Energy saving system and method for cooling computer data center and telecom equipment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cooling systems in data centers are inefficient, leading to wasted cooling air that fails to effectively reach heat-producing electronic equipment, resulting in thermal failures and high energy consumption due to inefficient airflow distribution and mixing with warmer air masses.

Innovation Solution

A system that utilizes airtight enclosures and pressure differentials to deliver cooled air directly to electronic components, preventing mixing with warmer air and ensuring high-volume airflow at optimal temperatures, thereby increasing cooling efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cooling air is delivered to electronic equipment in open environment, then cooling coverage is improved, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to air mixing and thermal stratification

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The data center environment is segmented into separate cold and hot zones using partitions and enclosures. Cooling air is delivered in isolated streams directly to equipment intakes, preventing mixing with return air and maintaining temperature differentials. This segmentation ensures that cooled air reaches its destination without being diluted by warmer air masses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Cooling is applied locally at specific equipment locations rather than uniformly throughout the entire space. Airtight enclosures create localized cooled environments around individual equipment racks or components, delivering optimal cooling exactly where needed while avoiding unnecessary cooling of empty spaces or already-cooled areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Temperature

If high volume cooling air is distributed throughout the facility, then cooling capacity is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates due to excessive air movement and mixing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling capacityVSAvoidcooling system energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and isolates the cooling air stream from the general facility environment. By using airtight enclosures and directed airflow paths, the cooled air is taken out of the general circulation and delivered directly to equipment, eliminating the energy waste associated with moving and mixing large volumes of air throughout the entire facility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Airtight enclosures and airflow channels act as intermediaries between the cooling source and the electronic equipment. These intermediaries guide the cooling air along controlled paths, preventing premature mixing with ambient air and ensuring that the cooling capacity reaches the equipment efficiently with minimal energy loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If cooling air is delivered without enclosed pathways, then system simplicity is improved, but cooling performance deteriorates due to thermal stratification and air mixing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling system structureVSAvoidcooling performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses airtight enclosures and flexible barriers to create sealed airflow pathways. These thin film or panel-based enclosures define controlled volumes that guide cooling air from source to equipment, preventing thermal stratification and air mixing while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 system significantly reduces energy costs by minimizing the volume of cooled air needed, increasing airflow through equipment, and preventing thermal failures, allowing for more efficient operation and reduced cooling infrastructure requirements.

Implementation Method 1

generating a pressure differential from a first side of the electronic equipment to a second side of the electronic equipment to create a flow of the cooled air across a surface of the electronic equipment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS11310944B2Energy saving system and method for cooling computer data center and telecom equipment

Publication Date: 2022.04.19 MARTINI VALAN R

AI summary

A system and method of reducing consumption of electricity used to cool electronic components such as in an electronic computer data center or in a facility of networking and telecommunications equipment, and to reduce the incidence of thermal failure of the electronic components, includes providing one or more partitions configured to form a reduced-volume cooled-environment chamber in order to supply cooled air from an air conditioning system to the chamber adjacent to racks containing the electronic components, thereby preventing dilution of the cooling air by warmer air from outside of the chamber, and controlling the delivery of cooling air through the reduced-volume cooled-environment chamber.