Adaptable container mounted cooling solution

A multi-mode cooling apparatus configured to be mounted in a container-based data center housing multiple server racks, the data center housing comprising a shipping container having walls, a ceiling and a floor defining a bounded interior space to house the multiple server racks, wherein the multi-mode cooling apparatus is selectively adaptable to operate in multiple cooling operation modes to cool the interior space, the multi-mode cooling apparatus comprising:

• an air handling housing configured to be mounted to the ceiling of the container structure, wherein the air handling housing is further configured to extend downwardly from the ceiling for positioning closely spaced above the server racks;
• an air inlet formed at a first end of the air handling housing and in communication with an interior of the container-based data center, wherein the air inlet is downwardly angled;
• a heat exchanger located in the air handling housing downstream of the air inlet;
• and
• a movable air directing member located downstream of the heat exchanger, wherein the movable air directing member is positioned in a first position to allow air from the interior space to be drawn into the air handling housing for a first operation mode and in a second position restricting air from the interior space from being drawn into the air handling housing in a second operation mode, and wherein an air flow path through the air handling housing for the first operation mode comprises an upward segment through the downwardly angled air inlet and towards the movable air directing member and a downward segment from the movable air directing member in a downstream direction;
• an air moving device located in the air handling housing downstream of the movable air directing member;
• an air outlet formed at a second end of the air handling housing downstream of the air moving device and in communication with an interior of the container-based data center;
• and
• an auxiliary heat exchanger having at least a hot side heat exchange portion positioned within the air handling housing and a cold side heat exchange portion spaced apart from the hot side heat exchange portion for positioning external to the air handling housing.