Data center cooling energy recovery system

Abstract

A method and associated system is provided for cooling of a data center. The method includes providing coolant to multiple cooling elements in the data center using a heat pump refrigeration cycle to cool the coolant and provide a high temperature at the condenser. This allows the reclaiming of at least a portion of the heat removed from the refrigeration cycle using a heat engine. The engine is disposed between the refrigeration condenser and the ambient environment or cooling medium.

1 . A system for cooling a computer data center comprising: a heat exchanging assembly disposed in thermal communication with data center; said heat exchanging assembly having a cold side (evaporator) heat exchanger and a hot side (condenser) heat exchanger in thermal communication with each other via a chiller; said heat exchanging assembly also having a heat engine in thermal communication with said condenser; at least one pump enabled for supplying and returning coolants to said data center and said heat exchanging assembly; said heat exchanger assembly being in thermal communication with ambient environment for containing thermal needs of said data center; said heat engine extracting mechanical work from heat transfer process between said condenser and said ambient environment. 
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said extracted mechanical work can be used to at least partially power said chiller. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said extracted mechanical work can be used to at least partially power said at least one pump. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said chiller is a liquid to liquid heat pump refrigeration assembly. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said engine is a Stirling cycle heat engine. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said engine is an Ericsson engine. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said pump is connected to said cold side heat exchanger. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of pumps are used. 
   
   
       9 . A system for cooling a computer data center comprising: a chiller and a condenser in thermal communication with one another and enabled to receive a coolant to cool said data center; said chiller being in thermal contact with said data center and said condenser; said condenser also being in thermal contact with a heat engine connected ultimately to an ambient environment such that when coolant is supplied it circulates in said chiller, cooling said data center directly such that said heat engine extracts mechanical work from heat transfer process between said condenser and said ambient environment. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said extracted mechanical work can be used to at least partially power said chiller. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said heat engine is a Stirling cycle heat engine. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 9  wherein said heat engine is an Ericsson cycle heat engine. 
   
   
       13 . A method for cooling a data center comprising the steps;
 disposing a heat a heat exchanging assembly disposed in thermal communication with data center; said heat exchanging assembly having a heat exchanger and a condenser in thermal communication with each other via a chiller;   said heat exchanger also having a heat engine in thermal communication with said condenser;   using a heat pump refrigeration cycle to cool coolants used in said heat exchanger assembly such that it provides a high temperature at said condenser and reclaiming a portion of heat removed from any refrigeration cycle using said heat engine between the refrigeration condenser and an ambient cooling medium also in thermal communication with said assembly;   and extracting mechanical work via said heat engine from heat transfer process between said condenser and said ambient environment.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said extracted mechanical work can be used to at least partially power said chiller. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said chiller is a liquid to liquid heat pump refrigeration assembly. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said engine is a Stirling cycle heat engine. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said engine is an Ericsson cycle heat engine. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one pump is connected to said heat exchanger and circulates coolant through the data center. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a cooling tower is used to reject said heat to ambient environment. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said coolant is water.