# US 10,309,669 B2 · Methods and apparatus for temperature control of computer racks and computer data centres > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,669 B2 - Document ID: US10309669B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/291,421 - Filed: 2016-10-12 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2008-06-30 - Assignees: e3 Computing GmbH - Applicants: e3 Computing GmbH - Inventors: Volker Lindenstruth; Horst Stocker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309669B2 ## CPC - F24F 11/0001: {for ventilation (F24F11/30 takes precedence)} - E04H 5/02: Buildings or groups of buildings for industrial purposes, e.g. for power-plants or factories (buildings forming part of cooling plants E04H5/10) - H05K 7/2079: {within rooms for removing heat from cabinets} - E04H 2005/005: {Buildings for data processing centers} - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A computer data center having multiple open computer hardware storage racks. Each rack includes multiple computer hardware components horizontally rack-mounted in a front side of the rack, and a heat exchanging unit vertically mounted to a back side of the rack. A first cooling circuit interconnects the heat exchanging units of at least some of the computer hardware storage racks. At least a first rack and a second rack are arranged back to back in the computer data center, with a first heat exchanger unit of the first rack facing a second heat exchanger unit of the second rack. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer data centre, comprising: a multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks that are not hermetically sealed, each rack of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks comprising: a plurality of individual computer hardware each horizontally rack mounted in a front side of the rack; and a heat exchanging unit vertically mounted to a back side of the rack; a first cooling circuit, interconnecting in parallel heat exchanging units of at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, the first cooling circuit configured to dissipate heat generated by first computer hardware in the at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, supply the heat exchanging units of the at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks with a coolant, and convey the coolant heated by the first computer hardware away from the at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks; and a second cooling circuit, wherein the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks are arranged such that at least a first rack and a second rack of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks are back to back with a first heat exchanger unit of the first rack facing a second heat exchanger unit of the second rack, wherein the first cooling circuit interconnects first heat exchanging units of a first number of open computer hardware storage racks from the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, and the second cooling circuit interconnects second heat exchanging units of a second number of open computer hardware storage racks from the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The data centre of claim 1, wherein the data centre does not include an air conditioner. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The data centre according to claim 1, wherein: the front side of the racks is configured to receive air; and the heat exchanging units mounted to the racks are the only heat removal system for removing, by a horizontal air flow, heat generated by the plurality of individual computer hardware mounted in the racks. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The data centre according to claim 1, wherein the coolant is transported within the first cooling circuit with a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The data centre according to claim 1, wherein: each open computer hardware storage rack from the multiplicity of the open computer hardware storage racks is configured to be situated in a first storey of the data centre; and the first storey does not have a false floor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The data centre according to claim 1, wherein each open computer hardware storage rack from the multiplicity of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks is configured to be directly arranged at double T-beams of a supporting structure of the data centre and wherein grid floors of the data centre are arranged within spacing between adjacent racks in the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The data centre according to claim 1, wherein the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks is provided with control systems to individually control the heat exchanging units. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The data centre according to claim 7, wherein the control systems comprise a leakage detector for a piping system, wherein said leakage detector is coupled to an emergency system configured to selectively switch off the first computer hardware and/or the first cooling circuit, and wherein the control systems are configured to switch off the first computer hardware for each rack individually. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The data centre according to claim 8, wherein the control systems further comprise a smoke detector, wherein said smoke detector is coupled to an emergency system configured to selectively switch off the first computer hardware and/or the first cooling circuit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The data centre according to claim 1, wherein the first cooling circuit is coupled to an external reservoir. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The data centre according to claim 1, further comprising a heating system of a separate building, wherein the first cooling circuit is configured to be coupled directly with the heating system of the separate building and configured to heat the separate building. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The data centre according to claim 11, wherein the heating system is configured to heat the separate building to 17° C. or higher. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The data centre of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanging unit of each open computer hardware storage rack from the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks has dimensions that ensure removal of substantially all of the heat generated by the plurality of individual computer hardware mounted in the rack. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The data centre of claim 13, wherein the data centre does not include an air conditioner. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The data centre of claim 13, wherein: a first air temperature in the first rack of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, arising from the heat generated by the plurality of individual computer hardware mounted in the first rack during operation, is up to 40 degrees Celsius; and the first heat exchanger unit for the first rack operates at an operating temperature that effectively absorbs essentially all of the heat generated by the plurality of individual computer hardware mounted in the first rack. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The data centre of claim 15, wherein a coolant temperature of the coolant is approximately 30 degrees Celsius during operation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The data centre of claim 1, wherein each heat exchanging unit from the heat exchanging units operates at approximately 30 degrees Celsius during operation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The data centre of claim 1, wherein a coolant temperature of the coolant approaches 30 degrees Celsius during operation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The data centre according to claim 1, wherein: the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks is arranged in multiple rows of racks; the first cooling circuit interconnects first heat exchanging units of racks in even numbered rows of the multiple rows of racks; and the second cooling circuit interconnects second heat exchanging units of racks in odd numbered rows of the multiple rows of racks. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The data centre according to claim 1, wherein: the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks are arranged in rows and columns in the data centre; the first cooling circuit interconnects a first plurality of heat exchanging units of even rows or even columns; and the second cooling circuit interconnects a second plurality of heat exchanging units of odd rows or odd columns. ### Claim 21 A computer data centre, comprising: a multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks that are not hermetically sealed, each rack of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks comprising: a plurality of individual computer hardware each horizontally rack mounted in a front side of the rack; and a heat exchanging unit vertically mounted to a back side of the rack; and a first cooling circuit, interconnecting in parallel heat exchanging units of at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, the first cooling circuit configured to dissipate heat generated by first computer hardware in the at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, supply the heat exchanging units of the at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks with a coolant, and convey the coolant heated by the first computer hardware away from the at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, wherein: the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks are arranged such that at least a first rack and a second rack of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks are back to back with a first heat exchanger unit of the first rack facing a second heat exchanger unit of the second rack; a first air temperature in the first rack of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, arising from the heat generated by the plurality of individual computer hardware mounted in the first rack, is up to 40 degrees Celsius during operation; the first heat exchanger unit for the first rack is configured to operates at an operating temperature that effectively absorbs essentially all of the heat generated by the plurality of individual computer hardware mounted in the first rack; and the data center further comprises a second cooling circuit, wherein the first cooling circuit interconnects first heat exchanging units of a first number of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, and the second cooling circuit interconnects second heat exchanging units of a second number of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks. ### Claim 22 A method of cooling a computer data centre, the computer data centre comprising a multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks that are not hermetically sealed, each rack of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks comprising a plurality of individual computer hardware each horizontally rack mounted in a front side of the rack, and a heat exchanging unit vertically mounted to a back side of the rack, the method comprising: using a first cooling circuit, interconnecting in parallel heat exchanging units of at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, to: dissipate heat generated by first computer hardware in the at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks; supply the heat exchanging units of the at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks with a first coolant; and convey the first coolant heated by the first computer hardware away from the at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, conveying a second coolant to at least some of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks by a second cooling circuit, wherein the first cooling circuit interconnects first heat exchanging units of a first number of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, and the second cooling circuit interconnects second heat exchanging units of a second number of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, wherein the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks are arranged such that at least a first rack and a second rack of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks are back to back with a first heat exchanger unit of the first rack facing a second heat exchanger unit of the second rack. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method claim 22, further comprising not using an air conditioner to cool the computer data centre. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein: a first air temperature in the first rack of the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks, arising from the heat generated by the plurality of individual computer hardware mounted in the first rack, is up to 40 degrees Celsius; and the first heat exchanger unit for the first rack operates at an operating temperature that effectively absorbs essentially all of the heat generated by the plurality of individual computer hardware mounted in the first rack. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein a coolant temperature of the first or second coolant is approximately 30 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The method claim 22, wherein each heat exchanging unit operates at approximately 30 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein a coolant temperature of the first or second coolant approaches 30 degrees Celsius. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein: the multiplicity of open computer hardware storage racks are arranged in rows and columns in the data centre; the first cooling circuit interconnects a first plurality of heat exchanging units of even rows or even columns; and the second cooling circuit interconnects a second plurality of heat exchanging units of odd rows or odd columns.