In-Row Cooling Rack Air Plenum for Data Center Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data center cooling systems, such as CRAC units, are inefficient as they mix cool air with room temperature air, leading to suboptimal cooling and energy usage, and require immobile and inflexible configurations that do not adapt well to varying airflow needs.
Innovation Solution
An in-row cooling system comprising a modular, movable cooling rack with a housing that forms an air plenum with electronic equipment racks, allowing for controlled airflow and scalable deployment, with dampers to manage air flow and a controller to optimize cooling based on equipment power usage and environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If CRAC units are used to cool data centers, then cooling coverage is provided, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to mixing cool air with room temperature air
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the data center into individual rack cooling zones, with each cooling rack handling its own adjacent equipment rack independently. This eliminates the need for large-scale air mixing in traditional CRAC systems, directing cool air precisely to specific equipment racks and preventing energy waste from cooling unnecessary spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Each cooling rack provides localized cooling with adjustable dampers that control airflow to specific equipment racks based on their individual thermal loads. This local control allows optimal cooling efficiency for each zone without affecting other areas, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and operational flexibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional CRAC units are deployed, then cooling is provided, but flexibility and adaptability worsen due to immobile and inflexible configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into modular cooling racks that can be independently positioned and configured. Each cooling rack is a self-contained unit that can be moved to different locations and adjusted to serve various equipment rack configurations, providing flexibility without requiring complex centralized control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling racks are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing repositioning along the data center aisles. The dampers provide dynamic airflow adjustment capabilities, enabling the system to adapt to changing thermal loads and equipment configurations while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.
3Reliability
If cooling capacity is increased to handle varying equipment loads, then cooling performance improves, but energy consumption worsens
Solution Approach 1:
Each cooling rack independently controls its airflow to match the specific thermal requirements of its adjacent equipment rack. The dampers allow precise adjustment of cooling capacity on a per-rack basis, ensuring that cooling performance matches actual equipment needs without wasting energy on over-cooling or cooling empty spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic adjustment of airflow parameters through damper control, enabling each cooling rack to optimize its operating conditions based on equipment thermal loads. This parameter control ensures reliable cooling performance while minimizing energy consumption by matching cooling output to actual demand.
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 cooling efficiency by directing warm air from equipment racks to cooling racks through an air plenum, optimizing energy use and scalability, allowing for flexible placement and real-time adjustment of cooling capacity to match the needs of the data center.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling rack intake air from near the ceiling of the data center room and discharge cooler air under a raised floor for delivery to the fronts of the equipment racks
Implementation Method 2
the CRAC units intake room temperature air (at about 72° F.) and discharge cold air (at about 55° F.)
Data Source
AI summary
An in-row electronic equipment storage system and corresponding method provides cooling to an electronic equipment rack. The system includes an electronic equipment rack that includes a housing adapted to receive electronic equipment, and an electronic equipment rack air cavity. A cooling rack, including a housing adapted to receive cooling equipment, and a cooling rack air cavity, is configured to be disposed adjacent to the electronic equipment rack. An interface allows for fluid communication between the cooling rack air cavity and the electronic equipment air cavity. The interface may include dampers to control air flow between the air cavities.