Atmospheric water generator for datacenters

Abstract

Water for data center uses is generated from the ambient air by a water generator that cools air below its dew point, thereby causing the water in such air to precipitate out. The water generator is powered by renewable energy sources that provide a sufficient amount of energy over an extended period of time, despite temporary interruptions. Heated air from the data center is exhausted so as to absorb moisture from the ambient air, with such heated air being capable of holding a greater amount of moisture, and is then directed through the water generator, thereby enabling the water generator to generate a greater amount of water. The level of water available is monitored and the water generator utilizes on-demand power sources to generate a greater amount of water so as to avoid emptying water storage units.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for generating water, the system comprising:
 a data center comprising multiple computing devices;   a water generator generating water from ambient air by cooling the ambient air to at least its dew point, thereby causing the water to precipitate from the cooled ambient air;   a water storage coupled to the water generator to receive the generated water therefrom, the water from the water storage being utilized by the data center; and   a renewable energy source comprising at least one solar panel or wind turbine, the renewable energy source generating power and providing the generated power to the water generator;   wherein the water generator is sized based on historical climatological data to generate at least as much water over a period of time as the data center will consume over the same period of time when the water generator is powered exclusively by the renewable energy source.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data center further comprises an adiabatic cooler coupled to the data center so as to be able to cool the data center; and wherein further the water storage is coupled to the adiabatic cooler to provide water thereto. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the adiabatic cooler is only sporadically utilized and is supplemental to other cooling mechanisms utilized to cool the computing devices of the data center. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the water storage receives more condensed water during a first period of time during which the adiabatic cooler is not operational than the adiabatic cooler consumes during a second period of time during which the adiabatic cooler is operational. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the second period of time comprises only a few hours a day during each of only a few days a year. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein hot air exhausted from the data center is directed through the water generator. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the hot air exhausted from the data center is only directed through the water generator if an adiabatic cooler, that is coupled to the data center so as to be able to cool the data center, is operational and is cooling the data center. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the water in the water storage is delivered from the water storage by being gravity-fed. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the water storage comprises sensors monitoring a level of water; and wherein further the sensors are communicationally coupled to the data center and provide water level data to one or more computing devices of the data center. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more computing devices of the data center comprise computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:
 determining an anticipated water usage of the data center for the period of time;   determining an anticipated water generation by the water generator for the period of time;   receiving sensor data indicative of a current amount of water remaining in the water storage; and   causing the water generator to be provided with supplemental power from an on-demand power source, thereby causing the water generator to operate continuously, if the anticipated water usage for the period of time is greater than the current amount of water remaining and the anticipated water generated for the period of time.   
     
     
         11 . A method of making a data center system, the method comprising the steps of:
 locating a data center, comprising multiple computing devices, at a location at which power for the data center can be obtained inexpensively;   installing a water generator generating water from ambient air by cooling the ambient air to at least its dew point, thereby causing the water to precipitate from the cooled ambient air;   coupling the water generator to a water storage so as to receive the generated water from the water generator, the water from the water storage being utilized by the data center; and   coupling a renewable energy source comprising at least one solar panel or wind turbine to the water generator, the renewable energy source generating power and providing the generated power to the water generator;   wherein the water generator is sized based on historical climatological data to generate at least as much water over a period of time as the data center will consume over the same period of time when the water generator is powered exclusively by the renewable energy source.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: installing an adiabatic cooler coupled to the data center so as to be able to cool the data center; and coupling the water storage to the adiabatic cooler to provide water thereto. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the adiabatic cooler is only sporadically utilized and is supplemental to other cooling mechanisms utilized to cool the computing devices of the data center. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the water storage receives more condensed water during a first period of time during which the adiabatic cooler is not operational than the adiabatic cooler consumes during a second period of time during which the adiabatic cooler is operational. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: redirecting, through the water generator, hot air exhausted from the data center. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the redirection, through the water generator, of the hot air exhausted from the data is only performed if an adiabatic cooler, that is coupled to the data center so as to be able to cool the data center, is operational and is cooling the data center. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the installing of the water generator installs the water generator in a location from which water can be delivered to the data center by being gravity-fed. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: installing, in the water storage, sensors monitoring a level of water; and communicationally coupling the sensors to the data center to provide water level data to one or more computing devices of the data center. 
     
     
         19 . One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions for controlling an operation of a water generator that generates water for a data center, the computer-executable instructions performing steps comprising:
 determining an anticipated water usage of the data center for the period of time;   determining an anticipated water generation by the water generator for the period of time;   receiving sensor data indicative of a current amount of water remaining in a water storage that receives generated water from the water generator; and   causing the water generator to be provided with supplemental power from an on-demand power source, thereby causing the water generator to operate continuously, only if the anticipated water usage for the period of time is greater than the current amount of water remaining and the anticipated water generated for the period of time.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable media of  claim 19 , wherein the water generator is sized based on historical climatological data to generate at least as much water over a period of time as the data center will consume over the same period of time when the water generator is powered exclusively by a renewable energy source comprising at least one solar panel or wind turbine.