Cooling systems for electrical equipment
A space-saving, high-density modular data center and an energy-efficient cooling system for a modular data center are disclosed. The modular data center includes a first cooling circuit including a primary cooling device and a plurality of modular data pods. Each modular data pod includes a plurality of servers, a heat exchange member coupled to the first cooling circuit and a second cooling circuit coupled to the heat exchange member and configured to cool the plurality of servers, the second cooling circuit including a secondary cooling device configured to cool fluid flowing through the second cooling circuit. Each modular data pod also includes an auxiliary enclosure containing at least a portion of a distributed mechanical cooling system, which is configured to trim the cooling performed by a central free-cooling system.
1. A cooling system for electrical equipment, comprising:
a first cooling circuit including a primary cooling device;
a heat exchange member in thermal communication with the electrical equipment and coupled to the first cooling circuit; and
a second cooling circuit coupled to the heat exchange member, the second cooling circuit including a secondary cooling device that cools fluid flowing through the second cooling circuit,
wherein the first cooling circuit includes two supply lines and two return lines in a reverse-return configuration.
2. The cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary cooling device cools a portion of a heat load associated with the electrical equipment that the primary cooling device cannot cool.
3. The cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary cooling device cools a portion of a heat load associated with the electrical equipment as a function of atmospheric conditions.
4. The cooling system according to claim 1 , further comprising primary cooling coils in thermal communication with the electrical equipment.
5. The cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary cooling device operates to cool the electrical equipment when a wet bulb temperature of the atmosphere associated with the environment of the electrical equipment exceeds a predetermined wet bulb temperature.
6. The cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid flowing through the first cooling circuit is a glycol solution or water and wherein the fluid flowing through the second cooling circuit is a refrigerant.
7. The cooling system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second heat exchange member in thermal communication with the electrical equipment and coupled to the first cooling circuit; and
a third cooling circuit coupled to the second heat exchange member, the third cooling circuit including a second secondary cooling device that cools fluid flowing through the third cooling circuit.
8. The cooling system according to claim 7 , further comprising secondary cooling coils in thermal communication with the electrical equipment.
9. The cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein the primary cooling device is a free-cooling device.
10. The cooling system according to claim 9 , wherein the free-cooling device includes a fluid cooler.
11. A cooling system for electrical equipment, comprising:
a first cooling circuit including a primary cooling device;
a heat exchange member in thermal communication with the electrical equipment and coupled to the first cooling circuit;
a second cooling circuit coupled to the heat exchange member, the second cooling circuit including a secondary cooling device that cools fluid flowing through the second cooling circuit; and
a third cooling circuit coupled to the second cooling circuit, the third cooling circuit including a cooling fluid source and an expansion tank.
12. The cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange member is a condenser.
13. The cooling system according to claim 10 , wherein the fluid cooler is a cooling tower.