Patent ID: 9032742
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: F24F,H05K,Y02B

Abstract:
1. A method for cooling an enclosed space, comprising: controlling a plurality of air cooling devices to provide supply air to the enclosed space at a supply temperature that achieves proper cooling of or heat rejection from a plurality of heat generating devices internal to the space while minimizing overall electrical power consumed by the plurality of heat generating devices and by the plurality of air cooling devices, each air cooling device including an air-to-air heat exchanger and first and second air flow paths, the first air flow path including a first inlet through which outside air is drawn, a first segregated flow path through the air-to-air heat exchanger and an exhaust outlet through which the outside air heated in the air-to-air heat exchanger is exhausted outside each air cooling device as exhaust air, air flow through the first air flow path being driven by at least one scavenger air exhaust fan on an outlet side of the air-to-air heat exchanger in the first air flow path, and the second air flow path including a second inlet through which return air from the enclosed space is drawn, a second segregated flow path through the air-to-air heat exchanger and a supply outlet through which the return air, cooled in the air-to-air heat exchanger, is supplied back to the enclosed space as supply air at a temperature that facilitates cooling of the enclosed space, air flow through the second air flow path being driven by at least one recirculating air fan on an inlet side of the air-to-air heat exchanger in the second air flow path; filtering only a portion of the return air with at least one air filtering device, the at least one air filtering device is at least one of (A) a separate device from the plurality of air cooling devices or (B) is included in only a portion of the plurality of air cooling devices; and introducing ventilation air into the enclosed space through a ventilation air introducing device that is a separate device from the plurality of air cooling devices and the at least one air filtering device, the ventilation air introducing device including a heat pipe and a fan for introducing outside air into the ventilation air introducing device, wherein during operation of the ventilation air introducing device in a humidification mode, the outside air travels through a first section of the heat pipe and the return air travels through a second section of the heat pipe, the outside air and the return air having traveled through the heat pipe in the same direction are subsequently mixed in a mixing chamber before exiting as ventilation air.