Equipment Enclosure With Multi-Mode Temperature Control System
First Claim
1. An equipment enclosure, comprising:
- a temperature-controlled equipment chamber for housing equipment in said equipment enclosure; and
temperature control components that comprise;
an inside air inlet arranged to receive air from said equipment chamber;
an inside air outlet arranged to deliver air to said equipment chamber;
a first outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure;
a second outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure;
a first outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure;
a second outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure;
an interior air exhaust pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said first outside air outlet for venting interior air in said interior equipment chamber to outside said enclosure;
an interior air return pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said inside air outlet for recirculating interior air in said interior equipment chamber;
a first controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said inside air inlet to said air exhaust pathway and said interior air return pathway;
a fresh air inlet pathway extending between said first outside air inlet and said inside air outlet;
a second controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway to said inside air outlet;
a primary air mover disposed to move air through said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway;
an air heater in said interior air return pathway;
an air conditioning evaporator in said interior air return pathway;
an air conditioning warm air vent pathway extending between said second outside air inlet and said second outside air outlet;
an air conditioning condenser in said air conditioning warm air vent pathway;
a variable speed air conditioning compressor operably connected to pump a coolant through a coolant loop that includes said air conditioning condenser and air conditioning evaporator;
an air conditioning air mover disposed to move air through said air conditioning warm air vent pathway;
upper and low temperature sensors for sensing temperature in upper and lower portions of said equipment chamber;
an outside air temperature sensor for sensing outside air temperature; and
a temperature controller operable to control said dampers, said air movers and said air conditioning compressor based on temperature readings provided by said temperature sensors.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An equipment enclosure with temperature control components, an equipment enclosure temperature control unit, an equipment enclosure temperature control method, and various modular temperature control subassemblies are respectively disclosed for controlling the temperature of equipment in an equipment chamber. The temperature control components and unit may be implemented with a modular design wherein an air-conditioning unit is selectively mountable on an air handler assembly. The temperature control components and unit may support air-conditioning, free-air-cooling, free-air-cooling-with-return, and heating modes of operation. An emergency-free-air-cooling mode of operation may also be supported.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. An equipment enclosure, comprising:
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a temperature-controlled equipment chamber for housing equipment in said equipment enclosure; and temperature control components that comprise; an inside air inlet arranged to receive air from said equipment chamber; an inside air outlet arranged to deliver air to said equipment chamber; a first outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure; a second outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure; a first outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure; a second outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure; an interior air exhaust pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said first outside air outlet for venting interior air in said interior equipment chamber to outside said enclosure; an interior air return pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said inside air outlet for recirculating interior air in said interior equipment chamber; a first controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said inside air inlet to said air exhaust pathway and said interior air return pathway; a fresh air inlet pathway extending between said first outside air inlet and said inside air outlet; a second controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway to said inside air outlet; a primary air mover disposed to move air through said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway; an air heater in said interior air return pathway; an air conditioning evaporator in said interior air return pathway; an air conditioning warm air vent pathway extending between said second outside air inlet and said second outside air outlet; an air conditioning condenser in said air conditioning warm air vent pathway; a variable speed air conditioning compressor operably connected to pump a coolant through a coolant loop that includes said air conditioning condenser and air conditioning evaporator; an air conditioning air mover disposed to move air through said air conditioning warm air vent pathway; upper and low temperature sensors for sensing temperature in upper and lower portions of said equipment chamber; an outside air temperature sensor for sensing outside air temperature; and a temperature controller operable to control said dampers, said air movers and said air conditioning compressor based on temperature readings provided by said temperature sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A temperature control unit adapted for use with an equipment enclosure requiring a temperature-controlled equipment chamber for housing equipment in said enclosure, said temperature control unit comprising:
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an inside air inlet arranged to receive air from said equipment chamber; an inside air outlet arranged to deliver air to said equipment chamber; a first outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure; a second outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure; a first outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure; a second outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure; an interior air exhaust pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said outside air outlet for venting interior air in said interior equipment chamber to outside said enclosure; an interior air return pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said inside air outlet for recirculating interior air in said interior equipment chamber; a first controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said inside air inlet to said air exhaust pathway and said interior air return pathway; a fresh air inlet pathway extending between said first outside air inlet and said inside air outlet; a second controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway to said inside air outlet; a primary air mover disposed to move air through said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway; an air heater in said interior air return pathway; an air conditioning evaporator in said interior air return pathway; an air conditioning warm air vent pathway extending between said second outside air inlet and said second outside air outlet; an air conditioning condenser in said air conditioning warm air vent pathway; a variable speed air conditioning compressor operably connected to pump a coolant through a coolant loop that includes said air conditioning condenser and air conditioning evaporator; an air conditioning air mover disposed to move air through said air conditioning warm air vent pathway; upper and low temperature sensors for sensing temperature in upper and lower portions of said equipment chamber; an outside air temperature sensor for sensing outside air temperature; and a temperature controller operable to control said dampers, said air movers and said air conditioning compressor based on temperature readings provided by said temperature sensors. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for controlling temperature in an equipment enclosure,
said equipment enclosure comprising: -
a temperature-controlled equipment chamber for housing equipment in said equipment enclosure; and temperature control components that comprise; an inside air inlet arranged to receive air from said equipment chamber; an inside air outlet arranged to deliver air to said equipment chamber; a first outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure; a second outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure; a first outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure; a second outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure; an interior air exhaust pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said outside air outlet for venting interior air in said interior equipment chamber to outside said enclosure; an interior air return pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said inside air outlet for recirculating interior air in said interior equipment chamber; a first controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said inside air inlet to said air exhaust pathway and said interior air return pathway; a fresh air inlet pathway extending between said first outside air inlet and said inside air outlet; a second controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway to said inside air outlet; a primary air mover disposed to move air through said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway; an air heater in said interior air return pathway; an air conditioning evaporator in said interior air return pathway; an air conditioning warm air vent pathway extending between said outside air inlet and said second outside air outlet; an air conditioning condenser in said air conditioning warm air vent pathway; a variable speed air conditioning compressor operably connected to pump a coolant through a coolant loop that includes said air conditioning condenser and air conditioning evaporator; an air conditioning air mover disposed to move air through said air conditioning warm air vent pathway; upper and low temperature sensors in said equipment chamber; and a temperature controller operable to control said dampers, said air movers and said air conditioning compressor based on temperature readings provided by said temperature sensors; said method comprising; obtaining temperature measurements from said upper and lower temperature sensors; and operating said temperature control components to selectively implement plural modes of operation according to said temperature measurements. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A modular air handler assembly for installation in a temperature control unit for an equipment enclosure requiring a temperature-controlled equipment chamber, said air handler assembly comprising:
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an inside air inlet arranged to receive air from said equipment chamber; an inside air outlet arranged to deliver air to said equipment chamber; a first outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure; a second outside air outlet arranged to deliver air to outside said equipment enclosure; an outside air inlet arranged to receive air from outside said equipment enclosure; an interior air exhaust pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said first outside air outlet for venting interior air in said interior equipment chamber to outside said enclosure; an interior air return pathway extending between said inside air inlet and said inside air outlet for recirculating interior air in said interior equipment chamber; a first controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said inside air inlet to said air exhaust pathway and said interior air return pathway; a fresh air inlet pathway extending between said outside air inlet and said inside air outlet; a second controllable damper operable to selectively communicate air from said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway to said inside air outlet; a primary air mover disposed to move air through said interior air return pathway and said fresh air inlet pathway; an air heater in said interior air return pathway; upper and low temperature sensors for sensing temperature in upper and lower portions of said equipment chamber; an outside air temperature sensor for sensing outside air temperature; and a temperature controller operable to control said dampers and said air mover.
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32. A modular air conditioning unit for installation with said modular air handler assembly of
FIG. 31 in said temperature control unit for said equipment enclosure requiring a temperature-controlled equipment chamber, said air conditioning unit comprising:-
a base frame detachably mountable on said air handler assembly; an air conditioning evaporator arranged on said base frame so as to be disposed in said interior air return pathway of said air handler assembly when said air conditioning unit is mounted on said air handler assembly; an air conditioning condenser arranged on said base frame so as to be disposed in fluid communication with said first outside air outlet of said air handler assembly when said air conditioning unit is mounted on said air handler assembly; an air conditioning air mover arranged on said base frame in an air conditioning warm air vent pathway extending between an outside air inlet of said air conditioning unit and said air conditioning condenser; and a variable speed air conditioning compressor operably connected to pump a coolant through a coolant loop that includes said air conditioning condenser and air conditioning evaporator. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification