JP5543181B2 - Outside air-cooling computer room air conditioner - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is a computer room air in a computer room in which a high heat generation electronic device having a heating element such as an ICT (Information and Communication Technology) device such as a server or a router is installed and the cooling air is circulated like a computer room. It relates to a harmony machine.

  In a conventional computer room (data center computer room), as disclosed in Patent Document 1, cool air from an air conditioner is blown from below the floor to a rack such as a server, and exhaust from the rack is air-conditioned from the ceiling. I'm returning to the machine. As CPU processing capacity improves and blade servers become more widespread, devices with high heat generation, such as ICT devices such as servers and routers, have rapidly increased in performance and capacity, and the amount of cooling air required by computer systems has increased. It is increasing rapidly and requires a lot of energy to operate the heat source machine and cool the server room annually in order to maintain the operating environment of the server, especially the thermal environment and cool the server heat generation. I was trying.

A conventional air conditioning system in a data center will be described with reference to FIG. A cooling air conditioner e such as a chilled water type refrigerator or a direct expansion type outdoor unit composed of a filter b cooling coil c and a blower fan d is arranged as a cooling heat source adjacent to the computer room a for cooling. In FIG. 1, the cool air C from the cooling air conditioner e is blown from the grill floor f to the front panel g1 of the rack g such as the server g2, and the warm air H heated in the rack g that has processed the heat generated by the server g2 is G3 is exhausted from the rear panel g4 of the rack g, and this warm-up H is a circulating cooling system that returns air from the ceiling suction port h to the air conditioner e through the ventilation path i.
By the way, recently, in order to improve the amount of energy used, the server has been improved to a server that can be operated continuously even if the operating thermal environment is close to 30 ° C for a long time, and cooling operation with a heat source is performed for most of the period throughout the year. Without doing so, it has become possible to cool the computer room where the server is installed with the outside air itself.

JP 2007-232312 A

By the way, in the circulation cooling system in the conventional computer room described above, the server and the like generate a great amount of heat throughout the year, and a huge amount of energy is consumed to process the heat load of the server and the like. There was a need to reduce energy.
The air conditioner according to the present invention pays attention to the fact that the computer room in which the server is installed can be cooled with the outside air as the operating temperature environment of the server is improved. An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner for a computer room that can effectively use cooling and can save energy in a computer room in which servers are arranged.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim 1 is a computer room air conditioner, wherein the computer room air is provided with an outside air duct for introducing outside air and two cooling coils that can operate independently. The two systems of the first cooling coil and the second cooling coil are separated from each other upstream of the air passages, and open / close dampers that can be independently controlled by taking in outside air from the outside are used as duct paths. The outside air duct which has is connected .
Bypass invention of claim 2, in computer room air conditioner according to claim 1, of the cooling coil of the two systems, the air a portion of one of the outside air is cooled in the cooling coil, the other of the outside air The mixed air is mixed.
The invention of claim 3 is the computer room air conditioner according to claim 2 , wherein at least the outside air is in an atmosphere suitable for the computer room and within a predetermined absolute humidity range, and the temperature is low and the enthalpy is high. It is characterized by mixing the air which cooled a part of outside air, and the outside air which bypassed.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the computer room air conditioner according to any one of the first to third aspects, the upper end side of the two systems of the first cooling coil and the second cooling coil are close to each other and the lower end side is separated. It is arranged in a square shape.
That is, according to the second to fourth aspects, in the embodiment, in the area F in the air diagram (FIG. 3), the introduced outside air temperature OA is the upper limit value of the temperature of the return air RA or the exhaust EA (“predetermined value”: The upper limit of the enthalpy of return air allowed from the operating temperature environment of the server (“first predetermined value”: in this embodiment, the enthalpy of the outside air OA is 63). [kJ / kg (DA)]) and higher than the upper limit (35 ° C. in this embodiment) of the introduced outside air temperature OA, and the enthalpy of the room temperature of the operating temperature environment of the server When the enthalpy of outside air OA is 53 [kJ / kg (DA)] in this embodiment, the outside air OA is introduced. It is characterized by not.

According to the invention of the air conditioner for a computer room of claim 1, the inside of the air conditioner is divided into two cooling systems in parallel, and the outside air duct is also divided into two systems, which are connected to each other. Is separated by a partition on the upstream side of the coil, etc., so that it can be introduced by bypassing the outside air, and since the cooling coil and filleter are independent, one cooling system In the event of failure, the other cooling system can be driven, and the failure of the cooling coil or filter can be repaired in the meantime, and a backup function can be provided.
Moreover, according to the air conditioner for computer rooms of Claims 2 and 3, in addition to the effect of Claim 2, the air which cooled one part of external air with the cooling coil, and the air which bypassed the other external air Therefore, it is not necessary to operate the other cooling coil, and efficient operation is possible.
Furthermore, according to the computer room air conditioner of claim 4, in addition to the effects of the computer room air conditioner of claims 1 to 3, an independent cooling coil is arranged in a letter C, so that it is obvious. However, the height of the cooling coil can be reduced, and the two cooling systems can be made compact.

An explanatory diagram of an air conditioning system in a conventional computer room, Explanatory drawing of the air conditioner and its system in the computer room of the reference example of the present invention, Air diagram showing the area of the outside air and the area of the air diagram required in the computer room, The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of the reference example when outside air is the area D in the air diagram of FIG. The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of the reference example when outside air is the area C in the air diagram of FIG. The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of the reference example when outside air is the area E in the air diagram of FIG. The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of the reference example when outside air is the area F in the air diagram of FIG. The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of the reference example when outside air is the area B in the air diagram of FIG. The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of the reference example when outside air is the area A in the air diagram of FIG. The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of the reference example when outside air is the area G in the air diagram of FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the air conditioner in the computer room of the Example of this invention, and its system. The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of an Example in case the external air is the area D in the air diagram of FIG. The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of an Example in case the outside air is the area C in the air diagram of FIG. The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of an Example in case the outside air is the area E in the air diagram of FIG. The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of an Example in case the outside air is the area F in the air diagram of FIG. The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of an Example in case the external air is the area B in the air diagram of FIG. The figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of an Example in case the external air is the area A in the air diagram of FIG. It is a figure explaining the operating state of the air conditioner of an Example in case the external air is the area G by the air diagram of FIG.

First, a reference example of the present invention will be described. In an air conditioner for a computer room (data center), an open / close damper for taking in outside air in a controllable manner is provided so that the air conditioner is operated in an allowable air conditioning range of the computer room. Thus, the energy saving of the present invention was realized.

[ Reference example ]
A preferred example of a computer room air conditioner and its system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the air conditioner in the computer room or data center of the present invention.
A cooling air conditioning facility 2 is arranged adjacent to the computer room 1 (data center), and the inside of the computer room 1 includes a plurality of rack rows (including an ICT (Information and Communication Technology) device having a heating element) containing electronic devices. In FIG. 2, four rows are shown in parallel), the rack 3 is provided with servers 31 that are highly heat generating electronic devices on the top and bottom, and the front panel 311 of each server 31 is provided with a suction hole for sucking cold air C The rear panel 312 is provided with a built-in fan 313, and the spaces between the three opposing racks are alternately arranged in the cooling space region C1 and the exhaust heat space region H1, and the cooling space region C exists. The floor between the three rows of racks is laid with a grill floor 4 having a long through hole, and the underfloor space 41 of the grill floor 4 is connected to each other to form a chamber (air passage).
Further, the ceiling 51 of the cooling space region C1 is in close contact with the upper part 32 of the rack 3, and the ceiling 52 of the exhaust heat space region H1 is formed with a chamber (air passage) 53, a return air duct 61, a common return air suction port. 611 and the exhaust duct 63 of the exhaust duct 63 communicate with each other.

Next, the cooling air-conditioning facility 2 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the air-conditioning unit 7 is arranged in the cooling air-conditioning facility 2, and an outside air duct 64 for taking in outside air from outside is connected to the air-conditioning facility 2 from the computer room. A first return air duct 61 and a second return air duct 62 that circulate the return air are connected, and an exhaust duct 63 that exhausts the return air to the outside is connected. In each path, a first return air opening / closing damper 612, a second return air opening / closing damper (MDR2) 622, and an outside air opening / closing damper (MDO) 642 that can independently control the air volume are provided.
A common return air suction port 611 is provided on the upstream side of the first return air duct 61, a first return air opening 613 is provided on the downstream side, and a common return air suction port is provided on the upstream side of the second return air duct 62. A second return air opening 623 is provided on the downstream side of the outlet 611, an exhaust inlet 631 is provided on the upstream side of the exhaust duct 63, and an exhaust outlet 633 is provided on the downstream side toward the outside. An outside air inlet 641 is provided on the upstream side toward the outdoor side, and an outside air opening 643 is provided on the downstream side toward the filter 71.

In addition, the computer room air conditioner 7 of the reference example has a serious problem in cooling the server if the cooling operation cannot be performed. Therefore, in order to provide a backup function, the heat source, the piping, and the cooling coil have two systems. In addition, taking outside air and letting it pass through the computer room as it is, the computer room 1 is not a living space, so there is no need for a normal filter, and the return air is directly calculated by bypassing the filter, coil or humidifier. To circulate in the room. For this reason, two cooling coils for the air conditioner are arranged and equipped in series with the air flow, and if the system that was in the air conditioning operation to the computer room has trouble, the system (A To B) to prevent the air conditioning from stopping for a long time.

In the air conditioner 7, a filter 71, a first cooling coil 72, a second cooling coil 73, a water vaporizing humidifier 74, and a blower fan 75 are sequentially arranged from the upstream. The blower fan 75 has a blowout opening 751 connected to the underfloor space 41, and the outside air duct 64 communicates with an outside air opening 643 communicating with the outside air intake 641 and a common ventilation inlet 611 of the first return air duct 61. The return air opening 613 is disposed upstream of the filter 71 to form a path to be supplied to the first cooling coil 72 and the second cooling coil 73, and the second return air opening 623 of the second return air duct 62 is water vaporized. It arrange | positions downstream of the type humidifier 74, and forms the path | route which bypasses the filter 71, the cooling coils 72 and 73, and the water vaporization type humidifier 74. FIG.
The first chilled water pipe (A system) 81 of the A system of the heat source is connected to the first cooling coil 72, and the second chilled water pipe (B system) 82 of the B system of the heat source is connected to the second cooling coil 73, The humidifying water pipe 83 is connected to the water vaporizing humidifier 74 via valves 811 (V2A), 821 (V2B), and 831 (VM), respectively.

  The air conditioning range in the computer room will cause problems with the server 31 if it gets too hot, so ventilation must be below 35 degrees, and if the humidity is too high, there will be problems such as condensation and short circuiting of the electrical circuit, If it is too dry, static electricity is generated, which is not preferable, and it is preferable that the temperature and humidity of the air in the blowing state supplied to the computer room 1 be within the area D of the air diagram of FIG. Yes. Therefore, when the outside air is in areas A, B, C, E, and F other than area D, it is necessary to adjust the supply air by air conditioner 7 so that it is in area D.

In the reference example , the outside air OA is divided into areas A to F on the air diagram of FIG. 3, and the air conditioner is operated as described below.

[When outside air is in area D]
When the outside air OA is in the area D, the outside air is supplied to the computer room 1 as it is, and all the warm air H is exhausted to the outside as it is. As shown in D of FIG. 3, the atmosphere of the outside air OA in the area D is the optimum state of the computer room 1, the humidity is 60% or less, the temperature is about 18 ° C. to 26 ° C., and the absolute humidity is 0.006 to 0.010 [kJ / kg (DA)].
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 4, in order to take in outside air, the outside air opening / closing damper (MDO) 642 and the exhaust air opening / closing damper (MDE) 632 are opened and all others are closed. That is, there is no need to supply cold water or humidification, and outdoor outdoor air OA is taken in from the outdoor air inlet 641, passes through the filter 71 through the outdoor air opening 643 communicating with the air conditioner 7, and is blown from the outlet 751 by the blower fan 75. The server 31 in the computer room 1 is cooled from the space 41 and the grill floor 4. The cooled warm air H passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52, and all of the exhausted air EA is discharged from the exhaust opening 633 to the outside through the exhaust duct 63 through the exhaust duct 63.
In this state, since all the air SA supplied to the computer room 1 supplies the outside air OA as it is, only the blower fan 75 operates.

[When outside air is in area C]
As shown in FIG. 3C, the ambient air OA in area C has an absolute humidity of 0.010 [kJ / kg (DA)] or less and a temperature of about 18 ° C. or higher. In the case of 18 ° C. or lower, the range is surrounded by 0.010 [kJ / kg (DA)] or higher. Thus, when the outside air OA is in the area C, the outside air OA generally has a lower temperature and a higher humidity than the area D, and therefore the temperature needs to be raised. That is, the humidity decreases as the temperature increases.
In this case, the second return air opening / closing damper (MDR2) 622 that forms the path of the blower fan 75 is bypassed from the computer room 1 through the bypass while the outside air remains unchanged, and the mixing ratio of the return air RA and the outside air OA is set. By adjusting, it can be in the same air state as in the area D. Further, a part of the return air is discharged to the outside from the exhaust opening 633 as exhaust EA.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 5, the outside air opening / closing damper (MDO) 642, the exhaust opening / closing damper (MDE) 632, and the second return air opening / closing damper (MDR2) 622 are opened and all others are closed in order to take in outside air. That is, it is not necessary to supply cold water or humidification, and outdoor outdoor air OA is taken in from the outdoor air inlet 641, passes through the filter 71 from the outdoor air opening 643 communicating with the air conditioner 7, and is returned to the second return air opening / closing damper (MDR 2). The bypassed return air from 622 is mixed, and the blower fan 75 cools the underfloor space 41 from the outlet 751 and the server 31 in the computer room 1 from the grill floor 4. The warmed air H after cooling passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52 and partly circulates as return air RA, and part of it circulates from the exhaust inlet 631 through the exhaust duct 63. It is discharged from 633 to the outdoors.
Even in this state, the air SA supplied to the computer room 1 is covered by the mixture of the outside air OA and the return air RA, so that only the blower fan 75 operates.

[When outside air is in area E]
As shown in E of FIG. 3, the atmosphere of the outside air OA in area E has an absolute humidity of 0.010 [kJ / kg (DA)] or less, a temperature of about 35 ° C. or less, and an enthalpy of 53 kJ / kg (DA). Is also a large range. Thus, when the outside air OA is in the area E, the temperature of the outside air OA is lower than the upper limit (35 ° C.) of the return air RA, so the outside air OA is removed by the first cooling coil 72 (or the backup second cooling coil 73). Cool and supply air. A control valve 811 (or 821) for controlling the amount of cold water is interposed in the cooling coil 72, and the state of the air in the supply air SA is adjusted to be the same as in the area D by the control valve 811.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 6, an open / close damper (MDO) 642 for taking in external air OA, an exhaust open / close damper (MDE) 632 for exhaust EA, and the control valve 811 (or 821) for controlling the amount of cold water are opened. And close everything else.
That is, outdoor outside air OA is taken in from the outside air inlet 641, passes through the cooling coil 72 through the filter 71 from the outside air opening 643 communicating with the air conditioner 7, and is blown from the outlet 751 to the underfloor space 41 and the grill floor 4 by the blower fan 75. The server 31 in the computer room 1 is cooled. The cooled warm air H passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52, and the exhaust EA is discharged from the exhaust opening 633 to the outside through the exhaust duct 63 through the exhaust suction port 631.
In this state, although the cooling coil 72 (or 73) is operated, the temperature of the outside air OA is lower than the return air RA, so that the load of the cooling coil 72 (or the second cooling coil 73) is utilized by using this outside air OA. Is reduced.

[When outside air is in area F]
When outside air OA is area F, as shown in F of FIG. 3, the temperature of outside air OA is lower than 35 ° C. (predetermined value), and the enthalpy of outside air is 63 [kJ / kg (DA)]. The enthalpy of the outside air OA is greater than 53 kJ / kg (DA)) (the second predetermined value) when it is greater than the (first predetermined value) and when the temperature of the outside air OA is higher than the predetermined value (35 ° C.). In some cases, outside air OA is not introduced.
That is, it is the range of the area F in the air diagram (FIG. 3) of the reference example , and the introduced outside air temperature OA is the upper limit value of the temperature of the return air RA or the exhaust EA (“predetermined value”: 35 ° C. in this reference example) ), And the upper limit of the enthalpy of return air allowed from the operating temperature environment of the server (“first predetermined value”: in this reference example , the enthalpy of the outside air OA is 63 [kJ / kg (DA )]) And higher than the upper limit of the introduced outside air OA temperature (35 ° C. in this reference example ), and the upper limit of the enthalpy of the indoor temperature of the server operating temperature environment (“No. “2 Predetermined value”: Upper limit value of enthalpy in area D: In this reference example , when the enthalpy of the outside air is larger than 54 [kJ / kg (DA)]), the outside air OA is not introduced and the outside air OA is introduced. And only the return air RA is circulated and cooled by the cooling coil 72 (or 73). And, to supply air to the air in the state of the area D.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 7, the outside air opening / closing damper (MDO) 642 for taking in outside air OA and the exhaust opening / closing damper (MDE) 632 for exhaust EA are closed. Then, the control valve 811 (or 821) for controlling the amount of cold water is opened, the first return air opening / closing damper (MDR1) 612 is opened, and the first return air opening 613 communicating with the air conditioner 7 is opened. The filter 71 is passed through the cooling coil 72 (or 73) to be cooled to a predetermined temperature, and the blower fan 75 cools the underfloor space 41 from the outlet 751 and the server 31 in the computer room 1 from the grill floor 4. The warmed air H after cooling passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52 and is circulated again as all the return air.
Only this state is the same as the cooling of the conventional computer room 1, and the air conditioning energy does not change.

[When outside air is in area B]
As shown in Fig. 3B, the ambient air OA in area B has an enthalpy of about 33 kJ / kg (DA) to 53 kJ / kg (DA) and an absolute humidity of 0.006 [kJ / kg (DA)] or less. And a range surrounded by a room temperature of about 26 ° C. or more and an enthalpy of about 53 kJ / kg (DA) or less.
When the outside air OA is area B, since the air is too dry, the cooling coil is not operated, but the outside air OA is humidified and cooled by water vaporization humidification. Thus, the state of the air to be supplied is adjusted to be the same as in the area D by controlling the humidification amount. Even when the temperature of the outside air OA is higher than a predetermined value (35 ° C.), if it is dry, that is, if the enthalpy of the outside air is smaller than 63 kJ / kg (DA) (predetermined value). This is because the temperature of the computer room 1 can be lowered because the water vaporization type humidifier 74 operates.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 8, the open / close damper (MDO) 642 for taking in the open air OA and the open / close damper (MDE) 632 for the exhaust EA are opened, and the control valve 831 of the water vaporizing humidifier 74 is opened. Close all dampers and control valves.
That is, outdoor outside air OA is taken in from the outside air inlet 641, passes through the filter 71 and the cooling coil 72 from the outside air opening 643 communicating with the air conditioner 7, and desired moisture is given thereto by the water vaporizing humidifier 74. Then, the blower fan 75 cools the underfloor space 41 from the outlet 751 and the server 31 in the computer room 1 from the grill floor 4. The cooled warm air H passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52, and the exhaust EA is discharged from the exhaust opening 633 to the outside through the exhaust duct 63 through the exhaust suction port 631.
Even in this state, all the supply air SA supplied to the computer room 1 supplies the air OA after humidifying it, so that only the water vaporizing humidifier 74 and the blower fan 75 operate.

[When outside air is in area A]
As shown in Fig. 3A, the atmosphere of outside air OA in area A is a range where the enthalpy is about 33 kJ / kg (DA) or less and the absolute humidity is 0.006 [kJ / kg (DA)] or less at a low temperature. It is.
When the outside air OA is the area A, the outside air OA and the return air RA are mixed, the mixing ratio is adjusted, the state of the air before passing through the water vaporization type humidification is changed to the state in the area B, and the outside air OA And the air mixed with the return air RA are humidified and cooled by the water vaporizing humidifier 74 to adjust the state of the air after humidification to the state of the air in the area D.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 9, the open / close damper (MDO) 642 for taking in the open air OA and the open / close damper (MDE) 632 for the exhaust EA are opened, and the control valve 831 and the first return of the water vaporizing humidifier 74 are opened. Open the open / close damper (MDR1) 612 and close all other dampers and control valves.
That is, outdoor outside air OA is taken in from outside air inlet 641, and outside air OA and return air RA are mixed at a predetermined ratio by outside air opening 643 communicating with air conditioner 7 and first return air opening 613 from computer room 1. Then, the filter 71 and the cooling coil 72 are passed, and desired moisture is given to the filter 71 and the cooling coil 72 by the water vaporizing humidifier 74, and the blower fan 75 sends the air from the outlet 751 to the underfloor space 41 and the grill floor 4 to the computer in the computer room 1. 31 is cooled. The warmed air H after cooling passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52, partially circulates as return air RA, and partially circulates from the exhaust suction port 631 through the exhaust duct 63. EA is discharged from the exhaust opening 633 to the outside.
Even in this state, the air SA supplied to the computer room 1 mixes the outside air OA and the return air RA, and humidifies and supplies the air, so that only the water vaporizing humidifier 74 and the blower fan 75 operate. .

[When outside air is in area G]
The atmosphere of the outside air OA in the area G is a range surrounded by an enthalpy of about 64 kJ / kg (DA) or less and an absolute humidity of 0.010 [kJ / kg (DA)] or more as indicated by G in FIG.
When the outside air OA is in the area G, the enthalpy of the outside air OA is smaller than the upper limit of the return air RA. Therefore, the outside air OA is dehumidified by the cooling coil 72 (or 73) and the return air RA in the bypass passage is mixed. To supply air. The outside air OA is adjusted to the same air state as in the area C by reducing the humidity of the outside air OA, and the same air state as in the area D is adjusted by adjusting the mixing ratio with the bypass return air RA.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 10, the outside air opening / closing damper (MDO) 642 for taking in outside air OA is opened and cooled and dehumidified by the cooling coil 72 (or 73) to be in the area C, and the second return air duct of the return air bypass path. The second return air opening / closing damper (MDR2) 622 at 62 is opened and mixed with the return air RA so as to be in the same air state as in the area D, and is blown from the outlet 751 by the blower fan 75 to the underfloor space 41 and the grill floor 4. The server 31 in the computer room 1 is cooled. The warmed air H after cooling passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52, partially circulates as return air RA, and partially circulates from the exhaust suction port 631 through the exhaust duct 63. EA is discharged from the exhaust opening 633 to the outside.
Even in this state, the load on the cooling coil 72 (or the second cooling coil 73) is reduced by effectively using the outside air OA.

As described above, the air conditioner of the present reference example has the following advantages.
(1) When the outside air OA is in the area D on the air diagram of FIG. 3, the outside air OA can cool the computer room, which saves energy.
(2) When the outside air OA is in the areas A and B where it is humidified and cooled by the water vaporizing type humidifier 74, the computer room 1 can be cooled by the outside air OA without using the cooling water of the heat source, so that energy is saved. I can plan.
(3) When the state of the outside air OA is in the areas C and G where the return air RA of the bypass circuit is used, the amount of air passing through the cooling coil 72 (or 73) and the water vaporizing humidifier 74 is reduced to the air side. The resistance can be reduced. Therefore, even if the same amount of air is blown to the computer room 1, the resistance on the air side is reduced, so that the power of the blower can be reduced and energy is saved.
Therefore, when the state of the outside air OA is in the areas A, B, C, and D of the air diagram of FIG. 3, the operation of the heat source is unnecessary. When the state of the outside air OA is in the areas C and G, the power of the blower can be reduced by using the return air of the bypass circuit.
By the way, in the suburbs of Tokyo, most of the outside air conditions throughout the year are in the areas A, B, C, D, and G. By using the air conditioner of the present invention, the outside air OA is in the areas A and B. , C, D and G can save energy, so energy saving throughout the year is extremely large.

Next, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. In a computer room air conditioner, a conventional back-up cooling coil system is effectively used, and two outside air intake ducts are provided in each duct path. An open / close damper that can be controlled is provided, and the air conditioner is operated in an allowable air conditioning range of the computer room, thereby realizing the energy saving of the present invention.

Embodiment 1 A preferred computer room air conditioner and system thereof according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an outline of an air conditioner in a computer room or data center of the present invention.
A cooling air-conditioning facility 2 is arranged adjacent to the computer room 1 (data center), and inside the computer room 1 a plurality of rows of racks 3 containing electronic devices having heating elements are arranged in parallel. The servers 31 that are electronic devices are arranged above and below, the front panel 311 of each server 31 is provided with a suction hole for sucking cold air C, the back panel 312 is provided with a built-in fan 313, and the opposite rack 3 The spaces between the rows are alternately arranged in the cooling space region C1 and the exhaust heat space region H1, and the floor between the three rows of racks in which the cooling space region C1 exists is laid with a grill floor 4 having through holes. The underfloor space 41 of the grill floor 4 is connected to each other to form a chamber (air passage).
The ceiling 51 of the cooling space region C1 is in close contact with the upper portion 32 of the rack 3, and the ceiling 52 of the exhaust heat space region H1 is formed with a chamber (air passage) 53, and the first return air duct 61 is returned to the return air inlet. 611 and the exhaust duct 63 of the exhaust duct 63 communicate with each other.

Next, the cooling air-conditioning facility 2 will be described. As shown in FIG. 11, the air-conditioning unit 7 is disposed in the cooling-air-conditioning facility 2, and the air-conditioning unit 7 includes filters 71a and 71b and a first cooling coil 72 from upstream. (A system), second cooling coil 73 (B system), and water vaporizing humidifiers 74a and 74b are provided in two systems. The upper end sides of these two systems are close to each other and the lower ends are separated from each other. An upstream air duct 64 for taking in outside air from outside is connected to each of the two series via an outside air inlet 641, and upstream of each air passage is separated from each other by a partition wall 76. The first outside air opening / closing damper (MDO1) 652 and the second outside air opening / closing damper (MDO2) 662 that can be controlled independently of each other are provided in the duct path, and the air conditioner 7 has the first outside air opening 653 and the second outside opening 653 respectively. Connected to the outside air opening 663 ing.
Moreover, the 1st return air duct 61 and the 2nd return air duct 62 are connected as a path | route which circulates return air from the computer room 1, and the exhaust duct 63 which exhausts return air to the outdoors is connected. A first return air opening / closing damper (MDR 1) 612, a second return air opening / closing damper (MDR 2) 622, and a return air opening / closing damper (MDE) 632 are provided in each path so that the air volume can be independently controlled. That is, upstream of the air passage is separated from each other, and an outside air duct having an open and close damper that can be independently controlled by taking in outside air from the outside is connected.
Further, a common return air suction port 611 is provided on the upstream side of the first return air duct 61, a first return air opening 613 is provided on the downstream side, and a second return air is provided on the downstream side of the second return air duct 62. An opening 623 is provided, and an exhaust inlet 631 is provided on the upstream side of the exhaust duct 63, and an exhaust outlet 633 is provided on the downstream side toward the outside.

In addition, the air conditioner 7 of the computer room 1 according to the first embodiment is characterized in that the cooling of the server is seriously hindered if the cooling operation cannot be performed. Therefore, in order to provide a backup function, the heat source, piping, and cooling coil are independent 2 Being a system (A system, B system), taking outside air and letting it pass through the computer room 1 as it is, and the computer room 1 is not a living space, so there is no need for a normal filter. A filter, a coil and a humidifier are connected by a bypass and directly circulated in the computer room 1. For this reason, two cooling coils for the air conditioner 7 are arranged / equipped in parallel with the air flow, and the two systems are operated when taking in the outside air described later. When trouble occurs in one of the systems that have been performing air conditioning operation, the system (A to B) is switched to perform operation, thereby preventing air conditioning from stopping for a long time.

In the air conditioner 7, filters 71 a and 71 b, a first cooling coil 72, a second cooling coil 73, water vaporizing humidifiers 74 a and 74 b, and a blower fan 75 are sequentially arranged from the upstream. The blower fan 75 has a blowout port 751 connected to the underfloor space 41, and the outside air duct 64 has a first outside air opening 653 communicating with the outside air inlet 641, and a common return air suction port 611 of the first return air duct 61. The communicating first return air opening 613 is arranged upstream of the filter 71a to form a path for supplying the first cooling coil 72 and the water vaporizing humidifier 74a. Also. The second outside air opening 663 and the second return air opening 623 of the second return air duct 62 are arranged upstream of the filter 71b to form a path for supplying the cooling coil 73 and the water vaporizing humidifier 74b.
The independent first chilled water pipe 81 of the heat source A system is connected to the first cooling coil 72, and the independent second chilled water pipe 82 of the heat source B system is connected to the second cooling coil 73, and humidified water for humidification. The pipe 83 is connected to the humidifiers 74a and 74b via control valves (valves) 811, 821, 831a and 831b, respectively.
Here, when independent A-system cold water is supplied to the cooling coil 72, the path formed by the filter 71b, the water vaporizing humidifier 74b, and the cooling coil 73 becomes a bypass path, and the independent B-series When cold water is supplied to the cooling coil 73, a path formed by the filter 71a, the water vaporizing humidifier 74a, and the cooling coil 72 is a bypass path.
Accordingly, the two independent heat sources / piping / cooling coils A and B can air-condition outside air or a part thereof independently.

  If the air conditioning range in the computer room 1 becomes too hot, the server 31 will be disturbed, so the server 31 must be ventilated to 35 ° C. or lower. If the humidity is too high, there is a problem such as condensation or short circuit of the electric circuit. On the other hand, if it dries too much, static electricity is generated, which is not preferable, and the temperature and humidity of the air in the blown state supplied to the computer room 1 may be in the area D of the air diagram of FIG. It is preferred. Therefore, when the outside air is in the areas A, B, C, E, and F other than the area D, it is necessary to adjust the supply air by the air conditioner 7 so as to be in the area D.

In the first embodiment , the outside air OA is divided into areas A to F on the air diagram of FIG. 3, and the air conditioner is operated as described below.

[When outside air is in area D]
When the outside air OA is in the area D, the outside air is supplied to the computer room 1 as it is, and all the warm air H is exhausted to the outside as it is.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 12, two series of first outside air opening / closing damper (MDO1) 652, second outside air opening / closing damper (MDO2) 662, and exhaust opening / closing damper (MDE) 632 for taking in outside air are opened and all others are closed. . That is, there is no need to supply cold water or humidification, and outdoor outdoor air OA is taken in from the outdoor air intake 641 and passes through the filters 71a and 71b from the first external air opening 653 and the second external air opening 663 communicating with the air conditioner 7. The server 31 in the computer room 1 is cooled from the under floor space 41 and the grill floor 4 by the blower fan 75. The cooled warm air H passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52, and all of the exhausted air EA is discharged from the exhaust opening 633 to the outside through the exhaust duct 63 through the exhaust duct 63.
In this state, since all the air SA supplied to the computer room 1 is covered by the outside air OA, only the blower fan 75 is operated. In addition, since two systems of the first outside air opening / closing damper (MDO1) 652, the second outside air opening / closing damper (MDO2) 662 and the two filters 71a and 71b are used, the air conveyance resistance is reduced, and The load is also reduced.

[When outside air is in area C]
When the outside air OA is in the area C, the outside air OA generally has a lower temperature and a higher humidity than the area D, and thus the temperature needs to be raised. And if temperature rises, humidity will become low.
In this case, the outside air OA is left as it is, and the same air condition as in the area D can be obtained by adjusting the mixing ratio with the return air RA. A part of the return air RA is exhausted from the exhaust opening 633 to the outside as exhaust EA.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 13, two independent series of first outside air opening / closing damper (MDO1) 652 and second outside air opening / closing damper (MDO2) 662 for taking in outside air, an exhaust opening / closing damper (MDE) 632, and a first return air opening / closing damper. (MDR1) 612 and the second return air opening / closing damper (MDR2) 622 are opened, and all others are closed. That is, it is not necessary to supply cold water or humidification, and outdoor outdoor air OA is taken in from the outdoor air intake 641 and is connected to the first external air opening 653 and the second external air opening 663 communicating with the air conditioner 7, and filters 71 a and 71 b. It passes through and mixes the ventilation from the first return air opening / closing damper (MDR1) 612 and the second return air opening / closing damper (MDR2) 622 of the two systems. The server 31 in the computer room 1 is cooled from 4. The warmed air H after cooling passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52 and partly circulates as return air RA, and partly circulates from the exhaust inlet 631 through the exhaust duct 63 to the exhaust EA. From the exhaust opening 633 to the outside.
Even in this state, the air SA supplied to the computer room 1 mixes the outside air OA and the return air RA and supplies the air, so that only the blower fan 75 operates. Further, two systems of first outside air opening / closing damper (MDO1) 652, second outside air opening / closing damper (MDO2) 662 and two filters 71a and 71b are used, and further, two systems of first return air duct 61 and second Since the second return air duct 62, the first return air opening / closing damper (MDR1) 612 and the second return air opening / closing damper (MDR2) 622 are used, the air conveyance resistance is reduced and the load of the blower fan 75 is reduced.

[When outside air is in area E]
When the outside air OA is in the area E, the outside air OA is cooled by the first cooling coil 72 (or the backup second cooling coil 73) because the temperature of the outside air OA is lower than the upper limit (35 ° C.) of the return air RA. I care. A control valve 811 (or 821) for controlling the amount of cold water is interposed in the cooling coil 72, and the state of the air supplied by the control valve 811 is adjusted to be the same as in the area D.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 14, a first outside air opening / closing damper (MDO1) 652 (or second outside air opening / closing damper (MDO2) 662) for taking in outside air OA, an exhaust opening / closing damper (MDE) 632 for the exhaust EA, The control valve 811 (or 821) for controlling the amount of cold water is opened and all others are closed.
That is, outdoor outdoor air OA is taken in from the outdoor air intake 641, and the filter 71 a (or filter 71 b) is moved from the first outdoor air opening 653 (or second outdoor air opening 663) communicating with the air conditioner 7 to the cooling coil 72 (or And the second cooling coil 73), and the blower fan 75 cools the underfloor space 41 from the blowout opening 751 and the server 31 in the computer room 1 from the grill floor 4. The cooled warm air H passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52, and the exhaust EA is discharged from the exhaust opening 633 to the outside through the exhaust duct 63 through the exhaust suction port 631.
In this state, although the cooling coil 72 (or 73) operates, the temperature of the outside air OA is lower than the return air RA, and this outside air OA is used, so the load of the cooling coil 72 (or the second cooling coil 73) Is reduced.
However, when the outside air temperature is not so high even in the area E, a passage where the cooling coil 73 of a series that does not supply cold water is used as a bypass route is used as a bypass route, and this outside air is bypassed (second outside air a material obtained by opening and closing the damper (MDO2) 662), consisting of as those of the state of the outside air area partially cooled by the cooling coil 72 by opening the control valve 811 C the same as the area D engages mixed You may adjust as follows.

[When outside air is in area F]
When the outside air OA is in the area F (FIG. 3: the temperature of the outside air OA is lower than 35 ° C. (predetermined value), and the enthalpy of the outside air is 63 [kJ / kg (DA)] (first predetermined value) And the temperature of the outside air OA is higher than a predetermined value (35 ° C.) and the enthalpy of the outside air is larger than 63 kJ / kg (DA)) (second predetermined value)). Is higher than the upper limit of the return air RA, and the enthalpy of the outside air OA is larger than the upper limit of the return air RA, the introduction of the outside air OA is stopped and only the return air RA is circulated and cooled by the cooling coil 72 (or 73). Then, the air in the area D is supplied.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 15, the first outside air opening / closing damper (MDO1) 652 and the second outside air opening / closing damper (MDO2) 662 for taking in outside air OA and the exhaust opening / closing damper (MDE) 632 for the exhaust EA are closed. Then, the control valve 811 (or 821) for controlling the amount of cold water is opened, the first return air opening / closing damper (MDR1) 612 (or the second return air opening / closing damper (MDR2) 622) is opened, The filter 71a (or 71b) passes through the cooling coil 72 (or 73) from the first return air opening 613 communicating with the air conditioner 7 and is cooled to a predetermined temperature. The server 31 in the computer room 1 is cooled from the grill floor 4. The warmed air H after cooling passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52 and is circulated again as all the return air.
Only this state is the same as the cooling of the conventional computer room 1, and the air conditioning energy does not change.

[When outside air is in area B]
When the outside air OA is area B, since the air is too dry, the cooling coil is not operated, but the outside air OA is humidified and cooled by water vaporization humidification. Thus, the state of the air to be supplied is adjusted to be the same as in the area D by controlling the humidification amount.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 16, the first outside air opening / closing damper (MDO1) 652 (or the second outside air opening / closing damper (MDO2) 662) for taking in outside air OA and the exhaust opening / closing damper (MDE) 632 for the exhaust EA are opened. Then, the control valve 831a (or 831b) of the water vaporizing humidifier 74a (or 74b) is opened, and all other dampers and control valves are closed.
That is, outdoor outside air OA is taken in from the outside air inlet 641, passes through the filter 71 a and the cooling coil 72 from the first outside air opening 653 communicating with the air conditioner 7, and desired moisture is supplied thereto by the water vaporizing humidifier 74 a. Then, the blower fan 75 cools the underfloor space 41 from the outlet 751 and the server 31 in the computer room 1 from the grill floor 4. The cooled warm air H passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52, and the exhaust EA is discharged from the exhaust opening 633 to the outside through the exhaust duct 63 through the exhaust suction port 631.
Even in this state, since the air SA supplied to the computer room 1 humidifies and supplies the outside air OA, only the water vaporizing humidifier 74 and the blower fan 75 operate.

[When outside air is in area A]
When the outside air OA is in the area A, the outside air OA and the return air RA are mixed, the mixing ratio is adjusted, the state of the air before passing through the water vaporization type humidification is changed to the state in the area B, and the water vaporization is performed. By humidifying and cooling with the type humidifier 74a (or 74b), the state of air after humidification is adjusted to the state of air in the area D.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 17, the first outside air opening / closing damper (MDO1) 652 (or the second outside air opening / closing damper (MDO2) 662) for taking in outside air OA and the exhaust opening / closing damper (MDE) 632 for the exhaust EA are opened, The control valve 831a (or 831b) and the first return air opening / closing damper (MDR1) 612 (or the second return air opening / closing damper (MDR2) 662) of the water vaporizing humidifier 74a (or 74b) are opened, and other dampers or Close all control valves.
That is, outdoor outside air OA is taken in from the outside air inlet 641, and the first outside air opening 653 (or the second outside air opening 663) communicating with the air conditioner 7 and the first return air opening 613 (or the second air opening from the computer room 1). The outside air OA and the return air RA are mixed at a predetermined ratio in the return air opening 623) and passed through the filter 71a (or 71b) and the cooling coil 72 (or 73), and the water vaporizing humidifier 74a (or 74b) is passed through this. ) Is applied, and the blower fan 75 cools the underfloor space 41 from the blowout opening 751 and the server 31 in the computer room 1 from the grill floor 4. The warm air after cooling passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52, partly circulates as return air RA, and partly circulates from the exhaust inlet 631 through the exhaust duct 63 to the exhaust EA. From the exhaust opening 633 to the outside.
Even in this state, since the air SA supplied to the computer room 1 mixes the outside air OA and the return air RA and humidifies and supplies the air, only the water vaporizing humidifier 74a (or 74b) and the blower fan 75 operate. It is.

[When outside air is in area G]
When the outside air OA is in the area G, the enthalpy of the outside air OA is smaller than the upper limit of the return air RA. Therefore, the outside air OA is cooled and dehumidified by the cooling coil 72 (or 73) and the return air RA in the bypass passage is mixed. To supply air. The outside air OA is adjusted to the same air state as in the area C by cooling and dehumidifying, and the same air state as in the area D is adjusted by adjusting the mixing ratio with the bypass return air RA.
The operating state of the air conditioner in this case will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 18, in order to take in the outside air OA, the first outside air opening / closing damper (MDO1) 652 (or the second outside air opening / closing damper (MDO2) 662) is opened and cooled and dehumidified by the cooling coil 72 (or 73). The second return air opening / closing damper (MDR2) 622 in the second return air duct 62 is opened and mixed with the return air RA so as to be in the same air state as in the area D. The server 31 in the computer room 1 is cooled from the underfloor space 41 and the grill floor 4 from 751. The warmed air H after cooling passes through the ceiling chamber 53 from the opening of the ceiling 52, partially circulates as return air RA, and partially circulates from the exhaust suction port 631 through the exhaust duct 63. EA is discharged from the exhaust opening 633 to the outside.
Even in this state, the load on the cooling coil 72 (or the second cooling coil 73) is reduced by effectively using the outside air OA.

As described above, the air conditioner of the first embodiment has the following advantages.
(1) When the state of the outside air OA is in the area D on the air diagram of FIG. 3, the computer room 1 can be cooled by the outside air OA, which saves energy.
(2) When the outside air OA is in the areas A and B where it is humidified and cooled by the water vaporizing type humidifier 74, the computer room 1 can be cooled by the outside air OA without using the cooling water of the heat source, so that energy is saved. I can plan.
(3) When the state of the outside air OA is in the area C, the computer room 1 can be cooled by mixing the outside air OA and the bypass return air RA without using the cooling water of the heat source, thereby saving energy. In addition, the return air RA can reduce the amount of air passing through the cooling coil 72 (or 73) and the water vaporizing humidifier 74a and reduce the resistance on the air side. Therefore, even if the same amount of air is blown to the computer room 1, the resistance on the air side is reduced, so that the power of the blower can be reduced and energy is saved.
(4) When the state of the outside air OA is in the area G, only the outside air OA is cooled using the cooling water of the heat source and mixed with the bypass return air RA, so that the cooling coil 72 (or 73), water vaporization The amount of air passing through the humidifier 74a can be reduced and the resistance on the air side can be reduced. Therefore, even if the same amount of air is blown to the computer room 1, the resistance on the air side is reduced, so that the power of the blower can be reduced and energy is saved.
As described above, when the state of the outside air OA is in the areas A, B, C, and D of the air diagram of FIG. 3, the operation of the heat source is unnecessary. When the state of the outside air OA is in the areas C and G, the power of the blower can be reduced by using the return air of the bypass circuit.
By the way, in the suburbs of Tokyo, most of the outside air conditions throughout the year are in areas A, B, C, D, and G. By using the air conditioner of the present invention, the outside air OA state is A, B, In the case of C, D, and G, since energy saving can be achieved, energy saving throughout the year becomes extremely large.
(5) Since there are two systems of the first cooling coil 72 and the second cooling coil 73 with independent cooling air flows, if one independent cooling system (A system 81) fails, the air drive power is Although the number increases, the other independent cooling system (B system 82) can be driven and the failure can be repaired in the meantime, and the backup cooling system can be used effectively.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the first embodiment as long as the characteristics of the present invention are not impaired.
For example, in the reference example and the first embodiment , the return air intake port of the computer room 1 of the first return air duct 61 and the second return air duct 62 is the common common return air intake port 611, but each is provided separately. and it may be is a matter of course, likewise in example 1, the first outdoor air closing damper 652 has been common duct of the outside air inlet 641 of the second outdoor air closing damper 662 may be provided separately from each other Of course.
Also, Reference Example In filters and humidifiers have been positioned downstream of the cooling coil, may be disposed upstream as in Example 1, on the contrary, it may be disposed downstream of the cooling coil in the first embodiment . Furthermore, the bypass in the first embodiment means a cooling coil that is not operating, but an opening may be arranged downstream of the cooling coil as in the reference example .

C ... Cold air, C1 ... Cooling space area,
H ... Warm air, H1 ... Waste heat space area 1 .... Computer room (data center),
2. Cooling air conditioning facilities,
3 .. Rack, 31 .. Server,
311 ··· Server front panel, 312 · · · Server rear panel,
313 .. Server built-in fan, 32. Rack upper part 4. Grill floor, 41. Under floor space (chamber)
51, 52 ... Ceiling, 53 ... Chamber (air passage)
61 .. First return air duct, 611 .. Common return air inlet,
612 ··· First return air opening / closing damper (MDR1), 613 ··· First return air opening,
62 .. Second return air duct, 622 .. Second return air opening / closing damper (MDR2),
623 .. second return opening,
63..Exhaust duct, 631 ... Exhaust air inlet,
632 .. Exhaust opening / closing damper (MDE), 633 .. Exhaust opening,
64 .. Outside air duct, 641 .. Outside air intake,
642 .. Open air opening and closing damper (MDO), 643 .. Open air opening,
652 .. First outside air opening / closing damper (MDO1), 653 .. First outside air opening,
662 .. Second outside air opening / closing damper (MDO2), 663 .. Second outside air opening,
7. ・ Air conditioners, 71, 71a, 71b ・ ・ Filters
72 .. First cooling coil, 73 .. Second cooling coil,
74 (74a, 74b) ・ ・ Water vaporizing humidifier,
75 .... Blower fan, 751 ... Blowout port, 76 ... Bulk,
81 .. First cold water pipe (A system), 811 .. Control valve (V2A),
82 .. Second cold water piping (B system), 821 .. Control valve (V2B),
83 ... Humidification water piping, 831 ... Control valve (VM),
831a, 831b ・ ・ Control valve (VMB)

Claims (3)

An air conditioner for a computer room in which an outside air duct for introducing outside air and two cooling coils that can be operated independently are provided in parallel ,
The two systems of the first cooling coil and the second cooling coil are separated from each other upstream of the air passages, and are connected to an outside air duct having an open / close damper that can be independently controlled by taking outside air from the outside in the duct path. ,
Of the two cooling coils, a passage in which a cooling coil of a series that does not supply cold water is used as a bypass route, and the bypassed air and air that has cooled some of the outside air with the cooling coil, An air conditioner for a computer room, characterized by mixing . At least the outside air is suitable for the computer room and within the specified absolute humidity range, and when the temperature is low and the enthalpy is high, the air that has cooled a part of the outside air is mixed with the bypassed outside air. The computer room air conditioner according to claim 1 . 3. The air conditioning system for a computer room according to claim 1, wherein the first cooling coil and the second cooling coil of the two systems are arranged in a square shape in which the upper end sides are close to each other and the lower end sides are separated from each other. Machine.

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