Rack enclosure

• US 7,878,888 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Donovan, James Edward, Germagian, Mark H., Avelar, Victor P., Rasmussen, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister; Steve
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOSANOVIC, HELENA
• Application Number:
  US11/510,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 454/184, 361/695
• US Class Current: 454/184
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• 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 enclosure is provided for housing electronic equipment that accommodates the different cooling and ventilating requirements of different types of equipment. The enclosure is constructed and arranged to support cooling airflow in a front-to-back configuration through the enclosure and in a side-to-side configuration from one side to an opposite side of the enclosure. The enclosure can thereby provide within a single enclosure means cooling air for components using front-to-back airflow for cooling, such as information technology (IT) equipment, and for components using side-to-side airflow, such as certain types of telecommunications equipment. The enclosure can thereby support a mix of IT and telecommunications equipment, providing flexibility and adaptability in network room and data center configuration. The enclosure is further configured to separate intake air used by equipment for cooling from exhaust air vented by equipment into its interior during operation. As a result, the enclosure promotes sufficient equipment cooling and prevents/minimizes equipment overheating.

Claims

1. An enclosure comprising:

a housing having an interior;

a rack disposed within the interior of the housing, the rack being configured to support rack-mounted equipment;

a front plenum disposed along a front of the rack in the interior of the housing;

a side plenum disposed along a side of the rack in the interior of the housing; and

an air distribution unit for use in the equipment rack, the air distribution unit comprising;

an air distribution unit housing defining an interior chamber and configured to be supported by the rack;

at least one air intake vent defined along a front panel of the air distribution unit housing, the at least one air intake vent being disposed and being configured to provide fluid communication between the interior chamber and the front plenum;

at least one exhaust air vent defined along a side panel of the air distribution unit housing and being disposed at a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the at least one air intake vent, the at least one exhaust air vent being further disposed and being configured to provide fluid communication between the interior chamber and the side plenum; and

at least one fan disposed within the interior chamber and configured to draw in air through the at least one air intake vent into its interior chamber and to vent the air from its interior chamber out through the at least one exhaust air vent,

wherein the side plenum is configured with at least one opening to receive the air from the air distribution unit and to deliver the air from the side plenum to the rack mounted equipment, and wherein the air passes across the rack mounted equipment and enters a plenum on an opposite side from the side plenum.

2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the air distribution unit further comprises a midplate disposed within the interior chamber between a top panel and a bottom panel disposed opposite to the top panel, the midplate defining the interior chamber with an upper portion between the top panel and the midplate and a bottom portion between the midplate and the bottom panel, the midplate further defining at least one port in the midplate to provide fluid communication between the upper and the lower portions.

3. The enclosure of claim 2, wherein the at least one port of the midplate is configured such that the port receives at least a portion of the at least one fan to permit the at least one fan to draw in air through the at least one air intake port and the upper portion into its interior and to vent drawn-in air from its interior into the lower portion and out through the at least one exhaust air vent.

4. The enclosure of claim 2, wherein the at least one air intake vent is disposed to provide fluid communication between an area external to the air distribution housing and the upper portion, and the at least one exhaust air vent is disposed to provide fluid communication between the bottom portion and an area external to the air distribution housing.

5. The enclosure of claim 4, further comprising the midplate defining a second port to provide fluid communication between the upper and the lower portions, the second port being configured such that the second port receives at least a portion of a second fan, the second fan being disposed and being configured to draw-in air through the at least one air intake vent and the upper portion into its interior and to vent drawn-in air from its interior into the lower portion and through the at least one exhaust air vent.

6. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the second fan being connected to the bottom panel of the air distribution housing and disposed at an offset position relative to the at least one fan.

7. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the air distribution unit has a predetermined U height.

8. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the air distribution unit is removably mounted within an equipment area defined by the rack of the enclosure.