Blended Data Center Water Cooling With Radiator-Chiller Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data centers face increasing cooling demands due to growing electrical usage and heat generation, leading to high operational costs and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system that alternates routing warm return water from data centers through chillers or radiators based on load levels, using control valves to modulate the proportion of water flow, allowing for free cooling, chiller cooling, or a combination of both, and includes air-and-water radiators and chillers with separate loops for efficient energy management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional chiller cooling is used for data centers, then cooling capacity is sufficient to handle high loads, but energy consumption and operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The radiator system is designed to perform multiple functions: it can provide free cooling during low-load periods and serve as a condenser for chiller cooling during high-load periods. This multi-functionality allows the system to reduce energy consumption while maintaining sufficient cooling capacity across varying load conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between free cooling mode and chiller cooling mode based on the data center's cooling load requirements. During low-load periods, the radiators operate independently without chiller intervention, while during high-load periods, the radiators are integrated into the chiller condenser loop, optimizing energy efficiency at each operating point.
2Loss of energy
If free cooling mode is used during low-load periods, then energy consumption is minimized, but cooling capacity becomes insufficient during high-load periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its operating mode based on cooling load demands. During low-load periods, it operates in free cooling mode with minimal energy consumption. When cooling load increases, the system seamlessly transitions to chiller cooling mode, where the radiators serve as condensers, ensuring sufficient cooling power is available to meet high-demand requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into distinct operational modes (free cooling and chiller cooling) that can be independently activated or deactivated based on load conditions, allowing the system to optimize between energy consumption and cooling power output.
3Productivity
If chillers are operated at reduced capacity to match varying loads, then cooling output is optimized, but system efficiency decreases compared to full-capacity operation
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into separate operational segments (free cooling radiators and chiller cooling) that can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows the chiller to operate efficiently at full capacity when needed, while the radiators handle variable load demands, avoiding the efficiency losses associated with throttled chiller operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The radiator system provides self-service cooling during low-load periods without requiring chiller operation, eliminating the need to throttle chiller capacity and maintain optimal chiller efficiency when cooling demand varies.
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
This system reduces net power consumption and operating costs by optimizing cooling methods, allowing data centers to operate efficiently across varying load conditions and environmental temperatures, thereby minimizing electricity usage.
Implementation Method 1
circulating a first portion of return water coming from the computer data center to a first subset of the air-and-water radiators
Implementation Method 2
air-and-water radiators
Implementation Method 3
one or more chillers, the chillers each having a first side in fluid communication with a chilled water loop and a second side in communication with a condenser water loop
Implementation Method 4
The relative amount of return water that is routed through each may be modulated by control valves based on the level of load that is imposed on the system
Data Source
AI summary
A method of providing cooling by a cooling system to a computer data center. The method includes providing a plurality of air-and-water radiators and one or more chillers, the chillers each having a first side in fluid communication with a chilled water loop and a second side in communication with a condenser water loop. The method also includes circulating a first portion of return water coming from the computer data center to a first subset of the air-and-water radiators and through the condenser water loop, circulating a second portion of the return water from the computer data center to a second subset of the air-and-water radiators and through the chilled water loop, and circulating the first portion and the second portion of the return water to the computer data center as cooled supply water.