Refrigeration apparatus and data center

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of refrigeration devices, and provides a refrigeration apparatus and a data center, for use in solving the problem of high refrigeration energy consumption. The refrigeration apparatus comprises: a ventilation wall, wherein the ventilation wall comprises an air inlet side and an air outlet side, and the air outlet side is configured to face toward a device to be cooled; a first cooling unit comprising a first heat exchanger located in the ventilation wall, wherein the first heat exchanger is communicated with a cooling source and used for performing conductive heat exchange with a cooling medium in the cooling source; and a second cooling unit comprising a cooling circulation loop, wherein the cooling circulation loop comprises a second heat exchanger, a refrigerant circulates in the cooling circulation loop, the second heat exchanger is used for performing heat exchange by means of a phase change of the refrigerant, and the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are successively arranged in a direction from the air inlet side to the air outlet side. The first cooling unit and the second cooling unit can be selectively activated or deactivated to cool the airflow entering from the air inlet side and discharge the cooled airflow through the air outlet side. The present disclosure reduces refrigeration energy consumption while improving refrigeration efficiency.

Description

[0001] Refrigeration Device and Data Center This disclosure claims priority to a Chinese patent application filed with the Patent Office of China on February 19, 2024, with application number 202410194183.9, entitled "Refrigeration Device and Data Center," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field This disclosure relates to the field of refrigeration equipment technology, and more particularly to a refrigeration device and data center. Background: With the rapid development of the internet and artificial intelligence technologies, the scale of data center construction is increasing, and energy efficiency requirements are becoming increasingly stringent. Large data centers house a large number of server cabinets. When servers remain in operation for long periods of time, they generate a significant amount of heat. To ensure proper operation of the servers, the server cabinets need to be cooled. Typically, data center refrigeration systems employ refrigeration and air conditioning systems that use, for example, fluorine-based refrigerants. However, refrigeration systems using refrigeration and air conditioning systems consume a lot of electricity, resulting in high Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure provides a refrigeration device and data center that can effectively reduce cooling energy consumption and lower Power Use Effectiveness (PUE) while improving cooling efficiency, thereby meeting increasingly stringent PUE control targets. In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a refrigeration device comprising: an air wall having an air inlet side and an air outlet side, the air outlet side being configured to face the equipment to be cooled; a first cooling unit comprising a first heat exchanger located within the air wall, the first heat exchanger being connected to a cooling source and configured to conduct heat exchange with a cooling medium in the cooling source; and a second cooling unit comprising a cooling circuit, the cooling circuit including a second heat exchanger, a refrigerant flowing through the cooling circuit, the second heat exchanger being configured to exchange heat through a phase change of the refrigerant. The first and second heat exchangers are arranged sequentially from the air inlet side to the air outlet side. The first and second cooling units are selectively activatable and closable to cool airflow entering through the air inlet side and discharge the cooled airflow through the air outlet side.The refrigeration device provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure comprises a first cooling unit and a second cooling unit disposed within a wind wall. The first cooling unit includes a first heat exchanger located within the wind wall and connected to a cooling source. The first heat exchanger is configured to conduct heat exchange with a cooling medium in the cooling source. The second cooling unit includes a cooling circuit including a second heat exchanger. Refrigerant flows through the cooling circuit. The second heat exchanger performs heat exchange through a phase change of the refrigerant. The first heat exchanger in the first cooling unit and the second heat exchanger in the second cooling unit are sequentially disposed along the air inlet side to the air outlet side of the wind wall. In this manner, the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit can be selectively opened and closed based on the temperature of the cooling medium provided by the cooling source, thereby shortening the heat exchange link, improving cooling efficiency, effectively reducing cooling energy consumption, and thus lowering PUE. In some possible embodiments, the air inlet side and the air outlet side are disposed opposite each other and spaced apart. This arrangement improves airflow fluidity. In some possible embodiments, the cooling circuit further includes a third heat exchanger, a compressor, and an electronic expansion valve. The compressor, the third heat exchanger, the electronic expansion valve, and the second heat exchanger are sequentially connected in a loop. This arrangement allows the refrigerant circulating in the cooling circuit to undergo a phase change and exchange heat with the airflow passing through the second heat exchanger, thereby achieving cooling. In some possible embodiments, the third heat exchanger includes a first channel and a second channel, thermally connected. The first channel is connected to the cooling circuit for circulation of the refrigerant, and the second channel is connected to the cooling source. This arrangement allows the cooling source to supply cooling medium to the second channel, allowing the cooling medium in the second channel to exchange heat with the first channel through the second channel, thereby lowering the temperature of the refrigerant in the first channel. This fully utilizes the refrigerant's phase change heat transfer capacity and effectively reduces electricity consumption. In some possible embodiments, the second heat exchanger is an evaporator, and the third heat exchanger is a brazed plate heat exchanger. This arrangement can reduce equipment resistance and improve equipment energy efficiency. In some possible embodiments, the cooling source includes a water supply and a water return, and the first heat exchanger and the second channel are both connected between the water supply and the water return. This arrangement utilizes the cooling water flowing through the first heat exchanger and the second channel for natural cooling, thereby reducing electricity consumption and saving electricity costs. In some possible embodiments, the system further includes a control unit, comprising a first control valve and a second control valve. The first control valve is disposed between the cooling source and the first heat exchanger; the second control valve is disposed between the cooling source and the second channel.With this arrangement, the flow rate of the cooling medium passing through the cooling source, the first heat exchanger, and the second channel can be precisely controlled based on actual needs by controlling the openings of the first control valve and the second control valve, respectively. This improves cooling medium utilization, enables the refrigeration device to operate at an optimal energy efficiency point, and reduces electricity consumption. In some possible embodiments, when the temperature of the cooling medium provided by the cooling source is greater than a first preset temperature, the first control valve closes, the compressor operates, and the second control valve opens. When the temperature of the cooling medium provided by the cooling source is less than or equal to the first preset temperature and greater than a second preset temperature, the compressor operates, and both the first and second control valves open. When the temperature of the cooling medium provided by the cooling source is less than or equal to the second preset temperature, the first control valve opens, and the compressor and second control valve close. This arrangement allows the operation of the first and second cooling units to be precisely controlled based on the temperature of the cooling medium, thereby improving refrigeration efficiency while reducing refrigeration energy consumption. In some possible embodiments, the control unit further includes: a temperature sensor electrically connected to the first control valve and the second control valve, respectively, configured to detect the temperature of the cooling medium in the cooling source. This configuration allows accurate detection of the cooling medium temperature and determines whether to open or close the first and second control valves based on the detected cooling medium temperature. In some possible embodiments, the control unit further includes a controller electrically connected to the temperature sensor, the first control valve, the second control valve, and the compressor, respectively, and configured to control the opening and closing of the first and second control valves and the compressor based on the cooling medium temperature in the cooling source detected by the temperature sensors. This configuration improves the intelligence of the refrigeration device and the accuracy of its operating modes, thereby enhancing the user experience. In some possible embodiments, at least one of the first and second heat exchangers is a coil. This configuration offers a simple structure and low operating resistance. In some optional embodiments, both the first and second heat exchangers are coils. In some possible embodiments, the coil includes a connecting pipe and multiple sub-coils. The sub-coils are parallel to each other and extend perpendicular to the wind wall. The connecting pipe is configured to connect two adjacent sub-coils. This arrangement increases the heat exchange area of ​​the coil, reduces wind resistance, and thus improves the energy efficiency of the refrigeration device. In some possible embodiments, the air inlet side has an air inlet, and the projected area of ​​the coil on the air inlet side covers the projected area of ​​the air inlet on the air inlet side.This arrangement increases the heat exchange area, thereby improving cooling efficiency. In some possible embodiments, at least one fan is provided between the air inlet side of the wind wall and the first heat exchanger. This arrangement can increase the airflow on the air inlet side, improve airflow fluidity, and thus improve cooling efficiency. In some possible embodiments, a filter is provided on the air inlet side of the wind wall. This arrangement prevents dust particles and other impurities outside the wind wall from entering the refrigeration device, thereby extending the service life of the refrigeration device and improving its performance. A second aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure provides a data center, including the refrigeration device provided in the above-mentioned embodiments. The data center provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure has the same beneficial effects as the refrigeration device provided in the above-mentioned embodiments, and will not be further described here. In addition to the technical problems solved by the embodiments of the present disclosure, the technical features constituting the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects brought about by these technical features, other technical problems solved by the refrigeration device and data center provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, other technical features included in the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects brought about by these technical features, will be further described in detail in the specific embodiments. To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or descriptions of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below represent some embodiments of the present disclosure. Persons skilled in the art can derive other drawings based on these drawings without inventive effort. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the principle of a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the exterior structure of a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 is a side view of the internal structure of a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure from another perspective; and Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air outlet side of a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Explanation of Figure Symbols:

[0002] 100 - Refrigeration unit; 110 - Wind wall; 111 - Air inlet side; 112 - Air outlet side;

[0003] 120 - first heat exchanger; 130 - second heat exchanger; 140 - third heat exchanger;

[0004] 141 - first channel; 142 - second channel; 150 - compressor; 160 - electronic expansion valve;

[0005] 170 - water supply end; 180 - water return end;

[0006] 190 - first control valve; 200 - second control valve; 210 - coil; 211 - connecting pipe;

[0007] 212 - Sub-coil; 220 - Fan; 230 - Filter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The terms used in the embodiments of this disclosure are intended only to explain the specific embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Direct Expansion (DX) refers to a refrigeration unit with its own compressor. The liquid refrigerant in its refrigeration system evaporates (expands) directly within its evaporator, absorbing heat from the air outside the evaporator (indoor air) to achieve cooling. Water-cooled DX refers to a direct expansion air conditioner that uses water as a cooling source and removes condensation heat through circulating water. To facilitate understanding of the refrigeration device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure, the following first introduces its application scenarios. The cooling device provided in the embodiments of this disclosure can be used in data centers and other fields to dissipate heat from server rooms, etc., to ensure the normal operation of the data center. With the rapid development of the Internet and artificial intelligence technologies, the scale of data center construction is increasing, and the requirements for energy efficiency are also becoming increasingly stringent. Large data centers house a large number of server cabinets. When servers remain in operation for extended periods, they generate significant heat. To ensure proper operation, the server cabinets require cooling. Typically, data center refrigeration systems utilize refrigeration and air conditioning systems that use, for example, fluorine-based refrigerants. However, these systems consume significant amounts of electricity and energy. Currently, data center electricity consumption accounts for approximately 3% of total electricity consumption, resulting in high Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). Consequently, increasingly stringent energy consumption standards have been introduced for data centers, such as those requiring data centers with energy consumption exceeding 30,000 tons of standard coal to reduce their PUE to below 1.15. To reduce energy consumption, in some embodiments, data centers utilize liquid cooling, such as cold plate liquid cooling. However, cold plate liquid cooling can only dissipate heat from chips within the data center. To address this issue, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a refrigeration device that improves cooling efficiency and is suitable for high-power density computer rooms. This reduces power consumption and PUE, thereby meeting increasingly stringent PUE control targets. In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure more clear, the present disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.Referring to Figures 1 to 5 , an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a refrigeration device 100 including an air wall 110. Air wall 110 includes an air inlet side 111 and an air outlet side 112. For example, air inlet side 111 has an air inlet, and air outlet side 112 has an air outlet. Air outlet side 112 is configured to face the equipment to be cooled, i.e., the air outlet faces the equipment to be cooled. The equipment to be cooled may be, for example, IT equipment in a data center. It will be appreciated that heat in the data center can enter air wall 110 through the air inlet of air inlet side 111, be cooled by refrigeration device 100, and then be discharged to the data center through the air outlet of air outlet side 112, thereby cooling the IT equipment in the data center. In some embodiments, the refrigeration device 100 further includes a first cooling unit, which includes a first heat exchanger 120 located within the wind wall 110. The first heat exchanger 120 is connected to a cooling source, which includes but is not limited to a dry cooler or a cooling tower. The cooling source can provide a cooling medium to the first heat exchanger 120, so that the first heat exchanger 120 and the cooling medium provided by the cooling source conduct heat exchange. When heat dissipated by IT equipment flows through the first heat exchanger 120 via the air inlet side 111, the cooling medium exchanges heat with the airflow entering the wind wall 110 through the first heat exchanger 120 to reduce the temperature of the airflow entering the wind wall 110. The cooled airflow is then discharged through the air outlet side 112 to cool the IT equipment in the data center. For example, the cooling medium is cooling water in a container such as a dry cooler or a cooling tower disposed outside the wind wall 110. The cooling water circulates in the first heat exchanger 120 and exchanges heat with the airflow passing through the first heat exchanger 120, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling without consuming excessive electricity, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the refrigeration device 100. In some embodiments, the refrigeration device 100 further includes a second cooling unit, which includes a cooling cycle loop. The cooling cycle loop includes a second heat exchanger 130. A refrigerant circulates in the cooling cycle loop. Exemplarily, the refrigerant is a refrigerant such as fluorine. The second heat exchanger 130 is configured to perform heat exchange through phase change of the refrigerant. That is, the heat of the data center enters the wind wall 110 through the air inlet side 111. When the second cooling unit is started, the liquid refrigerant circulating in the second heat exchanger 130 absorbs the heat of the air flow entering the air cavity and vaporizes into a gaseous refrigerant. In this way, the refrigerant can achieve the purpose of cooling the air flow entering the wind wall 110 by absorbing heat and undergoing a phase change. Thereafter, the cooled air flow is discharged through the air outlet side 112 to cool the IT equipment in the data center.Among them, the first heat exchanger 120 and the second heat exchanger 130 are arranged in sequence along the direction from the air inlet side 111 to the air outlet side 112; it can be understood that when the cooling medium provided by the cooling source flows through the first heat exchanger 120, it absorbs the heat of the air flow entering the wind wall 110, and when the refrigerant flows through the second heat exchanger 130, it is also used to absorb the heat of the air flow entering the wind wall 110. In this way, according to actual working conditions, the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit can be selectively opened and closed, so that when the heat generated by the IT equipment in the data center flows through the first heat exchanger 120 and the second heat exchanger 130, at least one of the first heat exchanger 120 and the second heat exchanger 130 can absorb the heat of the IT equipment, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling the IT equipment. In some embodiments, at least one of the first heat exchanger 120 and the second heat exchanger 130 is a coil 210. For example, the first heat exchanger 120 is a coil 210; or the second heat exchanger 130 is a coil 210; or both the first heat exchanger 120 and the second heat exchanger 130 are coils 210. oBy configuring at least one of the first heat exchanger 120 and the second heat exchanger 130 as a coil 210, the heat exchange area can be increased while reducing equipment resistance, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency. For example, in Figures 1 and 3, both the first heat exchanger 120 and the second heat exchanger 130 are coils 210. For example, the first heat exchanger 120 is a water coil, meaning that the cooling medium flowing through the first heat exchanger 120 is cooling water provided by a natural cooling source; and the second heat exchanger 130 is a fluorine coil, meaning that the refrigerant flowing through the second heat exchanger 130 includes fluorine. In the disclosed embodiment, configuring both the first heat exchanger 120 and the second heat exchanger 130 as coils 210 can further increase the heat exchange area and improve heat exchange efficiency. In some embodiments, the coil 210 includes a connecting pipe 211 and multiple sub-coils 212. The sub-coils 212 are parallel to each other and extend in a direction perpendicular to the wind wall 110. Specifically, the sub-coils 212 are arranged horizontally, and the connecting pipe 211 is configured to connect two adjacent sub-coils 212. Some of the sub-coils 212 are spaced apart horizontally, such as in the X direction, while others are spaced apart horizontally, such as in the Y direction. Thus, the multiple sub-coils 212 and the connecting pipe 211 connecting two adjacent sub-coils 212 together form a vertical coil 210. In the disclosed embodiments, by configuring the coil 210 as a vertical structure and arranging the sub-coils 212 horizontally, the heat exchange area of ​​the coil 210 can be increased, equipment resistance can be reduced, heat exchange efficiency can be improved, and equipment energy efficiency can be enhanced. The number of sub-coils 212 can be adaptively configured based on actual needs and is not limited herein. Therefore, in the disclosed embodiment, using two different cooling methods, natural cooling medium and refrigerant provided by the cooling source, the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit are selectively activated based on actual operating conditions to ensure the outlet air temperature at the outlet side 112, thereby cooling and refrigerating the IT equipment in the data center. This shortens the heat exchange link, improves the year-round energy efficiency of the refrigeration unit 100, effectively reduces the energy consumption of the data center refrigeration unit 100, and lowers the Power Use Effectiveness (PUE) of the computer room to meet the increasingly stringent PUE control targets. In some embodiments, the air inlet side 111 and the air outlet side 112 are arranged opposite each other and spaced apart. This creates convection between the air inlet side 111 and the air outlet side 112, increasing airflow and improving the efficiency of cooling IT equipment.In addition, there can be multiple air inlets on the air inlet side 111. For example, the shape of the air inlet is an opening of any shape, such as a circular hole, a square hole, an elliptical hole, etc., as long as the air flow can enter the wind wall 110 with low wind resistance; for example, the wind wall 110 on the air inlet side 111 is provided with multiple isolation nets, and the multiple isolation nets are interwoven horizontally and vertically to form an air inlet; or, the air inlet side 111 includes multiple grids, and the grids are staggered to form multiple air inlets; or, the wind wall 110 on the air inlet side 111 is a hollow structure, and the hollow structure is surrounded to form an air inlet; or, the air inlet and the wind wall 110 on the air inlet side 111 are formed by an integrated molding process, etc., and there is no specific limitation. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2 , the air inlet side 111 of the wind wall 110 is provided with a filter 230. This filter 230 isolates dust particles from the airflow, preventing them from entering the refrigeration device 100 and affecting its performance, thereby extending the service life of the refrigeration device 100. For example, the filter 230 can isolate dust particles without affecting the flow of airflow or increasing air resistance. The filter 230 can be made of either metal or non-metallic materials, without limitation. Furthermore, to further enhance airflow fluidity, as shown in FIG1 and FIG3 , at least one fan 220 can be provided between the air inlet side 111 of the wind wall 110 and the first heat exchanger 120. This fan 220 increases the fluidity of the airflow within the wind wall 110, thereby improving cooling efficiency. The number of fans 220 can be increased based on actual needs and is not specifically limited. 5 , the outlet side 112 may also have multiple outlets. For example, the outlet may be in the shape of an opening of any shape, such as a circular hole, a square hole, or an elliptical hole, as long as the airflow can be discharged through the outlet with low wind resistance. For example, in FIG5 , in order to reduce the wind resistance on the outlet side 112, a plurality of spacers are provided on the wind wall 110 on the outlet side 112. The plurality of spacers are interwoven horizontally and vertically to form a plurality of outlets. The spacers may be, for example, structures such as isolation strips, as long as the wind resistance can be reduced. Alternatively, the outlet side 112 may be a grid wall, which forms the outlet side 112 having the outlets. Alternatively, the wind wall 110 on the inlet side 111 may be a hollow structure, which is surrounded by the hollow structure to form the air inlet. Alternatively, the air inlet and the wind wall 110 on the inlet side 111 may be formed by an integrated molding process, etc., without limitation.Referring back to FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, the cooling circuit further includes a third heat exchanger 140, a compressor 150, and an electronic expansion valve 160. The compressor 150, the third heat exchanger 140, the electronic expansion valve 160, and the second heat exchanger 130 are sequentially connected in a loop to form a refrigerant circulation path. It should be noted that in the disclosed embodiment, the third heat exchanger 140 and the first heat exchanger 120 are connected in parallel. Compared to a series connection, this parallel connection can reduce equipment resistance. The refrigeration device 100 provided in the disclosed embodiment is compatible with traditional air-cooled server rooms, hybrid air-liquid-cooled rooms, and plate-type liquid-cooled rooms, achieving a unified refrigeration system architecture and reducing the complexity of room design and operation and maintenance. Different cooling modes can be switched according to different operating conditions to improve cooling efficiency while reducing energy consumption of the refrigeration device 100. It will be appreciated that when the refrigerant flows through the second heat exchanger 130, it absorbs heat generated by the data center. When the refrigerant flows through the third heat exchanger 140, it releases heat. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the third heat exchanger 140 includes a first channel 141 and a second channel 142 that are thermally connected. The first channel 141 is connected to a cooling cycle loop for circulation of the refrigerant, and the second channel 142 is connected to a cooling source. That is, the cooling source provides a cooling medium such as cooling water to the second channel 142. In other words, the cooling source can be a natural cooling source, so that the cooling medium flowing through the second channel 142 absorbs the heat released by the refrigerant. In this way, the heat released by the refrigerant in the third heat exchanger 140 can be recovered without consuming electricity, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the refrigeration device 100.In a specific implementation, the compressor 150 is started, and the second heat exchanger 130 absorbs heat from the airflow entering the air wall 110 through the air inlet side 111. This causes the liquid refrigerant flowing through the second heat exchanger 130 to absorb heat and vaporize into gaseous refrigerant. The heat-absorbed refrigerant is compressed into high-temperature, high-pressure vapor by the compressor 150 and then enters the third heat exchanger 140. The third heat exchanger 140 is configured to absorb heat released by the refrigerant flowing through the first channel 141 through the cooling medium flowing through the second channel 142, thereby reducing the temperature of the refrigerant in the first channel 141. In this way, the gaseous refrigerant releases heat through the third heat exchanger 140 to form liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant then passes through the electronic expansion valve 160 to form low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant. The low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant then enters the second heat exchanger 130 again to absorb heat from the airflow entering the air wall 110, thereby cooling the IT equipment and fully utilizing the refrigerant's phase change heat transfer capability. Effectively reducing electricity consumption. For example, the second heat exchanger 130 can be an evaporator, and the third heat exchanger 140 can be a brazed plate heat exchanger. By configuring the third heat exchanger 140 as a brazed plate heat exchanger and arranging it in parallel with the first heat exchanger 120, equipment resistance can be reduced, equipment energy efficiency can be improved, and the compatibility of the refrigeration device 100 can be enhanced. It should be noted that the schematic diagram of FIG1 only illustrates the basic principles of the refrigeration device 100. The refrigeration device 100 provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure can increase the number of compressors 150, third heat exchangers 140, first heat exchangers 120, second heat exchangers 130, and fans 220 according to actual capacity requirements, and no specific limitation is imposed herein. In some embodiments, the cooling source includes a water supply end 170 and a water return end 180. The first heat exchanger 120 and the second channel 142 are both connected between the water supply end 170 and the water return end 180. For example, the water supply end 170 may be a water supply line connected to a cooling container containing a cooling medium, such as a dry cooler or a cooling tower, and the water return end 180 may be a water return line connected to a cooling container containing a cooling medium, such as a dry cooler or a cooling tower. In this way, the first heat exchanger 120 and the second channel 142 are connected to the water supply end 170 and the water return end 180, respectively. This allows the cooling medium, such as cooling water, to exchange heat while flowing through the first heat exchanger 120 and the second channel 142, respectively. This saves electricity and reduces the energy consumption of the refrigeration device 100.In some embodiments, the refrigeration device 100 further includes a control unit comprising a first control valve 190 and a second control valve 200. The first control valve 190 is disposed between the cooling source and the first heat exchanger 120; the second control valve 200 is disposed between the cooling source and the second channel 142. This allows the flow of the cooling medium passing through the cooling source, the first heat exchanger 120, and the second channel 142 to be precisely controlled as needed by controlling the openings of the first control valve 190 and the second control valve 200, respectively. The cooling medium may be, for example, a natural cooling source. This improves the utilization of the natural cooling source, allowing the refrigeration device 100 to operate at an optimal energy efficiency point and reduce power consumption. The refrigeration device 100 provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be configured into three operating modes: a first mode may include mechanical cooling by the second cooling unit; a second mode may include pre-cooling by the first cooling unit plus mechanical cooling by the second cooling unit; and a third mode may include natural cooling by the first cooling unit. These three operating modes can be selected based on specific operating conditions. For example, the cooling medium is cooling water and the refrigerant is fluorine. In addition, the temperature of the data center is 37°C when not cooled and needs to be reduced to 25°C. That is, the inlet air temperature on the air inlet side 111 is 37°C, and the outlet air temperature on the air outlet side 112 after being cooled by the refrigeration device 100 is 25°C. In some embodiments, when the temperature of the cooling medium provided by the cooling source is greater than a first preset temperature, for example, 34° C., that is, when the temperature of the cooling water provided by the cooling source is greater than 34° C. (for example, during the high temperature period of subtropical summer, the cooling water provided by the outdoor cooling source may exceed 34° C.), due to the small temperature difference between the cooling water temperature and the inlet air temperature, the cooling capacity of the first heat exchange tube is limited. Therefore, the first control valve 190 is closed, that is, the cooling unit is not operated, the compressor 150 is started, and the second control valve 200 is opened, that is, the refrigeration device 100 enters a mechanical cooling operating mode, so that the second cooling unit operates to cool the airflow entering the air wall 110 to 25° C. and then discharges the airflow through the air outlet side 112 to supply air to the IT equipment for cooling.When the temperature of the cooling medium provided by the cooling source is less than or equal to a first preset temperature and greater than a second preset temperature, for example, 21°C, the compressor 150 operates, and the first control valve 190 and the second control valve 200 are both open. That is, as the outdoor temperature decreases, when the temperature of the cooling water provided by the cooling source drops below 34°C and above 21°C, the refrigeration device 100 starts the pre-cooling + mechanical refrigeration mode, that is, both the first cooling unit and the second cooling unit are started. In this way, the airflow entering the air wall 110 first passes through the first heat exchanger 120 for pre-cooling and cooling. If the cooling capacity is insufficient, the airflow is further cooled by the second heat exchanger 130 and then supplied through the air outlet side 112 to ensure the air supply temperature of, for example, 25°C. This improves the cooling efficiency, reduces the energy consumption of the refrigeration device 100, and thereby improves the energy efficiency of the refrigeration device 100 throughout the year. When the temperature of the cooling medium provided by the cooling source is less than or equal to the second preset temperature, the first control valve 190 opens, and the compressor 150 and the second control valve 200 close. Specifically, as the outdoor temperature further decreases, when the temperature of the cooling water provided by the cooling source falls below 24°C, the refrigeration device 100 can adopt a natural cooling mode, with the first cooling unit operating while the second cooling unit is inoperative, to ensure, for example, a 25°C air supply. This further reduces power consumption and energy consumption of the refrigeration device 100, thereby improving its year-round energy efficiency. Therefore, the disclosed embodiment utilizes the first and second cooling units to selectively exchange heat with the high-temperature airflow based on the temperature of the cooling medium, shortening the heat exchange link, reducing energy consumption, and improving the year-round energy efficiency of the refrigeration device 100. In some embodiments, the control unit further includes a temperature sensor electrically connected to the first control valve 190 and the second control valve 200, respectively. The temperature sensor is configured to detect the temperature of the cooling medium in the cooling source. This allows accurate detection of the cooling medium temperature and determines whether to open or close the first control valve 190 and the second control valve 200 based on the detected cooling medium temperature, thereby improving the accuracy of switching between different operating modes of the refrigeration device 100. In some embodiments, the control unit further includes a controller electrically connected to the temperature sensor, the first control valve 190, the second control valve 200, and the compressor 150, respectively. The controller is configured to control the opening and closing of the first control valve 190, the second control valve 200, and the compressor 150 based on the temperature of the cooling medium in the cooling source detected by the temperature sensor. This improves the intelligence of the refrigeration device 100 and the accuracy of its operating modes, thereby enhancing the user experience.As can be seen, the refrigeration device 100 provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure uses the temperature of the cooling medium to determine the activation and deactivation of the first and second cooling units. This can reduce mechanical cooling energy consumption while ensuring the air supply temperature on the outlet side 112, thereby improving the year-round energy efficiency of the refrigeration device 100. The embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a data center, comprising a refrigeration device according to the embodiments described above. This refrigeration device is used to dissipate heat from servers and other equipment in the data center to ensure normal operation of the data center. The structure and principles of the refrigeration device have been described in detail in the embodiments described above and will not be repeated here. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "connected" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, indirect connections via an intermediate medium, internal connections between two components, or interactions between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in the embodiments of the present disclosure based on specific circumstances. In the description and claims of the embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as in the accompanying drawings, the terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," and so on (if any) are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or precedence. Furthermore, the terms "including," "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such process, method, product, or apparatus. Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit them. Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that the technical solutions described in the above embodiments may be modified, or some or all of the technical features therein may be replaced by equivalents. Such modifications or replacements do not deviate from the essence of the corresponding technical solutions within the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

Claims 1. A refrigeration device, comprising: an air wall, comprising an air inlet side and an air outlet side, wherein the air outlet side is configured to face the equipment to be cooled; a first cooling unit comprising a first heat exchanger located within the wind wall, the first heat exchanger being connected to a cooling source and configured to conduct heat exchange with a cooling medium in the cooling source; a second cooling unit comprising a cooling circulation loop, the cooling circulation loop comprising a second heat exchanger, a refrigerant flowing through the cooling circulation loop, the second heat exchanger being configured to exchange heat through a phase change of the refrigerant, the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger being arranged in sequence from the air inlet side to the air outlet side; The first cooling unit and the second cooling unit can be selectively opened and closed to cool the airflow entering through the air inlet side and discharge the cooled airflow through the air outlet side.

2. The refrigeration device according to claim 1, wherein the air inlet side and the air outlet side are opposite to each other and spaced apart.

3. The refrigeration device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cooling circulation loop further comprises a third heat exchanger, a compressor, and an electronic expansion valve, and the compressor, the third heat exchanger, the electronic expansion valve, and the second heat exchanger are cyclically connected in sequence.

4. The refrigeration device according to claim 3, wherein the third heat exchanger comprises a first channel and a second channel which are thermally connected, the first channel is connected to the cooling circulation loop for the refrigerant to circulate, and the second channel is connected to the cooling source.

5. The refrigeration device according to claim 3, wherein the second heat exchanger is an evaporator, and the third heat exchanger is a brazed plate heat exchanger.

6. The refrigeration device according to claim 4, wherein the cooling source comprises a water supply end and a water return end, and the first heat exchanger and the second channel are both connected between the water supply end and the water return end.

7. The refrigeration device according to claim 4 or 6, further comprising: A control unit includes a first control valve and a second control valve, the first control valve is arranged between the cooling source and the first heat exchanger; the second control valve is arranged between the cooling source and the second channel.

8. The refrigeration device according to claim 7, wherein when the temperature of the cooling medium provided by the cooling source is greater than a first preset temperature, the first control valve is closed, the compressor is operated, and the second control valve is opened; when the temperature of the cooling medium provided by the cooling source is less than or equal to the first preset temperature and greater than a second preset temperature, the compressor is operated, and both the first control valve and the second control valve are opened; when the temperature of the cooling medium provided by the cooling source is less than or equal to the second preset temperature, the first control valve is opened, and the compressor and the second control valve are closed.

9. The refrigeration device according to claim 8, further comprising: a temperature sensor, wherein the temperature sensor is electrically connected to the first control valve and the second control valve respectively, and the temperature sensor is configured to detect the temperature of the cooling medium in the cooling source.

10. The refrigeration device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the control unit further comprises a controller, the controller being electrically connected to the temperature sensor, the first control valve, the second control valve, and the compressor, respectively, and the controller being configured to control the opening and closing of the first control valve, the second control valve, and the compressor based on the temperature of the cooling medium in the cooling source detected by the temperature sensor.

11. The refrigeration device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger is a coil.

12. The refrigeration device according to claim 11, wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are both coils.

13. The refrigeration device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the coil comprises a connecting pipe and a plurality of sub-coils, the plurality of sub-coils are parallel to each other and extend in a direction perpendicular to the wind wall, and the connecting pipe is configured to connect two adjacent sub-coils.

14. The refrigeration device according to claim 13, wherein the air inlet side has an air inlet, and a projected area of ​​the coil on the air inlet side covers a projected area of ​​the air inlet on the air inlet side.

15. According to any one of claims 1 to 14, at least one fan is provided between the air inlet side of the wind wall and the first heat exchanger.

16. The refrigeration device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein a filter is provided on the air inlet side of the air wall.

17. A data center, comprising the refrigeration device according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

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