Intelligent repurposable cooling systems for mobile datacenter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current datacenter cooling systems, including air cooling and liquid cooling, are inefficient in addressing the varying and high heat requirements of modern datacenters, particularly in mobile datacenters where space is limited and different cooling media are needed to manage different cooling capacities.
Innovation Solution
A repurposable refrigerant cooling subsystem that integrates with an evaporative cooling subsystem, providing adjustable cooling capacities by controlling humidity and independently cooling the datacenter, using a refrigerant that changes phase to absorb heat and is circulated through a secondary cooling loop, allowing for efficient heat removal and moisture control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If air cooling systems are used, then the system is simple and economical, but the cooling capacity is insufficient for high heat requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system dynamically switches between air cooling and liquid cooling modes based on thermal demand. The system includes a configurable architecture where cooling subsystems can be activated or deactivated, allowing transition from simple air cooling to high-capacity liquid cooling with chillers and cooling towers as heat load increases
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed with multi-functional components that can serve different purposes. The chiller system can operate in multiple configurations including dedicated cooling mode and hybrid mode where it supplements air cooling. External cooling towers can serve both as primary cooling sources and as backup capacity
2Power
If liquid cooling systems are used, then the cooling capacity is sufficient for high heat requirements, but the system becomes economically unfeasible
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of deploying full liquid cooling infrastructure throughout the datacenter, the system applies liquid cooling selectively to specific high-heat racks or zones where it is most needed. The chiller capacity is sized to handle peak loads or critical areas rather than providing full coverage, reducing overall system cost while maintaining sufficient cooling capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the extent of liquid cooling deployment based on thermal mapping and heat load analysis. Cooling capacity is activated in real-time based on actual thermal demands, allowing the system to use expensive liquid cooling only when necessary and rely on economical air cooling during low-demand periods
3Reliability
If cooling capacity is increased to meet high heat features, then cooling effectiveness improves, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into independent, modular segments including separate air cooling subsystems, liquid cooling subsystems, chiller units, and cooling towers. Each segment can be independently controlled, maintained, and configured, allowing the system to achieve high cooling effectiveness without requiring a monolithic complex infrastructure
4Reliability
If cooling capacity is increased to meet high heat features, then cooling effectiveness improves, but economic feasibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements cooling capacity in proportion to actual thermal demands rather than provisioning for maximum potential load throughout the entire facility. Economic feasibility is maintained by deploying expensive high-capacity cooling infrastructure only where and when thermal conditions warrant such investment
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 and adaptable cooling in datacenters by addressing both low and high heat requirements, reducing energy waste and operational costs, while optimizing space in mobile datacenters through the use of a dual-function refrigerant system.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporative cooling subsystem provides blown air for cooling the datacenter
Implementation Method 2
a repurposable refrigerant cooling subsystem controls moisture of the blown air
Implementation Method 3
the repurposable refrigerant cooling subsystem...independently cools the datacenter
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system for a datacenter is disclosed. An evaporative cooling subsystem provides blown air for cooling the datacenter and a repurposable refrigerant cooling subsystem controls moisture of the blown air in a first configuration and independently cools the datacenter in a second configuration.