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Experimental study and analytical modeling of thermosyphon loop for cooling data center racks

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Abstract

This paper presents experimental study and analytical model for a passive two-phase thermosyphon loop designed to remove directly the hot air flow inside a data center. The cooling loop with separated lines working without electricity is tested under different conditions. A mini-channel parallel-flow evaporator and a finned-tubes condenser are used to transfer heat from the data center to outside environment. Experimental tests are conducted with different n-pentane fill ratios. According to these tests, the cooling performance is showed and the refrigerant distribution is specified. The proposed steady-state model is based on the combination of the thermal and hydraulic models of the two-phase flow inside the loop. It well predicts the experimental results such as the mass flow rate and working fluid pressure drops. As investigated by the model, the most parameters influencing the cooling capacity are: the working fluid, the condenser tubes number and the outside temperature.

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Abbreviations

A :

Area (m2)

Bo :

Boiling number

C :

Chisholm coefficient

Co :

Convection number

c p :

Specific heat capacity (J. kg−1. K−1)

D :

Diameter (m)

f :

Fanning friction factor

g :

Acceleration due to gravity (m. s−2)

G :

Mass flux (kg. m−2. s−1)

H :

Height (m)

h :

Heat transfer coefficient (W. m−2. K−1)

h lv :

Latent heat of evaporation (J. kg−1)

ID :

Inner diameter

j :

Colburn factor

L :

Length (m)

\( \dot{m} \) :

Mass flow rate (kg. s−1)

N :

Number

Nu :

Nusselt number

Pr :

Prandtl number

∆P :

Pressure drop (Pa)

R :

Thermal resistance (K. W−1)

Ra :

Rayleigh number

Re :

Reynolds number

T :

Temperature (K)

V :

Velocity (m. s−1)

x :

Vapor quality

X :

Lockhart-Martinelli parameter

α :

Void fraction

β:

Thermal expansion coefficient (K−1)

δ :

Thickness (m)

η :

Efficiency

θ :

Inclination angle (°)

λ:

Thermal conductivity (W. m−1. K−1)

μ :

Dynamic viscosity (Pa. s)

ρ :

Density (kg. m−3)

υ:

Kinematic viscosity (m2. s−1)

Φ :

Power (W)

ϕ 2 :

Two-phase multiplier

a :

Acceleration

cd :

Condenser

ch :

Chassis

DC :

Data center

down :

Downcomer

ev :

Evaporator

f :

Fluid

fr :

Friction

gr :

Gravity

i :

Inlet

in :

Input

l :

Liquid

lo :

Liquid-only

louv :

Louver

mc :

Mini-channel

o :

Outlet

op :

Operating

out :

Outside

p :

Process

pg :

Passages

ris :

Riser

sat :

Saturation

sp :

Single-phase

tp :

Two-phase

v :

Vapor

vo :

Vapor-only

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Acknowledgements

This work is part of the European project SooGREEN, accredited by Celtic-Plus. The authors express their gratitude to the General Directorate for Competitiveness, Industry and Services (DGCIS) for financing this research work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Normandie University, Unicaen, LUSAC, 50000, Saint Lô, France

    Chayan Nadjahi & Hasna Louahlia-Gualous

  2. Orange Labs, R&D, 2 av Pierre Marzin, 22300, Lannion, France

    Stéphane Le Masson

Authors
  1. Chayan Nadjahi
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  2. Hasna Louahlia-Gualous
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  3. Stéphane Le Masson
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Correspondence to Hasna Louahlia-Gualous.

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Nadjahi, C., Louahlia-Gualous, H. & Le Masson, S. Experimental study and analytical modeling of thermosyphon loop for cooling data center racks. Heat Mass Transfer 56, 121–142 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-019-02695-x

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