Modular data center

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9572290-B2
Application number	US-201514800464-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2015
Priority date	Jul 16, 2014
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A modular data center includes a plurality of first containers and a plurality of second containers. The plurality of first containers and second containers are partitioned into a plurality of functional modules respectively, the functional modules of the plurality of first containers being arranged in parallel, and the functional modules of the plurality of second containers being arranged in parallel on one side of the plurality of first containers and corresponding to the functional modules of the plurality of first containers respectively. The present disclosure combines the functional modules of the plurality of first containers and the plurality of second containers into modular data centers with different forms, capacities, and data center usability tiers, and the assembly of the plurality of first containers and second containers with standardized sizes may facilitate the transportation and reduce the time and cost of assembling and delivery of the modular data center.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular data center, comprising:
a plurality of first containers that are partitioned into a plurality of information technology device modules, a plurality of space maintenance modules, and at least one distribution module, the plurality of information technology device modules, the plurality of space maintenance modules, and the distribution module being arranged in parallel in a width direction of the first containers; and
a plurality of second containers, having a width identical to or substantially the same as that of the first containers and a length smaller than that of the first containers, that are partitioned into a plurality of power supply modules, a plurality of fire-fighting modules, and at least one passage module, which are arranged in parallel in the width direction on one side of the plurality of first containers respectively, the plurality of power supply modules being arranged corresponding to the plurality of information technology device modules respectively in a length direction of the first containers.

2. The modular data center of claim 1 , wherein a respective module corresponds to a respective container equipped with one or more corresponding devices.

3. The modular data center of claim 2 , wherein:
a respective information technology device is a respective first container equipped with an information technology device;
a respective maintenance space module is a respective first container whose interior space is not used;
a respective distribution module is a respective first container equipped with an electrical device including a transformer;
a respective power supply module is a respective second container equipped with a power device;
a respective fire-fighting module is a respective second container equipped with a fire-fighting device; and
a respective passage module is a respective second container whose interior space is not used.

4. The modular data center of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the plurality of first containers has a first standard size; and
each of the plurality of second containers has a second standard size.

5. The modular data center of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of fire-fighting modules are arranged corresponding to the plurality of space maintenance modules respectively; and
the passage module is arranged corresponding to the distribution module.

6. The modular data center of claim 1 , wherein interior spaces of the plurality of information technology device modules and the plurality of space maintenance modules are connected.

7. The modular data center of claim 1 , wherein an air inlet and an air outlet are arranged between the information technology device modules and the power supply modules, the information technology device modules being connected with the power supply modules through the air inlet and the air outlet.

8. The modular data center of claim 1 , further comprising a refrigeration unit including:
an air return pipe;
an air supply pipe; and
a plurality of refrigeration modules, the plurality of refrigeration modules being arranged at an interval on the plurality of first containers, one end of the air return pipe being connected to an air return inlet of the plurality of refrigeration modules, the other end being connected to top of the plurality of first containers, one end of the air supply pipe being connected to an air vent of the plurality of refrigeration modules, the other end being connected to bottom of the plurality of first containers, the plurality of refrigeration modules supplying cold air into the plurality of first containers through the air supply pipe and receiving hot air from the plurality of first containers through the air return pipe.

9. The modular data center of claim 8 , wherein a respective information technology device module is equipped with a hot air passage and a cold air passage, the hot air passage being arranged on a top of the respective information technology device module and being connected to the air return pipe, the cold air passage being arranged on a bottom of the respective information technology device module and being connected to the air supply pipe.

10. The modular data center of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second containers are further partitioned into a plurality of precision air conditioning modules, the plurality of precision air conditioning modules being arranged in parallel on the other side of the plurality of information technology device modules opposite to the plurality of power supply modules, and corresponding to the plurality of information technology device modules respectively, wherein a respective precision air conditioning modules is equipped with an air vent and an air return inlet, the respective precision air conditioning module supplying cold air into a respective information technology device modules through the air vent and receiving the hot air from the respective information technology device module through the air return inlet.

11. The modular data center of claim 10 , wherein:
the respective information technology device module is equipped with a hot air passage and a cold air passage therein, the hot air passage being arranged on a top of the respective information technology device module and being connected to the air return inlet, the cold air passage being arranged on a bottom of the respective information technology device modules and being connected to the air vent.

12. The modular data center of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of space maintenance modules are arranged in the width direction on two opposite sides of the plurality of information technology device modules respectively, and the distribution module is arranged on the other side of the space maintenance module opposite to the information technology device modules; and
a fire barrier is arranged between the distribution module and the information technology device module.

13. The modular data center of claim 1 , further comprising a third container having a width identical to or substantially the same as that of the first containers, and a length between that of the first containers and that of the second containers and equal to two times the width of the first containers, the third container selectively replacing two of the second containers in the plurality of second containers arranged in parallel.

14. The modular data center of claim 13 , wherein:
a length of the third container is two times that of the second containers; and
a length of the first containers is two times that of the third container.

Assignees

• Alibaba Group Holding Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Yanchang

Classifications

• H05K7/1497 Primary

  Rooms for data centers; Shipping containers therefor · CPC title

• H05K7/20827 Primary

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

• H05K7/202

  Air circulating in closed loop within enclosure wherein heat is removed through heat-exchangers · CPC title

• E04H2005/005

  Buildings for data processing centers · CPC title