Electronic equipment data center and server co-location facility configurations and method of using the same

• US 10,028,415 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2012
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Switch Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Switch Company Limited
• Inventors: Roy, Rob
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister, Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Samantha
• Application Number:
  US13/551,415
• Time in Patent Office: 2,191 Days
• Field of Search: 454184, 454187
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20736 within cabinets for removing heat from server blades
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20745 within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device

Abstract

Described herein is an integrated data center that provides for efficient cooling, as well as efficient wire routing, and in particular a configuration in which electronic equipment cabinets are arranged in rows within thermal compartments where the cabinets may be rolled in and out of place as required and a frame supports thermal shields of the thermal compartment.

Claims

1. An apparatus for maintaining a configuration of electronic equipment disposed in a plurality of cabinets, for supporting a thermal shield that defines a hot air containment chamber, for supporting a thermal barrier ceiling, for supporting cool air ductwork and for supporting distribution power wires and conduits, electronic equipment power wires and conduits, and communication wiring, the plurality of cabinets disposed on a floor, the floor being within an internal area of a building, the cabinets positioned into two rows forming two rows of the cabinets that are separated by a hot aisle area so that the electronic equipment disposed in the plurality of the cabinets emit heated air in a predetermined direction toward the hot aisle area between the two rows, the apparatus comprising:

thermal shields extending upward from a rear side of the two rows of the cabinets and separated by a distance generally equal to a distance between a rear side of the two rows of the cabinets, the thermal shields forming a portion of the hot air containment chamber, the hot air containment chamber defined as a space above the floor and between and above a rear side of the two rows of the cabinets, one or more partitions, the thermal shields, and the thermal barrier ceiling such that a portion of the hot air containment chamber that is between the two rows of the cabinets receives hot air from the rear side of the two rows of the cabinets and the hot air containment chamber creating an enclosed space for flow of hot air out of the hot air containment chamber to the upward direction such that the hot air containment chamber fully segregates the hot air from the cool air that enters the cabinets and that is provided from the cool air ductwork;

an interior frame structure that is independent of and not structurally tied to the plurality of cabinets, the interior frame structure including;

a first plurality of vertical support brackets disposed along each of the two rows, two or more of the vertical support brackets being disposed on the floor at one end and to assist in supporting the thermal barrier ceiling at another end, wherein one or more of the first plurality of vertical support brackets support the thermal shields on one side of the first plurality of vertical support brackets at a location above a top of the plurality of cabinets;

a plurality of tiered ladder rack supports, one or more of the tiered ladder rack supports connected to another side of at least some of the first plurality of vertical support brackets that is opposite the one side, which establish a plurality of different tiers of ladder racks outside of the hot air containment chamber, so that at least some of the different tiers are configured to hold the electronic equipment power wires and the communication wiring outside of the hot air containment chamber and separate from the hot air emitted from the cabinets;

a second plurality of vertical support brackets disposed in a row, substantially parallel to the two rows, two or more of the second vertical support brackets being disposed on the floor at one end and assists in supporting the thermal barrier ceiling at another end, wherein the second plurality of vertical support brackets each further support portions of the cool air ductwork; and

a thermal barrier ceiling supported by the plurality of vertical support brackets.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the first plurality of vertical support brackets each includes a pair of vertical support members, and each pair of vertical support members are connected together with at least one horizontal member, and are further connected to another pair of vertical support members with another horizontal member;

further including a plurality of horizontal connecting members that connect together adjacent pairs of vertical support members; and

wherein each row of the cabinets is positionable underneath one pair of vertical support members.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each of the second plurality of vertical support brackets includes a rectangular-shaped support through which the cool air ductwork passes.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the second plurality of vertical support brackets includes a rectangular-shaped support through which the cool air ductwork passes.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including a plurality of ladder racks, each of the plurality of ladder racks being associated with one of the plurality of tiered ladder rack supports of the plurality of support brackets, such that each of the plurality of ladder racks is horizontally disposed above the cabinets below and provides further support for the electronic equipment power wires and the communication wiring.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a plurality of conduit holders holding a plurality of the distribution power wires and conduits, each of the plurality of conduit holders connected to another side of at least some of the first plurality of vertical support brackets that is opposite the one side, each of the plurality of conduit holder disposed above the plurality of tiered ladder rack supports, each of the plurality of conduit holders being aligned with other ones of the plurality of conduit holders.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of conduit holders are a plurality of conduit clamps disposed on each of the first plurality of vertical support brackets above the plurality of tiered ladder rack supports.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of conduit holders are disposed on at least one conduit ladder rack support.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of conduit holders are disposed on a plurality of tiered conduit ladder rack supports.

10. A method of configuring a plurality of cabinets having electronic equipment stored therein in building having exterior walls and cool air ductwork comprising the steps of:

providing a building have exterior walls, a floor, a roof with a ceiling below the roof, and an interior room below the ceiling;

providing a thermal barrier ceiling below the ceiling;

within the interior room of the building, providing an interior frame structure that is independent of and not structurally tied to the plurality of cabinets, the interior frame structure including;

a first plurality of vertical support brackets disposed along each of two rows of cabinets, each vertical support bracket being disposed on the floor at a first end, some of the vertical brackets assisting in supporting (1) a portion of a thermal barrier ceiling, the thermal barrier ceiling supported by an end of the vertical support brackets that are opposite the first end, the thermal barrier ceiling being disposed below the ceiling and creating an airspace between the ceiling and the thermal barrier ceiling, and (2) a hot containment chamber, the hot containment chamber being contiguous with the thermal barrier ceiling and providing an airflow opening from a hot air aisle into the airspace, thereby establishing a sealed chamber through which warm air rises within a hot air aisle into the hot containment chamber and then into the airspace between the ceiling and the thermal barrier ceiling; and

a second plurality of vertical support brackets disposed substantially parallel to the two rows of cabinets, each second vertical support bracket being disposed on the floor at a first end and assists in supporting another portion of the thermal barrier ceiling at an end opposite the first end, wherein the second plurality of vertical support brackets each further support portions of the cool air ductwork below the thermal barrier ceiling, the cool air duct work having vents configured to provide cool air to the cabinets, the cool air segregated from the hot air in the hot aisle, the hot containment chamber, and the airspace;

providing the plurality of cabinets arranged as the two rows of cabinets, namely a first row of cabinets and a second row of cabinets, the first row of cabinets and the second row of cabinets having a back side configured to emit hot air into the hot aisle and the first row of cabinets and the second row of cabinets separated by a distance to form the hot aisle between the two rows of cabinets;

providing thermal cabinet panels in an opening within the two rows of cabinets where the plurality of cabinets are disposed to seal the hot aisle; and

providing a thermal partition at each of two ends of the two rows to further seal the hot aisle.

11. The method according to claim 10 further including the steps of:

removing one of the cabinets within the two rows of cabinets, thereby creating a cabinet opening within the two rows; and

replacing the removed cabinet with another thermal cabinet panel to fill the cabinet opening.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the step of providing the interior frame structure includes providing a plurality of ladder racks and a plurality of conduits at locations that are on an opposite side of some of the vertical support brackets that hold the portions of the thermal shield thereby establishing the ladder racks in cool air and not in the hot air;

and

wherein telecommunications wiring and power wiring are disposed within the plurality of ladder racks and the plurality of conduits, adjacent to the thermal shield.