Abstract: Cooling systems for providing cooled air to electronic equipment are described. The systems can include large storage tanks or waste treatment systems to improve the efficiency of the plant and reduce impact on the environment.

Abstract: A system for cooling a computer data center includes a computer data center building; a plurality of computer racks arranged in a plurality of linear rows inside the computer data center building, with particular ones of the racks housing a plurality of computer systems; a plurality of cooling fluid conduits; and a plurality of cooling plants arranged outside the computer data center building along an exterior wall of the computer data center building. At least one of the cooling plants corresponds to one or more particular ones of the cooling fluid conduits and provides cooling for the corresponding conduit.

Abstract: A rack-mount computer system includes one or more rows of computer racks, wherein each row of computer racks includes a pair of rows of computer racks positioned back-to-back relative to each other, a plurality of computer motherboards mounted in each of the racks in each row of computer racks and having front edges open to a workspace for receiving circulating air over the motherboards, the motherboards positioned to create a warm air plenum near a back edge of each motherboard, and a fan positioned adjacent each of the plurality of computer motherboards to circulate air across the computer motherboards and into the warm air plenum.

Abstract: A backlight for providing light to a computer-controlled display device, includes a plurality of first light sources, a plurality of second light sources, and a light guide panel (LGP). The LGP has at least one edge and a surface facing a display surface of the display device and is adapted for guiding light emitted by, and received from, the first and second light sources at one or more edges of the LGP to the surface of the LGP. The first light sources include first light emitting diodes (LEDs) having a peak emission wavelength of greater than 500 nm. The second light sources include second LEDs having a peak emission wavelength of less than 480 nm and phosphor material that absorbs a portion of light emitted from the second LEDs and converts the absorbed light into light emitted from the phosphor material having a peak emission wavelength greater than 500 nm.

Abstract: A datacenter cooling apparatus includes a portable housing having lifting and transporting structures for moving the apparatus, opposed sides in the housing, at least one of the opposed sides defining one or more air passage openings arranged to capture warmed air from rack-mounted electronics, opposed ends in the housing, at least one of the opposed ends defining one or more air passage openings positioned to allow lateral passage of captured air into and out of the housing, and one or more cooling coils associated with the housing to receive and cool the captured warm air, and provide the cooled air for circulation into a datacenter workspace.

Abstract: A computer system may include a connecting hub having a plurality of docking regions and be configured to provide to each docking region electrical power, a data network interface, a cooling fluid supply and a cooling fluid return; and a plurality of shipping containers that each enclose a modular computing environment that incrementally adds computing power to the system. Each shipping container may include a) a plurality of processing units coupled to the data network interface, each of which include a microprocessor; b) a heat exchanger configured to remove heat generated by the plurality of processing units by circulating cooling fluid from the supply through the heat exchanger and discharging it into the return; and c) docking members configured to releaseably couple to the connecting hub at one of the docking regions to receive electrical power, connect to the data network interface, and receive and discharge cooling fluid.

Abstract: A data center cooling system is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of computer racks arranged in a plurality of substantially parallel rows, cooling units associated with the computer racks and arranged in substantially parallel rows to cool air warmed by the cooling racks, and cooling fluid supply and return conduits that are divided by isolation valves into a plurality of cooling sub-loops, wherein adjacent cooling units in a common row are supplied from different sub-loops, and individual sub-loops serve cooling units in multiple rows, so as to provide water-side diversity across the cooling system.

Abstract: A method of providing cooled air to electronic equipment includes capturing heated air from a volume containing electronic equipment, cooling the heated air by more than fifteen degrees Celsius in an air-to-water heat exchanger, and supplying cooling water to the air-to-water heat exchanger at a temperature above a dew point temperature of the heated air.

Abstract: A datacenter cooling apparatus includes a portable housing having lifting and transporting structures for moving the apparatus, opposed sides in the housing, at least one of the opposed sides defining one or more air passage openings arranged to capture warmed air from rack-mounted electronics, opposed ends in the housing, at least one of the opposed ends defining one or more air passage openings positioned to allow lateral passage of captured air into and out of the housing, and one or more cooling coils associated with the housing to receive and cool the captured warm air, and provide the cooled air for circulation into a datacenter workspace.

Abstract: A method includes charging a battery to a first percentage of full capacity, where the first percentage of full capacity is above a pre-charge capacity and below the full capacity, monitoring, using a controller, the battery for a predetermined threshold and in response to the battery reaching the predetermined threshold, charging the battery to a second percentage of full capacity, where the second percentage of full capacity is greater than the first percentage of full capacity.

Abstract: A method of providing utilities to a computer data center is discussed. The method includes initially connecting one or more non-evaporative cooling units to a data center as primary cooling plants, obtaining a government-issued water permit, and after obtaining the government-issued water permit, transitioning primary cooling for the data center to one or more evaporative cooling towers.

Abstract: A facility is described that includes one or more enclosures defining an interior space, a plurality of power taps, a plurality of coolant supply taps, and a plurality of coolant return taps. A flow capacity of the supply taps and a flow capacity of the return taps can be approximately equal over a local area of the interior space. The plurality of power taps, the plurality of supply taps, and the plurality of return taps can be divided into a plurality of zones, with taps of each zone are configured to be controllably coupled to a power source or a coolant source independently of the taps of other zones. The taps can be positioned along paths, and paths of the power taps can be spaced from associated proximate paths of supply and return taps by a substantially uniform distance along a substantial length of the first path.

Abstract: Cooling systems for providing cooled air to electronic devices are described. The systems can include large storage tanks or waste treatment systems to improve the efficiency of the plant and reduce impact on the environment.

Abstract: A computer system may include a connecting hub having a plurality of docking regions and be configured to provide to each docking region electrical power, a data network interface, a cooling fluid supply and a cooling fluid return; and a plurality of shipping containers that each enclose a modular computing environment that incrementally adds computing power to the system. Each shipping container may include a) a plurality of processing units coupled to the data network interface, each of which include a microprocessor; b) a heat exchanger configured to remove heat generated by the plurality of processing units by circulating cooling fluid from the supply through the heat exchanger and discharging it into the return; and c) docking members configured to releaseably couple to the connecting hub at one of the docking regions to receive electrical power, connect to the data network interface, and receive and discharge cooling fluid.

Abstract: A method of providing cooled air to electronic equipment includes capturing heated air from a volume containing electronic equipment, cooling the heated air by more than fifteen degrees Celsius in an air-to-water heat exchanger, and supplying cooling water to the air-to-water heat exchanger at a temperature above a dew point temperature of the heated air.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated method and computer program products involve a highly efficient uninterruptible power distribution architecture to support modular processing units. As an illustrative example, a modular processing unit includes an integrated uninterruptible power system in which a PFC-boost AC-to-DC conversion occurs between the utility AC grid and the processing circuit (e.g., microprocessor) loads. In an illustrative data center facility, a power distribution architecture includes a modular array of rack-mountable processing units, each of which has processing circuitry to handle network-related processing tasks. Associated with each modular processing unit is an integrated uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to supply operating power to the network processing circuitry. Each UPS includes a battery selectively connectable across a DC bus, and a AC-to-DC rectifier that converts an AC input voltage to a single output voltage on the DC bus.

Abstract: A facility is described that includes one or more enclosures defining an interior space, a plurality of power taps, a plurality of coolant supply taps, and a plurality of coolant return taps. A flow capacity of the supply taps and a flow capacity of the return taps can be approximately equal over a local area of the interior space. The plurality of power taps, the plurality of supply taps, and the plurality of return taps can be divided into a plurality of zones, with taps of each zone are configured to be controllably coupled to a power source or a coolant source independently of the taps of other zones. The taps can be positioned along paths, and paths of the power taps can be spaced from associated proximate paths of supply and return taps by a substantially uniform distance along a substantial length of the first path.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated method and computer program products involve a highly efficient uninterruptible power distribution architecture to support modular processing units. As an illustrative example, a modular processing unit includes an integrated uninterruptible power system in which a PFC-boost AC-to-DC conversion occurs between the utility AC grid and the processing circuit (e.g., microprocessor) loads. In an illustrative data center facility, a power distribution architecture includes a modular array of rack-mountable processing units, each of which has processing circuitry to handle network-related processing tasks. Associated with each modular processing unit is an integrated uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to supply operating power to the network processing circuitry. Each UPS includes a battery selectively connectable across a DC bus, and a AC-to-DC rectifier that converts an AC input voltage to a single output voltage on the DC bus.

Abstract: An interim power source includes an energy storage, a switch coupled with the energy storage, and a control circuit coupled with the switch. The switch selects a source of power being delivered out of an output power terminal to an electronic device. The control circuit may cause the switch to select the source of power from at least one of an input power terminal and the energy storage. The input power terminal may include a main power source and a backup or secondary power source.

Abstract: A system for providing air circulation to rack-mounted computers can include a plurality of rack-mounted computers on a plurality of motherboards, each motherboard having a front end near a work space and a back end; one or more fans associated with the plurality of motherboards and adapted to deliver heated air from the computers to a common warm-air plenum; and one or more motor controllers coupled to the plurality of fans and adapted to maintain a substantially constant sensed exhaust temperature for air moved by the fans.