Data Center Air Conditioning Layout for Exterior Condenser Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional data center and co-location facility designs face inefficiencies in air conditioning and wire routing, with evaporator and condenser units often not located in standardized, accessible positions, and lacking transportable designs, which complicates maintenance and repair.

Innovation Solution

The design features a building with exterior load walls, cabinet clusters, thermal shields, and air conditioning units located outside, with a warm air escape gap and cool air ducts that facilitate efficient airflow and cooling, allowing for rapid recirculation of air to maintain low temperatures and separate power and data wiring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If evaporator and condenser units are located inside the facility, then cooling function is provided, but maintenance and repair access is difficult and units are not in standardized positions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance and repair accessVSAvoidunit placement configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The condenser units are extracted from the interior space and relocated to exterior positions on the building's outer walls. This allows maintenance personnel to access condenser units from outside the facility without disrupting interior operations or requiring specialized entry procedures, directly resolving the accessibility problem while maintaining standardized mounting positions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The air conditioning units are repositioned from a horizontal interior layout to a vertical exterior arrangement on building walls. This dimensional change allows condenser units to be mounted at standardized heights on exterior surfaces, improving accessibility while utilizing the building's vertical envelope space that would otherwise be unused.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of repair

If air conditioning units are not in standardized positions, then flexible installation is achieved, but maintenance and repair become complicated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunit accessibilityVSAvoidinstallation flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Standardized mounting positions and connection points are pre-established on the building's exterior walls during construction. This preliminary preparation ensures that condenser units can be quickly installed and accessed at predetermined locations, eliminating the need for custom installation work during maintenance while preserving the ability to accommodate different unit types and sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If evaporator units are inside and condenser units are outside, then cooling function is provided, but units lack transportable design for easy replacement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunit transportabilityVSAvoidunit integration design

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The air conditioning system is divided into separable evaporator and condenser components with standardized connection interfaces. The condenser units are designed as self-contained modules that can be independently removed and replaced, with pre-configured mounting brackets and connection points that facilitate straightforward installation and replacement operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Loss of time

If conventional air conditioning systems are used, then cooling is provided, but units cannot be quickly accessed or replaced for repair

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance timeVSAvoidunit accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Condenser units are extracted from interior locations and positioned on exterior building walls with direct access from outside. This eliminates the need to enter the facility, shut down interior systems, or navigate through equipment rooms to reach condenser units for maintenance, dramatically reducing maintenance time and improving accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 enhances cooling efficiency, reduces temperature within the facility, and simplifies maintenance by allowing for standardized and accessible unit placement, while also improving wire routing and expansion capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

air conditioning units disposed in the external area outside the building that each receive heated air, emit cooled air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

thermal shield providing a contiguous wall around the central hot air area and defining a hot air containment chamber that traps the heated air within the central hot air area and causes substantially all the heated air within the central hot air area to rise up within the hot air containment chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS11076517B2Tri-redundant data center power supply system

Publication Date: 2021.07.27 SWITCH LTD

AI summary

Described herein is an integrated data center that provides for efficient powering and cooling, as well as efficient wire routing.