PORTABLE MODULAR DATA CENTER

• US 20090229194A1
• Filed: 06/10/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Advanced Shielding Technologies Europe S.L.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Shielding Technologies Europe S.L.
• Inventors: Armillas, Enrique Daunert
• Application Number:
  US12/136,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20090229194A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/79.100
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 1/1205 Small buildings erected in the open air E04H1/1272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 2001/1283 Small buildings of the ISO containers type
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 2005/005 Buildings for data processing centers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1497 Rooms for data centers; Shipping containers therefor

Abstract

The subject application provides a modular containment structure that satisfies a plurality of growing needs in the marketplace. As will be discussed in further detail below, the modular containment structure provides practical and efficient mobility as it can be quickly deployed. Once deployed at a remote site or location, the containment structure can be started or in a plug and play fashion, thereby minimizing the connection time to external utilities. The modular containment structure houses and maintains for operation various types of information technologies (IT) equipment, such as computer servers, Network Area Storage devices, data communication routers and switches and the support equipment to make them operational such as electrical switchboards, high precision air conditioning, and uninterruptible power supply are within the modular containment structure, the containment structure offers a secured and stable environment, which includes minimizing any external temperature transmission into the containment structure, regardless of the external environmental conditions.

Claims

1. A portable data center comprising:

one or more modular containers, wherein the one or more modular containers comprise;

one or more expandable and retractable side walls;

expandable and retractable ceiling panels;

expandable and retractable floor panels; and

a plurality of racks comprising metal enclosures that are configured to securely hold equipment; and

an inner modular room housed within the one or more modular containers, wherein the inner modular room comprises thermal insulation panels, one or more cable glands, at least one overpressure valve, a fire grill over air intake portion of the overpressure valve, wherein the thermal insulation panels have joints that are dovetailed and sealed with protective silicone to mitigate leakage of heat, cold, water, and humidity.

2. The portable data center of claim 1, wherein the one or more expandable and retractable side walls expands and retracts in an automated manner.

3. The portable data center of claim 1, wherein the one or more expandable and retractable side walls operates via a motor and rack and pinion system.

4. The portable data center of claim 3, wherein the rack and pinion system comprises a steel rack positioned longitudinally along door walls of the one or more modular containers and an electric motor with a speed reduction gearbox and a shaft having a pinion at its end that is moved longitudinally into the steel rack to cause an opening of the side walls.

5. The portable data center of claim 1, wherein the expandable and retractable ceiling and floor panels are supported on rubber wheels and extension bars, wherein the ceiling and floor panels roll on the rubber wheels and side guides and the extension bars sustain and push the floor and ceiling panels forward and backward

6. The portable data center of claim 5, wherein the extension bars are distributed uniformly along surfaces of the floor and ceiling panels.

7. The portable data center of claim 5, wherein the extension bars extend up to 180 degrees.

8. The portable data center of claim 1I, wherein the extendable and retractable ceiling panels and floor panels comprise movable perimeter joints that have fire resistant and water tight gaskets to maintain fire resistance and water tightness of the one or more modular containers.

9. The portable data center of claim 1, wherein the racks are mounted on a sliding rail guided system comprising rails, wherein the rails are composed of a lightweight material and ball bearing skates slide within the rail.

10. The portable data center of claim 9, wherein the rails are mounted on top of an extended floor with height supports to extend its travel.

11. The portable data center of claim 1, wherein the racks move independently of one another along an x-axis.

12. The portable data center of claim 1, wherein the racks move independently of one another along a radial axis (twist movement).

13. The portable data center of claim 1 further comprising an early detection fire system that analyzes smoke by a vacuum system through an inlet pipe distributed in the one or more modular containers, wherein the system processes air samples and identifies any smoke particle.

14. The portable data center of claim 13 further comprising a monitoring system that monitors a plurality of condition parameters in an interior and exterior of the portable data center and generates an alarm when a threshold corresponding to a respective condition parameter is satisfied, wherein the condition parameters comprise temperature, humidity, water, fire, smoke, sound, pressure, air flow, electro-magnetic radiation, motion, and weight.

15. The portable data center of claim 1 further comprising a water-based cooling system comprising one or more fan coils, wherein the fan coils are connected by a piping system to an external water chiller.

16. The portable data center of claim 1 further comprising at least two modular containers that are configured in at least one of the following configurations:

stacked vertically and further comprising at least one stair case connecting doors of the at least two modular containers for access to each modular container; and

configured horizontally by juxtaposing the side walls of the at least two modular containers to create a single larger portable data center, whereby interior side walls of each of the at least two modular containers is removed during operation of the at least two modular containers.

17. The portable data center of claim 1 further comprising a flexible cable management system that comprises a plurality of articulated parts in which at least one cable is passed through, wherein the plurality of articulated parts expand and retract back and forth, protecting the at least one cable which is passed through its interior, thereby mitigating damage to the cables due to movement of a rack.

18. The portable data center of claim 17, wherein the flexible cable management system is integrated into at least one rack of the plurality of racks when the at least one rack is securely holding equipment having at least one cable attached thereto and extending therefrom and is plugged in or connected elsewhere.

19. The portable data center of claim 1, wherein dimensions of the inner modular room are optimized for adaptation to dimensions of the one or more modular containers such that there is minimum space lost between walls, ceiling and floor of the inner modular room and the modular container.

20. The portable data center of claim 1, wherein the modular container and the inner modular room are free of intermediate room columns for support.

21. The portable data center of claim 1, wherein the equipment secured in the plurality of racks comprises computing equipment, servers, machines, air conditioning systems, power supplies, and batteries.

22. The portable data center of claim 1 further comprises one or more in-row cooling units that are positioned between one or more of the plurality of racks.

23. A portable data center comprising:

one or more modular containers, wherein the one or more modular containers comprise;

one or more expandable and retractable side walls;

expandable and retractable ceiling panels;

expandable and retractable floor panels; and

a plurality of racks comprising metal enclosures that are configured to securely hold equipment; and

an inner modular room housed within the one or more modular containers, wherein the inner modular room comprises thermal insulation panels, one or more cable glands, at least one overpressure valve, a fire grill over air intake portion of the overpressure valve; and

an early detection fire system that analyzes smoke by a vacuum system through an inlet pipe distributed in the one or more modular containers, wherein the early detection fire system processes air samples and identifies any smoke particle.

24. The portable data center of claim 23 further comprising a monitoring system that monitors a plurality of condition parameters in an interior and exterior of the portable data center and generates an alarm when a threshold corresponding to a respective condition parameter is satisfied, wherein the condition parameters comprise temperature, humidity, water, fire, smoke, sound, pressure, air flow, electro-magnetic radiation, motion, and weight.

25. The portable data center of claim 23, wherein the one or more expandable and retractable side walls expands and retracts in an automated manner.

26. The portable data center of claim 23, wherein the extendable and retractable ceiling panels and floor panels comprise movable perimeter joints that have fire resistant and water tight gaskets to maintain fire resistance and water tightness of the one or more modular containers.

27. The portable data center of claim 23, wherein the equipment secured in the plurality of racks comprises computing equipment, servers, machines, air conditioning systems, power supplies, and batteries.