Ceiling Air Management System for Server Room Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air management systems for server rooms often require significant space and result in non-uniform air temperature and velocity fields due to the conventional methods of cooling, where supply air is provided from the floor and hot air is recovered from the ceiling or sides, leading to inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a configuration with laterally spaced rows of electrical equipment, supply aisles, and return aisles with vented barriers, utilizing air handling units (AHUs) and fans that can operate in different modes to optimize airflow, including downward supply airflow and upward return airflow, with a controller to detect and address performance deficiencies by rerouting airflow as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooled supply air is provided through the floor of the room, then cooling function is achieved, but space within the building is consumed and air temperature/velocity fields become non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional cooling approach by providing cooled supply air through the ceiling instead of through the floor. This inversion allows the supply air to descend vertically through the convection regions, creating more uniform temperature and velocity fields while reducing the space required for air handling equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces vertical ceiling portions extending upward from the ceiling plane, creating a third-dimensional air distribution structure. These ceiling portions act as supply ducts that deliver cooled air directly to convection regions above the electrical equipment, improving temperature uniformity without consuming additional floor space.
2Productivity
If hot air is recovered from the ceiling area, then cooling efficiency is improved, but space within the building is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the return air duct function with the ceiling structure itself by incorporating return air ducts within the ceiling portions. This integration allows hot air to be recovered efficiently from the ceiling area while eliminating the need for separate, space-consuming return air ductwork.
Solution Approach 2:
The ceiling portions serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as structural elements, supply air ducts, and return air ducts. This multi-functionality improves cooling efficiency by optimizing air recovery while minimizing the space required for air handling infrastructure.
3Reliability
If fans operate in reverse mode to compensate for AHU failure, then system reliability is improved, but airflow delivery is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates redundant fan systems that can operate in reverse mode as a pre-planned backup mechanism. When an AHU fails, the reverse-mode fans provide compensatory airflow to maintain system reliability, ensuring continuous cooling operation despite the performance reduction.
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 configuration provides more uniform air temperature and velocity fields, reduces space requirements, and ensures efficient cooling by allowing for redundancy and load balancing, thereby improving the reliability and efficiency of cooling in server rooms.
Implementation Method 1
each row providing a flow path from a convection region on a first side of the row to a different convection region on an opposite second side of the row
Implementation Method 2
Each of a plurality of first fans are associated with the supply manifold and configured to provide airflow between the supply manifold and the ceiling portion of an associated one the supply aisles
Data Source
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AI summary
An example air management system includes laterally spaced apart rows of electrical equipment that each provide a flow path between two convection regions on opposing sides of the row. A plurality of supply aisles and a plurality of return aisles are interposed between each other. Each supply and return aisle has a respective room portion that includes a respective one of the convection regions, a respective ceiling portion disposed above the room portion, and a vented barrier portion therebetween. Each supply aisle provides airflow downwards from its ceiling portion to its convection region, and each return aisle provides airflow flow upwards from its convection region to its ceiling portion. A plurality of air handling units are located external to the plurality of rows and are configured to utilize the ceiling portions of the supply aisles as supply ducts, and utilize the ceiling portions of the return aisles as return ducts.