Evaporative fluid-cooler with integrated mechanical cooling system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data centers face high energy and water consumption in cooling systems, with existing technologies inefficiently managing heat removal and water usage, particularly in mission-critical facilities.
Innovation Solution
A fluid cooling apparatus combining mechanical and evaporative cooling systems, with a condenser coil located in the exhaust air of the evaporative cooling system to optimize power and water consumption, and incorporating pre-cooling techniques for enhanced efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If a traditional air cooling system is used in data centers, then the cooling coverage is sufficient, but the energy consumption exceeds 40% of total energy usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from air cooling to liquid cooling by installing a liquid cooling apparatus outside the enclosed space that provides cold fluid directly to heat removal apparatus or heat sources inside the data center. Liquid has much higher thermal capacity than air, and moving liquid is more efficient than moving air, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a recirculating fluid as an intermediary cooling medium between the heat sources in the data center and the cooling apparatus. The fluid circulates through pipes, absorbing heat from servers and electrical components, and dissipates it outside the enclosed space, creating a more efficient heat transfer pathway than direct air cooling.
2Productivity
If liquid cooling system is used for high density cooling, then cooling efficiency improves, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs evaporative cooling technology that changes the operating parameters of the cooling system by utilizing phase change of water from liquid to vapor. This process absorbs significant heat energy during evaporation, providing efficient cooling while consuming less water than traditional liquid cooling systems that require continuous water circulation and replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of water from liquid to vapor in the evaporative cooling process. Water evaporates from the cooling medium, absorbing heat from the enclosed space during the phase change, which provides highly efficient cooling with minimal water consumption compared to conventional liquid cooling systems.
3Reliability
If mechanical cooling system operates continuously, then cooling capacity is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates both evaporative cooling and mechanical cooling systems that can dynamically switch between different operating modes. The system adapts its cooling method based on ambient conditions and cooling demands, using evaporative cooling when conditions permit (lower power consumption) and mechanical cooling when additional capacity is required (higher reliability), thereby optimizing the balance between power consumption and cooling capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic operation of the mechanical cooling system complemented by evaporative cooling. The system alternates between evaporative cooling mode (low power) and mechanical cooling mode (high power) based on thermal load requirements, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining adequate cooling capacity through coordinated periodic operation of both systems.
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 integrated system achieves significant reductions in power and water consumption while maintaining effective heat removal, making it a cost-effective and efficient cooling solution for data centers and other mission-critical facilities.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporative cooling system that uses evaporative cooling media to cool the process fluid
Implementation Method 2
locating the condenser coil for the mechanical cooling system in the evaporative fluid cooler's exhaust air
Implementation Method 3
a mechanical cooling system integrated with the evaporative fluid cooler
Data Source
AI summary
A mission critical facility is an enclosed space whose failure can bring a significant loss to a business. An example of a mission critical facility is a data center which usually comprises computers, servers, storage equipment, networking equipment, telecom equipment and associated electrical components working 24/7. The electrical components in the data center produce a lot of heat that requires removal from the enclosed space by using an air conditioning system. This invention includes a fluid cooling apparatus that cools the enclosed space using optimum power and water consumptions. The enclosed space can be a mission critical facility including but not limited to a data center. The disclosed fluid cooling apparatus offers low power and water consumption by combining a mechanical cooling system with an evaporative fluid cooling system in one single apparatus. Some embodiments locate the condenser coil for the mechanical cooling system in the evaporative fluid cooling's exhaust air to save on space and power consumption, which is novel in the industry. Also, this invention proposes using pre-cooling techniques for fluid-coolers which further improves the efficiency of the fluid cooling system which is also novel in the industry. The disclosed fluid cooling apparatus has three modes of operation to optimize power and water consumptions. Also, the disclosed fluid cooling apparatus can be used to deliver cold air to the enclosed space, cold fluid to the enclosed space or an end user or a combination of both which is called hybrid-cooling.