Data Center Cooling Layout Using an Over-Floor Air Supply Corridor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data center cooling technologies face inefficiencies and bottlenecks due to rapid growth in IT capacity, leading to increased energy consumption and space requirements, with traditional methods taking up to two years to construct new data centers and often resulting in suboptimal cooling solutions that fail to meet demand quickly.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a data center building design featuring a non-refrigerant based air cooling system with humidification, evaporative, or adiabatic cooling units, utilizing an over-floor corridor as a cooling air duct to facilitate high air flow rates while minimizing space usage, and maintaining a controlled pressure differential between cold and hot aisles to enhance cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional refrigerant-based air conditioning systems are used to cool data centers, then cooling capacity can be achieved, but energy consumption increases and Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cooling mechanism from refrigerant-based phase change to evaporative cooling using water evaporation. The evaporative cooling units convert liquid water to vapor, absorbing heat from the air without using refrigerants, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining cooling capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical refrigeration systems with simpler evaporative cooling units and adiabatic cooling chambers. This substitution eliminates compressors, condensers, and refrigerants, reducing mechanical complexity and energy consumption while achieving effective cooling through phase change of water
2Productivity
If data center construction follows traditional methods, then facilities can be built, but construction time takes up to two years and expansion speed is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the data center into modular sections with standardized evaporative cooling units and adiabatic cooling chambers. Each module can be independently constructed and commissioned, allowing incremental expansion without requiring complete facility construction, thereby reducing construction time and enabling faster scalability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates evaporative cooling infrastructure and adiabatic cooling chambers during initial construction phases, preparing cooling capacity in advance. This preliminary action ensures that as IT equipment is added, cooling infrastructure is already in place, eliminating the need for retroactive cooling installations and accelerating expansion
3Temperature
If CRAC units are added to the end of rows to provide cooling, then cooling capacity increases, but space is consumed and air flow efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function into the existing aisle space by installing evaporative cooling units within cold aisles and using adiabatic cooling chambers in hot aisles. This integration eliminates the need for separate CRAC units at the end of rows, reducing space consumption while maintaining cooling capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from horizontal placement of CRAC units at aisle ends to vertical utilization of aisle space. Evaporative cooling units are positioned within the cold aisle volume, and adiabatic cooling chambers utilize the hot aisle space, effectively using the third dimension (vertical space) to provide cooling without consuming additional floor area
4Adaptability or versatility
If air conditioning systems are designed for future growth, then cooling capacity can be increased, but initial space allocation is suboptimal and cooling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic cooling system where evaporative cooling units and adiabatic cooling chambers can be easily added or adjusted based on actual IT load. This dynamic approach allows the cooling system to adapt to growth demands without being over-designed initially, optimizing cooling efficiency by providing only the necessary cooling capacity at each stage
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 approach enables efficient cooling of data centers with reduced energy consumption, faster expansion capabilities, and improved thermal management, potentially lowering Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and allowing for ambient air cooling even in higher temperatures, thus addressing the limitations of traditional cooling methods.
Implementation Method 1
an air cooling system comprising a non-refrigerant based cooling apparatus selected from the list consisting of a humidification unit, an evaporative cooling unit and an adiabatic cooling unit
Implementation Method 2
an air cooling system comprising a non-refrigerant based cooling apparatus selected from the list consisting of a humidification unit, an evaporative cooling unit and an adiabatic cooling unit
Implementation Method 3
an air cooling system comprising a non-refrigerant based cooling apparatus selected from the list consisting of a humidification unit, an evaporative cooling unit and an adiabatic cooling unit
Data Source
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AI summary
A data centre (100) includes at least one rack room (in for example module 140) having a floor and a plurality of rack storage areas on the floor, each rack storage area being arranged to accommodate a plurality of racks (143) in which a plurality of rack-mountable electronic components may be housed, one or more controllable air circulation systems (in for example module 122), one or more cold aisles (144) in the rack room, each cold aisle being adjacent to a rack storage area, and one or more hot aisles (145) in the rack room, each hot aisle being adjacent to a rack storage area. There may be a large air duct, in the form of a personnel corridor (123), for transporting, under the control of the one or more air circulation systems, cooling air, above the floor, to the one or more cold aisles. The air supply corridor/duct (123) may have a height greater than 1.5m above the floor and a cross-sectional area of at least 2m2 and a maximum dimension in the plane of the cross-section of less than 3m.