Method and apparatus for a distributed cooling system for electronic equipment enclosures

• US 10,575,443 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2013
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scalematrix Holdings, Inc. (ScaleMatrix, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ScaleMatrix, Inc.
• Inventors: Woodbury, II, William E., Rohrich, Simon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Attey, Joel M
• Application Number:
  US13/849,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20130213082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,529 Days
• Field of Search: 622592
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2204/04 comprising a cooling unit
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2204/06 comprising insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2301/20 Resilient wheel suspension using springs
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2301/256 by using endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0026 Propulsion aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/18 Construction of rack or frame
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20436 Inner thermal coupling elements in heat dissipating housings, e.g. protrusions or depressions integrally formed in the housing

Abstract

An electronic component enclosure comprises an outer frame and an inner frame, with the outer and inner frames forming a plenum therebetween. A cooling facility such as an HVAC unit is fluidly coupled to the electronic component enclosure'"'"'s plenum. The cooling facility is controlled by a control system configured to adjust at least one property of fluid flowing through the plenum, such as its flow rate and/or temperature. Alternatively, a cooling system can comprise a plurality of electronic component enclosures such that a control system can be configured to adjust at least one property of fluid flowing through each electronic component enclosure'"'"'s respective plenum.

Claims

1. A cooling system, comprising:

a plurality of electronic component enclosures, each electronic component enclosure having;

an outer frame;

an inner frame within the outer frame, the inner and outer frames defining a plenum therebetween;

a cooling facility configured to physically engage with an exterior surface of the outer frame and where the cooling facility is fluidly coupled to the plenum,

wherein each of the cooling facilities of the plurality of electronic component enclosures are controlled by a controller configured to adjust at least one property of fluid flowing through each plenum;

a first sensor that measures a magnitude of power consumed by electronic equipment within the electronic component enclosure;

a second sensor that measures a temperature differential between heated air flow and cooled air flow within the electronic component enclosure, wherein the second sensor includes a sensor that measures a temperature of heated air flow, and a sensor that measures a temperature of cooled air flow;

the controller gathering values from the first and second sensors that are indicative of an efficiency of the cooling system; and

one or more fans;

wherein the controller controlling an air flow rate via the one or more fans to create a high pressure region within the enclosure, in a location where a volume of air is forced into the high pressure region at a rate greater than a rate of airflow accepted and exhausted by electronic components in the enclosure allowing airflow directed into the electronic components to be enhanced by a high-to-low pressure differential that is created between the high-pressure region and a low-pressure region.

2. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electronic component enclosures further comprises a heat exchanger mounted within its plenum, whereby its cooling facility is fluidly coupled to its plenum and its heat exchanger.

3. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a biometric detector to authenticate a specific user who is requesting access to the electronic component enclosures, and provides access only to a particular user when that user is recognized by the biometric detector and the recognized user has individual access.

8. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a shock absorption device comprises at least one of:

(i) magnetorheological damper; and

(ii) pneumatic spring.

4. An electronic component enclosure, comprising:

an outer frame;

an inner frame within the outer frame, the inner and outer frames defining a plenum therebetween;

a cooling facility configured to physically engage with an exterior surface of the outer frame and be fluidly coupled to the plenum,

a controller, wherein the cooling facility is controlled by the controller configured to adjust at least one property of fluid flowing through the plenum, one or more fans;

wherein the controller controlling the one or more fans to control an air flow rate to create a high pressure region within the enclosure, in a location where a volume of air is forced into the high pressure region at a rate greater than a rate of airflow accepted and exhausted by electronic components in the enclosure allowing airflow directed into the electronic components to be enhanced by a high-to-low pressure differential that is created between the high-pressure region and a low-pressure region;

a first sensor that measures a magnitude of power consumed by electronic equipment within the electronic component enclosure;

a second sensor that measures a temperature differential between heated air flow and cooled air flow within the electronic component enclosure, wherein the second sensor includes a sensor that measures a temperature of heated air flow, and a sensor that measures a temperature of cooled air flow; and

the controller gathering values from the first and second sensors that are indicative of an efficiency of the cooling system.

5. The electronic component enclosure of claim 4, further comprising a heat exchanger mounted within the plenum, whereby the cooling facility is fluidly coupled to the plenum and the heat exchanger.

6. The electronic component enclosure of claim 4, further comprising a biometric detector to authenticate a specific user who is requesting access to the electronic component enclosures, and provides access only to a particular user when that user is recognized by the biometric detector and that user has individual access.

7. The cooling system of claim 4, wherein the at least one property of fluid flowing through the plenum comprises at least one of:

(i) fluid flow rate; and

(ii) fluid temperature.