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US 12,723,790 B2Granted
High-efficiency cooling systems and methods for a computer data center
OwnerBradley John Klein, Nicholas Ben Barrowcloughinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To facilitate the use of high-efficiency heat exchangers in a computer data center, a refrigerant bypass line may be provided with a valve configured to adjust the refrigerant flow therethrough. The bypass line may be used to direct at least some refrigerant from the refrigerant supply line directly to the refrigerant return line so as to keep the refrigerant temperature in the return line at or below a preset maximum refrigerant temperature prior to reaching the refrigerant source.
Claims16
A cooling system for a facility employing equipment requiring active cooling, the cooling system comprising:
- a refrigerant supply line providing a refrigerant at a first pressure from a refrigerant source,
- a refrigerant return line directing the refrigerant at a second pressure toward the refrigerant source for cooling and recirculating of the refrigerant at the refrigerant source, wherein the second pressure is lower than the first pressure,
- a first heat exchanger configured to use the refrigerant circulating through the first heat exchanger to cool air or liquid which passes through the first heat exchanger and is used for active cooling of the equipment in the facility, the first heat exchanger having a first refrigerant inlet configured to receive at least some refrigerant from the refrigerant supply line, the first heat exchanger having a first refrigerant outlet operably connected to direct at least some refrigerant to the refrigerant return line,
- a return line temperature sensor positioned in the refrigerant return line downstream of the first heat exchanger, wherein the return line temperature sensor is configured to measure refrigerant temperature in the refrigerant return line prior to reaching the refrigerant source,
- a first bypass line equipped with an in-line adjustable first valve operable, when at least partially open, to allow at least some refrigerant to flow from the refrigerant supply line toward and mix with the refrigerant of the refrigerant return line without flowing through the first heat exchanger, and
- a controller operatively connected to the return line temperature sensor and the first valve, the controller configured to adjust an opening of the first valve based on the measured refrigerant temperature in the refrigerant return line to maintain the refrigerant temperature at or below a preset maximum refrigerant temperature,
- thereby reducing a temperature of the refrigerant in the refrigerant return line to or below the a preset maximum refrigerant temperature prior to reaching the refrigerant source.
4 more elements
A method for cooling a facility employing equipment requiring active cooling, the method comprising the following steps:
- a. directing a refrigerant from a refrigerant supply line pressurized at a first pressure through a first heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to use the refrigerant circulating through the first heat exchanger to cool air or liquid which passes through the first heat exchanger and is used for active cooling of the equipment in the facility,
- b. directing the refrigerant to flow from the first heat exchanger to a refrigerant return line at a second pressure, wherein the second pressure is lower than the first pressure,
- c. detecting a refrigerant temperature in the refrigerant return line using a return line temperature sensor positioned downstream of the first heat exchanger,
- d. directing sufficient bypass flow of the refrigerant from the refrigerant supply line directly to the refrigerant return line via a first bypass line and without flowing through the first heat exchanger, and
- e. adjusting, via a controller operatively connected to the return line temperature sensor and a first valve positioned in the first bypass line, an opening of the first valve based on the detected refrigerant temperature to maintain the refrigerant temperature at or below a preset maximum refrigerant temperature,
- thereby keeping the refrigerant temperature in the refrigerant return line at or below the preset maximum refrigerant temperature.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.