Cooling unit and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data centers face challenges in efficiently cooling rack-mounted equipment due to heat build-up and hot spots, as traditional cooling systems mix hot and cold air, leading to inefficiency and potential equipment damage.
Innovation Solution
A modular, scalable cooling unit with a V-shaped micro channel evaporator and fans, designed to be positioned between equipment racks, which intakes hot air from hot aisles and cools it to slightly below ambient temperature, reducing air mixing and enhancing cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional CRAC units are used to cool data centers by mixing cold air with room temperature air, then cooling coverage is provided, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to heat build-up and hot spots
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the data center cooling into localized zones by placing individual cooling units within or adjacent to equipment racks. Each cooling unit independently cools its local area, segmenting the overall cooling system into multiple discrete zones that prevent hot spots and improve efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling units are positioned locally near the heat-generating equipment racks, providing targeted cooling exactly where it is needed. This local quality approach ensures that cold air is delivered directly to the equipment inlet sides, preventing heat build-up at the source rather than relying on mixed air from centralized units.
2Productivity
If more equipment is mounted in each rack to increase density, then space utilization improves, but cooling difficulty worsens due to increased heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
By implementing individual cooling units for each rack or group of racks, the system can independently manage cooling for high-density configurations. Each cooling unit is sized and positioned to handle the specific thermal load of its associated equipment, enabling higher density without compromising cooling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The localized cooling units are positioned to directly address the heat generation from densely packed equipment. Each unit provides tailored cooling capacity matched to the specific equipment it serves, allowing maximum space utilization while maintaining adequate cooling performance through localized thermal management.
3Loss of energy
If cooling units are positioned to intake air from hot aisles, then cooling efficiency improves by reducing air mixing, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling units are designed as self-contained modules with integrated air intake and discharge pathways. Each unit independently manages its own air flow from the hot aisle through the equipment and back, segmenting the air flow paths to prevent mixing and improve efficiency without requiring complex centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling units are positioned and configured to automatically intake air from the hot aisle and discharge cooled air to the equipment inlet sides without requiring complex external control systems. The modular design allows the units to self-regulate their operation based on local thermal conditions, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high cooling efficiency.
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 modular cooling unit effectively reduces heat build-up and hot spots within data centers by providing localized, efficient cooling, allowing for flexible deployment and increased scalability, thereby improving equipment performance and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
moving the warm air over an evaporator positioned within the housing and coupled to a source of liquid refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
The circulation path of warm air generated by the electronic equipment is greatly reduced, thereby nearly eliminating the mixing of hot and cold air within the data center
Implementation Method 3
The modular cooling unit is positioned to draw the warm air from a hot aisle
Data Source
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AI summary
A cooling unit (10) includes a housing (12) having a front (14) and a back (16), one or more fans (28) provided at either the front (14) or the back (16) of the housing (12), and a V-shaped evaporator (30) positioned within the housing (12) and coupled to a source of liquid refrigerant. The V-shaped evaporator (30) has two panels extending from adjacent to the bottom (22) of the housing to adjacent to the top (24) of the housing (12) when positioning the evaporator (30) in the housing (12). The arrangement is such that an inside of the panels of the evaporator (30) faces air being drawn through the housing (12) of the cooling unit (10) by the fan (28).