Cold row encapsulation for server farm cooling system
View Patent ↗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.
1. A server cooling device, comprising:
an enclosure defining an interior space and comprising at least one server rack port configured to engage a rack such that one or more rack-mounted units installed in the rack interface with the interior space; and
a cooling module operative to supply cooling air to the interior space defined by the enclosure from a top surface of the enclosure.
2. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one server rack port is configured to substantially conform to an outer periphery of a server rack.
3. The cooling device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one server rack port can be substantially sealed when attached to the server racks.
4. The cooling device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one server rack port comprises a gasket configured to substantially seal a server rack within a corresponding server rack port.
5. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein the cooling module further comprises
one or more integrated coils adaptive to cool ambient air within the cooling module;
one or more integrated dampers adaptive to adjust the flow of air in and out of the cooling module; and
a control unit operative to control operation of the integrated dampers.
6. The cooling device of claim 5 , wherein liquid is used inside the integrated coils to cool ambient air.
7. The cooling device of claim 5 , wherein the integrated dampers are controlled by a temperature control unit.
8. The cooling device of claim 1 , wherein the server rack port comprises one or more racks on which one or more servers is placed.
9. A server cooling room, comprising:
one or more openings whereby air inside and outside the server cooling room is exchanged;
one or more server racks in which one or more servers is placed;
one or more cooling devices attached to the one or more server racks and attached to the one or more air intakes, each cooling device comprising:
an enclosure comprising at least one server rack port configured to interface with one or more server racks, the enclosure defining an interior space; and
a cooling module operative to supply cool air to the interior space defined by the enclosure from a top surface of the enclosure; and
wherein the cooling module comprises a cooling unit operative to cool air supplied to the interior space.
10. The server cooling room of claim 9 , wherein the at least one server rack port is configured to interface with the one or more server racks such that a front face of the one or more server racks intersects the interior space.
11. The server cooling room of claim 9 , wherein the air intakes comprise at least one damper responsive to a temperature control unit.
12. The server cooling room of claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more servers comprises one or more cooling fans operative to draw cold air from the cooling device.
13. The server cooling room of claim 9 , wherein the at least one server rack port is configured to substantially conform to an outer periphery of a server rack.
14. The server cooling room of claim 13 , wherein the attachment between the server racks and the server rack ports is substantially sealed.
15. The server cooling room of claim 14 , wherein the at least one server rack port comprises a gasket configured to substantially seal a server rack within a corresponding server rack port.
16. The server cooling room of claim 9 , wherein the cooling module further comprises
one or more integrated coils adaptive to cool ambient air within the cooling module;
one or more integrated dampers adaptive to adjust the flow of air in and out of the cooling module;
a control unit operative to control operation of the integrated dampers.
17. The server room of claim 16 , wherein liquid is used inside the integrated coils to cool ambient air.
18. The server room of claim 16 , wherein the integrated dampers are controlled by a temperature control unit.
19. The server room of claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more air intakes is connected to a plurality of the cooling devices.
20. A server cooling method, comprising
substantially encapsulating an interior space having at least one lateral portion defined by the front face of at least one server rack, wherein the at least one server rack comprises one or more servers mounted therein; and
introducing a cooling air source from the top of the defined space wherein the one or more servers mounted in the server rack includes a cooling fan operative to draw cooled air from the cooling air source from the interior space.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the server rack is attached to the defined space.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the attachment between the server rack and the defined space is substantially sealed.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein one or more gaskets are used to substantially seal the attachment.
24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the cooling air source further comprises
one or more integrated coils adaptive to cool ambient air within the cooling module;
one or more integrated dampers adaptive to adjust the flow of air in and out of the cooling module;
means for controlling the integrated dampers.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein liquid is used inside the integrated coils to cool ambient air.