Evaporative Rack Cooling with Phase-Change Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid cooling solutions for data centers face challenges such as high energy consumption, complex piping designs, high-speed fans with low cooling efficiency, and limited heat emission space, making them difficult to implement and expand, especially with increased energy density and global energy shortages.
Innovation Solution
An evaporative cooling system that includes a heat conducting device coupled with a heating element, an evaporation chamber, and a condensation chamber connected through an evaporator, using a second medium to dissipate heat efficiently without the need for complex outdoor equipment or low-temperature inlet water, with structures like S-shaped, grid, or honeycomb evaporators for enhanced heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional liquid cooling solutions are implemented, then energy efficiency is improved, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase due to complex piping designs and high infrastructure requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cooling function into modular components: evaporators integrated into rack doors, heat dissipation devices positioned at strategic locations, and distributed heat exchange units. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex centralized piping while maintaining effective heat removal from server racks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary heat dissipation device that mediates between the server racks and the outdoor environment. This device uses phase-change materials and heat exchange surfaces to transfer heat from indoor servers to outdoor air, eliminating the need for direct liquid cooling piping through the building infrastructure.
2Productivity
If conventional liquid cooling solutions are implemented, then heat dissipation effectiveness is improved, but cost increases due to large and complex outdoor equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The heat dissipation device utilizes free convection and phase-change phenomena to achieve heat dissipation without requiring expensive high-speed fans or complex mechanical systems. The system leverages natural physical processes (evaporation, condensation, convection) to perform the cooling function, eliminating the need for energy-intensive mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs phase transitions of water (evaporation and condensation) as the core heat transfer mechanism. The evaporator uses evaporation to absorb heat from server racks, while the heat dissipation device uses condensation and convection to release heat outdoors. This phase-change-based approach replaces expensive mechanical cooling systems with simple, low-cost phase transition processes.
3Temperature
If conventional water-cooled door method is used, then cooling capacity is improved, but energy consumption increases due to low temperature inlet water requirements and high-speed fans
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the cooling system by using ambient temperature water (rather than requiring low-temperature processed water) and utilizing phase-change temperature differentials. The evaporator operates at temperatures slightly below ambient, while the heat dissipation device operates at ambient or slightly elevated temperatures, eliminating the need for energy-intensive water cooling machines.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces mechanical cooling methods (high-speed fans, water cooling machines) with passive thermal processes. Heat exchange is achieved through phase changes and natural convection rather than forced mechanical circulation, dramatically reducing energy consumption while maintaining cooling capacity.
4Productivity
If conventional liquid cooling solutions are implemented, then cooling performance is improved, but adaptability decreases due to limited heat emission space and noise restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the heat dissipation function from an indoor space constraint to an outdoor spatial dimension. By positioning heat dissipation devices outdoors and utilizing vertical heat exchange surfaces, the system overcomes limited indoor heat emission space. The system also extends cooling functionality to outdoor equipment rooms and other previously unserved areas.
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 improves energy efficiency, reduces fan speed and noise, simplifies implementation, and eliminates the need for complex piping and outdoor equipment, achieving high energy efficiency and easier expansion while ensuring safety in data centers.
Implementation Method 1
the evaporator is configured to receive heat from the heat conducting device to heat the second medium of the heat dissipating device and discharge the heat from the one or more heat dissipating outlets of the heat dissipating device
Implementation Method 2
an evaporator disposed in the heat dissipating device and arranged in relation to the heat conducting device
Data Source
AI summary
An evaporative cooling system having a heat conducting device, the heat conducting device being capable of coupling to a heating element to be cooled and the heat conducting device comprising a first medium; a heat dissipating device having one or more heat dissipating outlets; and an evaporator disposed in the heat dissipating device and arranged in relation to the heat conducting device that is arranged at least partially outside the heat dissipating device. The heat dissipating device comprises a second medium, and the evaporator is configured to receive heat from the heat conducting device to heat the second medium of the heat dissipating device and discharge the heat from the one or more heat dissipating outlets of the heat dissipating device.