Gravity-assisted heat pipe ground cooling source cold storage system and chiller set
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data centers face challenges with high power consumption for air conditioning and the need for large, space-occupying cold storage systems that are not energy-efficient, especially during power failures.
Innovation Solution
A gravity-assisted heat pipe ground cooling source cold storage system that includes a heat exchanger pipe buried underground with a unique cross-sectional design and a cold storage pool, utilizing a refrigerant with a phase-transition temperature of 5-20°C to enhance cold absorption efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a large-size cold storage tank is added to provide cold storage capacity, then the cold storage capability is improved, but the system occupies huge space and requires complex heat insulation and load bearing structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cold storage tank with the heat exchanger pipe by embedding the heat exchanger pipe directly into the wall structure of the cold storage tank. This integration eliminates the need for separate cold storage equipment, reduces overall system volume, and simplifies the structure while maintaining adequate cold storage capability through the phase-change material in the tank.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger pipe is nested within the wall structure of the cold storage tank, with the pipe embedded in the wall thickness. This nesting approach allows the heat exchanger to occupy space within the existing tank structure rather than requiring additional external space, effectively reducing the overall volume required for cold storage functionality.
2Productivity
If the heat exchanger pipe cross section is increased to improve heat exchange efficiency, then the heat exchange area is improved, but the pipe pressure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger pipe is segmented into multiple smaller parallel pipes (e.g., four pipes) within the wall structure. This segmentation increases the total heat exchange surface area while distributing the fluid flow across multiple smaller channels, thereby maintaining lower pressure within each individual pipe while achieving high overall heat exchange efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single large-diameter pipe to multiple smaller-diameter pipes arranged in parallel within the wall thickness dimension. This dimensional reorganization allows the system to achieve high heat exchange area through the cumulative surface area of multiple pipes while keeping individual pipe pressures low due to smaller cross-sectional areas for fluid flow.
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 provides an energy-saving and efficient cold source for data centers, improving heat exchange efficiency by maximizing contact with the well wall and reducing pipe pressure, allowing for sustainable cold storage even during power failures.
Implementation Method 1
the heat exchanger pipe is buried underground
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a refrigerant with a phase-transition temperature of 5-20°C to enhance cold absorption efficiency
Implementation Method 3
a gravity-assisted heat pipe, a evaporating segment (51) of which is arranged in the cold storage pool (4) and a condensing segment (52) is arranged in the heat exchanging and cold condensing device (3)
Data Source
AI summary
A gravity-assisted heat pipe ground cooling source cold storage system and a chiller set. The cold storage system includes a gravity-assisted heat pipe, a cold storage pool, a heat exchanging and cold condensing device, and a heat exchanger pipe. An inlet and outlet of the cold storage pool are parallel-connected to cold water pipes of a chiller set, and are connected or disconnected via control valves. The heat exchanger pipe is buried underground, and includes a flow inlet pipe and a flow return pipe having a cross section including a first arc, a second arc, a third arc, and a fourth arc. The second arc and the fourth arc are S-shaped arcs. The first arc has a radius exceeding that of the third arc, and centers of circles of the first arc and third arc are located at the cross section of the flow return pipe.