MODULAR SCALABLE COOLANT DISTRIBUTION UNIT

• US 20100236772A1
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vette Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Vette Corp. (The Heico Cos. LLC)
• Inventors: Novotny, Shlomo D., Roden, David W., Menoche, John P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,297,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/287
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2079 within rooms for removing heat from cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

An equipment cooling system and method employing modular scalable coolant distribution units that interface with each other to provide liquid cooling for computer data centers. The coolant distribution unit (CDU) permits the use of elevated water temperatures without increasing the load on the computer room air conditioning. A control unit processes environment data to control pump and valve components supporting redundancy and multiple primary and secondary coolant loops.

Claims

1. A modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) comprising:

a primary coolant loop comprising connect coupling for fluid communication with at least one cooling source;

a secondary coolant loop comprising connect coupling for fluid communication with at least one equipment heat exchanger;

an expansion tank in said secondary coolant loop;

a heat exchanger in fluid communication with said primary coolant loop and in fluid communication with said secondary coolant loop wherein heat is exchanged between said primary coolant loop and said secondary coolant loop;

at least one valve in said primary coolant loop return line;

at least one pump in supply line of said secondary coolant loop;

a first secondary coolant loop valve in said supply line of said secondary coolant loop between said at least one pump and an expansion tank;

an automatic fill system in fluid communication with said supply line of said secondary coolant loop;

at least one coolant temperature sensor for said secondary coolant supply line;

at least one dew point sensor monitoring dew point of facility housing said at least one equipment heat exchanger;

a second secondary coolant loop valve in said secondary supply line between said pump and said at least one equipment heat exchanger;

a controller in communication with at least said at least one valve in said primary coolant loop return line, said at least one pump, said at least one dew point sensor, and said at least one coolant temperature sensor, wherein multiple characteristics of said at least one valve in said primary coolant loop, said at least one pump, and said at least one coolant temperature sensor are configured to balance heat transfer between said at least one cooling source and said at least one equipment heat exchanger; and

wherein when in operation, said CDU delivers conditioned coolant to said at least one equipment heat exchanger from said at least one cooling source.

2. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1;

wherein said at least one equipment heat exchanger is at least one rear door heat exchanger.

3. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1;

wherein said at least one equipment heat exchanger is at least one passive rear door heat exchanger.

4. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1;

wherein said heat exchanger is a stainless-steel brazed-plate heat exchanger.

5. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1;

wherein said heat exchanger is external to said expansion tank.

6. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1;

wherein said valve in said primary coolant loop return line comprises a three-way valve in said primary coolant loop between primary coolant loop return line, said heat exchanger and primary coolant loop supply line by way of primary coolant loop bypass line.

7. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1;

wherein said automatic fill system is connected to said expansion tank.

8. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1;

wherein said at least one coolant temperature sensor for said secondary coolant supply line is opposite heat exchanger side of said at least one pump.

9. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1 further comprising:

an interface with at least one free-cooling source wherein said interface comprises at least one free-cooling sensor measuring said at least one free-cooling cooling source;

free-cooling control software monitoring said free-cooling source and cooling environment;

at least one free-cooling control valve capable of directing cooling among a plurality of CDUs; and

at least one rear door liquid heat exchanger.

10. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1;

wherein a floor-mount CDU supports up to about approximately 12 rear door equipment heat exchangers (RDHxs).

11. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1;

wherein said CDU is a rack-mounted CDU;

said rack-mounted CDU occupying 6 U height in a 19 inch EIA COMPLIANT enclosure, supporting up to two rear door equipment heat exchangers (RDHxs), providing up to 20 kW cooling capacity.

12. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1;

wherein up to six rack-mounted CDUs are joined together in series, thereby supporting up to twelve RDHxs.

13. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1 further comprising:

redundant variable speed pumps, actuators, and control valves.

14. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) of claim 1;

wherein said at least one valve in said primary coolant loop return line modulates heat rejected to said primary coolant loop whereby water in said secondary loop is maintained in a non-condensing condition about approximately two degrees centigrade above dew point of said facility, whereby all cooling is sensible, even as temperature and humidity vary.

15. A modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) cooling method comprising:

providing a CDU comprising a primary coolant loop comprising connect coupling for fluid communication with at least one cooling source;

a secondary coolant loop comprising connect coupling for fluid communication with at least one equipment heat exchanger;

an expansion tank in said secondary coolant loop;

a heat exchanger in fluid communication with said primary coolant loop and in fluid communication with said secondary coolant loop wherein heat is exchanged between said primary coolant loop and said secondary coolant loop;

at least one valve in said primary coolant loop return line;

at least one pump in supply line of said secondary coolant loop;

a first secondary coolant loop valve in said supply line of said secondary coolant loop between said at least one pump and an expansion tank;

an automatic fill system in fluid communication with said supply line of said secondary coolant loop;

at least one coolant temperature sensor for said secondary coolant supply line;

at least one dew point sensor monitoring dew point of facility housing said at least one equipment heat exchanger;

a second secondary coolant loop valve in said secondary supply line between said pump and said at least one equipment heat exchanger;

a controller in communication with at least said at least one valve in said primary coolant loop return line, said at least one pump, said at least one dew point sensor, and said at least one coolant temperature sensor, wherein multiple characteristics of said at least one valve in said primary coolant loop, said at least one pump, and said at least one coolant temperature sensor are configured to balance heat transfer between said at least one cooling source and said at least one equipment heat exchanger; and

delivering, wherein when in operation, conditioned coolant to said at least one equipment heat exchanger from said at least one cooling source.

16. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) cooling method of claim 15;

wherein said operation of floor-mounted CDU consumes about approximately 2,500 watts maximum electrical power, thereby operating cooling for up to 150 kW of heat generated by up to 12 equipment racks at less than 250 watts electrical power per equipment rack comprising a passive rear door heat exchanger.

17. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) cooling method of claim 15 comprising the further steps of:

supplying make up water supplied by dual automatic fill pumps to supply to said secondary loop; and

filling with treated water by pumps drawing treated water from an on-board reservoir in said CDU exclusive of an external water source.

18. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) cooling method of claim 15 further comprising:

filtering by a water filtration system for said secondary and primary loops whereby flushing is performed without interrupting unit operation.

19. The modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) cooling method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

measuring flow of chilled water through the primary loop with a flow meter; and

regulating flow to each of a plurality of equipment heat exchangers by secondary distribution flow regulators.

20. A modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) system comprising:

a primary coolant loop comprising connect coupling for fluid communication with at least one cooling source;

a secondary coolant loop comprising connect coupling for fluid communication with at least one passive rear door equipment heat exchanger;

an expansion tank in said secondary coolant loop;

a stainless steel brazed plate heat exchanger, external to said expansion tank, in fluid communication with said primary coolant loop and in fluid communication with said secondary coolant loop wherein heat is exchanged between said primary coolant loop and said secondary coolant loop;

at least one valve in said primary coolant loop return line, wherein said at least one valve in said primary coolant loop return line comprises a three-way valve in said primary coolant loop between primary coolant loop return line, said heat exchanger and primary coolant loop supply line by way of primary coolant loop bypass line;

at least one pump in supply line of said secondary coolant loop;

wherein said at lest one secondary coolant loop pump is magnetically driven and fill pumps are self-priming;

a first secondary coolant loop valve in said supply line of said secondary coolant loop between said pump and said expansion tank;

an automatic fill system in fluid communication with said supply line of said secondary coolant loop connected to said expansion tank;

at least one coolant temperature sensor for said secondary coolant supply line opposite heat exchanger side of said pump;

at least one dew point sensor monitoring dew point of facility housing said at least one equipment heat exchanger;

a second secondary coolant loop valve in said secondary supply line between said pump and said at least one equipment heat exchanger;

a controller in communication with at least said at least one valve in said primary coolant loop return line, said at least one pump, said at least one dew point sensor, and said at least one coolant temperature sensor, wherein multiple characteristics of said at least one valve in said primary coolant loop, said at least one pump, and said at least one coolant temperature sensor is configured to balance heat transfer between said at least one cooling source and said at least one equipment heat exchanger;

wherein said CDU system is capable of controlling secondary supply water temperature based on user selectable methods, fixed set point, fixed set point with dew point override or dew point tracking with adjustable offset;

wherein said modular scalable CDU supports incremental capacity increase and component redundancy, providing an interface for at least one free-cooling source; and

wherein when in operation, said CDU delivers conditioned coolant to said at least one heat exchanger from said at least one cooling source, thereby reducing heat load on at least one air conditioning unit.