Adaptable container mounted cooling solution

Abstract

A cooling apparatus for a container-based data center comprises an air handling housing, at least one movable louver, a filter and a fan. The housing is configured for suspending from a ceiling of the container and comprises at least one heat exchanger. The louver is movable to direct air flow along different paths within the housing according to a selected operating mode. The fan is positioned in the housing and controllable according to the selected operating mode. The heat exchanger is configured in a self-contained water chilling circuit positioned within the container for use in a closed loop mode. The apparatus is convertible for use in an economizer mode that draws outside air into the container. An optional auxiliary heat exchanger element has a cold side heat exchange portion positioned outside the container and a connection through the ceiling to a hot side heat exchange portion positioned within the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-mode cooling apparatus adaptable to provide redundant cooling operation modes for use in a container data center, comprising:
 a housing configured for positioning adjacent a ceiling of a container structure for the container data center;   an air inlet opening formed at a first end of the housing and in communication with an interior of the container structure;   a cooling unit positioned in the housing downstream of the air inlet;   a filter positioned in the housing downstream of the cooling unit;   at least one fan positioned in the housing and downstream of the air inlet, the cooling unit and the filter, the fan being controllable to generate movement of air according to a selected mode of operation;   an air outlet opening formed at a second end of the housing downstream of the fan and in communication with an interior of the container structure;   a louver positioned in the housing between the air inlet opening and the cooling unit on one side of the louver and the filter, fan and air outlet on an opposite side of the louver, the louver being controllable to move between at least a first open position establishing an air flow path between the air inlet, cooling unit, filter, fan and air outlet and a second closed position;   an outside air module positionable external to the container structure, the outside air module having an outside air inlet and at least a filtration and intrusion member positioned downstream of the outside air inlet, the housing having at least one upper surface opening formed in an upper surface of the housing that is selectively openable for exchanging air between the outside air module and the housing;   an auxiliary heat exchanger having a cold side heat exchange portion positionable external to the container structure and a hot side heat exchange portion positionable within the housing and within the air flow path of the air inlet, the cooling unit, the fan and the outlet opening;   wherein in a first closed loop mode, the louver is opened and the fan is operable to draw air from the interior of the container through the first inlet opening, the cooling unit and the filter to convey cooled air through the air outlet opening into the interior of the container structure;   wherein in a second open loop mode, the louver is closed, the upper surface opening is opened and the fan is operable to draw outside air through the outside air inlet and the filtration and intrusion member of the outside air module and into the housing and through the filter and air outlet opening into the interior of the container structure; and   wherein in a third auxiliary cooling mode, the louver is opened and the fan is operable to draw air from the interior of the container structure through the first inlet opening, the cooling unit, the hot side heat exchange portion of the auxiliary heat exchanger and the filter to convey cooled air through the air outlet opening and into the interior of the container structure.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-mode cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit comprises at least one of a chilled water cooler and a direct expansion cooler. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-mode cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary heat exchanger comprises at least one of a thermal siphon, a chilled water cooler, a direct expansion cooler and a refrigerant based heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-mode cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outside air unit comprises at least one external fan to assist in moving air from the outside air unit and into the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-mode cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outside air unit comprises at least one heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-mode cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the upper surface opening comprises an upper surface inlet opening and a separate upper surface outlet opening. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-mode cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a hinged panel for providing access to the fan. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-mode cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising ceiling panels removable to expose ceiling openings for air flow. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-mode cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a seal positioned along at least a portion of a lower periphery of the housing and a server rack positioned below the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-mode cooling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is designed to have a vertical dimension to closely fit in a vertical space above server racks and below the ceiling of the container. 
     
     
         11 . A container-based data center housing multiple server racks, comprising:
 a container structure configured to standard shipping container dimensional specifications and having walls, a ceiling and a floor defining a bounded interior space;   multiple server racks arranged in the interior space; and   a self-contained multi-mode cooling apparatus selectively adaptable to operate in multiple cooling operation modes to cool the interior space, the cooling apparatus having an air handling housing mounted to the ceiling of the container structure, a heat exchanger and an air moving device, the housing extending downwardly from the ceiling for positioning closely spaced above the server racks.   
     
     
         12 . The container-based data center of  claim 11 , wherein the cooling apparatus is operable in a closed loop mode to draw air from the interior space into the housing by the air moving device, to cool the air with the heat exchanger and to exhaust cooled air from the housing into the interior space. 
     
     
         13 . The container-based data center of  claim 11 , further comprising an outside air opening formed in a ceiling of the container, wherein the cooling apparatus is operable in an open loop mode to draw in outside air through the outside air opening with the air moving device and exhaust the outside air from the housing and into the interior space. 
     
     
         14 . The container-based data center of  claim 11 , wherein the housing comprises a movable air directing member, and wherein the movable air directing member is positioned in a first position to allow air from the interior space to be drawn into the housing for a first operation mode and in a second position restricting air from the interior space from being drawn into the housing in a second operation mode. 
     
     
         15 . The container-based data center of  claim 11 , wherein the cooling apparatus is convertible from a closed loop mode, wherein air from the interior space is drawn into the housing, cooled by the heat exchanger and exhausted from the housing into the interior space, to a purge mode, wherein a pre-defined opening in the ceiling of the container is opened and outside air is drawn in through the pre-defined opening to cool the interior space. 
     
     
         16 . The container-based data center of  claim 11 , wherein the cooling apparatus is expandable to include a separate outside air module positionable on an exterior of the container and in communication with the interior space via at least one opening in the ceiling, the outside air module having a filtration member and at least one outside air moving device. 
     
     
         17 . The container-based data center of  claim 11 , wherein the cooling apparatus is expandable to include an auxiliary heat exchanger having at least a cold side heat exchange portion positioned external of the container and connected through at least one connection extending through the ceiling of the container to a hot side heat exchange portion positioned within the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The container-based data center of  claim 17 , wherein the auxiliary heat exchanger comprises at least one of a thermal siphon, a dry cooler, a chilled water cooler, an evaporative cooler and a refrigerant based heat exchanger. 
     
     
         19 . The container-based data center of  claim 11 , wherein the stand shipping container dimensional specifications correspond to an ISO C shipping container. 
     
     
         20 . A cooling apparatus for a container-based data center, comprising:
 an air handling housing configured for suspending from a ceiling of the container and comprising at least one heat exchanger;   at least one movable louver for directing air flow along different paths within the housing according to a selected operating mode; and   a fan positioned in the housing and controllable according to the selected operating mode,   wherein the heat exchanger is configured in a self-contained water chilling circuit positioned within the container and the apparatus is convertible for use in an economizer mode that draws outside air into the container.   
     
     
         21 . The cooling apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising an auxiliary heat exchanger element having a cold side heat exchange portion positioned outside the container and a connection through the ceiling of the container to a hot side heat exchange portion positioned within the housing.