Thermal management apparatus for horizontal electronics enclosures

• US 6,735,081 B1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Edward, Bishop, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Chervinsky, Boris
• Application Number:
  US10/445,753
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 361/690-697, 361/715-721, 174/16.1, 174/16.3, 165/80.3, 165/104.33, 165/122, 454/184
• US Class Current: 361/695
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20727 within server blades for removing heat from heat source

Abstract

A reconfigurable apparatus for thermal management of an electronics module is described. The apparatus includes a pair of fans generating airflow along respective fan axes. The apparatus also includes a beat sink having one portion disposed in the airflow of the fans and another portion adapted for thermal coupling with the electronics module. The airflows from the fans are in the same direction when the apparatus is arranged in a front-to-back airflow configuration and the airflows are in opposite directions when the apparatus is arranged in a front-to-front airflow configuration. A removable flow director is included in the apparatus when the apparatus is in the front-to-front airflow configuration to direct the airflow from the first fan towards the second fan.

Claims

1. An apparatus for thermal management of an electronics module comprising:

a first fan generating an inlet airflow and an exhaust airflow along a first fan axis;

a second fan generating an inlet airflow and an exhaust airflow along a second fan axis, the second fan axis being substantially parallel to the first fan axis;

a flow director disposed in the exhaust airflow of the first fan axis, the flow director redirecting the exhaust airflow of the first fan to the second fan along the second fan axis;

a heat sink having a first portion disposed in at least one of the exhaust airflow of the first fan and the inlet airflow of the second fan, the heat sink having a second portion adapted for thermal coupling with the electronics module; and

an enclosure surrounding the heat sink and the electronics module, the heat sink and the enclosure defining a first volume and a second volume, the first volume including the exhaust airflow of the first fan and the inlet airflow of the second fan, the second volume including the electronics module and being isolated from the airflows generated by the first fan and the second fan.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein first portion of the heat sink comprises a plurality of cooling fins.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a first louver disposed in the inlet airflow of the first fan and being configured at a first angle with respect to the first and second fan axes; and

a second louver disposed in the exhaust airflow of the second fan and being configured at a second angle with respect to the first and second fan axes, the second angle being opposite said first angle,

wherein the inlet airflow of the first fan and the exhaust airflow of the second fan are spatially separate.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second portion of the heat sink comprises a thermal spreader plate that separates the first volume and the second volume.

5. A reconfigurable apparatus for thermal management of an electronics module comprising:

a first fan generating an airflow along a first fan axis;

a second fan generating an airflow along a second fan axis, the second fan axis being substantially parallel to the first fan axis, the airflow from the second fan being in the same direction as the airflow from the first fan when the reconfigurable apparatus is in a first configuration, the airflow from the second fan being in an opposite direction from the airflow from the first fan when the reconfigurable apparatus is in a second configuration;

a removable flow deflector disposed on the first fan axis when the reconfigurable apparatus is in the second configuration, the removable flow director directing the airflow of the first fan to the second fan along the second fan axis when the reconfigurable apparatus is in the second configuration; and

a heat sink having a first portion disposed in at least one of the airflow of the first fan and the airflow of the second fan, the heat sink having a second portion adapted for thermal coupling with the electronics module.

6. The reconfigurable apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first portion of the heat sink comprises a plurality of cooling fins.

7. The reconfigurable apparatus of claim 5 further comprising an enclosure surrounding the heat sink and the electronics module, the heat sink and the enclosure defining a first volume and a second volume, the first volume including the airflows generated by the first fan and the second fan, the second volume including the electronics module.

8. The reconfigurable apparatus of claim 7 wherein the second portion of the heat sink comprises a thermal spreader plate that separates the first volume and the second volume.

9. The reconfigurable apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:

a first louver disposed on the first fan axis and being configured at a first angle with respect to the first fan axis and second fan axis; and

a second louver disposed on the second fan axis and being configured at a second angle with respect to the first fan axis and second fan axis, the second angle being opposite the first angle,

wherein the airflow exhausted through the second louver does not interfere with the airflow received at the first louver.

10. A reconfigurable apparatus for thermal management of an electronics module comprising:

means for generating an airflow along a first axis;

means for generating an airflow along a second axis, the second axis being substantially parallel to the first axis, the airflow along the second axis being in the same direction as the airflow along the first axis when the reconfigurable apparatus is in a first configuration, the airflow along the second axis being in an opposite direction to the airflow along the first axis when the reconfigurable apparatus is in a second configuration;

removable means for directing the airflow along the first axis toward the means for generating an airflow along the second axis when the reconfigurable apparatus is in the second configuration; and

means for transferring heat generated in the electronics module to at least one of the airflow along the first axis and the airflow along the second axis.