Sidewall-Connected HVAC Units for Modular Datacenter Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional datacenter designs face challenges in maintaining optimal temperature and minimizing leaks due to inadequate air distribution, leading to localized heating and cooling issues and potential damage from roof leaks.
Innovation Solution
A modular datacenter facility is constructed using pre-engineered, standardized building modules with sidewall-connected HVAC units that supply conditioned air, reducing roof penetrations and using a vapor-to-air sealant layer to prevent leaks, while allowing for efficient cooling of computing systems without overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional custom ducting or floor/ceiling supply paths are used for air distribution, then air can be directed into desired locations, but localized heating and cooling problems occur due to inadequate air distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the air distribution system into multiple sidewall-connected HVAC units distributed throughout the facility, each serving specific zones. This segmentation allows targeted cooling of different areas without creating localized heating problems, as each unit can independently control air flow to its designated zone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional floor-level or ceiling-level air distribution to sidewall-mounted HVAC units that deliver air laterally into the facility. This dimensional change in air delivery location enables better air distribution throughout the space, improving both ease of operation and temperature control effectiveness.
2Temperature
If roof penetrations are used for HVAC connections, then cooling can be provided, but leaks occur more frequently causing potential damage to computing systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent relocates HVAC units from roof-mounted positions to sidewall-mounted positions. This dimensional change eliminates the need for roof penetrations while maintaining cooling capability, thereby preventing leaks and protecting computing systems from water damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of roof penetrations (which cause leaks) into a beneficial sidewall connection system. By moving HVAC units to the sidewalls, the design maintains the cooling function while eliminating the harmful leak risk associated with roof penetrations.
3Productivity
If more server units are added to increase computational capacity, then power consumption increases, but temperature rises causing overheating of components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multiple sidewall-connected HVAC units distributed throughout the facility, each capable of independently cooling specific zones. This segmented approach provides enhanced cooling capacity that scales with the number of servers, allowing increased computational capacity without overheating.
Solution Approach 2:
The HVAC system is designed to be dynamically scalable, with additional sidewall-connected units that can be activated as needed. This dynamic capability allows the cooling system to adapt to varying computational loads, providing sufficient cooling for increased power consumption without causing overheating.
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 cooling of datacenter components, reduces the risk of damage from leaks, and allows for flexible expansion of datacenter capacity by adding modules, maintaining a stable temperature environment and minimizing disruptions.
Implementation Method 1
supply conditioned air into an air-supply plenum of the sidewall, which can be a sidewall of the data-floor building module or a service corridor, in order to cool the computing systems
Implementation Method 2
The roof can include a vapor-to-air sealant layer on top of a concrete layer to further prevent leaks from potentially occurring in the data-floor building module from in through the roof
Data Source
AI summary
A modular datacenter facility and a method thereof is provided in accordance with some embodiments. The module datacenter facility can be constructed with an initial set of building modules of different types of functionality. A first building module can be a data-floor building module. A first set of sidewall-connected heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) units can connect to a sidewall of the modular datacenter facility and use electrical power provided by a first electrical power distribution building module to supply conditioned air into an air-supply plenum of the sidewall to cool computing systems housed in the data-floor building module. The first set of the sidewall-connected HVAC units allow for fewer penetrations in a roof of the data-floor building module, thereby minimizing an amount of leaks potentially occurring in the roof of the ceiling, and thereby minimizing risk of any damage to the computing systems.