US 2014/0368991 A1 · RENEWABLE ENERGY BASED DATACENTER COOLING

Abstract

A data center is cooled through hydronic convection mechanisms, geothermal mechanisms or combinations thereof. The individual computing devices of such a data center are cooled through a thermally conductive interface with a liquid. The liquid's container can extend to a cooling apparatus located physically above such computing devices to provide hydronic convection cooling, or it can extend into the earth, either in the form of a heat pipe, or in the form of conduits through which the liquid is actively pumped. The hydronic convection cooling and geothermal heat pipe cooling operate via temperature differentials and consume no external electrical power. Geothermal cooling avoids heat soak by utilizing multiple different sets of conduits extending into the earth, where at least some of those sets of conduits are not utilized for a period of time. Combinations of hydronic convection mechanisms and geothermal cooling can also be utilized.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A system for simultaneously cooling multiple computing devices, the system comprising:

a heat pipe extending below ground into the earth, the heat pipe comprising a liquid that evaporates to absorb thermal energy and then condenses to release the thermal energy, the release of the thermal energy of the heat pipe being into the earth below ground;
a surface that is thermally coupled to the heat pipe such that thermal energy is passed through the surface into the heat pipe, thereby causing the liquid in the heat pipe to evaporate, the surface comprising at least one of a cold floor or a cold wall;
and
a thermal coupling between the multiple computing devices and the surface, the multiple computing devices being arranged so as to facilitate the thermal coupling between them and the surface.

1 more element

A system for simultaneously cooling multiple computing devices, the system comprising:

a multi-zone piping system comprising:
a first distinct portion extending below ground into a first portion of the earth;
a first valve controlling the flow of heated liquid into the first distinct portion of the multi-zone piping system;
a second distinct portion extending below ground into a second portion of the earth that is different and separate from the first portion;
and a second valve controlling the flow of the heated liquid into the second distinct portion of the multi-zone piping system;
wherein the first and second valves alternate which of the first distinct portion of the multi-zone piping system and the second distinct portion of the multi-zone piping system have the heated liquid flowing through them so as to avoid head soak of the first portion and the second portion of the earth;
a surface that is thermally coupled to the multi-zone piping system such that thermal energy is passed through the surface into the multi-zone piping system, the surface comprising at least one of a cold floor or a cold wall;
and
a thermal coupling between the multiple computing devices and the surface, the multiple computing devices being arranged so as to facilitate the thermal coupling between them and the surface.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Renewable energy based datacenter cooling

Life of this patent

Renewable energy based datacenter cooling

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21