Air-based cooling for data center rack
AssigneeZonit Structured Solutions, LLC
InventorsSteve Chapel, William Pachoud
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A high-velocity low-pressure cooling system (100), especially suited for data center applications, includes an air coolant loop (102), a non-air coolant loop (104) and a cooler unit (126) for heat transfer between the loops (102 and 104). The air loop (102) is used to chill ambient air that is blown across heat transfer surfaces of equipment mounted in data center racks (110). In this manner, effective cooling is provided using a coolant that is benign in data center environments.
Claims21
A method for use in cooling electronic equipment, comprising:
- providing a first closed-loop coolant circuit;
- flowing air through the first closed-loop coolant circuit such that the air functions as a coolant fluid;
- exchanging heat between said first closed-loop coolant circuit and ambient air so as to cool the ambient air;
- and
- flowing the cooled ambient air across a first heat transfer surface of electronic equipment.
An apparatus for use in cooling electronic equipment, comprising:
- a first closed-loop coolant circuit having a heat exchange surface for exchanging heat with ambient air;
- and
- an air circulator for circulating air through said first closed-loop coolant circuit.
A method for use in cooling electronic equipment, comprising:
- providing a closed-loop coolant circuit;
- using a gas phase coolant in said closed-loop coolant circuit;
- and
- operating said closed-loop coolant circuit at a pressure of no more than about 100 psi and using said gas phase coolant at very low temperatures no less than 50° below zero F.
A method for use in cooling electronic equipment, comprising:
- providing a closed-loop coolant circuit;
- using a gas phase coolant in said closed-loop coolant circuit;
- and
- operating said closed-loop coolant circuit at a coolant circulation speed of at least about 50 mph.
An apparatus for use in cooling electronic equipment in standard equipment racks, comprising a plurality of cooling modules wherein each module includes a cooling unit with cooling capacity sufficient for cooling more than 1 but less than about 10 racks, and a modular frame, wherein the modular frame of each module is adapted to securely interconnect with another of said modular frames in a plurality of possible configurations.
-46. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.