초록 ▼

Apparatus and method are provided for cooling an electronics rack in an energy efficient, dynamic manner. The apparatus includes one or more extraction mechanisms for facilitating cooling of the electronics rack, an enclosure, a heat removal unit, and a control unit. The enclosure has an outer wall,

Apparatus and method are provided for cooling an electronics rack in an energy efficient, dynamic manner. The apparatus includes one or more extraction mechanisms for facilitating cooling of the electronics rack, an enclosure, a heat removal unit, and a control unit. The enclosure has an outer wall, a cover coupled to the outer wall and a central opening sized to surround the electronics rack and the heat extraction mechanism. A liquid coolant loop couples the heat removal unit in fluid communication with the heat extraction mechanism, which removes heat from liquid coolant passing therethrough. The control unit is coupled to the heat removal unit for dynamically adjusting energy consumption of the heat removal unit to limit its energy consumption, while providing a required cooling to the electronics rack employing the liquid coolant passing through the heat extraction mechanism.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for cooling of an electronics rack, the apparatus comprising: at least one heat extraction mechanism for facilitating cooling of the electronics rack, the at least one heat extraction mechanism comprising at least one liquid-cooled cold plate coupled to at least

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for cooling of an electronics rack, the apparatus comprising: at least one heat extraction mechanism for facilitating cooling of the electronics rack, the at least one heat extraction mechanism comprising at least one liquid-cooled cold plate coupled to at least one heat-generating component within the electronics rack; an enclosure comprising at least one wall, a cover coupled to the at least one wall, and a central opening sized to accommodate the electronics rack and the at least one heat extraction mechanism therein, wherein when operatively employed, the enclosure surrounds the electronics rack; a heat removal unit disposed external to the enclosure and in fluid communication with the at least one heat extraction mechanism within the enclosure for removing heat from liquid coolant passing therethrough, the at least one heat extraction mechanism and the heat removal unit being coupled via a liquid coolant loop, wherein the heat removal unit comprises a liquid-to-air heat exchanger, a coolant pump and an air-moving device, the liquid-to-air heat exchanger removing heat from the liquid coolant within the liquid coolant loop before passing through the at least one heat extraction mechanism, the coolant pump pumping the liquid coolant through the liquid coolant loop, and the air-moving device moving air across the liquid-to-air heat exchanger; and a control unit coupled to the heat removal unit to automatically control and minimize energy consumption of the heat removal unit while achieving a specified level of cooling of the electronics rack employing the liquid coolant passing through the at least one heat extraction mechanism within the enclosure, wherein the control unit is coupled to the coolant pump via a first variable frequency drive and is coupled to the air-moving device via a second variable frequency drive, and wherein the control unit dynamically adjusts energy consumption of the heat removal unit by: determining thermal resistance (R) of the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate; initially setting RPMs of the coolant pump via the first variable frequency drive using a first pre-generated relation relating thermal resistance (R) of the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate to coolant pump RPMs; and subsequently setting RPMs of the air-moving device via the second variable frequency drive using a second pre-generated relation relating a target liquid coolant inlet temperature of the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate and the coolant pump RPMs to air-moving device RPMs. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one heat extraction mechanism comprises at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly for facilitating air-cooling of the electronics rack, and wherein the enclosure facilitates establishing a closed loop airflow path therein passing through the electronics rack and through the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly, the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly cooling air circulating through the closed loop airflow path. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate and the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly of the at least one heat extraction mechanism are serially coupled in fluid communication with the liquid coolant passing through the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly also passing through the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is coupled to the heat removal unit for dynamically adjusting energy consumption of the heat removal unit to minimize energy consumption thereof while providing a required specified cooling to the electronics rack employing at least one of a target air inlet temperature to the electronics rack for air-cooling thereof, and the target liquid coolant inlet temperature to at least one liquid-cooled cold plate for cooling at least one heat-generating component of the electronics rack. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit receives as input for automatically controlling and minimizing energy consumption of the heat removal unit a required liquid-cooled cold plate heat dissipation (q), a required rack heat load to be removed via the liquid-cooled cold plate (Qw), a required rack heat load to be removed via a recirculating air flow within the enclosure (Qa), an airflow rate through the electronics rack (F), a thermal conductance of an air-to-liquid heat exchanger of the at least one heat extraction mechanism (UA), a required heat-generating component temperature (Tj), the target liquid coolant inlet temperature of the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate (T5 reqd) and a target air inlet temperature of the electronics rack containing the at least one heat-generating component (T7 reqd). 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control unit, after initially setting RPMs of the coolant pump, and before setting RPMs of the air-moving device, determines whether an adjustment to the coolant pump RPMs is required by comparing a calculated heat exchange capability of an air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly of the at least one heat extraction mechanism (Qest) with the required rack heat load to be removed via the recirculating airflow within the enclosure (Qa). 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one heat extraction mechanism comprises the air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly for facilitating air-cooling of the electronics rack, and wherein the enclosure facilitates establishing a closed loop airflow path therein passing through the electronics rack and through the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly, the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly cooling air circulating through the closed loop airflow path, wherein the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate and the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly are serially coupled in fluid communication with coolant passing through the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly also passing through the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a first temperature sensor for sensing an inlet air temperature to the electronics rack within the enclosure, a second temperature sensor for sensing a liquid coolant inlet temperature to the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate, and a third temperature sensor for sensing an ambient temperature of air moving across the at least one liquid-to-air heat exchanger via the air-moving device, wherein the first temperature sensor, second temperature sensor and third temperature sensor are coupled to the control unit for facilitating dynamic adjustment of energy consumption of the heat removal unit by the control unit to minimize energy consumption thereof while providing the required cooling to the electronics rack. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit dynamically determines, based on sensed ambient temperature of air moving across the at least one liquid-to-air heat exchanger, and the target air inlet temperature to the electronics rack, whether supplemental cooling of the liquid coolant is required, and if so, the control unit automatically dynamically passes at least a portion of the liquid coolant passing through the liquid coolant loop through a supplemental heat removal unit, the supplemental heat removal unit comprising one of a supplemental refrigeration chiller or a supplemental heat exchanger coupled to the liquid coolant loop between the heat removal unit and the enclosure. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the electronics rack is operative within the enclosure, temperature within the enclosure is greater than ambient temperature about the enclosure, and wherein the enclosure comprises one of a thermally insulation layer to prevent exhausting of heat into the ambient air or a thermally conductive structure comprising a plurality of fins extending from an outer surface thereof to facilitate convection heat transfer from air within the enclosure to ambient air external to the enclosure. 10. A method of facilitating cooling of an electronics rack, the method comprising: providing at least one heat extraction mechanism for facilitating cooling of an electronics rack disposed within an enclosure, wherein the enclosure facilitates establishing a closed loop airflow path passing through the electronics rack, the at least one heat extraction mechanism comprising at least one liquid-cooled cold plate coupled to at least one heat-generating component within the electronics rack; providing a heat removal unit disposed external to the enclosure and in fluid communication with the at least one heat extraction mechanism within the enclosure for removing heat from liquid coolant passing therethrough, the at least one heat extraction mechanism and the heat removal unit being coupled via a liquid coolant loop, wherein the heat removal unit comprises a liquid-to-air heat exchanger, a coolant pump and an air-moving device, the liquid-to-air heat exchanger removing heat from the liquid coolant within the liquid coolant loop before passing through the at least one heat extraction mechanism, the coolant pump pumping the liquid coolant through the liquid coolant loop, and the air-moving device moving air across the liquid-to-air heat exchanger; and providing a control unit to automatically adjust liquid coolant flow rate through the at least one heat extraction mechanism, the control unit automatically dynamically controlling and minimizing energy consumption of the heat removal unit while achieving a specified level of cooling of the electronics rack employing the liquid coolant passing through the at least one heat extraction mechanism within the enclosure, wherein the control unit is coupled to the coolant pump via a first variable frequency drive and is coupled to the air-moving device via a second variable frequency drive, and wherein the control unit dynamically adjusts energy consumption of the heat removal unit by: determining thermal resistance (R) of the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate, initially setting RPMs of the coolant pump via the first variable frequency drive using a first pre-generated relation relating thermal resistance (R) of the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate to coolant pump RPMs; and subsequently setting RPMs of the air-moving device via the second variable frequency drive using a second pre-generated relation relating a target liquid coolant inlet temperature of the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate and the coolant pump RPMs to air-moving device RPMs. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the at least one heat extraction mechanism comprises providing at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly for facilitating air-cooling of the electronics rack, the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly being disposed within the enclosure with the closed loop airflow path passing therethrough, the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly cooling air circulating through the closed loop airflow path, and wherein the control unit automatically adjusts the liquid coolant flow rate through the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly employing, in part, a target air inlet temperature to an air inlet side of the electronics rack. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate and the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly of the at least one heat extraction mechanism are serially coupled in fluid communication with the liquid coolant passing through the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly also passing through the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate, and wherein the control unit automatically adjust the liquid coolant flow rate employing, in part, the target liquid coolant inlet temperature to the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the control unit is coupled to the heat removal unit for dynamically adjusting energy consumption of the heat removal unit to minimize energy consumption thereof while providing the required cooling to the electronics rack, wherein the required cooling comprises at least one of a target air inlet temperature to the electronics rack at an air inlet side thereof, and the target liquid coolant inlet temperature to the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate disposed within the electronics rack. 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the control unit receives as input for automatically controlling and minimizing energy consumption of the heat removal unit a required liquid-cooled cold plate heat dissipation (q), a required rack heat load to be removed via the liquid-cooled cold plate (Qw), a required rack heat load to be removed via a recirculating air flow within the enclosure (Qa), an airflow rate through the electronics rack (F), a thermal conductance of an air-to-liquid heat exchanger of the at least one heat extraction mechanism (UA), a required heat-generating component temperature (Tj), the target liquid coolant inlet temperature of the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate (T5, reqd), and a target air inlet temperature of the electronics rack containing the at least one heat-generating component (T7 reqd). 15. The method of claim 14, wherein after initially setting RPMs of the coolant pump, and before setting RPMs of the air-moving device, the control unit determines whether an adjustment to the coolant pump RPMs is required by comparing a calculated heat exchange capability of an air-to-liquid heat exchanger of the at least one heat extraction mechanism (Qest) with the required rack heat load to be removed via the recirculating airflow within the enclosure (Qa). 16. A method for cooling an electronics rack, the method comprising: passing liquid coolant through at least one heat extraction mechanism disposed within an enclosure containing the electronics rack for facilitating cooling of the electronics rack, wherein the enclosure surrounds the electronics rack and facilitates defining a closed loop airflow path through the electronics rack, the at least one heat extraction mechanism comprising at least one liquid-cooled cold plate coupled to at least one heat-generating component within the electronics rack; and dynamically adjusting energy consumption of a heat removal unit coupled in fluid communication with the at least one heat extraction mechanism via a liquid coolant loop, the heat removal unit removing heat from the liquid coolant passing therethrough, wherein the heat removal unit comprises a liquid-to-air heat exchanger, a coolant pump and an air-moving device, the liquid-to-air heat exchanger removing heat from the liquid coolant within the liquid coolant loop before passing through the at least one heat extraction mechanism, the coolant pump pumping the liquid coolant through the liquid coolant loop, and the air-moving device moving air across the liquid-to-air heat exchanger; wherein the dynamically adjusting comprises employing a control unit to dynamically adjust a liquid coolant flow rate through the at least one heat extraction mechanism and an air flow rate across at least one liquid-to-air heat exchanger of the heat removal the heat removal unit being disposed external to the enclosure, and wherein the control unit is coupled to the coolant pump via a first variable frequency drive and is coupled to the air-moving device via a second variable frequency drive, and wherein the control unit dynamically adjusts energy consumption of the heat removal unit by: determining thermal resistance (R) of the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate; initially setting RPMs of the coolant pump via the first variable frequency drive using a first pre-generated relation relating thermal resistance (R) of the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate to coolant pump RPMs; and subsequently setting RPMs of the air-moving device via the second variable frequency drive using a second pre-generated relation relating a target liquid coolant inlet temperature of the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate and the coolant pump RPMs to air-moving device RPMs. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one heat extraction mechanism comprises at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly for facilitating air-cooling of the electronics rack, the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly being disposed within the enclosure to cool air circulating through the closed loop airflow path, and wherein the dynamically adjusting comprises dynamically adjusting at least one of the liquid coolant flow rate through the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly and an airflow rate across the at least one liquid-to-air heat exchanger of the heat removal unit employing, in part, a target air inlet temperature to an air inlet side of the electronics rack within the enclosure. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate and the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly of the at least one heat extraction mechanism are serially coupled in fluid communication with the liquid coolant passing through the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly also passing through the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate, and wherein the dynamically adjusting further comprises dynamically adjusting at least one of the liquid coolant flow rate through the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate and the airflow rate across the at least one liquid-to-air heat exchanger of the heat removal unit employing, in part, a the target liquid coolant inlet temperature into the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate for cooling the at least one heat-generating component. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises sensing an air temperature into the electronics rack at an air inlet side thereof, sensing a liquid coolant inlet temperature into the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate, and sensing a temperature of inlet air moving across the at least one liquid-to-air heat exchanger of the heat removal unit, and employing the sensed temperatures in automatically adjusting operation of the liquid coolant pump of the heat removal unit. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the dynamically adjusting further comprises automatically adjusting a frequency of operation of an air-moving device, disposed to move air across the at least one liquid-to-air heat exchanger, to provide sufficient cooling of the liquid coolant passing through the at least one liquid-to-air heat exchanger to achieve a required cooling of the electronics rack while minimizing energy consumption of the heat removal unit, including minimizing energy consumption of the liquid coolant pump and the air-moving device.