Air conditioner using water vapor refrigerant for modular data center and data center comprising same

Abstract

The present application relates to an air conditioner using a water vapor refrigerant for a modular data center and a data center comprising the same. The air conditioner using a water vapor refrigerant for a modular data center in the present invention comprises a box body and an air conditioning system. The air conditioning system comprises heat exchangers, water atomization apparatuses, an air circulation side fan and a vapor side fan. Each heat exchanger is provided with a plurality of columns of bidirectional micro-channels on both sides; the water atomization apparatuses cooperate with pressure regulation apparatuses to form vapor; the vapor side fan is used for forming a negative pressure, such that the vapor evaporates under the negative pressure in a C-D direction and absorbs heat in the heat exchangers so as to achieve refrigeration; and the air circulation side fan is used for sucking, into the micro-channels of the heat exchangers and in an A-B direction, air in a space needing to be cooled, such that after heat exchange in the micro-channels is completed, the air is discharged into the space needing to be cooled. The beneficial effects are as follows: water vapor is used as a refrigerant and can evaporate under a negative micro-pressure to achieve refrigeration; a refrigeration apparatus does not need to use a compressor to drive a refrigerant cycle, such that the complexity of a device is greatly reduced; and the structure is simple, the energy consumption is low, the cost is low, the refrigeration efficiency is high, and the manufacturing cost and the running cost are reduced.

Description

Modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner and data center thereof Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of data center air conditioning, and in particular to a modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioning and a data center thereof. Background Art

[0002] A data center is a computer room used to house servers in the fields of communications and information technology. With the rapid development of modern computers and the internet, data centers are playing a vital role across various industries. Data centers have complex internal structures. Information systems composed of servers and network equipment consume electricity to complete computing tasks and generate heat. Heat dissipation and cooling of servers and other equipment within the computer room consume significant amounts of electricity. This energy consumption issue has given rise to the concept of green data centers. High energy consumption has become a bottleneck to the green and sustainable development of data centers. Air conditioning systems account for a significant portion of a data center's total energy consumption, making reducing this energy consumption a key energy-saving measure for improving data center energy efficiency.

[0003] Currently, most data center air conditioning systems use vapor compression refrigeration, circulating a refrigerant through a compressor. The refrigeration unit primarily consists of a compressor, condenser, throttling device, and evaporator. During cooling, the compressor extracts refrigerant from the evaporator, compresses it, and sends it to the condenser for cooling and condensation. The condenser then dissipates the heat into the air, converting the refrigerant from a gas to a liquid. The refrigerant then passes through the throttling device in the condenser, causing a sudden drop in pressure. As it flows through the evaporator, the liquid refrigerant immediately turns to a gas, absorbing a significant amount of heat from the air. As the compressor continuously operates, it absorbs heat from one end of the evaporator into the refrigerant, which is then sent to the condenser for dissipation into the air. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the room and releases it outside, continuing the cycle and lowering the indoor temperature. However, this cooling method has the disadvantage of high energy consumption.

[0004] Therefore, the invention is motivated by providing a modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner and a data center thereof with a simple structure, low energy consumption, low cost and high cooling efficiency.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a modular water vapor refrigerant air conditioner for data centers that features a simple structure, low energy consumption, low cost, and high cooling efficiency. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner that occupies a small footprint, is easy to deploy, eliminates external temperature and humidity interference, and operates safely and reliably.

[0007] The modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner provided by the present invention has the following technical solutions:

[0008] A modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner includes a cabinet and an air conditioning system. The air conditioning system includes a heat exchanger, a water atomizing device, an air circulation side fan and a steam mist side fan. The heat exchanger has double-sided bidirectional multi-row microchannels along the AB direction and the CD direction. The steam mist side fan is arranged outside the cabinet. The water atomizing device is arranged on one side of the heat exchanger. The water atomizing device includes a pressure regulating device. The water atomizing device and the pressure regulating device cooperate to form steam mist. The steam mist side fan is used to form negative pressure so that the steam mist evaporates in the CD direction under negative pressure in the heat exchanger to absorb heat and refrigerate. The air circulation side fan is used to draw air from the space to be cooled into the microchannel of the heat exchanger along the AB direction. After the air completes heat exchange in the microchannel, it is discharged to the space to be cooled.

[0009] Specifically, the heat exchanger is a partitioning heat exchanger or a shell and tube heat exchanger.

[0010] Specifically, the pressure in the cavity of the atomized water device is at least 20 Pa lower than the ambient atmospheric pressure.

[0011] Specifically, the pressure regulating device is an electric air valve and a negative pressure sensor.

[0012] Specifically, the atomized water device is a high-pressure pump atomizer;

[0013] or the atomizing water device is a compressed air atomizer;

[0014] Alternatively, the atomizing water device is an ultrasonic atomizer.

[0015] Specifically, a water softening device is provided on the pipeline that supplies water to the atomizing water device.

[0016] A modular container-type data center includes a modular container and an air conditioner. The modular container is provided with space for placing servers. The modular containers are connected by air ducts. The air conditioner is the above-mentioned modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner.

[0017] Specifically, the air conditioner includes a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, which are respectively fixed to the top of the modular container through a first atomizing water device and a second atomizing water device. A steam mist side fan arranged outside the box sucks out the steam mist through an air duct, and an air circulation side fan arranged at the bottom of the heat exchanger draws air in the modular container into the microchannel of the heat exchanger for heat exchange.

[0018] Specifically, the data center includes N modular containers, the atomizing water devices in the N modular containers are supplied with water through a water supply pipeline, and the other side of the atomizing water device is connected to the steam mist side fan outside the box through an air duct;

[0019] The surfaces of the data center are all equipped with insulation panels.

[0020] Specifically, the data center includes a liquid injection carbon dioxide gas fire fighting system, which includes a liquid reservoir for storing liquid carbon dioxide and a liquid carbon dioxide fire fighting pipeline, wherein the liquid carbon dioxide fire fighting pipeline is connected to each modular container;

[0021] A three-way pipe is installed at the air outlet of the top fan to recover waste heat.

[0022] The implementation of the present invention includes the following technical effects:

[0023] The modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner of the present invention uses a water vapor refrigerant that is a mixed gas formed by water and air under a slight negative pressure. On the negative pressure mist side, the atomized small water droplets generated by the atomizing water device form a mist in cooperation with the fan and the pressure regulating device on the mist side. In the process of passing through the microchannel of the heat exchanger, non-boiling evaporation cooling is performed in a slight negative pressure environment with a pressure lower than the ambient atmospheric pressure by more than 20Pa. Specifically, each small water droplet continuously absorbs heat through radiation or conduction. Under the dual effects of negative pressure and radiation, water molecules on the surface of the small water droplet can easily escape from the internal force of the small water droplet and escape. Negative pressure evaporation absorbs heat, or the atomized large water droplets further fission into small water droplets to absorb heat, thereby cooling the hot air. On the air circulation side, the fan on the air circulation side draws air from the space to be cooled into the air side microchannel of the heat exchanger, completes heat exchange in the air side microchannel, and discharges the air from the other side of the microchannel to the space to be cooled, thereby achieving cooling.

[0024] The water vapor refrigerant air conditioner of the present invention features a simple structure, low energy consumption, low cost, and high cooling efficiency, preventing the impact of outdoor temperature and humidity on indoor environments. Using water as the refrigerant, the system atomizes the water and mixes it with air to form a vapor mist, which evaporates and cools the air under a slight negative pressure. This refrigeration system eliminates the need for a compressor to drive the refrigerant cycle (vapor compression cycle refrigeration), achieving a PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) of as low as 1.05 for data centers. This significantly reduces equipment complexity and lowers manufacturing and operating costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the main structure of a modular water vapor refrigerant air conditioner for a data center according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG2 is a side structural diagram of a modular water vapor refrigerant air conditioner for a data center according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of the heat exchanger and the atomized water device.

[0028] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the heat exchanger structure.

[0029] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the main structure of a modular container-type data center according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG6 is a schematic side view of the modular container-type data center according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a partial three-dimensional structure of a modular container-type data center according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] In the figure: 1. Box; 2. Air circulation side fan; 3. Steam mist side fan; 4. Heat exchanger; 5. Atomizing water device; 6. Pressure regulating device; 7. Air duct. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to embodiments and drawings. It should be noted that the described embodiments are only intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and do not have any limiting effect on the present invention.

[0034] Referring to Figures 1 to 4, this embodiment provides a modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner, including a box body 1 and an air conditioning system. The air conditioning system includes a heat exchanger 4, an atomizing water device 5, an air circulation side fan 2 and a steam mist side fan 3. The heat exchanger 4 has double-sided bidirectional multi-row microchannels along the AB direction and the CD direction. The steam mist side fan 3 is arranged outside the box body 1, and the atomizing water device 5 is arranged on one side of the heat exchanger 4. The atomizing water device 5 includes a pressure regulating device 6. The atomizing water device 5 and the pressure regulating device 6 cooperate to form steam mist. The steam mist side fan 3 is used to form negative pressure so that the steam mist evaporates along the CD direction in the heat exchanger 4 to absorb heat and cool. The air circulation side fan 2 is used to suck the air in the space to be cooled into the microchannel of the heat exchanger 4 along the AB direction, and the air is discharged to the space to be cooled after the heat exchange in the microchannel is completed. This embodiment is described as CD direction and AB direction, which are distributed on different sides. Each side has multiple columns of microchannels. CD direction and AB direction are only for the convenience of describing the solution. The direction of vapor mist and air can be straight line, oblique line or curve. The modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner of the present invention uses a water vapor refrigerant as a mixed gas formed by water and air under a slightly negative pressure. On the negative pressure mist side, the atomized small water droplets generated by the atomizing water device 5 form a mist in cooperation with the mist side fan 3 and the pressure regulating device 6. In the process of passing through the microchannel of the heat exchanger 4, non-boiling evaporation cooling is performed in a slightly negative pressure environment where the pressure is more than 20Pa lower than the ambient atmospheric pressure. Specifically, each small water droplet continuously absorbs heat through radiation or conduction. Under the dual effects of negative pressure and radiation, water molecules on the surface of the small water droplet can easily escape from the internal force of the small water droplet and escape. Negative pressure evaporation absorbs heat, or the atomized large water droplets further fission into small water droplets to absorb heat, thereby cooling the hot air. On the air circulation side, the air circulation side fan 2 draws the air in the space to be cooled into the air side microchannel of the heat exchanger 4, completes heat exchange in the air side microchannel, and discharges the air from the other side of the microchannel to the space to be cooled, thereby achieving cooling.

[0035] Specifically, the heat exchanger 4 is a partition-type heat exchanger or a shell-and-tube heat exchanger. The heat exchanger 4 has transverse and longitudinal microchannels that are intersected. The transverse microchannels and the longitudinal microchannels are separated by fins. Only energy is exchanged between each other, and substances such as mist are not exchanged, which can prevent the outdoor temperature and humidity from affecting the indoor environment. The pressure in the cavity of the atomizing water device 5 is more than 20Pa lower than the ambient atmospheric pressure. The pressure regulating device 6 is an electric air valve and a negative pressure sensor, which cooperates with the steam mist side fan 3 to form a set negative pressure. When the air-conditioning system is working, a small amount of outdoor air can enter the cavity of the atomizing water device 5 through the electric air valve, causing the atomized water in the cavity to form steam mist and accelerate the flow, thereby promoting the evaporation of the atomized water and the further fission of the atomized large water droplets into small water droplets. Both evaporation and water droplet decomposition require the absorption of heat.

[0036] As an example, the atomizing device 5 is a high-pressure pump atomizer; the high-pressure water generated by the high-pressure water pump is atomized at the nozzle. As another example, the atomizing device 5 is an ultrasonic atomizer, which includes an ultrasonic atomizer plate that atomizes the water using ultrasonic waves. As a third example, the atomizing device 5 is a compressed air atomizer, where water from the nozzle mixes with air and sprays the water vapor into the injection chamber. The nozzle is connected to the air compressor via an air compressor interface and to the water storage device via a water inlet. The water is atomized by the high-pressure gas generated by the air compressor. A water softening device is provided on the water supply pipeline to the atomizing device 5 to prevent scale formation after the water is softened. Furthermore, the atomizing device 5 includes a water supply pipeline that is connected to a water tank or water pipe and continuously supplies water to the enclosed housing. The water supply pipeline can be a single linear pipeline, two or more pipelines arranged side by side, or a single pipeline arranged in a circular shape. A plurality of atomized water devices 5 are provided which are dispersed within the closed housing.

[0037] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, this embodiment provides a modular containerized data center, comprising modular containers and air conditioners. The modular containers are provided with space for accommodating servers, and the modular containers are connected by air ducts. The air conditioners are the aforementioned modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioners. The air ducts and air conditioning system form a complete negative pressure evaporative cooling system. This data center significantly improves space utilization, saves construction costs, speeds up construction, and achieves standardized and intensive construction.

[0038] As shown in Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6, the air conditioner includes a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, which are respectively fixed to the top of the modular container via a first atomizing water device and a second atomizing water device. A mist-side fan 3, located outside the container 1, draws the mist out through an air duct 7. An air circulation fan 2, located at the bottom of the heat exchanger 4, draws air from the modular container into the microchannels of the heat exchanger 4 for heat exchange. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the data center includes N modular containers, each of which is equipped with a heat exchanger 4. The atomizing water devices 5 in the N modular containers are supplied with water via a water supply pipeline. The mist removal side of the heat exchanger 4 is connected to the mist-side fan 3 outside the container 1 via an air duct 7. As shown in Figure 7, the air duct 7 includes transverse and longitudinal ducts, forming a series or parallel relationship. The data center's surfaces are insulated to prevent interference from external heat sources and debris. Cooling capacity is calculated based on server heat generation, ensuring precise temperature control. A T-shaped pipe is installed at the top fan outlet to recover waste heat. Temperature sensors are installed inside the modular containers to monitor the temperature inside and control the cooling capacity.

[0039] Preferably, the data center includes a liquid carbon dioxide gas firefighting system, which includes a reservoir for storing liquid carbon dioxide and a liquid carbon dioxide firefighting pipeline (not shown). The liquid carbon dioxide firefighting pipeline is connected to each modular container. The liquid carbon dioxide reservoir can be located below the permafrost layer. Liquid carbon dioxide is used for firefighting without causing secondary damage to objects. This has the inherent advantage that, in a storage tank of the same volume, liquid carbon dioxide can store much more than gaseous carbon dioxide, thus extinguishing a larger fire area.

[0040] The water vapor refrigerant air conditioner of the present invention features a simple structure, low energy consumption, low cost, and high cooling efficiency, preventing the impact of outdoor temperature and humidity on indoor environments. Using water as the refrigerant, the system atomizes the water and mixes it with air to form a vapor mist, which evaporates and cools the air under a slight negative pressure. This refrigeration system eliminates the need for a compressor to drive the refrigerant cycle (vapor compression cycle refrigeration), achieving a PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) of as low as 1.05 for data centers. This significantly reduces equipment complexity and lowers manufacturing and operating costs.

[0041] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present invention may be modified or replaced by equivalents without departing from the essence and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner, comprising a cabinet and an air conditioning system, characterized in that: The air-conditioning system includes a heat exchanger, an atomizing water device, an air circulation side fan and a steam mist side fan. The heat exchanger has double-sided bidirectional multi-row microchannels along the AB direction and the CD direction. The steam mist side fan is arranged outside the box, and the atomizing water device is arranged on one side of the heat exchanger. The atomizing water device includes a pressure regulating device. The atomizing water device and the pressure regulating device cooperate to form steam mist. The steam mist side fan is used to form negative pressure, so that the steam mist evaporates along the CD direction under negative pressure in the heat exchanger to absorb heat and refrigerate; the air circulation side fan is used to suck the air in the space to be cooled into the microchannel of the heat exchanger along the AB direction, and the air is discharged to the space to be cooled after the heat exchange in the microchannel is completed.

2. The modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat exchanger is a partitioning heat exchanger or a shell and tube heat exchanger.

3. The modular water vapor refrigerant air conditioner for a data center according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure in the cavity of the atomized water device is at least 20 Pa lower than the ambient atmospheric pressure.

4. The modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure regulating device is an electric air valve and a negative pressure sensor.

5. The modular water vapor refrigerant air conditioner for a data center according to claim 1, characterized in that: The atomized water device is a high-pressure pump atomizer; Or the atomized water device is a compressed air atomizer; Alternatively, the water atomizing device is an ultrasonic atomizer.

6. The modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner according to claim 1, characterized in that: A softening water device is provided on the pipeline that supplies water to the atomizing water device.

7. A modular container-type data center, comprising modular containers and air conditioners, wherein the modular containers are provided with space for placing servers, and the modular containers are connected by air ducts, characterized in that: The air conditioner is a modular data center water vapor refrigerant air conditioner according to any one of claims 1-6.

8. The modular containerized data center according to claim 7, characterized in that: The air conditioner includes a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, which are respectively fixed to the top of the modular container through a first atomizing water device and a second atomizing water device. A steam mist side fan arranged outside the box sucks out the steam mist through an air duct, and an air circulation side fan arranged at the bottom of the heat exchanger draws air in the modular container into the microchannel of the heat exchanger for heat exchange.

9. The modular containerized data center according to claim 7, characterized in that: The data center includes N modular containers, the atomizing water devices in the N modular containers are supplied with water through a water supply pipeline, and the steam mist exhaust side of the heat exchanger is connected to the steam mist side fan outside the box through an air duct.

10. The modular container-type data center according to claim 7, characterized in that: The data center includes a liquid injection carbon dioxide gas fire fighting system, which includes a liquid reservoir for storing liquid carbon dioxide and a liquid carbon dioxide fire fighting pipeline, wherein the liquid carbon dioxide fire fighting pipeline is connected to each modular container; A three-way pipe is set at the air outlet of the top fan to recover waste heat.