EP4399455A1

EP4399455A1 - Apparatus for the climate control of an environment, particularly for data centers or the like, and method for reducing the emissions and consumption of such an apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP4399455A1
Application number: EP23702631.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Filippo MASETTO; Balint TAKACS
Original assignee: Vertiv SRL
Current assignee: Vertiv SRL
Priority date: 2022-02-07
Filing date: 2023-02-06
Publication date: 2024-07-17
Also published as: WO2023148378A1

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for the climate control of an environment (11), which is provided with a refrigeration circuit (12), adapted to be passed through by a fluid, and comprises, along the refrigeration circuit (12): - a first unit (13), which comprises an evaporator (14) and a compressor (15), and is adapted to be located inside the environment (11), - a second unit (16), which comprises a condenser (17) and is adapted to be located outside the environment (11), the second unit (16) being in fluidic and electrical communication with the first unit (13); - means (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28) for detection of temperature and/or pressure and/or humidity data, - electronic means (30) of management and control of said first unit (13) and of said second unit (16), the first unit (13) and the second unit (16) being in data communication.

Description

APPARATUS FOR THE CLIMATE CONTROL OF AN ENVIRONMENT, PARTICULARLY FOR DATA CENTERS OR THE LIKE, AND METHOD FOR REDUCING THE EMISSIONS AND CONSUMPTION OF SUCH AN APPARATUS

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the climate control of an environment.

The invention also relates to a method for reducing the emissions and consumption of such an apparatus.

The invention is applied in the field of climate control of environments, in particular in the sector of data centers.

Nowadays, the sector of data centers requires increasingly better efficiency, in order to reduce overall energy consumption and environmental impact.

In tandem, European Union regulations increasingly require makers of apparatuses for climate control to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions of CO₂.

Among the known apparatuses for the climate control of an environment, “split” air conditioners are known.

A split air conditioner is an apparatus composed of:

- a unit inside the environment to be climate controlled, which comprises a compressor and an evaporator,

- a unit outside the environment to be climate controlled, which comprises a condenser.

The internal unit and the external unit are normally connected by conduits and electrical cables.

Such known art has a number of drawbacks.

The distance between the two units (internal and external) can be considerable, as a consequence normally the external unit operates with its own operating logic based on preset and fixed parameters, and similarly, the internal unit also operates with its own operating logic based on preset and fixed parameters.

This means that the two units operate without any interaction with each other and it is not possible to modify the operating parameters of the individual units according to boundary conditions, which can vary, in particular for the external unit, both over the course of a day and throughout the year.

In the present description, the expression “boundary conditions” means the temperature and/or humidity conditions of the internal and external units, the condensation pressure, and the thermal load to be disposed of.

Such an apparatus therefore uses operating parameters that are preset and fixed, normally the condensation temperature or pressure of the refrigerant fluid, so as to ensure operation under any boundary condition.

However, this determines, at least for part of the year, a superfluous energy consumption and an unnecessary emission of CO₂.

The aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for the climate control of an environment and a method for reducing the emissions and consumption of such an apparatus, that are capable of improving the known art in one or more of the above mentioned aspects.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for the climate control of environments, particularly data centers or the like, that makes it possible to modify at least one operating parameter of the external unit and/or of the internal unit as a function of the boundary conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for the climate control of an environment that makes it possible to save energy with respect to similar, conventional apparatuses.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method for using such an apparatus that makes it possible to save energy and, as a consequence, reduce CO₂ emissions with respect to similar, conventional apparatuses. Furthermore, the present invention sets out to overcome the drawbacks of the background art in a manner that is alternative to any existing solutions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for the climate control of an environment and a method for improving the emissions and consumption of such an apparatus that are highly reliable, easy to implement and of low cost.

This aim and these and other objects which will become more apparent hereinafter are achieved by an apparatus for the climate control of an environment, which is provided with a refrigeration circuit, adapted to be passed through by a fluid, and comprises, along said refrigeration circuit:

- a first unit, which comprises an evaporator and a compressor, and is adapted to be located inside the environment,

- a second unit, which comprises a condenser and is adapted to be located outside the environment, the second unit being in fluidic and electrical communication with the first unit, said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises:

- means for detection of temperature and/or pressure and/or humidity data,

- electronic means of management and control of said first unit and of said second unit, the first unit and the second unit being in data communication.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a method for reducing the emissions and consumption of such an apparatus, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

- a first step of starting said apparatus, in which an installation technician sets default operating parameters for said first unit,

- a second step of learning in which said detection means for detection of temperature and/or pressure and/or humidity data detect the values of these physical quantities in a time interval,

- a third step of storing the boundary conditions in which said electronic means of management and control store said data detected by said means for detection in said time interval,

- a fourth step of evaluating the boundary conditions and the current operating conditions, in which said electronic means of management and control verify whether it is possible to modify one or more operating parameters in order to reduce the energy consumption of said apparatus.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description that follows of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the apparatus for the climate control of an environment and of a method for reducing the emissions and consumption of such an apparatus, according to the invention, which are illustrated, by way of non-limiting example, in the accompanying drawings wherein:

- Figure 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus for the climate control of an environment, particularly for data centers or the like, according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a block diagram of a method for reducing the emissions and consumption of the apparatus of Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a block diagram of the operating logic of the apparatus of Figure 1.

With reference to the figures, an apparatus for the climate control of an environment, according to the invention, is shown schematically in Figure 1 and generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

The apparatus 10 is used for the climate control of an environment 11.

The apparatus 10 is provided with a refrigeration circuit 12 which is passed through by a fluid and comprises, along such circuit 12:

- a first unit 13, which comprises an evaporator 14 and a compressor 15, and is located inside the environment 11,

- a second unit 16, which comprises a condenser 17 and is located outside the environment 11, which is in fluidic and electrical communication with the first unit 13.

Similarly to conventional apparatuses for climate control, the apparatus 10 comprises, along the circuit 12, in the following order:

- the condenser 17,

- a throttle valve 18, advantageously an electronic expansion valve (EEV),

- the evaporator 14,

- the compressor 15,

- a check valve 19.

Such condenser 17 is advantageously provided with a fan 20 with electronic switching (EC).

The first unit 13 comprises electronic means 30 of management and control both of the first unit 13 and of the second unit 16.

Such electronic means 30 are constituted by the PLC (programmable logic controller) of the internal unit 13 and are means for data processing and for variation of one or more operating parameters of the first unit 13 and/or of the second unit 16.

The second unit 16 is effectively a slave of the first unit 13.

The compressor 15 is advantageously of the type with variable speed.

One of the peculiarities of the apparatus 10 consists in that it comprises means for detection of temperature and/or pressure and/or humidity data, both in the internal unit 13, and in the external unit 16.

Another of the peculiarities of the invention consists in that the first unit 13 and the second unit 16 are in data communication, advantageously over the MODBUS protocol or equivalent communication protocols.

The data are processed by the electronic means 30 of management and control and are read by them, by way of means for detecting the data, through a MODBUS protocol, or equivalent communication protocols, or via a MODBUS register for the fan 20. The operating parameters are, for example, the condensation temperature and/or the pressure of the fluid.

Such means for detection of temperature and/or pressure and/or humidity data comprise:

- a first sensor 22 for the temperature of the environment 11 , which is associated with the first unit 13,

- and/or a second sensor 23 for temperature and humidity, which is associated with the evaporator 14,

- and/or a third sensor 24 for the temperature of the fluid in input into the compressor 15, along the circuit 12 upstream of the compressor 15,

- and/or a first transducer 25 of the pressure of the fluid in input to the compressor 15, along the circuit 12 upstream of the compressor 15,

- and/or a fourth sensor 26 for the temperature of the fluid in output from the compressor 15, along the circuit 12 downstream of the compressor 15,

- and/or a second transducer 27 of the pressure of the fluid in output from the compressor 15, along the circuit 12 downstream of the compressor 15,

- a fifth sensor 28 for the temperature of the air outside the environment 11, which is associated with the second unit 16.

In particular, the electronic means 30 of management and control operate so as to keep the temperature of the evaporator, read by the second sensor 23, and the temperature of the fluid in input to the compressor 15, read by the third sensor 24, constant.

Such detection means 22-28 for detection of temperature and/or pressure and/or humidity data are connected to the electronic means 30 of management and control.

In particular, the fifth sensor 28 for the temperature of the air outside can be connected:

- directly to the terminal board of the fan 20 so that it can be read by a MODBUS register;

- directly to the MODBUS network.

It should be noted that, with such a solution, the installation technician needs simply to connect the MODBUS cable from the first unit 13 to the second unit 16.

The apparatus 10 will be configured immediately and no additional action is required.

The apparatus 10, by virtue of the communication of data between the first unit 13 and the second unit 16, is capable of modifying the operating parameters of the second unit 16, in particular the condensation temperature of the fluid, according to the boundary conditions, in so doing reducing the energy consumption both of the condenser 17 and of the compressor 15, thus ensuring the same capacity for refrigeration.

One of the peculiarities of the invention consists in the method of the apparatus 10, which makes it possible to minimize the energy consumption and therefore the emissions of CO₂ as a function of the boundary conditions.

The method for reducing the emissions and consumption of the apparatus 10 is shown in a block diagram in Figure 2 and comprises the following steps:

- a first step 101 of starting the apparatus 10, in which the installation technician can modify the default operating parameters of the first unit 13, such as the working temperature of the unit 13, while the default values for the condensation temperature of the fluid in the condenser 17 are already set,

- a second step 102 of learning in which the detection means 22-28 for detection of temperature and/or pressure and/or humidity data detect the values of these physical quantities in a time interval,

- a third step 103 of storing the boundary conditions in which the electronic means 30 of management and control store the data detected by the detection means 22-28 in such time interval, - a fourth step 104 of evaluating the boundary conditions and the current operating conditions (and the current consumption), in which the electronic means 30 of management and control verify whether it is possible to modify one or more operating parameters in order to reduce the energy consumption of the apparatus 10.

At this point, if it is possible to modify one or more operating parameters of the apparatus 10 in order to reduce energy consumption, the method for reducing the emissions and consumption of the apparatus 10 comprises a fifth step 105 of varying one or more operating parameters, in which the electronic means 30 of management and control modify such one or more parameters and the apparatus 10 operates with the new parameters and the method restarts from the second step 102.

If however it is not possible to modify one or more operating parameters of the apparatus 10 in order to reduce energy consumption, the method restarts from the second step 102.

The steps of such method from the second step 102 to the fifth step 105 are managed by a dedicated software program for management and control of the apparatus 10.

It should be noted that according to this method it is possible to continuously adjust the operating parameters as a function of the boundary conditions, thus effectively modulating the energy consumption based on requirements, minimizing it when possible.

Figure 3 shows in more detail the operating logic of the apparatus 10, which is the following.

First of all, the first step 101 described above is executed, and then the operating logic of the apparatus 10 proceeds with the subsequent steps 104-105, which comprise:

- a first substep 201 in which the software program verifies whether the second unit 16 is switched on:

- if the second unit 16 is switched off, arrow N, no operations are executed and the apparatus 10 remains on standby, substep 301,

- if the second unit 16 is switched on, arrow Y, the method proceeds to the second substep 202,

- the second substep 202, in which the software program verifies whether the compressor 15 is active:

- if the compressor 15 is inactive, arrow N, the electronic means 30 of management and control reset the operating parameters of the condenser 17 to the default values, which were preset in the first step 101, substep 302,

- if the compressor 15 is active, arrow Y:

- collects information (substep 304) on the boundary conditions coming from the detection means 22-28, of the speed of the fan 20, of the condensation pressure, percentage load of the compressor, energy consumption,

- waits for a given time interval (in the order of five minutes), substep 305, before continuing to collect the information in the previous substep, saving the information in special arrays,

- calculates the data corresponding to the average values of such information, inserting those data in special tables, substep 306, and deleting the information stored in the arrays in the previous substep,

- a third substep 203 in which the software program verifies/measures the current cooling capacity supplied by the compressor and verifies whether it has previously stored, in special tables, data corresponding to the operation of the first unit 13 and of the second unit 16 and of the boundary conditions:

- if it has not yet stored/gathered data in special tables, arrow N, then waits, and does not execute operations (substep 303) on the first unit 13 or on the second unit 16,

- but if, in the memory, the tables of substep 306 are already populated with this data, arrow Y, then proceeds to the fourth substep 204,

- the fourth substep 204 in which the software program calculates the coefficients of operation of the condenser based on the data in these tables,

- a fifth substep 205 in which the software program waits for a determined time interval (in the order of ten minutes), in order to prevent unstable operation of the apparatus 10,

- a sixth substep 206, in which the software program verifies, based on the coefficients calculated in the fourth substep 204 and on the measurements taken, whether it is possible to minimize/reduce energy consumption in the compressor and condenser within a certain maximum tolerance value,

- a seventh substep 207, in which the software program verifies whether modifying the operating parameters of the condenser will reduce the energy consumption:

- if it does not reduce consumption, arrow N, the software program maintains the current operating parameters of the condenser, substep 307,

- if energy consumption is reduced, arrow Y, the software program proceeds to the eighth substep 208,

- the eighth substep 208, in which the software program verifies whether modifying the operating parameters of the condenser 17 will maintain the same cooling capacity supplied by the compressor 15 :

- if the capacity to cool the environment changes, arrow N, the current operating parameters are maintained, substep 308,

- if the cooling capacity remains constant or within a given tolerance, arrow Y, then modify the operating parameters of the condenser, substep 209.

The cooling capacity supplied by the compressor 15 and its energy consumption could be calculated from a mathematical model of the given compressor.

Models can be defined in various ways (depending on the structure, for example of the scroll type, or the inverter type; or the dimension; etc.).

Such models are defined, for example, as polynomial, empirical and/or analytical equations, and are usually created and verified by the makers of the compressors.

In general, the refrigerating capacity and the energy consumption of the compressors are functions of the suction pressure, condensation pressure and of the rotation speed.

Globally it is possible to express:

- refrigerating power = f(x),

- energy consumption = g(x), where f and g are functions and x represents the vector of the measured parameters (T_eVa_P, T_cond, LOAD, ci,...c_n).

Where:

- Ci, c_n are specific parameters of the compressor,

- T_evap is the suction saturated temperature,

- T_cond is the condensation saturated temperature,

- LOAD is the load percentage of the compressor.

A first table (AT-FS) necessary for the software program to function is a table that represents the dissipation of heat from the condenser 17 as a function of the various values of:

- speed of the fan 20 (FS), which can be obtained, for example, from the equations of the fan or from another table, and expressed with a value from zero to one hundred,

- difference in temperature between the condensation saturated temperature and the temperature of the environment 11: AT = T_cond-T_amb.

The heat dissipation of the condenser 17 can be expressed with the equation:

HR = Capacity + Electric power where:

- HR represents the dissipation of heat of the condenser,

- Capacity is the cooling capacity expressed in Watts, - Electric power is the power necessary for the compressor to supply the corresponding cooling capacity.

A second table necessary for the software program to function is a table adapted to model the energy consumption of the condenser (P_e_cond), as a function of various set points corresponding to various condensation temperatures.

These tables are populated with the data measured automatically by the software program, using the data detection means 22-28.

With these tables, the software program can model the heat dissipation of the condenser 17, for example on the basis of the following equation: which in turn can be linearized in the following manner: log₁₀(HR) = log₁₀(ao) + a^log_I0(AT) + a₂*log₁₀(FS/100) .

The software program, for example every ten minutes, extrapolates values from the first table (AT-FS) and re-factors them in the following manner:

- X = (xl, X2, X3), defined in turn:

- xl = 7,

- x2 = log₁₀(AT),

- x3 = logio(FS/100),

- Z = log_l0(HR) .

In this manner a third table can be defined, in which each column corresponds to one of the factors xl, x2, x3 and Z.

This information can be expressed in matrix form as Z = Al *X, where: Al = [log_l0 (a₀), a_b a₂] .

Then it is possible to obtain the coefficients a₀, cp and a₂ from:

Al =[(X^T*X)+X^T*ZJ-^!.

Similarly, the same logic can be applied to calculate/model the energy consumption of the condenser, starting from calculating the electric power necessary for the condenser 17, expressed as:

P_e_cond = a₃*(FS/100)^a ₄ which can also be expressed as: log₁₀(P _e_cond) = log₁₀(a₃) + a₄*log₁₀(FS/100).

The previous equation can be factored by the software program as:

- K (kl, k2), defined in turn as:

- kl = 7,

- k2 = log₁₀(FS/100),

- W = log₁₀(P_e_cond).

In this manner a fourth table can be defined, in which each column corresponds to one of the factors kl , k2 and W.

This information can be expressed in matrix form as W = A2 * K, where A2 = [log₁₀(a₃), a₄] .

Therefore it is possible to obtain the coefficients a₃ and a₄ from:

A2 = [(K^T*K)*K^T*W]'¹.

These parameters are calculated by the software program only if there are at least ten valid values in the tables.

In order to assess whether it is possible to modify the operating parameters of the condenser 17 in order to reduce energy consumption, the software program calculates the minimum condensation temperature and the corresponding energy consumption, given by the sum of the electric power necessary for the condenser 17 and for the compressor 15, so that the difference (expressed as an absolute value) between:

- the current cooling capacity,

- and the ratio between:

- the calculated cooling capacity

- the current cooling capacity, is less than a maximum tolerance, in the order of 1%, and verifies whether this calculated temperature is comprised between the minimum condensation temperature and the maximum condensation temperature, and whether the load percentage of the compressor is comprised between zero and one hundred.

If all these conditions are satisfied, the software program varies the operating parameters, setting the new condensation temperature, as calculated; otherwise, it leaves the current condensation temperature.

In practice it has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects by providing an apparatus for the climate control of environments that makes it possible to modify at least one operating parameter of the external unit and/or of the internal unit as a function of the boundary conditions.

With the invention an apparatus for the climate control of an environment has been devised that makes it possible to save energy with respect to similar, conventional apparatuses.

It should be noted that with the invention a method has been provided that enables such an apparatus to save energy and as a consequence reduce CO₂ emissions with respect to similar, conventional apparatuses.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

In practice the materials employed, provided they are compatible with the specific use, and the contingent dimensions and shapes, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102022000002099 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. An apparatus (10) for the climate control of an environment (11), which is provided with a refrigeration circuit (12), adapted to be passed through by a fluid, and comprises, along said refrigeration circuit (12):

- a first unit (13), which comprises an evaporator (14) and a compressor (15), and is adapted to be located inside said environment (11),

- a second unit (16), which comprises a condenser (17) and is adapted to be located outside said environment (11), said second unit (16) being in fluidic and electrical communication with said first unit (13), said apparatus (10) being characterized in that it comprises:

- means (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28) for detection of temperature and/or pressure and/or humidity data,

- electronic means (30) of management and control of said first unit (13) and of said second unit (16), said first unit (13) and said second unit (16) being in data communication.

2. The apparatus (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said first unit (13) and said second unit (16) are in data communication by means of a MODBUS protocol.

3. The apparatus (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic means (30) of management and control of said first unit (13) and of said second unit (16) are located in said first unit (13), said electronic means (30) being constituted by a PLC and being means for data processing and for variation of one or more operating parameters of said first unit (13) and/or of said second unit (16).

4. The apparatus (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means for detection of temperature and/or pressure and/or humidity data comprise:

- a first sensor (22) for the temperature of said environment (11), which is associated with said first unit (13), - and/or a second sensor (23) for temperature and humidity, which is associated with said evaporator (14),

- and/or a third sensor (24) for the temperature of said fluid in input to said compressor (15), along said circuit (12) upstream of said compressor (15),

- and/or a first transducer (25) of the pressure of said fluid in input to said compressor (15), along said circuit (12) upstream of said compressor (15),

- and/or a fourth sensor (26) for the temperature of said fluid in output from said compressor (15), along said circuit (12) downstream of said compressor (15),

- and/or a second transducer (27) of the pressure of said fluid in output from said compressor (15), along said circuit (12) downstream of said compressor (15),

- a fifth sensor (28) for the temperature of the air outside said environment (11), which is associated with said second unit (16).

5. The apparatus (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said condenser (17) is provided with a fan (20) with electronic switching.

6. A method for reducing the emissions and consumption of an apparatus (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterizing that it comprises the following steps:

- a first step (101) of starting said apparatus (10), in which an installation technician sets default operating parameters for said first unit (13),

- a second step (102) of learning in which said detection means (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28) for detection of temperature and/or pressure and/or humidity data detect the values of these physical quantities in a time interval,

- a third step (103) of storing the boundary conditions in which said electronic means (30) of management and control store said data detected by said means (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28) for detection in said time interval,

- a fourth step (104) of evaluating the boundary conditions and the current operating conditions, in which said electronic means (30) of management and control verify whether it is possible to modify one or more operating parameters in order to reduce the energy consumption of said apparatus (10).

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a fifth step (105) of varying one or more operating parameters, if it is possible to modify one or more operating parameters, in which said electronic means (30) of management and control modify one or more operating parameters, thus making said apparatus (10) operate with one or more new operating parameters, and said method restarts from said second step (102).

8. The method according to claim 6, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it restarts from said second step

(102) if it is not possible to modify one or more operating parameters.

9. The method according to one or more of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that said second step (102), said third step (103), said fourth step (104) and said fifth step (105) are managed by a dedicated software.