Composite cooling system and data center

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional data center cooling systems experience reduced heat dissipation efficiency due to the gradual increase in outdoor air temperature as it flows through multiple heat exchanger cores, affecting overall heat dissipation performance.

Innovation Solution

A composite cooling system that implements independent indoor and outdoor air ducts for heat exchange, with a first-stage and second-stage heat exchanger core configuration, where external air is mixed with indoor air in a first side air duct before entering the second-stage heat exchanger core, and includes features like air blower units, humidification, and mechanical cooling to enhance heat exchange efficiency, and adjustable flow paths to optimize energy use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If outdoor air flows through multiple heat exchanger cores sequentially, then heat exchange between outdoor air and indoor air is achieved, but the temperature of outdoor air gradually increases reducing heat dissipation efficiency of later heat exchanger cores

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidoutdoor air temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the air flow path into multiple independent channels (first heat exchanger core channel, second heat exchanger core channel, and bypass channel) allowing outdoor air to be divided and distributed to different heat exchanger cores simultaneously, preventing progressive temperature increase in a single sequential path

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bypass channel acts as an intermediary that introduces fresh cold outdoor air between the first and second heat exchanger cores, mixing with the warmed air from the first core to cool it before entering the second core, thereby maintaining temperature differential and heat exchange efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 improves overall heat dissipation efficiency by maintaining lower external air temperatures for better heat exchange, increasing cooling capacity by up to 6% compared to conventional systems, while also ensuring clean indoor air through filtration and precise temperature control.

Implementation Method 1

outdoor air is guided to sequentially flow through the plurality of stages of heat exchanger cores, to implement heat exchange between the outdoor air and air inside the data center

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

the air blower unit is used to drive flow of external air in the outdoor air duct, so that a flow rate of the external air in the outdoor air duct can be increased

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 3

external air that enters the first-stage heat exchanger core for heat exchange is humidified, so that heat exchange efficiency of the external air in the first-stage heat exchanger core can be improved

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHumidification: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentEP4142447B1Composite cooling system and data center
Publication Date: 2024.04.24 HUAWEI DIGITAL POWER TECH CO LTD
  • EP4142447B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4142447B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4142447B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

This application provides a composite cooling system and a data center equipped with the composite cooling system. The composite cooling system includes an indoor air duct and an outdoor air duct that are independent of each other. The indoor air duct and the outdoor air duct intersect in a heat exchange area of the composite cooling system. A first-stage heat exchanger core, a second-stage heat exchanger core, and a first side air duct are disposed in the heat exchange area. The heat exchange area is constructed as a part of the outdoor air duct. The first-stage heat exchanger core, the first side air duct, and the second-stage heat exchanger core are sequentially arranged along a flow direction of the outdoor air duct. An inner cavity of the first-stage heat exchanger core and an inner cavity of the second-stage heat exchanger core each are further constructed as a part of the indoor air duct. The first side air duct communicates between the heat exchange area and the outside of the composite cooling system. In the composite cooling system according to this application, after air in the outdoor air duct flows through the first-stage heat exchanger core, the air in the outdoor air duct is mixed with air in the first side air duct to reduce a temperature. Therefore, when the air flows into the second-stage heat exchanger core, heat exchange efficiency is improved, and heat dissipation on air in the indoor air duct is better.