US 2017/0042067 A1Published application

Energy efficient vertical data center

AssigneeVert.Com, Inc.

InventorsMarc PARIZEAU, Eric MATEU-HUON, Philippe SAVARD

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Abstract

The vertical data center module is a multistory compact footprint data center unit that exploits vertical air movements, both downward and upward, to efficiently sustain conventional low-cost air-cooled computing systems. It integrates a hybrid cooling system that can benefit from an air-side economizer without compromising its compact footprint. For polluted urban environments, this air-side economizer comprises an air-to-air heat exchanger to effectively limit the amount of outside air that can enter the module and come into contact with sensitive computing systems. Through side-to-side, side-to-back or back-to-back juxtaposition, multiple units can be assembled in clusters on a colocation site to create large-scale vertical data center complexes, effectively maximizing real estate use and cost effectiveness by fully exploiting all three dimensions.

Claims44

Dependent claims

A vertical data center module, the module comprising an outer envelope and a plurality of levels, the plurality of levels being superimposed one over the other and comprising a bottom level and at least two upper levels, the bottom level comprising a mechanical system and an electrical system, the at least two upper levels comprising a plurality of computing machines, the plurality of levels being in fluid communication thereby allowing downward and upward movements of air within the module, the module comprising an air handling unit, the air handling unit being in fluid communication with the at least two upper levels, wherein

each of the plurality of levels is partitioned into a first area and a second area;
the first areas of the plurality of levels are in fluid communication to allow downward movements of air within the module, and wherein the second areas of the plurality of levels are in fluid communication to allow upward movements of air within the module;
the first area and the second area of the bottom level are in fluid communication to allow air moving downwardly into the first area to transfer into the second area;
the computing machines are located in the second area of each of the at least two upper levels;
the computing machines are arranged in at least one row, and wherein the at least one row defines at least two aisles;
the at least two aisles comprise at least one cold aisle located on one side of the at least one row of computing machines, the at least one cold aisle carrying cooling air toward the computing machines;
the at least two aisles comprise at least one hot aisle located on the other side of the at least one row of computing machines, the hot aisle upwardly carrying warmed air flowing out of the computing machines;
the at least one hot aisle has an increasing cross-section when going up from one upper level to the next upper level.

5 more elements

A data center complex comprises a central facility and at least one vertical data center module in communication with the central facility, wherein the at least one vertical data center module comprises an outer envelope and a plurality of levels, the plurality of levels being superimposed one over the other and comprising a bottom level and at least two upper levels, the bottom level comprising a mechanical system and an electrical system, the at least two upper levels comprising a plurality of computing machines, the plurality of levels being in fluid communication thereby allowing downward and upward movements of air within the module, the module comprising an air handling unit, the air handling unit being in fluid communication with the at least two upper levels, wherein

each of the plurality of levels is partitioned into a first area and a second area;
the first areas of the plurality of levels are in fluid communication to allow downward movements of air within the module, and wherein the second areas of the plurality of levels are in fluid communication to allow upward movements of air within the module;
the first area and the second area of the bottom level are in fluid communication to allow air moving downwardly into the first area to transfer into the second area;
the computing machines are located in the second area of each of the at least two upper levels;
the computing machines are arranged in at least one row, and wherein the at least one row defines at least two aisles;
the at least two aisles comprise at least one cold aisle located on one side of the at least one row of computing machines, the at least one cold aisle carrying cooling air toward the computing machines;
the at least two aisles comprise at least one hot aisle located on the other side of the at least one row of computing machines, the hot aisle upwardly carrying warmed air flowing out of the computing machines;
the at least one hot aisle has an increasing cross-section when going up from one upper level to the next upper level.

5 more elements

A method to deploy a data center complex comprising a central facility and at least one vertical data center module, wherein the at least one vertical data center module comprises an outer envelope and a plurality of levels, the plurality of levels being superimposed one over the other and comprising a bottom level and at least two upper levels, the bottom level comprising a mechanical system and an electrical system, the at least two upper levels comprising a plurality of computing machines, the plurality of levels being in fluid communication thereby allowing downward and upward movements of air within the module, the module comprising an air handling unit and an air-to-air heat exchanger, the air handling unit being in fluid communication with the at least two upper levels, wherein

each of the plurality of levels is partitioned into a first area and a second area;
the first areas of the plurality of levels are in fluid communication to allow downward movements of air within the module, and wherein the second areas of the plurality of levels are in fluid communication to allow upward movements of air within the module;
the first area and the second area of the bottom level are in fluid communication to allow air moving downwardly into the first area to transfer into the second area;
the computing machines are located in the second area of each of the at least two upper levels;
the computing machines are arranged in at least one row, and wherein the at least one row defines at least two aisles;
the at least two aisles comprise at least one cold aisle located on one side of the at least one row of computing machines, the at least one cold aisle carrying cooling air toward the computing machines;
the at least two aisles comprise at least one hot aisle located on the other side of the at least one row of computing machines, the hot aisle upwardly carrying warmed air flowing out of the computing machines;
the air-to-air heat exchanger being in fluid communication with outside air and the air handling unit, and extracting at least part of heat contained in the warmed air flowing out of the computing machines.
the at least one hot aisle has an increasing cross-section when going up from one upper level to the next upper level stacked one on top of the other and comprising a ground level and at least one upper level, the at least one upper level comprising a plurality of computing machines, the method comprising the steps for:
building the central facility;
building a foundation for the least one data center module;
building the at least one data center module on the foundation.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/100,960Filed 28 Apr 2015
Priority: 28 Apr 2014
Published: 9 Feb 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H05K 7/20745
Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant: within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device
G06F 1/16
Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00: constructional details or arrangements
G06F 1/20
Constructional details or arrangements: cooling means
H05K 7/1497
Servers; Data center rooms, e.g. 19-inch computer racks: rooms for data centers; Shipping containers therefor