Patent Publication Number: US-2016242323-A1

Title: Rack type data center

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a rack type data center, and more particularly to a power-saving rack type data center that provides a cooling effect by the circulation of external air. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In a general organization such as a small/medium company or a primary/secondary school, the work requirement of a data center of such organization is relatively smaller, and it is not economical to build a dedicated server room to install servers, so that most servers are put in a room freely and cooled by indoor air conditioners. Without a design of cold and hot aisles, the airflow circulation path may be too long, and a short hot air circulation may result easily. As a result, the indoor temperature is very high. Obviously, the cooling efficiency of the aforementioned configuration is much lower than that of the dedicated server room. 
     To meet a low usage requirement, a rack type data center is designed, wherein a cold aisle and a hot aisle are partitioned by the servers in the rack, and a compact direct-expansion air conditioner is installed in the rack, so that an independent circulation system is built in the rack and provided for reducing the power consumption of the air-conditioning. In addition, the rack type data center has the advantage of being installed and moved easily. 
     However, the conventional rack type data center generally comes with a poor airflow management. If the coil of the air conditioner is not working, the circulated airflow still will pass through the coil, thus not just wasting unnecessary power for the airflow movement only, but also increasing the workload of the fan or lowering the cooling efficiency due to dust may be accumulated onto the coil easily, as well as shortening the cleaning and maintenance cycle of the coil. 
     In view of the aforementioned shortcomings, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments to develop and design the present invention to overcome the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a power-saving rack type data center that provides a cooling effect by circulating external air. 
     To achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention provides a rack type data center comprising a rack, a column of servers, and an air conditioner module. A server room and an air conditioner room are formed in the rack, and the air conditioner room includes a primary inlet valve and an outlet valve, and an inlet fan is installed between the server room and the air conditioner room. The server is installed in the server room, and a cold aisle and a hot aisle separated from each other are formed in the server room by being enclosed by the server, and the inlet fan is configured to be corresponsive to the cold aisle. The air conditioner module includes a coil installed in the air conditioner room, and the primary inlet valve is disposed between the coil and the inlet fan. The outlet valve is provided for passing air into the hot aisle and discharging the air out of the rack. 
     In the rack type data center of the present invention, when the inlet fan guides airflow to the cold aisle, the primary inlet valve is provided for guiding the natural airflow without passing through the coil to achieve the power-saving effect. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a rack type data center in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a rack type data center operated in a power-saving circulation mode in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a rack type data center operated in a closed circulation mode in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a rack type data center operated in a natural air intake mode in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a rack type data center operated in an external air circulation mode in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The technical contents of the present invention will become apparent with the detailed description of preferred embodiments accompanied with the illustration of related drawings as follows. It is noteworthy that the drawings are provided for the purpose of illustrating the present invention, but not intended for limiting the scope of the invention. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1  for a rack type data center in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rack type data center comprises a rack  100 , a column of servers  210 , a power supply module  220 , a power distribution module  230 , an environmental management system (EMS) module  240 , and an air conditioner module  300 . 
     In this embodiment, the rack  100  is preferably in the shape of a rectangular pillar and erected vertically. The interior of the rack  100  is partitioned into a server room  110  and an air conditioner room  120 . In this embodiment, the server room  110  is preferably arranged under the air conditioner room  120 . The server room  110  includes an outlet valve  113  which is selectively opened and shut and provided for discharging the air in the server room  110  out of the rack  100 . The outlet valve  113  may have an outlet fan  114  to assist discharging the air, and the outlet valve  113  may be opened or shut. A circulation valve  132  disposed between the server room  110  and the air conditioner room  120  is selectively opened and shut and provided for returning the air in the server room  110  to the air conditioner room  120 . The air conditioner room  120  includes a secondary inlet valve  123  which is selectively opened and shut, and a primary inlet valve  124  which is selectively opened and shut. It is noteworthy that both secondary inlet valve  123  and primary inlet valve  124  may be opened or shut. An inlet fan  131  is installed between the server room  110  and the air conditioner room  120  for driving the air to flow in the rack  100 . 
     Preferably, each server  210  includes a cooling fan (not shown in the figure) installed therein and provided for sucking air from the front of the servers  210  to cool the servers  210 , and discharging the hot air after it passes through the rear of the servers  210 . The servers  210  are preferably arranged vertically into a column, and both respective front and rear sides of the column of servers  210  are aligned precisely with one another. The column of servers  210  is disposed in the server room  110  and provided for forming a cold aisle  111  and a hot aisle  112  which are separated from each other and formed in the server room  110  by being enclosed by the column of servers  210 , and the front of the server  210  is disposed in the cold aisle  111 , and the rear of the server  210  is disposed in the hot aisle  112 , and the inlet fan  131  is configured to be corresponsive to the cold aisle  111  for guiding air into the cold aisle  111 . The outlet valve  113  is interconnected to the hot aisle  112  and capable of discharging the hot air in the hot aisle  112  out of the rack  100 . The circulation valve  132  is disposed between the hot aisle  112  and the air conditioner room  120  for passing the air in the hot aisle  112  through the air conditioner room  120  and returning the cold air to the cold aisle  111 . 
     In this embodiment, the air conditioner module  300  includes a coil  310  installed in the air conditioner room  120 , and the secondary inlet valve  123  and the primary inlet valve  124  are separated from each other and disposed on both sides of the coil  310  respectively, and the primary inlet valve  124  is disposed between the coil  310  and the inlet fan  131 . 
     A front air passage  121  and a rear air passage  122  separated from each other are formed in the conditioner room  120  by being enclosed by the coil  310 . Wherein, the rear air passage  122  is interconnected to the hot aisle  112 , and the circulation valve  132  is disposed between the rear air passage  122  and the hot aisle  112 . The front air passage  121  is interconnected to the cold aisle  111 , and the inlet fan  131  is installed between the front air passage  121  and the cold aisle  111 , and the primary inlet valve  124  is disposed in the front air passage  121 , so that the inlet fan  131  can drive the air to flow in the rack  100 . The rear air passage  122  is interconnected to the hot aisle  112 , and the circulation valve  132  is disposed between the hot aisle  112  and the rear air passage  122 , and the secondary inlet valve  123  is disposed in the rear air passage  122 . 
     The coil  310  of the air conditioner module  300  may be connected to an ice water machine (not shown in the figure) for supplying ice water into the coil  310 , but the present invention is not limited to such arrangement only. For example, the air conditioner module  300  may be a direct-expansion cooling pipeline, and a coolant may be filled into the coil  310 , and the coil  310  is connected to a compressor (not shown in the figure) to drive and circulate the coolant in the coil  310 , and the compressor may be installed in the air conditioner room  120  or outside the rack  100 . 
     The power supply module  220  is installed in the server room  110  for supplying electric power to the server  210 . The power supply module  220  includes a set of backup power supply unit  221 , so that if the external power is interrupted, the backup power supply unit  221  will be able to supply power to the server  210  within a specific time for emergency handling (such as saving data files and shutting down the severs to prevent data loss and equipment damage). The EMS module  240  is installed in the server room  110  for monitoring the operating condition of the server  210 . The power distribution module  230  is installed in the server room  110  for distributing the power supplied by the power supply module  220  to each server  210  according to operation requirements, and the power distribution module  230  may be used for selectively distributing power to the air conditioner module  300  and the backup power supply unit  221 . 
     In this embodiment, the power supply module  220 , the power distribution module  230  and the EMS module  240  are arranged in a row, and the air in the cold aisle  111  can pass through the power supply module  220 , the power distribution module  230  and the EMS module  240  and enter into the hot aisle  112 , so as to cool the power supply module  220 , the power distribution module  230  and the EMS module  240 . 
     The rack type data center of the present invention is operated in an appropriate working mode based on the ambient temperature of the cold aisle  111  and the hot aisle  112 . A predetermined temperature range is set as a basis for selecting the working mode. For example, the predetermined temperature range is maintained within the range of 27˜32, but the present invention is not limited to such temperature range only. Preferably, the temperature inside the cold aisle  111  is maintained within the predetermined temperature range. 
     In  FIG. 2 , when the ambient temperature falls within the predetermined temperature range and the temperature of the cold aisle  111  is greater than the predetermined temperature range, the rack type data center of the present invention is preferably operated in the power-saving circulation mode, wherein the external air is guided into the air conditioner room  120 , cooled by the air conditioner module  300 , and then introduced into the server room  110  for cooling the server  210 , the power supply module  220 , the power distribution module  230  and the EMS module  240  inside the server room  110 . 
     In the power-saving circulation mode, the primary inlet valve  124  and the circulation valve  132  are shut, the secondary inlet valve  123  and the outlet valve  113  are opened, and the inlet fan  131 , the outlet fan  114  and the coil  310  are turned on for the operation. During the operation of the inlet fan  131 , a negative pressure is formed in the front air passage  121  of the air conditioner room  120 , so that the external air can be guided into the rear air passage  122  of the air conditioner room  120  through the secondary inlet valve  123 , and the external air flowing from the rear air passage  122  and passing through the coil  310  is cooled before entering into the front air passage  121 . The inlet fan  131  guides the cold air in the front air passage  121  into the cold aisle  111 , wherein the cold air passes through the server  210 , the power supply module  220 , the power distribution module  230  and the EMS module  240  and absorbs heat to form a hot air, and then the hot air is discharged into the hot aisle  112 . The outlet fan  114  discharges the hot air in the hot aisle  112  out of the rack  100  through the outlet valve  113 . 
     In  FIG. 3 , if the ambient temperature is greater than the predetermined temperature range and the temperature of the cold aisle is greater than the predetermined temperature range, the rack type data center of the present invention will not introduce external air into the rack, but it will be operated in a closed circulation mode. 
     In the closed circulation mode, the secondary inlet valve  123 , the primary inlet valve  124  and the outlet valve  113  are shut, the circulation valve  132  is opened, the inlet fan  131  and the coil  310  are turned on and operated, and the outlet fan  114  is turned off. In the operation of the inlet fan  131 , the air is circulated in the rack  100 , and the air flowing through the coil  310  is cooled to form a cold air, and the cold air is passed through the front air passage  121  and guided into the cold aisle  111 , wherein the cold air passes through the server  210 , the power supply module  220 , the power distribution module  230  and the EMS module  240  and absorbs heat to form a hot air, and the hot air is discharged into the hot aisle  112 . The hot air passes through the circulation valve  132  and returns to the rear air passage  122 , and the hot air passing through the coil  310  is cooled to form a cold air, and the cold air is recycled. 
     In  FIG. 4 , when the temperature of the cold aisle falls within the predetermined temperature range, or the air conditioner module  300  breaks down, the rack type data center of the present invention is preferably operated in a natural air intake mode, wherein external air is guided into the air conditioner room  120  and introduced into the server room  110  through the primary inlet valve  124  for cooling the server  210 , the power supply module  220 , the power distribution module  230  and the EMS module  240 . After the aforementioned process, the cool external air absorbs heat to form a hot air, and the hot air is discharged out of the rack  100  through the outlet valve  113 . 
     In the natural air intake mode, the primary inlet valve  124  is opened, the secondary inlet valve  123 , the circulation valve  132  and the outlet valve  113  are shut, the inlet fan  131  and the outlet fan  114  are turned on and operated, and the coil  310  is turned off. When the inlet fan  131  is operated, a negative pressure is formed in the front air passage  121  of the air conditioner room  120 , so that the external air can enter into the front air passage  121 . The inlet fan  131  guides the cold air in the front air passage  121  into the cold aisle  111 , wherein the cold air passes through the server  210 , the power supply module  220 , the power distribution module  230  and the EMS module  240  and absorbs heat to form a hot air, and the hot air is discharged into the hot aisle  112 . The hot air in the hot aisle  112  is discharged out of the rack  100  through the outlet fan  114 . 
     In  FIG. 5 , when the ambient temperature is much smaller than the predetermined temperature range, the rack type data center of the present invention is preferably operated in an external air circulation mode, wherein external air is guided into the server room  110  for cooling the server  210 , the power supply module  220 , the power distribution module  230  and the EMS module  240 . 
     In the external air circulation mode, the secondary inlet valve  123 , the circulation valve  132  and the outlet valve  113  are opened, the primary inlet valve  124  is shut, the inlet fan  131  and the outlet fan  114  are turned on and operated, and the coil  310  is turned off. In the operation of the inlet fan  131 , a negative pressure is formed in the front air passage  121  of the air conditioner room  120 , so that the external air can be guided into the front air passage  121  of the air conditioner room  120  through the secondary inlet valve  123  and the coil  310 , and the inlet fan  131  further guides the external air in the front air passage  121  into the cold aisle  111 , wherein the external air passes through the server  210 , the power supply module  220 , the power distribution module  230  and the EMS module  240  and absorbs heat to form a hot air, and the hot air is then discharged into the hot aisle  112 . A portion of hot air is discharged out of the rack  100  by the outlet fan  114 , and the remaining hot air passes through the circulation valve  132  and returns to the rear air passage  122 , and the hot air and the external air guided into the primary inlet valve  124  are mixed to increase the temperature of the external air to the predetermined temperature range for recycle. Wherein, the circulation valve  132  may be partially opened to adjust the quantity of return flow. 
     Preferably, if only the primary inlet valve  124 , the circulation valve  132  and the outlet valve  113  are installed without any secondary inlet valve  123 , the rack type data center of the present invention may shut the primary inlet valve  124  and the outlet valve  113  and open the circulation valve  132  to carry out the closed circulation mode, or may open the primary inlet valve  124  and the outlet valve  113  and shut the circulation valve  132  to carry out the natural air intake mode. 
     Preferably, if only the primary inlet valve  124 , the secondary inlet valve  123  and the outlet valve  113  are installed without any circulation valve  132 , the rack type data center of the present invention may shut the secondary inlet valve  123  and the outlet valve  113  and open the primary inlet valve  124  to carry out the power-saving circulation mode, or may open the primary inlet valve  124  and the outlet valve  113  and shut the secondary inlet valve  123  to carry out the natural air intake mode. 
     The rack type data center of the present invention guides air into the cold aisle  111  through the primary inlet valve  124 , or guides air into the cold aisle  11  through the secondary inlet valve  123  and the coil  310 . In the operation of the rack type data center in the external air circulation mode, the external air will not pass through the coil  310  to prevent a flow retardation, so as to achieve the effects of reducing the workload of the inlet fan  131  and the outlet fan  114  and saving power. 
     While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.