Computer rack cooling system with variable airflow impedance

• US 20050168945A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics International Corporation (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Coglitore, Giovanni
• Granted Patent: US 7,508,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/695
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20736 within cabinets for removing heat from server blades

Abstract

A computer system includes a computer rack configured to support a plurality of computer chassis in a computer stack region of the computer rack; a cooling plenum configured to draw air from a back side of a computer chassis supported in the computer rack and exhaust the air through an outlet port; and an airflow control member positioned between the cooling plenum and the computer stack region and providing an impedance to airflow between the computer stack region and the cooling plenum, said airflow control member providing a greater airflow impedance to a first portion of the computer stack region than to a second portion of the computer stack region.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a computer rack configured to support a plurality of computer chassis in a computer stack region of the computer rack;

a cooling plenum configured to draw air from a back side of a computer chassis supported in the computer rack and exhaust the air through an outlet port; and

an airflow control member positioned between the cooling plenum and the computer stack region and providing an impedance to airflow between the computer stack region and the cooling plenum, said airflow control member providing a greater airflow impedance to a first portion of the computer stack region than to a second portion of the computer stack region.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion of the computer stack region is closer to the outlet port than the second portion of the computer stack region.

3. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

a fan provided in the outlet port to draw air from the cooling plenum out of the outlet port.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

the airflow control member comprises a plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein, said plurality of apertures including a first set of one or more apertures adjacent the first portion of the computer stack region and a second set of one or more apertures adjacent the second portion of the computer stack region, the second set of apertures having a larger aperture area than the first set of apertures.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein:

the airflow control member comprises a plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein, each aperture having an adjustable damper

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

the airflow control member comprises a plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein, the sizes of the apertures increasing with distance from the outlet port.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein:

the airflow control member comprises a plate having a first width adjacent the first portion of the computer stack region and a second width smaller than the first width adjacent the second portion of the computer stack region.

8. A method of operating a plurality of computers positioned in a stack in a computer rack, each of the computers having a front side and a back side, the back sides of the computers being adjacent to a cooling air plenum, the method comprising:

operating an air mover to draw air from the cooling air plenum;

drawing air through the front sides of the computers;

exhausting the air through the back side of the computers; and

passing the air from the back side of the computers through an airflow control member to the cooling air plenum such that the airflow control member provides a plurality of different airflow impedances to the plurality of computers in the computer rack.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the airflow control member provides a first airflow impedance to the air exhausted from the back side of a first computer in the plurality of computers and a second airflow impedance to the air exhausted from the back side of a second computer in the plurality of computers, the first computer being closer to the air mover than the second computer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the airflow control member provides an airflow impedance gradient such that the airflow control member provides an increasing airflow impedance with decreasing distance from the air mover.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the airflow control member comprises a plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein, said plurality of apertures including a first set of one or more apertures adjacent a first portion of the computer stack region and a second set of one or more apertures adjacent a second portion of the computer stack region, the second set of apertures having a larger aperture area than the first set of apertures.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the airflow control member comprises a plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein, each aperture having an adjustable damper

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the airflow control member comprises a plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein, the sizes of the apertures increasing with distance from the outlet port.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the airflow control member comprises a plate having a first width adjacent a first portion of the computer stack region and a second width smaller than the first width adjacent a second portion of the computer stack region.

15. A method of operating a plurality of computers positioned in a stack in a computer rack, each of the computers having a front side and a back side, the back sides of the computers being adjacent to a cooling air plenum, the method comprising:

operating an air mover to draw air from the cooling air plenum;

drawing air through the front side of a first computer in a first stack region of the stack of computers;

exhausting the air through the back side of the first computer;

passing the air from the back side of the first computer through an airflow control member to the cooling air plenum, the airflow control member providing a first airflow impedance to the air exhausted from the back side of the first computer;

drawing air through the front side of a second computer in a second stack region of the stack of computers;

exhausting the air through the back side of the second computer; and

passing the air from the back side of the second computer through the airflow control member to the cooling air plenum, the airflow control member providing a second airflow impedance to the air exhausted from the back side of the second computer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the first computer is closer to the air mover than the second computer; and

the first airflow impedance is greater than the second airflow impedance.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the airflow control member provides an airflow impedance gradient such that the airflow control member provides an increasing airflow impedance with decreasing distance from the air mover.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the airflow control member comprises a plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein, said plurality of apertures including a first set of one or more apertures adjacent a first portion of the computer stack region and a second set of one or more apertures adjacent a second portion of the computer stack region, the second set of apertures having a larger aperture area than the first set of apertures.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the airflow control member comprises a plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein, each aperture having an adjustable damper

20. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the airflow control member comprises a plate having a plurality of apertures formed therein, the sizes of the apertures increasing with distance from the outlet port.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the airflow control member comprises a plate having a first width adjacent a first portion of the computer stack region and a second width smaller than the first width adjacent a second portion of the computer stack region.