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US 11,240,938 B2Granted
Evaporative induction cooling system for a data center
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsAndrew B. Carlson, Christopher Gregory Malone, Jimmy Clidaras
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims74
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 at least one air-to-air heat exchanger that is positioned between the evaporation zone and a rack zone, the at least one air-to-air heat exchanger comprising:
- one or more heat wheels;
- a first conduit positioned on an evaporation zone-side of the one or more heat wheels to receive the cool air and direct the cool air through the one or more heat wheels;
- and
- a second conduit positioned on a rack zone-side of the one or more heat wheels to receive hot air from the rack zone and direct the hot air through the one or more heat wheels to cool the hot air;
- directing the hot air from the rack zone of the data center into the at least one air-to-air heat exchanger and cooling the hot air to cooled air;
- and
- recirculating the cooled air from the at least one 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.
8 more elements
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 at least one air-to-air heat exchanger that is positioned between the evaporation zone and a rack zone;
- directing hot air from the rack zone of the data center into the at least one air-to-air heat exchanger and cooling the hot air to cooled air;
- and
- recirculating the cooled air from the at least one 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;
- and
- before recirculating the cooled air into the rack zone, spraying the cooled air with additional atomized water to further cool the cooled air and then recirculating the further cooled air back into the rack zone.
6 more elements
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 at least one air-to-air heat exchanger that is positioned between the evaporation zone and a rack zone;
- directing hot air from the rack zone of the data center into the at least one air-to-air heat exchanger and cooling the hot air to cooled air;
- recirculating the cooled air from the at least one 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;
- 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 of atomizing water based on the determinations and on a temperature and humidity set point for the rack zone.
6 more elements
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 at least one air-to-air heat exchanger that is positioned between the evaporation zone and a rack zone;
- directing hot air from the rack zone of the data center into the at least one air-to-air heat exchanger and cooling the hot air to cooled air;
- recirculating the cooled air from the at least one 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;
- 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 of atomizing water based on the determinations and on a maximum allowable temperature and humidity level for the rack zone.
6 more elements
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 at least one air-to-air heat exchanger that is positioned between the evaporation zone and a rack zone;
- directing hot air from the rack zone of the data center into the at least one air-to-air heat exchanger and cooling the hot air to cooled air;
- recirculating the cooled air from the at least one 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;
- 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-to-water heat exchanger in fluid communication with the cooling tower;
- and
- 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.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.