Data center systems and cooling methods

Abstract

The system (100) includes a plurality of MHACUs (114a-114c) for cooling one or more servers in a data hall (110). The system also includes a pump package (120) for supplying cooling fluid to the MHACUs, and a fluid supply line (302) for conveying the cooling fluid to the MHACUs. The system also includes at least one computing device (140) configured to determine that a cooling fluid temperature in a first MHACU (114a) has risen to a first temperature that is lower than a predetermined maximum temperature, and in response to the determination, control the system to supply at least a portion of the cooling fluid to a second MHACU (114b), and to determine that a cooling fluid temperature in the second MHACU has risen to a second temperature that is at least the predetermined maximum temperature, and in response to the determination, control the system to supply the cooling fluid to a fluid return line (304) for returning the cooling fluid to the pump package.

Description

Technical Field

[0004]

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a cooling system, and more particularly to a cooling system and method for use in a collocation data center.

Background Art

[0002] Collocation data centers typically require flexibility in space utilization to accommodate a variety of customer requirements. For example, some collocation data centers must be equipped to provide space for customers both within ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) allowances and ASHRAE recommendations. Many data center providers prefer a closed system in which outside air or liquid is not directly supplied to the data hall for cooling.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] The present disclosure provides a cooling system and method for use in a collocation data center.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] In the first embodiment, the system includes a plurality of modular hot aisle cooling units (MHACUs) arranged in series within a data hole, each MHACU configured to cool one or more servers within the data hole. The system also includes a pump package configured to supply cooling fluid to the MHACUs. The system also includes a fluid supply line configured to carry the cooling fluid from the pump package to the plurality of MHACUs. The system also includes at least one computing device configured to determine that the temperature of the cooling fluid in a first MHACU between the plurality of MHACUs has risen to a first temperature which is below a predetermined maximum temperature, and in response to the determination that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the first MHACU has risen to the first temperature, the system controls the system to supply at least a portion of the cooling fluid to a second MHACU between the plurality of MHACUs, and in response to the determination that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the second MHACU has risen to a second temperature which is at least a predetermined maximum temperature, the system controls the system to supply the cooling fluid to a fluid return line for returning the cooling fluid to the pump package.

[0005] In a second embodiment, the method includes supplying cooling fluid from a pump package to a first modular hot aisle cooling unit (MHACU) among a plurality of MHACUs arranged in series within a data hole, via a fluid supply line, each MHACU being configured to cool one or more servers within the data hole. The method also includes determining that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the first MHACU has risen to a first temperature, which is below a predetermined maximum temperature. The method also includes providing at least a portion of the cooling fluid to a second MHACU among the plurality of MHACUs in response to the determination that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the first MHACU has risen to the first temperature. The method also includes determining that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the second MHACU has risen to a second temperature, which is at least a predetermined maximum temperature. The method also includes providing cooling fluid to a fluid return line for returning to the pump package in response to the determination that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the second MHACU has risen to the second temperature.

[0006] Other technical features may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following figures, description, and claims. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This disclosure shows an example of a cooling system for cooling a data center. [Figure 2] Further details of an example of a modular hot aisle cooling unit (MHACU) as described herein are provided. [Figure 3A] Details of improving the efficiency of heat removal through increasing the thermal content of the fluid are illustrated in this disclosure. [Figure 3B] Figure 3A shows a plan view of a data hole in which the efficiency improvement technology described in this disclosure is used. [Figure 4A] Examples of data holes with different levels of cooling density are shown in this disclosure. [Figure 4B] Examples of data holes with different levels of cooling density are shown in this disclosure. [Figure 4C]Examples of data holes with different levels of cooling density are shown in this disclosure. [Figure 5A] This figure shows an example of the installation of cooling coils that can be used as one or more modular hot aisle cooling units (MHACUs) according to the present disclosure. [Figure 5B] This figure shows an example of the installation of cooling coils that can be used as one or more modular hot aisle cooling units (MHACUs) according to the present disclosure. [Figure 5C] This figure shows an example of the installation of cooling coils that can be used as one or more modular hot aisle cooling units (MHACUs) according to the present disclosure. [Figure 5D] This figure shows an example of the installation of cooling coils that can be used as one or more modular hot aisle cooling units (MHACUs) according to the present disclosure. [Figure 5E] This figure shows an example of the installation of cooling coils that can be used as one or more modular hot aisle cooling units (MHACUs) according to the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of a computing device used in the cooling system described herein. [Figure 7] This flowchart shows an example of a cooling process using the cooling system shown in Figure 1 according to this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Figures 1 through 7, discussed below, and the various embodiments used in this patent document to illustrate the principles of the disclosure, are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the disclosure can be implemented in any appropriately configured system or device.

[0009] For the sake of simplification and clarity, some features and components are not explicitly shown in all figures, including those illustrated in relation to other figures. It will be understood that all illustrated features may be adopted in any of the embodiments described. The omission of features or components from certain figures is for the purpose of brevity and clarity and does not mean that such features or components cannot be adopted in the embodiments described in relation to that figure. It will be understood that embodiments of this disclosure may include any one, more, or all of the features described herein. Furthermore, embodiments of this disclosure may include additional or alternative features not listed herein.

[0010] As mentioned above, colocation data centers typically require flexibility in space utilization to accommodate diverse customer requirements. For example, some colocation data centers must be equipped to provide space to both ASHRAE-accepted and ASHRAE-recommended customers. Many data center providers prefer enclosed systems, in which outside air or liquids are not supplied directly to the data holes for cooling.

[0011] To address these and other issues, embodiments of the present disclosure provide an indoor cooling system for use with colocation data centers. The disclosed indoor cooling system is designed to operate over a wide range of fluid temperatures. The disclosed embodiments include cooling coils and immersion systems, which are configured in different shapes and heights to suit the power and thermal density of a predetermined supply air temperature (SAT) for air cooling or the fluid temperature (EFT) for liquid cooling, for a portion or whole of a computer rack, computer array, computer room, or computer equipment facility. The system efficiency can be derived through heat collection near the heat load. This can be derived by moving long airflow channels from the computer to the air handling equipment, which were required in conventional colocation data center facilities, or by bringing them into direct contact with the cooling fluid during immersion. The system efficiency can also be expressed as the amount of heat collected by air-to-fluid and / or fluid-to-fluid transfers through custom configurations, positions, sizes, shapes, and heights of the cooling coils. Further efficiencies can be found at higher remaining fluid temperatures (LFT) of the coils available through fluid-to-fluid heat transfer performed within the immersion cooling system, and even more efficiencies can be found through higher quality heating fluids available to remote heat recovery users or remote heat removal plants outside the data hole.

[0012] Figure 1 shows an example cooling system 100 for cooling a data center according to the present disclosure. The embodiment of the cooling system 100 shown in Figure 1 is for illustrative purposes only. Other embodiments of the cooling system 100 can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the cooling system 100 includes a data hole 110, a pump package 120, a fluid cooler 130, and a computing device 140.

[0014] The data hall 110 represents at least a part of a colocation data center and is an enclosed space that houses a plurality of servers 112 arranged in server racks. As is known in the art, the servers 112 generate a significant amount of thermal energy that tends to heat the space inside the data hall 110, and thus cooling is required to maintain the temperature of the data hall 110 at an appropriate level for the proper operation of the servers 112 and for the comfort of the personnel inside the data hall 110.

[0015] The data hall 110 includes an indoor cooling system that includes one or more modular hot aisle cooling units (MHACUs) 114. The MHACU 114 is arranged above, behind, and / or in front of the server 112 and is operable to cool the server 112. In particular, each MHACU 114 can be attached above, behind, and / or in front of a server rack in the data hall 110. The MHACU 114 can be configured in different shapes and dimensions and installed in different heights and different arrangements and combinations to partially or fully match the power and heat density of the supply air temperature defined for a computer device rack, a row of computer devices, a computer device room, or a computer device facility.

[0016] [[ID=P8]]The MHACU 114 receives the heated air rising from the server 112 (e.g., about 130°F - 140°F as allowed by ASHRAE or about 100°F as recommended by ASHRAE), cools the heated air to form cooled air (e.g., about 95°F as allowed by ASHRAE or about 80°F as recommended by ASHRAE), and outputs the cooled air for cooling the server 112, thereby cooling the server 112. In some embodiments, the amount of air sent to the data hall 110 by the MHACU 114 depends on the amount of electric power sent to the data hall 110. For example, the MHACU 114 can send out at least 80 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air at a temperature of 80°F (or at least 108 CFM of air at a temperature of 95°F) for each kilowatt (1kW) of electric power sent to the data hall 110.

[0017] Each MHACU 114 is modular and is located above, behind, and / or in front of one or more racks of the server 112. FIG. 1 shows three MHACU 114s, but more or fewer may be provided depending on the embodiment. The number of MHACU 114s can be easily scaled for an application and depends on the load density of the server 112, the cooling capacity of each MHACU 114, etc. In some embodiments, each MHACU 114 can provide a cooling capacity of about 150 kW to 700 kW, but other embodiments can provide other cooling capacities.

[0018] The MHACU 114 improves system efficiency over the prior art by dealing with heat collection near the heat load. That is, the MHACU 114 removes the long air flow path required in conventional co-location data center facilities from the computing device to the air handling equipment. The overall system efficiency can also be addressed in the amount of heat collected by the transfer of the air-to-fluid through the custom configuration, location, size, shape, and height of the cooling coil. Additional efficiency is seen in the high leaving fluid temperature (LFT) of the coil to the remote heat rejection plant outside the data hall 110.

[0019] The MHACU 114 is designed to operate at a wide range of fluid temperatures. Each MHACU 114 can be individually controlled (air handling capacity, discharge air temperature, discharge fluid temperature, etc.) to customize the cooling level in real time at different parts of the data hall 110. For example, if some of the servers 112 generate a larger load and require additional cooling, one or more MHACU 114s in the vicinity of those servers 112 can be controlled to increase the cooling capacity.

[0020] In some embodiments, the MHACUs 114 are connected in series and fluidically coupled to the pump package 120. This can be called a “serial topology,” and in other embodiments, the MHACUs 114 can be connected in parallel. The connections to the MHACUs 114 can be formed individually, in parallel, in series in any combination of each other, or as specific groups to produce the intended result, for example, to collect the maximum amount of heat through air-to-fluid transfer. The cooling fluid received from the pump package 120 (e.g., about 90°F in ASHRAE allowances or about 75°F in ASHRAE recommendations) flows into each MHACU 114 and is used to cool the heated air from the server 112. Once the fluid has cooled the hot air in the data hole 110, the heated fluid then returns to the pump package 120. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the heated fluid can be sent to one or more immersion tanks 145, as will be described in more detail below. In some embodiments, the fluid is water, but other suitable fluids may be used and are within the scope of this disclosure.

[0021] In some embodiments, the system 100 also includes a heat recovery heat exchanger 150 for use in downstream heat recovery, supporting the needs of one or more heat recovery users. In some embodiments, the immersion tank 145 can also generate higher quality heat suitable for downstream heat recovery. This higher quality heat is available to the heat recovery heat exchanger 150 to support the needs of heat recovery users.

[0022] Figure 2 provides further details of an example of the MHACU 114 according to this disclosure. As shown in Figure 2, the MHACU 114 includes one or more variable-speed fans 202, one or more fluid valves 204, and at least one coil 206 for transferring thermal energy from heated air to cooled fluid. The MHACU 114 also includes at least one control system 208 for controlling the operation and speed of the fans 202, as well as the position of the valves 204. The at least one control system 208 is communicate-coupled to one or more sensors, including one or more pressure sensors 210, thermometers or other temperature sensors 212, instrument sensors 214, fluid flow sensors (not shown), etc. In some embodiments, the temperature sensors 212 can measure, for example, the air temperature in the supply and return passages, the air temperature of the inlet and outlet airflows, the fluid temperature in the supply and return lines, the fluid temperature in and out of the coil 206, etc. The fluid flow sensors may include direct fluid contact sensors, pipe surface contact sensors, infrared sensors, etc. The type and number of sensors can be customized to direct specific fluid flow, air flow, fluid pressure, air pressure, specified fluid heat content, specified air volume heat content, relative humidity, etc. The pressure sensor 210 can measure the pressure difference between the supply air and return air passages, fluid pressure at the input and output to the coil 206, etc. Other sensors may include one or more anemometers for measuring air velocity in the airflow, or one or more ultrasonic fluid flow sensors.

[0023] Valve 204 may include any suitable valves in any suitable combination for controlling the fluid flow within and around the MHACU 114. Embodiments of valve 204 may include (but are not limited to) two-way control valves, three-way control valves, four-way control valves, six-way control valves, balancing valves, actuator control valves, heat control valves, flow control valves, pressure control valves, and compensating valves.

[0024] In some embodiments, each fan 202 can be dynamically controlled or set to a specific fixed value, individually or in combination with one or more attributes assisting the computing device, to maintain an appropriate air supply volume, air temperature, or static pressure difference between the hot return air passage and the cold supply air passage. Generally, the data sent from the sensors to the control system 208 can be used individually or in any combination to improve the power efficiency, cooling efficiency of the data center, or reduce total water consumption through a real-time response to the cooling load demands of individual racks, columns, rooms, or sites. For example, the power of the computing device can be matched with the cooling supply provided based on the actual heat load calculated from the power demands of the computing device. Cooling efficiency can be improved by cooling only the amount of heat generated by the computing device. Total water consumption can be reduced by avoiding overpressure delivery via cooling towers or adiabatic cooling spray cooling solutions and by suppressing water loss due to drift and surface evaporation. Effective control of the computing device's air temperature (EAT) and coil residual fluid temperature (LFT) is configured through sensor inputs and programmed calculations to match the precise cooling requirements of the racks, columns, rooms, or sites.

[0025] In some embodiments, the equipment sensor 214 is a remote sensor employed in or around a computing device (e.g., a server 112) within the data hole 110 to detect or measure characteristics or parameters of the computing device. For example, the equipment sensor 214 includes an onboard power sensor embedded in a computing device, server, or network device that can measure the power used by the computing device. Another example is the equipment sensor 214 including an onboard thermal sensor or fan speed sensor embedded in a computing device, server, or network equipment that can measure the heat generated by the computing device or the current fan speed of the equipment. Yet another example is the equipment sensor 214, which may include an onboard sensor for measuring the CPU or hash rate utilization of the server 112. These measurements can be supplied to the control system 208 to control cooling. In some embodiments, a room-level thermal sensor can be used to override a local coil control device to meet global (overall data center space) thermal requirements. In some embodiments, a room-level static pressure sensor can be used to override a local coil control device to meet overall positive pressure requirements for the supply air passages.

[0026] In some embodiments, measurements collected by the equipment sensor 214 can be used as a thermal load proxy. As described below, through real-time monitoring and collection of power output and known locations, thermal load values ​​can be calculated for individual areas such as equipment, racks, rows, rooms, buildings, or premises.

[0027] The following is an example of a power measurement that can be used as a proxy for a thermal load: Device level: Power strip with individual point of contact (POC) sensing output Rack level: Power sensor for a local power strip that supports devices in a single rack. Rack level: Electrical taps or circuit breakers for individual power-metered or monitored busways that directly support a specific rack. Row level: Individual metering of electrical branch circuits that support busway input power sensing meters or row-level power distribution. Room level: Power sensor input from data center distribution boards, circuit breakers, meter sensors, or circuit board meters on panels. Building level: Power sensor input from distribution circuit breakers supporting critical loads of electrical distribution panels and / or equipment in the data center. Site level: Power sensor monitoring of site-level electrical substation output circuit breakers to individual buildings supported by the computing device.

[0028] In some embodiments, control can be facilitated using data center infrastructure management (DCIM) techniques. As is known in the art, DCIM can be used to describe processes, procedures, control inputs, and control outputs for micro and macro management of power and cooling of computing devices or data center infrastructure. DCIM techniques can take into account individual or aggregate inputs from computing devices, rack-level aggregation of power and / or cooling demand by computing devices, row-level aggregated power or cooling demand by computing devices, room-level aggregation of power or cooling demand by computing devices, building-level aggregation of power or cooling demand by computing devices, site-level power and cooling demand by computing devices, and similar.

[0029] Thermal energy is transferred from the air to the cooled fluid, thereby heating the fluid. The heated fluid (e.g., approximately 120°F according to ASHRAE tolerance or approximately 90.3°F according to ASHRAE recommendation) is output from each MHACU 114 back to the pump package 120 and sent to the fluid cooler 130 to remove the heat accumulated in the fluid. The discharge fluid temperature (LFT) from coil 206 can be controlled through the air volume, which is generated by the position of valve 204 and / or the speed of fan 202 and the discharge air temperature from coil 206. In some embodiments, a control system 208 (which may be part of or include computing device 140) controls the temperature of the cooled air (leaving MHACU 114 and entering the cold air passage) and the temperature of the heated fluid (leaving MHACU 114) simultaneously by varying both the fan air volume and the cooling fluid flow rate.

[0030] Figure 3A illustrates the details of improving the efficiency of heat removal through increasing the thermal content of the fluid as described in this disclosure. Conventional industrial practices are inefficient in increasing and / or returning relatively high fluid temperatures to and from heat removal systems. This is due to inconsistent heat being removed by computational workloads within data centers, thermal dilution of the heat content of the cooled supply fluid to the heat removal system (e.g., from a combination of fluid flows at different temperatures), and / or low supply fluid temperatures due to mixed supply air temperatures specified by the end user or computing equipment manufacturer. Generally, lower supply fluid starting temperatures result in relatively lower return fluid temperatures. For example, some conventional systems exhibit a return fluid heated to temperatures of approximately 60°F–75°F. Significant improvements in heat transfer and power efficiency can be achieved if the heated fluid leaving the heat removal system can be returned at the highest fluid temperature acceptable to the system design (e.g., approximately 120°F in some air-cooled systems). That is, the larger the temperature difference (Delta T) between the cooled supply fluid and the heated return fluid, the more efficient the heat removal plant and equipment will be. The details shown in Figure 3A provide at least one solution to these problems.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3A, multiple MHACUs 114 (identified here as 114a-114c) are fluid-coupled together within the data hole 110. Figure 3A shows three MHACUs 114a-114c, but there may be more or fewer depending on the embodiment. The fluid supplied to the MHACUs 114a-114c is received from the pump package 120 via the fluid supply line 302. The heated fluid returned to the pump package 120 is carried via the fluid return line 304. Each MHACU 114a-114c is associated with temperature sensors 311a-311c and fluid control valves 321a-321c.

[0032] First, some or all of the cooled supply fluid from the pump package 120 is fed into the first MHACU 114a. The fluid moves through one or more coils 206 within the MHACU 114a, absorbing thermal energy from the air in the data hole 110. This causes a rise in the fluid temperature (measured by the temperature sensor 311a). If the amount of thermal energy absorbed by the MHACU 114a is so large that the fluid temperature rises to a predetermined maximum value (e.g., 120°F), the control valve 321a is controlled to return all the fluid to the fluid return line 304. Alternatively, if the transfer of thermal energy is small and the fluid temperature rises to a temperature below the maximum value (e.g., 75°F), the control valve 321a is controlled to supply at least some of the fluid to the second MHACU 114b.

[0033] In the second MHACU 114b, the fluid moves through one or more coils 206, absorbing thermal energy from the air in the data hole 110. This causes a rise in the fluid temperature (measured by the temperature sensor 311b). If the MHACU 114b absorbs enough thermal energy to raise the fluid temperature to its maximum, the control valve 321b is controlled to return all the fluid to the fluid return line 304. Alternatively, if less thermal energy is transferred and the fluid temperature rises to a lower temperature (e.g., 90°F), the control valve 321b is controlled to supply at least a portion of the fluid to the third MHACU 114c. This serial flow process continues until the maximum fluid temperature is reached or there are no more MHACUs in series. In some embodiments, the fluid returns through the fluid return line 304 and, depending on the position of the control valve 321d, enters or is bypassed by one or more immersion tanks 352. The control valve 321d can either allow some or all of the fluid to pass through the immersion tank 352 to the pump package 120, or bypass the immersion tank 352 on its way to the pump package 120. The immersion tank 352 represents (or can be represented by) the immersion tank 145 in Figure 1.

[0034] Series heating of the cooling fluid, as shown in Figure 3A, can be enabled using input measurements from any or all of the sensors described above. Sensor inputs, along with specified calculations, algorithms, and design protocols, can be used to control various components, including: Fluid flow velocity in individual coils, rows, chambers, and / or parts Fluid heat release control point in individual coils, rows, chambers, and / or parts Individual coil, row, and / or room fan speeds Individual coils, rows, and / or chamber systems or individual fluid pressure Row and / or room-level system or individual pneumatic settings Pump speed at the row, room, and / or site level Fluid mixing ratio at the coil, row, and / or chamber level.

[0035] In some embodiments, the series heating of the cooling fluid as shown in Figure 3A can directly support the incoming fluid temperature (EFT) for purposes such as immersion cooling of data centers using immersion tanks 352, direct rack cooling of data centers, district heating, and heat recovery to one or more heat recovery users using heat recovery heat exchangers 150.

[0036] Figure 3B shows a plan view of a data hole 350 in which the efficiency improvement technique of Figure 3A is used, as disclosed herein. The data hole 350 may represent the data hole 110 of Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3B, there is a serial thermal gain in the fluid across the data hole 350 (i.e., the fluid temperature increases from low to high). This corresponds to zones within the data hole 350 that may have different cooling requirements. In some embodiments, the data hole 350 includes one or more immersion tanks 352. The immersion tanks 352 may be all or part of the components of the fluid return line 304, and may be capable of accepting high inflow fluid temperatures (EFT) above 120°F and producing outflow fluid temperatures (LFT) above 150°F.

[0037] In some embodiments, one or more of the MHACU114 units do not include any air filters. Instead, the MHACU 114 may rely on a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) pressurized unit to purify the air.

[0038] The use of the MHACU114 within the data hall 110 offers numerous advantages over existing solutions. Because the MHACU is mounted on top of and / or behind or in front of the server rack, it requires little to no floor space. Furthermore, the elimination of ductwork in the floor reduces the need for raised floors, thereby lowering infrastructure costs. The MHACU 114 uses less energy than existing solutions because there are no losses due to ductwork, no underfloor power distribution losses, and no filter pressure losses. The MHACU 114 offers a modular design that provides flexibility in rack and load density. Local control of each MHACU 114 helps ensure uniformly temperature-cooled air enters the server rack air intakes.

[0039] The fluid cooler 130 receives heated fluid from the MHACU 114 in the data hole 110 via the pump package 120. The fluid cooler 130 cools the heated fluid using a multi-coil heat exchanger system and outputs the cooled fluid to the pump package 120 for delivery to the MHACU 114 in the data hole 110. The fluid cooler 130 includes, but is not limited to, any suitable heat removal device or feature, such as surface water delivered via an open-loop evaporative cooling tower or heat exchanger, which can isolate the data hole cooling system from external contaminants and shut off closed-circuit cooling towers, closed-loop adiabatic cooling, air-cooled chillers, conventional chiller systems, etc. Figure 1 shows a cooling system 100 with one fluid cooler 130, but this is just one example. In other embodiments, the cooling system 100 may include multiple fluid coolers 130, each having an isolated flow. In further embodiments, the cooling system 100 may include multiple fluid coolers 130, each having a combined flow for redundancy. In yet another embodiment, the cooling system 100 may include multiple fluid coolers 130 having coupled flows for cooling multiple data holes 110, thus allowing for lower cost and increased redundancy.

[0040] As described above, the cooling system 100 includes one or more computing devices 140 to control the operation of the cooling system 100. In some embodiments, each computing device 140 may be a service operated by a person or a third party such as a company. Each computing device 140 may be housed and operated in a location different from where the rest of the cooling system 100 is located; that is, each computing device 140 is not bound to a specific location.

[0041] Figures 4A to 4C illustrate exemplary data holes 110 having different levels of cooling density according to the present disclosure. In particular, Figure 4A shows a data hole 110 with low-density cooling (e.g., about 3 kW to 9 kW per rack), Figure 4B shows a data hole 110 with medium-density cooling (e.g., about 15 kW to 20 kW per rack), and Figure 4C shows a data hole 110 with high-density cooling (e.g., about 30 kW to 50 kW per rack). As shown in Figures 4A to 4C, the number of MHACU 114 positioned above each data hole can be increased to provide a greater cooling density. In Figures 4A to 4C, the MHACU 114 is shown to have a shape similar to an inverted "V". However, this is merely an example, and in other embodiments, the MHACU 114 can have any other suitable shape. For example, one or more of the MHACU114s may have a "V" shape with the right side facing upward, a "U" or "W" shape (either with the right side facing upward or upside down), a cone shape (either concave or convex), a flat coil surface parallel to the grade, or a flat coil perpendicular to the grade. Embodiments having a flat coil shape where the coil is positioned perpendicular to the grade and directly behind or in front of the data center equipment rack are an efficient and effective way to collect considerable heat through air-to-fluid transfer. Such coils can be used independently or in combination with overhead coils.

[0042] As described above, the MHACU114 can be configured in different shapes and sizes, installed at different heights, and in different arrangements and combinations, and can be partially or entirely matched to the power and thermal density of the supply air temperature specified for a computer rack, computer row, computer room, or computer equipment. For example, the MHACU 114 can be mounted overhead in a single file arrangement below the center of a hot aisle, parallel to the rear of the rack, in a dual path parallel to the rear of the rack, perpendicular to the rear of the rack, penetrating the top surface of the rack footprint on either side of the aisle, or in any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the MHACU114 may be mounted together with the surface adjacent to the rear of the rack as a rolling or movable panel configuration. In addition, the mounting frame for installing the MHACU114 may include any one or more of the following features: adjustable frame height, floor-supported support frame, support frame hinge, support frame roller, support frame roller, support frame suspended from above to any suitable structure, frame with mounting toolbar, frame with plug-and-play lighting, frame with plug-and-play control device and sensor, coolant and power distribution frame mount, coolant and power distribution plug-and-play connector, and frame and enclosure sealed with less than 2% air bypass at, for example, a 0.33-inch water column (wc).

[0043] Figures 5A to 5E show examples of installations of a cooling coil 500 that can be used as an MHACU 114 according to this disclosure. In particular, in the embodiments shown in Figures 5A to 5E, the coil 500 is positioned behind or in front of the equipment rack, rather than overhead. When the coil 500 is behind the equipment rack, as shown in Figure 5D, the incoming air comes directly from the equipment being cooled. When the coil 500 is in front of the equipment rack, the incoming air can be unconditional and come from anywhere inside the room or space, or from the ambient air outside the room or building. The coil 500 can slide in a bypass arrangement behind the equipment rack (see, e.g., Figure 5C), swing by hinges or outward (see, e.g., Figure 5A), or fold (e.g., bi-fold or accordion style) (see, e.g., Figure 5B). In some embodiments, the coil 500 can use the same supply fluid control and return fluid features as the MHACU 114.

[0044] In some embodiments, the coil 500 is wider than a single data center equipment rack. In some embodiments, the coil 500 does not require any support from a data center equipment rack, but may be in contact with an equipment rack if specified by the design or user. In some embodiments, the coil 500 can be supported on tracks and / or rollers that are in contact with the floor or flooring system. In some embodiments, the coil 500 can be suspended overhead from a building structure. In some embodiments, the coil 500 can be supported overhead or from a grade (see, for example, Figure 5E) by a custom mounting frame or bracket. This can be useful in areas with limited floor space.

[0045] For access to the equipment rack, the coil 500 can move or slide parallel to the equipment rack, swing like a door when hinged, or float into the overhead ceiling or overhead space. In some embodiments, the coil 500 can be configured to zigzag or overlap for a larger surface area exposed to incoming air.

[0046] To accommodate the movable coil 500, the coil fluid line may be flexible or rigid, or may include a combination in which a flexible pipe is flex-jointed to a rigid pipe. In some embodiments, the cooling coil assembly may have a fan and sensors connected to the coil 500, which will also have flexible connections and conductors that allow the coil 500 to move within a specified range to meet design requirements or user needs. In some embodiments, one or more of the fluid line, electrical path, and sensors may be designed so that the movement of the coil 500 gains access to data center equipment.

[0047] In some embodiments, the coil 500 can be designed as a passive coil without an active external fan system, where all airflow is generated by the computing device. In some embodiments, the coil 500 can be designed as an active system with a fan 202 located outside the computing device, which is mounted directly to or adjacent to the coil 500 and communicates with it through a duct or other enclosure or flow diversion system designed to direct airflow. The airflow from the external fan system can be controlled to a constant variable speed and pressure.

[0048] Figures 1 to 5E show an example of a cooling system 100 and related details, but various modifications can be made to Figures 1 to 5E. For example, various components within the cooling system 100 can be combined, further subdivided, duplicated, rearranged, or omitted, and components can be added according to specific needs. As a specific example, in a data center with a larger data hall 110, the cooling system 100 may include multiple fluid coolers 130, multiple MHACUs 114, and multiple pump packages 120 connected in parallel for common fluid connections of all components within the data hall 110. As another example, some data halls may implement one or more computer room air handler (CRAH) units in addition to or instead of one or more MHACUs 114. In addition, while Figures 1 to 5E show an exemplary cooling system for use with a data center, the functionality described can be used in any other suitable device or system.

[0049] Figure 6 shows an example of a computing device 600 used in the cooling system according to this disclosure. The computing device 600 may be the computing device 140 shown in Figure 1 above. The computing device 600 can be configured to control the operation of various components within the system 100. For example, the computing device 600 can control or monitor the operation related to the MHACU 114, the pump package 120, or the fluid cooler 130.

[0050] As shown in Figure 6, the computing device 600 includes a processor(s) 610, a storage device 615, a communication interface(s) 620, and a bus system 605 that supports communication between input / output (I / O) units 625. The processor(s) 610 execute instructions that can be loaded into memory 630. The processor(s) 610 may include any appropriate number(s) and types of processors, or other devices in any appropriate configuration. Examples of processor(s) 610 types include microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, field-programmable gate arrays, application-specific integrated circuits, and discrete circuits.

[0051] Memory 630 and persistent storage device 635 are embodiments of storage device 615, which represent any structure capable of storing and retrieving information (such as data, program code, and / or other suitable information on a temporary or persistent basis). Memory 630 may represent random-access memory or any other suitable volatile or non-volatile storage device(s). Persistent storage device 635 may include one or more components or devices that support longer-term storage of data, such as read-only memory, hard drives, flash memory, or optical discs. For example, persistent storage device 635 may store one or more databases, such as data, standard data, results, data, and client applications.

[0052] The communication interface 620 supports communication with other systems or devices. For example, the communication interface 620 may include a network interface card or a wireless transceiver to facilitate communication on system 100. The communication interface 620 can support communication via any suitable physical or wireless communication link. The input / output unit 625 enables data input and output. For example, the input / output unit 625 can provide a connection for user input via a keyboard, mouse, keypad, touchscreen, or other suitable input device. The input / output unit 625 can also output to a display, printer, or other suitable output device.

[0053] Figure 6 shows an example of a computing device 600, but various modifications can be made to Figure 6. For example, the various components in Figure 6 can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components can be added as needed. In a particular example, although depicted as a single system, the computing device 600 may include multiple computing systems that may be located remotely. In another example, different computing systems may provide some or all of the processing, storage, and / or communication resources in accordance with this disclosure.

[0054] Figure 7 is a step diagram showing an example of a cooling process 700 using the cooling system 100 of Figure 1, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiments of the cooling process 700 shown in Figure 7 are for illustrative purposes only. Other embodiments of the cooling process 700 can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0055] Referring to Figure 7, in operation 701, cooled supply fluid from the pump package 120 is supplied to MHACUs 114a-114c via the fluid supply line 302. In operation 703, some or all of the cooled supply fluid from the pump package 120 is introduced into MHACU 114a, the first MHACU in the series. The fluid moves through one or more coils 206 within MHACU 114a, absorbing thermal energy from the air in the data hole 110. In operation 705, the temperature sensor 311a measures that the fluid temperature in MHACU 114a has risen to a temperature below a predetermined maximum value. In operation 707, depending on the measured temperature, the control valve 321a is controlled to supply at least some of the fluid to the second MHACU 114b. The fluid moves through one or more coils 206 within MHACU 114b, absorbing thermal energy from the air in the data hole 110. In operation 709, the temperature sensor 311b measures that the fluid temperature in the MHACU 114b has risen to at least a predetermined maximum temperature. In operation 711, depending on the measured temperature, the control valve 321b is controlled to supply fluid to the fluid return line 304. In operation 713, the heated fluid is returned to the pump package 120 via the fluid return line 304.

[0056] The process 700 described above illustrates an exemplary operation that can be carried out in accordance with the principles of this disclosure, and various modifications can be made to the process 700. For example, although shown as a series of steps, the various steps in the process 700 may overlap, occur in parallel, occur in different orders, or occur multiple times. In another example, steps may be omitted or replaced by other steps.

[0057] It may be beneficial to provide definitions of specific words and phrases used throughout this patent document. The term “coupling” and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether those elements are in physical contact with each other or not. The terms “transmit,” “receive,” and “communicate,” and their derivatives, encompass both direct and indirect communication. The terms “include” and “equip,” and their derivatives, mean unrestricted inclusion. The term “or” means inclusive and / or. The phrase “related” and its derivatives mean to include, be included, interconnect, encompass, be encompassed, join, be combined, link, be connected, communicate, cooperate with each other, space, juxtapose, be close, be linked, have, possess, have a relationship. When used in a term, the phrase “etc.” means that the latter enumeration is an example and not a limitation of the former enumeration. When used with a list of items, the phrase "at least one" can mean one or more different combinations of the listed items, implying that one item from the list is required. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" includes any combination of A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A, B, and C.

[0058] Furthermore, the various functions described herein may be implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, each formed from computer-readable program code and embodied in computer-readable media. The terms “application” and “program” mean one or more computer programs, software components, sets of instructions, procedures, functions, objects, classes, instances, associated data, or parts thereof, adapted for implementation in appropriate computer-readable program code. The phrase “computer-readable program code” includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code, and executable code. The phrase “computer-readable media” includes any type of media accessible by a computer, such as read-only memory, random-access memory, hard disk drives, compact discs, digital video discs, and any other type of memory. “Non-transient” computer-readable media excludes wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that carry transient electrical or other signals. Non-temporary computer-readable media include media capable of permanently storing data, and media capable of storing data and later overwriting it, such as rewritable optical discs or erasable memory devices.

[0059] Definitions for other specific words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document. Those skilled in the art should understand that, if not in many cases, such definitions apply not only to future use of such defined words and phrases, but also to prior use. While this disclosure has been described using exemplary embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to those skilled in the art. This disclosure is intended to encompass such changes and modifications so as they are included in the appended claims. Nothing in this application should be read to imply that any particular element, step, or function is an essential element that must be included in the claims. The scope of the patented subject matter is defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A plurality of modular hot aisle cooling units (MHACUs) (114a-114c) arranged in series in a data hole (110), each MHACU configured to cool one or more servers (112) in the data hole; A pump package (120) configured to supply cooling fluid to the plurality of modular hot aisle cooling units (MHACUs); A fluid supply line (302) configured to transport cooling fluid from the pump package to a plurality of MHACUs; A system comprising at least one computing device (140); The at least one computing device (140) is It is determined that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the first MHACU (114a) among the multiple MHACUs has risen to a first temperature which is below a predetermined maximum temperature; In response to the determination that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the first MHACU has risen to the first temperature, at least a portion of the cooling fluid is supplied to the second MHACU (114b) among the plurality of MHACUs; It is determined that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the second MHACU has risen to at least the second temperature, which is the predetermined maximum temperature; In response to a determination that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the second MHACU has risen to the second temperature, the system is controlled to supply the cooling fluid to the fluid return line (304) and return it to the pump package; System (100).

2. Furthermore, a first temperature sensor (311a) configured to measure the temperature of the cooling fluid in the first MHACU, The system according to claim 1, further comprising a second temperature sensor (311b) configured to measure the temperature of the cooling fluid in the second MHACU.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one coil (206) disposed within the first MHACU, wherein the at least one coil (206) is configured to transfer thermal energy from heated air to the cooling fluid, the cooling fluid being carried through the at least one coil, and the heated air passing over the at least one coil.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the heated air is heated by one or more servers and flows from the one or more servers to the first MHACU.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of MHACUs is positioned above, behind, or in front of one or more servers.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one computing device is further configured to independently control at least one of the air treatment volume, exhaust air temperature, or exhaust fluid temperature in each of the plurality of MHACUs in order to customize the cooling level in different parts of the data hole.

7. The at least one computing device is The thermal load is calculated based on the power demand of one or more servers. The system according to claim 6, further configured to determine customized cooling levels for different parts of the data hole using the calculated thermal load.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the return fluid line comprises at least one immersion tank (145) fluidly coupled between the plurality of MHACUs and the pump package.

9. Furthermore, it includes one or more instrument sensors (214), The one or more device sensors (214) are located adjacent to or within at least one of the one or more servers and are communicated to at least one computing device. The system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more device sensors (214) are configured to measure one or more properties of the server and include at least one of a power sensor, a thermal sensor, a fan speed sensor, or a CPU sensor:

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a fluid cooler (130), wherein the fluid cooler (130) is configured to receive heated fluid from a plurality of MHACUs via the pump package, cool the heated fluid to form a cooling fluid, and output the cooling fluid to the pump package.

11. A pump package (120) provides cooling fluid via a fluid supply line (302) to the first modular hot aisle cooling unit (MHACU) (114a) of a plurality of MHACUs (114a to 114c) arranged in series within the data hole (110), and each MHACU is configured to cool one or more servers (112) within the data hole; It is determined that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the first MHACU has risen to a first temperature which is below a predetermined maximum temperature (705); In response to the determination that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the first MHACU has risen to a first temperature, at least a portion of the cooling fluid is supplied to the second MHACU (114b) among the plurality of MHACUs (707); It is determined that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the second MHACU has risen to at least the second temperature, which is the predetermined maximum temperature (709); A method (711) in which, in response to a determination that the temperature of the cooling fluid in the second MHACU has risen to a second temperature, the cooling fluid is supplied to a fluid return line (304) for returning it to the pump package.

12. The temperature of the cooling fluid in the first MHACU is measured (705) using the first temperature sensor (311a); The method according to claim 11, further comprising measuring (709) the temperature of the cooling fluid in the second MHACU using a second temperature sensor (311b).

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein thermal energy is transferred from heated air to a cooling fluid, and the cooling fluid is transported through the at least one coil (206) located within the first MHACU, and the heated air passes over the at least one coil.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the heated air is heated by one or more servers and flows from one or more servers to the first MHACU.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of MHACUs is positioned above, behind, or in front of the one or more servers.

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