Indirect Free Cooling Conditioning Unit With Fan Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional indirect free cooling conditioning units for computing centers have high electricity consumption due to inefficient air flow management and heat exchange, leading to increased power absorption by servers as temperature rises, especially above 20°C, resulting in higher energy costs and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A conditioning unit with an air/air heat exchanger that uses temperature and humidity detection probes and power measurement devices to adjust the speed of fans, optimizing air flow rates and power consumption by balancing the flow rates of primary and secondary air flows, thereby reducing the overall electricity consumption and improving heat exchange efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the temperature of air delivery is increased to maximize free cooling capacity, then the cooling efficiency improves, but the power absorption by servers increases significantly when temperature exceeds 20°C
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of air flow rates and delivery temperatures based on real-time monitoring of server power consumption and environmental conditions. The system transitions from static temperature setting to dynamic optimization, continuously adapting the cooling parameters to maintain server intake temperature below 20°C while maximizing free cooling utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms by monitoring server power absorption, outdoor temperature, and air flow rates. This feedback enables the control unit to adjust the primary and secondary air flow rates dynamically, ensuring that servers operate within optimal temperature ranges while efficiently utilizing free cooling capacity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the air flow rate of primary flow is increased to maintain fixed temperature range, then the temperature stability improves, but the electricity consumption of primary fans increases considerably compared to process fans
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of air flow rates and delivery temperatures based on real-time monitoring of server power consumption and environmental conditions. The system transitions from static temperature setting to dynamic optimization, continuously adapting the cooling parameters to maintain server intake temperature below 20°C while maximizing free cooling utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system optimizes multiple parameters simultaneously including primary air flow rate, secondary air flow rate, and delivery temperature. By changing these parameters dynamically based on outdoor conditions and server load, the system achieves temperature stability with reduced fan power consumption compared to conventional fixed-parameter 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 solution achieves a more efficient heat exchange and lower electricity consumption by optimizing fan speeds and air flow rates, reducing server power absorption, and maintaining efficient cooling while minimizing energy expenditure, thus enhancing the electrical efficiency of computing centers.
Implementation Method 1
an air/air heat exchanger, inside which two air flows 12 and 13, exchange heat
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A conditioning unit (10) of the indirect free cooling type, particularly for conditioning computing centers, of the type comprising: - an air/air heat exchanger (11), inside which two air flows (12, 13), exchange heat: a primary air flow (12) from and toward an environment to be air-conditioned (14), and a secondary air flow (13), or process flow, drawn from outside, - first fans (15) for moving the primary air flow (12), - second fans (16) for moving the secondary air flow (13). The conditioning unit (10) comprises: - means (17, 18, 19) for detecting temperature and humidity for the primary flow (12) and the secondary flow (13) at the inlet of the conditioning unit (10) and for the primary flow (12) at the delivery toward an environment to be air-conditioned (14), - means (20, 21) for detecting the flow-rate of the primary flow (12) and of the secondary flow (13), - means (22, 23) for detecting the electric power absorbed by the first fans (15) and the second fans (16), - an electronic control and management unit (24) adapted to collect and process the data detected by the detection means (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) and, on the basis of the detected data, adapted to adjust the speed of the first fans (15) and the second fans (16).