Apparatuses, methods, and systems directed to efficient cooling of data centers. Some embodiments of the invention allow encapsulation of cold rows through an enclosure and allow server fans to draw cold air from the cold row encapsulation structure to cool servers installed on the server racks. In other particular embodiments, the systems disclosed can be used to mix outside cool air into the cold row encapsulation structure to cool the servers. In some embodiments, the present invention involves using multiple cold row encapsulation structures to cool the servers installed on the racks.

Cold row encapsulation for server farm cooling system

A computer system may include a connecting hub having a plurality of docking regions and be configured to provide to each docking region electrical power, a data network interface, a cooling fluid supply and a cooling fluid return; and a plurality of shipping containers that each enclose a modular computing environment that incrementally adds computing power to the system. Each shipping container may include a) a plurality of processing units coupled to the data network interface, each of which include a microprocessor; b) a heat exchanger configured to remove heat generated by the plurality of processing units by circulating cooling fluid from the supply through the heat exchanger and discharging it into the return; and c) docking members configured to releaseably couple to the connecting hub at one of the docking regions to receive electrical power, connect to the data network interface, and receive and discharge cooling fluid.

Modular computing environments

Electrification of rural areas has always been a challenge. In addition, large livestock farms such as dairy farms, also face environmental problems due to inappropriate treatment of animal wastes. Therefore, improvement of the electrical system in farms vis-a-vis efficient waste management is of great importance to industry. In this paper, a combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) microgrid model was built to improve system efficiency of energy utilization and lessen environmental problems caused by animal wastes based on multi-objective optimization. In this proposed model, the animal manure is used to produce biogas, which is used to feed internal combustion engines (ICEs), gas boilers, and absorption chillers. The generated electricity would offset that would otherwise be bought from main grids. PV generation is introduced to further increase the renewable fraction of energy contents. The electrical storage is also included to balance power demand and power supply. To increase system efficiency of energy utilization, coolant water from ICEs, plus their exhaust, could be utilized based on the thermal storage modeled, by inclusion of absorption refrigerator and heat exchanger. The final goal is to maximize energy output from distributed energy resources (DERs) and meanwhile minimize daily system operating cost. Extra electricity generated beyond the load demand could be used to charge battery storage. In this way, system energy cost is reduced with energy system improvement and reconfiguration, and surrounding environmental problems due to animal wastes are also lessened.

Optimal energy management of a rural microgrid system using multi-objective optimization

An air conditioning system for a data processing system that has at least one row of server cabinets. The row of server cabinets borders a cold path. At least one air conditioning unit takes in warm air, cools it, and blows it out as cold air. The air conditioning unit is integrated into a row of server cabinets and the dimensions of the air conditioning unit and the dimensions of the server cabinets are essentially the same or, while having the same height and depth, the width of the air conditioning unit corresponds to a whole-number multiple of a width of one server cabinet. The air conditioning system can be used to produce an effective cooling concept for temperature-sensitive data processing systems, which influences the immediate surroundings only slightly with warm air. The modular construction allows the cooling capacity to be scaled, also making it possible to carry out a subsequent expansion.

Air conditioning system

A cooling system and method are provided for cooling air exiting one or more electronics racks of a data center. The cooling system includes at least one cooling station separate and freestanding from at least one respective electronics rack of the data center, and configured for disposition of an air outlet side of electronics rack adjacent thereto for cooling egressing air from the electronics rack. The cooling station includes a frame structure separate and freestanding from the respective electronics rack, and an air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly supported by the frame structure. The heat exchange assembly includes an inlet and an outlet configured to respectively couple to coolant supply and coolant return lines for facilitating passage of coolant therethrough. The air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly is sized to cool egressing air from the air outlet side of the respective electronics rack before being expelled into the data center.

System of facilitating cooling of electronics racks of a data center employing multiple cooling stations

A computing system and method of operating a computing system is provided. The computer system includes: a housing comprising a shipping container having a first interior lateral wall and a second interior lateral wall; a first row of equipment provided along the first interior lateral wall with a first exhaust region between the first row of equipment and the first interior lateral wall; a second row of equipment provided along the second interior lateral wall with a second exhaust region between the second row of equipment and the second interior lateral wall; and an aisle provided between the first row of equipment and the second row of equipment; wherein said first and second rows of equipment each comprise a plurality of rack assemblies and a plurality of computers supported by the plurality of rack assemblies such that front sides of the computers face the aisle and back sides of the computers face either the first or second interior lateral walls, said front and back sides of the computers including vents enabling cooling air to pass through the computers between the aisle and the first and second exhaust regions.

Container-based data center

A computer system includes a cabinet, a first port mounted on a rear panel of the cabinet, and a tray mounted in the cabinet and having computer components mounted thereon. A front panel of the tray faces outward from a front side of the cabinet opposite the rear panel. The computer system further includes a second port mounted on the front panel of the tray, and a first cable that electrically couples the first port and the second port. The first cable is routed within the cabinet and protrudes from the front side of the cabinet. The first port also remains coupled to the second port as the tray slides outwards from the front side of the cabinet so that the computer components substantially protrude from the front side of the cabinet. The first port and the second port are for at least one of electrical power and network connectivity.

Conor Malone

Papers

Container-based data center

Apparatus and Method for Enhancing the Maintainability and Cooling of Computer Components on Trays in a Cabinet