US 12,004,327 B2Granted

Containerized HVAC control

AssigneeSolarEdge Technologies Korea Limited Company

InventorsHo-June Yu, Jeong-Hyun Bang, Jong-Sik Park

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Abstract

Disclosed is a containerized heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system comprising an HVAC unit and one or more ducts from the HVAC unit to an equipment rack. The ducts prevent mixing between the fresh and exhaust airflow, thus improving efficiency. Sensors located at sources of heat generating equipment within the racks may be used by controllers to monitor temperatures of the components at the source of heat generation, typically at the highest temperatures. The temperatures may be aggregated to determine the temperatures of devices, modules, racks, and the container interior cavity. Dampers on the ducts, at the rack inlets, at the module inlets, at the devices inlets, and such may assist in regulating airflow preferentially to the hottest components, devices, modules, or racks.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a shipping container comprising:
a plurality of equipment racks, each comprising a plurality of electrical energy storage modules and a rack damper, and wherein each of the plurality of electrical energy storage modules comprises one of a plurality of temperature sensors and one of a plurality of module dampers;
a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) unit;
a first duct extending continuously from an intake of the HVAC unit to an output of an equipment rack of the plurality of equipment racks thereby preventing a mixing of exhaust from the equipment rack with fresh air entering the equipment rack;
and
a controller, configured to:
monitor temperature values from the plurality of temperature sensors;
and
control an operation of the plurality of electrical energy storage modules, wherein the control comprises:
increasing a charge current or a discharge current of one of the plurality of electrical energy storage modules when the respective temperature value is less than a temperature setpoint value, or
decreasing a charge current or a discharge current of one of the plurality of electrical energy storage modules when the respective temperature value is greater than the temperature setpoint value,
wherein the first duct comprises a first end abutting the output and a second end abutting the intake, and wherein the first duct comprises a single section or element, wherein the rack damper and plurality of module dampers are controlled based on temperature measurements from respective sensors of the plurality of temperature sensors.

9 more elements

A method comprising:

monitoring a plurality of temperature values using a plurality of temperature sensors located in each of a plurality of electrical energy storage modules, each of the plurality of electrical energy storage modules located in one of a plurality of equipment racks, wherein the plurality of equipment racks is located inside a shipping container;
controlling an HVAC unit integrated with the shipping container;
controlling a plurality of module dampers, one each in each of the plurality of electrical energy storage modules, and a rack damper, one each in each of the plurality of equipment racks, based on the plurality of temperature values;
and
controlling an operation of the plurality of electrical energy storage modules, wherein the control comprises:
increasing a charge current or a discharge current of one of the plurality of electrical energy storage modules when the respective temperature value is less than a temperature setpoint value, or
decreasing a charge current or a discharge current of one of the plurality of electrical energy storage modules when the respective temperature value is greater than the temperature setpoint value,
wherein a first duct extends continuously from an intake of the HVAC unit to an output of each equipment rack of the plurality of equipment racks thereby preventing a mixing of exhaust from the equipment rack with fresh air entering the plurality of equipment racks, wherein the first duct comprises a first end abutting the output and a second end abutting the intake, and wherein the first duct comprises a single section or element.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/132,856Filed 23 Dec 2020 · us provisional application
Priority: 27 Dec 2019
Published: US 2021/0204447 A11 Jul 2021
Granted: 4 Jun 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H05K 7/20736
Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant: within cabinets for removing heat from server blades
H05K 7/20745
Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant: within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device
H05K 7/1497
Servers; Data center rooms, e.g. 19-inch computer racks: rooms for data centers; Shipping containers therefor
H05K 7/20145
Forced ventilation, e.g. by fans: means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides

Family

Application62/954,220Us provisional application · filed 27 Dec 2019
US 2021/0204447 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Jul 2021
US 12,004,327 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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