Rack Battery Unit PCM Cooling Channels for Heat Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in thermal management of modular battery units in data center racks is the difficulty in maintaining optimal temperature, as the close configuration of components generates excessive heat, reducing battery life and performance.
Innovation Solution
The integration of phase change material (PCM) strips on the modular battery unit housing and air flow channels between these strips to absorb and distribute heat, utilizing PCM's latent heat capacity to manage thermal energy and enhance cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If modular battery units are configured closely in data center racks to maximize space utilization, then productivity and space efficiency are improved, but heat accumulation increases causing battery life reduction and performance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures the harmful heat generated by battery units and converts it into a useful resource by directing it to pre-cooling adjacent battery units. This heat recovery approach transforms the waste heat into a beneficial pre-cooling effect, reducing the overall thermal management burden and extending battery life while maintaining high density configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cooling fans as intermediary devices that facilitate heat transfer between battery units. These fans act as mediators to redirect hot air from one battery unit to another, enabling controlled heat distribution and pre-cooling without requiring external cooling infrastructure
2Temperature
If internal cooling fans are added to each modular battery unit to dissipate heat, then cooling capability is improved, but significant heat remains within and around the housing threatening battery lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures the harmful heat generated by battery units and converts it into a useful resource by directing it to pre-cooling adjacent battery units. This heat recovery approach transforms the waste heat into a beneficial pre-cooling effect, reducing the overall thermal management burden and extending battery life while maintaining high density configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables batteries to cool themselves by utilizing the heat they generate to pre-cool neighboring units. This self-service approach reduces reliance on external cooling infrastructure and allows the battery array to autonomously manage its thermal environment through coordinated fan operation
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 extends the life and performance of modular battery units by maintaining a stable temperature, ensuring peak operation and reducing heat-related damage, while allowing for easy maintenance and integration with existing rack architectures.
Implementation Method 1
The integration of phase change material (PCM) strips on the modular battery unit housing and air flow channels between these strips to absorb and distribute heat, utilizing PCM's latent heat capacity to manage thermal energy
Implementation Method 2
utilizing PCM's latent heat capacity to manage thermal energy
Implementation Method 3
air flow channels between these strips to absorb and distribute heat
Data Source
AI summary
A data rack system includes a data center rack frame, a shelf positioned within the data center rack frame; and a modular battery unit disposed on the shelf. The modular battery unit further includes a housing having an outer surface, a plurality of strips of phase change material (“PCM”) attached to the outer surface and spaced apart from one another; and air flow channels. The air flow channels are formed in spaces between two adjacent strips of the plurality of strips and defined by a shape and size of the spaces between the two adjacent strips.