초록 ▼

A data center has a room having a cold aisle and a hot aisle and a plurality of electronic components disposed between the cold and hot aisles. At least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is disposed between the hot and cold aisles. At least one first fan circulates air in the room at a first flow rat

A data center has a room having a cold aisle and a hot aisle and a plurality of electronic components disposed between the cold and hot aisles. At least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is disposed between the hot and cold aisles. At least one first fan circulates air in the room at a first flow rate. The at least one first fan circulates air through the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger from the hot aisle to the cold aisle. An air supply system is fluidly connected to the room. The air supply system includes an air filter, and a second fan supplying air from outside the room to the room at a second flow rate. The second flow rate is lower than the first flow rate. A data center cooling system and a data center having the data center cooling system are also disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A data center comprising: a room having a cold aisle and a hot aisle;a plurality of electronic components disposed between the cold aisle and the hot aisle, air in the room circulating through the plurality of electronic components from the cold aisle to the hot aisle;at least one air-to-liquid h

1. A data center comprising: a room having a cold aisle and a hot aisle;a plurality of electronic components disposed between the cold aisle and the hot aisle, air in the room circulating through the plurality of electronic components from the cold aisle to the hot aisle;at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger disposed between the hot aisle and the cold aisle, wherein the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is filterless, there being no filters provided upstream or downstream of the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger;at least one first fan circulating air in the room at a first flow rate, the at least one first fan circulating air through the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger from the hot aisle to the cold aisle; andan air supply system fluidly connected to the room for supplying air from outside the room to the room and for pressurizing the room above an air pressure outside the room, the air supply system including: an air filter; anda second fan supplying air from outside the room to the room at a second flow rate, the second flow rate being lower than the first flow rate, whereinat least one air temperature sensor is disposed in the hot aisle for sensing an air temperature in the hot aisle;at least one first air pressure sensor is disposed in the hot aisle for sensing an air pressure in the hot aisle; andat least one second air pressure sensor is disposed in the cold aisle for sensing an air pressure in the cold aisle;wherein a speed of the at least one first fan is increased to increase the first flow rate such that the air pressure in the cold aisle is increased relative to the hot aisle when the air temperature in the hot aisle is above a predetermined temperature; andwherein the speed of the at least one first fan is decreased to decrease the first flow rate such that the air pressure in the cold aisle is decreased relative to the hot aisle when the air temperature in the hot aisle is below the predetermined temperature. 2. The data center of claim 1, wherein the second flow rate is between 0.1% and 25% of the first flow rate. 3. The data center of claim 2, wherein the second flow rate is between 2% and 5% of the first flow rate. 4. The data center of claim 1, wherein the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is at least one first air-to-liquid heat exchanger; and wherein the air supply system further includes at least one second air-to-liquid heat exchanger, the at least one second fan circulating air through the at least one second air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 5. The data center of claim 4, wherein the at least one second air-to-liquid heat exchanger selectively heats the air from the outside before the air is supplied to the room using hot coolant exiting the at least one first air-to-liquid heat exchanger; and wherein the at least one second air-to-liquid heat exchanger selectively cools the air from the outside before the air is supplied to the room using cool coolant supplied to the at least one first air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 6. The data center of claim 5, further comprising: a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger fluidly connected to the at least one second air-to-liquid heat exchanger;at least one pump circulating coolant between the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger and the at least one second air-to-liquid heat exchanger; andat least one valve selectively supplying one of the hot coolant and the cool coolant to the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger. 7. The data center of claim 5, further comprising: at least one valve selectively supplying one of the hot coolant and the cool coolant to the second air-to-liquid heat exchanger; andat least one pump circulating the one of the hot coolant and the cool coolant through the second air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 8. The data center of claim 5, wherein the air supply system further includes: an air-to-coolant heat exchanger disposed downstream of at least one second air-to-liquid heat exchanger; andan autonomous refrigeration system fluidly connected to the air-to-coolant heat exchanger, the autonomous refrigeration system cooling coolant flowing through the air-to-coolant heat exchanger. 9. The data center of claim 8, wherein the air-to-coolant heat exchanger is a third air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 10. The data center of claim 5, wherein the hot coolant is at a temperature of at least 18 degrees Celsius and the cool coolant is at a temperature between 8 degrees Celsius and 18 degrees Celsius. 11. The data center of claim 10, wherein the coolant is at least one of water and antifreeze. 12. The data center of claim 1, wherein the second flow rate is substantially constant. 13. The data center of claim 1, wherein the predetermined temperature is between 26 degrees Celsius and 38 degrees Celsius. 14. The data center of claim 1, further comprising at least one air temperature sensor disposed in the cold aisle for sensing an air temperature in the cold aisle; wherein a flow rate of coolant in the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is increased when the air temperature in the cold aisle is above a predetermined temperature; andwherein the flow rate of coolant in the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is decreased when the air temperature in the cold aisle is below the predetermined temperature. 15. The data center of claim 14, wherein a temperature of coolant supplied to the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is substantially constant. 16. The data center of claim 14, wherein the predetermined temperature is between 15 degrees Celsius and 25 degrees Celsius. 17. The data center of claim 1, further comprising at least one air temperature sensor disposed in the cold aisle for sensing an air temperature in the cold aisle; wherein a temperature of coolant supplied to the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is decreased when the air temperature in the cold aisle is above a predetermined temperature; andwherein the temperature of coolant supplied to the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is increased when the air temperature in the cold aisle is below the predetermined temperature. 18. The data center of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of racks disposed between the cold aisle and the hot aisle; and wherein the plurality of electronic components is disposed in the plurality of racks. 19. A data center cooling system comprising: at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger adapted to cool air from a hot aisle of at least one room of a data center;a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger fluidly connected to the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger;a first chiller fluidly connected to the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger;a second chiller fluidly connected to the first chiller;wherein the first and second chillers are vapor-compression chillers including a refrigerant loop inside which a refrigerant flows;at least one first pump fluidly connected to the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger for pumping in a first coolant loop a first coolant from the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger, the first coolant flowing selectively to the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, and to the first and second chillers prior to flowing back to the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger;a free cooling unit fluidly connected to the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger for cooling the first coolant flowing therethrough and fluidly connected to the first and second chillers for condensing refrigerant circulated therein; andat least one second pump fluidly connected to the free cooling unit for pumping in a second coolant loop a second coolant from the free cooling unit, the second coolant flowing selectively to the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, and to the first and second chillers prior to flowing back to the free cooling unit;wherein the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger, the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, the first chiller and the second chiller are fluidly connected in series;wherein the free cooling unit, the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, the first chiller and the second chiller are fluidly connected in series;wherein when the first coolant flows to the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger and to the first and second chillers, the first coolant flows sequentially from the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger, to the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, to the first chiller, to the second chiller, and back to the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger in the first coolant loop;wherein when the second coolant flows to the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger and to the first and second chillers, the second coolant flows sequentially from the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, to the second chiller, to the first chiller, to the free cooling unit, and back to the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger in the second coolant loop;wherein respective valves are provided to selectively bypass each of the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, the first chiller, and the second chiller. 20. The data center cooling system of claim 19, wherein the free cooling unit is a cooling tower; and wherein the second coolant is water. 21. The data center cooling system of claim 19, wherein the free cooling unit is a dry cooler. 22. The data center cooling system of claim 21, wherein the second coolant is at least in part antifreeze. 23. The data center cooling system of claim 19, wherein the respective valves comprise: a first valve having a first position where the second coolant flows through the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger and a second position where at least a portion of the second coolant bypasses the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger;a second valve having a first position where the second coolant flows through the first chiller and a second position where at least a portion of the second coolant bypasses the first chiller; anda third valve having a first position where the second coolant flows through the second chiller and a second position where at least a portion of the second coolant bypasses the second chiller. 24. The data center cooling system of claim 19, wherein the at least one second pump is fluidly connected between the free cooling unit and the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger. 25. The data center cooling system of claim 19, wherein the respective valves comprise: a first valve having a first position where the first coolant flows through the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger and a second position where at least a portion of the first coolant bypasses the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger;a second valve having a first position where the first coolant flows through the first chiller and a second position where at least a portion of the first coolant bypasses the first chiller; anda third valve having a first position where the first coolant flows through the second chiller and a second position where at least a portion of the first coolant bypasses the second chiller. 26. The data center cooling system of claim 25, wherein the respective valves comprise: a fourth valve having a first position where the second coolant flows through the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger and a second position where at least a portion of the second coolant bypasses the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger;a fifth valve having a first position where the second coolant flows through the first chiller and a second position where at least a portion of the second coolant bypasses the first chiller; anda sixth valve having a first position where the second coolant flows through the second chiller and a second position where at least a portion of the second coolant bypasses the second chiller;wherein the fourth valve is in the first position when the first valve is in the first position, the fifth valve is in the first position when the second valve is in the first position, the sixth valve is in the first position when the third valve is in the first position, the fourth valve is in the second position when the first valve is in the second position, the fifth valve is in the second position when the second valve is in the second position, the sixth valve is in the second position when the third valve is in the second position. 27. The data center cooling system of claim 25, further comprising: a first temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the first coolant upstream of the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger; anda second temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the second coolant upstream of the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger;wherein the first valve is in the second position at least when the temperature of the second coolant sensed by the second temperature sensor is above the temperature of the first coolant sensed by the first temperature sensor. 28. The data center cooling system of claim 27, wherein the first valve is in the first position when the temperature of the second coolant sensed by the second temperature sensor is below the temperature of the first coolant sensed by the first temperature sensor by at least a predetermined amount. 29. The data center cooling system of claim 28, wherein the predetermined amount is between 0.1 and 10 degrees. 30. The data center cooling system of claim 25, further comprising a temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the first coolant downstream of the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger and upstream of the first chiller; and wherein the second valve is in the second position when the temperature of the first coolant sensed by the temperature sensor is at or below a predetermined temperature;wherein the third valve is in the second position when the temperature of the first coolant sensed by the temperature sensor is at or below the predetermined temperature;wherein the predetermined temperature is a temperature at which the first coolant is to be supplied to the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 31. The data center cooling system of claim 30, wherein at least one of the second valve and the third valve is in the first position when the temperature of the first coolant sensed by the temperature sensor is above the predetermined temperature. 32. The data center cooling system of claim 30, wherein, for an equivalent flow rate of the first coolant, one of the second valve and the third valve is in the first position when the temperature of the first coolant sensed by the temperature sensor is above the predetermined temperature by a first amount, and both of the second valve and the third valve are in the first position when the temperature of the first coolant sensed by the temperature sensor is above the predetermined temperature by a second amount, the second amount being greater than the first amount. 33. The data center cooling system of claim 30, wherein the predetermined temperature is between 8 degrees Celsius and 18 degrees Celsius. 34. The data center cooling system of claim 19, wherein the at least one first pump is fluidly connected between the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger and the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger. 35. The data center cooling system of claim 19, wherein the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is a plurality of air-to-liquid heat exchangers fluidly connected in parallel. 36. The data center cooling system of claim 19, wherein the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is at least one coil. 37. The data center cooling system of claim 19, wherein the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger is a counterflow plate-type heat exchanger. 38. The data center cooling system of claim 19, wherein the first coolant is at least one of water and antifreeze. 39. The data center cooling system of claim 19, wherein a temperature of the first coolant supplied to the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is substantially constant. 40. The data center cooling system of claim 39, wherein the temperature of the first coolant supplied to the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is between 8 degrees Celsius and 18 degrees Celsius. 41. The data center cooling system of claim 40, wherein a temperature of the first coolant downstream of the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger and upstream of the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger is at least 18 degrees Celsius. 42. The data center cooling system of claim 19, wherein a temperature of the first coolant downstream of the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger and upstream of the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger is at least 18 degrees Celsius. 43. The data center cooling system of claim 42, wherein the temperature of the first coolant downstream of the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger and upstream of the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger is at least 22 degrees Celsius. 44. A data center comprising: a room having a cold aisle and a hot aisle;a plurality of electronic components disposed between the cold aisle and the hot aisle, air in the room circulating through the plurality of electronic components from the cold aisle to the hot aisle;the data center cooling system from claim 19, the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger being disposed between the hot aisle and the cold aisle; andat least one fan circulating air through the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger from the hot aisle to the cold aisle. 45. The data center of claim 44, wherein a temperature of the hot aisle is between 26 degrees Celsius and 38 degrees Celsius and a temperature of the cold aisle is between 15 degrees Celsius and 25 degrees Celsius. 46. The data center of claim 44, wherein the at least one fan is at least one first fan; and further comprising an air supply system fluidly connected to the room for supplying air from outside the room to the room, the air supply system including: an air filter; anda second fan supplying air from outside the room to the room.