Multi-loop cooling configuration for high-density server racks

A cooling system comprising:

• an information technology (IT) container including a container inlet, a container outlet, and a container flow path fluidly coupled between the container inlet and the container outlet for cooling heat-generating components within the IT container, and the IT container including a closed-loop container inlet fluidly coupled by a closed-loop flow path to the inlet of the container flow path;
• a cooling unit fluidly coupled to the IT container, the cooling unit comprising:
• a unit inlet, an open-loop outlet, and a closed-loop outlet,
• a fluid bypass line having a first three-way valve and a second three-way valve coupled therein, wherein the fluid bypass line is fluidly coupled to the unit inlet and is fluidly coupled by the second three-way valve to the open-loop outlet and the closed-loop outlet, and
• a main cooling loop fluidly coupled to the fluid bypass line, the main cooling loop including:
• a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the heat exchanger being fluidly coupled by a supply line to the fluid bypass line at or near the unit inlet, and the outlet of the heat exchanger being coupled by a return line to the fluid bypass line between the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve,
• a pump fluidly coupled in the return line, and
• a two-way line fluidly coupled to the first three-way valve and to the return line upstream of the pump;
• wherein the IT container is positioned downstream of the cooling unit, with the container inlet fluidly coupled to the open-loop outlet, or wherein the IT container is positioned upstream of the cooling unit, with the container outlet fluidly coupled to the unit inlet and the closed-loop outlet fluidly coupled to the closed-loop container inlet.

A process comprising:

• fluidly coupling a cooling unit to an upstream information technology (IT) container, a downstream IT container, or both an upstream IT container and a downstream IT container, wherein:
• each IT container includes a container inlet, a container outlet, and a container flow path fluidly coupled between the container inlet and the container outlet for cooling heat-generating components within the IT container, and the IT container including a closed-loop container inlet fluidly coupled by a flow path to the inlet of the container flow path;
• the cooling unit comprises:
• a unit inlet, an open-loop outlet, and a closed-loop outlet,
• a fluid bypass line having a first three-way valve and a second three-way valve coupled therein, wherein the fluid bypass line is fluidly coupled to the unit inlet and is fluidly coupled by the second three-way valve to the open-loop outlet and the closed-loop outlet, and
• a main cooling loop fluidly coupled to the fluid bypass line, the main cooling loop including:
• a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet of the heat exchanger being fluidly coupled by a supply line to the fluid bypass line at or near the unit inlet, and the outlet of the heat exchanger being coupled by a return line to the fluid bypass line between the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve,
• a pump fluidly coupled in the return line, and
• a two-way line fluidly coupled to the first three-way valve and to the return line upstream of the pump;
• wherein the inlet of the downstream IT container is fluidly coupled to the open-loop outlet and wherein the outlet of the upstream container is fluidly coupled to the unit inlet and the closed-loop container inlet of the upstream container is fluidly coupled to the closed-loop outlet;
• setting the second three-way valve to direct cooling fluid to the downstream IT container, the upstream IT container, or both the upstream and downstream IT containers.