air. The refrigerant may be supplied to the second cooling unit 150 via a refrigerator and / or a heat shrink system.

[0033] The blower 160 may supply the internal air of the air-conditioned room to the server room via the air supply unit 170. Here, the blower 160 may be a mechanical device that supplies air and generates air flow within the air-conditioned room. As an example, the blower 160 may be implemented by a number of brushless direct current (BLDC) fans. High-efficiency BLDC fans can reduce operating costs compared to general alternating current (AC) fans. BLDC fans do not require a separate inverter, eliminating the need for an inverter panel and allowing multiple fans to be used. Furthermore, while AC fans are limited in their operating range, BLDC fans can control their output between 0 and 100%, thereby enabling more efficient energy reduction and control. Furthermore, BLDC fans are relatively lighter and smaller than AC fans, which is advantageous in terms of maintenance and space conservation. The air supply unit 170 may form a passage between the air-conditioned room and the server room.

[0034] Such a server room cooling device 100 has a structure that indirectly utilizes outside air, which is the air outside the data center, and may be equipment for supplying cool outside air to a place where heat is to be cooled, such as a server room installed in a data center, and by operating uninterruptedly all year round even under conditions where there are many changes in temperature and / or humidity, the inside of the server room can be cooled at low cost by indirectly utilizing outside air (for example, outside the data center).

[0035] In particular, the server room cooling device 100 according to this embodiment incorporates a dual cooling system consisting of a first cooling section 140 that indirectly utilizes outside air and a second cooling section 150 that uses a refrigerator, thereby enabling the server room to be cooled by indirect outside air without being affected by outside air even in high humidity environments and / or environments with a lot of air pollutants, such as during the rainy season, pollen season, or yellow sand season, thereby maximizing cooling energy efficiency.

[0036] The embodiment of FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which both the first cooling unit 140 and the second cooling unit 150 are used. The dotted line in FIG. 1 may represent hot air flowing from a server room into an air-conditioning room. In this case, the hot air transmitted through the first and second spaces may be primarily cooled by the first cooling unit 140 and transmitted to the third space. Cool air that is primarily cooled by indirectly utilizing outside air is indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1. In addition, the primarily cooled cool air may be secondarily cooled by the second cooling unit 150 and transmitted to the fourth space. Air that is secondarily cooled and appropriately cooled to be supplied to the server room is indicated by a double line in FIG. 1. The secondarily cooled cool air may be supplied to the server room via the air blower 160 and the air supply unit 170. The air flow illustrated in FIG. 1 may be caused by pressure generated by the air blower 160. For example, when it is difficult to cool the air using only the first cooling unit 140, such as in spring or autumn when the outside air temperature is 15 to 30°C, both the first cooling unit 140 and the second cooling unit 150 may be used. In this case, the air is primarily cooled by the first cooling unit 140, thereby reducing the energy used to operate the second cooling unit 150. Meanwhile, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the second bypass damper 130 is closed by the operation of the second cooling unit 150, and the air in the third space is concentrated in the second cooling unit 150.

[0037] The embodiment of FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the first cooling unit 140 is used. Hot air flowing from the server room into the air-conditioned room may be cooled by the first cooling unit 140 and transferred to the third space. For example, when the outside air temperature is below 15°C, such as in winter, cooling may be performed solely by the first cooling unit 140. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, air that has been primarily cooled by the first cooling unit 140 and is cooled to a temperature suitable for supply to the server room is indicated by double lines in FIG. 1. In this case, the second cooling unit 150 does not need to be operated, thereby reducing the energy used for operation. Meanwhile, the embodiment of FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the second bypass damper 130 is opened when the second cooling unit 150 is not in operation, and air in the third space passes not only through the first path that passes through the first cooling unit 150 but also through a second path that is distinct from the first path. When the second bypass damper 130 is opened, a portion of the air in the third space bypasses the second cooling unit 150 and passes through the second path, thereby reducing the airflow resistance caused by the second cooling unit 150. For example, as described above, the chilled water coil is a factor that generates internal resistance to the air, which increases the power consumption of the blower unit 160. As a result, in this embodiment, the internal resistance caused by the second cooling unit 150 can be minimized by opening and closing the second bypass damper 130 disposed above the second cooling unit 150.

[0038] FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which the second cooling unit 150 is used. For example, when the outdoor air temperature exceeds 30°C, such as in summer, the outdoor air alone cannot cool the refrigerant for the first cooling unit 140. Therefore, the first cooling unit 140 may not be used, and the air inside the air-conditioned room may be cooled by the second cooling unit 150. The embodiment of FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which hot air flowing into the air-conditioned room from the server room flows from the first space to the second space through the first bypass damper 120, is cooled by the second cooling unit 150, and is then transferred to the fourth space. When the first bypass damper 120 is open, the pressure created by the blower 160 causes the air in the first space to move directly to the third space rather than the second space, and from the third space, it flows toward the second cooling unit 150 rather than the first cooling unit 140. Therefore, the air in the third space may be cooled by the operating second cooling unit 150 and supplied to the server room via the blower 160 and the air supply unit 170. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the second bypass damper 130 is closed by the operation of the second cooling section 150, and the air in the third space is concentrated in the second cooling section 150.

[0039] 4 to 6 are diagrams showing an example of cooling a server room using indirect outside air in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] The embodiment of FIG. 4 illustrates an example in which cooling is performed solely by the first cooling unit 140 when the outside air temperature is below 15°C, such as in winter. The server room 400 may include a number of servers 410, and a cold zone and a hot zone may be formed between the servers due to the flow of air. At this time, heated air passing through the hot zone may be introduced into the air-conditioned room via the ceiling 420 of the server room 400 and the inside air inlet 110. The embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate an example in which a fan 430 is installed in the inside air inlet 110 to support the introduction of air from the server room 400 into the air-conditioned room. Depending on the embodiment, a return damper may be installed in the inside air inlet 110 to prevent the introduction of inside air from the server room 400. The hot air introduced into the air-conditioned room may be cooled by the first cooling unit 140, which is supplied with a refrigerant whose temperature is adjusted by the cold outside air in winter, and the air sufficiently cooled by the first cooling unit 140 may be supplied again to the server room 400. In this case, power consumption can be reduced because the server room 400 can be cooled by indirect air cooling without operating the second cooling unit 150. In this case, the embodiment of Fig. 4 shows an example in which the second cooling unit 150 is not operated, and the second bypass damper 130 is opened to reduce the internal resistance caused by the second cooling unit 150.

[0041] The embodiment of FIG. 5 illustrates an example in which cooling is performed using both the first cooling unit 140 and the second cooling unit 150 when the outside air temperature is below 15°C to 30°C, such as in spring or autumn. In this case, hot air flowing into the air-conditioned room through the ceiling 420 of the server room 400 and the inside air inlet 110 may be primarily cooled by the first cooling unit 140, which receives a supply of refrigerant whose temperature is adjusted by the outside air, and may be secondarily cooled by the second cooling unit 150. The air cooled by the second cooling unit 150 may be resupplied to the server room 400. In this case, the air inside the air-conditioned room is primarily cooled by the first cooling unit 140, thereby reducing the power consumption of the second cooling unit 150. The embodiment of FIG. 5 also illustrates an example in which the second bypass damper 130 is closed to allow the air to concentrate in the second cooling unit 150 when the second cooling unit 150 is operating.

[0042] The embodiment of FIG. 6 illustrates an example in which cooling is performed solely by the second cooling unit 150 when the outside air temperature exceeds 30°C, such as in summer. At this time, hot air flowing into the air-conditioned room through the ceiling 420 of the server room 400 and the inside air inlet 110 may be directly supplied to the second cooling unit 150 and cooled by the pressure created by the blower 160 as the first bypass damper 120 opens. The air cooled by the second cooling unit 150 may be supplied to the server room 400. Also, the embodiment of FIG. 6 illustrates an example in which the second bypass damper 130 is closed to allow the air to concentrate in the second cooling unit 150 as the second cooling unit 150 operates.

[0043] As described above, the dual cooling system of the first cooling unit 140 for indirectly utilizing the cooling energy of the outside air and the second cooling unit 150 using a refrigerator can efficiently utilize the outside air under various outside air conditions (e.g., seasonal temperature and humidity), reducing power consumption and eliminating or mitigating the effects of the external environment (e.g., air pollutants, pollen, yellow dust, high humidity, etc.). While the above-described embodiments have given examples of outside air temperatures such as below 15°C, 15°C to 30°C, and above 30°C, these are merely examples, and the outside air temperature conditions for operating the server room cooling device 100 may be variously set depending on the embodiment. For example, the outside air temperature conditions for operating the first cooling unit 140 and / or the second cooling unit 150 may be expanded to include a temperature above a first threshold, a temperature below the first threshold and above a second threshold, or a temperature below the second threshold.

[0044] The server room cooling device 100 may further include a control unit for controlling the operation of the first cooling unit 140 and the second cooling unit 150 and for controlling the opening and closing of the first bypass damper 120 and the second bypass damper 130 in accordance with the temperature conditions of the outside air. For example, the control unit may select one of a first mode in which the first cooling unit is operated, a second mode in which both the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit are operated, and a third mode in which the second cooling unit is operated in accordance with the outside air temperature. In this case, the control unit may control the operation of at least one of the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit in accordance with the selected mode. As a more specific example, when the first mode or the second mode is selected, the control unit may close the first bypass damper 120 and control the air from the inside air inlet unit 110 to be supplied to the server room 400 via the first cooling unit 140, the second cooling unit 150, and the blower unit 160. In addition, when the third mode is selected, the control unit may open the first bypass damper and control the air from the internal air inlet unit 110 to be supplied to the server room 400 via the second cooling unit 150 and the blower unit 160.

[0045] As described above, the second cooling section 150 may cool air passing through the first path on the first path of the air. In this case, the second bypass damper 130 may be disposed around the second cooling section 150 (for example, at the upper end of the second cooling section 150 as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 6 ) and may open and close the second path on the second path that is distinct from the first path. In this case, by closing the second bypass damper 130, the second cooling section 150 may supply the air passing through the first path to the server room 400 via the blower 160. By opening the second bypass damper 130, the air bypassing the second cooling section 150 and the air passing through the first path by the second cooling section 150 may be supplied to the server room 400 via the blower 160. Therefore, when the second cooling unit 150 is operated, the control unit may close the second bypass damper 130 so that the air moving along the first path is cooled by the second cooling unit 150 and supplied to the server room 400 via the air blower 160. In other words, the air may be concentrated around the operating second cooling unit 150. On the other hand, when the second cooling unit 150 is not operated, the control unit may open the second bypass damper 130 so that the air moving along the second path, bypassing the second cooling unit 150, is supplied to the inside of the server room 400 via the air blower 160. In other words, the internal resistance caused by the second cooling unit 150 can be minimized. Of course, even in this case, some of the air may pass through the second cooling unit 150, and the air that has passed through the second cooling unit 150 may also be supplied to the inside of the server room 400 via the air blower 160.

[0046] 1 to 6 does not require direct intake of outside air, and by utilizing a dual cooling system of the first cooling unit 140 utilizing indirect outside air and the second cooling unit 150 utilizing a refrigerator, it is possible to cool the server room 400 in winter without operating the air conditioner (the above-described second cooling unit 150), and it is also possible to reduce the power consumption of the air conditioner in spring, autumn, etc. Furthermore, the server room cooling device 100 utilizing outside air according to this embodiment is configured as a modular system, which allows for easy assembly, placement, and disassembly as needed, and allows for easy addition of cooling devices, etc.

[0047] 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hybrid cooling system that utilizes both direct and indirect outdoor air according to one embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment of FIG. 7 illustrates a hybrid system that utilizes not only a dual cooling system of a first cooling unit 140 that utilizes indirect outdoor air and a second cooling unit 150 that utilizes a refrigerator, but also utilizes direct outdoor air intake. The server room cooling apparatus 700 according to this embodiment may include an internal air intake unit 110, a first bypass damper 120, a second bypass damper 130, a first cooling unit 140, a blower unit 160, and an air supply unit 170, similar to the server room cooling apparatus 100 described above.

[0048] Meanwhile, the server room cooling apparatus 700 according to the present embodiment includes an evaporative humidifier 710 and a third cooling unit 720, which correspond to the second cooling unit 150 of the server room cooling apparatus 100. The third cooling unit 720 may substantially correspond to the second cooling unit 150, and the evaporative humidifier 710 may be used to adjust the humidity of the air inside the air-conditioned room by directly introducing outside air. Furthermore, by configuring an evaporative cooling system using the evaporative humidifier 710, the operating time of the third cooling unit 720 can be reduced, thereby saving energy consumption. In this case, the server room cooling apparatus 700 further includes an outside air inlet unit 780 and a filter unit 790 that introduce outside air into the air-conditioned room in order to directly utilize the outside air. In other words, the server room cooling apparatus 700 can configure an efficient cooling system by utilizing the first cooling unit 140 that utilizes indirect outside air and the outside air inlet unit 780 that directly introduces outside air.

[0049] The outside air inlet section 780 may be arranged so that the direction in which outside air flows in is opposite to the direction in which air is supplied from the air-conditioning room to the server room 800. In this case, the outside air flowing in from the outside air inlet section 780 may be supplied to the server room 800 via the first cooling section 140, the third cooling section 720 (corresponding to the second cooling section 150), and the blower section 160.

[0050] The filter unit 790 may filter the outside air introduced through the outside air inlet 780 between the outside air inlet 780 and the first cooling unit 140. As an example, the filter unit 790 may include at least one filter arranged to cover a passage having a height equal to or greater than the sum of the heights of the first cooling unit 140 and the outside air inlet 110, in order to reduce filter resistance by increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the filter.

[0051] 8 to 11 are diagrams showing examples of cooling a server room based on the external environment and the external temperature in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] The embodiment of Figure 8 illustrates an example of cooling when outdoor air cannot be used directly due to high levels of air pollutants or high humidity, such as during the rainy season. In this case, the inflow of air from outdoor air inlet 780 may be blocked, and the air flowing into the air-conditioned room from server room 800 may be treated in the same manner as in the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 to 6. As a more specific example, when the outdoor air temperature exceeds a first threshold, third cooling unit 720 may be operated; when the outdoor air temperature is equal to or lower than the first threshold and equal to or higher than a second threshold, both first cooling unit 140 and third cooling unit 720 may be operated; and when the outdoor air temperature is lower than the second threshold, first cooling unit 140 may be operated.

[0053] The embodiment of FIG. 9 illustrates an example of cooling when the temperature of the outside air is below the second threshold, such as in winter. In this case, the server room cooling device 700 may filter the outside air introduced through the outside air inlet 780 using the filter unit 790 and supply the filtered outside air to the air-conditioned room. The filtered outside air may be mixed with the outside air introduced from the server room 800 via the outside air inlet 110 and supplied to the server room 800 via the air blower 160 and the air supply unit 170. According to an embodiment, the server room cooling device 700 may adjust the humidity of the introduced outside air or perform evaporative cooling on the outside air by using the evaporative humidifier 710. When using cold outside air with a temperature of less than 15°C, such as in winter, the first cooling unit 140, the evaporative humidifier 710, and the third cooling unit 720 are not required, and the temperature of the inside air may be lowered by mixing the outside air with the inside air and then directly introduced into the server room 800. In this case, the cooling device is not used, thereby reducing power consumption. Furthermore, at least a portion of the air that has become hot in the server room 800 may be exhausted to the outside of the data center via an exhaust fan 810 included in the server room 800.

[0054] The embodiment of FIG. 10 illustrates an example of cooling when the outdoor air temperature is equal to or greater than a second threshold and equal to or less than a first threshold, which is greater than the second threshold, such as in spring or autumn. In this case, the server room cooling device 700 may filter the outdoor air introduced through the outdoor air inlet 780 using the filter 790 and supply it to the air-conditioned room. Conversely, the air inside the server room 800 may not be introduced into the air-conditioned room but may be exhausted to the outside of the data center via an exhaust fan 810 included in the server room 800. The outdoor air supplied to the air-conditioned room may be supplied to the server room 800 without a separate cooling process, or, depending on the embodiment, after adjusting the humidity using an evaporative humidifier 710 or evaporatively cooling the outdoor air. In this case, there is no need to cool the heated air in the server room 800, so there is no need to use a cooling device, thereby reducing power consumption.

[0055] 11 illustrates an example of cooling when the outside air temperature exceeds the first threshold, such as in summer. In this case, the server room cooling device 700 may block the inflow of outside air through the outside air inlet 780, and may cool the inside air flowing in from the server room 800 through the inside air inlet 110 using the third cooling unit 720, and then supply it to the server room 800. At this time, because the outside temperature is high, the hot air in the server room 800 may be allowed to flow into the air-conditioned room through the inside air inlet 110 rather than being discharged to the outside through the exhaust fan 810.

[0056] To this end, the control unit included in the server room cooling device 700 may determine whether to open or close the external air inlet 780 depending on the external environment. Here, the external environment may include at least one of the humidity of the external air and the amount of dust contained in the external air. Here, the dust may include air pollutants, pollen, yellow sand, etc.

[0057] In one embodiment, when the temperature of the outside air is equal to or higher than a predetermined first threshold, the control unit may block the inflow of outside air through the outside air inlet unit 780 and operate the third cooling unit 720, since there is no point in allowing outside air to flow in regardless of the external environment. As described above, the third cooling unit 720 may correspond to the second cooling unit 150. Meanwhile, the control unit may cool the air flowing in through the inside air inlet unit 110 using the operated third cooling unit 720, and then cause the air to flow into the server room 800 via the blower unit 160.

[0058] In another embodiment, the control unit may determine to close the external air inlet unit 780 in response to the external environment, and may operate the first cooling unit 140 and the third cooling unit 720 when the temperature of the external air is lower than a preset first threshold and equal to or higher than a preset second threshold, which is lower than the first threshold. In this case, the control unit may cool the air that has flowed in through the internal air inlet unit 110 using the operated first cooling unit 140 and the operated third cooling unit 720, and then flow the cooled air into the server room 800 via the blower unit 160. In other words, in spring or autumn when direct use of external air is not possible, cooling for the server room 800 may be performed using the indirect external air of the first cooling unit 140 and the third cooling unit 720.

[0059] In another embodiment, the control unit may determine to open the outside air inlet unit 780 in accordance with the external environment, and if the temperature of the outside air is less than the first threshold and equal to or greater than a second threshold set lower than the first threshold, stop the operation of the first cooling unit 140 or the third cooling unit 720 if they are operating. At this time, the control unit may cause the air flowing in through the outside air inlet unit 780 to flow into the server room 800 via the blower unit 160. In this case, the air heated in the server room 800 may be exhausted to the outside of the data center via the exhaust fan 810 included in the server room 800. In other words, in spring and autumn when the outside air can be directly used, the server room 800 may be directly cooled by the outside air, and the air heated in the server room 800 may be exhausted to the outside of the data center, thereby cooling the server room 800.

[0060] In another embodiment, the control unit may determine to close the external air inlet unit 780 in response to the external environment, and may operate the first cooling unit 140 when the temperature of the external air is below a second threshold that is set lower than a first threshold. In this case, the control unit may cool the air flowing in through the internal air inlet unit 110 using the operated first cooling unit 140, and then cause the air to flow into the server room 800 via the third cooling unit 720 and the blower unit 160. In other words, even when the external air cannot be used directly, the first cooling unit 140 can be used in an indirect external air manner, thereby reducing power consumption.

[0061] In another embodiment, the control unit may determine to open the external air inlet unit 780 in response to the external environment. When the temperature of the external air is below a second threshold that is set lower than a first threshold, the control unit may stop operation of the first cooling unit 140 and / or the third cooling unit 720 (when the first cooling unit 140 or the third cooling unit 720 is operating) and mix the air flowing in through the external air inlet unit 780 with the air flowing in through the internal air inlet unit 110. In this case, the control unit may cause the mixed air to flow into the server room 800 via the blower unit 160. Meanwhile, at least a portion of the air heated in the server room 800 may be exhausted to the outside of the data center via an exhaust fan 810 included in the server room 800. In other words, in winter when the external air can be directly utilized, the external air and the internal air may be directly mixed to cool the server room 800, and the heated air in the server room 800 may be directly exhausted to the outside of the data center.

[0062] FIG. 12 illustrates another example of a hybrid cooling system utilizing both direct and indirect outdoor air according to an embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment of FIG. 12 illustrates a hybrid system that utilizes not only a dual cooling system, such as the first cooling unit 140 utilizing indirect outdoor air and the second cooling unit 150 utilizing a refrigerator, as in the embodiment of FIG. 7, but also utilizes direct outdoor air intake. The server room cooling apparatus 1200 according to this embodiment may include an internal air intake unit 110, a first bypass damper 120, a second bypass damper 130, a first cooling unit 140, a blower unit 160, an air supply unit 170, an evaporative humidifier 710, a third cooling unit 720, an outdoor air intake unit 780, and a filter unit 790, similar to the server room cooling apparatus 700 of FIG. 7 described above.

[0063] 8 to 11, in which the exhaust fan 810 is included in the server room 800, the server room cooling apparatus 1200 according to this embodiment may include the exhaust fan 1210 and an exhaust duct 1220 for discharging the internal air to the outside via the exhaust fan 1210. Furthermore, the server room cooling apparatus 1200 may include a first damper 1230, a second damper 1240, and a third bypass damper 1250 in addition to the first bypass damper 120 and the second bypass damper 130.

[0064] The first damper 1230 may be disposed above the first cooling unit 140 on the interior air inlet unit 110. When the first damper 1230 is open, the interior air flowing in through the interior air inlet unit 110 may flow into the space between the first damper 1230 and the second damper 1240, and when the first damper 1230 is closed, the interior air flowing in through the interior air inlet unit 110 may be prevented from flowing into the space between the first damper 1230 and the second damper 1240.

[0065] The second damper 1240 may be disposed between the interior air inlet portion 110 and the exhaust fan 1210, and may transmit or block the interior air flowing into the space between the first damper 1230 and the second damper 1240 to the exhaust fan 1210 when the first damper 1230 is open. For example, when both the first damper 1230 and the second damper 1240 are open, the interior air flowing in through the interior air inlet portion 110 may flow into the space between the first damper 1230 and the second damper 1240 and then be transmitted to the exhaust fan 1210 via the second damper 1240. In this case, the interior air may be discharged to the outside along the exhaust air duct 1220 by the exhaust fan 1210. On the other hand, when at least one of the first damper 1230 and the second damper 1240 is closed, the interior air may not be transmitted to the exhaust fan 1210.

[0066] The third bypass damper 1240 may connect or block the space between the first damper 1230 and the second damper 1240 and the space between the filter unit 790 and the first cooling unit 140. For example, when both the first damper 1230 and the third bypass damper 1250 are open, the internal air flowing into the space between the first damper 1230 and the second damper 1240 may flow into the space between the filter unit 790 and the first cooling unit 140 via the third bypass damper 1250. On the other hand, when at least one of the first damper 1230 and the third bypass damper 1250 is closed, the internal air may not be transmitted to the space between the filter unit 790 and the first cooling unit 140.

[0067] 13 to 16 are diagrams showing other examples of cooling a server room based on the external environment and the external temperature in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] 13 illustrates an example of cooling when the temperature of the outside air is below the second threshold (e.g., 15°C) but the outside air cannot be used directly due to a high concentration of air pollutants or high humidity, such as during the rainy season. In this case, the inflow of air from the outside air inlet 780 may be blocked, the first bypass damper 120 and the second damper 1240 may be closed, and the second bypass damper 130, the first damper 1230, and the third bypass damper 1250 may be opened. In this case, due to the pressure generated by the blower 160, air flowing from the server room 1300 into the air-conditioned room via the inside air inlet 110 may flow through the first damper 1230 and the third bypass damper 1250 and into the space between the filter unit 790 and the first cooling unit 140. The internal air flowing into the space between the filter unit 790 and the first cooling unit 140 may be cooled by the first cooling unit 140 using indirect external air and may be supplied to the server room 1300 via the evaporative humidifier 710, the third cooling unit 720, the air blower 160, and the air supply unit 170. Because the temperature of the external air is lower than a preset temperature (e.g., 15°C) for utilizing external air, cooling is possible using only the first cooling unit 140, which cools the air using indirect external air, thereby reducing power consumption. When the temperature of the external air is equal to or higher than the second threshold but lower than the first threshold, not only the first cooling unit 140, which cools the air using indirect external air, but also the third cooling unit 720 may be operated. In this case, the third cooling unit 720 cools the air that has been primarily cooled by the first cooling unit 140, thereby reducing the cost of using a refrigerator.

[0069] The embodiment of FIG. 14 illustrates an example of cooling when the temperature of the outside air is below a second threshold (e.g., 15°C), such as in winter, and the outside air can be used directly. In this case, outside air may be directly introduced through the outside air inlet unit 780 and may pass through the filter unit 790 and the first cooling unit 140. Since the cold outside air is directly introduced, the first cooling unit 140 does not need to be operated. Also, the third bypass damper 1250 may be closed, and the first bypass damper 120, the second bypass damper 130, the first damper 1230, and the second damper 1240 may be open. In this case, due to the pressure generated by the blower unit 160, at least a portion of the air introduced from the server room 1300 through the inside air inlet unit 110 into the air-conditioned room may be introduced into the space between the first cooling unit 140 and the third cooling unit 720 via the first bypass damper 120. The remaining air may be exhausted to the outside along the exhaust air duct 1220 via the first damper 1230, the second damper 1240, and the exhaust fan 1210 due to the pressure created by the exhaust fan 1210. Meanwhile, the internal air flowing into the space between the first cooling unit 140 and the third cooling unit 720 may be mixed with the cold external air that has passed through the filter unit 790 and the first cooling unit 140 and cooled. The air mixed with the external air and cooled may be supplied to the server room 1300 via the third cooling unit 720, the blower 160, and the air supply unit 170.

[0070] The embodiment of FIG. 15 illustrates an example of cooling when the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the second threshold (e.g., 15°C) and equal to or lower than the first threshold (e.g., 30°C), such as in spring or autumn, and the outside air can be used directly. In this case, external air may be directly introduced from the outside air inlet 780 and may pass through the filter 790 and the first cooling unit 140. In this case, since the outside air below the first threshold is directly input, the first cooling unit 140 does not need to operate. In addition, the first bypass damper 120 and the third bypass damper 1250 may be closed, and the second bypass damper 130, the first damper 1230, and the second damper 1240 may be open. In this case, air flowing from server room 1300 into the air-conditioned room through internal air inlet unit 110 due to the pressure generated by exhaust fan 1210 may be discharged to the outside along exhaust air duct 1220 via first damper 1230, second damper 1240, and exhaust fan 1210. Meanwhile, external air passing through first cooling unit 140 may be supplied to server room 1300 via evaporative humidifier 710, third cooling unit 720, blower unit 160, and air supply unit 170. Therefore, first cooling unit 140, evaporative humidifier 710, and third cooling unit 720 are not all used, thereby reducing power consumption for cooling. Meanwhile, in some embodiments, evaporative humidifier 710 or third cooling unit 720 may be partially / temporarily operated in the temperature range of 26 to 30°C. In this case, the first threshold value may be set to 25°C.

[0071] 16 illustrates an example of cooling processing when the outside air temperature exceeds a first threshold value (e.g., 30°C), such as in summer. In this case, the second bypass damper 130 and the first damper 1230 may be closed, and the first bypass damper 120 may be open. In this case, due to the pressure generated by the blower unit 160, air flowing from the server room 1300 into the air-conditioning room via the air inlet unit 110 may pass through the first bypass damper 120, flow between the first cooling unit 140 and the third cooling unit 720, and be cooled by the third cooling unit 720. The cooled air may be supplied to the server room 1300 via the blower unit 160 and the supply unit 170.

[0072] 12 to 16, the exhaust fan 1210 and the exhaust duct 1220 are positioned in the direction in which outside air is input from the server room cooling device 1200, such as an air-conditioned room, so when the building is viewed as a whole, the exhaust duct 1220 is positioned on the outer wall of the building. Therefore, the server room 1300 can be configured to be large in size without being affected by the exhaust duct 1220.

[0073] As mentioned above, it is difficult to solve the heat generation problem of high-power servers such as GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) servers using only air-cooling systems. Therefore, in another embodiment of the present invention, a liquid cooling system can be adopted, in which refrigerant pipes are installed inside the servers and individual servers are cooled through these refrigerant pipes.

[0074] 17 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a liquid cooling system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Accordingly, a liquid cooling system 1700 according to this embodiment may utilize a cooling distribution unit (CDU) 1710 disposed between a server room cooling device 1720 and a server room 1730. Here, the server room cooling device 1720 may correspond to the server room cooling devices 100, 700, and 1200 described above, and the server room 1730 may correspond to the server rooms 400, 800, and 1300 described above. However, to realize the liquid cooling system 1700, each server 1731 included in the server room 1730 may be realized in a form including refrigerant piping for liquid cooling.

[0075] The CDU 1710 may include a pump 1711 and a heat exchanger 1712 .

[0076] First, the CDU 1710 may use a pump 1711 to deliver a refrigerant to the servers 1731 included in the server room 1730, thereby cooling the servers 1731 using a liquid cooling method. To this end, each server 1731 may include piping for the liquid cooling method, and such piping may be connected to the CDU 1710 so that the refrigerant may be distributed and supplied to the servers 1731 via the piping. Furthermore, the refrigerant used to cool the servers 1731 may be returned to the CDU 1710. In FIG. 17, the movement of the cold refrigerant supplied to the servers 1731 is indicated by blue arrows, and the refrigerant that has become hot after being used to cool the servers 1731 and is returned to the CDU 1710 is indicated by red arrows. In this case, the refrigerant returned to the CDU 1710 may be cooled by a heat exchanger 1712 and returned to the servers 1731 included in the server room 1730.

[0077] In this case, the heat source for cooling the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 1712 may be provided by the server room cooling device 1720. As an example, the heat exchanger 1712 may be connected to at least one of the first cooling unit 140, the evaporative humidifier 710, and the third cooling unit 720 to cool the refrigerant. As described above, the first cooling unit 140 indirectly uses the cooling energy contained in the outside air of the data center to cool the air inside the air-conditioned room. In this case, the heat exchanger 1712 may further use the cooling energy contained in the outside air to cool the refrigerant. Also, the evaporative humidifier 710 may be used to adjust the humidity of the air inside the air-conditioned room by directly introducing outside air, but as described above, it is also possible to configure an evaporative cooling system. In this case, the heat exchanger 1712 may further use the evaporative cooling of the evaporative humidifier 710 to cool the refrigerant. Furthermore, the third cooling unit 720 may use a refrigerator for cooling, and the heat exchanger 1712 may be further used to cool the refrigerant in the third cooling unit 720. To this end, the heat exchanger 1712 may be connected to at least one of the first cooling unit 140, the evaporative humidifier 710, and the third cooling unit 720, and may selectively use one or more of the three heat sources to cool the refrigerant. In this case, heat from the heat source may be transferred to the heat exchanger 1712 via the refrigerant. Therefore, the heat exchanger 1712 may improve heat exchange efficiency by refrigerant-to-refrigerant heat exchange rather than air-to-refrigerant heat exchange.

[0078] As such, the liquid cooling system 1700 according to this embodiment can utilize the heat source equipment of the server room cooling device 1720 as is. As an example, the liquid cooling system 1700 may utilize both free cooling and chilled water, which are the heat sources of the server room cooling device 1720, or the piping between the CDU 1710 and the server room cooling device 1720 may be configured to selectively utilize only one source. As a more specific example, a piping branching from the heat source piping supplied to the inside of the server room cooling device 1720 is connected to the CDU 1710, and the refrigerant is cooled by heat exchange in the heat exchanger 1712 of the CDU 1710, thereby reducing energy consumption and improving operational stability. Furthermore, when the first cooling unit 140 is in use, the liquid cooling method can be used regardless of whether the server room cooling device 1720 uses water as a heat source.

[0079] Furthermore, the CDU 1710 may be selectively connected to two or more server room cooling devices. Since the heat exchanger 1712 is included inside the CDU 1710, the CDU 1710 may be configured to change the heat source supply. For example, the CDU 1710 may be connected to a first server room cooling device and a second server room cooling device via pipes. In this case, if an abnormality occurs in the first server room cooling device after receiving heat from the first server room cooling device, the heat source supply source of the CDU 1710 may be changed to the second server room cooling device.

[0080] Furthermore, even if the server room cooling device 1720 transfers water from the heat source, the CDU 1710 can exchange heat with other refrigerants such as insulating oil, thanks to the heat exchanger 1712, so damage to the servers can be prevented in the event of a leak inside the server room.

[0081] In addition, the pump 1711 included in the CDU 1710 may be duplicated into a first pump and a second pump, so that one pump is operating while the other is on standby, thereby ensuring an uninterrupted supply of refrigerant from the CDU 1710 to the server room 1730.

[0082] Meanwhile, in order to transfer the refrigerant from the CDU 1710 to the servers 1731 included in the server room 1730 using the pump 1711, the server room 1730 may be installed and utilized with connecting piping in a double floor structure. For example, in order to deal with piping leaks or solution leaks, the piping connected from the CDU 1710 to the inside of the server room 1730 is configured with a double floor structure, so that even if a leak of a refrigerant or the like occurs, the extent of the impact can be minimized.

[0083] 18 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a CDU in one embodiment of the present invention. The CDU 1710 may include a pump 1711 and a heat exchanger 1712, as described above.

[0084] 18, the pump 1711 may be duplicated into a first pump (Pump 1) 1821 and a second pump (Pump 2) 1822. In this manner, the pumps 1711 may be realized such that while one pump (for example, the first pump 1821) operates, the other pump (for example, the second pump 1822) is on standby, thereby enabling an uninterrupted supply of refrigerant from the CDU 1710 to the server room 1730.

[0085] The CDU 1710 may also include an n-way valve for receiving heat from various heat sources included in the server room cooling apparatus 1720. In the embodiment of Figure 18, the CDU 1710 is coupled to the first cooling section 140 and the third cooling section 720 that may be included in the server room cooling apparatus 1720, and may be supplied with heat from both the first cooling section 140 and the third cooling section 720, or from each of the first cooling section 140 and the third cooling section 720. To this end, the CDU 1710 may include three-way valves (3-Way valve 1 1821 and 3-Way valve 2 1822). It will be readily apparent that if there are three heat sources, the CDU 1710 may utilize two four-way valves. It will also be readily apparent that if the CDU 1710 is coupled to two or more server room cooling devices, two n-way valves, one for each of the heat sources of each server room cooling device, may be implemented.

[0086] 19 and 20 illustrate an embodiment of a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment of Figures 19 and 20 illustrates an example in which a CDU 1710 is implemented between a server room cooling device 1910 and a server room 1920.

[0087] 19 illustrates an example of cooling when the outdoor air temperature is below a second threshold (e.g., 15°C) in winter and outdoor air can be used directly. In this case, external air may be directly introduced from the outdoor air inlet 780 and may pass through the filter 790 and the first cooling unit 140. In this case, even when cold outdoor air is directly introduced, the first cooling unit 140 may operate to cool the first refrigerant recovered from the CDU 1710 using the cold outdoor air.

[0088] In this state, the CDU 1710 may utilize the first cooling unit 140 as a heat source. As an example, the CDU 1710 may be supplied with a first refrigerant cooled by the first cooling unit 140, and may cool a second refrigerant supplied to the servers in the server room 1920 by a heat exchanger 1712 included in the CDU 1710. The second refrigerant may be collected by the CDU 1710 in a heated state while cooling the servers in the server room 1920 using a liquid cooling method, and the collected second refrigerant may be cooled again by the heat exchanger 1712 included in the CDU 1710.

[0089] The piping formed between the CDU 1710 and the server room 1920 may be installed inside the double floor structure 1930. Depending on the embodiment, the piping formed between the CDU 1710 and the server room cooling device 1910 may also be installed using the double floor structure.

[0090] Meanwhile, in spring and autumn, when outside air below a first threshold (e.g., 30°C) is directly input, the first cooling unit 140 may operate constantly and be cooled by the directly input outside air. However, depending on the embodiment, the evaporative humidifier 710 or the third cooling unit 720 may be partially / temporarily operated in the temperature range of 26 to 30°C. When the evaporative humidifier 710 is operating, the third cooling unit 720 may be cooled by evaporative cooling, as described above. In this case, the first threshold may be set to 25°C. As described above, the server room cooling device 1910 according to the embodiment can use both a free cooling method using outside air and a cooling method using a refrigerator with the third cooling unit 720. In this case, the CDU 1710 may cool the second refrigerant using all of the first cooling unit 140, the second cooling unit 710, and the third cooling unit 720 as heat sources.

[0091] 20 illustrates an example of cooling when the outdoor air temperature exceeds a first threshold value (e.g., 30°C), such as in summer. In this case, air flowing from the server room 1920 into the air-conditioned room through the indoor air inlet 110 due to the pressure generated by the blower 160 may be passed through the first bypass damper 120 and between the first cooling unit 140 and the third cooling unit 720, and then cooled by the third cooling unit 720. In this case, the CDU 1710 may cool the second refrigerant using the third cooling unit 720 as a heat source.

[0092] On the other hand, unlike the air-cooled system, which does not maintain the interior of the server room 1920 at a 20°C level, the liquid cooling system only requires that the solution temperature of the second refrigerant supplied directly to each server be maintained at a certain level (e.g., 30-40°C), making it possible to cool the servers using indirect outside air even in the summer when the outside air temperature is high. Therefore, the CDU 1710 can cool the second refrigerant using both the first cooling unit 140 and the third cooling unit 720 as heat sources, even in the summer.

[0093] 19 and 20, if the CDU 1710 is located inside the server room 1920 and the chilled water for heat exchange is introduced into the server room 1920, leakage may cause a malfunction. Therefore, in the following embodiment, an example will be described in which heat exchange is performed by the server room cooling device 1910.

[0094] FIG. 21 illustrates another example of the configuration of a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The liquid cooling system 2100 according to the embodiment of FIG. 21 may utilize a CDU 2110 installed in each server rack 2131 in a server room 2130, and a heat exchanger 2140 installed at a separate location where heat exchange with the heat source of the server room cooling device 2120 is possible. While FIG. 21 shows only one server rack 2131 and one CDU 2110, the server room 2130 may include multiple server racks and multiple CDUs connected to the multiple server racks. In this case, the CDU 2110 may utilize the pressure of a pump 2150, which is provided for supplying free cooling to the server room cooling device 2120, for liquid cooling without requiring a separate pressurization of the refrigerant. According to an embodiment, a pressure gauge 2111 for the refrigerant solution may be installed inside the CDU 2110, and the CDU 2110 may be configured to increase the pressure of the refrigerant using an auxiliary pump 2112 when the refrigerant pressure falls below a preset threshold. In this case, insulating oil may be used as the coolant supplied to the CDU 2110 and the coolant transferred to each server via the CDU 2110 in a liquid cooling manner.

[0095] In this way, the heat exchanger 2140 is placed at a different location from the heat source of the server room cooling device 2120 so that it can exchange heat with the heat source, thereby preventing the cold water from directly entering the server room 2130. Furthermore, the piping connecting the heat exchanger 2140 and the CDU 2110 may be realized with a double floor structure as described above. Therefore, even if the piping or solution leaks, the extent of the impact can be minimized.

[0096] 22 and 23 illustrate another embodiment of a liquid cooling system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0097] 22 and 23 show an example in which CDUs are combined in units of server racks in a server room 2210. As an example, the CDU 2220 may correspond to the CDU 2110 described with reference to FIG. 21. The heat exchanger 2140 described above may be implemented inside or outside the server room cooling apparatus 2230, at a position where it can exchange heat with the heat source of the server room cooling apparatus 2230. As described above, the pump 2150 may be the pump 2150 arranged in conjunction with the server room cooling apparatus 2230 to supply free cooling to the server room cooling apparatus 2230, and the heat exchanger 2140 may directly utilize the pressure of the pump 2150 for liquid cooling of the CDU 2220. Furthermore, a double floor structure 2240 may be used to implement piping between the CDU 2220 and the server room cooling apparatus 2230.

[0098] At this time, since the heat exchanger 2140 is located outside the server room 2210, it is possible to prevent cold water from directly entering the interior of the server room 2210.

[0099] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a liquid cooling system for cooling a server room in a data center by utilizing an existing air conditioning system.

[0100] Although the embodiments have been described above based on limited examples and drawings, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations may be made from the above description. For example, the described techniques may be performed in an order different from that described, and / or the described system, structure, device, circuit, or other element may be coupled or combined in a manner different from that described, or may be substituted or replaced by other elements or equivalents, and still achieve suitable results.

[0101] Therefore, different embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims, provided that they are equivalent to the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 1700: Liquid cooling system 1710:CDU 1711: Pump 1712: Heat exchanger 1720: Server room cooling system 1730: Server room 1731:Server

Claims

1. A heat exchanger that cools a refrigerant by utilizing a heat source of a server room cooling device that cools a server room by air cooling in a data center; A cooling distribution unit that distributes and supplies the refrigerant cooled by the heat exchanger to the servers arranged in the server room using a liquid cooling system. a liquid cooling system.

2. the server includes piping for the liquid cooling system therein; The piping included in the server is connected to the cooling distribution unit, and the refrigerant is distributed and supplied to the server through the piping. The liquid cooling system of claim 1 .

3. the server room cooling device includes a first cooling unit that cools the air inside the air-conditioned room by using outside air of the data center; The heat exchanger cools the refrigerant in cooperation with the first cooling unit.

3. The liquid cooling system according to claim 1 or 2,

4. the server room cooling device includes a second cooling unit that receives a refrigerant whose temperature is adjusted by a refrigerator and cools the air inside the air-conditioned room; The heat exchanger cools the refrigerant in cooperation with the second cooling unit.

3. The liquid cooling system according to claim 1 or 2,

5. The server room cooling device is a first cooling unit that cools the air inside the air-conditioned room by using the outside air of the data center; and A second cooling section that receives a supply of refrigerant whose temperature has been adjusted by the refrigerator and cools the air inside the air-conditioned room. Including, The heat exchanger is linked to the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit, respectively, and cools the refrigerant using at least one selected from the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit.

3. The liquid cooling system according to claim 1 or 2,

6. The server room cooling device is an evaporative humidifier that adjusts the humidity of the air inside the air-conditioned room by inflowing outside air from the data center and constitutes an evaporative cooling system; The heat exchanger is linked to the evaporative humidifier to cool the refrigerant by the evaporative cooling system of the evaporative humidifier.

3. A liquid cooling system according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The heat exchanger is realized inside the cooling distribution unit; The cooling distribution unit is implemented between the server room cooling device and the server room.

3. The liquid cooling system according to claim 1 or 2,

8. 8. The liquid cooling system of claim 7, wherein the heat exchanger receives a first refrigerant from a heat source of the server room cooling device through a first pipe connected to the heat source, cools a second refrigerant, and transfers the second refrigerant through second pipes connected to each server arranged in the server room, thereby cooling the servers using the liquid cooling method.

9. the first refrigerant comprises water; The second refrigerant contains insulating oil. The liquid cooling system of claim 8 .

10. 9. The liquid cooling system according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the second piping is provided inside a double floor structure provided on the floor of the server room.

11. the cooling distribution unit includes a pump for delivering the refrigerant to each of the servers; The pumps include a first pump for current operation and a second pump that stands by to operate when an abnormality occurs in the first pump.

3. The liquid cooling system according to claim 1 or 2,

12. the heat exchanger is connected to a heat source of the server room cooling device outside the server room; The cooling distribution units are arranged in the server room for each server rack, receive the refrigerant cooled by the heat exchanger, and transmit it to the servers in the corresponding server racks.

3. The liquid cooling system according to claim 1 or 2,

13. The heat exchanger cools the refrigerant in cooperation with the heat source of the server room cooling device, and transfers the refrigerant through piping connected to each of the cooling distribution units arranged in the server rack units. The liquid cooling system of claim 12 .

14. 14. The liquid cooling system according to claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the piping is provided inside a double floor structure provided on the floor of the server room.

15. 13. The liquid cooling system of claim 12, wherein the heat exchanger transfers the cooled refrigerant to the cooling distribution unit by utilizing free cooling or the pressure of a pump that supplies the refrigerant by the server room cooling device.

16. The cooling distribution unit comprises: a pressure gauge for measuring the pressure of the refrigerant transferred from the heat exchanger; and When the pressure measured by the pressure gauge is equal to or lower than a preset pressure, an auxiliary pump for increasing the pressure of the refrigerant is 3. The liquid cooling system of claim 1, comprising:

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