Airflow barriers for efficient cooling of memory modules

• US 8,102,651 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2009
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bland, Patrick M., Kamath, Vinod, Foster, Jimmy G. Sr., Zapata, Ivan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, GREGORY D
• Application Number:
  US12/572,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20110080700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 361694-695
• US Class Current: 361/695
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means

Abstract

Method and apparatus providing airflow through a chassis including an upstream column of memory modules and a downstream column of memory modules. The airflow is divided into first and second separate airflow streams extending from an upstream end of the upstream column to a downstream end of the downstream column. The first airflow stream is guided into contact with a single memory module operably-installed in the upstream column and to avoid contact with any memory module in the downstream column. The second airflow stream is guided to avoid contact with any memory module in the upstream column and into contact with a single memory module operably-installed in the downstream column. The improved cooling enables the extended use of a single memory module per channel, even though the thermal load on such a memory module is greater. The result is an overall savings of power, since cooling requirements no longer dictate the installation of additional memory modules per channel in order to share and distribute the thermal load.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a chassis defining an air flow pathway from an upstream air inlet to a downstream air outlet;

one or more fans for forcing airflow through the chassis from the upstream air inlet to the downstream air outlet;

first and second pluralities of memory module sockets disposed within the chassis in the airflow pathway, wherein the first plurality of memory module sockets is arranged in a first column and the second plurality of memory module sockets is arranged in a second column that is downstream of the first column;

a first memory module operably received in a socket of the first column and a second memory module operably received in a socket of the second column;

a plurality of airflow barriers including first and second pairs of adjacent airflow barriers, the first pair of adjacent airflow barriers forming an airflow channel guiding airflow along the first memory module and beyond the second column, and the second pair of adjacent airflow barriers forming an airflow channel guiding airflow through the first column and along the second memory module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the each of the plurality of airflow barriers comprises:

a first airflow guide selectively secured in a memory module socket of the first column;

a second airflow guide selectively secured in a memory module socket of the second column; and

a transitional member extending between the first and second airflow guides.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the transitional member is selectively extendable from the second airflow guide toward the first guide and selectively securable to the first guide in an extended condition.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the transitional member is slidably secured to the second airflow guide.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the transitional member is selectively extendable from the first airflow guide toward the second guide and selectively securable to the second guide in an extended condition.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the transitional member is slidably secured to the first airflow guide.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the first airflow guide, the second airflow guide and the transitional member form an airflow barrier extending from an upstream edge of the first column to a downstream edge of the second column.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the transitional member is flexible to extend between first and second airflow guides that are not aligned.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the transitional member is stretchable to extend between the first and second airflow guides.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second columns of memory module sockets each include two or more channels on a memory bus and at least three sockets per channel.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the second column includes at least one memory module socket that is downstream of a CPU and operably receives a memory module, wherein the transitional member extends downstream of the CPU to deter heated air from the CPU contacting the memory module.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the transitional member is necked to allow heated air from the CPU to pass over or under the transitional guide.

13. A system for controlling airflow to memory modules that are installed in first and second adjacent columns of memory module sockets, the system comprising:

a plurality of reconfigurable airflow barriers, wherein an adjacent pair of the reconfigurable airflow barriers form an airflow channel providing airflow to a single memory module, each of the airflow barriers comprising;

a first generally planar airflow guide selectively securable in a memory module socket of the first column; and

a second generally planar airflow guide selectively securable in a memory module socket of the second column, wherein the second airflow guide includes a transitional member that is selectively extendable from the second airflow guide toward the first guide and selectively securable to the first guide in an extended condition.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first column is upstream of the second column, and wherein each of the reconfigurable airflow barriers extends from an upstream edge of the first column to a downstream edge of the second column.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first column is downstream of the second column, and wherein each of the reconfigurable airflow barriers extends from an upstream edge of the second column to a downstream edge of the first column.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the transitional member is slidably extendable from the second airflow guide.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the transitional airflow guide is bendable.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the first airflow guides includes a connector for coupling with the transitional member.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the transitional member is stretchable between the first and second airflow guides.

20. A method comprising:

providing airflow through a chassis including an upstream column of memory modules and a downstream column of memory modules;

dividing the airflow into first and second separate airflow streams extending from an upstream end of the upstream column to a downstream end of the downstream column;

guiding the first airflow stream into contact with a single memory module operably-installed in the upstream column and to avoid contact with any memory module in the downstream column; and

guiding the second airflow stream to avoid contact with any memory module in the upstream column and into contact with a single memory module operably-installed in the downstream column.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the single memory module operably-installed in the upstream column is aligned with the single memory module operably-installed in the downstream column.