Submerged Datacenter Cooling and Power Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Datacenters face challenges in achieving low latency and sustainability while ensuring privacy, security, and resilience against environmental and operational risks, particularly due to their land-based locations which are vulnerable to severe weather and external threats.
Innovation Solution
A submerged datacenter configuration utilizing modular, sealed components cooled by water, anchored or sunk in deep bodies of water to leverage sustainable power sources like tidal and wave energy, reducing exposure to external risks and enhancing security and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If datacenters are positioned close to customer base to reduce latency, then speed is improved, but vulnerability to environmental hazards and security threats increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by moving the datacenter from land-based to underwater deployment. This spatial transition to a new dimension (submerged environment) allows the datacenter to simultaneously achieve proximity to coastal customer bases for low latency while gaining protection from terrestrial environmental hazards such as severe weather, natural disasters, and physical security threats. The underwater location creates a natural barrier that enhances resilience while maintaining network proximity.
2Speed
If datacenters are positioned close to customer base, then speed is improved, but exposure to external threats increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs the intermediary principle by using water as a protective medium between the datacenter and external threats. The underwater environment acts as an intermediary barrier that filters and mitigates harmful factors including physical security threats, environmental extremes, and potential attacks, while still allowing the datacenter to serve coastal populations efficiently through proximity.
3Use of energy by moving object
If sustainable power sources like tidal and wave energy are utilized, then use of energy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining multiple functions into the underwater datacenter structure: hosting computing operations, capturing tidal and wave energy, and utilizing the surrounding water for thermal cooling. This integration of power generation and thermal management functions within the same submerged structure reduces overall system complexity compared to separate land-based systems, while maximizing sustainable energy utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The underwater datacenter implements self-service by using the natural underwater environment for thermal cooling. The cold surrounding water passively absorbs heat from the datacenter operations, eliminating or reducing the need for active cooling systems and complementing the sustainable energy approach while minimizing additional complexity.
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
The submerged datacenter design provides low latency and high resilience by positioning datacenters close to users, utilizing sustainable energy, and minimizing exposure to environmental hazards, thus enhancing operational reliability and security.
Implementation Method 1
The datacenter is cooled at least in part by the water
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The subject disclosure is directed towards a submerged datacenter, which may be made up of modules (102(19 - 102(n)), into a body of water such as the ocean. The submersion facilitates cooling of the datacenter as well as providing protection of the datacenter from environmental conditions that exist at or near the surface. Power may be generated from the datacenter heat, and power generated by or near the body of water (e.g., via waves, tides, wind, currents, temperature differences) may be used to help power the datacenter.