ACTIVE DOOR ARRAY FOR COOLING SYSTEM

• US 20090260795A1
• Filed: 04/16/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomas M. Perazzo
• Original Assignee: Thomas M. Perazzo
• Inventors: Perazzo, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US12/425,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20090260795A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/269
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20572 within cabinets for removing heat from sub-racks, e.g. plenum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making

Abstract

Systems and methods for cooling a chassis are provided. Pulsed and/or modulated air flow may be used to cool a chassis. An array of movable doors and/or baffles may be used to achieve the pulsed/modulated airflow.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a chassis cooling system, the method comprising:

creating an air flow within a chassis; and

modulating at least one of the air flow and a velocity of the air flow, for a slot in the chassis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a period of the modulation is between 0.5 seconds and 3 seconds.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a substantial portion of the air flow is uni-directional.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a waveform of the modulation is any combination of a sinusoidal waveform, a triangular waveform and a square waveform.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing a duty cycle of a waveform of the modulation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing at least one of a period and a waveform of the modulation in response to a temperature for the slot in the chassis.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the change in at least one of the period and the waveform is performed according to a pre-programmed algorithm which satisfies known cooling requirements for the slot.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the change in at least one of the period and the waveform is controlled by a closed loop feedback system configured to monitor the temperature for the slot in the chassis.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing at least one of the RPM and duty cycle of the baffle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modulating at least one of the air flow and the velocity of the air flow, for a second slot in the chassis, wherein the second modulation is based on, at least in part, the first modulation.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the modulation is based on, at least in part, cooling requirements for the slot.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second modulation is based on, at least in part, cooling requirements for the second slot.

13. The method of claim 10, the wherein the velocity of the air flow for the first slot is in a range of 0% to 300% of a reference velocity, wherein the reference velocity is the velocity of the air flow for the first slot when no modulation of the air flows for the first slot and the second slot is performed.

14. A cooling system for a chassis, the cooling system comprising:

at least one air mover configured to create an air flow within a chassis; and

at least one baffle configured to modulate at least one of the air flow and a velocity of the air flow, for a slot in the chassis.

15. The cooling system of claim 14, further comprising an actuator configured to control the modulation of the at least one baffle.

16. The cooling system of claim 15, wherein the actuator comprises at least one of a motor, a magnet and a solenoid.

17. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein the baffle has a shape configured to allow a torque to be applied to the baffle by the airflow.

18. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein a period of the modulation is between 0.5 seconds and 3 seconds.

19. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein a substantial portion of the air flow is uni-directional.

20. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein a waveform of the modulation is any combination of a sinusoidal waveform, a triangular waveform and a square waveform.

21. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein the system is further configured to change a duty cycle of a waveform of the modulation.

22. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein the at least one baffle is further configured to change at least one of a period and a waveform of the modulation in response to a temperature for the slot in the chassis.

23. The cooling system of claim 22, wherein the change in at least one of the period and the waveform is performed according to a pre-programmed algorithm which satisfies known cooling requirements for the slot.

24. The cooling system of claim 22, wherein the change in at least one of the period and the waveform is controlled by a closed loop feedback system configured to monitor the temperature for the slot in the chassis.

25. The cooling system of claim 14, further comprising:

a second baffle configured to modulate at least one of the air flow and a velocity of the air flow, for a second slot in the chassis, wherein the second modulation is based on, at least in part, the first modulation.

26. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein the modulation is based on, at least in part, cooling requirements for the slot.

27. The cooling system of claim 25, wherein the second modulation is based on, at least in part, cooling requirements for the second slot.

28. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein air mover is located in a position external to the chassis.

29. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein the baffle is located on a board positioned within the slot.

30. A cooling system for a chassis, the cooling system comprising:

means for creating an air flow within a chassis; and

means for modulating at least one of the air flow and a velocity of the air flow, for a slot in the chassis.

31. The cooling system of claim 30, further comprising means for modulating at least one of the air flow and the velocity of the air flow for a second slot in the chassis.

32. A method of manufacturing a cooling system, the method comprising:

providing an air mover configured to create an air flow within a chassis;

providing at least one baffle configured to modulate at least one of the air flow or a velocity of the air flow; and

positioning the baffle such that the at least one baffle is able to modulate at least one of the air flow or the velocity of the air flow for a particular slot in the chassis.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

providing a second baffle configured to modulate at least one of the air flow or a velocity of the air flow; and

positioning the second baffle such that the at least one baffle is able to modulate at least one of the air flow or the velocity of the air flow for a second slot in the chassis.