Pumped Refrigerant Redundancy Layout for Data Center Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data center climate control systems face challenges in achieving reliable redundancy without incurring prohibitively high costs, as complete redundancy of cooling systems complicates design and implementation, and over-provisioning with additional pumps and cooling modules increases costs significantly.
Innovation Solution
A pumped refrigerant cooling system with a primary and secondary cooling module, where the secondary module provides refrigerant flow upon primary module deactivation, sharing a common condenser and receiver, and controlled by a redundant pumping unit to maintain uptime and reduce costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complete redundancy of cooling systems is implemented, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the condenser and receiver components into a shared common infrastructure between primary and secondary cooling modules. This consolidation reduces the total number of components while maintaining redundancy capability, as the shared condenser and receiver can serve both modules during normal and failover operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The common condenser and receiver are designed to serve multiple functions: they can process refrigerant from either the primary or secondary cooling module independently, or both simultaneously. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain full cooling capacity with fewer components, reducing complexity while preserving reliability.
2Reliability
If over-provisioning with additional pumps and cooling modules is implemented, then reliability is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the condenser and receiver into shared components, the patent eliminates the need for duplicate expensive equipment in secondary cooling modules. This merging strategy maintains the 1+1 to N+1 redundancy capability while reducing the total quantity of substantial components, thereby lowering overall system cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial redundancy by sharing critical components rather than providing complete duplication. The secondary cooling module has its own pump and evaporator but shares the condenser and receiver, providing sufficient redundancy for reliability while avoiding the excessive cost of full duplication of all components.
3Reliability
If complete redundancy of cooling systems is implemented, then reliability is improved, but design and implementation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shared condenser and receiver create a simplified architecture where components are consolidated rather than duplicated. This merging reduces the number of connections, control points, and installation steps required, making the system easier to manufacture and implement while maintaining reliability through the 1+1 to N+1 redundancy scheme.
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 enables efficient redundancy in data center cooling systems by allowing seamless transition between primary and secondary cooling modules, maintaining uptime while reducing costs by half compared to complete redundancy systems, and simplifying design and control.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the primary and secondary cooling modules further includes a condenser for receiving refrigerant from the load. The refrigerant received by the condenser being at a higher temperature than the first temperature.
Implementation Method 2
The primary and secondary modules also each include a liquid receiver that receives refrigerant in a liquid state from the condenser.
Data Source
AI summary
A pumped refrigerant cooling system having cooling units with associated pumping units for providing working fluid to the cooling unit to enable cooling of a space. The pumped refrigerant cooling system also includes a redundant pumping unit which is activated when a primary pumping unit associated with a cooling unit becomes inactive. The primary pumping unit is deactivated in favor of the redundant pumping unit. Once the primary pumping unit is placed in a condition suitable for reactivation, the redundant pumping unit is deactivated, and the primary pumping unit is reactivated.