Hybrid cooling systems for datacenters

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating a datacenter are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a controller to control a proportion of coolant provided by an air cooling unit and a liquid cooling unit based, at least in part, on temperature of one or more electronic components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a controller to control a proportion of cooling provided by an air cooling unit and a liquid cooling unit based, at least in part, on temperature of one or more electronic components.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the air cooling unit, wherein the air cooling unit comprises an indirect evaporative cooler.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the liquid cooling unit, wherein the liquid cooling unit comprises a liquid heat exchanger.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hybrid cooling unit comprising the air cooling unit and the liquid cooling unit, wherein the controller controls operation of the hybrid cooling unit.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the hybrid cooling unit comprises an air inlet to direct a flow of external air to remove heat from at least one of the air cooling unit or the liquid cooling unit. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid cooling unit can provide for liquid-to-liquid, liquid-to-air, or liquid-to-refrigerant based cooling. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is to adjust at least one fan or pump in at least one of the air cooling unit or the liquid cooling unit to adjust a flow of coolant or air through at least one of the air cooling unit or the liquid cooling unit. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further to activate at least one of an additional heat exchanger or a direct expansion (DX) refrigeration unit to provide for additional cooling. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is to use one or more neural networks to determine the proportion of cooling provided by the air cooling unit and the liquid cooling unit based, at least in part, on the temperature of the one or more electronic components. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 controlling a proportion of cooling provided by an air cooling unit and a liquid cooling unit based, at least in part, on temperature of one or more electronic components.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 directing coolant output from the air cooling unit into the liquid cooling unit as a source of heat removal.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the liquid cooling unit can provide for liquid-to-liquid, liquid-to-air, or liquid-to-refrigerant based cooling. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 adjusting at least one fan or pump in at least one of the air cooling unit or the liquid cooling unit to adjust a flow of coolant or air through at least one of the air cooling unit or the liquid cooling unit.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 activating at least one of an additional heat exchanger or a direct expansion (DX) refrigeration unit to provide for additional cooling.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 using one or more neural networks to determine the proportion of cooling provided by the air cooling unit and the liquid cooling unit based, at least in part, on the temperature of the one or more electronic components.   
     
     
         16 . A datacenter cooling system, comprising:
 a hybrid cooling unit comprising an air cooling unit and a liquid cooling unit; and   a controller to control a proportion of cooling provided by the air cooling unit and the liquid cooling unit based, at least in part, on temperature of one or more electronic components.   
     
     
         17 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 16 , wherein the air cooling unit comprises an indirect evaporative cooler and the liquid cooling unit comprises a liquid heat exchanger. 
     
     
         18 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 17 , wherein the hybrid cooling unit further comprises an air inlet to direct a flow of external air to remove heat from the air cooling unit and the liquid cooling unit. 
     
     
         19 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 16 , wherein the liquid cooling unit can provide for liquid-to-liquid, liquid-to-air, or liquid-to-refrigerant based cooling. 
     
     
         20 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is to adjust at least one fan or pump in at least one of the air cooling unit or the liquid cooling unit to adjust a flow of the coolant or air through at least one of the air cooling unit or the liquid cooling unit.