JP4820909B2 - Environmental adjustment method and environmental adjustment system of information center - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an environment adjustment method and an environment adjustment system for an information center, and more particularly to a technique for adjusting the environment of an information center in which an information processing apparatus is installed.

  The problem of global warming has been heard recently. One measure against global warming is to reduce demand for electricity. Electricity is generally supplied by hydropower, solar power, wind power, geothermal power, and other natural power generation, nuclear power generation using nuclear power, and thermal power generation that uses gas, oil, coal, etc. as fuel to generate power. ing. Of these, thermal power generation is a major factor in promoting global warming. Decreasing power demand can reduce the amount of thermal power generation, so global warming can be suppressed accordingly.

  In the fields of IT (Information Technology) and ICT (Information and Communication Technology), the need to reduce power demand has begun to be pointed out. The power consumed in the data center where the IT equipment and ICT equipment are installed includes power used for air conditioning of the machine floor in addition to power consumed by the equipment itself.

  In a data center, a large number of IT devices and ICT devices are normally operated, and a considerable amount of heat is generated. Therefore, particularly in summer, it is necessary to discharge heat generated by using an air conditioner such as an air conditioner to the outside of the machine floor (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-155635 A

Under such circumstances, the present inventor has recognized the following problems.
Conventionally, as described above, air conditioning equipment is often used to lower the temperature of the data center machine floor. Further, when the outside air temperature is lower than the temperature of the machine floor, the outside air may be blown into the machine floor to lower the temperature. However, both are methods of injecting cold air.

  The main heat sources in the machine floor are a computer, its recording device, and a communication device. There are methods of replacing these IT devices (ICT devices) with energy-saving devices with good thermal efficiency, or integrating unnecessary systems to reduce the number of computer devices in operation. However, in recent years, there are many cases where it is difficult to replace or reduce IT equipment due to the tendency to increase IT facilities or problems such as cost.

  Relocation of the data center to a place with high latitude and low average temperature is also possible. For example, if the data center constructed in Hokkaido is the same size as the data center constructed in Okinawa, the operating rate of the air conditioning equipment required for cooling is lower. However, relocating an existing data center to another land has problems such as cost. In addition, the communication infrastructure that is indispensable for data centers, for example, between Hokkaido and Honshu, remains uneasy about its performance.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a technique for adjusting the environment of an information center in which an information processing apparatus is installed.

  One embodiment of the present invention relates to an environmental adjustment system. This environmental adjustment system is an environmental adjustment system for an information center in which an information processing apparatus is installed, and includes a sealing mechanism that seals a space including the apparatus as a partial space of the information center, and a volume of the sealed partial space. A volume adjustment mechanism that adjusts according to the temperature of the atmosphere.

  According to this aspect, the environment of the information center can be adjusted by adjusting the volume of the sealed partial space.

  Another aspect of the present invention is also an environment adjustment system. This environmental conditioning system is an environmental conditioning system for buildings where inanimate objects are installed, and includes a sealing mechanism that seals the space containing inanimate objects as a partial space of the building, and the volume of the sealed partial space is adjusted to the temperature of the inanimate object or its atmosphere. A volume adjusting mechanism that adjusts accordingly.

  It should be noted that any combination of the above-described constituent elements, or those obtained by replacing the constituent elements and expressions of the present invention with each other between apparatuses, methods, systems, computer programs, recording media storing computer programs, and the like are also included in the present invention. It is effective as an embodiment of

  According to the present invention, the environment of the information center where the information processing apparatus is installed can be adjusted.

It is a typical perspective view which shows the structure of the building provided with the environmental adjustment system which concerns on embodiment. It is a top view of the data center of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the access pit of the environmental adjustment system which concerns on embodiment. 4A to 4D are explanatory diagrams illustrating an adjustment cycle in the environmental adjustment system according to the embodiment. FIGS. 5A to 5C are explanatory views showing an adjustment cycle in the environmental adjustment system according to the modification.

  The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent components and members shown in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are appropriately omitted. In addition, the dimensions of the members in each drawing are appropriately enlarged or reduced for easy understanding. Also, in the drawings, some of the members that are not important for describing the embodiment are omitted.

  The environmental adjustment system according to the embodiment substantially adiabatically expands the air in the data center. As a result, the temperature in the data center is lowered, and as a result, the temperature of the server provided in the data center is lowered. Therefore, the server can be cooled by a separate system from the air conditioner such as a cooler.

(About adiabatic expansion)
First, adiabatic expansion will be described.
Adiabatic expansion is a process in which the volume of the system increases in a thermodynamic process in which no heat is exchanged with the outside. According to the first law of thermodynamics, in this process, the system performs work to the outside, so that the internal energy decreases and the temperature of the system decreases.

ここでγは比熱比であり、

で与えられる。ただしｃ_ｐは定圧モル比熱であり、ｃ_ｖは定積モル比熱である。
基準状態付近における空気の比熱比γはおよそ１．４であることが知られている。 According to Poisson's law, if the temperature of the system is T and the volume is V, the following equation 1 is established before and after adiabatic expansion.

Where γ is the specific heat ratio,

Given in. However c _p is a constant pressure molar specific heat, c _v is a constant volume molar specific heat.
It is known that the specific heat ratio γ of air near the reference state is about 1.4.

となり、断熱膨張後の温度は理論的には１８．７℃程度となる。実際の系では空気中の水分の凝縮や熱のリークなどがあるので断熱膨張後の温度は理論値より高くなるが、それでも系に外部に対して仕事をさせることで系の温度を下げることができる。 For example, consider the case where the temperature of the system is 30 ° C. When the volume of this system is expanded 10% by adiabatic expansion,

Thus, the temperature after adiabatic expansion is theoretically about 18.7 ° C. In an actual system, the temperature after adiabatic expansion will be higher than the theoretical value due to condensation of moisture in the air and heat leakage, but it is still possible to lower the temperature of the system by causing the system to work externally. it can.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration of a building 2 provided with an environment adjustment system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top view of the data center 4 of the building 2. In order to make the description clearer, the access pits 46 described later in FIG. 3 are omitted in FIGS. A data center 4 is provided on the upper floor of the building 2, for example, the third floor. When the building 2 is viewed from the outside, the inside of the data center 4 is hidden behind a wall or the like and cannot be seen, but FIG. 1 shows the internal structure of the data center 4 for explanation. The data center 4 includes a plurality of servers 6, a first rubber bag 12, a second rubber bag 14, a third rubber bag 16, an air conditioner 8 such as an air conditioner, and a windbreak room 24. The data center 4 is configured to have high heat insulation properties, for example, by using a heat insulating material on a wall and not providing a window. The plurality of servers 6 are connected to the outside through a network such as the Internet and perform various information processing.

  When a plurality of servers 6 are operating, the temperature of the data center 4 can rise due to heat generated from the servers 6. Therefore, the air conditioner 8 is operated to lower the temperature of the data center 4. However, depending on the performance of the air conditioner 8 and the number of servers 6, the air conditioner 8 alone may not provide a sufficient cooling effect. In particular, when the number of servers 6 is large, power consumption increases when the cooling is performed only by the air conditioner 8.

  The remaining space excluding the space occupied by the wind chamber 24 and the space occupied by the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 in the space in the data center 4, that is, a plurality of servers 6 is included. A space is defined as a partial space 4 a of the data center 4. The data center 4 is configured so that the partial space 4a can be sealed.

  The first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 are rubber bags that store water therein. Each rubber bag becomes smaller when the water inside is discharged to the outside, and the volume of the partial space 4a of the data center 4 increases accordingly. The environmental control system according to the embodiment uses the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 to increase the volume of the partial space 4a of the data center 4 in an adiabatic manner. As a result, the temperature of the data center 4 and thus the temperature of the server 6 can be lowered by a separate system from the air conditioner 8.

  For cooling using adiabatic expansion, the heat insulating property and the sealing property of the partial space 4a are required. The sealing property is achieved by sealing the partial space 4a by a sealing mechanism described later. Here, “sealing” the partial space 4a includes designing the partial space 4a so that the partial space 4a is sealed, in which case there may be some leakage in the actual partial space 4a. . In view of the tightness required for cooling using adiabatic expansion, it is understood that the presence of such a slight leak in the sealed subspace 4a is allowed. For example, such a leak is permitted if an increase in atmospheric pressure due to a leak from the outside to the partial space 4a while water is being discharged from the first rubber bag 12 is negligible with respect to the actual atmospheric pressure.

  Further, regarding the heat insulation, it is not required that the actual partial space 4a is completely insulated from the outside, and some heat leakage may exist. For example, if the increase in the temperature of the partial space 4a due to heat leakage from the outside to the partial space 4a while water is being discharged from the first rubber bag 12 is negligible with respect to the actual temperature, such heat Leaks are allowed.

The environmental control system includes a first rubber bag 12, a second rubber bag 14, a third rubber bag 16, a first release valve 18, a second release valve 20, a third release valve 22, and a wind chamber. 24, a first water tank 26, a water pump 28, a second water tank 30, a battery 32, a solar panel 34, a water supply valve 36, a differential pressure valve 38, and a hydroelectric power generation system 80.
The first release valve 18 is provided on a pipe between the first rubber bag 12 and the first water storage tank 26, and controls the discharge of water from the first rubber bag 12. The second release valve 20 is provided on a pipe between the second rubber bag 14 and the first water storage tank 26, and controls the discharge of water from the second rubber bag 14. The third release valve 22 is provided on a pipe between the third rubber bag 16 and the first water storage tank 26 and controls the discharge of water from the third rubber bag 16.

In the environmental adjustment system, in order to limit the power consumption by the air conditioner 8, a predetermined upper limit value is set for the power used by the air conditioner 8. The environmental adjustment system monitors the temperature of the data center 4 with a temperature sensor (not shown). When the temperature exceeds an upper limit temperature that is a predetermined threshold value, the environmental control system opens one of the first release valve 18, the second release valve 20, and the third release valve 22 and stores them in the corresponding rubber bag. The generated water is discharged into the first water tank 26 by the action of gravity. At this time, the rubber bag from which water is released becomes smaller, and the volume of the partial space 4a of the data center 4 increases accordingly. The piping connecting the rubber bag and the first water storage tank 26 may be designed so that this water discharge process is completed within a time when heat exchange between the inside and the outside of the data center 4 can be ignored. The same applies to the design of each discharge valve. As a result, the air in the partial space 4a of the data center 4 is substantially adiabatically expanded and its temperature is lowered. As a result, the temperature of the server 6 also decreases.
The above-described temperature and valve control may be performed by a control server (not shown).

The first water tank 26 is installed in the basement of the building 2 and stores water released from the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16. The water stored in the first water tank 26 is transferred to a second water tank 30 installed on the rooftop 2a via a water pump 28 provided on the rooftop 2a of the building 2. The battery 32 supplies power to the water pump 28. The solar panel 34 generates electric power from sunlight and stores it in the battery 32 in the daytime.
The first water storage tank 26 desirably has a capacity that can accommodate the total amount of water stored in the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16. Further, considering that water can be controlled from the first water storage tank 26 by the water pump 28 in parallel while supplying water to the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16. The capacity of the second water tank 30 may be smaller than the capacity of the first water tank 26.

  The hydroelectric power generation system 80 is provided on a water channel between the rubber bag of the data center 4 and the first water storage tank 26. When the water stored in the rubber bag is discharged to the first water storage tank 26, the hydroelectric power generation system 80 receives the discharged water and generates power. The hydroelectric power generation system 80 sends the generated power to the battery 32 and charges the battery 32 in parallel with the solar panel 34. The hydroelectric power generation system 80 includes a DC generator 82 and a water turbine 84. The water wheel 84 receives the discharged water and rotates. The DC generator 82 is connected to the water turbine 84 through a shaft, and generates DC power by receiving the rotation of the water turbine 84. The DC generator 82 sends the generated power to the battery 32.

  Thereby, since the potential energy of the water stored in the rubber bag can be reused, a more efficient environment adjustment system can be realized. Unlike solar power generation using the solar panel 34, hydroelectric power generation is not affected by the weather. Therefore, the hydroelectric power generation system 80 can stably supply constant power to the battery 32 even on days when the weather is irregular, such as rain or cloudy weather.

  The water supply valve 36 controls water supply from the second water storage tank 30 to the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16. The water supply valve 36 slowly supplies water from the second water tank 30 to the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 in a time zone where the electric power is lower than usual and the outside air temperature is lowered, such as at night. In particular, the water supply valve 36 supplies water to the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 throughout the night.

When water is supplied to the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 and they are inflated, work is performed on the air in the partial space 4a of the data center 4. The air in the partial subspace 4a is heated. However, the heat generated by the compression of the air in the partial space 4a is discharged from the partial space 4a by the following three processes.
(1) The heat generated by the compression due to the minute heat leak between the partial space 4a of the data center 4 and the outside of the data center 4 is discharged to the outside where the temperature is lower at night. .
(2) The air conditioner 8 discharges heat generated by the compression to the outside using cheaper nighttime power.
(3) Since the temperature of the water supplied to the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 is about the low outside air temperature at night, the heat generated by the compression is the data of the supplied water itself. It is used to raise the temperature in the center 4 to about the temperature.

  The differential pressure valve 38 is a differential pressure valve provided between the inside and the outside of the data center 4, for example, outdoors, so that the air pressure in the data center 4 becomes a predetermined value or less when the air in the partial space 4a is compressed. Operate.

  The windbreak room 24 is an area that is provided on the entrance / exit path between the partial space 4 a of the data center 4 and the hallway 40, and is separated from both the partial space 4 a of the data center 4 and the hallway 40. The wind chamber 24 has a first door 24a on the partial space 4a side of the data center 4 and a second door 24b on the corridor 40 side. The windbreak chamber 24 can prevent dust and dirt from entering the data center 4 directly from the outside of the data center 4 such as the corridor 40. Moreover, the flow of heat in and out of the data center 4 through the door can be reduced. This is particularly suitable in the present embodiment because heat insulation is required. It also serves as a sealing mechanism that prevents air from flowing into the partial space 4a through the door.

  In the data center 4, a plurality of servers 6 are usually connected to the outside of the data center 4 via cables such as a power cable and a LAN cable. Further, the piping from the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 also goes out of the data center 4. In order to draw these cables and pipes into the data center 4, for example, it is conceivable to make a hole in the wall of the data center 4 and pass the cables and pipes there. Air leaks may occur in such places. In order to avoid this air leakage, there is also a method of blocking the air by filling a gap between the cable / pipe and the wall with rubber or silicon-based filling. However, in this method, cables and piping are fixed. Therefore, it is not suitable for use in the data center 4 where the installation and removal of cables for power supply systems and communication systems can be performed frequently. This is because it is necessary to remove and refill the pad every time the laying or removing work is performed, and airtightness cannot be maintained at least during this step. Also, frequent construction of such stuffing can promote air leaks.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the access pit 46 of the environmental adjustment system. The environmental conditioning system includes an access pit 46 as a sealing mechanism. The access pit 46 is provided at the boundary between the data center 4 and the corridor 40, for example, at the bottom of the wall 4 b of the data center 4. The access pit 46 includes an isolation tank 42 and a jelly-like liquid 44. The isolation tank 42 holds a sufficient amount of jelly-like liquid 44 so that the lower end 4 c of the wall 4 b of the data center 4 is immersed in the jelly-like liquid 44. The cable 52 and the pipe 50 are drawn into the data center 4 through the jelly-like liquid 44. In other words, the jelly-like liquid 44 is between the pipe 50 connecting the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 to the first water tank 26 and the wall 4b forming the partial space 4a. Filling the gap.

  As a result, air leakage at the location where the pipe 50 and the cable 52 are pulled into the data center 4 can be reduced. Further, when removing or laying the pipe 50 or the cable 52, the work can be easily performed and airtightness can be maintained because the pipe 50 and the cable 52 can be pulled out from the jelly-like liquid 44 or immersed in the liquid 44. In addition, it is not difficult to immerse the cable 52 in the liquid 44 because recent power cables and communication cables are usually waterproofed. Considering the use of the pipe 50, it is not difficult to immerse the pipe 50 in the liquid 44.

The operation of the environment adjustment system configured as described above will be described.
Building 2 with an environmental conditioning system below has lower electricity bills at night (6 pm to 6 am) than during the day (6 am to 6 pm), and the outside temperature at night compared to daytime. Assume a low place.
4A to 4D are explanatory diagrams showing an adjustment cycle in the environmental adjustment system. FIG. 4A is a schematic side view of the data center 4 at 7 am. As a result of slowly supplying water to the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 throughout the night, the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 are full. Water is stored. Further, since the heat given to the air in the partial space 4a due to the expansion of the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 is discharged in the above three processes, the temperature of the partial space 4a. Is comparable to the outside temperature.
FIG. 4B is a schematic side view of the data center 4 at 10 am. The air in the partial space 4 a is warmed by the heat generated from the plurality of servers 6. When the temperature of the partial space 4a exceeds the upper limit temperature, first, the third release valve 22 is opened, and the water in the third rubber bag 16 is released. Then, the volume of the partial space 4a is increased by the amount of the third rubber bag 16 being squeezed, and the temperature of the partial space 4a is lowered by the principle of adiabatic expansion.
FIG. 4C is a schematic side view of the data center 4 at 2 pm. The air in the partial space 4a is warmed again by the heat generated from the plurality of servers 6. When the temperature exceeds the upper limit temperature, the second release valve 20 is opened and the water in the second rubber bag 14 is released. Then, the temperature of the partial space 4a falls.
FIG. 4D is a schematic side view of the data center 4 at 5 pm. The first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 are in a state in which the water therein has been released. Thereafter, the water supply valve 36 is opened throughout the night, and water is gradually returned to the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 to return to the state of FIG.

According to the environment adjustment system according to the present embodiment, the partial space 4a of the data center 4 can be cooled by a separate system from the air conditioner 8. Therefore, the power consumed by the air conditioner 8 can be reduced accordingly. In particular, the cooling uses the principle of adiabatic expansion and causes the air in the partial space 4a to work, so that the temperature of the partial space 4a can be lowered directly without heat exchange.
Further, the volume of the partial space 4a of the data center 4 is increased by discharging water from the inside of the data center 4 provided in the upper layer of the building 2 toward the first water tank 26 underground. Therefore, the temperature of the partial space 4a can be reduced by expanding the air in the partial space 4a in a more natural form using gravity.

The information center such as the data center 4 has the following characteristics.
(1) There is no need for an administrator to reside in the data center 4.
(2) Resources (such as the server 6) of the data center 4 are not easily affected by changes in atmospheric pressure.
Therefore, the information center is particularly suitable for the cooling method using the above-described adiabatic expansion, as compared with the room used for other applications, for example, residential use.

  The water once drained is returned to the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 using the electric power stored by the solar power generation by the solar panel 34. Therefore, this process is economical and environmentally friendly because no commercial power is used. In addition, since water is returned at night, the heat generated by returning the water can be released to the outside at a lower temperature, or can be processed using cheaper nighttime power.

  Another way of looking at it is to store natural power such as solar power in the form of water that can be stored in a rubber bag, and use the stored power in the form of releasing water when necessary to cool the subspace 4a. It can be said that they are using it.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 4A to 4D, water stored in the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 is discharged stepwise. Therefore, finer cooling control is possible. In addition, at each stage, the first release valve 18, the second release valve 20, and the third release valve 22 need only be opened, so that the flow rate control is unnecessary and the structure is simplified.

  Regarding the outside temperature of the data center 4, in this embodiment, it is better that the outside temperature is low particularly when water is returned to the rubber bag. This is because the temperature of the water itself to be returned is lowered and heat generated by the compression of the partial space 4a of the data center 4 is released to the outside. Therefore, it is preferable that the data center 4 is provided in a place (for example, Hokkaido, Alaska, Siberia) having a high latitude and a low average temperature throughout the year.

A modification of the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16 will be described. The environment adjustment system according to the modified example includes one fourth rubber bag 70 having a combined capacity instead of the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16. FIGS. 5A to 5C are explanatory views showing an adjustment cycle in the environmental adjustment system according to the modification. The data center 4 ′ according to the modification includes a plurality of servers 6 and a fourth rubber bag 70.
FIG. 5A is a schematic side view of the data center 4 ′ at 7:00 am. As a result of slowly supplying water to the fourth rubber bag 70 throughout the night, a full amount of water is stored in the fourth rubber bag 70. Moreover, since the heat given to the air in the partial space 4a ′ of the data center 4 ′ is discharged by the above three processes due to the expansion of the fourth rubber bag 70, the temperature of the partial space 4a ′ is the same as the outside air temperature. It is about.
FIG. 5B is a schematic side view of the data center 4 ′ at 1 pm. The air in the partial space 4 a ′ is warmed by heat generated from the plurality of servers 6. When the temperature of the partial space 4a ′ exceeds the upper limit temperature, the fourth discharge valve provided between the fourth rubber bag 70 and the first water storage tank 26 is opened, and the water in the fourth rubber bag 70 is the first water storage water. It is discharged into the tank 26. At this time, the flow rate is measured by a flow meter provided in the pipe between the fourth rubber bag 70 and the first water storage tank 26, and when about 1/3 of the capacity of the fourth rubber bag 70 is discharged, the flow is measured. 4 The release valve is closed. The volume of the partial space 4a ′ is increased by about 分 of the capacity of the fourth rubber bag 70, and the temperature of the partial space 4a ′ is lowered by the principle of adiabatic expansion.
FIG. 5C is a schematic side view of the data center 4 ′ at 5:00 pm. The fourth rubber bag 70 is in a state where the water therein has been released. At night, the water supply valve 36 is opened and water is gradually returned to the fourth rubber bag 70 to return to the state shown in FIG.

According to this modification, the number of rubber bags can be reduced. Further, since the flow rate adjustment by the flow meter is adopted, the volume increment of the partial space 4a ′ can be controlled in finer increments than in the case of the first embodiment.
In addition, the control which combined 1st Embodiment and its modification, ie, discharge | release of the water from each rubber bag of the 1st rubber bag 12, the 2nd rubber bag 14, and the 3rd rubber bag 16, is controlled with a flow meter. You may adopt that.

  The configuration and operation of the environment adjustment system according to the embodiment have been described above. These embodiments are exemplifications, and it is understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to each component and combination of processes, and such modifications are within the scope of the present invention. .

  In the embodiment, the case where a rubber bag containing water is used as a mechanism for increasing the volume of the partial space 4a has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an elastic bag body having other appropriate strength and elasticity may be used. Good. A liquid other than water may be used as the liquid contained therein.

  In the embodiment, in order to return the water in the first water storage tank 26 to the first rubber bag 12, the second rubber bag 14, and the third rubber bag 16, the electric power stored by the solar power generation using the solar panel 34 is used. Although the case where it uses is demonstrated, it is not restricted to this. For example, when the power stored in the battery 32 is not enough, nighttime power may be used. Further, a wind power generator may be attached to the roof 2a of the building 2 and power may be supplied therefrom. When the building 2 is a particularly high-rise building, the upper floor has more natural airflow than the floor close to the ground surface, so the wind power is used 1) securing the power of the water pump 28 by the wind power generator 2) The natural air cooling system used may be provided.

  In the embodiment, it is desirable that the air sealed in the partial space 4a of the data center 4 is dry air. This is to prevent the cooling effect from diminishing due to moisture condensation.

  In the embodiment, an administrator may need to enter the data center 4 for maintenance of the server 6 or the like. Therefore, the environmental adjustment system may include a pressure-reducing unit that introduces dry air into the data center 4 to decompress the data center 4. The reason why dry air is used here is as described above. In addition, the environment adjustment system may include a human sensor attached to the data center 4 so that the administrator does not accidentally remove water from the rubber bag to reduce pressure. The data center 4 is configured not to drain water from the rubber bag while the human sensor detects the presence of a person.

  In the embodiments, the case where the environment adjustment system adjusts the environment of the data center 4 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the environment adjustment system may adjust the environment of a building used for operations other than IT equipment operation such as a warehouse. In addition, if the compartment where the environment is adjusted by the environment adjustment system is a compartment (room) for storing inanimate objects or liquids and does not require humans to coexist, the temperature can be increased by increasing the degree of decompression. It may be lowered further.

  Although the present invention has been described based on the embodiments, the embodiments merely show the principle and application of the present invention, and the embodiments are defined in the claims. Needless to say, many modifications and arrangements can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  2 Building, 4 Data center, 4a Partial space, 6 Server, 8 Air-conditioning equipment, 12 1st rubber bag, 14 2nd rubber bag, 16 3rd rubber bag, 18 1st release valve, 20 2nd release valve, 22 1st 3 discharge valve, 24 wind vent chamber, 26 first water tank, 28 water pump, 30 second water tank, 32 battery, 34 solar panel, 36 water supply valve, 38 differential pressure valve, 46 access pit.

Claims (7)

An environment adjustment method for an information center where an information processing apparatus is installed,
Sealing the space containing the device as a partial space of the information center;
Adjusting the volume of the sealed partial space according to the temperature of the apparatus or its atmosphere by a volume adjustment mechanism,
The volume adjustment mechanism increases the volume of the sealed partial space when the temperature rises,
The volume adjustment mechanism includes an elastic bag body provided in the information center and having a liquid therein,
The method for adjusting the environment of an information center, wherein when the volume adjustment mechanism increases the volume of the sealed partial space, the liquid inside the elastic bag body is discharged to the outside of the partial space. An environment adjustment system of an information center where an information processing device is installed,
A sealing mechanism for sealing a space including the device as a partial space of the information center;
A volume adjusting mechanism for adjusting the volume of the sealed partial space according to the temperature of the apparatus or the atmosphere thereof;
With
The volume adjustment mechanism increases the volume of the sealed partial space when the temperature rises,
The volume adjustment mechanism includes an elastic bag body provided in the information center and having a liquid therein,
When the volume adjusting mechanism increases the volume of the sealed partial space, the liquid inside the elastic bag is discharged to the outside of the partial space. The volume adjusting mechanism is
A liquid storage tank provided outside the information center and at a position lower than the elastic bag body;
The on-off valve provided when increasing the volume of the partial space by which the said volume adjustment mechanism was provided between the said elastic bag body and the said liquid storage tank was sealed, The open / close valve is characterized by the above-mentioned. Environmental adjustment system.   The said sealing mechanism contains the filling member which fills the clearance gap between the piping which connects the said elastic bag body to the said liquid storage tank, and the wall which forms the partial space of the said information center. Environmental adjustment system.   The volume adjusting mechanism further includes a pump for returning the liquid in the liquid storage tank to the elastic bag body using electric power that is lower than electric power when the volume adjusting mechanism increases the volume of the sealed partial space. The environment adjustment system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by the above.   It further comprises an area provided on a path of entrance / exit between a partial space of the information center and the outside of the information center, and separated from both the partial space of the information center and the outside of the information center. The environmental adjustment system according to any one of claims 2 to 5. A power generation system that is provided between the elastic bag body and the liquid storage tank, and that generates power by receiving the liquid that is discharged when the liquid inside the elastic bag body is discharged to the liquid storage tank;
The environment adjustment system according to claim 5, wherein the pump returns the liquid in the liquid storage tank to the elastic bag body using electric power generated by the power generation system.

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