Cooling system and method

Abstract

A system for cooling a data center includes a plurality of cooling racks, with each cooling rack including a housing and cooling system components supported by the housing. The system further includes a fluid communication system coupled to the cooling system components of the plurality of racks. The fluid communication system is configured to provide chilled coolant to and exhaust heated coolant from coolant system components of each cooling rack. The system also includes at least one controller coupled to each cooling rack of the plurality of cooling racks to control the operation of each cooling rack. The plurality of cooling racks and the fluid communication system are configured to be modular to allow placement of cooling racks in different locations in a row of equipment racks within the data center. Methods of cooling a data center are further disclosed.

1 . A system for cooling a data center having a volume of space designed to house a plurality of electronic equipment racks, each equipment rack being arranged in a row and having an equipment rack housing adapted to support at least one piece of electronic equipment, the system comprising:
 a plurality of cooling racks, each cooling rack comprising a cooling rack housing and cooling system components supported by the cooling rack housing;   a fluid communication system coupled to the cooling system components of the plurality of racks, the fluid communication system being configured to provide chilled coolant to and exhaust heated coolant from coolant system components of each cooling rack; and   at least one controller coupled to each cooling rack of the plurality of cooling racks to control the operation of each cooling rack,   wherein the plurality of cooling racks and the fluid communication system are configured to be modular to allow placement of cooling racks in different locations in a row of equipment racks within the volume of space of the data center, and wherein the cooling rack housing of each cooling rack is separate from the equipment rack housing of each equipment rack so that each cooling rack stands alone with respect to the equipment racks.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a distribution box adapted to deliver chilled coolant to and to receive heated coolant from each of the plurality of cooling racks. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid communication system comprises flexible tubing. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the flexible tubing includes, for each of the plurality of cooling racks, at least one length of flexible tubing having a first coupling adapted to mate with the cooling rack and a second coupling adapted to mate with the distribution box. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the fluid communication system further comprises support members to support the flexible tubing. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling system components comprise a heat exchanger housed within the cooling rack housing of each of the plurality of cooling racks and at least one fan adapted to be releasably secured within the cooling rack housing and configured to draw warm air over the heat exchanger to cool the warm air. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a control valve, operably coupled to the controller, to control flow of coolant to the at least one cooling rack. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a monitor, operably coupled to the controller, to measure environmental conditions of the volume of space. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the cooling capacity of each cooling rack and display the capacity on the monitor. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is disposed within one of the plurality of cooling racks. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is a main controller provided in one of the plurality of cooling racks. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling rack housing of each of the plurality of cooling racks includes casters, coupled to the cooling rack housing, to roll the cooling rack housing along a generally horizontal surface. 
   
   
       13 . A kit for cooling a data center having a volume of space designed to house a plurality of electronic equipment racks, each equipment rack being adapted to support at least one piece of electronic equipment, the kit comprising:
 at least one cooling rack comprising a housing;   a cooling system comprising a heat exchanger located in the housing of the at least one cooling rack; and   a fluid communication system comprising flexible tubing to connect to the heat exchanger of the at least one cooling rack,   wherein the at least one cooling rack and the cooling system are configured to be modular to allow placement of the at least one cooling rack in different locations in a row of equipment racks within the volume of space of the data center, and wherein the housing of the at least one cooling rack is separate from each equipment rack of the plurality of equipment racks so that each cooling rack stands alone with respect to the plurality of equipment racks.   
   
   
       14 . The kit of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one distribution box adapted to distribute coolant to flexible tubing. 
   
   
       15 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible tubing includes at least one length of flexible tubing having a first coupling adapted to mate with the at least one cooling rack and a second coupling adapted to mate with the distribution box. 
   
   
       16 . The kit of  claim 14 , further comprising a controller to control the flow of coolant from the at least one distribution box to the at least one cooling rack. 
   
   
       17 . The kit of  claim 16 , further comprising a control valve, operably coupled to the controller, to control flow of coolant. 
   
   
       18 . The kit of  claim 16 , further comprising a monitor, operably coupled to the controller, to measure environmental conditions of the volume of space. 
   
   
       19 . The kit of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one support member used to support the flexible tubing within the data center. 
   
   
       20 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein the housing of the at least one cooling rack includes casters, coupled to the housing, to roll the housing along a generally horizontal surface. 
   
   
       21 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one cooling rack has a width approximately one-half the width of the equipment rack. 
   
   
       22 . The kit of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one fan adapted to be releasably secured to the housing of the at least one cooling rack and configured to draw warm air over the heat exchanger to cool the warm air. 
   
   
       23 . A method comprising:
 designing a cooling system for a data center;   selecting components of the cooling system including
 a cooling rack having a housing configured to support cooling equipment, 
 flexible tubing, and 
 a coupling to connect the flexible tubing to the cooling rack; and 
   packaging the components of the cooling system,   wherein the cooling rack is configured to be modular to allow placement of the cooling rack in different locations in a row of equipment racks within the data center, and wherein the housing of the cooling rack is separate from each equipment rack so that each cooling rack stands alone with respect to the equipment racks.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  23 , further comprising shipping the packaged components of the cooling system. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising installing the cooling system. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein selecting components of the cooling system further includes selecting a distribution box adapted to distribute coolant. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein selecting components of the cooling system further includes selecting a controller to control the flow of coolant from the distribution box to the at least one cooling rack. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein selecting components of the cooling system further includes selecting a support member used to support the flexible tubing within the data center.