Modular Aisle Containment for Data Center Airflow Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data centers face inefficiencies in airflow management, including bypass airflow, recirculation, hot and cold air remixing, air stagnation, and uncomfortable ambient temperatures, due to legacy systems that are not flexible enough to accommodate varying equipment sizes and changing thermal loads, leading to energy waste and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A modular, configurable data center air routing system that uses free-standing modular units with adjustable sidewall and ceiling panels to create isolated aisles, allowing for flexible air flow management and accommodation of different IT equipment configurations, and can function as either a cold or hot aisle system, with optional active cooling components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If open air system with overhead ducting or raised floor plenum is used to deliver cold air, then cold air can be distributed throughout the data center, but hot and cold air premixing occurs reducing cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the data center into distinct cold aisle and hot aisle zones using modular containment structures. These structures physically separate the airflow paths, preventing hot and cold air premixing while maintaining distributed cold air delivery through the segmented cold aisle regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The containment structures incorporate adjustable and reconfigurable components that allow the airflow management system to adapt dynamically. The modular design enables reconfiguration of aisle configurations and containment boundaries to optimize cooling efficiency for different equipment layouts and thermal loads.
2Loss of energy
If rigid aisle containment structures are installed to prevent air remixing, then cooling efficiency improves, but adaptability to different equipment configurations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The containment system is divided into modular segments that can be independently configured and repositioned. Each module can accommodate different equipment sizes and shapes, allowing the overall structure to adapt to various IT equipment configurations while maintaining the air sealing necessary for cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates adjustable panels, movable walls, and reconfigurable components that enable the containment structures to be dynamically reconfigured. This allows the same structure to maintain effective air sealing for cooling while adapting to different rack arrangements, equipment densities, and aisle configurations.
3Reliability
If precision air conditioning is used to maintain specific temperature ranges, then IT equipment operability is ensured, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the data center into isolated cold and hot aisles, the system reduces the volume of air that requires active cooling. The containment structures prevent hot air from mixing with cold supply air, allowing precision air conditioning to operate more efficiently on a reduced air volume while maintaining required temperature ranges for equipment reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system captures and redirects hot exhaust air from servers back to the hot aisle return path, converting what would be wasted heat into a beneficial thermal resource. This reduces the overall cooling load on the precision air conditioning system while maintaining equipment operability through proper thermal management.
4Productivity
If data centers add new equipment with different cooling needs, then computing capacity increases, but the performance and efficiency of the original cooling infrastructure is impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The modular containment structure allows for easy addition of new equipment modules without disrupting existing airflow patterns. New IT equipment can be integrated into the segmented architecture with dedicated cold and hot aisle provisions, maintaining cooling infrastructure efficiency while increasing computing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The containment system provides universal airflow management capabilities that can accommodate various equipment types and cooling requirements. The standardized modular design allows different equipment configurations to be integrated into the same thermal management framework, preserving cooling efficiency across diverse IT infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a modular, configurable aisle isolation and containment system that may function as a hot aisle or as a cold aisle. The data center air routing system of the invention comprises one or more free-standing, essentially identical, modular system units. Each modular unit comprises two sidewalls, a ceiling, and a door or panel at either end to form an interior, enclosed aisle. Two or modular units may be coupled together end-to-end. Each modular unit further comprises one or more sidewall blanking panels that may be removed to create gaps of varying height and width to accommodate one or more IT racks. Each modular unit may also include one or more ceiling-mounted air ducts, baffles and fans to manage air flow.