Systems and methods for thermal management of a data center
This disclosure is directed to, in one aspect, a thermal management system for a data center. The thermal management system can include an air to air heat exchanger operable in a dry mode and a wet mode. The thermal management system can also include a liquid to air heat exchanger. The liquid to air heat exchanger can have a coil that receives the cooling liquid, with the coil being positioned in communication with the air of the data center such that the cooling liquid can absorb heat therefrom. Still further, the thermal management system can include a direct expansion cooling loop with a condenser and an evaporator. The system further provides multiple combinational operating conditions among multiple cooling modes. Other aspects are described.
1. A thermal management system for cooling air of a data center, comprising:
one or more fans configured to direct the air of the data center through the thermal management system;
an air to air heat exchanger in communication with the air of the data center, the air to air heat exchanger being configured to operate in a dry mode in which only exterior air is used to facilitate cooling the air of the data center without a cooling liquid being dispersed, and a wet mode in which the cooling liquid is dispersed over the air to air heat exchanger to humidify the exterior air to facilitate cooling the air of the data center;
a liquid to air heat exchanger in communication with the air of the data center, the liquid to air heat exchanger including a coil that receives the cooling liquid, and is positioned to be in communication with the air of the data center such that the cooling liquid at least partially absorbs heat therefrom to facilitate cooling of the air of the data center, wherein the coil includes one or more conduits, tubes, pipes, or a network thereof through which the cooling liquid flows, and wherein the liquid to air heat exchanger further includes a conduit in communication with the coil and an evaporative nozzle assembly of the air to air heat exchanger for providing cooling liquid thereto from the liquid to air heat exchanger;
a pump in communication with the coil of the of the liquid to air heat exchanger, the pump being configured to provide the cooling liquid from a cooling liquid basin to the coil of the liquid to air heat exchanger;
a direct expansion cooling loop in communication with the air of the data center, the direct expansion cooling loop including a condenser, and an evaporator in fluid commination with the condenser; and
one or more valves configured to selectively direct the cooling liquid from the liquid to air heat exchanger to at least one of the evaporative nozzle assembly or the condenser based on ambient conditions outside the data center, conditions inside the data center, or conditions of the cooling liquid.
2. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid to air heat exchanger is downstream of the air to air heat exchanger.
3. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid to air heat exchanger is upstream of the air to air heat exchanger.
4. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein the air to air heat exchanger includes a fan, the fan being configured to direct external air through the air to air heat exchanger to facilitate cooling of the air of the data center.
5. The thermal management system of claim 4 , wherein the air to air heat exchanger further includes the evaporative nozzle assembly with a plurality of nozzles for dispensing the cooling liquid over the air to air heat exchanger to humidify the exterior air in the wet mode, wherein the evaporative nozzle assembly is in communication with the coil of the liquid to air heat exchanger for receiving the cooling liquid therefrom.
6. The thermal management system of claim 5 , further comprising a bypass loop configured to provide the cooling liquid directly from the cooling liquid basin to the evaporative nozzle assembly.
7. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein the condenser of the direct expansion cooling loop is in communication with and receives the cooling liquid from the liquid to air heat exchanger.
8. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein the evaporator of the direct expansion loop is arranged in parallel with the liquid to air heat exchanger.
9. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein the cooling liquid includes water.
10. A thermal management system for a data center, comprising:
an air to air heat exchanger in communication with air of the data center, the air to air heat exchanger being configured to operate in a dry mode in which only exterior air is used to cool the air of the data center without a cooling liquid being dispersed, and in a wet mode in which the cooling liquid is dispersed over the air to air heat exchanger to facilitate cooling of the air of the data center; and
a liquid to air heat exchanger in communication with the air of the data center, the liquid to air heat exchanger including a coil that receives the cooling liquid, and is positioned to be in communication with the air of the data center such that the cooling liquid at least partially absorbs heat from the air of the data center to facilitate cooling thereof, wherein the coil includes one or more conduits, tubes, pipes, or a network thereof through which the cooling liquid flows, and wherein the liquid to air heat exchanger further includes a conduit in communication with the coil and an evaporative nozzle assembly of the air to air heat exchanger for providing cooling liquid thereto from the liquid to air heat exchanger; and
one or more valves configured to selectively direct the cooling liquid from the liquid to air heat exchanger to at least one of the evaporative nozzle assembly or a condenser based on ambient conditions outside the data center, conditions inside the data center, or conditions of the cooling liquid.
11. The thermal management system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a direct expansion cooling loop in communication with the air of the data center, the direct expansion loop including the condenser and an evaporator.
12. The thermal management system of claim 10 , wherein the liquid to air heat exchanger is downstream of the air to air heat exchanger.
13. The thermal management system of claim 10 , wherein the liquid to air heat exchanger is upstream of the air to air heat exchanger.
14. The thermal management system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a cooling liquid basin for storing the cooling liquid; and
a pump configured to provide the cooling liquid from the cooling liquid basin to the coil of the liquid to air heat exchanger.
15. The thermal management system of claim 14 , wherein the air to air heat exchanger further includes the evaporative nozzle assembly with a plurality of nozzles for dispensing the cooling liquid over the air to air heat exchanger to humidify the exterior air in the wet mode, wherein the evaporative nozzle assembly is in communication with the coil of the liquid to air heat exchanger for receiving the cooling liquid therefrom.
16. The thermal management system of claim 15 , further comprising a bypass loop configured to provide cooling liquid directly from the cooling liquid basin to the evaporative nozzle assembly.
17. The thermal management system of claim 11 , wherein the condenser of the direct expansion cooling loop is in communication with and receives the cooling liquid from the liquid to air heat exchanger.
18. The thermal management system of claim 11 , wherein the evaporator of the direct expansion loop is arranged in parallel with the liquid to air heat exchanger.
19. The thermal management system of claim 10 , wherein the cooling liquid includes water.
20. A method for thermal management at a data center, comprising:
directing air of the data center to an air to air heat exchanger, wherein the air to air heat exchanger being configured to operate in a dry mode in which only exterior air is used to facilitate cooling the air of the data center without a cooling liquid being dispersed, and a wet mode in which the cooling liquid is dispersed over the air to air heat exchanger to humidify the exterior air to facilitate cooling the air of the data center;
directing the air of the data center to a liquid to air heat exchanger, wherein the liquid to air heat exchanger includes a coil that receives the cooling liquid, and is positioned to be in communication with the air of the data center such that the cooling liquid at least partially absorbs heat therefrom to facilitate cooling of the air of the data center, wherein the coil includes one or more conduits, tubes, pipes, or a network thereof through which the cooling liquid flows, and wherein the liquid to air heat exchanger further includes a conduit in communication with the coil and an evaporative nozzle assembly of the air to air heat exchanger for providing cooling liquid thereto from the liquid to air heat exchanger;
circulating a cooling fluid, using a pump, through a coil of the liquid to air heat exchanger to absorb heat from the air of the data center with the cooling fluid;
directing the air of the data center to a direct expansion cooling loop including an evaporator and a condenser; and
selectively directing the cooling liquid from the liquid to air heat exchanger to at least one of the evaporative nozzle assembly or the condenser based on ambient conditions outside the data center, conditions inside the data center, or conditions of the cooling liquid.