System and method for optimized cooling and simplified handling of data processing equipment
A container is for housing a first data center and connecting to a heat exchanger. The container has an outer shell defining an inside and outside of the container. The outer shell has a first container inlet port for receiving a flowable heat transfer fluid from a heat exchanger and a first container outlet port for delivering the flowable heat transfer fluid to the heat exchanger. A means is for holding a first data center at a first location inside the container. A closed fluid flow channel fluidly connects the first container inlet port with the first container outlet port. At least a portion of the closed fluid flow channel is adjacent the first location such that a flowable heat transfer fluid can enter the container at the first container inlet port and extract heat from the first data center before exiting the container at the first container outlet port.
1 . A container for housing first and second data centers and connecting to a heat exchanger in use, the container comprising:
an outer shell defining an inside of the container and an outside of the container, the outer shell comprising:
a container inlet port for receiving a flowable heat transfer fluid from the heat exchanger in use;
a first container outlet port for delivering the flowable heat transfer fluid to the heat exchanger in use;
a second container outlet port for delivering the flowable heat transfer fluid to the heat exchanger in use,
wherein the container is disconnectable from the heat exchanger;
a means for holding the first data center at a first location inside the container;
a means for holding the second data center at a second location inside the container; and
a container fluid flow network fluidly connecting the container inlet port with the first container outlet port and fluidly connecting the container inlet port with the second container outlet port;
wherein the container fluid flow network comprises:
a central fluid flow channel directly connected to the container inlet port;
a first outer fluid flow channel directly connected to the first container outlet port; and
a second outer fluid flow channel directly connected to the second container outlet port;
wherein the central fluid flow channel and the first outer fluid flow channel form a first fluid flow path that loops around the first data center such that in use the flowable heat transfer fluid can enter the container at the container inlet port and extract first heat from the first data center before exiting the container at the first container outlet port;
wherein the central fluid flow channel and the second outer fluid flow channel form a second fluid flow path that loops around the second data center such that in use the flowable heat transfer fluid can enter the container at the container inlet port and extract second heat from the second data center before exiting the container at the second container outlet port;
wherein the container fluid flow network and a heat exchanger fluid flow network of the heat exchanger form a closed fluid flow network that is sealed within the container and the heat exchanger when the container is attached to the heat exchanger, and
wherein the container is configured to be at least partially submerged in water and the outer shell is configured to stop the water from entering the container when the container is attached to the heat exchanger.
2 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the outer shell is in the form of a rectangular prism.
3 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the container inlet port comprises a non-return valve and/or the first container outlet port comprises a non-return valve.
4 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the container inlet port is configured to connect to a heat exchanger outlet port of the heat exchanger and the first container outlet port is configured to connect to a first heat exchanger inlet port of the heat exchanger.
5 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the container is configured to be stab connected to the heat exchanger in use.
6 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the means for holding the first data center is one or more of: a rack, a plurality of racks, a slot or a plurality of slots.
7 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the first location is offset from the outer shell and the first fluid flow path is at least partially located between the outer shell and the first location.
8 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the means for holding the second data center is one or more of: a rack, a plurality of racks, a slot or a plurality of slots.
9 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein the second location is offset from the outer shell and the second fluid flow path is at least partially located between the outer shell and the second location.
10 . A system for cooling first and second data centers, the system comprising:
a container according to claim 1 ;
a positive displacement device;
the heat exchanger comprising a first heat exchanger inlet port and a heat exchanger outlet port;
wherein the heat exchanger is operatively connected to the container such that the heat exchanger outlet port is fluidly connected to the container inlet port and the first heat exchanger inlet port is fluidly connected to the first container outlet port;
the flowable heat transfer fluid flows through the container fluid flow network and the heat exchanger fluid flow network of the closed fluid flow network; and
the positive displacement device is configured to circulate the flowable heat transfer fluid between the container fluid flow network and the heat exchanger fluid flow network, such that the flowable heat transfer fluid can remove the first heat from the first data center and transfer the first heat to the heat exchanger in use.
11 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a heat exchange medium configured to remove the first heat from the flowable heat transfer fluid and to dump the first heat to an external fluid surrounding the heat exchanger.
12 . A method of cooling a data center, comprising steps of:
providing a system according to claim 10 ;
powering the first data center to generate the first heat; and
circulating the flowable heat transfer fluid through the container fluid flow network and a heat exchanger fluid flow network of the closed fluid flow network, such that the first heat is removed from the first data center and transferred to the heat exchanger.
13 . A method of cooling a data center, comprising steps of:
providing a system according to claim 11 ;
submerging the heat exchanger in an external fluid;
powering the first data center to generate the first heat;
circulating the flowable heat transfer fluid through the container fluid flow network and a heat exchanger fluid flow network of the closed fluid flow network, such that the first heat is removed from the first data center and transferred to the heat exchanger; and
dumping the first heat from the heat exchanger to the external fluid surrounding the heat exchanger.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the external fluid the heat exchanger is submerged in is the water.
15 . A system for cooling a first data center and a second data center, the system comprising:
a container according to claim 1 ;
a positive displacement device;
the heat exchanger comprising a first heat exchanger inlet port, a second heat exchanger inlet port and a first heat exchanger outlet port;
wherein the heat exchanger is operatively connected to the container such that the heat exchanger outlet port is fluidly connected to the container inlet port, the first heat exchanger inlet port is fluidly connected to the first container outlet port and the second heat exchanger inlet port is fluidly connected to the second container outlet port;
wherein the flowable heat transfer fluid flows through the container fluid flow network and the heat exchanger fluid flow network of the closed fluid flow network; and
the positive displacement device is configured to circulate the flowable heat transfer fluid between the container fluid flow network and the heat exchanger fluid flow network, such that the flowable heat transfer fluid can remove the first and second heats from the first and second data centers, respectively, and transfer the first and second heats to the heat exchanger in use.
16 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a heat exchange medium configured to remove the first and second heats from the flowable heat transfer fluid and to dump the first and second heats to the external fluid surrounding the heat exchanger.