Device and methodology for the removal of heat from an equipment rack by means of heat exchangers mounted to a door

• US 8,250,877 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vertiv Corporation (Vertiv Holdings Co.)
• Original Assignee: Cooligy Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Correa, Adrian, Lin, Tien Chih (Eric), Hom, James, Shiomoto, Gregory, Chow, Norman, Leong, Brandon, Brewer, Richard Grant, Werner, Douglas E., McMaster, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Melvin
• Application Number:
  US12/291,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20090225513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 622/67, 624/40, 624/41, 622/592
• US Class Current: 62/259.2
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/10 Additional functions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20781 within cabinets for removing heat from server blades

Abstract

A cooling door assembly includes a frame and a cooling door coupled to the frame. The cooling door includes one or more heat exchangers. The frame is configured to mount to the back of a server rack or other electronics enclosure in such a manner that the cooling door opens to allow access to the electronics servers within the server rack while maintaining a fluidic connection to an external cooling system. The frame is coupled to the external cooling system and the cooling door includes swivel joints configured to provide a fluid path between the cooling door and the frame. In this manner, the frame remains in a fixed position, while the cooling door is configured to rotate relative to the frame so as to open and close, while maintaining the fluid path through the swivel joint.

Claims

1. A cooling door assembly comprising:

a. a frame including one or more external supply line interconnects configured to receive a coolant, and one or more external return line interconnects configured to output the coolant, wherein the frame is configured to be coupled to an electronics enclosure;

b. a cooling door including one or more heat exchangers configured to pass the coolant therethrough;

c. one or more inlet swivel joints coupled to the frame and to the cooling door, wherein each of the one or more inlet swivel joints includes an inlet coolant path coupled between the one or more external supply line interconnects and the one or more heat exchangers;

d. one or more outlet swivel joints coupled to the frame and to the cooling door, wherein each of the one or more outlet swivel joints includes an outlet coolant path coupled between the one or more heat exchangers and the one or more external return line interconnects,

wherein the one or more inlet swivel joints are each configured to rotate while maintaining the inlet coolant path between the one or more supply line interconnects and the one or more heat exchangers, and the one or more outlet swivel joints are each configured to rotate while maintaining the outlet coolant path between the one or more heat exchangers and the one or more external return line interconnects, thereby enabling the cooling door to rotate relative to the frame while maintaining a coolant path between the frame and the cooling door.

2. The cooling door assembly of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of load-bearing mechanical hinges coupled to the frame and the cooling door, wherein the one or more inlet swivel joints, the one or more outlet swivel joints, and the plurality of mechanical hinges are aligned substantially co-linearly.

3. The cooling door assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more inlet swivel joints and the one or more outlet swivel joints are configured as load-bearing hinges coupled to the frame and to the cooling door.

4. The cooling door assembly of claim 1 wherein the coolant is a refrigerant.

5. The cooling door assembly of claim 1 wherein the coolant comprises water.

6. The cooling door assembly of claim 1 wherein the frame further comprises a frame supply line coupled between the external supply line interconnects and the one or more inlet swivel joints.

7. The cooling door assembly of claim 1 wherein the frame further comprises one or more frame return lines coupled between the one or more outlet swivel joints and the external return line interconnects.

8. The cooling door assembly of claim 7 wherein if the one or more outlet swivel joints comprises multiple outlet swivel joints, then the one or more frame return lines are commonly coupled to each of the multiple outlet swivel joints.

9. The cooling door assembly of claim 1 wherein the cooling door assembly comprises a single phase cooling system and the coolant remains in a single phase.

10. The cooling door assembly of claim 1 wherein the cooling door assembly comprises a two-phase cooling system and at least a portion of the coolant undergoes a phase change within the cooling door assembly.

11. The cooling door assembly of claim 10 wherein a diameter of each of the one or more external supply line interconnects is equal to or smaller than a diameter of each of the one or more external return line interconnects.

12. The cooling door assembly of claim 11 wherein a diameter of all fluid supply paths inputting fluid to the one or more heat exchangers is equal to or smaller than a diameter of all fluid return paths outputting fluid from the one or more heat exchangers.

13. The cooling door assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more heat exchangers includes one or more coolant inlet ports at a bottom of the heat exchanger and one or more coolant output ports at a top of the heat exchanger such that coolant flows from the bottom of the heat exchanger to the top of the heat exchanger.

14. The cooling door assembly of claim 1 wherein the cooling door further comprises a cooling door supply line coupled between the one or more inlet swivel joints and the one or more heat exchangers, and a cooling door return line coupled between the one or more heat exchangers and the one or more outlet swivel joints.

15. The cooling door assembly of claim 14 wherein the cooling door further comprises one or more heat exchanger supply lines, one heat exchanger supply line for each heat exchanger and each heat exchanger supply line is coupled between the cooling door supply line and the heat exchanger.

16. The cooling door assembly of claim 15 further comprising a flow control regulator coupled to each heat exchanger supply line.

17. The cooling door assembly of claim 1 further comprising a flow control regulator coupled to at least one of a frame supply line coupled between the external supply line interconnects and the one or more inlet swivel joints, and a cooling door supply line coupled between the one or more inlet swivel joints and the one or more heat exchangers.

18. The cooling door assembly of claim 1 wherein the frame further comprises one or more outlet mounting blocks, each one of the one or more outlet mounting blocks is coupled to one of the one or more outlet swivel joints.

19. The cooling door assembly of claim 18 wherein each of the one or more outlet mounting blocks is coupled to the one or more external return line interconnects.

20. The cooling door assembly of claim 18 wherein one of the one or more outlet mounting blocks includes the one or more external return line interconnects.

21. The cooling door assembly of claim 18 wherein the frame further comprises one or more inlet mounting blocks, each one of the inlet mounting blocks is coupled to one of the one or more inlet swivel joints.

22. The cooling door assembly of claim 21 wherein each of the one or more inlet mounting blocks is coupled to the one or more external supply line interconnects.

23. The cooling door assembly of claim 21 wherein one of the one or more inlet mounting blocks includes the one or more external supply line interconnects.

24. A cooling door assembly comprising:

a. a frame including one or more external supply line interconnects configured to receive a coolant, and one or more external return line interconnects configured to output the coolant, wherein the frame is configured to be coupled to an electronics enclosure;

b. a cooling door including one or more heat exchangers configured to pass the coolant therethrough;

c. a swivel joint coupled to the frame, wherein the swivel joint includes at least two independent coolant paths, a first coolant path is coupled between the one or more external supply line interconnects and the one or more heat exchangers, and a second coolant path is coupled between the one or more heat exchangers and the one or more external return line interconnects,

wherein the swivel joint is configured to rotate while maintaining the first coolant path between the one or more supply line interconnects and the one or more heat exchangers, and maintaining the second coolant path between the one or more heat exchangers and the one or more external return line interconnects, thereby enabling the cooling door to rotate relative to the frame while maintaining the first coolant path and the second coolant path between the frame and the cooling door.

25. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 further comprising a plurality of load-bearing mechanical hinges coupled to the frame and the cooling door, wherein the swivel joint and the plurality of mechanical hinges are aligned substantially co-linearly.

26. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 wherein the swivel joint is configured as a load-bearing hinge coupled to the frame and to the cooling door.

27. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 wherein the coolant is a refrigerant.

28. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 wherein the coolant comprises water.

29. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 wherein the frame further comprises a frame supply line coupled between the external supply line interconnects and the swivel joint.

30. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 wherein the frame further comprises one or more frame return lines coupled between the swivel joint and the external return line interconnects.

31. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 wherein the cooling door assembly comprises a single phase cooling system and the coolant remains in a single phase.

32. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 wherein the cooling door assembly comprises a two-phase cooling system and at least a portion of the coolant undergoes a phase change within the cooling door assembly.

33. The cooling door assembly of claim 32 wherein a diameter of each of the one or more external supply line interconnects is equal to or smaller than a diameter of each of the one or more external return line interconnects.

34. The cooling door assembly of claim 33 wherein the swivel joint includes a plurality of first coolant interconnects coupled to the first fluid path and a plurality of second coolant interconnects coupled to the second fluid path, and a diameter of each first coolant interconnect is equal to or smaller than a diameter of each second coolant interconnect.

35. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 wherein each of the one or more heat exchangers includes one or more coolant inlet ports at a bottom of the heat exchanger and one or more coolant output ports at a top of the heat exchanger such that coolant flows from the bottom of the heat exchanger to the top of the heat exchanger.

36. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 wherein the cooling door further comprises a cooling door supply line coupled between the swivel joint and the one or more heat exchangers, and a cooling door return line coupled between the one or more heat exchangers and the swivel joint.

37. The cooling door assembly of claim 36 wherein the cooling door further comprises one or more heat exchanger supply lines, one heat exchanger supply line for each heat exchanger and each heat exchanger supply line is coupled between the cooling door supply line and the heat exchanger.

38. The cooling door assembly of claim 37 further comprising a flow control regulator coupled to each heat exchanger supply line.

39. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 further comprising a flow control regulator coupled to at least one of a frame supply line coupled between the external supply line interconnects and the one or more inlet swivel joints, and a cooling door supply line coupled between the one or more inlet swivel joints and the one or more heat exchangers.

40. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 wherein the frame further comprises a first mounting block, wherein the first mounting block is coupled to the swivel joint.

41. The cooling door assembly of claim 40 wherein the first mounting block is coupled to the one or more external return line interconnects.

42. The cooling door assembly of claim 40 wherein the first mounting block includes the one or more external return line interconnects.

43. The cooling door assembly of claim 40 wherein the frame further comprises a second mounting block, wherein the second mounting block is coupled to the cooling door supply line.

44. The cooling door assembly of claim 43 wherein the second mounting block is coupled to a frame supply line within the frame.

45. The cooling door assembly of claim 24 further comprising one or more additional swivel joints coupled to the frame, each additional swivel joint is configured with at least two independent coolant paths, one coolant path coupled between the one or more heat exchangers and the one or more external return line interconnects, and another coolant path between the one or more external supply line interconnects and the one or more heat exchangers.

46. A cooling door assembly comprising:

a. a frame including one or more external supply line interconnects configured to receive a coolant, and one or more external return line interconnects configured to output the coolant, wherein the frame is configured to be coupled to an electronics enclosure;

b. a cooling door including one or more heat exchangers configured to pass the coolant therethrough;

c. one or more inlet swivel joints coupled to the frame and to the cooling door, wherein each of the one or more inlet swivel joints includes an inlet coolant path, further wherein the one or more inlet swivel joints are each configured to rotate while maintaining the inlet coolant path, thereby maintaining an inlet coolant path between the one or more supply line interconnects and the one or more heat exchangers;

d. one or more outlet swivel joints coupled to the frame and to the cooling door, wherein each of the one or more outlet swivel joints includes an outlet coolant path, further wherein the one or more outlet swivel joints are each configured to rotate while maintaining the outlet coolant path, thereby maintaining an outlet coolant path between the one or more heat exchangers and the one or more external return line interconnects; and

e. a flex mechanism coupled to the one or more inlet swivel joints and to the one or more outlet swivel joints.

47. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 wherein the flex mechanism includes a first flex assembly coupled between each of the one or more inlet swivel joints and the one or more heat exchangers, and a second flex assembly coupled between the one or more heat exchangers and each of the one or more outlet swivel joints.

48. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 further comprising a plurality of load-bearing mechanical hinges coupled to the frame and the cooling door, wherein the one or more inlet swivel joints, the one or more outlet swivel joints, and the plurality of mechanical hinges are aligned substantially co-linearly.

49. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 wherein the one or more inlet swivel joints and the one or more outlet swivel joints are configured as load-bearing hinges coupled to the frame and to the cooling door.

50. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 wherein the coolant is a refrigerant.

51. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 wherein the coolant comprises water.

52. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 wherein the frame further comprises a frame supply line coupled between the external supply line interconnects and the one or more inlet swivel joints.

53. The cooling door assembly of claim 52 wherein the flex mechanism includes one or more flexible pipes included as part of the frame supply line.

54. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 wherein the frame further comprises one or more frame return lines coupled between the one or more outlet swivel joints and the external return line interconnects.

55. The cooling door assembly of claim 54 wherein if the one or more outlet swivel joints comprises multiple outlet swivel joints, then the one or more frame return lines form a common frame return line coupled to each of the multiple outlet swivel joints, and the flex mechanism includes a flexible piping included as part of the common frame return line.

56. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 wherein the cooling door assembly comprises a single phase cooling system and the coolant remains in a single phase.

57. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 wherein the cooling door assembly comprises a two-phase cooling system and at least a portion of the coolant undergoes a phase change within the cooling door assembly.

58. The cooling door assembly of claim 57 wherein a diameter of each of the one or more external supply line interconnects is equal to or smaller than a diameter of each of the one or more external return line interconnects.

59. The cooling door assembly of claim 57 wherein a diameter of all fluid supply paths inputting fluid to the one or more heat exchangers is equal to or smaller than a diameter of all fluid return paths outputting fluid from the one or more heat exchangers.

60. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 wherein each of the one or more heat exchangers includes one or more coolant inlet ports at a bottom of the heat exchanger and one or more coolant output ports at a top of the heat exchanger such that coolant flows from the bottom of the heat exchanger to the top of the heat exchanger.

61. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 wherein the cooling door further comprises a cooling door supply line coupled between the one or more inlet swivel joints and the one or more heat exchangers, and a cooling door return line coupled between the one or more heat exchangers and the one or more outlet swivel joints.

62. The cooling door assembly of claim 61 wherein the cooling door further comprises one or more heat exchanger supply lines, one heat exchanger supply line for each heat exchanger and each heat exchanger supply line is coupled between the cooling door supply line and the heat exchanger.

63. The cooling door assembly of claim 62 further comprising a flow control regulator coupled to each heat exchanger supply line.

64. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 further comprising a flow control regulator coupled to at least one of a frame supply line coupled between the external supply line interconnects and the one or more inlet swivel joints, and a cooling door supply line coupled between the one or more inlet swivel joints and the one or more heat exchangers.

65. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 wherein the flex mechanism is configured to accommodate a range of assembly tolerances within the cooling door assembly.

66. The cooling door assembly of claim 46 wherein the frame further comprises one or more outlet mounting blocks, each one of the one or more outlet mounting blocks is coupled to one of the one or more outlet swivel joints.

67. The cooling door assembly of claim 66 wherein each of the one or more outlet mounting blocks is coupled to the one or more external return line interconnects.

68. The cooling door assembly of claim 66 wherein one of the one or more outlet mounting blocks includes the one or more external return line interconnects.

69. The cooling door assembly of claim 66 wherein the frame further comprises one or more inlet mounting blocks, each one of the inlet mounting blocks is coupled to one of the one or more inlet swivel joints.

70. The cooling door assembly of claim 69 wherein each of the one or more inlet mounting blocks is coupled to the one or more external supply line interconnects.

71. The cooling door assembly of claim 69 wherein one of the one or more inlet mounting blocks includes the one or more external supply line interconnects.

72. The cooling door assembly of claim 69 wherein the flex mechanism includes a plurality of grommets coupled between each of the one or more inlet mounting blocks and a frame panel and between each of the one or more outlet mounting blocks and a frame panel.