System and method for cooling a server-based data center with sub-ambient cooling

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a cooling system for heat-generating structures comprises a plurality of heat exchangers, a structure which directs flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to each of the plurality of heat exchangers, and a structure which reduces a pressure of the fluid coolant to a pressure at which the fluid coolant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structures. Each of the plurality of heat exchangers is in thermal communication with at least one of the heat-generating structures and has an inlet and an outlet. Thermal energy from the heat-generating structure causes the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to boil and vaporize in each of the plurality of heat exchangers so that the fluid coolant absorbs thermal energy from the heat-generating structure as the fluid coolant changes state.

1 . A cooling system for heat-generating structures disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure, the cooling system comprising: 
 a structure which reduces a pressure of a fluid coolant to a subambient pressure at which the fluid coolant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structures;    a plurality of heat exchangers, each of the plurality of heat exchangers in thermal communication with at least one of the heat-generating structures, each of the plurality of heat exchangers having an inlet and an outlet, each respective inlet operable to receive fluid coolant into the respective heat exchangers substantially in the form of a liquid, and each respective outlet operable to dispense of fluid coolant out of the respective heat exchanger substantially in the form of a vapor;    a structure which directs flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to each of the plurality of heat exchangers, thermal energy from the heat-generating structure causing the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to boil and vaporize in each of the plurality of heat exchangers so that the fluid coolant absorbs thermal energy from the heat-generating structure as the fluid coolant changes state; and    a structure which receives flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor from each of the plurality of heat exchangers.    
   
   
       2 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a condensing heat exchanger fluidly coupled between the structure which directs flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to each of the plurality of heat exchangers and the structure which receives flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor from each of the plurality of heat exchangers, the condensing heat exchange operable to condense the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor into the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid.    
   
   
       3 . The cooling system of  claim 2 , wherein the condensing heat exchanger is a water tower.  
   
   
       4 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating structures are servers.  
   
   
       5 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is water.  
   
   
       6 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of heat-exchangers are removably coupleable to the structure which directs flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to each of the plurality of heat exchangers and to the structure which receives flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor from each of the plurality of heat exchangers.  
   
   
       7 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the heat-generating structures include thermosyphons that receive the thermal-energy from the heat generating structures, and    the plurality of heat exchangers are operable to receive the thermal energy from the thermosyphons.    
   
   
       8 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of heat exchangers for at least one of the heat-generating structures;    a liquid manifold line coupled to each of the plurality of heat exchangers for the at least one of the heat-generating structures, the liquid manifold line operable to:    receive fluid coolant from the structure which directs flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to each of the plurality of heat exchangers, and    direct flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to each of the plurality of heat exchangers for the at least one of the heat-generating structures;    a vapor manifold line coupled to each of the plurality of heat exchangers for the at least one of the heat-generating structures, the liquid vapor line operable to:    receive flow of fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor from each of the plurality of heat exchangers for the at least one of the heat-generating structures, and    direct flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor to the structure which receives flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor from each of the plurality of heat exchangers.    
   
   
       9 . The cooling system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of heat exchangers are removeably coupleable to the liquid manifold line and the vapor manifold line.  
   
   
       10 . A cooling system for heat-generating structures, the cooling system comprising: 
 a plurality of heat exchangers, each of the plurality of heat exchangers in thermal communication with at least one of the heat-generating structures, each of the plurality of heat exchangers having an inlet and an outlet, each respective inlet operable to receive fluid coolant into the respective heat exchangers substantially in the form of a liquid, and each respective outlet operable to dispense fluid coolant out of the respective heat exchanger substantially in the form of a vapor; and    a structure which directs flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to each of the plurality of heat exchangers, thermal energy from the heat-generating structure causing the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to boil and vaporize in each of the plurality of heat exchangers so that the fluid coolant absorbs thermal energy from the heat-generating structure as the fluid coolant changes state.    
   
   
       11 . The cooling system of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a structure which reduces a pressure of the fluid coolant to a pressure at which the fluid coolant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structures.    
   
   
       12 . The cooling system of  claim 11 , wherein the heat-generating structures are disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure and the pressure of the fluid coolant is reduced to a subambient pressure.  
   
   
       13 . The cooling system of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a structure which receives flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor from each of the plurality of heat exchangers.    
   
   
       14 . The cooling system of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a condensing heat exchanger fluidly coupled between the structure which directs flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to each of the plurality of heat exchangers and the structure which receives flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor from each of the plurality of heat exchangers, the condensing heat exchange operable to condense the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor into the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid.    
   
   
       15 . The cooling system of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of heat exchangers for at least one of the heat-generating structures;    a liquid manifold line coupled to each of the plurality of heat exchangers for the at least one of the heat-generating structures, the liquid manifold line operable to:    receive fluid coolant from the structure which directs flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to each of the plurality of heat exchangers, and    direct flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to each of the plurality of heat exchangers for the at least one of the heat-generating structures;    a vapor manifold line coupled to each of the plurality of heat exchangers for the at least one of the heat-generating structures, the liquid vapor line operable to:    receive flow of fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor from each of the plurality of heat exchangers for the at least one of the heat-generating structures, and    direct flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor to the structure which receives flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor from each of the plurality of heat exchangers.    
   
   
       16 . The cooling system of  claim 13 , wherein at least some of the plurality of heat-exchangers are removably coupleable to the structure which directs flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to each of the plurality of heat exchangers and to the structure which receives flow of the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a vapor from each of the plurality of heat exchangers.  
   
   
       17 . A method for cooling heat-generating structures, the method comprising: 
 providing a plurality of heat exchangers, each of the plurality of heat exchangers in thermal communication with at least one of the heat-generating structures, each of the plurality of heat exchangers having an inlet and an outlet, each respective inlet operable to receive fluid coolant into the respective heat exchangers substantially in the form of a liquid, and each respective outlet operable to dispense of fluid coolant out of the respective heat exchanger substantially in the form of a vapor;    reducing a pressure of the fluid coolant to a pressure at which the fluid coolant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure; and    bringing, through a structure, the fluid coolant into thermal communication with each of the plurality of heat exchangers, so that the fluid coolant absorbs heat from each of the plurality of heat exchangers.    
   
   
       18 . The cooling system of  claim 17 , wherein the heat-generating structures are disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure and the pressure of the fluid coolant is reduced to a subambient pressure.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 providing a plurality of heat exchangers for at least one of the heat-generating structures; 
 receiving, at a liquid manifold line coupled to each of the plurality of heat exchangers for the at least one of the heat-generating structures, the fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid; and  
 directing, from the liquid manifold line, fluid coolant substantially in the form of a liquid to each of the plurality of heat exchangers for the at least one of the heat-generating structures.  
   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of heat exchangers are removably coupleable from the structure.