Air distribution arrangement for rack-mounted equipment

• US 7,144,320 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christopher J. Williams, James R. Turek, Jeff A. Sode
• Original Assignee: Christopher J. Williams, James R. Turek, Jeff A. Sode
• Inventors: Turek, James R., Sode, Jeff A., Williams, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boles, Derek S.
• Application Number:
  US11/025,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20060141921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 454/184, 454/185, 454/195, 312/236, 361/385, 361/695
• US Class Current: 454/184
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20572 within cabinets for removing heat from sub-racks, e.g. plenum
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20736 within cabinets for removing heat from server blades

Abstract

An air distribution arrangement is adapted to be arranged in a cabinet for housing rack-mounted equipment that generates heat in use. The arrangement can be part of the cabinet when constructed or it can be an add-on feature. The arrangement includes plenum structure comprising side walls and a top wall that cooperates with the front door of the cabinet and the faces of the rack-mounted equipment to define a plenum. An air box in the cabinet draws ambient air from adjacent the floor into the plenum at a rate of at least 850 cfm. The ambient air is cooler than the air in the cabinet. The faces of the rack-mounted equipment have openings for receiving the ambient air to cool the interiors thereof. After cooling the rack-mounted equipment the air can be exhausted back to the ambient. The side walls and the top wall of the arrangement are adjustable to permit adjustment of the depth of the plenum. Pressure in the plenum can be relieved by slots in the plenum structure.

Claims

1. An air distribution arrangement for rack-mounted equipment that generates heat, said arrangement comprising a cabinet for housing the rack-mounted equipment, the rack-mounted equipment having one or more air inlet openings, said arrangement comprising plenum structure including side panels, and a top panel, said top panel and said side panels being comprised of complementary sections that are adjustable to permit adjustment of the depth of the plenum, a door affixed to the cabinet and cooperating with the rack-mounted equipment and plenum structure to define a plenum, an air box in the cabinet communicating with the plenum and with the ambient, inlet fan means in the air box for supplying ambient air at a rate of at least 850 cfm to the plenum, whereby ambient air may be supplied to the rack-mounted equipment for cooling same only from the plenum, exhaust means for communicating with the ambient, whereby the air for cooling the rack-mounted equipment can be returned to the ambient.

2. An air distribution arrangement as in claim 1, wherein the inlet fan means is affixed to the bottom of the cabinet.

3. An air distribution arrangement as in claim 1, wherein the inlet fan means comprises a pair of axial fans.

4. An air distribution arrangement as in claim 1, wherein ambient air can reach the rack-mounted equipment only from openings in the front wall thereof.

5. An air distribution arrangement as in claim 1, wherein said plenum is a pressurized plenum.

6. An air distribution arrangement as in claim 1, wherein the plenum is defined by top and side walls extending forwardly from the rack mounted equipment.

7. An air distribution arrangement as in claim 1, including fastening means for securing the complementary sections in selected adjusted position.

8. An air distribution arrangement as in claim 1, wherein each complementary section has a slot therein, the slots being aligned to permit adjustment of one complementary section with respect to the other.

9. An air distribution arrangement as in claim 1 including seal means disposed between the door and the plenum structure for sealing the plenum.

10. An air distribution arrangement as in claim 9, wherein the seal means comprises a resilient gasket.

11. An air distribution arrangement as in claim 9 wherein pressure relief means are provided in at least one side wall defining the plenum.

12. An air distribution arrangement as in claim 11, wherein the pressure relief means comprises at least one opening in a side wall defining the plenum.

13. An air distribution arrangement for a cabinet containing rack-mounted equipment that generates heat, the rack-mounted equipment having one or more air inlet openings, said arrangement comprising plenum structure including side panels, and a top panel, said top panel and said side panels being comprised of complementary sections that are adjustable to permit adjustment of the depth of the plenum, a door adapted to be affixed to the cabinet and adapted to cooperate with the rack-mounted equipment and plenum structure to define a plenum, an air box adapted to communicate with the plenum and with a source of air, inlet fan means in the air box for supplying air at a rate of at least 850 cfm to the plenum, whereby air may be supplied to the rack-mounted equipment for cooling same only from the plenum, exhaust means for communicating with an outlet, whereby the air for cooling the rack-mounted equipment can be returned to the outlet.

14. An air distribution arrangement as in claim 13, wherein the outlet communicates with the source of air, whereby the air for cooling the rack-mounted equipment can be returned to the source of air.

15. The air distribution arrangement as in claim 13, wherein said complementary sections each include openings, an opening in one complementary section being aligned with a selected opening in the other complementary section to adjust the complementary sections with respect to one another.

16. The air distribution arrangement as in claim 15, wherein the openings are slots.

17. The air distribution arrangement as in claim 15, including fastening means for securing the complementary sections in selected adjusted position.

18. An air distribution arrangement for rack-mounted equipment that generates heat, said arrangement comprising a cabinet for housing the rack-mounted equipment, the rack-mounted equipment having one or more air inlet openings, said arrangement comprising plenum structure including side panels, and a top panel, a door affixed to the cabinet and cooperating with the rack-mounted equipment and plenum structure to define a plenum, said top panel and said side panels being comprised of complementary sections that are adjustable to permit adjustment of the depth of the plenum, an air box in the cabinet communicating with the plenum and with a source of air, inlet fan means in the air box for supplying air at a rate of at least 850 cfm to the plenum, whereby air may be supplied to the rack-mounted equipment for cooling same only from the plenum, exhaust means for communicating with the source of air, whereby the air for cooling the rack-mounted equipment can be returned to the source of air.

19. For use with a cabinet for housing rack-mounted equipment that generates heat, the rack-mounted equipment having one or more air inlet openings, and a door cooperating with the cabinet, the improvement being an air distribution arrangement comprising plenum structure including side panels, and a top panel adapted to be secured to the cabinet, said door being adapted to be affixed to the plenum structure and cooperating with the rack-mounted equipment for defining a plenum, said top panel and said side panels being comprised of complementary sections that are adjustable to permit adjustment of the depth of the plenum, an air box adapted to be positioned in the cabinet for communicating with the plenum and with a source of air, inlet fan means in the air box for supplying air at a rate of at least 850 cfm to the plenum, whereby air may be supplied to the rack-mounted equipment for cooling same only from the plenum, and exhaust means for communicating with the source of air, whereby the air for cooling the rack-mounted equipment can be returned to the source of air.