Thermodynamic optimization of a rack-level water-cooling infrastructure in high load data centers based on the principle of minimum exergy destruction

Abstract

Exergy model and the least exergy loss principle are introduced to analyze the exergy loss distribution in heat transfer and air/water flow process, for a combined server/cabinet cooling network. Based on the optimized case suggested by the exergy model, a multi-stage water cooling scheme is designed, with two-stage heat exchanger in server cabinet, and double-chiller in the water loop. Both thermal and energy performance of such cooling infrastructure has been tested in a data center in China, with the measured performance in good agreement with the designed values, and the exergy loss model has been validated.