Data center waste heat regeneration system

Abstract

This data center waste heat regeneration system comprises: a cooling device cooling equipment in a data center by using cooling water; a cooling water storage tank storing the cooling water; a first control valve installed on a cooling water supply pipe to control a supply flow rate of the cooling water; a low-temperature generator generating electricity by using waste heat of the cooling water discharged from the cooling device and supplying the generated electricity to a renewable energy consumer; and a first heat exchanger cooling the cooling water discharged from the low-temperature generator, and then sending the cooled cooling water to the cooling water storage tank.

Description

Data Center Waste Heat Regeneration System

[0001] The present invention relates to a data center, and more particularly, to a data center waste heat regeneration system capable of recycling waste heat generated in a data center.

[0002] Data centers are facilities that provide server computers and network connections, store and manage digital data, house information technology (IT) infrastructure, and process data for artificial intelligence (AI) applications such as machine learning and deep learning. A stable power supply, internet connection, and security are crucial for data centers.

[0003] Data centers for artificial intelligence (AI), in particular, are large-scale facilities capable of accommodating over 500,000 servers. Because these data centers generate significant amounts of heat, they are equipped with high-capacity cooling systems to dissipate the heat emitted by server computers, as well as temperature and humidity control systems to maintain a constant temperature and humidity.

[0004] Data centers dissipate the heat energy generated during their operations by emitting it to the environment. For example, groundwater is used as coolant, and the used coolant is then disposed of. This waste heat treatment causes problems such as groundwater depletion and rising reservoir temperatures. Furthermore, with the increasing demand for computing power, such as in artificial intelligence (AI), data centers' power consumption is steadily increasing, and the amount of waste heat generated is also increasing proportionally.

[0005] The present invention seeks to provide a data center waste heat regeneration system capable of recycling waste heat generated in a data center without discarding it.

[0006] A data center waste heat recovery system according to one embodiment includes a cooling device, a cooling water storage tank, a first control valve, a low-temperature generator, and a first heat exchanger. The cooling device is installed in a data center and cools equipment within the data center using cooling water. The first control valve is installed in a cooling water supply pipe connecting the cooling device and the cooling water storage tank and controls the supply flow rate of the cooling water. The low-temperature generator is installed in a cooling water discharge pipe connected to the cooling device and generates electricity using waste heat from the cooling water discharged from the cooling device and supplies the generated electricity to a renewable energy consumer. The first heat exchanger is connected to the cooling water storage tank through a cooling water return pipe and cools the cooling water discharged from the low-temperature generator and then sends it to the cooling water storage tank.

[0007] The data center waste heat recovery system may further include a first valve controller electrically connected to the first control valve, and an ammeter installed on a power line connecting the power supply and the data center to measure the current consumption of the data center. The first valve controller can predict the heat generation of the data center based on the current consumption of the data center received from the ammeter, and can control the operation of the first control valve by calculating an appropriate cooling water flow rate based on the predicted heat generation.

[0008] The data center waste heat recovery system may further include a first thermometer for measuring the indoor temperature of the data center. The first valve controller may feedback-control the flow rate of cooling water supplied to the cooling device in proportion to the temperature of the data center measured by the first thermometer.

[0009] A low-temperature generator may include a pump, an evaporator, a turbine connected to the generator, and a condenser, and may use an organic compound as the working fluid. Cooling water passing through the evaporator may be sent to a first heat exchanger. The condenser and the first heat exchanger are connected by an auxiliary cooling water circulation pipe, allowing the auxiliary cooling water to circulate between the condenser and the first heat exchanger.

[0010] A renewable energy consumer can produce a product by receiving electricity from a generator, and the first heat exchanger can transfer the heat of the cooling water and the heat of the auxiliary cooling water to the cooling source fluid of the renewable energy consumer by allowing the cooling water and the auxiliary cooling water to flow in the opposite direction to the cooling source fluid of the renewable energy consumer.

[0011] A data center waste heat recovery system may further include a heater installed in a cooling water discharge pipe between a cooling device and a low-temperature generator, a current controller controlling the operation of the heater, and a third thermometer installed in a cooling water discharge pipe ahead of the heater to measure the temperature of the cooling water. The heater may operate when the temperature of the cooling water measured by the third thermometer is lower than a set value, thereby increasing the temperature of the cooling water. The current controller may feedback-control the amount of current supplied to the heater inversely proportional to the temperature of the cooling water measured by the third thermometer.

[0012] The data center waste heat recovery system may further include a second control valve installed in a cooling water recovery pipe to control the flow rate of cooling water, a second valve controller electrically connected to the second control valve, a second thermometer for measuring the temperature of a cooling water storage tank, and a fourth thermometer and flow meter installed in the cooling water recovery pipe upstream of the second control valve to measure the temperature of the cooling water and the flow rate of the cooling water, respectively. The second valve controller may control the second control valve according to the temperature and flow rate of the cooling water measured by the fourth thermometer and flow meter, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the cooling water.

[0013] The second control valve may be a three-way valve having a first outlet connected to a cooling water return pipe and a second outlet connected to a second heat exchanger. The second valve controller may determine the opening ratio of the first outlet and the second outlet of the second control valve according to a set value by combining the temperature of the cooling water storage tank measured by the second thermometer and the temperature of the cooling water measured by the fourth thermometer. The second heat exchanger may cool the cooling water to a target temperature and discharge the cooling water into the cooling water return pipe. The second heat exchanger may include a radiation cooling surface provided on at least one of a surface of an internal component and a cover surface, and the radiation cooling surface may be coupled to a vacuum device to form a radiation cooling device.

[0014] The data center waste heat recovery system may further include a third control valve installed in a cooling water discharge pipe between the chiller and the heater, and a cooling water bypass pipe connecting the third control valve and the cooling water discharge pipe in front of the first heat exchanger. The third control valve may be configured as a three-way valve having a first outlet connected to the cooling water discharge pipe and a second outlet connected to the cooling water bypass pipe.

[0015] When the temperature of the cooling water measured by the third thermometer is higher than the set value, the third control valve can open the first outlet and close the second outlet. When the temperature of the cooling water measured by the third thermometer is lower than the set value and the heater is not operating, the third control valve can close the first outlet and open the second outlet to supply the cooling water to the first heat exchanger through the cooling water bypass pipe.

[0016] The data center waste heat recovery system according to the present invention can generate electricity and hot water or electricity and warm air from the large amount of heat energy generated in a data center without wasting it, and supply it to renewable energy consumers. By using renewable energy to produce products, renewable energy consumers can reduce the costs and energy required for product production.

[0017] Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of a data center waste heat regeneration system according to one embodiment, showing a low-temperature power generation mode.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a data center waste heat regeneration system according to one embodiment, showing a heater operating in a low-temperature power generation mode.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a data center waste heat regeneration system according to one embodiment, showing a low-temperature power generation interruption mode.

[0020] Fig. 4 is a detailed configuration diagram of a low-temperature generator among the data waste heat regeneration systems illustrated in Fig. 1.

[0021] FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a case where a second heat exchanger is used in the data center waste heat regeneration system illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0022] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. The present invention may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0023] Figures 1 to 3 are schematic diagrams of a data center waste heat regeneration system according to one embodiment. Figure 1 illustrates a low-temperature power generation mode, Figure 2 illustrates a heater-operated low-temperature power generation mode, and Figure 3 illustrates a low-temperature power generation interruption mode.

[0024] First, referring to FIG. 1, a data center waste heat regeneration system according to the present embodiment may include a data center (100), a cooling water storage tank (200) and a first control valve (210) that supply cooling water to the data center (100), a low-temperature generator (300) that produces electricity using waste heat of cooling water discharged from the data center (100), and a first heat exchanger (410) that cools cooling water discharged from the low-temperature generator (300) to a target temperature and then sends it to the cooling water storage tank (200).

[0025] The data center (100) receives power from a power supply unit (500) and operates, and emits a large amount of heat energy during operation. The data center (100) is equipped with a cooling device (110) to cool various equipment installed in the data center (100). The cooling device (110) is a water-cooled device, and can cool various equipment by receiving cooling water from a cooling water storage tank (200).

[0026] The data center waste heat recovery system may include a first thermometer (610), a second thermometer (620), and an ammeter (510). The first thermometer (610) may be installed in the data center (100) to measure the indoor temperature of the data center (100). The second thermometer (620) may be installed in the cooling water storage tank (200) to measure the temperature of cooling water stored in the cooling water storage tank (200). The ammeter (510) may be installed in a power line connecting a power supply unit (500) and the data center (100) to measure the current consumption of the data center (100).

[0027] The cooling water storage tank (200) may be installed underground. Since the underground maintains a lower temperature than the ground during the summer, it is advantageous in lowering the temperature of the cooling water. Furthermore, since the underground maintains a higher temperature than the ground during the winter, it can prevent the cooling water from freezing.

[0028] The first control valve (210) is installed in a cooling water supply pipe (L10) connecting a cooling water storage tank (200) and a cooling device (110) and can control the flow rate of cooling water supplied to the data center (100). The operation of the first control valve (210) can be controlled by a first valve controller (220). The first valve controller (220) can be electrically connected to an ammeter (510) and a first thermometer (610).

[0029] The first valve controller (220) can predict the heat generation of the data center (100) from the current usage of the data center (100) input from the ammeter (510), calculate an appropriate cooling water flow rate from the predicted heat generation, and control the operation of the first control valve (210) so that the cooling water of the calculated flow rate is supplied to the cooling device (110). In this process, the measurement result of the first thermometer (610) can be output to the first valve controller (220), and the first valve controller (220) can feedback-control the cooling water flow rate in proportion to the temperature of the data center (100) measured by the first thermometer (610).

[0030] The low-temperature generator (300) and the first heat exchanger (410) may be installed in the cooling water discharge pipe (L20). A third thermometer (630) may be installed in the cooling water discharge pipe (L3) to measure the temperature of the cooling water discharged from the cooling device (110). The low-temperature generator (300) may generate electricity by using the waste heat of the cooling water discharged from the cooling device (110) of the data center (100). The low-temperature generator (300) may be configured as an organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) generator that can effectively utilize medium-low temperature waste heat of approximately 70°C to 300°C.

[0031] Fig. 4 is a detailed configuration diagram of a low-temperature generator among the data waste heat regeneration systems illustrated in Fig. 1.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 4, the low-temperature generator (300) may include a pump (310), an evaporator (320) (heat exchanger), a turbine (340) connected to a generator (330), and a condenser (350), and may use an organic compound instead of water as the working fluid. For example, the working fluid may include a Freon-based refrigerant or a propane-based hydrocarbon-based substance.

[0033] The working fluid may be compressed in a pump (310), absorb heat through heat exchange with a heat source (cooling water discharged from a data center) in an evaporator (320), expand while rotating a turbine (340), and release heat in a condenser (350). A generator (330) may produce electricity through the rotation of the turbine (340).

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the electricity produced by the low-temperature generator (300) can be consumed by the data center (100) itself or supplied to and used as a renewable energy consumer (700). The renewable energy consumer (700) can be used as a heat source for a vinyl house, a heat source for producing hot water in a fish farm, a heat source for producing warm air in a livestock shed, a heat source for food processing (drying or maturing, etc.) using the fluid heat-exchanged from the first heat exchanger (410). In addition, the renewable energy consumer (700) can use the electricity produced by the low-temperature generator (300) for heating, cooling, lighting, or processing energy, but is not limited to these examples.

[0035] The first heat exchanger (410) receives cooling water discharged from the evaporator (320) (see FIG. 2) of the low-temperature generator (300), and transfers the heat of the cooling water to the cooling source (710) fluid of the renewable energy consumer (700) to cool the cooling water to a room temperature (approximately 10°C to 40°C). The fluid of the cooling source (710) may be air or water of the renewable energy consumer (700).

[0036] The condenser (350) of the low-temperature generator (300) can discharge high-temperature cooling water (conveniently referred to as “auxiliary cooling water”). In other words, waste heat can be generated in the low-temperature generator (300) itself. The low-temperature generator (300) and the first heat exchanger (410) can be connected by an auxiliary cooling water circulation pipe (L30), and the high-temperature auxiliary cooling water discharged from the condenser (350) can be fed into the first heat exchanger (410).

[0037] The first heat exchanger (410) may be configured to exchange heat between three fluids. For example, the cooling water and auxiliary cooling water may flow in opposite directions to the cooling source (710) fluid of the renewable energy consumer (700), thereby transferring the heat of the cooling water and the heat of the auxiliary cooling water to the fluid of the cooling source (710). The auxiliary cooling water, which has transferred heat and cooled to room temperature, may then return to the condenser (350) of the low-temperature generator (300).

[0038] The first heat exchanger (410) is connected to the cooling water storage tank (200) through the cooling water return pipe (L40), and can send the cooling water cooled to the room temperature level to the cooling water storage tank (200). The data center waste heat regeneration system may include a second control valve (230) installed in the cooling water return pipe (L40) and a second valve controller (240) that controls the operation of the second control valve (230). A fourth thermometer (640) and a flow meter (650) may be installed in the cooling water return pipe (L40) upstream of the second control valve (230).

[0039] The second control valve (230) can control the flow rate of the cooling water discharged from the first heat exchanger (410) to the cooling water storage tank (200). The fourth thermometer (640) can measure the temperature of the cooling water discharged from the first heat exchanger (410), and the flow rate meter (650) can measure the flow rate of the cooling water discharged from the first heat exchanger (410).

[0040] The second valve controller (240) can be electrically connected to the first thermometer (610), the second thermometer (620), the fourth thermometer (640), and the flow meter (650). The second valve controller (240) can control the operation of the second control valve (230) according to the temperature and flow rate of the cooling water discharged from the first heat exchanger (410), and can feedback control the cooling water flow rate according to the measurement results of the first thermometer (610) and the second thermometer (620).

[0041] The data center waste heat regeneration system according to the present embodiment can generate electricity and hot water or electricity and warm air from the large amount of heat energy generated in the data center (100) without wasting it, and supply it to a renewable energy consumer (700). The renewable energy consumer (700) can reduce costs and energy for product production by producing products using renewable energy.

[0042] Meanwhile, due to low usage or maintenance of the data center (100), the temperature of the cooling water discharged from the cooling device (110) may not be sufficient to operate the low-temperature generator (300). In this case, the data center waste heat regeneration system can continue to perform low-temperature power generation by increasing the temperature of the cooling water supplied to the low-temperature generator (300).

[0043] Referring to FIG. 2, the data center waste heat regeneration system may include a heater (810) installed in a cooling water discharge pipe (L20) between a data center (100) and a low-temperature generator (300), and a current controller (820) that controls the operation of the heater (810). A third thermometer (630) may be installed in the cooling water discharge pipe (L20) in front of the heater (810) and may be electrically connected to the current controller (820) to output measurement results to the current controller (820).

[0044] The current controller (820) can receive power from the power supply (500) and control the amount of current supplied to the heater (810) to adjust the heating temperature of the cooling water. The heater (810) can be configured as an electric heater such as a heater, but is not limited to this example. The current controller (820) can feedback-control the amount of current supplied to the heater (810) in inverse proportion to the temperature of the cooling water measured by the third thermometer (630).

[0045] Meanwhile, if the temperature of the cooling water discharged from the cooling device (110) is not sufficient to operate the low-temperature generator (300), the low-temperature generation may be stopped and the cooling water may be sent to the first heat exchanger (410). Referring to FIG. 3, the data center waste heat regeneration system may include a third control valve (250) installed in a cooling water discharge pipe (L20) between the data center (100) and the heater (810), and a cooling water bypass pipe (L50) connecting the third control valve (250) and the cooling water discharge pipe (L20) at the front end of the first heat exchanger (410).

[0046] The third thermometer (630) can be electrically connected to the third control valve (250) and output the measurement result to the third control valve (250). The third control valve (250) can be configured as a three-way valve having one inlet and two outlets. The two outlets include a first outlet connected to a cooling water discharge pipe (L20) and a second outlet connected to a cooling water bypass pipe (L50), and the third control valve (250) can selectively open one of the two outlets.

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the data center waste heat regeneration system can operate in one of the following modes: low-temperature power generation mode (FIG. 1), low-temperature power generation mode with heater operation (FIG. 2), and low-temperature power generation off mode (FIG. 3). The low-temperature power generation mode can be executed when the temperature of the cooling water measured by the third thermometer (630) is above a set value. The low-temperature power generation mode with heater operation and the low-temperature power generation intermediate mode can be executed when the temperature of the cooling water measured by the third thermometer (630) is lower than the set value.

[0048] In the low-temperature power generation mode (Fig. 1), the third control valve (250) can open the first outlet and close the second outlet, and the heater (810) can be in the off state. In the heater operation low-temperature power generation mode (Fig. 2), the third control valve (250) can open the first outlet and close the second outlet, and the operation of the heater (810) can increase the temperature of the cooling water to perform low-temperature power generation. In the low-temperature power generation stop mode (Fig. 3), the third valve (250) can open the second outlet and close the first outlet, and the cooling water can be sent to the first heat exchanger (410) through the cooling water bypass pipe (L50).

[0049] The data center waste heat regeneration system may include a second heat exchanger (420). In each of the three operating modes described above, if the cooling water is not sufficiently cooled in the first heat exchanger (410), the cooling water may be sent to the second heat exchanger (420). FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case where a second heat exchanger is used in the data center waste heat regeneration system illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 5, the second control valve (230) may be configured as a three-way valve having one inlet and two outlets. The two outlets may include a first outlet connected to a cooling water return pipe (L40) and a second outlet connected to a second heat exchanger (420), and the second control valve (230) may control the flow rate ratio of the first outlet and the second outlet. The outlet of the second heat exchanger (420) may be joined to the cooling water return pipe (L40).

[0051] The second valve controller (240) controls the opening ratio of the first outlet and the second outlet according to a combination of the temperature of the cooling water measured by the fourth thermometer (640) and the temperature of the cooling water storage tank measured by the second thermometer (620), thereby supplying a certain ratio of the cooling water to the second heat exchanger (420) for cooling. After the cooling water is cooled to the target temperature in the second heat exchanger (420), it can move to the cooling water storage tank (200) through the cooling water recovery pipe (L40).

[0052] The second heat exchanger (420) may include a surface to which radiation cooling technology is applied (hereinafter referred to as a "radiation cooling surface"). Radiation cooling is a technology that causes spontaneous radiation cooling in outdoor and daytime environments by controlling the emissivity of a surface, and various materials and microstructures are known. The radiation cooling surface of the second heat exchanger (420) may include at least one of the surface of an internal component and the surface of a cover (housing).

[0053] The radiation cooling surface of the second heat exchanger (420) can be combined with a vacuum device to enhance the radiation cooling effect. That is, the second heat exchanger (420) can include a radiation cooling device (not shown) including a radiation cooling surface and a vacuum device. The second heat exchanger (420) with radiation cooling technology can enhance the cooling effect of cooling water in a high-temperature, dry location.

[0054] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the patent claims, the detailed description of the invention, and the attached drawings, and it is obvious that this also falls within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cooling device installed in a data center and using cooling water to cool equipment within the data center; Coolant storage tank that stores coolant; A first control valve installed in a cooling water supply pipe connecting the above cooling device and the above cooling water storage tank, and controlling the supply flow rate of the cooling water; A low-temperature generator installed in a cooling water discharge pipe connected to the cooling device, which generates electricity using waste heat of the cooling water discharged from the cooling device and supplies the generated electricity to a renewable energy consumer; and A data center waste heat regeneration system including a first heat exchanger that is connected to the cooling water storage tank through a cooling water recovery pipe and cools the cooling water discharged from the low-temperature generator and then sends it to the cooling water storage tank.

2. In paragraph 1, It further includes a first valve controller electrically connected to the first control valve, and an ammeter installed on a power line connecting the power supply and the data center to measure the current consumption of the data center. A data center waste heat regeneration system in which the first valve controller predicts the heat generation of the data center from the current usage of the data center received from the ammeter, calculates an appropriate cooling water flow rate from the predicted heat generation, and controls the operation of the first control valve.

3. In paragraph 2, Further comprising a first thermometer for measuring the indoor temperature of the data center; A data center waste heat regeneration system in which the first valve controller feedback-controls the flow rate of cooling water supplied to the cooling device in proportion to the temperature of the data center measured by the first thermometer.

4. In paragraph 1, The above low-temperature generator includes a pump, an evaporator, a turbine connected to the generator, and a condenser, and uses an organic compound as a working fluid, The cooling water passing through the above evaporator is sent to the first heat exchanger, A data center waste heat regeneration system in which the condenser and the first heat exchanger are connected by an auxiliary cooling water circulation pipe so that auxiliary cooling water circulates between the condenser and the first heat exchanger.

5. In paragraph 4, The above renewable energy consumer receives electricity from the above generator and produces products, The above first heat exchanger is a data center waste heat regeneration system that transfers the heat of the cooling water and the heat of the auxiliary cooling water to the cooling source fluid of the renewable energy consumer by causing the cooling water and the auxiliary cooling water to flow in the opposite direction to the cooling source fluid of the renewable energy consumer.

6. In paragraph 4, It further includes a heater installed in the cooling water discharge pipe between the cooling device and the low-temperature generator, a current controller controlling the operation of the heater, and a third thermometer installed in the cooling water discharge pipe in front of the heater to measure the temperature of the cooling water. The above heater operates to increase the temperature of the cooling water when the temperature of the cooling water measured by the third thermometer is lower than the set value, A data center waste heat regeneration system in which the current controller feedback-controls the amount of current supplied to the heater in inverse proportion to the temperature of the cooling water measured by the third thermometer.

7. In paragraph 1, It further includes a second control valve installed in the coolant recovery pipe to control the flow rate of the coolant, a second valve controller electrically connected to the second control valve, a second thermometer for measuring the temperature of the coolant storage tank, and a fourth thermometer and flow meter installed in the coolant recovery pipe in front of the second control valve to measure the temperature of the coolant and the flow rate of the coolant, respectively. A data center waste heat regeneration system in which the second valve controller controls the second control valve to adjust the flow rate of the cooling water according to the temperature and flow rate of the cooling water measured by the fourth thermometer and the flow meter.

8. In paragraph 7, The above second control valve is a three-way valve having a first outlet connected to the cooling water recovery pipe and a second outlet connected to the second heat exchanger, The second valve controller determines the opening ratio of the first outlet and the second outlet of the second control valve according to a set value by combining the temperature of the cooling water storage tank measured by the second thermometer and the temperature of the cooling water measured by the fourth thermometer, A data center waste heat regeneration system in which the second heat exchanger cools the cooling water to a target temperature and discharges the cooling water into the cooling water recovery pipe.

9. In paragraph 8, A data center waste heat regeneration system, wherein the second heat exchanger includes a radiant cooling surface provided on at least one of the surface of the internal component and the cover surface, and the radiant cooling surface is coupled to a vacuum device to form a radiant cooling device.

10. In paragraph 6, It further includes a third control valve installed in the cooling water discharge pipe between the cooling device and the heater, and a cooling water bypass pipe connecting the third control valve and the cooling water discharge pipe of the front end of the first heat exchanger. A data center waste heat regeneration system, wherein the third control valve is a three-way valve having a first outlet connected to the cooling water discharge pipe and a second outlet connected to the cooling water bypass pipe.

11. In paragraph 10, When the temperature of the cooling water measured by the third thermometer is higher than the set value, the third control valve opens the first outlet and closes the second outlet. A data center waste heat regeneration system in which, when the temperature of the cooling water measured by the third thermometer is lower than the set value and the heater is not operating, the third control valve closes the first outlet and opens the second outlet to supply cooling water to the first heat exchanger through the cooling water bypass pipe.

Images