Data Center Rack Cooling Ducts for Uniform Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data centers face challenges in maintaining efficient cooling while reducing power consumption, particularly due to temperature and air distribution variability among rack rows, which affects the cooling efficiency and power savings.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a data center configuration that includes opposing rack rows with a supply duct and circulation ducts to uniformly distribute cold air and circulate warm air, using pressure differences to automatically adjust the air flow and temperature, eliminating the need for additional fans and reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If outside air is used for cooling the data center, then power consumption is reduced, but temperature distribution becomes uneven and hotspots occur
Solution Approach 1:
The data center is divided into multiple rack rows with dedicated supply and circulation ducts for each row. This segmentation allows independent temperature control and air circulation for each rack row, preventing hotspots while maintaining overall energy efficiency. Each rack row receives customized cold air supply and has its own warm air circulation path.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides localized cold air supply to each rack row through individual supply ducts, and implements local warm air circulation through dedicated circulation ducts. This local quality approach ensures uniform temperature distribution across different rack rows while maintaining the energy-saving benefits of outside air cooling.
2Temperature
If additional fans are installed to improve air circulation and temperature uniformity, then temperature distribution improves, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation ducts are designed to utilize the natural pressure difference between the cold air supply side and warm air exhaust side to drive air circulation without requiring additional fans. The system serves itself by converting the temperature-induced pressure difference into useful circulation flow, eliminating the need for extra power-consuming fan equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical fan-driven circulation system with a pressure-difference-driven natural circulation system. Instead of using mechanical energy from fans to move air, the system leverages the natural pressure gradient created by temperature differences between cold and warm air regions, substituting mechanical actuation with thermodynamic forces.
3Productivity
If cold air is blown directly into rack rows, then cooling efficiency improves, but temperature variability among different rack rows increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cold air supply system is segmented into multiple independent supply ducts, each serving a specific rack row. This segmentation ensures that each rack row receives adequate cold air supply for efficient cooling while maintaining consistent temperature distribution across all rack rows, preventing temperature variability.
Solution Approach 2:
Each rack row is provided with localized cold air supply through dedicated supply ducts and localized warm air circulation through dedicated circulation ducts. This local quality approach ensures that cooling efficiency is maintained in each rack row while temperature variability across the entire data center is minimized through uniform distribution.
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 achieves improved cooling efficiency and uniform temperature distribution across the data center, reducing hotspots and energy usage by optimizing air flow and temperature management without increasing power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
using pressure differences to automatically adjust the air flow
Implementation Method 2
using pressure differences to automatically adjust the air flow
Implementation Method 3
a first barrier that closes up the first space at one end portion of the first rack and the second rack, and a second barrier that closes up the first space at the other end portion
Data Source
AI summary
A data center includes a first rack, a second rack, a supply duct provided over a first space between the first and second rack, a first circulation duct including a first suction port disposed at an end side of the first rack and a first exhaust port disposed at the first space side and provided between an upper portion of the first rack and the supply duct so as to close up the first space, a second circulation duct including a second suction port disposed at an end side of the second rack and a second exhaust port disposed at the first space side and provided between an upper portion of the second rack and the supply duct so as to close up the first space, a first and second barrier that closes up the first space at one and the other end of the first and second rack, respectively.