Air Handler Casing Integration for Data Center Cooling Cost Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data center cooling systems are costly due to their extensive use of metal components, which increases the capital expenditure for data center cooling.
Innovation Solution
A novel air handler design for data centers where the coil casing serves as the single casing, utilizing a tube support sheet with holes for the cooling coil tubes, and integrating a fan wall and top sheet to reduce metal usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional cooling systems use extensive metal components for air handler casings, then structural strength and durability are improved, but manufacturing cost and capital expenditure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the coil casing and air handler casing into a single integrated structure. The tube support sheet serves dual purposes: supporting the cooling coil tubes while simultaneously forming the outer casing of the air handler. This eliminates the need for separate metal casings, reducing material usage and manufacturing cost while maintaining structural integrity through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs thin tube support sheets instead of traditional thick metal casings. These thin sheets are sufficient to provide the necessary structural support while dramatically reducing material consumption and cost. The thin film approach maintains adequate strength for the application while addressing the manufacturing cost issue.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional cooling systems use separate coil casings and air handler casings, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity and metal usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate casings (coil casing and air handler casing) into one integrated structure. The tube support sheet forms both the coil support structure and the air handler enclosure, eliminating the need for separate components. This reduction in part count simplifies the device while the integrated design ensures structural stability is maintained through proper engineering of the combined structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The tube support sheet performs multiple functions simultaneously: it supports the cooling coil tubes, forms the outer casing of the air handler, and provides structural stability. This multi-functionality reduces the overall complexity of the device by eliminating the need for separate components dedicated to each function.
3Reliability
If conventional cooling systems use traditional metal casings, then durability is improved, but capital cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the coil casing and air handler casing into a single structure, the patent reduces the total amount of metal material required. This integration maintains durability through proper design of the combined structure while significantly reducing capital cost associated with metal procurement and manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of thin tube support sheets instead of traditional thick metal casings reduces material costs and manufacturing expenses while maintaining adequate durability for the application. The thin film approach provides sufficient protection and structural integrity without the high capital cost of extensive metal usage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design reduces metal usage and manufacturing costs while maintaining effective cooling performance by aligning cooling coil tubes orthogonally to the tube support sheet and using U-bend connections to form a continuous conduit.
Implementation Method 1
The fan blade draws air from the hot aisle of the data center over the plurality of tubes of the cooling coil
Implementation Method 2
The fan motor powers a fan blade that is adapted to draw air from the hot aisle of the data center over the plurality of tubes of the cooling coil
Data Source
AI summary
An air handler for cooling a data center has an outer side formed by a tube support sheet. The tube support sheet has a plurality of holes. A plurality of tubes of a cooling coil are aligned with the plurality of holes and are orthogonal to the tube support sheet. The air handler has a fan plate with a fan hole. A fan motor is mounted to the fan plate adjacent to the fan hole. The tube support sheet is attached to a top sheet and the fan plate and is perpendicular to both the top sheet and the fan plate. The plurality of tubes pass through a plurality of fin sheets that are oriented parallel to the tube support sheet. The fan motor powers a fan that is adapted to draw air from the hot aisle of the data center over the plurality of tubes of the cooling coil.