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US 8,941,256 B1Granted
Energy reclamation from air-moving systems
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMichael P. Czamara, Brock R. Gardner, Osvaldo P. Morales
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A data center includes a computing room, computing devices in the computing room, an air handling system, and a turbine system. Air moved by the air handling system flows across heat producing components in the computing devices in the computing room. A rotor of the turbine system rotates in response to at least a portion of the air moved by the air handling system. The turbine system generates electricity from rotation of the rotor.
Claims22
A data center, comprising:
- a computing room;
- a plurality of computing devices in the computing room;
- an air handling system configured to move air, wherein at least a portion of the air moved by the air handling system flows across heat producing components in at least some of the computing devices in the computing room, the air handling system comprising:
- a return duct configured to re-circulate a portion of heated air to a supply duct for the computing room, wherein the heated air comprises air moved across the heat producing components of the computing devices;
- and
- an exhaust vent configured to direct a separate portion of the heated air to an ambient environment outside the computing room;
- and
- a turbine system coupled to the exhaust vent of the air handling system, wherein the turbine system comprises a rotor, wherein the rotor of the turbine system is configured to rotate in response to the separate portion of the heated air moved by the air handling system to the ambient environment via the exhaust vent, wherein the turbine system is configurable to generate electricity from rotation of the rotor.
5 more elements
A system, comprising:
- one or more rooms;
- an air handling system configured to move air through at least one of the one or more rooms, the air handling system comprising:
- a supply duct configured to direct air across heat producing components in the at least one of the one or more rooms;
- a return duct configured to re-circulate a portion of heated air to the supply duct, wherein the heated air comprises air moved across the heat producing components;
- and
- an exhaust vent configured to direct a separate portion of the heated air to an ambient environment external to the at least one of the one or more rooms;
- and
- a turbine system coupled to the air handling system, wherein the turbine system comprises a rotor, wherein the rotor of the turbine system is configured to rotate in response to the separate portion of the heated air moved by the air handling system to the ambient environment via the exhaust vent, wherein the turbine system is configurable to generate electricity from rotation of the rotor.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- moving air through an enclosed space to control conditions of the air in the enclosed space, wherein the enclosed space comprises one or more heat producing components;
- moving at least a portion of the air via an air handling system, after passing the air over the one or more heat producing components, in a return path;
- and
- moving a separate portion of the air, after passing the air over the one or more heat producing components, to an ambient environment via a rotor of a turbine system such that the rotor of the turbine system rotates;
- and
- generating electrical power from rotation of the rotor.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.