Equipment enclosure with multi-mode temperature control system
First Claim
1. An equipment enclosure, comprising:
- a temperature-controlled equipment chamber for housing equipment in said equipment enclosure; and
temperature control components that comprise;
an inside air inlet arranged to receive air from said equipment chamber;
an inside air outlet arranged to deliver air to said equipment chamber;
said inside air inlet and said inside air outlet each being on an inside cover;
a first outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure;
a second outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure;
a first outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure;
a second outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure;
said first outside air outlet, said second outside air outlet, said first outside air inlet and said second outside air inlet each being on an outside cover;
an interior air exhaust pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said first outside air outlet for venting interior air in said interior equipment chamber to outside said enclosure;
an interior air return pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said inside air outlet for recirculating interior air in said interior equipment chamber;
a first controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said inside air inlet to said air exhaust pathway and said interior air return pathway;
a fresh air inlet pathway extending between said first outside air inlet and said inside air outlet;
a second controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway to said inside air outlet;
a primary air mover disposed to move air through said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway;
an air heater in said interior air return pathway;
an air conditioning evaporator in said interior air return pathway;
an air conditioning warm air vent pathway extending between said second outside air inlet and said second outside air outlet;
an air conditioning condenser in said air conditioning warm air vent pathway;
a variable speed air conditioning compressor operably connected to pump a coolant through a coolant loop that includes said air conditioning condenser and air conditioning evaporator;
an air conditioning air mover disposed to move air through said air conditioning warm air vent pathway;
upper and low temperature sensors for sensing temperature in upper and lower portions of said equipment chamber;
an outside air temperature sensor for sensing outside air temperature; and
a temperature controller operable to control said dampers, said air movers and said air conditioning compressor based on temperature readings provided by said temperature sensors.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An equipment enclosure with temperature control components, an equipment enclosure temperature control unit, an equipment enclosure temperature control method, and various modular temperature control subassemblies are respectively disclosed for controlling the temperature of equipment in an equipment chamber. The temperature control components and unit may be implemented with a modular design wherein an air-conditioning unit is selectively mountable on an air handler assembly. The temperature control components and unit may support air-conditioning, free-air-cooling, free-air-cooling-with-return, and heating modes of operation. An emergency-free-air-cooling mode of operation may also be supported.
67 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An equipment enclosure, comprising:
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a temperature-controlled equipment chamber for housing equipment in said equipment enclosure; and temperature control components that comprise; an inside air inlet arranged to receive air from said equipment chamber; an inside air outlet arranged to deliver air to said equipment chamber; said inside air inlet and said inside air outlet each being on an inside cover; a first outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure; a second outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure; a first outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure; a second outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure; said first outside air outlet, said second outside air outlet, said first outside air inlet and said second outside air inlet each being on an outside cover; an interior air exhaust pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said first outside air outlet for venting interior air in said interior equipment chamber to outside said enclosure; an interior air return pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said inside air outlet for recirculating interior air in said interior equipment chamber; a first controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said inside air inlet to said air exhaust pathway and said interior air return pathway; a fresh air inlet pathway extending between said first outside air inlet and said inside air outlet; a second controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway to said inside air outlet; a primary air mover disposed to move air through said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway; an air heater in said interior air return pathway; an air conditioning evaporator in said interior air return pathway; an air conditioning warm air vent pathway extending between said second outside air inlet and said second outside air outlet; an air conditioning condenser in said air conditioning warm air vent pathway; a variable speed air conditioning compressor operably connected to pump a coolant through a coolant loop that includes said air conditioning condenser and air conditioning evaporator; an air conditioning air mover disposed to move air through said air conditioning warm air vent pathway; upper and low temperature sensors for sensing temperature in upper and lower portions of said equipment chamber; an outside air temperature sensor for sensing outside air temperature; and a temperature controller operable to control said dampers, said air movers and said air conditioning compressor based on temperature readings provided by said temperature sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A temperature control unit adapted for use with an equipment enclosure requiring a temperature-controlled equipment chamber for housing equipment in said enclosure, said temperature control unit comprising:
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an inside air inlet arranged to receive air from said equipment chamber; an inside air outlet arranged to deliver air to said equipment chamber; said inside air inlet and said inside air outlet each being on an inside cover; a first outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure; a second outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure; a first outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure; a second outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure; said first outside air outlet, said second outside air outlet, said first outside air inlet and said second outside air inlet each being on an outside cover; an interior air exhaust pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said first outside air outlet for venting interior air in said interior equipment chamber to outside said enclosure; an interior air return pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said inside air outlet for recirculating interior air in said interior equipment chamber; a first controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said inside air inlet to said air exhaust pathway and said interior air return pathway; a fresh air inlet pathway extending between said first outside air inlet and said inside air outlet; a second controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway to said inside air outlet; a primary air mover disposed to move air through said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway; an air heater in said interior air return pathway; an air conditioning evaporator in said interior air return pathway; an air conditioning warm air vent pathway extending between said second outside air inlet and said second outside air outlet; an air conditioning condenser in said air conditioning warm air vent pathway; a variable speed air conditioning compressor operably connected to pump a coolant through a coolant loop that includes said air conditioning condenser and air conditioning evaporator; an air conditioning air mover disposed to move air through said air conditioning warm air vent pathway; upper and low temperature sensors for sensing temperature in upper and lower portions of said equipment chamber; an outside air temperature sensor for sensing outside air temperature; and a temperature controller operable to control said dampers, said air movers and said air conditioning compressor based on temperature readings provided by said temperature sensors. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification