IP Library Granted Patent US 10,716,242
Granted Patent B2
US 10,716,242 · App. 15/653,973 · Granted Jul 14, 2020

Data center modular systems

Inventors: Pascal Kam (Union City, CA); Grace Wu (Santa Clara, CA); Saurin Purohit (Douglasville, GA); Kenneth Dale Shaul (Sunnyvale, CA); Siddharth Sheli (Fremont, CA); Thomas R. Kowalski (Santa Cruz, CA); Bruce Baxter (Hollister, CA); Jim O'Connor (Half Moon Bay, CA); Brandon Gries (Monona, WI); Gerard V. Gioia (West Chester, PA); Steven K. Bowman (Hillsborough, NC)
Assignee: Google LLC
H05K7/20745G06F1/20H05K7/1485H01R43/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,716,242
App. No.
15/653,973
Granted
Jul 14, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A modular data center system includes an upper module including a roller assembly attached to a frame of the upper module, the roller assembly configured to engage at least a portion of a rail assembly attached to a structure of a data center building; and a lower module attachable to the upper module and configured to suspend above a floor of a human-occupiable workspace of the data center that supports a plurality of racks including a plurality of heat-generating electronic devices, the lower module including a power support assembly configured to provide electrical power to the plurality of heat-generating electronic devices.

Claims (31)

1. A modular data center system, comprising:

an upper module comprising a roller assembly attached to a frame of the upper module, the roller assembly configured to engage at least a portion of a rail assembly attached to a structure of a data center building; and

a lower module attached to the upper module to suspend above a floor of a human-occupiable workspace of the data center building that supports a plurality of racks comprising a plurality of heat-generating electronic devices, the lower module comprising a power support assembly, at least a portion of the power support assembly electrically coupled between a source of electrical power and the plurality of heat-generating electronic devices.

2. The modular data center system of claim 1 , wherein the upper module further comprises an air conditioning module.

3. The modular data center system of claim 2 , wherein the lower module comprises at least one side that extends vertically from a ceiling that is attached to the frame of the upper module, the ceiling comprising an aperture to permit airflow from the air conditioning module to a volume defined by the side and the ceiling.

4. The modular data center system of claim 3 , wherein the volume comprises a portion of a conditioned air plenum that extends from the ceiling of the lower module to a top of the plurality of racks, the conditioned air plenum further defined between back sides of rows of the plurality of racks.

5. The modular data center system of claim 4 , wherein the air conditioning module comprises:

at least one of an air cooling module or an air heating module that is positioned over the aperture in the ceiling of the lower module; and

a fan positioned to circulate a conditioned airflow from the at least one of the air cooling module or the air heating module, through the portion of the conditioned air plenum, through the back sides of the rows of the plurality of racks, through front sides of the rows of the plurality of racks to the human-occupiable workspace, and to the at least one of the air cooling module or the air heating module.

6. The modular data center system of claim 5 , wherein the conditioning module comprises at least one of a cooling coil, a heating coil, an energy recovery ventilator, or a constant or variable air volume box.

7. The modular data center system of claim 4 , wherein the lower module further comprises a seal to receive a portion of the plurality of racks and seal against an airflow between the human-occupiable workspace and the portion of conditioned air plenum.

8. The modular data center system of claim 1 , wherein the roller assembly comprises a plurality of wheels or sliders that engage the rail assembly.

9. The modular data center system of claim 1 , wherein the structure of the data center building comprises a column that extends between the floor and a roof of the data center building.

10. The modular data center system of claim 1 , further comprising an accessory module coupled to the upper module, the accessory module comprising a pipe rack.

11. A data center system, comprising:

an upper module comprising an air conditioning module;

a lower module attached to the upper module to suspend above a floor of a human-occupiable workspace of a data center building that supports a plurality of racks comprising a plurality of heat-generating electronic devices, the lower module comprising a power support assembly, at least a portion of the power support assembly electrically coupled between a source of electrical power and the plurality of heat-generating electronic devices;

a roller or slider assembly attached to a frame of the upper module, the roller assembly comprising at least one roller or slider; and

a rail assembly attachable to a structure of the data center building, the rail assembly comprising a beam engageable by the roller or slider.

12. The data center system of claim 11 , wherein the lower module comprises at least one side that extends vertically from a ceiling that is attached to the frame of the upper module, the ceiling comprising an aperture to permit airflow between the upper module and a volume defined by the side and the ceiling of the lower module.

13. The data center system of claim 12 , wherein the volume comprises a portion of a conditioned air plenum that extends from the ceiling of the lower module to a top of the plurality of racks, the conditioned air plenum further defined between back sides of rows of the plurality of racks.

14. The data center system of claim 13 , wherein the air conditioning module is positioned over the aperture in the ceiling of the lower module and comprises at least one of an air cooling module or an air heating module and a fan, the fan positioned over the aperture to circulate a conditioned airflow from the at least one of the air cooling module or the air heating module, through the portion of the conditioned air plenum, through the back sides of the rows of the plurality of racks, through front sides of the rows of the plurality of racks to the human-occupiable workspace, and back to the at least one of the air cooling module or the air heating module.

15. The data center system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one of the air cooling module or the air heating module comprises at least one of a cooling coil, a heating coil, an energy recovery ventilator, or a constant or variable air volume box.

16. The data center system of claim 14 , wherein the lower module further comprises a seal to receive a portion of the plurality of racks and seal against an airflow between the human-occupiable workspace and the portion of the conditioned air plenum.

17. The data center system of claim 12 , wherein the structure of the data center building comprises a column that extends between the floor and a roof of the data center building.

18. The data center system of claim 16 , wherein the beam extends between at least two columns of the data center building.

19. The data center system of claim 11 , further comprising an accessory module coupled to the upper module, the accessory module comprising a pipe rack.

20. The data center system of claim 19 , wherein the accessory module further comprises a plurality of fire protection electrical assemblies that comprise wiring and electrical connectors for a fire protection system.

21. The data center system of claim 20 , wherein the accessory module further comprises at least a portion of a fire protection system piping system that comprises a plurality of sprinkler heads of the fire protection system.

22. The data center system of claim 19 , wherein the accessory module further comprises a plurality of data center lighting fixtures or data center lighting wiring assemblies.

23. The data center system of claim 12 , further comprising a support structure that comprises at least a portion of the ceiling to thermally separate cold air aisle of the conditioned plenum from a warm air aisle.

Assignments (7)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 1, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044648/0549 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 20, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044567/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2017
From: BAXTER, BRUCE; O'CONNOR, JIM; GRIES, BRANDON
To: CUPERTINO ELECTRIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 043523/0491 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2017
From: CUPERTINO ELECTRIC, INC.
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 043523/0747 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2017
From: JACOBS ENGINEERING GROUP
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 043523/0857 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2017
From: GIOIA, GERARD V.; BOWMAN, STEVEN K.
To: JACOBS ENGINEERING GROUP
Reel/Frame 043523/0619 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2017
From: KAM, PASCAL; WU, GRACE; PUROHIT, SAURIN; SHAUL, KENNETH DALE; SHELI, SIDDHARTH; KOWALSKI, THOMAS R.
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 043523/0209 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62364161 · Jul 19, 2016
Related Publication 20180027701A1 · Jan 25, 2018