Modular data center cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12426200-B2
Application number	US-202418660724-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2024
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

A modular arrangement is provided for housing electronic equipment and associated cooling structure in a data center environment. The modular units provide cooling air on an as—needed basis to individual pieces of equipment by way of individual plenums and associated valves. The units can be interconnected by vertical stacking, in side-to-side arrangements, and back-to-back arrangements. A number of units can be interconnected to form a cell. The cells can be interconnected to form larger units. In this manner, data centers can be configured in any desired arrangement without requiring complicated cooling design.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A data center system, comprising:
a modular air-based cooling assembly formed from interconnecting air conduits;
one or more cooling units for receiving air via the modular air-based cooling assembly;
a first base module, comprising:
a first equipment support unit with a first housing configured to mount a first set of electronic equipment inside the first housing; and
a first cooling unit of the one or more cooling units matched to the first equipment support unit for interfacing the first equipment support unit with the modular air-based cooling assembly;

a second base module, comprising:
a second equipment support unit with a second housing configured to mount a second set of electronic equipment inside the second housing; and
a second cooling unit of the one or more cooling units matched to the second equipment support unit for interfacing the second equipment support unit with the modular air-based cooling assembly; wherein:

the modular air-based cooling assembly delivers cool air to the first and second equipment support units;

the first base module is positioned adjacent and connected to the second base module;
the first cooling unit of the first base module is directly adjacent to the second cooling unit of the second base module;
the first cooling unit is a complementary shape to the second cooling unit so that the first and second cooling units align with one another;
the interconnecting air conduits further comprise:
a primary air conduit for receiving air from one or more air compressors; and
a branch air conduit for receiving air from the primary air conduit and for directing air toward the first base module and the second base module.

2. The data center system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first equipment support unit includes a number of spaces for supporting a corresponding number of electronic equipment of the first set of electronic equipment.

3. The data center system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the first cooling unit comprises a first number of plenums for supplying cooling air to the first set of electronic equipment, wherein the first number of plenums is the same as the number of spaces of the first equipment support unit.

4. The data center system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein each of the plenums is connected to a pressurized air passageway via a valve.

5. The data center system as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the valve is operative to control airflow as needed by an associated piece of electronic equipment.

6. The data center system as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the pressurized air passageway is connected to the modular air-based cooling assembly.

7. The data center system as set forth in claim 4 , wherein each of the plenums is generally wedge-shaped.

8. The data center system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first base module and the second base module are configured to be interconnected by at least one of vertical stacking, back-to-back connections, or side-by-side connections.

9. A method for use in configuring a data center, comprising:
providing a number of base modules where each base module includes:
an equipment support unit with a housing configured to mount electronic equipment inside the housing; and
a cooling unit including a number of plenums for supplying cool air to the electronic equipment, wherein the number of plenums receives the cool air via interconnecting air conduits; and

interconnecting the number of base modules to form a data center of a desired configuration, wherein: the number of plenums and the number of electronic equipment is the same; a first base module of the number of base modules includes a first cooling unit; a second base module of the number of base modules includes a second cooling unit;
the first and second base modules of the number of base modules are adjacent to each other;
the first cooling unit of the first base module of the number of base modules is directly adjacent to the second cooling unit of the second base module of the number of base modules;
the first cooling unit is a complementary shape to the second cooling unit so that the first and second cooling units align with one another;
the interconnecting air conduits further comprise:
a primary air conduit for receiving air from one or more air compressors; and
a branch air conduit for receiving air from the primary air conduit and for directing air toward the first base module and the second base module.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the step of interconnecting comprises interconnecting the first and second base modules by at least one of vertical stacking, back-to-back connections, or side-by-side connections.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein each of the first and second cooling units comprise plenums connected to a pressurized air passageway via a valve, and the step of interconnecting comprises vertically stacking the first and second base modules such that pressurized air passageways of the first and second base modules are interconnected.

Assignees

• Zonit Structured Solutions Llc

Inventors

• Chapel Steve
• Pachoud William

Classifications

• H05K7/023

  Stackable modules · CPC title

• H05K7/02

  Arrangements of circuit components or wiring on supporting structure · CPC title

• G06F1/206

  comprising thermal management · CPC title

• H05K7/20736

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title

• G06F1/20 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title