Inflatable Air Ducts for Datacenter Cooling and Fire Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
In datacenter cooling systems, existing technologies fail to effectively prevent the mixing of cold and hot air aisles, which leads to inefficient heat management and can interfere with fire suppression systems during emergencies.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of inflatable air ducts with air permeable sidewalls and internal baffles that expand to block the mixing of cold and hot air aisles during normal operation, while collapsing to allow fire extinguishing gases to disperse freely in case of a fire, and using nozzles to direct air radially into cold aisles for efficient cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If rigid air ducts are used to block mixing of cold and hot air aisles, then heat extraction efficiency is improved, but fire suppression system operation is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The air duct transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic inflatable structure that can change its state between inflated (blocking air mixing during normal operation) and deflated (allowing fire suppressant dispersion during emergencies), resolving the contradiction between maintaining cooling efficiency and enabling fire suppression
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state parameter of the air duct is changed from fixed rigid to variable inflatable/deflated, allowing the system to adapt between two operational modes: blocking cold/hot air mixing during normal cooling and permitting fire suppressant flow during emergencies
2Productivity
If air ducts are inflated to prevent mixing of cold and hot air, then cooling efficiency is improved, but access and maintenance become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The air duct system incorporates dynamic inflation and deflation capability, allowing it to be inflated during normal operation to maximize cooling efficiency and deflated during maintenance or emergency situations to facilitate access and operations
3Reliability
If fire suppressant is discharged during normal operation, then safety is improved, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to air mixing
Solution Approach 1:
The inflatable air duct is inflated in advance during normal operation to create a physical barrier that prevents fire suppressant from mixing with cold aisle air, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of reduced cooling efficiency when suppressant is discharged
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 enhances heat extraction efficiency without interfering with fire suppression systems and ensures effective cooling while allowing for unobstructed fire extinguishing gas dispersion, improving both operational and safety aspects of datacenter cooling.
Implementation Method 1
air permeable inflatable air ducts installed above multiple rows of computer racks... when inflated, the air ducts have an expanded shape that inhibits adverse mixing of air between hot aisles and cold aisles
Implementation Method 2
air permeable sidewalls... in the event of a fire, the air ducts deflate and collapse so as not to obstruct the flow of a fire extinguishing gas
Implementation Method 3
nozzles and/or internal baffles promote radial air discharge from the supply air duct
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An example cooling system for a datacenter is disclosed. The datacenter includes a plurality of computers arranged in a row within a building. The row of computers separates a cold aisle and a hot aisle. The row of computers defines an air passageway between the cold aisle and the hot aisle. The row of computers is associated with a top surface that is below and spaced apart from an overhead surface of the building to define a gap between the top surface and the overhead surface. The example cooling system includes an inflatable air duct to be disposed within the gap. The inflatable air duct has selectively an inflated state and a deflated state. The inflatable air duct filling more of the gap when the inflatable air duct is in the inflated state than when the inflatable air duct is in the deflated state.