Modular Data Center Cooling Layout With Hot Air Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional data center and co-location facility designs face inefficiencies in cooling and wire routing, with air conditioning units not being standardized, accessible, or transportable, leading to suboptimal airflow and maintenance challenges.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a building with a false ceiling and modular thermal shields to create a hot air containment chamber, allowing for efficient airflow and cooling by recirculating air rapidly, while also using external air conditioning units and a control system to manage temperature and humidity, and features like telecommunication brackets for organized wiring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional air conditioning units are installed inside the facility, then cooling function is provided, but accessibility and transportability are poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of air conditioning unitsVSAvoidinstallation complexity of air conditioning units

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the air conditioning units from the interior of the facility and places them in an exterior room or exterior to the facility. This extraction improves accessibility and transportability while maintaining the cooling function through dedicated air intake and exhaust pathways.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary structures such as air intake openings in exterior load walls and air exhaust openings in roof assemblies. These intermediaries enable the external air conditioning units to effectively cool the facility interior without being physically located inside the cooled space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If air conditioning units are placed in non-standardized positions, then installation flexibility is achieved, but maintenance and repair become difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation flexibilityVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a standardized exterior room or exterior location that serves multiple purposes: housing air conditioning units, providing maintenance access, and facilitating transport. This universal location improves both installation flexibility and maintenance accessibility simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes predetermined air intake openings and air exhaust openings during the building design phase. This preliminary action ensures that when air conditioning units are installed in the exterior location, they immediately have proper airflow pathways without requiring complex retrofits for maintenance access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Stability of the object's composition

If air conditioning units are not designed for transportability, then installation stability is improved, but relocation and replacement become problematic

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation stabilityVSAvoidrelocation capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs air conditioning units with dynamic characteristics - they are installed stably in exterior locations but designed to be removable and relocatable. The standardized exterior room or exterior location provides a stable installation base while accommodating future relocation or replacement needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the air conditioning system into modular units that can be independently installed, maintained, and relocated in the exterior location. This segmentation allows each unit to maintain installation stability while enabling easy replacement or relocation when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 enhances cooling efficiency, reduces temperature within the facility, and simplifies maintenance by standardizing and making air conditioning units transportable, while improving airflow and wire management, resulting in an environmentally friendly and efficient data center setup.

Implementation Method 1

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 EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)