Adaptive thermal management of data centres

云服务和高性能计算的快速增长刺激了其支持的物理基础设施(称为数据中心(DC))的迅速增长。虽然这是由更强大的计算设备推动的，但它们的冷却系统并没有以类似的方式发展，导致冷却效率低下的原因是：(1)尽管空气的热学性质较差，但仍使用空气作为冷却剂，以及(2)无法根据需求的时空变化来调节冷却能力。拟议的研究将创建一种开创性的自适应直流冷却系统，该系统将匹配整个DC冷却需求的时空变化，从而显著节省能源并降低总拥有成本。这一开发将通过(1)实时监控空气和液体的无线温度、湿度、压力和流量传感器网络以及设施中多个位置的CPU工作负载和能源消耗的系统来实现；(2)基于传感器数据自适应控制冷却能力的控制系统；以及(3)由散热元件和热总线组成的新型易控冷却硬件系列。这里提出的独特的冷却系统架构将对典型的现有DC基础设施的影响降至最低，从而实现廉价和无缝的采用。这项技术将由我们的行业合作伙伴信诺关键任务公司进行商业化，为他们的产品增加约1.165亿的新收入来源，到2021年将创造220+个就业机会。此外，它还将通过提高能效和减少房地产占用，使其旗舰模块化DC产品SMC-X更具竞争力。除了直接的商业利益外，该项目还将促进热交换器添加剂制造以及纳米流体结构-性能关系的科学知识。该项目的成果有望通过减少能源消耗和开发对环境影响较小的替代冷却剂为加拿大带来巨大的环境效益。此外，开发在DC设计和运营方面具有独特和高需求专业知识的人力资本将推动加拿大DC行业的增长。

The rapid growth of cloud services and high performance computing has spurred meteoric growth of their supporting physical infrastructure, known as Data Centres (DCs). While this has been facilitated by more powerful computing equipment, their cooling systems have not evolved similarly, leading to poor cooling efficiency that originates from (1) use of air as coolant despite its poor thermal properties, and (2) inability to regulate cooling capacity based on spatiotemporal changes in demand. The proposed research will create a pioneering adaptive DC cooling system that will match the spatiotemporal variations in cooling demand across a DC, thereby providing significant energy savings and reducing total cost of ownership. This development will be enabled by (1) a system that monitors a network of wireless temperature, humidity, pressure, and flow sensors for air and liquid, and CPU workload and energy consumption in real time at several locations across the facility, (2) a control system that adaptively controls cooling capacity based on sensor data, and (3) a novel family of easily controllable cooling hardware consisting of heat removal elements and thermal buses. The unique cooling system architecture proposed here will minimally impact the typical existing DC infrastructure, thereby allowing inexpensive and seamless adoption. The technology will be commercialized by our industry partner Cinnos Mission Critical Inc., adding ~116.5M new revenue stream to their product offering which will create 220+ jobs by 2021. In addition, it will make their flagship modular DC product SMC-X more competitive by improving its energy efficiency and reducing real-estate footprint. Apart from immediate commercial benefit, the project will advance scientific knowledge in additive manufacturing of heat exchangers, and structure-property relations of nanofluids. The project outcomes promise substantial environmental benefit to Canada by reducing energy consumption and developing alternative coolants with low environmental impact. Further, the development of human capital with unique and high-demand expertise in design and operation of DCs will drive the growth of the Canadian DC industry.