Modular computing environments

• US 8,743,543 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2012
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Clidaras, Jimmy, Whitted, William, Hamburgen, William, Sykora, Montgomery, Leung, Winnie, Aigner, Gerald, Beaty, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): STIGLIC, RYAN M
• Application Number:
  US13/544,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20130083476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 710/300
• US Class Current: 361/701
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/201 Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1497 Rooms for data centers; Shipping containers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/202 Air circulating in closed loop within enclosure wherein heat is removed through heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20754 Air circulating in closed loop within cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2079 within rooms for removing heat from cabinets

Abstract

A computer system may include a connecting hub having a plurality of docking regions and be configured to provide to each docking region electrical power, a data network interface, a cooling fluid supply and a cooling fluid return; and a plurality of shipping containers that each enclose a modular computing environment that incrementally adds computing power to the system. Each shipping container may include a) a plurality of processing units coupled to the data network interface, each of which include a microprocessor; b) a heat exchanger configured to remove heat generated by the plurality of processing units by circulating cooling fluid from the supply through the heat exchanger and discharging it into the return; and c) docking members configured to releaseably couple to the connecting hub at one of the docking regions to receive electrical power, connect to the data network interface, and receive and discharge cooling fluid.

Claims

1. A method of deploying a modular data center comprising:

providing a cooling plant that comprises a cooling fluid source, a cooling fluid source output, and a cooling fluid source input;

coupling a connecting hub to the cooling plant, the connecting hub comprising a plurality of docking regions, each docking region including an electrical power source, a data communication interface, a cooling fluid supply that is fluidly coupled to the cooling fluid source output, and a cooling fluid return that is fluidly coupled to the cooling fluid source input;

providing a first modular computing environment that comprises a specified amount of computing power through a specified plurality of computing devices, a plurality of cooling units that comprise cooling fluid input stubouts and cooling fluid output stubouts, and a human-occupiable aisle that extends between rows of racks that support the specified plurality of computing devices;

connecting the first modular computing environment to a first docking region of the plurality of docking regions by i) fluidly connecting the cooling fluid input stubouts to the cooling fluid supply, ii) fluidly connecting the cooling fluid output stubouts to the cooling fluid return, and iii) connecting the specified plurality of computing devices of the first modular computing environment to the electrical power source and the data communication interface;

subsequent to connecting the first modular computing environment to the first docking region, determining a requirement for an additional amount of computing power greater than the specified amount of computing power;

based on the determination, providing a second modular computing environment that comprises a specified amount of computing power through a specified plurality of computing devices, a plurality of cooling units that comprise cooling fluid input stubouts and cooling fluid output stubouts, and a human-occupiable aisle that extends between rows of racks that support the specified plurality of computing devices; and

connecting the second modular computing environment to a second docking region of the plurality of docking regions by i) fluidly connecting the cooling fluid input stubouts of the second modular computing environment to the cooling fluid supply, ii) fluidly connecting the cooling fluid output stubouts of the second modular computing environment to the cooling fluid return, and iii) connecting the specified plurality of computing devices of the second modular computing environment to the electrical power source and the data communication interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to connecting the second modular computing environment to the second docking region, determining a requirement for an additional amount of computing power greater than the specified amount of computing power of the first and second modular computing environments;

based on the determination, providing a third modular computing environment that comprises a specified amount of computing power through a specified plurality of computing devices and a plurality of cooling units that comprise cooling fluid input stubouts and cooling fluid output stubouts; and

connecting the third modular computing environment to a third docking region of the plurality of docking regions by i) fluidly connecting the cooling fluid input stubouts of the third modular computing environment to the cooling fluid supply, ii) fluidly connecting the cooling fluid output stubouts of the third modular computing environment to the cooling fluid return, and iii) connecting the specified plurality of computing devices of the third modular computing environment to the electrical power source and the data communication interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the connecting hub comprises one of a spine or a ring.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second modular computing environment comprises a modular container that defines an enclosure that at least partially encloses the respective plurality of computing devices and the respective plurality of cooling units of the first and second modular computing environments.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the modular container comprises a 1AAA shipping container.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each cooling unit comprises a fan-coil unit positioned to circulate heated air from the plurality of computing devices through a cooling coil and circulate cooled air from the cooling coil to the plurality of computing devices.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

stacking the second modular computing environment on top of the first modular computing environment prior to connecting the second modular computing environment to the second docking region.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

stacking the third modular computing environment on top of the second modular computing environment prior to connecting the third modular computing environment to the second docking region.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling fluid source comprises water cooled through at least one of a chiller, a cooling tower, or a heat exchanger.

10. A modular data center comprising:

a cooling plant that comprises a cooling fluid source, a cooling fluid source output, and a cooling fluid source input;

a connecting hub coupled to the cooling plant, the connecting hub comprising a plurality of docking regions, each docking region including an electrical power source, a data communication interface, a cooling fluid supply that is fluidly coupled to the cooling fluid source output, and a cooling fluid return that is fluidly coupled to the cooling fluid source input;

a first modular computing environment coupled to a first docking region of the plurality of docking regions, the first modular computing environment comprising i) a specified amount of computing power through a specified plurality of computing devices that are coupled, through the first docking region, to the electrical power source and the data communication interface, ii) a plurality of cooling units that comprise cooling fluid input stubouts fluidly coupled, through the first docking region, to the cooling fluid supply and cooling fluid output stubouts fluidly coupled, through the first docking region, to the cooling fluid return, and iii) a human-occupiable aisle that extends between rows of racks that support the specified plurality of computing devices;

a second modular computing environment coupled, subsequent in time to the first modular computing environment, to a second docking region of the plurality of docking regions, the second modular computing environment comprising i) a specified amount of computing power through a specified plurality of computing devices that are coupled, through the second docking region, to the electrical power source and the data communication interface, ii) a plurality of cooling units that comprise cooling fluid input stubouts fluidly coupled, through the second docking region, to the cooling fluid supply and cooling fluid output stubouts fluidly coupled, through the second docking region, to the cooling fluid return, and iii) a human-occupiable aisle that extends between rows of racks that support the specified plurality of computing devices.

11. The modular data center of claim 10, further comprising:

a third modular computing environment coupled, subsequent in time to the first and second modular computing environments, to a third docking region of the plurality of docking regions, the third modular computing environment comprising i) a specified amount of computing power through a specified plurality of computing devices that are coupled, through the third docking region, to the electrical power source and the data communication interface, and ii) a plurality of cooling units that comprise cooling fluid input stubouts fluidly coupled, through the third docking region, to the cooling fluid supply and cooling fluid output stubouts fluidly coupled, through the third docking region, to the cooling fluid return.

12. The modular data center of claim 10, wherein the connecting hub comprises one of a spine or a ring.

13. The modular data center of claim 10, wherein each of the first and second modular computing environment comprises a modular container that defines an enclosure that at least partially encloses the respective plurality of computing devices and the respective plurality of cooling units of the first and second modular computing environments.

14. The modular data center of claim 13, wherein the modular container comprises a 1AAA shipping container or a 1CC shipping container.

15. The modular data center of claim 10, wherein each cooling unit comprises a fan-coil unit positioned to circulate heated air from the plurality of computing devices through a cooling coil and circulate cooled air from the cooling coil to the plurality of computing devices.

16. The modular data center of claim 11, wherein the second modular computing environment is stacked, when coupled to the connecting hub through the second docking region, on top of the first modular computing environment.

17. The modular data center of claim 16, wherein the third modular computing environment is stacked, when coupled to the connecting hub through the third docking region, on top of the second modular computing environment.

18. The modular data center of claim 11, wherein the second modular computing environment is positioned, when coupled to the connecting hub through the second docking region, side-by-side to the first modular computing environment.

19. The modular data center of claim 10, wherein the cooling fluid source comprises water cooled through at least one of a chiller, a cooling tower, or a heat exchanger.

20. The modular data center of claim 10, wherein each modular computing environment is sealed against environmental elements of wind and moisture.