Cold Row Encapsulation for Server Farm Cooling System

• US 20090046427A1
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Noteboom, Scott, Robison, Albert Dell, Holt, Norman, Suarez, Jesus
• Granted Patent: US 7,672,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/695
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0008 for air-humidification F24F11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1488 Cabinets therefor, e.g. chassis or racks or mechanical interfaces between blades and support structures
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20145 Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20736 within cabinets for removing heat from server blades
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20745 within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, and systems directed to efficient cooling of data centers. Some embodiments of the invention allow encapsulation of cold rows through an enclosure and allow server fans to draw cold air from the cold row encapsulation structure to cool servers installed on the server racks. In other particular embodiments, the systems disclosed can be used to mix outside cool air into the cold row encapsulation structure to cool the servers. In some embodiments, the present invention involves using multiple cold row encapsulation structures to cool the servers installed on the racks.

Claims

1. A server cooling system, comprising

an inside space defined by a floor, lateral walls, and a ceiling;

an enclosure disposed within the inside space, wherein the enclosure defines an interior space and comprises a server rack port configured to engage a rack;

a cooling and mixing module operative to supply cooling air to the interior space defined by the enclosure from a top surface of the enclosure;

a rack including one or more rack-mounted-units installed therein, wherein the rack is engaged in the server rack port such that respective front faces of the one or more rack-mounted units interface with the interior space defined by the enclosure; and

wherein at least one or more of the rack-mounted units comprises a cooling fan operative to draw air from the interior space and expel heated air to the inside space.

2. The server cooling system of claim 1 further comprising one or more valved openings in the inside space whereby air inside and outside the inside space is exchanged, and a control system operably connected to the one or more valved openings to selectively activate the one or more valved openings based on air temperatures observed within and outside the inside space.

3. The server cooling system of claim 2 wherein the cooling and mixing module is coupled to the one or more valved openings and the interior space, and wherein the control system is operative to cause the cooling and mixing module to receive and condition either outside air through the one or more valved openings or air from the inside space based on the air temperatures observed within and outside the inside space.

4. The server cooling system of claim 3 further comprising a second set of one or more valved openings defined in the cooling and mixing module to control the flow of air from the inside space into the cooling and mixing module.

5. The server cooling system of claim 4 wherein the rack and the enclosure are mounted to the floor.

6. The server cooling system of claim 4 wherein each valved opening comprises one or more exhaust fans.

7. The server cooling system of claim 6 wherein the one or more exhaust fans of each valve opening is selectively activated by the control system when the difference of the observed air temperature within and outside the inside space reaches one or more threshold values.

8. A server cooling system, comprising

an inside space defined by a floor, lateral walls, and a ceiling;

one or more enclosures disposed within the inside space, wherein each enclosure defines an interior space and comprises a server rack port configured to engage a rack;

one or more cooling modules wherein each cooling module is operative to supply cooling air to the interior space defined by each enclosure from a top surface of the each enclosure;

a mixing module operative to supply air to the one or more cooling modules;

one or more racks each including one or more rack-mounted-units installed therein, wherein each rack is engaged in the server rack port of each enclosure such that respective front faces of the one or more rack-mounted units interface with the interior space defined by the each enclosure; and

wherein at least one or more of the rack-mounted units comprises a cooling fan operative to draw air from the interior space defined by the each enclosure and expel heated air to the inside space.

9. The server cooling system of claim 8 further comprising one or more valved openings in the inside space whereby air inside and outside the inside space is exchanged, and a control system operably connected to the one or more valved openings to selectively activate the one or more valved openings based on temperatures observed within and outside the inside space.

10. The server cooling system of claim 9 further comprising a mixing unit coupled to the one or more valved openings and the one or more cooling modules, and the control system is operative to cause the mixing unit to receive either outside air through the one or more valved openings or air from the inside space based on temperatures observed within and outside the inside space.

11. The server cooling system of claim 10 wherein the rack and the enclosure are mounted to the floor.

12. The server cooling system of claim 10 wherein each valved opening comprises one or more exhaust fans.

13. The server cooling system of claim 12 wherein the one or more exhaust fans of each valve opening is selectively activated by the control system when the difference of the observed air temperature within and outside the inside space reaches one or more threshold values.

14. A server cooling system, comprising

an inside space defined by a floor, lateral walls, and a ceiling;

a plurality of enclosures disposed within the inside space, wherein each enclosure defines an interior space and comprises a server rack port configured to engage a rack;

a cooling and mixing module operative to supply cooling air to the interior spaces defined by each enclosure of the plurality of enclosures to a top surface of the each enclosure;

one or more racks each including one or more rack-mounted-units installed therein, wherein each rack is engaged in the server rack port of each enclosure such that respective front faces of the one or more rack-mounted units interface with the interior space defined by the each enclosure; and

wherein at least one or more of the rack-mounted units comprises a cooling fan operative to draw air from the interior space defined by the each enclosure and expel heated air to the inside space.

15. The server cooling system of claim 14 further comprising one or more valved openings in the inside space whereby air inside and outside the inside space is exchanged, and a control system operably connected to the one or more valved openings to selectively activate the one or more valved openings based on temperatures observed within and outside the inside space.

16. The server cooling system of claim 15 wherein the cooling and mixing module is coupled to the one or more valved openings and the interior spaces defined by the one or more enclosures, and the control system is operative to cause the cooling and mixing module to receive and condition either outside air through the one or more valved openings or air from the inside space based on temperatures observed within and outside the inside space.

17. The server cooling system of claim 16 further comprising a second set of one or more valved openings defined in the cooling and mixing module to control the flow of air from the inside space into the cooling and mixing module.

18. The server cooling system of claim 17 wherein the rack and the enclosure are mounted to the floor.

19. The server cooling system of claim 17 wherein each valved opening comprises one or more exhaust fans.

20. The server cooling system of claim 19 wherein the one or more exhaust fans of each valve opening is selectively activated by the control system when the difference of the observed air temperature within and outside the inside space reaches one or more threshold values.

21. A server cooling system, comprising

an inside space defined by a floor, four lateral walls, and a ceiling;

one or more enclosures disposed within the inside space, wherein each enclosure defines an interior space and comprises a server rack port configured to engage a rack;

one or more cooling modules wherein each cooling module is operative to supply cooling air to the interior space defined by each enclosure from a top surface of the each enclosure;

one or more racks each including one or more rack-mounted-units installed therein, wherein each rack is engaged in the server rack port of each enclosure such that respective front faces of the one or more rack-mounted units interface with the interior space defined by the each enclosure; and

wherein at least one or more of the rack-mounted units comprises a cooling fan operative to draw air from the interior space defined by the each enclosure and expel heated air to the inside space.

22. The server cooling system of claim 21 further comprising one or more valved openings in the inside space whereby air inside and outside the inside space is exchanged, and a control system operably connected to the one or more valved openings to selectively activate the one or more valved openings based on temperatures observed within and outside the inside space.

23. The server cooling system of claim 22 wherein the cooling and mixing module is coupled to the one or more valved openings and the interior spaces defined by the one or more enclosures, and the control system is operative to cause the cooling and mixing module to receive and condition either outside air through the one or more valved openings or air from the inside space based on temperatures observed within and outside the inside space.

24. The server cooling system of claim 23 wherein each valved opening comprises one or more exhaust fans.

25. The server cooling system of claim 24 wherein the one or more exhaust fans of each valve opening is selectively activated by the control system when the difference of the observed air temperature within and outside the inside space reaches one or more threshold values.