Container-based data center

• US 7,724,513 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics International Corporation (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Enos, Jason, Coglitore, Giovanni, Seibold, Lawrence B., Malone, Conor
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOFFBERG, ROBERT JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US11/860,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20080094797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.46, 36167948-67951, 361/690, 361/692, 361694-696, 361/698, 361/701, 622/592, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/104.33, 165121-122, 174/16.1, 312/223.2, 312/236, 454/154
• US Class Current: 361/679.47
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1497 Rooms for data centers; Shipping containers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20745 within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device

Abstract

A computing system and method of operating a computing system is provided. The computer system includes: a housing comprising a shipping container having a first interior lateral wall and a second interior lateral wall; a first row of equipment provided along the first interior lateral wall with a first exhaust region between the first row of equipment and the first interior lateral wall; a second row of equipment provided along the second interior lateral wall with a second exhaust region between the second row of equipment and the second interior lateral wall; and an aisle provided between the first row of equipment and the second row of equipment; wherein said first and second rows of equipment each comprise a plurality of rack assemblies and a plurality of computers supported by the plurality of rack assemblies such that front sides of the computers face the aisle and back sides of the computers face either the first or second interior lateral walls, said front and back sides of the computers including vents enabling cooling air to pass through the computers between the aisle and the first and second exhaust regions.

Claims

1. A computing system, comprising:

a housing having a first interior lateral wall and a second interior lateral wall;

a first row of equipment provided along the first interior lateral wall, wherein said first row of equipment comprises a first plurality of rack assemblies and a first plurality of air mover modules;

a first exhaust region between the first row of equipment and the first interior lateral wall such that air exhausted out of the back sides of first computers supported by the first plurality of rack assemblies is received into the first exhaust region and withdrawn from the first exhaust region by the first plurality of air mover modules; and

a plurality of air deflectors provided in the first exhaust region;

wherein the first plurality of rack assemblies comprises a first rack assembly and a second rack assembly adjacent to the first rack assembly;

wherein the first plurality of air mover modules includes;

a first air mover module adjacent to the first rack assembly; and

a second air mover module adjacent to the second rack assembly;

so that the first rack assembly and the second rack assembly are positioned between the first air mover module and the second air mover module in the first row of equipment; and

wherein at least one of the first plurality of air deflectors is positioned between the first rack assembly and the second rack assembly in the first exhaust region to;

direct first air exhausted out of the back sides of computers mounted in the first rack assembly toward the first air mover module;

direct second air exhausted out of the back sides of computers mounted in the second rack assembly toward the second air mover module;

to thereby reduce mixing of the first air and the second air in the first exhaust region.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second row of equipment provided along the second interior lateral wall, wherein the second row of equipment comprises a second plurality of rack assemblies and a second plurality of air mover modules; and

an aisle provided between the first row of equipment and the second row of equipment;

wherein the first plurality of air mover modules is for moving air between the first exhaust region and the aisle; and

wherein each of the first plurality of air mover modules directs air towards the second row of equipment.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a second exhaust region between the second row of equipment and the second interior lateral wall such that air exhausted out of the back sides of second computers supported by the second plurality of rack assemblies is received into the second exhaust region and withdrawn from the second exhaust region by the second plurality of air mover modules;

wherein the second plurality of air mover modules is for moving air between the second exhaust region and the aisle; and

wherein each of the second plurality of air mover modules directs air towards the first row of equipment.

4. A computing system, comprising:

a housing having an interior lateral wall;

a row of equipment positioned along the interior lateral wall, the row of equipment including a first air mover module, a second air mover module, and a pair of rack assemblies between the first air mover module and the second air mover module, the pair of rack assemblies including;

a first rack assembly adjacent to the first air mover module; and

a second rack assembly adjacent to the second air mover module;

an exhaust region between the row of equipment and the interior lateral wall;

an air deflector positioned between the first rack assembly and the second rack assembly in the first exhaust region, the air deflector comprising two vertically oriented panels coupled at an angle, the two vertically oriented panels including a first panel and a second panel;

wherein first air exhausted from computers in the first rack assembly is directed by the first panel toward the first air mover module, and second air exhausted from computers in the second rack assembly is directed by the second panel toward the second air mover module.

5. The computing system of claim 4, wherein the first air mover module and the second air mover module each comprise:

a fan assembly portion comprising one or more air movers; and

a cooling portion for cooling air passing through the air mover module.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

each air mover module directs air towards an opposing row of equipment.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein:

each air mover module directs air across the front sides of computers in the same row of equipment as the air mover module.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the cooling portion comprises a radiator coupled to an intake line for receiving a cooled heat transfer medium from a cooling system and an outlet line for discharging heated heat transfer medium.