Apparatus and Method of Environmental Condition Management for Electronic Equipment

• US 20100139908A1
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baselayer Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: IO Data Centers, LLC
• Inventors: Slessman, George
• Granted Patent: US 8,783,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/279
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/0265 by using guiding means or impingement means inside the header box
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/028 by using inserts for modifying the pattern of flow inside the header box, e.g. by using flow restrictors or permeable bodies or blocks with channels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1497 Rooms for data centers; Shipping containers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20554 Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant in closed loop H05K7/206 or H05K7/20609 or H05K7/20618
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20745 within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20763 Liquid cooling without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

A control system for providing thermal management of electronic equipment housed in a cabinet enclosure. The system can include a plurality of sensors in proximity to the cabinet enclosure for monitoring a temperature, a pressure and a humidity associated with the electronic equipment; and a controller in communication with the sensors for receiving data from the sensors, where the controller adjusts the temperature, the pressure and the humidity associated with the electronic equipment.

Claims

1. A system for providing thermal management of electronic equipment, the system comprising:

a cabinet forming an enclosure for the electronic equipment, wherein the cabinet has an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet is in proximity to a bottom portion of the cabinet, and wherein the outlet is in proximity to a top portion of the cabinet;

a supply channel connected with the cabinet inlet, wherein the cabinet is positioned on a floor and the supply channel is under the floor;

an exhaust channel connected with the cabinet outlet;

one or more plenums in fluid communication with at least one of the supply and exhaust channels, wherein the plenums have a pressure source for generating a pressure differential through the enclosure of the cabinet causing air to flow therethrough;

a cooling coil positioned under the floor and in thermal contact with the supply channel, wherein a coolant flows through the cooling coil to remove heat from the air flowing through the supply channel;

one or more sensors in proximity to the cabinet for monitoring at least one of a temperature, pressure and humidity associated with the electronic equipment; and

a controller in communication with the sensors for receiving data from the sensors, wherein the controller adjusts at least one of the temperature, the pressure and the humidity associated with the electronic equipment.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plenums are positioned under the floor.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the pressure source is a fan.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the enclosure of the cabinet is separated into temperature zones comprising at least a cold zone and a hot zone, wherein at least one baffle is provided to create the temperature zones such that air is directed to flow from the cold zone through an electronic component storage area to the hot zone, and wherein the at least one baffle comprises a thermal management plate that is positioned horizontally in the cabinet above the electronic component storage area.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a damper connected with the supply channel, wherein the damper has a damper actuator connected thereto, wherein the damper can be opened and closed based on signals transmitted from the controller to the damper actuator.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a dehumidifier in fluid communication with at least one of the supply and exhaust channels for adjusting humidity of the air flowing through the enclosure of the cabinet.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller adjusts the temperature, the pressure and the humidity associated with the electronic equipment in real time.

8. A control system for providing thermal management of electronic equipment housed in a cabinet enclosure, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensors in proximity to the cabinet enclosure for monitoring a temperature, a pressure and a humidity associated with the electronic equipment; and

a controller in communication with the sensors for receiving data from the sensors, wherein the controller independently adjusts the temperature, the pressure and the humidity associated with the electronic equipment.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the cabinet enclosure has an inlet and an outlet in proximity to a bottom portion of the cabinet enclosure, wherein a supply channel is connected with the cabinet enclosure inlet, wherein the cabinet enclosure is positioned on a floor and the supply channel is under the floor, wherein an exhaust channel is connected with the cabinet enclosure outlet, wherein one or more plenums are in fluid communication with at least one of the supply and exhaust channels, wherein the plenums have a pressure source for generating a pressure differential through the enclosure of the cabinet enclosure causing air to flow therethrough, wherein a cooling coil is positioned under the floor and in thermal contact with the supply channel, and wherein a coolant flows through the cooling coil to remove heat from the air flowing through the supply channel.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the cabinet enclosure is separated into temperature zones comprising at least a cold zone and a hot zone, wherein at least one baffle is provided to create the temperature zones such that air is directed to flow from the cold zone through an electronic component storage area to the hot zone, and wherein the at least one baffle comprises a thermal management plate that is positioned horizontally in the cabinet enclosure above the electronic component storage area.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein a damper connected with the supply channel can be opened and closed based on signals transmitted from the controller to a damper actuator operably connected to the damper.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein the controller adjusts the temperature, the pressure and the humidity associated with the electronic equipment in real time.

13. A method comprising:

providing a pressure differential across electronic equipment housed in a cabinet enclosure using one or more pressurized plenums that are in fluid communication with at least one of a supply channel and an exhaust channel connected to the cabinet enclosure, the pressure differential causing air to flow along the electronic equipment to remove heat therefrom;

capturing temperature and pressure data associated with the electronic equipment using a plurality of sensors positioned in proximity to the electronic equipment;

transmitting the captured temperature and pressure data to a controller; and

adjusting at least one of the pressure differential and a temperature of the air based on the monitored temperature and pressure.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the pressure differential and the temperature of the air are adjusted in real time.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing the pressure differential using a fan that is in fluid communication with the plenums, wherein the cabinet enclosure has an inlet and an outlet in proximity to a bottom portion of the cabinet enclosure, wherein the supply channel is connected with the cabinet enclosure inlet, wherein the cabinet enclosure is positioned on a floor and the supply channel is under the floor, and wherein the exhaust channel is connected with the cabinet enclosure outlet.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising adjusting the temperature of the air using a cooling coil having a coolant flow therethrough to remove heat from the air, wherein the cooling coil is in thermal contact with the supply channel.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the cooling coil is positioned under the floor.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising adjusting a humidity of the air flowing along the electronic equipment using a dehumidifier in fluid communication with at least one of the supply and exhaust channels.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising controlling the dehumidifier based on control signals transmitted from the controller to the dehumidifier.

20. The method according to claim 13, further comprising opening and closing a damper connected with the supply channel based on signals transmitted from the controller to a damper actuator operably connected to the damper.