Integrated wiring system for a data center

• US 9,999,166 B1
• Filed: 01/02/2013
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Switch Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Switch Company Limited
• Inventors: Roy, Rob
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister, Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Samantha
• Application Number:
  US13/732,962
• Time in Patent Office: 1,987 Days
• Field of Search: 454184, 454187
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 25/005 using primary and secondary systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/173 of the evaporator fan
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3062 where the monitored property is the power consumption power management in a computing system G06F1/3203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/201 Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0213 Venting apertures; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1497 Rooms for data centers; Shipping containers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20145 Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20709 for server racks or cabinets; for data centers, e.g. 19-inch computer racks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20745 within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device

Abstract

Described herein is an integrated data center that provides for efficient cooling, as well as efficient wire routing.

Claims

1. A method of configuring and cooling electronic equipment contained in a plurality of cabinets, and supporting electronic equipment power wires, and communication wiring connected at one end to telecommunications equipment, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of cabinet clusters, each cabinet cluster including some of the plurality of cabinets, wherein the plurality of cabinets are disposed on a floor, the floor being within an internal area of a building, the some cabinets in each cabinet cluster positioned in two rows and separated by a hot aisle area, the cabinets containing the electronic equipment, the hot aisle area located between the two separated rows associated with each cabinet cluster, wherein the providing the plurality of cabinet clusters further arranges the plurality of cabinet clusters in at least a 2×

2 array of four cabinet clusters such that the hot aisle area of each of the at least four cabinet clusters is aligned in both a length and width direction with adjacent cabinet clusters in the length and width direction, thereby creating four separated rows of cabinets;

providing, for each of the cabinet clusters, a plurality of support brackets disposed along each of the two separated rows that support, the electronic equipment power wires, and the communication wiring on one side of the plurality of support brackets, wherein a portion of each of the support brackets is adapted for connection above the plurality of cabinets, each of the support brackets including, in the portion adapted for connection above the plurality of cabinets;

a plurality of tiered ladder rack supports on the one side to establish a plurality of different tiers outside of the hot aisle area so that each of the different tiers is adapted to hold the electronic equipment power wires and the communication wiring providing, for each of the cabinet clusters, a plurality of ladder racks, each of the plurality of ladder racks being associated with one of the plurality of tiered ladder rack supports of the plurality of support brackets, such that each of the plurality of ladder racks is horizontally disposed above the cabinets and provides further support for the electronic equipment power wires and conduits and the communication wiring;

providing at least one thermal shield between the hot aisle area and at least one ladder rack;

providing first electronic equipment power wires from one circuit of the at least one power unit disposed in each of the cabinet clusters to each of the cabinets using one of the ladder racks within each cabinet cluster;

providing second electronic equipment power wires from a second circuit of the at least one power unit disposed in each of the cabinet clusters to each of the cabinets using a second of the ladder racks within each cabinet cluster, the power provided by the second circuit being independent of the power provided by the first circuit and being provided by a different one of the power distribution units;

providing data cabling from the telecommunications equipment disposed in each of the cabinet clusters to each of the cabinets using a third of the ladder racks within each cabinet cluster;

drawing air into the plurality of cabinets and over the electronic equipment contained within the cabinets, the electronic equipment generating heat;

cooling the electronic equipment during the drawing of air over the electronic equipment thereby creating heated air; and

emitting the heated air from the cabinet into the hot aisle area.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further supports distribution power wires and conduits;

wherein the step of providing, for each of the cabinet clusters, the plurality of support brackets disposed along each of the two separated rows also supports distribution power wires and conduits, and wherein each of the support brackets further includes a plurality of conduit holders disposed on the one side above the plurality of tiered ladder rack supports, each of the conduit holders in each of the plurality of support brackets aligned with corresponding ones of conduit holders in the other plurality of support brackets, for holding a plurality of the distribution power wires and conduits; and

further including the steps of;

providing distribution power wires and conduits along some of the plurality of conduit holders from a plurality of power distribution units to the plurality of cabinet clusters to at least one power unit disposed in each of the cabinet clusters, wherein the distribution power wires and conduits span adjacent cabinet clusters and are disposed in the plurality of conduit holders, so as to be located above the tiered ladder rack supports; and

providing further communication wiring along other ones of the plurality of conduit holders wiring from exterior to the plurality of cabinet clusters to the telecommunication equipment disposed in each of the cabinet clusters, wherein the further communication wiring spans adjacent cabinet clusters and is disposed in the plurality of conduit holders, so as to be located above the tiered ladder rack supports.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of providing the plurality of support brackets provides as the plurality of conduit holders a plurality of conduit clamps disposed on each of the support brackets above the plurality of tiered ladder rack supports.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the step of providing the plurality of support brackets provides as the plurality of conduit holders a plurality of tiered conduit ladder rack supports.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of providing the plurality of support brackets provides as the plurality of conduit holders at least one conduit ladder rack support.

6. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of providing the plurality of support brackets provides each of the plurality of ladder rack supports attached to a back vertical support bracket associated with each of the plurality of support brackets.

7. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of providing the plurality of support brackets provides, for at least some of the plurality of support brackets, at a bottom of the back vertical support bracket, a horizontal support plate for attachment to a top of the cabinet therebelow.

8. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of providing the plurality of support brackets provides, for at least some of the plurality of support brackets, a top support plate at a top of the bracket for attachment to a ceiling.

9. The method according to claim 2 further including the step of providing cold aisle ducts having vents in a location above the plurality of cabinets, in a direction parallel to and contiguous with the four separated rows, with a first cold aisle duct disposed in a first cold aisle adjacent an outer row of the cabinets formed by two cabinet clusters, with a second cold aisle duct disposed in a second cold aisle disposed between two separated rows of cabinets between two adjacent cabinet clusters, and with a third cold aisle duct disposed in a third cold aisle adjacent an outer row of the cabinets formed by the other two cabinet clusters.

10. The method according to claim 2 wherein the distribution power wires and conduits provide 480 v power, and wherein the first electronic equipment power wires and the second electronic equipment power wires each provide 110-480 v power.

11. The method according to claim 2 wherein the floor is within a room of a building that has at least one exterior load wall and one interior wall and wherein another room is disposed on an opposite side of the one interior wall, and wherein the step of providing distribution power wires and conduits provides the distribution power wires and conduits from the plurality of power distribution units located in the another room to the plurality of cabinet clusters located in the room.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the distribution power wires and conduits are provided from three different power distribution units that each provide 480 power independently.

13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing the plurality of ladder racks provides the third ladder racks closest to the plurality of cabinets, and the second ladder racks and the first ladder racks are disposed above the third ladder racks.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing the plurality of support brackets provides each of the plurality of ladder rack supports attached to a back vertical support bracket associated with each of the plurality of support brackets.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing the plurality of support brackets provides, for at least some of the plurality of support brackets, at a bottom of the back vertical support bracket, a horizontal support plate for attachment to a top of the cabinet therebelow.

16. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing the plurality of support brackets provides, for at least some of the plurality of support brackets, a top support plate at a top of the bracket for attachment to a ceiling.

17. The method according to claim 1 further including the step of providing cold aisle ducts having vents in a location above the plurality of cabinets, in a direction parallel to and contiguous with the four separated rows, with a first cold aisle duct disposed in a first cold aisle adjacent an outer row of the cabinets formed by two cabinet clusters, with a second cold aisle duct disposed in a second cold aisle disposed between two separated rows of cabinets between two adjacent cabinet clusters, and with a third cold aisle duct disposed in a third cold aisle adjacent an outer row of the cabinets formed by the other two cabinet clusters.

18. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first electronic equipment power wires and the second electronic equipment power wires each provide 110-480 v power.