Local Cooling Unit Layout to Prevent Server Rack Air Recirculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for server rooms consume high power and limit space due to the recirculation of exhaust heat air, which necessitates large air conditioners and inefficient cooling.
Innovation Solution
A local cooling unit is positioned above electronic devices, featuring an air inlet at the bottom, an evaporator for cooling, and an air outlet on the side, with a fan to direct airflow, and a natural refrigerant circulation method to prevent recirculation and condensation, allowing for efficient cooling with reduced power consumption and increased space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional air conditioner is used to cool the entire device room, then the cooling coverage is comprehensive, but the power consumption increases and the space for arranging racks is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the cooling system into multiple independent local cooling units, each responsible for cooling a specific electronic device or rack. Instead of using one large air conditioner to cool the entire room, each cooling unit independently cools its target device by capturing exhaust heat air at the rear of the device and delivering cooled air to the front, thereby segmenting the cooling load and reducing overall power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements localized cooling by placing cooling units directly at or near the electronic devices that require cooling. Each cooling unit is tailored to the specific cooling needs of its target device, providing targeted cooling only where heat is generated, rather than cooling the entire room uniformly. This local approach reduces energy waste and frees up space for additional racks.
2Device complexity
If exhaust heat air is not properly managed, then the cooling system can be simple, but the exhaust heat air recirculates and reduces cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the exhaust heat air from the rear of electronic devices using dedicated air inlet ports positioned at the rear. By separately capturing and treating this exhaust air through individual cooling units, the system prevents recirculation of hot air back to the device fronts, thereby maintaining cooling efficiency without requiring complex centralized air handling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces cooling units as intermediary devices between the exhaust air source (rear of devices) and the air intake locations (front of devices). These intermediary cooling units process the exhaust air by cooling it and delivering it to appropriate locations, acting as a mediator that prevents direct recirculation while maintaining system simplicity.
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 local cooling unit effectively cools exhaust heat air with minimal power consumption, preventing recirculation and condensation, thereby securing space for server racks and optimizing energy use in server rooms.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator which is provided in the housing and which evaporates a refrigerant by heat exchange with air sucked in from the air inlet port to cool the air
Implementation Method 2
an evaporator which is provided in the housing and which evaporates a refrigerant by heat exchange with air sucked in from the air inlet port to cool the air
Data Source
AI summary
The local cooling unit according to an aspect of the present invention includes a housing having a cavity formed in the housing, an air inlet port which is provided in a bottom surface of the housing and which takes in exhaust heat air from the electronic device, an evaporator which is provided in the housing and which evaporates a refrigerant by heat exchange with air sucked in from the air inlet port to cool the air, the refrigerant passing through an inside of the evaporator, an air outlet port which is provided in a side surface of the housing and which exhausts the air cooled by the evaporator, and a fan which is provided on a side of the air inlet port or a side of the air outlet port of the housing and which moves the air from the air inlet port to the air outlet port.