Cooling system with evaporators distributed in series
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25B-001/00
F25B-049/00
출원번호
US-0309196
(2002-12-04)
발명자
/ 주소
Bash, Cullen E.
Patel, Chandrakant D.
출원인 / 주소
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, LP.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
15인용 특허 :
17
초록▼
A system and method for cooling a room configured to house a plurality of computer systems. A plurality of evaporator units are arranged in series and are configured to receive air from the room and to deliver air to the room. The evaporator units are supplied with refrigerant operable to cool the r
A system and method for cooling a room configured to house a plurality of computer systems. A plurality of evaporator units are arranged in series and are configured to receive air from the room and to deliver air to the room. The evaporator units are supplied with refrigerant operable to cool the received air in the evaporator units. At least one of the temperature of the refrigerant supplied to the evaporator units and the air delivery to the room may be controlled in response to temperatures sensed at one or more locations in the room.
대표청구항▼
1. A method for cooling a room configured to house a plurality of computer systems, said method comprising:providing a plurality of evaporator units distributed in series and configured to receive air from said room and to deliver air to said room; supplying said plurality of evaporator units with r
1. A method for cooling a room configured to house a plurality of computer systems, said method comprising:providing a plurality of evaporator units distributed in series and configured to receive air from said room and to deliver air to said room; supplying said plurality of evaporator units with refrigerant, wherein said refrigerant is operable to cool said air in said plurality of evaporator units; sensing temperatures at one or more locations in said room; controlling the temperature of said air in response to said step of sensing temperatures at said one or more locations; sensing a downstream temperature of said refrigerant in a position generally downstream of said plurality of evaporator units; and modifying the flow of said refrigerant through said plurality of evaporator units in response to said downstream temperature being outside a predetermined superheat temperature range. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:providing a refrigeration system configured to manipulate the temperature of said refrigerant, wherein said controlling step comprises varying an output of said refrigeration system to control the temperature of said refrigerant to thereby control the temperature of said air. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said refrigeration system comprises a refrigeration loop having a compressor and at least one valve configured to meter the flow of said refrigerant through said plurality of evaporator units, and wherein said step of controlling the temperature of said refrigerant comprises controlling the operation of said compressor.4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of evaporator units comprises at least one fan configured to effectuate delivery of said air, and wherein said controlling step comprises varying an output of said fan to control the delivery of said air to said room.5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:determining whether said temperatures at said one or more locations in said room are within a predetermined range. 6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:determining whether said temperatures are at least one of less than and equal to a minimum set point temperature in response to said temperatures at one or more locations in said room being outside of said predetermined range. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said controlling step comprises at least one of the following steps:decreasing delivery of said air to said room in response to said temperatures at said one or more locations being at least one of less than and equal to said minimum set point temperature; and increasing delivery of said air to said room in response to said sensed temperatures being above said minimum set point temperature and outside of said predetermined range. 8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:sensing temperatures again at one or more locations in said room; and recording whether said decreasing and said increasing steps had their intended effect. 9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:using said recording step to provide input to performing a numerical modeling of temperature distribution and flow characteristics of said air within said room. 10. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:varying the temperature of said refrigerant in response to said temperatures at one or more locations in said room being outside of said predetermined range. 11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:manipulating at least one valve to decrease the mass flow rate of said refrigerant through said plurality of evaporator units when said downstream temperature is below a predetermined superheat set point; and manipulating said at least one valve to increase the mass flow rate of said refrigerant through said plurality of evaporator units when said downstream temperature is above said predetermined superheat set point. 12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:modifying the speed of said compressor in response to said temperatures at said one or more locations in said room being outside a predetermined temperature range. 13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:increasing the speed of said compressor in response to a maximum temperature of said temperatures at said one or more locations in said room exceeding or equaling a predetermined maximum temperature set point; and decreasing the speed of said compressor in response to a minimum temperature of said temperatures at said one or more locations in said room being less than or equal to a predetermined minimum temperature set point. 14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:performing a numerical modeling of temperature distribution and flow characteristics of said air within said room; and manipulating said refrigeration system in response to said numerical modeling. 15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:implementing said numerical modeling to correlate at least two of temperature, velocity and pressure of said refrigerant and power draw of said plurality of computer systems to thereby infer a thermal condition throughout said room, wherein said controlling step further comprises manipulating said refrigeration system in response to said thermal condition. 16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of sensing temperatures at one or more locations in said room comprises sensing said temperatures with a mobile environmental condition sensing device.17. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of sensing temperatures at one or more locations in said room comprises determining said temperatures according to anticipated heat loads of one or more of said plurality of computer systems.18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:manipulating the workload on said plurality of computer systems to optimize energy efficiency in cooling said plurality of computer systems. 19. The method according to claim 1, wherein said controlling step comprises substantially ceasing delivery of said air and of said refrigerant in response to said temperatures at said one or more locations within said room being below a predetermined set point temperature.20. A system for cooling a room containing a plurality of computer systems, said system comprising:a plurality of evaporator units distributed in series and configured to receive refrigerant through a refrigerant line and to receive air, wherein said air may be cooled through heat transfer with said refrigerant, said plurality of evaporator units having at least one fan configured to cause said air to flow out of said plurality of evaporator units; an evaporator controller operable to control a supply of said refrigerant to said plurality of evaporator units and operable to control the speed of said at least one fan; a refrigeration system for cooling said refrigerant; a refrigeration system controller configured to operate said refrigeration system to vary the temperature of said refrigerant; at least one valve configured to meter the flow of said refrigerant through said plurality of evaporator units positioned along said refrigerant line generally upstream of said plurality of evaporator units, wherein said refrigeration system controller is operable to control the mass flow rate of said refrigerant through said at least one valve; and wherein said at least one valve comprises a valve upstream of said plurality of evaporator units, said valve being connected to a sensor to detect superheat in said refrigerant exiting said plurality of evaporator units, said valve being operable to vary the mass flow rate of said refrigerant through said plurality of evaporator units based upon said detected superheat, to thereby control the amount of refrigerant superheat formed in the plurality of evaporator units. 21. The system according to claim 20, further comprising one or more temperature sensors, wherein said evaporator controller is configured to receive environmental condition information from said one or more temperature sensors.22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more temperature sensors comprises at least one of a thermocouple and a mobile environmental condition sensing device.23. The system according to claim 20, wherein said plurality of computer systems are housed in a plurality of racks, and wherein said plurality of evaporator units are positioned at various locations in said room to supply air flow to said plurality of racks in a substantially independent manner.24. The system according to claim 23, further comprising:a variable speed compressor for varying a mass flow rate of said refrigerant through said refrigerant line; and a refrigeration system controller configured to control said variable speed compressor. 25. The system according to claim 20, wherein said valve is a thermostatic expansion valve.26. The system according to claim 20, wherein said plurality of evaporator units are configured for thermal proximal assignment to said plurality of computer systems, and wherein said mass flow rate of said refrigerant through said plurality of evaporator units is configured to be controlled according to a heat load applied to said refrigeration system.27. The system according to claim 26, further comprising:said refrigeration system controller being operable to control the capacity of said compressor through an output line connected between said refrigeration system controller and said compressor; a plurality of input lines connected between said refrigeration system controller and a plurality of temperature sensors attached to respective computer systems of said plurality of computer systems; and wherein said refrigeration system controller is operable to control the capacity of said compressor in response to temperature measurements transmitted to said refrigeration system controller by said plurality of temperature sensors. 28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said refrigeration system controller comprises a proportional, integral, derivative controller with a relay.29. The system according to claim 20, wherein said refrigeration system controller is configured for communication with said evaporator controller.30. The system according to claim 29, wherein said communication between the refrigeration system controller and the evaporator controller includes communication of information pertaining to the level of operation of said plurality of evaporator units, and wherein said refrigeration system controller is configured to operate at least one of said variable capacity compressor, said plurality of evaporator units, and said at least one fan in response to said information.31. The system according to claim 29, wherein said communication comprises at least one of temperature measurements and plurality of evaporator units operations.32. The system according to claim 31, wherein said plurality of evaporator units is supported from a ceiling of said room.33. The system according to claim 31, further comprising:a connecting line between a supply portion of said refrigerant line and a return portion of said refrigerant line; and a valve configured to meter the flow of said refrigerant through said connecting line, wherein said evaporator controller is operable to control the flow of said refrigerant through said valve. 34. A system for cooling computer systems housed in one or more racks, said racks being maintained in a room, said system comprising:means for cooling air including comprising a plurality of evaporator units distributed in series and further comprising means for receiving refrigerant; means for delivering cooled air to said plurality of computer systems; means for measuring temperatures at one or more locations in said room; means for controlling delivery of said cooled air in response to said means for measuring; means for controlling the temperature of said refrigerant; means for sensing a downstream temperature of said refrigerant in a position generally downstream of said plurality of evaporator units; and means for modifying the flow of said refrigerant through said plurality of evaporator units in response to said downstream temperature being outside a predetermined superheat temperature range. 35. A computer readable storage medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs, said one or more computer programs implementing a method of cooling a room configured to house a plurality of computer systems, said one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions for:providing a plurality of evaporator units distributed in series and configured to receive air from said room and to deliver air to said room; supplying said plurality of evaporator units with refrigerant, wherein said refrigerant is operable to cool said air in said plurality of evaporator units; sensing temperatures at one or more locations in said room; and controlling the temperature of said air in response to said temperatures at said one or more locations; sensing a downstream temperature of said refrigerant in a position generally downstream of said plurality of evaporator units; and modifying the flow of said refrigerant through said plurality of evaporator units in response to said downstream temperature being outside a predetermined superheat temperature range. 36. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 35, said one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for:providing a refrigeration system configured to manipulate the temperature of said refrigerant, wherein said controlling step comprises varying an output of said refrigeration system to control the temperature of said refrigerant.
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