US 9,913,407 B2Granted

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.

Claims39

Dependent claims

A vertical data center (VDC) module, the VDC 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 each comprising a plurality of computing systems, the plurality of levels being in fluid communication thereby allowing downward and upward movements of air within the VDC module, the VDC module comprising an air handling unit, the air handling unit being in fluid communication with the at least two upper levels, the VDC module further comprising an air-to-air heat exchanger in fluid communication with outside air and the air handling unit, wherein

each of the plurality of levels is partitioned into a first area and a second area;
the first area of each of the plurality of levels are in fluid communication to allow downward movements of the air within the VDC module, and wherein the second area of each of the plurality of levels are in fluid communication to allow the upward movements of the air within the VDC module;
the first area and the second area of the bottom level are in fluid communication to allow the air moving downwardly into the first area to transfer into the second area;
the computing systems are located in the second area of each of the at least two upper levels;
the computing systems 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 systems, the at least one cold aisle carrying cooling air toward the computing systems, the at least one cold aisle being in direct fluid communication with the at least one cold aisle of at least one adjacent level of the at least two upper levels to upwardly move the air between levels;
and
at least one hot aisle located on another side of the at least one row of computing systems, the at least one hot aisle upwardly carrying warmed air flowing out of the computing systems, the at least one hot aisle being in direct fluid communication with the at least one hot aisle of the at least one adjacent level of the at least two upper levels to upwardly move the air between levels, the at least one hot aisle has an increasing cross-section when going up from a lowest one of the at least two upper levels to a highest one of the at least two upper levels;
and;
the air-to-air heat exchanger extracts at least part of heat contained in the warmed air flowing out of the computing systems.

8 more elements

A vertical data center (VDC) complex comprises a central facility and at least one vertical data center (VDC) module in communication with the central facility, wherein the at least one VDC 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 each comprising a plurality of computing systems, the plurality of levels being in fluid communication thereby allowing downward and upward movements of air within the at least one VDC module, the at least one VDC module comprising an air handling unit, the air handling unit being in fluid communication with the at least two upper levels, the at least one VDC module further comprising an air-to-air heat exchanger in fluid communication with outside air and the air handling unit, wherein

each of the plurality of levels is partitioned into a first area and a second area;
the first area of each of the plurality of levels are in fluid communication to allow downward movements of the air within the VDC module, and wherein the second area of each of the plurality of levels are in fluid communication to allow the upward movements of the air within the VDC module;
the first area and the second area of the bottom level are in fluid communication to allow the air moving downwardly into the first area to transfer into the second area;
the computing systems are located in the second area of each of the at least two upper levels;
the computing systems 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 systems, the at least one cold aisle carrying cooling air toward the computing systems, the at least one cold aisle being in direct fluid communication with the at least one cold aisle of at least one adjacent level of the at least two upper levels to upwardly move the air between levels;
and
the at least two aisles comprise at least one hot aisle located on another side of the at least one row of computing systems, the at least one hot aisle upwardly carrying warmed air flowing out of the computing systems, the at least one hot aisle being in direct fluid communication with the at least one hot aisle of the at least one adjacent level of the at least two upper levels to upwardly move the air between levels, the at least one hot aisle has an increasing cross-section when going up from a lowest one of the at least two upper levels to a highest one of the at least two upper levels;
and
the air-to-air heat exchanger extracts at least part of heat contained in the warmed air flowing out of the computing systems.

8 more elements

A method to deploy a data center complex comprising a central facility and at least one vertical data center (VDC) module, wherein the at least one VDC 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 each a plurality of computing systems, the plurality of levels being in fluid communication thereby allowing downward and upward movements of air within the VDC module, the VDC 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 area of each of the plurality of levels are in fluid communication to allow downward movements of air within the VDC module, and wherein the second area of each of the plurality of levels are in fluid communication to allow the upward movements of the air within the VDC module;
the first area and the second area of the bottom level are in fluid communication to allow the air moving downwardly into the first area to transfer into the second area;
the computing systems are located in the second area of each of the at least two upper levels;
the computing systems 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 systems, the at least one cold aisle carrying cooling air toward the computing systems, the at least one cold aisle being in direct fluid communication with the at least one cold aisle of at least one adjacent level of the at least two upper levels to upwardly move the air between levels;
and
at least one hot aisle located on another side of the at least one row of computing systems, the at least one hot aisle upwardly carrying warmed air flowing out of the computing systems, the at least one hot aisle being in direct fluid communication with the at least one hot aisle of the at least one adjacent level to upwardly move the air between levels, the at least one hot aisle has an increasing cross-section when going up from a lowest one of the at least two upper levels to a highest one of the at least two upper levels;
and;
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 systems;
the method comprising the steps for:
building the central facility;
building a foundation for the least one VDC module;
and
building the at least one VDC module on the foundation.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/100,960Filed 28 Apr 2015 · us provisional application
Priority: 28 Apr 2014
Published: US 2017/0042067 A19 Feb 2017
Granted: 6 Mar 2018
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