Edge Datacenter Chimney Plenum Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing edge-based solutions for data centers lack the infrastructure support to efficiently cool heat-generating IT components, particularly in modular data centers where cooling requirements are significant but infrastructure is not comparable to centralized data centers.
Innovation Solution
A modular data center design with a volumetric container configured as a cold aisle and hot aisle setup, utilizing an air handling unit (AHU) with a supply air outlet and return air inlet, and a return air plenum with a chimney and duct to direct pressurized supply air through heat-generating IT components and collect return air for recirculation, ensuring efficient airflow and cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If edge data centers use individual fans to exhaust heat into the room, then each chassis can be cooled independently, but the cooling efficiency is low and fan noise is high requiring locked rooms for security
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual chassis fans are merged into a single centralized AHU (air handling unit) that serves the entire rack. This consolidation improves cooling efficiency by creating a unified airflow system and eliminates the noise problem by replacing multiple noisy fans with one controlled unit, allowing the rack to be placed in accessible locations without requiring locked rooms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces plenums (cold aisle plenum and hot aisle plenum) as intermediary structures that manage airflow between the AHU and IT components. These plenums act as mediators that distribute cooled air efficiently and collect hot air, improving overall cooling effectiveness while reducing the need for multiple individual fans.
2Reliability
If enterprise data centers use cold aisle and hot aisle configuration, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the infrastructure complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data center into distinct functional zones: a cold aisle plenum for supply air, a hot aisle plenum for return air, and IT component racks. This segmentation allows efficient airflow management similar to enterprise data centers while maintaining a simpler overall structure by using modular plenums and a single AHU, reducing infrastructure complexity compared to full enterprise-scale systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes vertical space by positioning the AHU at the rear of the rack and using overhead plenums to distribute air. This three-dimensional airflow arrangement achieves enterprise-level cooling efficiency without requiring the extensive horizontal infrastructure typically associated with cold/hot aisle configurations, thereby reducing complexity.
3Loss of time
If modular data centers are placed closer to end users, then response time is improved, but cooling infrastructure support is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The modular data center is segmented into self-contained units with dedicated cooling infrastructure (AHU and plenums) for each rack. This segmentation allows multiple small data centers to be distributed closer to end users while each unit maintains reliable cooling independently, solving the infrastructure support problem for edge deployments.
Solution Approach 2:
Each modular data center unit is designed to be self-sufficient with its own AHU and airflow management system. The system serves itself by recirculating air through the plenums and AHU without requiring external cooling infrastructure, enabling reliable operation at distributed edge locations closer to end users.
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 solution provides effective temperature moderation and cooling for modular data centers by directing pressurized supply air through IT components and recirculating return air, enhancing cooling efficiency and reliability, especially in edge data center settings.
Implementation Method 1
The supply air outlet directs pressurized supply air into the cold aisle causing the supply air to pass through the first side of the heat-generating IT component(s)
Implementation Method 2
A chimney of a return air plenum receives return air from the second side of the heat-generating IT component(s)
Implementation Method 3
The return air duct directs the return air collected at the chimney from the chimney to the return air inlet of the first AHU
Implementation Method 4
an air cooling system for the MDC, and a method for installing the air handling system that moderates or cools a temperature of the MDC
Data Source
AI summary
A modular data center has an air handling unit (AHU) that is coupled to a first panel that is engaged over a first opening in a volumetric container. The AHU directs pressurized supply air through a supply air outlet into a cold aisle causing the supply air to pass through a first side of the IT component(s) installed in an interior of the volumetric container. A chimney of a return air plenum captures return air from a second side of the IT component(s), directing the return air to a return air duct of the return air plenum that is connected to a return air inlet of the AHU. In one or more embodiments, a second AHU is coupled to a second panel that is engaged to a second opening in a second side, directing pressurized supply air via a supply air plenum to the opposing first side.