GB2576571A - Modular system for IT equipment and method - Google Patents

Modular system for IT equipment and method Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2576571A
GB2576571A GB1813864.4A GB201813864A GB2576571A GB 2576571 A GB2576571 A GB 2576571A GB 201813864 A GB201813864 A GB 201813864A GB 2576571 A GB2576571 A GB 2576571A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
housings
exhaust region
central exhaust
modular
modular system
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1813864.4A
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GB201813864D0 (en
Inventor
Beresford Alan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ecocooling Ltd
Original Assignee
Ecocooling Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ecocooling Ltd filed Critical Ecocooling Ltd
Priority to GB1813864.4A priority Critical patent/GB2576571A/en
Publication of GB201813864D0 publication Critical patent/GB201813864D0/en
Publication of GB2576571A publication Critical patent/GB2576571A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
    • H05K7/20—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
    • H05K7/20709—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating for server racks or cabinets; for data centers, e.g. 19-inch computer racks
    • H05K7/20718—Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
    • H05K7/20—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
    • H05K7/20709—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating for server racks or cabinets; for data centers, e.g. 19-inch computer racks
    • H05K7/20718—Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant
    • H05K7/20745—Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
    • H05K7/14—Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack
    • H05K7/1485—Servers; Data center rooms, e.g. 19-inch computer racks
    • H05K7/1497—Rooms for data centers; Shipping containers therefor
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
    • H05K7/20—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
    • H05K7/20009—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating using a gaseous coolant in electronic enclosures
    • H05K7/20136—Forced ventilation, e.g. by fans
    • H05K7/20145—Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides

Abstract

A modular system for information-technology (IT) equipment comprises three or more modular housings 200 with a common ventilation exhaust region 250. At least one of the housings has a ventilation system drawing a flow of ambient air through the housing from an inlet at one end and an outlet at a second end; preferably opposite ends of an elongate housing. At least three such housings are arranged and orientated to have the outlets surround a central exhaust region, whilst the inlets are preferably arranged at the points of a star shape. The edges of the housings form a ring about the exhaust region. The Housings may comprise rectilinear shipping containers, which may be stacked in stars of 8 housings. Figure 6 shows six housings with the outlet ends of the housing having separators 190 to seal the gap between the housing walls and thus surround the exhaust region. The shipping containers may comprise a modular data centre.

Description

Modular System for IT Equipment and Method
The invention relates to a modular system for information-technology (IT) equipment, and a method for providing a modular system for IT equipment. In particular, the invention relates to a modular ventilation system usable in a modular data centre.
Background
There is a need for cost-effective, low-energy cooling of buildings and facilities such as system spaces in the Information Technology (IT) sector such as data centres, server rooms and other spaces housing IT equipment. Such IT equipment or apparatus, which may include computing, telecommunications and other types of equipment, generates heat during normal operation and needs to be appropriately cooled, conventionally by air cooling.
In order to increase the amount of computing equipment in a system space, the cooling capacity of the system space must also be increased to provide sufficient cooling. The time taken to install, or to scale-up, IT facilities can therefore be limited by the requirement to install suitable cooling systems. In order to allow for rapid installation, and to ensure that cooling systems are adequate for the amount of IT equipment to be housed in the system space, it would be desirable to provide a modular cooling system for IT apparatus.
Summary of the Invention
The invention provides a modular system for information-technology (IT) equipment and a method for providing a modular system as defined in the appended independent claims, to which reference should now be made. Preferred or advantageous features of the invention are set out in dependent subclaims.
In a first aspect, the invention may provide a modular system for information-technology (IT) equipment, comprising three or more modular housings. At least one of the housings contains IT equipment and comprises a ventilation system configured to draw a flow of ambient air into the housing through an inlet in a first end of the housing, and to exhaust air heated by the IT equipment through an outlet in the second end of the housing. The three or more modular housings are configured to surround a central exhaust region, the first ends of the housings being spaced from the central exhaust region and the second ends of the housings being positioned so that the outlets open into the central exhaust region.
By positioning the housings so that their second ends open into the central exhaust region, in use, ambient air flows into the first ends of the housings, and heated air is exhausted into the central exhaust region.
Providing a housing with an air inlet in a first end and the air outlets in a second end means that cool intake air is drawn from a position that is separated from the position at which heated air is exhausted from the container. This may advantageously reduce the likelihood that heated air will be drawn back into the air inlet of the housing. Drawing in heated air is undesirable as it would reduce the cooling effect of the air flow, and could lead to temperature-related failures of IT equipment in the housing.
By arranging the modular housings in a ring around a central exhaust region, with their first ends furthest from the central exhaust region and their second ends facing the central exhaust region, cool ambient intake air is drawn in outside the ring of housings, and heated exhaust air is directed into the central exhaust region. By exhausting heated air from a plurality of housings into a shared central exhaust region, the central exhaust region may act as a “hot aisle” or “chimney” for heated exhaust air. This arrangement may advantageously isolate heated exhaust air from ambient air outside the ring of housings. By preventing, or reducing, mixing of heated exhaust air with cooler intake air, the temperature of the intake air may be kept as low as possible to maximise its cooling effect.
Preferably two or more of the housings contain IT equipment and comprise ventilation systems. All of the housings may contain IT equipment and comprise ventilation systems, or one or more of the modular housings in the ring may be configured for a use other than cooling of IT equipment. For example, one or more of the modular housings in the ring may be configured to provide access to the central exhaust region, or to provide office space.
The system may be termed a modular ventilation system, or a modular system for containing, or housing, IT equipment.
The provision of modular housings advantageously allows the size and the arrangement of the system to be varied according to requirements. For example, the number of modular housings in the ring may be varied, and further modular housings may be stacked on top of the ring in one or more additional tiers or levels of housings. This advantageously allows great flexibility and allows for rapid deployment of the system.
The housings are configured, or arranged to surround or encircle the central exhaust region. The housings may be arranged in a ring.
Modular housings such as shipping containers are rectangular, and are designed to be stored in rows and tiers of parallel containers, in order to make the most efficient use of space. Arranging modular housings to surround a central exhaust region is counterintuitive, as it is far less space efficient that parallel rows. In the present arrangement, space between adjacent containers is left unoccupied, as is the central exhaust region, creating wasted space that is typically thought to be undesirable.
The plurality of housings are preferably configured so that the second ends of the housings form a ring which encloses the central exhaust region. When the central exhaust region is completely enclosed by the second ends of the housings, the central exhaust region may not be accessible except through a housing.
The modular housings are preferably regularly shaped, rectangular housings having two side walls, a roof and a floor connecting the first end to the second end. The housing may be a modular structure that is available in units of standard dimensions, which may be combinable in a modular fashion to increase the size of the overall structure. Modular housings may advantageously allow easy scaling-up of data centres with increasing demands for more computing capacity and cooling capacity.
In preferred embodiments, the modular housing may comprise a shipping container, or a portable cabin, or a prefabricated cabin.
The modular housings may be arranged around the central exhaust region in a star, or snowflake pattern.
The housings may be arranged so that the central axes of the housings extend radially away from the central exhaust region.
The housings may be arranged around the central exhaust region in groups of two, or three, or four parallel housings, such that the second ends of the housings enclose a polygonal central exhaust region, with each group of parallel housings defining a side of the polygonal central exhaust region.
The modular nature of the housings means that the number of housings surrounding the central exhaust region may be varied according to requirements. Preferably four, or five, or six, or seven, or eight, or nine, or ten, or twelve housings may be arranged in a ring around the central exhaust region.
When the housings are arranged in a ring around the central exhaust region, the side walls of adjacent containers may be arranged at an angle relative to one another, for example 36 degrees (if there are 10 equispaced housings in the ring), 45 degrees (8 equispaced housings in the ring), 60 degrees (6 equispaced housings in the ring), or 72 degrees (5 equispaced housings in the ring) or 90 degrees (4 equispaced housings in the ring).
At least two of the housings may be arranged so that the second ends of adjacent housings contact one another.
The system may comprise one or more separators configured to occupy a space between side walls of at least two adjacent housings. The separators may advantageously occupy any gap between adjacent housings, and prevent air from flowing to or from the central exhaust region between side walls of the housings. This may improve the isolation of the heated exhaust air in the central exhaust region.
The one or more separators may advantageously be openable to allow access to the central exhaust region for maintenance.
In a preferred embodiment, doors of at least two adjacent housings may be connected to one another to form separators.
Particularly advantageously, the modular housings may be stacked on top of one another to form a plurality of tiers of housings configured to exhaust air into the central exhaust region. Thus, a second ring of housings may be placed on top of the first (ground-level) ring of housings, to form a second tier. Further tiers may be added as required. As the housings in each tier are arranged to have their second ends facing into the central exhaust region, all of the heated exhaust air is directed into the central exhaust region. Thus, the central exhaust region effectively forms a “chimney” for the heated exhaust air to flow upwards away from the housings. This may advantageously isolate the heated exhaust air in the chimney from the cooler ambient air drawn into the housings at their first ends.
The system may comprise a multi-tiered tower of modular housings configured in rings around the central exhaust region.
The system may comprise a plurality of central exhaust regions, each central exhaust region being surrounded by three or more housings. Thus, the system may be scaled up by adding more rings of housings surrounding central exhaust regions.
In a preferred embodiment the system may comprise a plurality of multi-tiered towers of modular housings, each tower being configured in a ring around the central exhaust region.
At least one of the housings comprises a ventilation system configured to draw a flow of ambient air into the housing through the inlet to cool IT equipment in the housing, and to exhaust heated air out of the housing through the outlet. The ventilation system may comprise at least one fan, and may comprise dampers for mixing flows of ambient and recirculated air within the container. The ventilation system may further comprise cooling apparatus such as an evaporative cooler.
Preferably all housings which contain IT equipment also comprise a ventilation system.
Particularly advantageously, the present invention may provide modular housings with individual ventilation systems. This may allow computing capacity to be scaled-up by adding more modular housing units, while simultaneously providing the required additional cooling capacity for the new IT equipment.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the modular housings are shipping containers containing IT equipment, and the plurality of housings form modules of a modular data centre.
The housing preferably has a width of less than 4 m, or less than 3 m, preferably about 2.4 m. In a particularly preferred embodiment of a 20-foot shipping container, the housing has an internal width of about 2.35 m.
The housing preferably has a height of less than 3.5 m, or less than 3 m, preferably less than or equal to about 2.5 m, or about 2.4 m. In a particularly preferred embodiment of a 20-foot shipping container, the housing has an internal height of about 2.38 m.
The housing preferably has an internal volume of less than 100 m3, preferably less than or equal to about 67.5 m3, or less than or equal to about 40 m3, or less than or equal to about 35 m3. In a particularly preferred embodiment of a 20-foot shipping container, the housing has an internal volume of about 33.1 m3.
The housing may be a shipping container of standard ISO dimensions. For example, the shipping container may have external dimensions of 2.43m (8 ft) wide, 2.59m (8.5m) high and 6.06m (20ft) long (a 20 foot container). A standard ISO 20 foot container has a capacity of 1,169 ft3. Alternatively, the shipping container may have external dimensions of 2.43m (8 ft) wide, 2.59m (8.5m) high and 12.2m (40ft) long (a 40 foot container). A standard ISO 40 foot container has a capacity of 2,385 ft3.
The one or more IT devices may, for example, comprise one or more servers, graphic processing units (GPUs), cryptocurrency miners such as bitcoin miners, or application specific integrated circuits (ASICs).
In a second aspect ofthe invention, there is provided a data centre comprising a modular cooling system according to the first aspect described above.
Some or all of the modular housings preferably contain IT equipment, so that the modular housings form modules of a modular data centre. Adding another modular housing to the data centre thus advantageously increases the computing capacity of the data centre, while the required additional cooling capacity may be provided by a ventilation system installed in the modular housing.
In a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of providing a modular system for IT equipment, comprising the steps of: providing three or more modular housings, in which in which at least one ofthe housings contains IT equipment and comprises a ventilation system configured to draw a flow of ambient air into the housing through an inlet in a first end of the housing, and to exhaust air heated by the IT equipment through an outlet in the second end ofthe housing; and arranging the modular housings to surround a central exhaust region, so that the first ends of the housings are spaced from the central exhaust region and the second ends of the housings are positioned so that heated air is exhausted into the central exhaust region.
In use, ambient air flows into the first ends of the housings, and heated air is exhausted into the central exhaust region.
The method may comprise the step of arranging the plurality of housings so that the second ends of the housings form a ring which encloses the central exhaust region.
An axis of each housing may extend from the first end to the second end of the housing, and the method may comprise the step of arranging the housings so that the central axes of the housings extend radially away from the central exhaust region.
The method may comprise the step of arranging the housings around the central exhaust region in groups of two, or three, or four parallel housings, so that the second ends of the housings enclose a polygonal central exhaust region, with each group of parallel housings defining a side of the polygonal central exhaust region.
The method may comprise the step of stacking housings on top of one another to form a plurality of tiers of housings configured to exhaust air into the central exhaust region. This may form a central chimney into which heated air is exhausted from the housings.
Features described in relation to one aspect of the invention may be equally applicable to other aspects of the invention.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the first end of a modular housing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the second end of a modular housing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of nine modular housings in a 3x3 arrangement;
Figure 4 is a schematic end on view showing air flow through three rows of modular housings in a first arrangement;
Figure 5 is a schematic end on view showing air flow through three rows of modular housings in a second arrangement;
Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of a plurality of modular housings configured in a first arrangement according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 7 is a schematic illustration of a plurality of modular housings configured in a second arrangement according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention
Figure 8 is a schematic illustration of a plurality of towers of modular housings.
Figure 1 illustrates a shipping container 10 embodying a preferred modular housing usable in the present invention.
Shipping container 10 is a 20-foot rectangular shipping container of standard ISO dimensions. The shipping container is formed from corrugated metal, and has an internal width of 2.35 m and an internal height of 2.38 m.
A first end 12 of the shipping container 10 has two openable doors 14 which span the first end. A droplet separator 16 is arranged across the first end of the container. Air may flow through the droplet separator, but the droplet separator prevents rainwater from entering the container when the doors are open. The doors 14 are closable, but are kept open during normal operation, so that the first end of the container acts as an air inlet into the interior of the container. The doors 14 may also be removed.
IT equipment (not shown) is arranged inside the shipping container 10. During operation, the IT equipment continuously generates heat, which must be removed from the vicinity to prevent the IT equipment from overheating.
A second end 18 of the shipping container, at the opposite end of the container from the first end 12, contains two air outlets 20 and a door through which personnel may enter the container.
The container 10 contains a ventilation system (not shown) which draws ambient air (outside air at ambient temperature and humidity) through the droplet separator 16 into the container. The cool ambient air is then drawn through the container by fans of the ventilation system and cooling fans of the IT equipment, so that it flows over and through the IT equipment. As the air passes over the IT equipment the air is heated up, before being exhausted through the air outlets 20 in the second end 18 of the container.
By providing an air inlet in a first end of the container, and the air outlets in the second end of the container, cool intake air is drawn from a position that is 20 feet away from the position at which heated air is exhausted from the container. This advantageously reduces the likelihood that heated air will be drawn into the air inlet of the container. Drawing in heated air is undesirable as it would reduce the cooling capacity of the ventilation system, and could lead to temperature-related failures of IT equipment.
While other modular housings such as temporary or prefabricated cabins may be adapted for use in a similar way, shipping containers are convenient modular units of standard dimensions, which are designed to be closely aligned and stacked for spacial efficiency. Shipping containers are therefore a convenient embodiment of the present invention.
Shipping containers are designed to be stored in rows and tiers of parallel containers, in order to make the most efficient use of space.
Shipping containers 10 (or other modular housings) may thus be configured as shown in Figure 3, in which a number of containers are aligned and stacked in parallel rows. Figure 3 shows an exemplary 3x3 arrangement 50 of three tiers of stacked containers, but the width and height of the arrangement may be varied by changing the number of containers. By aligning all of the first ends 12 of the containers with one another, and all of the second ends 18 with one another, cool ambient air may be drawn into the row of containers from one side, while heated air may be exhausted from the second ends of the containers on the other side. This arrangement may thus reduce the chance of heated exhaust air being drawn back into the air inlet of a nearby container.
Stacks of modular housings as shown in Figure 3 may be arranged in parallel rows to create a modular data centre.
Multiple rows 13 of modular housings may be arranged in a first arrangement shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 shows an end on view of three rows of stacked modular housings separated by alleys 17 between the rows. Each row may be a stack as shown in Figure 3. All three rows are configured with their first ends 12 facing to the left, and their second ends 18 facing to the right. While some cool ambient air is drawn down into the alleys from above, this arrangement may undesirably allow heated air exhausted from one row to be drawn into the first end of the next row.
Alternatively, as shown in Figure 5, the rows 13 may be arranged so that the second ends 18 of housings in adjacent rows face into the same alley 19. Heated air may thus be exhausted from both rows of housings into a shared hot alley, or “aisle”, 19 between the rows. This hot alley 19 may therefore acts like a “hot aisle” in a data centre, so that hot exhausted air is more isolated from cooler intake air.
The inventor of the present invention has found that the chance of unintentionally recirculating heated exhaust air may be advantageously reduced even further by arranging the modular housings in a new way.
As shown in Figures 6 and 7, modular housings 100, 200 may be arranged in a ring so that the second ends 180 of the housings face into a central exhaust region 150. In use, cool ambient air flows into the first ends 120 of the housings, and heated air is exhausted from the second ends 180 into the central exhaust region 150. The direction of air flow is shown by arrows on Figure 6. This may advantageously improve the isolation of heated exhaust air from cool intake (ambient) air, and so may increase the efficiency of cooling the modular housings.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, five tiers of housings are stacked in a “tower” 110 around a central exhaust region 150. In each tier, six pairs of modular housings 100 are arranged to enclose a hexagonal central exhaust region 150. The second ends 180 of each housing face towards the central exhaust region, so that the housings exhaust heated air into the central exhaust region. This effectively creates a “chimney” of heated exhaust air which is drawn upwards as more exhaust air is continuously blown from the housings into the chimney. Separators 190 are positioned between adjacent pairs of housings to prevent air from flowing in or out of the central exhaust region between the side walls of the housings.
Figure 7 shows another embodiment in which five tiers of shipping containers 200 are stacked in a “tower” 210 around a central exhaust region 250. In each tier, eight shipping containers 200 are arranged evenly around an octagonal central exhaust region 250, so that the central axis of each container extends radially away from the central exhaust region. The first ends 220 of the containers are positioned at the outermost end furthest from the central exhaust region, and the second ends 280 of each housing face towards the central exhaust region, so that heated air is exhausted into the central “chimney” of heated exhaust air. The second ends of the containers 200 are arranged so that adjacent containers contact one another on either side. This leaves no space for air to flow between the sides of the containers, so the heated exhaust air in the central exhaust region 250 is effectively isolated from the cool ambient air outside the central exhaust region.
The height of the central ’’chimney” creates a greater separation between the heated exhaust air and the ambient air drawn into the first ends of the containers 200. This may advantageously reduce the likelihood of heated exhaust air being drawn into the first ends of the containers, and may improve the efficiency of cooling IT equipment in the containers.
As shown in Figure 8, the modular system may be scaled up by adding more towers 110 of modular housings. As all of the towers are configured with their air intakes on their outside and their exhaust regions in their centre, cool ambient air may flow between the towers to be drawn into housings for cooling, while heated air is exhausted upwards, away from the intakes of other towers.
Modular housings 100, 200 may be arranged around the central exhaust region in a variety of ways, as long as their second ends face into the central exhaust region. Modular housings may be arranged in a single tier, or stacked one on top of another in multiple tiers. Some or all of the modular housings preferably contain IT equipment requiring cooling. Thanks to the modular design, however, some of the housings in the arrangement may be configured to perform other functions. For example, some of the modular housings may act as storage rooms, passages for access to the central exhaust region, communications rooms, or offices.
Where shipping containers are used as modular housings, tunnel containers with doors at both ends may be used. Doors mounted to the second end of the shipping container may then advantageously be opened and attached to the open door of an adjacent container to form a separator as described above.

Claims (20)

Claims
1. A modular system for information-technology (IT) equipment, comprising three or more modular housings, in which at least one of the housings contains IT equipment and comprises a ventilation system configured to draw a flow of ambient air into the housing through an inlet in a first end of the housing, and to exhaust air heated by the IT equipment through an outlet in the second end of the housing, in which the three or more modular housings are configured to surround a central exhaust region, the first ends of the housings being spaced from the central exhaust region and the second ends of the housings being positioned so that the outlets open into the central exhaust region.
2. A modular system according to claim 1, in which two or more of the housings contain IT equipment and comprise ventilation systems.
3. A modular system according to claim 1 or 2, in which the plurality of housings are configured so that the second ends of the housings form a ring which encloses the central exhaust region.
4. A modular system according to claim 1,2 or 3, in which an axis of each housing extends from the first end to the second end and the housings are arranged so that their axes extend radially away from the central exhaust region.
5. A modular system according to any preceding claim, in which the housings are arranged around the central exhaust region in groups of two, or three, or four parallel housings, such that the second ends of the housings enclose a polygonal central exhaust region, with each group of parallel housings defining a side of the polygonal central exhaust region.
6. A modular system according to any preceding claim, in which each housing comprises an elongate modular housing with a width of less than 4m, or less than 3m, preferably 2.43m.
7. A modular system according to any preceding claim, in which the housings comprise a shipping container, or a portable cabin, or a prefabricated cabin.
8. A modular system according to any preceding claim, in which at least two of the housings are arranged so that the second ends of adjacent housings contact one another.
9. A modular system according to any preceding claim, comprising one or more separators configured to occupy a space between side walls of at least two adjacent housings to prevent air from flowing to or from the central exhaust region between side walls of the housings.
10. A modular system according to any preceding claim, in which between three and twelve housings are arranged in a ring around the central exhaust region.
11. A modular system according to any preceding claim, in which housings are stacked on top of one another to form a plurality of tiers of housings configured to exhaust air into the central exhaust region.
12. A modular system according to any preceding claim, in which the housings are modular housings configured to be stacked on top of one another.
13. A modular system according to any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of central exhaust regions, each central exhaust region being surrounded by three or more housings.
14. A modular system according to any preceding claim, in which the housings are shipping containers containing IT equipment, and in which the plurality of housings form modules of a modular data centre.
15. A data centre comprising a modular system according to any preceding claim.
16. A method of providing a modular system for IT equipment, comprising the steps of: providing three or more modular housings, in which in which at least one of the housings contains IT equipment and comprises a ventilation system configured to draw a flow of ambient air into the housing through an inlet in a first end of the housing, and to exhaust air heated by the IT equipment through an outlet in the second end of the housing, and arranging the modular housings to surround a central exhaust region, so that the first ends of the housings are spaced from the central exhaust region and the second ends of the housings are positioned so that heated air is exhausted into the central exhaust region.
17. A method of providing a modular system according to claim 16, comprising the step of arranging the housings so that the second ends of the housings form a ring which encloses the central exhaust region.
18. A method of providing a modular system according to claim 16 or 17, in which an axis of each housing extends from the first end to the second end, comprising the step of arranging the housings so that their axes extend radially away from the central exhaust region.
19. A method of providing a modular system according to claim 16, 17 or 18, comprising the step of arranging the housings around the central exhaust region in groups of two, or three, or four parallel housings, so that the second ends of the housings enclose a polygonal central exhaust region, with each group of parallel housings defining a side of the polygonal central exhaust region.
20. A method of providing a modular system according to any of claims 16 to 19, comprising the step of stacking housings on top of one another to form a plurality of tiers of housings configured to exhaust air into the central exhaust region.
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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2023092036A1 (en) * 2021-11-17 2023-05-25 Critical Project Services, LLC Systems and methods for air cooling of equipment in data center campuses

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