Evaporative Induction Cooling System For A Data Center

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017071077-A1
Application number	US-201615357948-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 21, 2016
Priority date	Apr 16, 2010
Publication date	Mar 9, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A data center cooling system includes an evaporative cooling system. The evaporative cooling system includes fans configured to circulate outside air at ambient conditions through an entry zone of a data center, and atomizers positioned upstream of the entry zone configured to spray atomized water into the circulating outside air. The atomized water evaporates in an evaporation zone and cools the outside air to produce cooled air, which is directed through racks of computers positioned downstream of the evaporation zone.

First claim

1 - 21 . (canceled)

22 . A data center cooling system comprising:
a plurality of fans configured to draw outside air at ambient conditions into an entry zone of a data center; a plurality of atomizers positioned downstream of the entry zone configured to spray atomized water into the outside air; an evaporation zone where the atomized water evaporates and cools the outside air to produce cooled air; a rack zone positioned downstream of the evaporation zone that comprises a plurality of computer racks arranged in a plurality of substantially parallel rows; and an air-to-air heat exchanger positioned between the evaporation zone and the rack zone.

23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the air-to-air heat exchanger comprises:
one or more heat wheels; a first conduit positioned on the evaporation zone-side of the one or more heat wheels and configured to receive the cooled air and direct the cooled air through the one or more heat wheels; and a second conduit positioned on the rack zone-side of the one or more heat wheels and configured to receive hot air from the rack zone, direct the hot air through the one or more heat wheels and redirect the now cooled air back into the rack zone.

24 . The system of claim 23 , further comprising:
a second plurality of atomizers positioned downstream of the heat exchanger and configured to spray atomized water into the cooled air before the cooled air enters the rack zone; and a second evaporation zone where the atomized water from the second plurality of atomizers evaporates and further cools the air before the air enters the rack zone.

25 . The system of claim 24 , further comprising:
a control system comprising:
a thermometer configured to measure a temperature of the cooled air redirected back to the rack zone;
a flow meter configured to measure a rate of flow of the now cooled air into the rack zone;
a humidistat configured to measure a relative humidity of the now cooled air;
a controller configured to receive the measurements from the thermometer, flow meter, and humidistat, and to control the flow rate of water to the plurality of atomizers based on the measurements and on a temperature and relative humidity set point for the rack zone.

26 . The system of claim 24 , further comprising:
a supplemental cooling system for the data center that comprises:
a cooling tower;
a water-to-water heat exchanger in fluid communication with the cooling tower;
an air-to-water heat exchanger in fluid communication with the water-to-water heat exchanger and positioned to receive hot air from the rack zone
wherein:
the supplemental cooling system can be activated to cool hot air from the rack zone and to recirculate cooled air back into the rack zone;
the controller is further configured to selectively activate the supplemental cooling system to cool the rack zone based on the measurements and on the temperature and relative humidity set point for the rack zone.

27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein:
the supplemental cooling system further comprises a chiller in fluid communication with the air-to-water heat exchanger; and the controller is further configured to selectively activate the chiller based on the measurements and on the temperature and relative humidity set point for the rack zone.

28 . The system of claim 23 , further comprising:
a control system comprising:
a thermometer configured to measure the temperature of the cooled air redirected back into the rack zone;
a humidistat configured to measure the relative humidity of the now cooled air;
a controller configured to receive the measurements from the thermometer and humidistat and to control the flow rate of water to the plurality of atomizers based on the measurements and on a maximum allowable temperature and relative humidity for the rack zone.

29 . The system of claim 28 , further comprising:
a supplemental cooling system for the data center that comprises:
a cooling tower;
a water-to-water heat exchanger in fluid communication with the cooling tower;
an air-to-water heat exchanger in fluid communication with the water-to-water heat exchanger and positioned to receive hot air from the rack zone
wherein:
the supplemental cooling system can be activated to cool the hot air from the rack zone and to recirculate the cooled air back into the rack zone;
the controller is further configured to selectively activate the supplemental cooling system to cool the rack zone based on the measurements and on the maximum allowable temperature and relative humidity for the rack zone.

30 . The system of claim 29 , wherein:
the supplemental cooling system further comprises a chiller in fluid communication with the air-to-water heat exchanger; and the controller is further configured to selectively activate the chiller based on the measurements and on the maximum allowable temperature and relative humidity for the rack zone.

31 - 40 . (canceled)

41 . A method for cooling a data center comprising:
drawing outside air at ambient conditions into an entry zone of the data center; spraying atomized water into the outside air downstream of the entry zone; providing an evaporation zone where the atomized water evaporates and cools the outside air to cool air; directing the cool air into an air-to-air heat exchanger that is positioned between the evaporation zone and a rack zone; directing hot air from a rack zone of the data center into the air-to-air heat exchanger and cooling the hot air to cooled air; and recirculating the cooled air from the air-to-air heat exchanger back into the rack zone, where the rack zone comprises a plurality of computer racks arranged in a plurality of substantially parallel rows.

42 . The method of claim 41 , further comprising:
before recirculating the cooled air into the rack zone, spraying the air with atomized water to further cool the air and then recirculating the further cooled air back into the rack zone.

43 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the air-to-air heat exchanger comprises:
one or more heat wheels; a first conduit positioned on the evaporation zone-side of the one or more heat wheels and configured to receive the cool air and direct the cool air through the one or more heat wheels; and a second conduit positioned on the rack zone-side of the one or more heat wheels and configured to receive hot air from the rack zone and the direct the hot air through the one or more heat wheels to cool the air.

44 . The method of claim 41 , further comprising:
determining the temperature, humidity level and flow rate of the cooled air being recirculated back to the rack zone; and controlling the flow rate of water to a plurality of atomizers generating the spray based on the determinations and on a temperature and humidity set point for the rack zone.

45 . The method of claim 41 , further comprising:
determining the temperature and humidity level of the cooled air being recirculated back into the rack zone; and controlling the flow rate of water to a plurality of atomizers generating the spray based on the determinations and on a maximum allowable temperature and humidity level for the rack zone.

46 . The method of claim 41 , further comprising:
determining at least one measurement of a temperature or humidity level of the cooled air being recirculated back into the rack zone; based on the determined at least one measurement, activating a supplemental cooling system for the data center to cool the rack zone, the supplemental cooling system comprising:
a cooling tower;
a water-

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Carlson Andrew B
• Malone Christopher Gregory
• Clidaras Jimmy

Classifications

• H05K7/20836

  Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control · CPC title

• F24F5/0035

  using evaporation · CPC title

• H05K7/20827 Primary

  within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. air conditioning devices · CPC title

• F24F2203/104

  Heat exchanger wheel · CPC title

• F28D5/00

  Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, using the cooling effect of natural or forced evaporation · CPC title