Enclosed-aisle data center cooling system

Abstract

An aspect of the disclosure provides a method comprising: providing a first portion of an exhaust gas from racks of computer devices in an enclosed aisle arrangement for cooling in an air cooling device; and diverting a second portion of the exhaust gas from the racks of computer devices to an underfloor plenum for mixing with a cooled gas provided by the air cooling device, forming a mixed cooling gas in the underfloor plenum; and providing the mixed cooling gas to the racks of computer devices.

1 . A system for cooling racks of computer servers in an enclosed aisle arrangement, the system comprising:
 an underfloor plenum for providing a cooling air mixture to the racks of computer servers;   a computer room air conditioner (CRAC) fluidly connected to the underfloor plenum, the CRAC for providing a portion of the cooling air mixture to the underfloor plenum and for receiving a first portion of exhaust air from the racks of computer servers;   a passage fluidly connected to the plenum, the passage for diverting a second portion of the exhaust air from the racks of computer servers around the CRAC and to the underfloor plenum, the second portion mixing with the portion of the cooling air provided by the CRAC to form the cooling air mixture.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling air mixture has a temperature of less than or equal to the maximum allowable server inlet temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first portion of exhaust air from the racks of computer servers and the second portion of exhaust air from the racks of computer servers have approximately equal temperatures being greater than the temperature of the cooling air mixture. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the portion of the cooling air provided by the CRAC is less than the temperature of the second portion of exhaust air from the racks of computer servers. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the passage is located in an opening in the underfloor plenum. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising one of a fan or blower in the opening in the underfloor plenum, the fan or blower for drawing the second portion of the exhaust air into the underfloor plenum. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust of the racks of computing devices is discharged in an enclosed hot aisle. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an opening in the underfloor plenum for providing the cooling air mixture to the racks of computer servers. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 collecting a first portion of an exhaust air from racks of computer devices for cooling in an air cooling device;   diverting a second portion of the exhaust air from the racks of computer devices to an underfloor plenum for mixing with a cooled air provided by the air cooling device, forming a mixed cooling air within the underfloor plenum; and   providing the mixed cooling air to an enclosed aisle portion of the racks of computer devices.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the diverting of the second portion of the exhaust air includes pumping the second portion of the exhaust air to the plenum using one of a fan or blower. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the exhaust air from the racks of computing devices is discharged in an enclosed hot aisle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein diverting of the second portion of the exhaust air includes drawing the second portion of the exhaust air into the underfloor plenum using at least one of a fan or a blower. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the providing of the mixed cooling air is performed using at least one induction nozzle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the air cooling device is a computer room air handling unit (CRAH). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the air cooling device includes at least one of: an economizer, a computer room air conditioner (CRAC), or a computer room air handling unit (CRAH). 
     
     
         16 . A system for cooling racks of computer servers, the system comprising:
 an underfloor plenum for providing a cooling air mixture to the racks of computer servers;   an air cooling device fluidly connected to the underfloor plenum, the air cooling device for providing a portion of the cooling air mixture to the plenum and for receiving a first portion of exhaust air from the racks of computer servers; and   a passage fluidly connected to the underfloor plenum and the racks of computer servers, the passage for diverting a second portion of the exhaust air from the racks of computer servers to the underfloor plenum, the second portion bypassing the air cooling device and mixing with the portion of the cooling air provided by the air cooling device to form the cooling air mixture in the underfloor plenum.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the air cooling device includes at least one of: an economizer, a computer room air conditioner (CRAC), or a computer room air handling unit (CRAH). 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the exhaust of the racks of computing devices is discharged in an enclosed hot aisle. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising an opening in the underfloor plenum for providing the cooling air mixture to the racks of computer servers.