Heat Removal System and Method with Automated Fire Suppression for Data Centers

Abstract

In an open-loop heat removal system for a building, such as a data center or a home, cool air is supplied to the building by a cooling unit and hot air is exhausted from the building without reusing, recirculating, or recooling the hot air. To suppress a fire, the system receives temperature readings from temperature sensors and determines whether any temperature readings reach or exceed a temperature that indicates the presence of a fire. If so, louvers located on the inlet module are automatically or programmatically closed, shutting off the air supply to the building. The system determines whether the building is under negative pressure internally. If not, exhaust fans at the building's exit are turned on to create negative pressure internally. The system determines whether the building's oxygen levels indicate the fire is contained. If not, the sprinkler system is activated.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims the benefit of priority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16 / 850,869, filed April 16, 2020, entitled "HEAT REMOVAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS," which is a continuation-in-part of, and claims the benefit of priority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16 / 230,799, filed December 21, 2018, entitled "HEAT REMOVAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS," which issued as U.S. Patent No. 10,667,436, which was filed August 16, 2017, entitled "DATA CENTER HEAT REMOVAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS." This application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims the benefit of priority from, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 678,961, entitled "DATA CENTER HEAT REMOVAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS," which filed December 30, 2015, and issued as U.S. Patent No. 9,769,960, and is a continuation-in-part of, and claims the benefit of priority from, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 984,149, entitled "DATA CENTER HEAT REMOVAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS," which filed December 30, 2015, and is a continuation-in-part of, and claims the benefit of priority from, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 984,149, entitled "DATA CENTER HEAT REMOVAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS," which filed December 30, 2014, and is a continuation-in-part of, and claims the benefit of priority from, U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62 / 098,176, entitled "DATA CENTER HEAT REMOVAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS," which filed December 30, 2014, under 35 U.S.C. § 119. All applications listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] (Technical field) The present disclosure relates generally to data centers. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a new approach for removing heat from industrial buildings such as data centers. Even more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a heat removal system, method, and computer program product with automated fire suppression for data centers. [Background technology]

[0003] A data center is an example of an industrial facility that can be used to house computer systems and associated cooling equipment, such as air conditioning systems. Large data centers can contain hundreds or thousands of server machines and can require as much energy as a small town to power the data center computer and cooling equipment.

[0004] Therefore, the amount of energy usage consumed by a data center is a major cost consideration for all involved. Energy costs within a data center arise from computing, networking activity, and power conversion, which use energy and generate heat as a by-product. However, the majority of energy costs are associated with removing heat from the data center. Active thermal management equipment (i.e., air conditioning systems) are substantially less than 100% efficient, which means that thermal monitoring and management equipment adds to the data center heat removal problem because they generate heat through their own operation.

[0005] In a traditional data center environment, the desired temperature is maintained using heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). In fact, HVAC systems are an integral part of nearly every data center. They are essential for maintaining the temperature, humidity, and air quality of the data center.

[0006] An HVAC system typically includes a furnace, an evaporator coil, a condensing unit, vents, and refrigerant lines. Typically, the ambient temperature is monitored by a thermostat, which turns the heating or air conditioning on and off to maintain the temperature set by the thermostat.

[0007] To heat the air, it is heated by a furnace and then distributed throughout the data center through ductwork or pipes. Furnaces can be huge and are the largest of all HVAC components. With hundreds or thousands of server machines operating simultaneously within a data center environment at any given time, relying on the furnace to maintain a minimum temperature is less of an issue than relying on the remaining HVAC components to keep the data center cool and below some acceptable temperature.

[0008] To provide cooling, a condensing unit is installed outside the data center and charged with a refrigerant gas. Once the refrigerant gas has cooled to liquid form, the condensing unit can include a compressor to pump the liquid refrigerant to an evaporator coil. Indoor air is cooled by the liquid refrigerant in the evaporator coil as heat from the indoor air is absorbed into the refrigerant. This process again converts the refrigerant from a liquid to a gas. The gas is circulated back through the refrigerant-lined condensing unit as the cooled air is distributed inside the data center. Heat is released outdoors through the outdoor unit as the refrigerant returns to a liquid and a fan blows air through the condenser, dissipating the heat outdoors.

[0009] While HVAC systems regulate heat and condition the air inside a building, air conditioners, also known as AC units, are primarily used in air conditioning. HVAC systems and AC units are not designed to draw fresh air from outside for cooling purposes. Typically, outdoor air enters the HVAC system through an intake vent, typically located near the furnace. Air is drawn in from outside through this intake vent and cooled for indoor distribution. Similarly, air is first drawn into the AC unit. The drawn air passes through a coil. When the refrigerant returns to the building, it enters the evaporator through a narrow valve. As the refrigerant flows into the evaporator, the valve expands rapidly. This expansion causes the refrigerant to become very cold. A fan blows air over the very cold evaporator. The evaporator coil ultimately cools the air. The cooled air is distributed throughout the building via ductwork. As the cooled air is distributed, air blown from the return duct to the evaporator again transfers heat into the refrigerant. The refrigerant is then pumped back to the condenser to start the cycle again. This results in recycled air. That is, HVAC systems and AC units recycle indoor air and do not continuously draw in fresh outdoor air. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0010]

[0010] The embodiments disclosed herein provide fire suppression methods for open-loop heat removal systems in which fires can be suppressed as hot air is exhausted from a building, such as a data center or residence, without reusing, recirculating, or re-cooling the hot air. While open-loop heat removal systems are disclosed herein, those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of heat, oxygen, and airflow monitoring and control (e.g., through louvers, vents, or other means) can be applied to fire suppression / protection in closed-loop environments as well.

[0011] By way of non-limiting example, a heat removal system may include: a cooling unit for supplying cool air to the building through the building inlet; an inlet module at an entrance to the building, the building also having an outlet through which the hot air leaves the building without reusing, recirculating, or recooling the hot air; an exit module at an exit of the building; a louver in the entrance module; an exhaust fan in the outlet module; a temperature sensor located inside the building for sensing the internal temperature of the building; an oxygen sensor for sensing the internal oxygen level of the building; a pressure sensor for detecting the internal pressure of the building; a smoke detector for detecting smoke within the building; A controller; a non-transitory computer readable medium; instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium and translatable by a controller to implement a fire suppression method for a heat removal system; It may comprise:

[0012] In some embodiments, the method of extinguishing a fire comprises: receiving an indication from a smoke detector that smoke has been detected within the building; in response to an indication from the smoke detector, closing louvers in the inlet module to shut off the supply of cool air through the building inlet; utilizing a pressure sensor to determine whether the building is under negative pressure internally; In response to the building not being under negative pressure internally, operating an exhaust fan to create negative pressure internally; utilizing an oxygen sensor to determine whether the internal oxygen level of the building has been reduced to a point indicating that the fire is contained; determining whether smoke can still be detected within the building; activating a sprinkler system in the building in response to the fire being uncontained or smoke still being detected in the building; may include:

[0013] In some embodiments, closing the louvers in the inlet module and shutting off the supply of cool air through the building inlet can be triggered when a temperature reading from a temperature sensor located inside the building indicates that the temperature reading has reached or exceeded a default or user-set temperature that indicates the presence of a fire within the building.

[0014] In some embodiments, a fire suppression method for a heat removal system may further include setting the temperature at which the sprinkler system is activated to be higher than a default or user-set temperature that triggers the closing of louvers in the inlet module. In some embodiments, the fire suppression method may further include setting the temperature at which the sprinkler system is activated to be higher than a default or user-set temperature. This allows the heat removal system to take appropriate action step by step. First, the system completely closes the louvers at the building inlet, cutting off the cool air supply. Next, the system checks to see if the exhaust fan in the outlet module is running. If not, the system checks to see if the fire would currently be contained by closing the outlet module and closing both the inlet and outlet.

[0015] If the exhaust fan is running, the system checks the internal pressure and oxygen level. Reducing the oxygen level can help extinguish a fire, and negative pressure can help reduce the oxygen level within the building. Thus, in some embodiments, the system is operable to determine whether the building is under a negative pressure of 1 KPa or more internally. In some embodiments, the system is operable to determine whether the building's internal oxygen level is 15% or less. If so, the fire is considered contained and the process ends. If smoke is still detected after the oxygen reduction, a sprinkler system can be programmed to activate. The fire suppression method described above can be particularly useful for buildings without windows. For example, for security reasons, data centers typically do not have windows.

[0016] These and other aspects of the present disclosure will be further appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description, while indicating various embodiments of the present disclosure and numerous specific details thereof, is given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many substitutions, modifications, additions, and / or rearrangements may be made within the scope of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present disclosure includes all such substitutions, modifications, additions, and / or rearrangements. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] The accompanying drawings that form a part of this specification are included to depict certain aspects of the present disclosure. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. A more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages may be obtained by reference to the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings (where like reference numerals indicate like features):

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 depicts a diagram illustrating an exemplary data center heat removal system having a cooling unit configured for a data center according to some embodiments.

[0019] [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example server pod of a data center implementing an example data center heat removal system disclosed herein.

[0020] [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary arrangement of cooling units according to some embodiments.

[0021] [Figure 4] 4-7 are diagrams of exemplary cooling units according to some embodiments. [Figure 5A] 4-7 are diagrams of exemplary cooling units according to some embodiments. [Figure 5B] 4-7 are diagrams of exemplary cooling units according to some embodiments. [Figure 5C] 4-7 are diagrams of exemplary cooling units according to some embodiments. [Figure 6] 4-7 are diagrams of exemplary cooling units according to some embodiments. [Figure 7] 4-7 are diagrams of exemplary cooling units according to some embodiments.

[0022] [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary data center heat removal system configured to maintain a desired temperature within a data center according to some embodiments.

[0023] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a logic control diagram for an exemplary data center heat removal system according to some embodiments.

[0024] [Figure 10A] FIG. 10A depicts a building installed with an example heat removal system disclosed herein, according to some embodiments.

[0025] [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B depicts a building installed with another example of a heat removal system disclosed herein according to some embodiments.

[0026] [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for removing heat from a building and cooling the air therein according to some embodiments.

[0027] [Figure 12] FIG. 12 depicts a schematic representation of a closed-loop heat rejection system that utilizes an HVAC system to regulate the indoor temperature of a building.

[0028] [Figure 13] FIG. 13 depicts a schematic representation of an open-loop heat rejection system that utilizes a cooling unit to provide cool air to a building according to some embodiments.

[0029] [Figure 14A] 14A-14D depict schematic representations of an open-loop heat removal system with an inlet module, an outlet module, and heat-sensing louvers according to some embodiments. [Figure 14B] 14A-14D depict schematic representations of an open-loop heat removal system with an inlet module, an outlet module, and heat-sensing louvers according to some embodiments. [Figure 14C] 14A-14D depict schematic representations of an open-loop heat removal system with an inlet module, an outlet module, and heat-sensing louvers according to some embodiments. [Figure 14D] 14A-14D depict schematic representations of an open-loop heat removal system with an inlet module, an outlet module, and heat-sensing louvers according to some embodiments.

[0030] [Figure 15]FIG. 15 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a fire suppression method for an open-loop heat removal system according to some embodiments.

[0031] [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a flow diagram illustrating another example of a fire suppression method for an open-loop heat removal system according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] The present invention and its various features and advantageous details will be more fully explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known starting materials, processing techniques, components, and equipment are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the invention in detail. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating some embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only and not limitation. Various substitutions, modifications, additions, and / or rearrangements within the spirit and / or scope of the underlying concept of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

[0033] Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and computer program products that enable a combination of active and passive thermal processes to remove heat and / or reduce oxygen levels (for fire suppression reasons) from industrial buildings having computing equipment, networking equipment, and / or power distribution systems. For illustrative purposes, the examples provided within this disclosure are described in the context of a data center. However, some embodiments disclosed herein can be adapted or otherwise implemented for different types of industrial buildings, environments, situations, etc. Some embodiments may automatically utilize convection to cool. Some embodiments are designed to enable multi-stage cooling. Some embodiments utilize pressure to exhaust hot air and draw in cooler air. Some embodiments can be constructed into new buildings. Some embodiments can be retrofitted to remove heat from and provide cooler air to existing buildings or environments. Some embodiments may be particularly useful for high-volume applications. While an open-loop heat removal system is described as an example, those skilled in the art will understand that closed-loop heat removal systems can also implement the fire suppression methods disclosed herein. Many additional embodiments are also possible.

[0034] In some embodiments, a data center heat removal system may include an adjustable heat feed cold air intake system, a distribution system for cold and warm air including one or more hot aisles and one or more cold aisles, and a convection system for drawing cold air through the data center equipment and exhausting hot air using a naturally occurring convection process. That is, some embodiments utilize a passive pressure differential to exhaust hot air and intake cold air, alone or in combination with the active use of fans or other air circulation devices. Additionally, some embodiments may use heat exchangers.

[0035] In some embodiments, these components are replaceable and modular and are the basis of a novel solution that provides an efficient way to remove heat from data centers.

[0036] Embodiments include utilizing natural convection for heat removal from the data center and using the pressure differential between the hot aisle and the cold aisle. Embodiments may also use cold air from foggers and / or freezer boxes for cold air intake. Some embodiments may use natural processes to create two distinct pressure regions within the data center. Some embodiments may use natural processes to maximize the air pressure differential between an individual server's cold aisle input and its output to the warm aisle. Some embodiments enable natural process-driven multi-stage air cooling.

[0037] Advantageously, embodiments efficiently manage the climate (which may include temperature, humidity, airflow, air quality, etc.) within a data center and minimize the use of energy for air distribution. Some embodiments minimize the use of active thermal management equipment that generates heat through their own operation. Some embodiments minimize or eliminate the use of moving cooling components. Some embodiments minimize maintenance costs associated with server heating and cooling. Some embodiments manage the cost of computing services.

[0038] In some embodiments, a system for removing heat from a building and cooling air therein can include a cooling unit for supplying cooled air to the building at a constant rate, the building having a heat containment structure for capturing or receiving hot air inside the building, and the building further having an exhaust structure for exhausting the hot air from the building such that the captured or received hot air is not reused, recirculated, or re-cooled. The cooling unit can include an enclosure having an intake end and an exhaust end, and at least one fan positioned within the enclosure, the at least one fan configured to operate at a constant speed and draw ambient air through the intake end of the enclosure, cool the ambient air, and direct the cooled air toward an opening in the building.

[0039] In some embodiments, a system for data center heat removal includes an adjustable pressure-fed cold air intake system, one or more heat exchangers, a distribution system for cold and warm air (cool aisles and warm aisles), and a convection system that draws cold air through the data center equipment with integrated server fans. The system may further utilize naturally occurring convection processes to exhaust hot air, thus creating a relative vacuum and drawing in cold air (and may optimally use adjustable fans to reject the warm air). Thus, embodiments may include sealed warm low-pressure areas and cold pressure areas.

[0040] In some embodiments, a method for removing heat from a building (e.g., a heat-generating data center or any industrial building) and cooling air therein can include positioning an exhaust end of an air conditioning unit within an opening in the building (e.g., within a wall, roof, or ceiling of the building), the air conditioning unit having an enclosure having an intake end and an exhaust end, and at least one fan positioned within the enclosure, the at least one fan configured to operate at a constant speed (whether the at least one fan is a fixed-speed fan or a variable-speed fan) to draw ambient air through the intake end of the enclosure, cool the ambient air, and direct the cooled air toward the opening in the building. The method can further include capturing or receiving hot air inside the building through a heat containment structure inside the building, setting an air conditioning unit inside the building to maintain a target temperature, and exhausting the hot air from the building through an exhaust structure of the building. In some embodiments, the target temperature can be a minimum service temperature required by the building owner or operator. The air conditioning unit can be part of any existing or commercially available HVAC system.

[0041] As alluded to above, conventional HVAC systems and AC units do not continuously draw in fresh outdoor air. Instead, they recycle indoor air. Such HVAC systems and AC units can be considered to employ a closed-loop heat rejection approach. The embodiments disclosed herein employ a different heat rejection approach, in which hot air is exhausted from the building and is not reused, recirculated, or recooled.

[0042] Discharging hot air from a building without reusing, recirculating, or recooling the hot air creates a pressure differential, with the air pressure on the hot side of the building being lower than the air pressure on the cold side of the building. This pressure differential draws cooled air supplied by the cooling unit from the hot side of the building through an opening in the building to the cold side of the building. The building may utilize an air conditioning unit configured to maintain a target temperature. In response to the temperature within the building rising above the target temperature, the air conditioning unit is operable to operate with the cooling unit supplying cooled air to the building at a constant rate, without the need to reuse, recirculate, or recool the heated air within the building, until the temperature within the building drops below the target temperature. In this manner, the cooling unit may significantly reduce the energy consumption of the air conditioning unit.

[0043] In some embodiments, the thermal containment structure can be implemented in a server pod that encloses one or more banks of servers. The server pod can have openings for drawing in cooled air and vents for directing air heated by the one or more banks of servers to an exhaust structure. In some embodiments, the thermal containment structure can further include a sealed hood, enclosure, ductwork, or pipes.

[0044] In some embodiments, the cooling unit may further include at least a filter, an evaporative cooler, an evaporative cooling element, a refrigeration coil, or a chiller to further cool the air drawn in from the intake end of the enclosure.

[0045] The following provides non-limiting examples of data center environments in which a heat removal system according to some embodiments may be implemented. Figure 1 depicts a diagram that schematically illustrates the layout of a data center heat removal system according to some embodiments. In the example of Figure 1, the data center heat removal system for a data center 100 includes a cooling unit 102. As will be described in more detail below, the cooling unit 102 may include a housing, one or more fans or similar devices configured to draw air from outside the data center, one or more foggers to cool the air, and one or more chiller units to further reduce the air temperature.

[0046] The data center 100 may include one or more server pods 106a and 106b. The server pods 106a and 106b may be embodied as self-contained rooms or enclosures having walls 107, doors 116a, 116b, 116c, and 116d, and a ceiling (not shown). The server pods 106a and 106b are configured to store one or more banks of servers 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d, respectively. The server banks 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d may comprise racks of servers mounted on top of each other. Note that while two server pods are illustrated, in practice a data center may employ more. Thus, the illustration is for illustrative purposes only.

[0047] Server pods 106a and 106b include openings 112 for drawing cooler air from cooling units 102 through one or more “cold aisles” 115. Additional cold aisles may be formed between other server pods in examples where the data center includes multiple server pods. Server pods 106a and 106b may be further configured such that banks of servers 108a and 108b (and similarly, server banks 108c and 108d) are separated by “hot aisles” 110a and 110b, respectively. In operation, cooler air is drawn from cold aisle 115 and flows across server banks 108a and 108b (and similarly, server banks 108c and 108d), where the air is heated by the servers. The heated air isolated in the hot aisles 110a and 110b is then drawn up and drawn out through vents 117a and 117b in the ceilings of the respective pods 106a and 106b. The heated air escaping from the hot aisles 110a and 110b will create lower pressure in the hot aisles 110a and 110b, causing cooler air to be drawn out of the cold aisle 115. Air circulation can be controlled (described in more detail below) by varying the amount of air allowed through the supply side, or through the exhaust side, or both.

[0048] Thus, air heated by server banks 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d will rise to the top of pods 106a and 106b via natural convection and be expelled through vents 117a and 117b. Some embodiments provide a sealed hood for the hot airflow (see, for example, hood 211 shown in FIG. 2). In some embodiments, additional fans may be provided within or with vents 117a and 117b to assist in drawing the heated air and / or maintaining a desired pressure differential.

[0049] 1, air flows from cooling units 102 into one or more cold aisles 115 and is drawn from one or more cold aisles 115 into server pods 106a and 106b through openings 112. Inside server pods 106a and 106b, internal fans (not shown) of the servers may draw air across the servers and out of the servers into hot aisles 110a and 110b. From hot aisles 110a and 110b, heated air is expelled through vents 117a and 117b.

[0050] In some embodiments, the vents 117a and 117b may include or be associated with fans that draw air up and through the vents 117a and 117b. In some embodiments, the fans are coupled to or controlled by one or more pressure sensors that can be utilized to ensure that the pressure in the hot aisles 110a and 110b is lower than the pressure in the cold aisle 115. For example, if the pressure in the hot aisle 110a or 110b is detected as being the same as or higher than the pressure in the cold aisle 115, the respective fans may be operated at a higher speed to draw more air upward into the hot aisles 110a and 110b for ventilation through the vents 117a and 117b. This ensures that a desired pressure differential and / or a desired airflow rate can be maintained or otherwise controlled.

[0051] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an example server pod of a data center that stores multiple server banks (shown here). For clarity, only one server pod is shown. The data center of FIG. 2 may be an embodiment of data center 100 shown in FIG. 1. In this example, server pod 206a and an adjacent server pod (not shown) are separated by a cold aisle 215. The side of server pod 206a includes a screened opening 212 for admitting cooler air into server pod 206a. As shown, server pod 206a includes an access door 216a that defines an opening to a hot aisle (not shown) inside server pod 206a. In the illustrated example, the server pod hot aisle (inside server pod 206a) extends from the ceiling of server pod 206a to the ceiling of the data center by an enclosure or hood 211. Cold aisle 215 is pressurized with cool air, and the cool air is pulled through the racks of server pod 206a, as illustrated by arrow 214. The air is then drawn out the top of server pod 206a through a closed or sealed hood 211.

[0052] As described with respect to FIG. 1 above, a data center heat removal system may include one or more cooling units, such as cooling unit 102. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one example arrangement of cooling unit 300 that may be used in a data center according to some embodiments. Cooling unit 300 may include a structure or enclosure for storing various components of the cooling unit, which are described below. In one example, the enclosure may comprise a shipping container enclosure that is, according to one non-limiting example, approximately 20 feet long, 7 feet 10 inches high, and 7 feet 8 inches wide. Other types and sizes may also be used.

[0053] In the exemplary cooling unit 300 shown in FIG. 3 , the direction of airflow through the cooling unit 300 is indicated by arrows at each end of the cooling unit 300. Ambient air enters the cooling unit 300 at a first end 301 (as indicated by arrow 303) and exits the data center at a second end 305 (as indicated by arrow 307). In the example illustrated in FIG. 3 , the cooling unit 300 includes a first fan unit 314, a first filter 312, a second fan unit 310, a sprayer 308, a chiller unit 306, a third fan unit 304, and a second sprayer 302. In some embodiments, each of the components may be configured to extend across a cross-section of the container. Additionally, in some embodiments, one or more of the components may not be required. For example, in some embodiments, the chiller unit 306 may not be required by a data center heat removal system disclosed herein (e.g., the data center 100 shown in FIG. 1), and the air outside a data center configured with a data center heat removal system is typically cold enough that artificial cooling may not be necessary (e.g., depending on the climate, location, and / or altitude at which the data center is located). Additionally, in some embodiments, the humidity of the air may be such that only one fogger is required.

[0054] In some embodiments, the number and configuration of fan units in cooling unit 300 may be selected based on airflow requirements, as desired. In some embodiments, fan units 314, 310, and 304 may each include four 44-inch drum fans capable of moving approximately 72,000 CFM of air. Control of the fan units is described in detail below. Filter unit 312 may, in some embodiments, be implemented as a four-stage HEPA filter.

[0055] In some embodiments, the air conditioner unit 306 may be configured to include air conditioners on both sides of the air conditioner unit 300, with coils extending from the sides to meet each other at 45 degrees. In some embodiments, the coil units may be hinged so that they can swing to the sides of the air conditioner unit using a motor when not in use.

[0056] In some embodiments of the data center heat removal system, various types of sensors are installed within the data center to sense various conditions within the data center. In some embodiments, the sensed conditions are stored in a database and used by a control system (described below) to control the operation of the cooling units and associated components such as fans, vents, etc. The control system may be associated with the cooling units 300, the data center itself, or both. The sensors may include temperature sensors, humidity sensors, airflow sensors, pressure sensors, and / or other types of environmental sensors. In some embodiments, each cooling unit 300 may provide up to 60,000 CFM of air at 78 degrees or below to the data center. In other embodiments, each cooling unit 300 may provide more or less capacity, as desired.

[0057] Cooling unit 300 pressurizes the data center, but the data center's variable speed ceiling fans (e.g., for vents 117a and 117b in FIG. 1 or hood 211 in FIG. 2) can be adjusted to keep the pressure in the hot aisle lower than the cold side of the system. When the temperature drops below a threshold (e.g., 65 degrees), one of the fans can be slowed down or turned off, reducing the pressure, and the ceiling fan will slow down and reduce the amount of air released.

[0058] 4-7 are diagrams of exemplary cooling units according to some embodiments. Other configurations and layouts are possible. In FIGS. 4-7, the enclosure walls are hidden to show the cooling unit components inside the enclosure. FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a cooling unit. FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are each a top view of the cooling unit shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a side view of the cooling unit shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is an end view of the cooling unit shown in FIG. 4.

[0059] As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the cooling unit can be stored using a standard shipping container. A typical shipping container consists of a steel box with a door on one end. While a standard shipping container works well as a cooling unit enclosure, customized enclosures can also be used. In one example, a standard 20-foot freezer shipping container is used. In this example, an intake area (described below) is formed at one end of the container.

[0060] As shown in Figure 4-7, the cooling unit 400 includes a housing 410 having a door 412 at one end. When the cooling unit 400 is in use, the door 412 is opened or removed completely. In Figure 4-6, the direction of airflow through the cooling unit 400 is from right to left.

[0061] A plurality of vents 414 are located at the right end of the cooling unit 400 and form openings within the housing 410 to allow air to be drawn into the cooling unit 400 from outdoors. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the vents 414 are formed on the end and three sides of the housing 410. One or more fans 416 are downstream from the vents 414. In the example shown in FIGS. 4-7, four fans are positioned to substantially cover the cross-sectional area of ​​the housing 410. More or fewer fans may be used. As described in further detail below, the fans 416 may be single-speed or variable-speed and may be controlled together or independently. The fans 416 draw air into the cooling unit 400 through the vents 414 and force the air through a filter 418. In one example, the fans 416 are 42-inch drum fans, each capable of moving 18,200 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air. In the example of Figures 4-7, four fans are installed in the intake side. In other examples (e.g., Figure 3), five or more fans are installed on the exhaust end of the enclosure 410. In one example, the filters are three-stage HEPA filters angled at 45 degrees from both sides to provide more surface area.

[0062] A sprayer 420 is downstream of the filter 418. In the example shown, the sprayer 420 includes a series of downward-facing spray nozzles 421 near the top of the housing 410. When the sprayer 420 is activated, a fine mist 422 of water is sprayed downward as the air flows through the cooling unit 400. Depending on the temperature and relative humidity, the sprayer 420 can reduce the temperature of the air by approximately 10 degrees.

[0063] Downstream of the atomizer 420 is the atomizer cooling element 424. For clarity, the atomizer cooling element 424 is not shown in FIG. 4 but is shown in FIGS. 5A-6. The atomizer cooling element 424 is made of a metallic material and serves to further cool the air by providing a surface for mist condensation. As air flows through the atomizer cooling element 424, the air is cooled not only by the evaporating mist but also by passing through the atomizer cooling element 424. The atomizer cooling element 424 can be of any configuration that allows air to flow through it while providing a surface (e.g., a metal surface) for mist condensation. Examples of the atomizer cooling element 424 include a coil, a metal grate, a mesh, or the like, as would be understood by one skilled in the art.

[0064] Downstream from the sprayer 420 and sprayer cooling element 424 are a pair of chillers 426 mounted on opposite walls of the housing 410. The chillers 426 can be conventional off-the-shelf air conditioning or chiller units configured to cool the air. If the air needs further cooling, one or more of the chillers 426 can be turned on. FIGS. 5A-6 also show a chiller element, such as a chiller coil 428, positioned within the housing 410 between the chillers 426. The chiller element 428 is an extension of the piping extending from the chiller 426 into the chiller unit 400 to improve heat transfer with the air. In one example, the chiller element 428 is configured to extend out from the side of the housing 410 at a 45-degree angle. In one example, the chiller element 428 is movable so that it automatically swings back against the interior wall of the housing 410 when not in use.

[0065] It should be noted that the cooling unit configuration can take on many configurations, as desired. For example, the cooling unit 300 shown in Figure 3 has three sets of fans and two sets of misters. Depending on various factors such as the local climate, data center size, and cost limitations, the cooling unit can be configured to balance desired performance and cost.

[0066] As discussed above, the temperature of a data center can be controlled and maintained by sensing various conditions within the data center and controlling various components of the system accordingly. FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a system 800 configured to maintain a desired data center temperature in the most energy-efficient manner possible. System 800 has a controller 810 that can interface with and control various components of system 800. Controller 810 may consist of a single device that interfaces with the components of system 800 or may include multiple devices working together. For example, a data center may have separate fan controllers, air conditioner controllers, etc. In one example, a web-based application runs on server 812 and controls the operation of controller 810. One or more client devices 814 can be used by technicians to configure and monitor the controller via the web-based application.

[0067] The system 800 uses multiple sensors 816 to sense various conditions within the data center. The sensors may include temperature sensors, humidity sensors, airflow sensors, smoke detectors, and / or pressure sensors, as well as any other desired sensors. Temperature sensors may sense temperatures within hot aisles, cold aisles, server pods, cooling units, exhaust vents, individual servers, etc. Ambient temperature may also be sensed outdoors or at the intake of a cooling unit. Similarly, humidity sensors may sense humidity anywhere within the data center, as desired. Smoke detectors may be installed in various locations to detect smoke within the data center. Smoke detectors are installed near exhaust vents. A signal from the smoke detector can indicate to the controller 810 whether smoke can still be detected in the exhaust vents after oxygen levels within the building have been reduced to extinguish a fire. Pressure sensors sense air pressure at various locations within the data center. By monitoring air pressure throughout the data center, a desired airflow through the system can be maintained. In one example, air pressure is sensed in the cold aisle, hot aisle, and exhaust vents. System 800 may also use any other type of sensor as desired.

[0068] System 800 controls the operation of the system's fans 818 to maintain a desired airflow throughout the system. For example, a data center may have fans in cooling units (e.g., fan 416 in FIG. 4 ) and in exhaust vents (e.g., vents 117a and 117b in FIG. 1 ). Controller 810 not only controls whether the fans are on or off, but also their speed when variable-speed fans are used. Controller 810 can determine how to most efficiently use the fans to maintain the desired airflow, and therefore the temperature. For example, if a given amount of airflow is required to maintain a target temperature, the controller can selectively activate individual fans and control them at the desired speed to achieve the desired airflow using the least amount of electricity possible.

[0069] System 800 can also control the opening and closing of vents 820 within the system if the system is equipped with closable vents. For example, an intake vent of a cooling unit can include louvers that can be opened and closed by controller 810. Similarly, an exhaust vent can be opened and closed by controller 810. Vent 820 can not only be opened and closed, but can also be opened by a desired amount to further control the amount of airflow through vent 820.

[0070] System 800 also controls the operation of the system's fogger 822 (e.g., fogger 420 in FIG. 4) to lower the air temperature within the system. As explained above, activating fogger 822 can, under the right conditions, lower the air temperature by approximately 10 degrees. Fogger 822 has the greatest effect in low humidity conditions. By knowing the humidity of the air, controller 810 can determine when activating fogger 822 will have a beneficial effect.

[0071] System 800 also controls the operation of the system's air conditioner unit 824 (e.g., air conditioner 426 in FIG. 4) to lower the air temperature. By operating air conditioner unit 824, the air temperature can be significantly lowered to help achieve the desired air temperature.

[0072] Controller 810 may also control various other components, as desired. Additionally, controller 810 and web-based applications may monitor, record, and report various aspects of the operation of system 800. System 800 may include monitors, visual indicators, alarms, etc., allowing a user or technician to monitor the operation of system 800, either via a client device or stand-alone indicators and devices.

[0073] System 800 is controlled to achieve a desired target temperature within the server pod in the most efficient manner possible. A major factor in determining the cost of cooling a data center is electricity usage. Each of the various components of system 800 that contribute to lowering the air temperature uses a different amount of electricity. Therefore, controller 810 is configured to achieve and maintain the target temperature by controlling the system components in a manner that minimizes electricity usage.

[0074] The goal of the controller is to maintain the desired target temperature using the least amount of electricity possible. If the air conditioner unit can use significantly more power than the fan and fogger, the controller will attempt to maintain the desired target temperature without using the air conditioner unit, or at least while minimizing the use of the air conditioner unit. Similarly, the controller will selectively activate and control the speed of the fan to achieve the desired airflow using the least amount of power.

[0075] In one example, the controller 810 uses an algorithm to control the system. The algorithm may, when possible, maintain a desired target temperature without using the air conditioner unit 824. For example, under the right conditions, the desired target temperature may be maintained solely by controlling the operation and speed of the fan 818. Under the right conditions (e.g., relatively low humidity levels), the fogger 822 may be used in conjunction with the fan. Use of the fogger 822 may allow fan usage to be reduced, further reducing power usage.

[0076] The control algorithm can understand the conditions within the system (e.g., temperature, humidity, air pressure differential) via sensors and control the system accordingly. For example, assume a temperature drop of X degrees is required. By knowing the outdoor ambient air temperature, the various temperatures within the system, and the relative air pressure within the system, the controller can determine that Y cubic feet of airflow is required to reach the desired target temperature. The controller then selectively activates and controls the speed of fans within the system to achieve the determined airflow rate. The controller also considers the extent to which activation of foggers would affect the air temperature and, therefore, the desired airflow rate. If the sensed conditions indicate that use of foggers would be beneficial, the foggers will be activated. As a result, the controller can maintain the desired target temperature in the most efficient manner possible, preferably using a combination of fans and foggers, without relying on a cooling unit. If the outdoor ambient temperature is high enough (perhaps 78 degrees, in one example), the desired target temperature may not be achieved using the fans and foggers alone. In that case, the controller will turn on one or more of the air conditioner units to reduce the air temperature to the desired target level.

[0077] 9 is a logical control diagram illustrating an example of the control of a cooling unit / fan in a data center (e.g., fan 416 in FIG. 4) based on sensed conditions. In the example illustrated in FIG. 9, the controller controls the amount of airflow through the system based on, for example, the temperature of the air at the cooling unit's intake. Generally, cooler air requires less airflow to cool the data center, while warmer air requires more airflow to cool the data center.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 9 , the controller obtains temperature readings from one or more temperature sensors. The temperature sensors may be located at the air intake of the cooling unit, on the outside of the cooling unit, or in any other suitable location. In this example, if the sensors report an air temperature of approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the controller sends a digital signal to the fan to operate at 50 CFM / kW. As shown by the airflow value in FIG. 9 , the desired flow rate also depends on the amount of power being consumed within the data center—in this example, 50 CFM / kW. In other words, when more power is being consumed by the data center, more heat is generated, and therefore more airflow is required. The desired flow rate can be achieved by selectively activating fans and setting the speed of the activated fans. In some examples, the airflow rate can also be fine-tuned by controlling the exhaust fan. If the sensors report an air temperature of approximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the controller sends a digital signal to the cooling unit fan to operate at 126 CFM / kW. If the sensor reports an air temperature of approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the controller will send a digital signal to the cooling unit fan to operate at 225 CFM / kW.

[0079] Other components of the system (e.g., atomizers, chillers, etc.) can be controlled in a similar manner based on any desired sensed condition, as one skilled in the art would understand. It should also be noted that the operation of different components of the system can affect each other. For example, if a atomizer is activated, a lower air flow rate may be desired compared to a desired air flow rate without the atomizer.

[0080] Note that it is important not only to lower the temperature of a data center to a desired level, but also not to allow the temperature to drop too far below the desired level. The reliability of some server equipment depends on a relatively constant temperature. Thus, under some conditions (e.g., during winter), the outdoor ambient air may be cold enough that the controller will restrict airflow to keep the air temperature up to the desired target value.

[0081] The system described above can be built into a new data center or retrofitted into an existing data center by utilizing existing structures such as ductwork, chimneys, etc. In an example where the system is retrofitted into an existing data center, each of the one or more cooling units can be installed in an opening formed in the data center wall, as shown in FIG. 1. In each hot aisle, an exhaust vent / hood (e.g., vents 117a and 117b in FIG. 1) is generated to draw hot air out of the data center. A controller and various sensors (e.g., temperature, humidity, and / or pressure, etc.) can also be installed to monitor and control the operation of the system.

[0082] The difference between the system described above and conventional cooling systems is that the system disclosed herein does not recycle or recool air within the building. Conventional cooling systems that recycle or recool air within the building can be characterized as “closed-loop” heat removal systems in that indoor air is circulated, or primarily circulated, within a closed loop. Such systems assume that it is more energy efficient to cool air already inside the building. Conventional cooling systems, such as HVAC systems, may be required (depending on the climate zone in which the HVAC system is located) to use economizers to draw outdoor air into the building and dampers to control the amount of air drawn into the building, recirculated, and then exhausted. The use of such economizers can reduce the amount of time the AC is running, which reduces HVAC energy consumption. However, the outdoor air must be below a set temperature and the humidity must be below a set percentage. That is, economizers do not work well if the outdoor air is humid and warm. In such locations, economizer cooling is not required as the potential energy savings may not be sufficient to justify the additional cost of implementing it.

[0083] To this end, in some embodiments, the cooling units described above can be modified to operate in conjunction with AC units. However, unlike traditional HVAC systems, the air heated within the building is not reused, recirculated, or recooled. Rather, the hot air is exhausted or otherwise vented from the building (which can be any industrial building that generates heat, such as a data center, manufacturing plant, etc.).

[0084] In this case, the building is structured so that it has a thermal containment structure. The structure of this thermal containment structure can vary from implementation to implementation depending on the building design. In the example of FIG. 2, the thermal containment structure is structured as a pod (e.g., server pod 206a) with a sealed hood or enclosure (e.g., hood 211) that directs hot air inside the pod (rising to the top of pod 206a via natural convection heated by the server banks (e.g., server banks 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d)) to flow to a building vent or exhaust opening. Additionally or alternatively, the thermal containment structure can include ductwork (referring to a system of ducts) and / or pipes (e.g., to direct hot air to an exhaust opening, with or without a sealed hood). Other implementations are possible.

[0085] Exhausting the hot air from the heat containment structure creates a relative vacuum within the building. In some embodiments, the cooling units disclosed herein can supply cooled air to the building, as described above. However, the fan and / or similar device configured to draw ambient air from the intake end of the cooling unit is set to operate at a constant speed. The cooling unit may or may not include a sprayer or evaporative cooler. Because the fan and / or similar device in the cooling unit is set to operate at a constant speed, a controller is not required to vary their speed. Thus, in such embodiments, the cooling unit does not require a customer controller. Rather, the AC in the building can function as a controller for the heat removal system to maintain a desired target temperature within the building. The AC unit can be set to a certain temperature so that it operates only when it senses that the temperature within the building is above its set temperature. In this way, the cooling unit does not replace the AC unit but can reduce the AC unit's energy consumption.

[0086] This heat removal system, including a cooling unit and an AC unit, can be implemented in many ways. FIG. 10A shows an example in which a cooling unit 1000 is positioned or installed in an opening formed in the wall of a building 1010. As illustrated in FIG. 10A, trapped hot air is exhausted from the building 1010 through a vent or exhaust structure 1030. This creates a pressure differential between the hot side of the building (e.g., a heat containment structure within the building) and the cold side (e.g., the intake side of the building). To achieve this goal, the cooling unit 1000 draws ambient air through its intake end and supplies cooled air through its exhaust end to the intake of the building 1010. The building 1010 has an HVAC system 1020, which is configured to maintain the building's minimum service temperature. The fan and / or similar device in the cooling unit 1000 is set to operate at a set speed so that the HVAC system 1020 will only turn on when the ambient air is at a temperature above the building's minimum service temperature. In this example, both the HVAC system 1020 and the vent or exhaust structure 1030 are mounted on top of the building 1010. However, the HVAC system 1020 could be located on the side or on the ground near the building 1010, and the exhaust structure 1030 could be located on the side of the building 1010. Additionally, the cooling unit 1000 could be mounted on top of the building 1010, as illustrated in FIG. 10B. Other implementations are possible.

[0087] Thus, referring to FIG. 11 , in some embodiments, a method for removing heat from a building and cooling air within the building can include installing or positioning the exhaust end of an air conditioning unit in an opening formed on a wall or roof of the building (1101). If needed, the building can install a heat containment structure and / or AC unit (1103) if the building does not already have one. The heat containment structure, as described above, can be structured to contain generated heat inside the building and / or direct it to a vent, exhaust structure, or opening (e.g., a pipe) in the building. The AC unit can be the building's existing HVAC unit or any commercially available AC unit, with the AC unit set to maintain a target temperature (e.g., a minimum service temperature required by the building owner or operator) (1105). As the air inside the building becomes heated, the air rises, is received or captured by the heat containment structure, and then exhausted from the building (1110). The hot air being exhausted from the building creates a pressure differential such that the pressure on the hot side of the building (where the heat containment structure is located) is lower than the cold side of the building. Therefore, the method further includes supplying cooled air to the building from the cooling unit at a constant rate (1115). The cooling unit supplies cooled air (which in some embodiments can be achieved using one or more fans and / or similar devices) to the building at a constant rate because one or more fans and / or similar devices are set to operate at a constant speed. Therefore, no controller is needed to vary the speed of the fans and / or similar devices within the cooling unit, and as a result, no additional temperature sensors are needed. Instead, the AC unit acts as an external controller that will come into effect and begin cooling the air inside the building when the AC unit itself senses that the temperature inside the building is above a target temperature and will stop operating when the temperature inside the building returns to or below the target temperature.

[0088] In some embodiments, a minimum requirement for a cooling unit is one or more fans and / or similar devices set to operate at a constant speed, with or without a filter. In some embodiments, the cooling unit may additionally include an evaporative cooler (e.g., a fogger 420 and / or an evaporative cooling element (e.g., a mist cooling element 424). In some embodiments, the cooling unit may include one or more refrigeration coils and / or air conditioners. Other implementations may be possible.

[0089] FIG. 12 depicts a schematic representation of an open-loop heat rejection system 1200 that utilizes an HVAC system to regulate the indoor temperature of a data center. In a typical closed-loop heat rejection system, a damper may close when an increase in temperature occurs. The damper's closure is typically activated by a thermal element that melts at a temperature higher than ambient but low enough to indicate the presence of a fire, allowing a spring to close the damper blades. Typically, in the event of a fire, sprinklers, halon, or other fire retardants are activated, and air conditioners are turned off automatically or manually by personnel. Nevertheless, smoke is recirculated by the closed-loop configuration. Unfortunately, this recirculation provides more oxygen, which serves as fuel for the fire, adding to the danger to firefighters. Fires produce harmful fumes, which can then be trapped within the closed-loop heat rejection system. Harmful fumes are the number one cause of death in fires.

[0090] 13 depicts a schematic representation of an open-loop heat removal system 1300 that utilizes cooling units (not shown) to supply cool air to a data center. With an open-loop heat removal system, additional issues must be considered in light of potential fire hazards. For example, on the one hand, given the negative pressure and large amounts of outdoor air continuously drawn into the open-loop heat removal system, in the event of a fire, oxygen will continue to be pumped into it, which will in turn sustain and spread the fire. On the other hand, due to the negative pressure and open-loop configuration, the open-loop heat removal system can release harmful gases in a much more timely, efficient, and effective manner.

[0091] 14A and 14B depict schematic representations of an open-loop heat removal system with an inlet module, an outlet module, and heat-sensing louvers according to some embodiments. More specifically, FIG. 14A depicts a schematic representation of an open-loop heat removal system 1400 having an inlet module 1410 for receiving cool air from a cooling unit 1450 and an outlet module 1420 for exhausting hot air according to some embodiments. Although not shown in FIG. 14, a louver is positioned above the inlet module 1410.

[0092] The open-loop heat removal system can have temperature sensors configured to notify a central controller of where a fire is occurring within the building. In some embodiments, the louvers are kept under tension and remain in an open position via a spring mechanism. In the example of FIG. 14, a fire is occurring between server pods in the building near the ingress module 1410. When activated by heat, the spring mechanism releases the tension, allowing the louvers to automatically close, creating a containment structure and preventing outside air from being drawn in through the ingress module 1410.

[0093] The exit module 1420 remains open to vent the fire from above. Additionally, an artificial intelligence (AI) software enabled central controller is operable to command the sprinkler system within the building to activate sprinklers only where there is a contained fire so that other equipment is not affected by the fire / water and preserves the life of the equipment.

[0094] At a minimum, both the inlet and outlet modules should be closed to extinguish a fire. In some embodiments, both can simply be closed in response to heat, as illustrated in Figure 14B. In this case, the louvers in the inlet module and the vents in the outlet module can each have components that melt when they reach a certain temperature. Melting of the components can reliably close the louvers or vents 99.99% of the time.

[0095] In some embodiments, a first heat-sensing louver is positioned on the exhaust side of the open-loop heat removal system, and a second heat-sensing louver is positioned on the intake side. There are different types of louvers. Some louvers are heat-triggered. For example, a heat-sensing louver will close when the aisle reaches 135°F. This type of heat-sensing louver is made from a material that melts when the room temperature reaches or exceeds a default or user-set temperature. Melting closes the heat-sensing louver.

[0096] In some embodiments, the maximum operating temperature for a data center is 78°F. However, setting the temperature for melting and closing heat-sensing louvers at 78°F may cause false alarms. This is because the average temperature at which a fire can ignite and burn is 424-475°F (or 218-246°C), while the room temperature under fire can be 100°F at floor level and rise to 600°F at eye level. At 78°F, the maximum operating temperature for a data center does not necessarily indicate the presence of a fire. Thus, in some embodiments, a default temperature may be preset to 97°F. In some embodiments, the preset temperature may be user-adjustable.

[0097] When used in conjunction with a fire sprinkler system, the default or user-set temperature for closing the louvers should be set lower than the temperature required to activate the sprinkler system. This is because in an open-loop heat removal system, in the event of a fire, fire suppression begins by closing the supply of cool air through the building's inlet. This can be accomplished by melting and closing the heat-sensing louvers in the inlet module when the open-loop heat removal system's controller receives or otherwise detects the presence of an abnormally high temperature that reaches or exceeds the default or user-set temperature. Additionally or alternatively, the open-loop heat removal system may include electronic louvers positioned on the inlet and / or outlet modules. Instead of or in addition to closing the heat-sensing louvers when the temperature reaches or exceeds a default or user-adjusted value, the controller may programmatically command the electronic louvers to close to shut off the supply of cool air.

[0098] As one skilled in the art will appreciate, fire sprinkler systems are typically thermally activated, one sprinkler at a time. Each sprinkler has a component that melts when it reaches a certain temperature. Melting of the component can open a valve on the sprinkler, allowing water to disperse through the valve. Such sprinklers can be activated when the temperature rises to a fire-inducing temperature, typically 155°F to 165°F (i.e., 57°C to 74°C). In some embodiments, the temperature required to activate the sprinkler system should be set to a temperature (e.g., 155°F) higher than the default or user-set temperature (e.g., 97°F, 100°F, 135°F, etc.) at which the louvers would be activated thermally or electronically. The temperature required to activate the sprinkler system can vary from implementation to implementation.

[0099] When heat-sensing louvers are used, the inlet module closes when the material melts. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 14B, the outlet module closes when the material of the heat-sensing louvers positioned above the outlet module melts. This type of heat-sensing louver must be replaced after use. In some embodiments, an HVAC control damper, model VCD23-V, available from Dodge Engineering & Controls, Inc. (Massachusetts, USA), can be used. Some louvers can be electronically controlled by a controller. Electronically controlled louvers can be opened and closed by an operator or via preset settings programmatically set by the controller. This distributed fire suppression for an open-loop heat removal system also has the advantage of allowing for the division of fire suppression by aisle or pod versus sprinkler or other fire suppression at the room level.

[0100] As shown in Figures 14C and 14D, in some cases, it may be desirable to leave the outlet module open as long as the exhaust fan is operating at a rate sufficient to create a vacuum / negative pressure of 1 bar or more internally. This will not only reduce the oxygen that fuels the fire, but also remove toxic by-products of combustion and incomplete combustion, such as CO. Most deaths from fires are not due to combustion, but to toxic by-products of combustion. The central controller is operable to close the exhaust vents or louvers only when the fan fails: for example, when no signal is received from the fan operation controller; when the fan stops and there is sufficient heat / pressure; or when the oxygen level drops below 15%. In the example of Figure 14D, louvers are positioned over the upper and lower vents at the top and bottom of each aisle.

[0101] FIG. 15 is a flow diagram illustrating an example of a fire suppression method 1500 for an open-loop heat removal system. In some embodiments, a central controller is configured to receive temperature readings from temperature sensors located throughout a building, such as a data center. In some embodiments, the central controller may be configured to proactively programmatically check the temperature sensors for temperature readings throughout the data center. In some embodiments, the central controller may determine 1501 whether a temperature reading exceeds a default or user-set temperature. If not, the inlet module will remain open 1503. Otherwise, the central controller is operable to close 1505 louvers in the appropriate inlet module at or near where the temperature reading was sensed. After closing the louvers, the central controller is operable to determine 1507 whether the fire is contained. If so, the process ends. Otherwise, sprinklers are activated 1509.

[0102] 16 is a flow diagram illustrating another example of a fire suppression method 1600 for an open-loop heat removal system, where the open-loop heat removal and fire suppression system has a temperature sensor, an oxygen sensor, a central controller, an electronic closure default, and a pressure sensor.

[0103] In some embodiments, the central controller is configured to receive temperature readings from temperature sensors located throughout a building, such as a data center. In some embodiments, the central controller may be configured to proactively programmatically check temperature sensors for temperature readings throughout the data center. In some embodiments, the central controller may determine whether a temperature reading exceeds a default or user-set temperature (1601). If not, the inlet module will remain open (1603). Otherwise, the central controller is operable to close louvers in the appropriate inlet module at or near where the temperature reading was sensed (1605). After closing the louvers, the central controller is operable to determine whether the fire is contained (1607). If so, the process ends. If not, the central controller is operable to determine whether exhaust fans are running (1611).

[0104] The exhaust fan may or may not be running at that time. In the event of a fire, the central controller may verify through a pressure sensor whether the building has a negative pressure of 1 bar or greater inside (1621). If so, the central controller may check to verify whether the fire is contained (1607). If so, the process ends. If the building does not have a negative pressure of 1 bar or greater inside, the central controller is operable to turn on the exhaust fan and create a negative pressure of 1 bar or greater inside (1623). The central controller then checks the oxygen level via an oxygen sensor and determines whether the oxygen level is less than 15% (1625). If so, the central controller is operable to determine whether the fire is contained (1615). With less than 15% oxygen in air, a fire cannot burn in the containment aisle without full intake air and exhaust at 10 KPa (e.g., it is not possible to light a cigarette lighter). Thus, if the oxygen level is below 15%, the fire is considered contained and the process ends. Otherwise, the sprinklers are activated 1609. If the oxygen level is 15% or greater, the fire is not contained and the sprinklers are activated 1609.

[0105] If the exhaust fans are not operational, the central controller is operable to command the respective louvers to close the appropriate exit modules (1613). The central controller is then operable to determine if the fire is contained (1615). If so, the process ends. If not, the sprinklers are activated (1609). If the exhaust fans are operational, the central controller is operable to command the exhaust fans to begin operation to exhaust air / smoke (1623).

[0106] Some embodiments described herein can be implemented in the form of control logic in software or hardware, or a combination of both. The control logic can be stored in an information storage medium, such as a computer-readable medium, as a plurality of instructions adapted to direct an information processing device to perform a set of steps disclosed in various embodiments. Based on the disclosure and teachings provided herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate other ways and / or methods for implementing the present invention.

[0107] It is also within the spirit and scope of the present invention to implement the steps, operations, methods, routines, or portions thereof described herein in software programming or code, which can be stored in a computer-readable medium and operated by a processor to cause a computer to perform any of the steps, operations, methods, routines, or portions thereof described herein. The present invention can be implemented in one or more control systems by using software programming or code. Various types of sensors can be used, including temperature, humidity, and / or pressure sensors, by using application-specific integrated circuits, programmable logic devices, field-programmable gate arrays, optical, chemical, biological, quantum mechanical, or nanoengineered systems, components, and mechanisms. The functionality of the present invention can be achieved by various means, including distributed or networked systems, hardware components, and / or circuits. In another example, communication or transfer of data (or otherwise moving from one place to another) can be by wire, wireless, or any other means.

[0108] A "computer-readable medium" may be any medium that can converge, store, communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, system, or device. A computer-readable medium may be, by way of example only and not limitation, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, system, device, propagation medium, or computer memory. Such computer-readable media would be machine-readable and would include software programming or code that may be human-readable (e.g., source code) or machine-readable (e.g., object code). Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media may include random access memory, read-only memory, hard drives, data cartridges, magnetic tape, floppy diskettes, flash memory drives, optical data storage devices, compact disc read-only memory, and other suitable computer memory and data storage devices. In an illustrative embodiment, some or all of the software components may reside on a single server computer or any combination of separate server computers. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, a computer program product implementing embodiments disclosed herein may include one or more non-transitory computer-readable media that store computer instructions that are transformable by one or more processors in a computing environment.

[0109] A "processor" includes any hardware system, mechanism, or component that processes data, signals, or other information. A processor may include a central processing unit, multiple processing units, systems with dedicated circuitry for achieving functionality, or other systems. Processing need not be limited to a geographic location or have time limitations. For example, a processor may perform its functions in "real time," "offline," "batch mode," etc. Portions of the processing may be performed by different (or the same) processing systems at different times and in different locations.

[0110] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a suitable control system may include a central processing unit ("CPU"), at least one read-only memory ("ROM"), at least one random access memory ("RAM"), at least one hard drive ("HD"), and one or more input / output ("I / O") devices. I / O devices may include a keyboard, monitor, printer, electronic pointing device (e.g., mouse, trackball, stylus, touchpad, etc.), etc. In an embodiment of the present invention, the control system may have access to at least one database via a network connection.

[0111] ROM, RAM, and HD are computer memories for storing computer-executable instructions that can be executed by a CPU or compiled or interpreted to be executable by a CPU. Suitable computer-executable instructions may reside on a computer-readable medium (e.g., ROM, RAM, and / or HD), hardware circuitry, etc., or any combination thereof. In this disclosure, the term "computer-readable medium" is not limited to ROM, RAM, and HD, but can include any type of data storage medium that can be read by a processor. Examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to, volatile and non-volatile computer memory and storage devices such as random-access memory, read-only memory, hard drives, data cartridges, direct-access storage device arrays, magnetic tape, floppy diskettes, flash memory drives, optical data storage devices, compact disc read-only memory, and other suitable computer memory and data storage devices. Thus, computer-readable media may refer to data cartridges, data backup magnetic tapes, floppy diskettes, flash memory drives, optical data storage drives, CD-ROMs, ROMs, RAMs, HDs, etc.

[0112] As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," "having," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, product, article, or apparatus comprising a list of elements is not necessarily limited by those elements and may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent in such process, product, article, or apparatus.

[0113] Furthermore, the term "or," as used herein, is generally intended to mean "and / or" unless otherwise indicated. For example, condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or exists) and B is false (or does not exist), A is false (or does not exist) and B is true (or exists), or both A and B are true (or exist). As used herein, including the accompanying appendices, terms preceded by "a" or "an" (or "the" when the antecedent is "a" or "an") include both the singular and plural of such terms (i.e., a reference to "a" or "an" clearly indicates only the singular or only the plural) unless clearly indicated otherwise. Also, as used in this description and the accompanying appendices, the meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on," unless clearly indicated otherwise by context.

[0114] Additionally, any examples or illustrations provided herein should not be considered in any way as a restriction, limitation, or express definition of any term or terms with which they are utilized. Instead, these examples or illustrations should be considered as merely illustrative, with respect to one particular embodiment. Those skilled in the art will understand that any term or terms with which these examples or illustrations are utilized encompass other embodiments and implementations and adaptations thereof that may or may not be provided therewith or elsewhere in the specification, and that all such embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of that term or terms. Language designating such non-limiting examples and illustrations includes, but is not limited to, "for example," "for instance," "e.g.," "in one embodiment," and the like.

[0115] Those skilled in the art of the present invention will recognize that the disclosed embodiments have relevance to a variety of fields in addition to the specific examples discussed above. For example, while the examples discussed above are described in the context of a data center, some embodiments disclosed herein can be adapted or otherwise implemented to function in other types of environments, situations, etc. In this context, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative sense, rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure should therefore be determined by the following claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. 1. A fire suppression method for a heat removal system, the method comprising: receiving, by a controller of the heat removal system, temperature readings from a temperature sensor located inside a building, the building having an inlet through which cool air is supplied to the building and an outlet through which hot air is exhausted from the building without reusing, recirculating, or re-cooling the hot air, the heat removal system further comprising an inlet module at the inlet of the building, an outlet module at the outlet of the building, louvers at the inlet module, and an exhaust fan at the outlet module; determining, by the controller, whether the temperature reading reaches or exceeds a default or user-set temperature that indicates the presence of a fire within the building; in response to the temperature reading reaching or exceeding the default or user set temperature, closing the louvers in the inlet module to shut off the supply of cool air through the inlet of the building; determining, by the controller, whether the building is under negative pressure internally using a pressure sensor; responsive to the building not being under negative pressure internally, operating, by the controller, the exhaust fan to create negative pressure internally; determining, by the controller, whether an internal oxygen level of the building indicates that the fire is contained, utilizing an oxygen sensor; activating, by the controller, a sprinkler system in the building in response to the fire being uncontained; A method of extinguishing a fire, including:

2. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the heat removal system further comprises a cooling unit for supplying the cooled air to the building without reusing, recirculating, or recooling indoor air.

3. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting the temperature at which the sprinkler system is activated to be greater than the default or user-set temperature for closing the louvers.

4. 2. The fire extinguishing method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the building is under negative pressure internally comprises determining whether the building is under negative pressure of 1 KPa or greater.

5. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the internal oxygen level of the building is 15% or less.

6. determining whether the exhaust fan is running; closing vents or louvers in the outlet module in response to the exhaust fan not operating; 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

7. determining, from a plurality of entrance modules positioned over a corresponding plurality of entrances of the building, an entrance module at or near where the temperature reading was sensed; electronically closing louvers located on an inlet module at or near where said temperature reading was sensed; 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

8. 1. A heat removal system, comprising: a cooling unit for supplying cool air to the building through an inlet of the building; an inlet module at the inlet of the building, the building having an outlet through which hot air leaves the building without reusing, recirculating, or recooling the hot air; an exit module at the exit of the building; louvers in the inlet module; an exhaust fan in the outlet module; a temperature sensor located inside the building for sensing an internal temperature of the building; an oxygen sensor for sensing an internal oxygen level of the building; a pressure sensor for sensing the internal pressure of the building; A controller; a non-transitory computer readable medium; instructions stored on said non-transitory computer readable medium; Equipped with The instruction: receiving a temperature reading from the temperature sensor; determining whether the temperature reading reaches or exceeds a default or user-set temperature that indicates the presence of a fire within the building; in response to the temperature reading reaching or exceeding the default or user set temperature, closing the louvers in the inlet module to shut off the supply of cool air through the inlet of the building; utilizing the pressure sensor to determine whether the building is under negative pressure internally; responsive to the building not being under negative pressure internally, operating, by the controller, the exhaust fan to create negative pressure internally; utilizing the oxygen sensor to determine whether the interior oxygen level of the building indicates that the fire has been contained; activating a sprinkler system in the building in response to the fire being uncontained; a heat rejection system, the heat rejection system being convertible by the controller to perform the following:

9. The heat removal system of claim 8 further comprising heat-sensing or electronic louvers positioned above the outlet module.

10. 9. The heat removal system of claim 8, wherein the temperature at which the sprinkler system is activated is set to be higher than the default or user-set temperature for closing the louvers.

11. The heat removal system of claim 8 , wherein determining whether the building is under negative pressure internally comprises determining whether the building is under negative pressure of 1 KPa or greater.

12. 10. The heat removal system of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the controller to determine if the internal oxygen level of the building is less than or equal to 15%.

13. The instruction: determining whether the exhaust fan is running; closing vents or louvers in the outlet module in response to the exhaust fan not operating; 9. The heat removal system of claim 8, further convertible by the controller to:

14. The instruction: determining, from a plurality of entrance modules positioned over a corresponding plurality of entrances of the building, an entrance module at or near where the temperature reading was sensed; electronically closing louvers located on an inlet module at or near where said temperature reading was sensed; 9. The heat removal system of claim 8, further convertible by the controller to:

15. 1. A computer program product for fire suppression in a heat removal system, the computer program product comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon; The instruction: receiving temperature readings from a temperature sensor located inside a building, the building having an inlet through which cool air is supplied to the building and an outlet through which hot air is exhausted from the building without reusing, recirculating, or re-cooling the hot air, the heat removal system further comprising an inlet module at the inlet of the building, an outlet module at the outlet of the building, louvers at the inlet module, and an exhaust fan at the outlet module; determining whether the temperature reading reaches or exceeds a default or user-set temperature that indicates the presence of a fire within the building; in response to the temperature reading reaching or exceeding the default or user set temperature, closing the louvers in the inlet module to shut off the supply of cool air through the inlet of the building; utilizing a pressure sensor to determine whether the building is under negative pressure internally; In response to the building not being under negative pressure internally, operating the exhaust fan to create negative pressure internally; utilizing an oxygen sensor to determine whether the interior oxygen level of the building indicates that the fire has been contained; activating a sprinkler system within the building in response to the fire being uncontained; and A computer program product that is convertible by a controller to perform the program.

16. 16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the temperature at which the sprinkler system is activated is set to be higher than the default or user-set temperature for closing the louvers.

17. 16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein determining whether the building is under negative pressure internally comprises determining whether the building is under negative pressure of 1 KPa or greater.

18. 16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the controller to determine whether the internal oxygen level of the building is less than or equal to 15%.

19. The instruction: determining whether the exhaust fan is running; closing vents or louvers in the outlet module in response to the exhaust fan not operating; 16. The computer program product of claim 15, further convertible by the controller to perform:

20. The instruction: determining, from a plurality of entrance modules positioned over a corresponding plurality of entrances of the building, an entrance module at or near where the temperature reading was sensed; electronically closing louvers located on an inlet module at or near where said temperature reading was sensed; 16. The computer program product of claim 15, further convertible by the controller to perform:

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