MODULAR SCALABLE COOLANT DISTRIBUTION UNIT
First Claim
Patent Images
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.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) cooling method comprising:
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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; anddelivering, wherein when in operation, conditioned coolant to said at least one equipment heat exchanger from said at least one cooling source. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A modular scalable coolant distribution unit (CDU) system comprising:
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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.
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Specification