Equipment Rack Arrangement With Horizontal Busbars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data center configurations require significant space for hot aisles between rows of equipment racks, and they often inefficiently distribute high power, necessitating the use of fans in servers and complex cabling for power distribution.
Innovation Solution
The proposed equipment rack arrangement eliminates the need for hot aisles by positioning rows of equipment racks closely together, with horizontal busbars providing direct power connections to IT equipment racks, and removing fans from servers to enable smaller server designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If traditional hot aisle configuration is used between equipment rack rows, then air circulation for cooling is maintained, but significant space is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the hot aisle space with the equipment rack structure by integrating exhaust air extraction directly into the rack units. Hot air is captured at the rear of each rack and channeled through integrated exhaust fans directly to the return air plenum, eliminating the need for a separate hot aisle space while maintaining effective air circulation and cooling.
2Power
If complex power distribution systems with overhead busways and cabling are used, then high power distribution is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power distribution function from the traditional overhead busway system and integrates it directly into the equipment rack structure. Power is distributed through the rack framework itself, eliminating the need for separate overhead busways and reducing cabling complexity while maintaining high power distribution capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The equipment rack structure is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support for equipment, serves as a thermal management system with integrated cooling and exhaust, and functions as a power distribution network. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate overhead busways and simplifies the overall system.
3Temperature
If fans are included in server designs for air cooling, then cooling is effective, but server size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function from individual server designs and relocates it to the rack level. Instead of each server containing its own cooling fans, the rack-level liquid cooling system provides cooling for all servers, allowing individual servers to be smaller and fanless while maintaining effective cooling through the centralized liquid cooling infrastructure.
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 configuration reduces space requirements, simplifies high-power distribution by eliminating cabling and overhead busways, and increases power density within the data center, while also allowing for more compact server designs.
Implementation Method 1
each server being in fluid communication with a liquid cooling system
Implementation Method 2
at least one horizontal busbar extending horizontally through the equipment racks... configured to provide power to electronic equipment
Data Source
AI summary
An equipment rack arrangement includes a first row of equipment racks and at least one horizontal busbar extending horizontally through the equipment racks of the first row of equipment racks. The at least one horizontal busbar is configured to provide power to electronic equipment supported by the equipment racks of the first row of equipment racks. The equipment rack arrangement further may include at least one vertical busbar extending vertically through equipment racks of the first row of equipment racks.