Rack Airflow Control for Modular Electronics Housing Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data centers with modular designs face challenges in providing optimal ventilation and cooling systems for electronic equipment racks, as existing solutions either uniformly cool the module environment or focus on individual rack cooling, failing to efficiently manage ambient environmental conditions without supplemental cooling.
Innovation Solution
A system with adjustable ingress and egress ports, integrated air conditioning, and a control system that monitors environmental conditions to dynamically adjust airflow and cooling power, allowing individualized environmental control for each rack while optimizing module environment cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If uniform cooling is applied to the entire module, then the module environment is cooled, but electronic equipment cannot be optimally cooled and supplemental cooling is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooling system into rack-level segments, where each rack has its own air conditioning unit and can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows electronic equipment to be cooled separately from the module environment, eliminating the need for supplemental cooling and improving overall cooling efficiency.
2Temperature
If self-contained rack cooling is used, then electronic equipment is cooled, but the module environment cannot be efficiently cooled
Solution Approach 1:
The rack air conditioning units are designed to perform multiple functions: cooling electronic equipment and contributing to module environment cooling. By configuring adjustable ingress and egress ports, the same rack AC system can serve dual purposes, eliminating the need for separate supplemental cooling systems.
3Temperature
If rack air conditioning systems are separated from module environment control, then electronic equipment cooling is optimized, but module environment cooling becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of ingress and egress ports on rack AC systems, allowing the configuration to be adjusted based on cooling demands. This dynamic adaptability enables the system to optimize for either electronic equipment cooling or module environment cooling as needed, resolving the contradiction between the two cooling objectives.
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 approach enables efficient cooling of both electronic equipment and the module environment, conserving space and improving performance by targeting cooling power to specific racks, while maintaining optimal ambient conditions without supplemental cooling.
Implementation Method 1
an air conditioning system
Implementation Method 2
an air mover
Data Source
AI summary
A system is provided in one example embodiment that includes at least one rack for electronic equipment, each rack including: at least one sensor configured to measure an environmental condition, an air conditioning system, an ingress port configured to allow air to flow into a corresponding rack from an environment surrounding the racks, and an egress port configured to allow air to flow out of a corresponding rack and into the environment surrounding the racks. The system also includes a housing that surrounds the racks and that defines the environment surrounding the racks. The air that flows out through the egress ports of the racks conditions the air in the environment surrounding the racks.