Modular Data Center External Panel Air Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modular data centers face challenges in effectively cooling heat-generating equipment, particularly in external equipment panels, where existing cooling systems may not efficiently manage heat dissipation due to exposure to external environments.
Innovation Solution
An air handling system is implemented within a volumetric container of a modular data center, featuring a cold aisle and a hot aisle with air passages for cooling air to flow between them, along with externally attached equipment panels that receive supply air and direct warmed air back into the hot aisle, utilizing a cooling unit to pressurize the cold aisle and draw return air, thereby enhancing passive air cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If equipment panels are externally attached to the container, then ease of access and reduced internal size are improved, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult due to exposure to external environment
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple zones including cold aisle, hot aisle, equipment panel cavities, and external environment zones. Airflow is independently managed through separate supply and return conduits for each equipment panel, allowing targeted cooling strategies for externally mounted equipment while maintaining overall system efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
Equipment panel cavities act as intermediary thermal zones between the internally controlled cold/hot aisles and the external environment. These cavities receive cooled air from the cold aisle, allow heat exchange with externally mounted equipment, and return warmed air to the hot aisle, effectively mediating the thermal transition and protecting internal equipment from external heat
2Device complexity
If conventional cooling systems are used for external equipment panels, then system simplicity is maintained, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to inadequate heat dissipation management
Solution Approach 1:
The cold aisle serves multiple functions: it cools internally mounted equipment, supplies cooled air to externally mounted equipment panels through supply conduits, and maintains the thermal barrier between internal and external environments. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate cooling systems for external equipment while maintaining high cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system merges the cooling of internal and external equipment into a unified airflow path. Cooled air from the cold aisle is distributed to both internal equipment and external equipment panels through the same cold aisle, and all warmed air returns to the hot aisle, creating an integrated cooling solution that improves overall efficiency without adding system complexity
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 effectively cools heat-generating equipment by utilizing air passages and conduits to manage airflow between aisles, improving heat dissipation and reducing the need for additional cooling resources, thus enhancing the operational efficiency of modular data centers.
Implementation Method 1
A cooling unit pressurizes the cold aisle with supply air and draws return air from the hot aisle
Implementation Method 2
A supply air conduit directs supply air from the cold aisle to at least one of the one or more equipment panels. A return air conduit directs air warmed by the heat-generating equipment into the hot aisle from at least one of the one or more equipment panels
Data Source
AI summary
A modular data center (MDC) has an air handling system that air cools a volumetric container and heat-generating equipment contained in externally attached equipment panels. Heat-generating information technology (IT) component(s) are positioned within the volumetric container with a cold aisle defined on one side and a hot aisle defined on another side of the IT component(s). The IT component(s) has air-cooling air passages that fluidly communicate between the cold and the hot aisles. A cooling unit pressurizes the cold aisle with supply air and draws return air from the hot aisle. The equipment panel(s) are externally attached to an exterior wall of the volumetric container. A supply air conduit directs supply air from the cold aisle into the equipment panel(s). A return air conduit directs air warmed by the heat-generating equipment inside the equipment panel into the hot aisle from the equipment panel(s) that receives the supply air.