Polygonal Data Pod Cooling for High-Density Aisle Containment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional data center cooling systems are inefficient, requiring large initial and operational costs, and are not adaptable to fluctuating IT loads or high-density data centers, often wasting energy by cooling unnecessary areas and struggling with geographical limitations.
Innovation Solution
The modular data pod system with a close-coupled cooling system that uses polygonal shapes to efficiently partition hot and cold aisles, allowing for natural convection and mechanical assistance, reducing mechanical refrigeration capacity, and being deployable in high-wet bulb environments without chillers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional large, oversized cooling infrastructures are used, then the entire data center can be cooled, but high initial capital, operation, and maintenance costs are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The data center is divided into multiple modular data pods, each with its own dedicated cooling system. This segmentation allows only the necessary areas to be cooled at any given time, reducing energy waste and operational costs while maintaining adequate cooling capacity for the entire facility when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of cooling the entire data center at full capacity continuously, the system applies partial cooling action by activating only the cooling systems for occupied or high-load areas. This reduces unnecessary energy consumption while ensuring adequate cooling where required.
2Temperature
If traditional chiller plant is designed to cool the entire data center, then full coverage is achieved, but considerable energy is spent on areas that do not need to be cooled
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling infrastructure is segmented into modular units distributed throughout the data center. Each module serves a specific data pod or rack group, enabling selective cooling activation based on actual thermal loads and occupancy, thereby eliminating energy waste in unoccupied or low-load areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Different cooling strategies and capacities are applied to different locations within the data center based on local thermal demands. High-density areas receive more aggressive cooling while low-density or unoccupied areas receive minimal or no cooling, optimizing energy efficiency.
3Use of energy by stationary object
If air-cooled free cooling system is used, then reduced cost is achieved, but operation is restricted to cool, dry-climate environments
Solution Approach 1:
The modular cooling system is designed to function across diverse geographical and environmental conditions. Each module can operate in various climate types and can be configured for different cooling methods (air-cooled, water-cooled, hybrid), making the system universally applicable regardless of location.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system dynamically adapts its operation mode based on environmental conditions. In cool, dry climates, it operates in free-cooling mode using ambient air. In hot or humid environments, it automatically switches to mechanical refrigeration or alternative cooling methods, ensuring continuous effective operation across varying geographical conditions.
4Adaptability or versatility
If adiabatic-assisted system is used, then expanded geographical reach is achieved, but sufficient cooling for high density data centers cannot be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple cooling methods within each modular unit, combining adiabatic cooling, free cooling, and mechanical refrigeration capabilities. This hybrid approach leverages the geographical adaptability of adiabatic systems while incorporating the high cooling capacity of mechanical systems to handle high-density data center loads.
Solution Approach 2:
For high-density areas, the system applies excessive cooling capacity by activating all available cooling mechanisms simultaneously, ensuring sufficient cooling even for the most demanding thermal loads, while using only partial capacity for lower-density areas to optimize energy efficiency.
5Temperature
If modular data pod system with polygonal shapes is used, then efficient partitioning of hot and cold aisles is achieved, but natural convection and mechanical assistance are required
Solution Approach 1:
The data pods utilize asymmetric polygonal geometries that naturally facilitate optimized airflow patterns for hot and cold aisle containment. The irregular shapes are deliberately designed to direct cool air along specific paths while containing hot air exhaust, enhancing natural convection efficiency without requiring complex mechanical intervention.
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 provides a cost-effective, energy-efficient, and scalable cooling system that can handle high-density data centers with reduced energy consumption and operational costs, adaptable to various geographical conditions, and capable of efficient cooling in high-wet bulb environments.
Implementation Method 1
uses polygonal shapes to efficiently partition hot and cold aisles, allowing for natural convection and mechanical assistance
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchange member coupled to the first cooling circuit, and a second cooling circuit coupled to the heat exchange member and configured to cool the plurality of servers
Implementation Method 3
a secondary cooling device configured to cool fluid flowing through the second cooling circuit
Data Source
AI summary
A space-saving, high-density modular data center and an energy-efficient cooling system for a modular data center are disclosed. The modular data center includes a first cooling circuit including a primary cooling device and a plurality of modular data pods. Each modular data pod includes a plurality of servers, a heat exchange member coupled to the first cooling circuit and a second cooling circuit coupled to the heat exchange member and configured to cool the plurality of servers, the second cooling circuit including a secondary cooling device configured to cool fluid flowing through the second cooling circuit. Each modular data pod also includes an auxiliary enclosure containing at least a portion of a distributed mechanical cooling system, which is configured to trim the cooling performed by a central free-cooling system.