Equipment Enclosure With Air Diverter Temperature Control System

• US 20130087320A1
• Filed: 10/05/2011
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diversified Control, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Diversified Control, Inc.
• Inventors: King, Aron J., Halik, David H., James, Lewis G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,326,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/253
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20572 within cabinets for removing heat from sub-racks, e.g. plenum

Abstract

An equipment enclosure includes an air exhaust opening and an air intake opening at respective upper and lower regions of the enclosure, and an interior equipment chamber configured to house controlled temperature equipment at a controlled temperature equipment area. A temperature diverter system includes a warm air exhaust subsystem and a warm air circulation subsystem. The warm air exhaust subsystem is operable to vent warm air in the enclosure through the air exhaust opening in order to cool the controlled temperature equipment area. The warm air circulation subsystem is operable to circulate warm air in the enclosure to the controlled temperature equipment area in order to warm that area. The equipment enclosure further includes one or more temperature sensors and a temperature controller for controlling operations of the warm air exhaust subsystem and the warm air circulation system based on input from the temperature sensor(s).

Claims

1. An equipment enclosure, comprising:

an air exhaust opening disposed at a first region of said equipment enclosure;

an air intake opening disposed at a second region of said equipment enclosure;

an interior equipment chamber configured to house controlled temperature equipment at a controlled temperature equipment area therein;

a temperature diverter system, said air diverter system comprising;

a warm air exhaust subsystem operable to vent warm air in said equipment enclosure through said air exhaust opening in order to cool said controlled temperature equipment area; and

a warm air circulation subsystem operable to circulate warm air in said equipment enclosure to said controlled temperature equipment area in order to warm said controlled temperature equipment area;

one or more temperature sensors; and

a temperature controller for controlling operations of said warm air exhaust subsystem and said warm air circulation subsystem based on input from said one or more temperature sensors.

2. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said air exhaust opening is located above said air intake opening.

3. The equipment enclosure of claim 2, wherein said controlled temperature equipment area is disposed below said air exhaust opening and above said air intake opening.

4. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises one or more fans.

5. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises one or more dampers.

6. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises one or more air movers and one or more dampers.

7. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said warm air exhaust subsystem comprises an air mover that receives warm air in said equipment enclosure and directs it to said air exhaust opening.

8. The equipment enclosure of claim 7, wherein said warm air exhaust subsystem comprises a closed air pathway from said air mover to said air exhaust opening.

9. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said warm air circulation subsystem comprises an air mover that receives warm air in said equipment enclosure and directs it to said controlled temperature equipment area.

10. The equipment enclosure of claim 9, wherein said warm air circulation subsystem comprises a closed air pathway from said air mover to said controlled temperature equipment area.

11. The equipment enclosure of claim 10, wherein said closed pathway is disposed at least in part on a door of said equipment enclosure.

12. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises an air mover that is shared by said warm air exhaust subsystem and said warm air circulation subsystem, and further wherein said warm air exhaust subsystem comprises a first movable damper and said warm air circulation subsystem comprises a second movable damper.

13. The equipment enclosure of claim 12, wherein said first and second movable dampers are linked to each other.

14. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises a first air mover for said warm air exhaust subsystem and a second air mover for said warm air circulation subsystem.

15. The equipment enclosure of claim 14, wherein said warm air exhaust subsystem comprises a movable damper.

16. A method for controlling temperature in an equipment enclosure,

said equipment enclosure comprising:

an air exhaust opening disposed at an upper region of said equipment enclosure;

an air intake opening disposed at a lower region of said equipment enclosure;

an interior equipment chamber configured to house controlled temperature equipment at a controlled temperature equipment area therein;

a temperature diverter system, said temperature diverter system comprising;

a warm air exhaust subsystem operable to vent warm air in said equipment enclosure through said air exhaust opening in order to cool said controlled temperature equipment area;

a warm air circulation subsystem operable to circulate warm air in said equipment enclosure to said controlled temperature equipment area in order to warm said controlled temperature equipment area;

one or more temperature sensors; and

a control subsystem for controlling operations of said warm air exhaust subsystem and said warm air circulation system based on input from said one or more temperature sensors;

said method comprising;

obtaining a temperature measurement from a temperature sensor located in said controlled temperature equipment area; and

controlling said warm air exhaust subsystem to vent warm air if said temperature measurement is too high and controlling said warm air circulation subsystem to circulate air to said controlled temperature area if said temperature measurement is too low.

17. The method of claim 16, further including controlling both said warm air exhaust system and said warm air circulation system to achieved a desired temperature in said controlled temperature area.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises one or more dampers, and wherein said controlling comprises selectively positioning said one or more dampers.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises one or more air movers, and wherein said controlling comprises selectively controlling a speed of said one or more air movers.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises one or more heaters, and wherein said controlling comprises selectively controlling said one or more heaters.

21. An equipment enclosure, comprising:

an air exhaust opening disposed at an upper region of said equipment enclosure;

an air intake opening disposed at a lower region of said equipment enclosure;

an interior equipment chamber configured to house controlled temperature equipment at a controlled temperature equipment area therein;

warm air exhaust means for venting warm air in said equipment enclosure through said air exhaust opening in order to cool said controlled temperature equipment area;

warm air circulation means for circulating warm air in said equipment enclosure to said controlled temperature equipment area in order to warm said controlled temperature equipment area;

one or more temperature sensors; and

control means for controlling operations of said warm air exhaust subsystem and said warm air circulation system based on input from said one or more temperature sensors.

22. An equipment enclosure, comprising:

an interior equipment chamber;

a temperature diverter system, said air diverter system comprising;

a warm air receiver disposed at a warm air collecting area of said interior equipment chamber;

two or more warm air subsystems operable to direct warm air collected by said warm air receiver to two or more areas of said equipment enclosure in order to provide a desired warming or cooling effect; and

temperature control logic operable to control operations of said two or more warm air subsystems in order to selectively direct warm air to said two or more areas of said equipment enclosure.