High density computer equipment storage system

• US 8,582,290 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics International Corporation (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Coglitore, Giovanni, Gallo, Nikolai, Randall, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US10/678,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20040070936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,695 Days
• Field of Search: 361683-687, 361724-727, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/334.8, 312/323, 165/80.3, 165/104.33
• US Class Current: 361/679.46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/18 Packaging or power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1487 Blade assemblies, e.g. blade cases or inner arrangements within a blade
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20727 within server blades for removing heat from heat source
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20736 within cabinets for removing heat from server blades

Abstract

This relates to the manner in which computers are configured in a given area in order to conserve space and to deal with cooling issues associated with the close housing of a large number of computers. Efficient arrangements for efficiently increasing the density of computer configurations are shown, particularly when used in a network server or host environment.

Claims

1. A set of computers comprising:

a computer rack; and

at least two computers, each computer comprising at least one heat-generating component, the at least two computers placed in the computer rack in a back-to-back configuration, wherein;

each of the at least two computers have a depth of less than half of the depth of the computer rack,

each of the at least two computers having a width corresponding to the standard U width of the computer rack,

air flows through each computer such that airflow goes over the at least one heat-generating component, and

the computer rack and computers direct the airflow through the computers up to exit the computer rack through an upper section of the computer rack.

2. The set of computers of claim 1, wherein each computer further comprises a chassis comprising a front panel.

3. The set of computers of claim 1, wherein each computer further comprises a chassis comprising enclosing at least one main board.

4. The set of computers of claim ,1 wherein the computers and the computer rack cooperate to define a space between at least two back-to-back computers.

5. The set of computers of claim 3, wherein the computers and the computer rack cooperate to define a space between at least two back-to-back computers.

6. The set of computers of claim 3, wherein the computers are configured with at least one vent.

7. The set of computers of claim 6, wherein the at least one vent is provided at a back section of at least one of the computers.

8. The set of computers of claim 6, wherein the at least one vent is provided at a front section of at least one of the computers.

52. The set of claim 1, wherein the computer rack and computers direct the airflow through the computers down to exit the computer rack through a lower section of the computer rack.

9. A set of computers, comprising:

a computer rack; and

at least two computers, each computer comprising at least one heat-generating component, the at least two computers placed a back-to-back in the computer rack wherein;

each of the at least two computers having a depth of less than half of the depth of the computer rack,

each of the at least two computers having a width corresponding to the standard U width of the computer rack,

air flows through each computer such that airflow goes over the at least one heat-generating component, and

the computer rack and computers direct air such that the air flows up to enter the computer rack through a lower section of the computer rack, and exits through the computers.

10. The set of computers of claim 9, wherein each computer further comprises a chassis comprising a front panel.

11. The set of computers of claim 9, wherein each computer further comprises a chassis enclosing at least one main board.

12. The set of computers of claim 9, wherein the computers and the computer rack cooperate to define a space between at least two back-to-back computers.

13. The set of computers of claim 11, wherein the computers and the computer rack cooperate to define a space between at least two back-to-back computers.

14. The set of computers of claim 11, wherein the computers are configured with at least one vent.

15. The set of computers of claim 14, wherein the at least one vent is provided at a back section of at least one of the computers.

16. The set of computers of claim 14, wherein the at least one vent is provided at a front section of at least one of the computers.

53. The set of claim 9, wherein the computer rack and computers direct air to flow down to enter the computer rack through an upper section of the computer rack and exit through the computers.

17. A set of computers, comprising:

a computer rack; and

at least two computers, each computer comprising at least one heat-generating component,

wherein the computers are positioned in the computer rack in a back-to-back configuration, wherein;

each of the at least two computers having a depth of less than half of the depth of the computer rack,

each of the at least two computers having a width corresponding to the standard U width of the computer rack,

air flows through each computer such that airflow goes over the at least one heat-generating component, and the computer rack and computers direct the airflow that flows through the computers up to exit the computer rack through an upper section of the computer rack.

18. The set of computers of claim 17, wherein each computer further comprises a chassis comprising a front panel.

19. The set of computers of claim 17, wherein each computer further comprises a chassis enclosing at least one main board.

20. The set of computers of claim 17, wherein the computers and the computer rack cooperate to define a space between at least two back-to-back computers.

21. The set of computers of claim 19, wherein the computers and the computer rack cooperate to define a space between at least two back-to-back computers.

22. The set of computers of claim 19, wherein the computers are configured with at least one vent.

23. The set of computers of claim 22, wherein the at least one vent is provided at a back section of at least one of the computers.

24. The set of computers of claim 22, wherein the at least one vent is provided at a front section of at least one of the computers.

54. The set of claim 17, wherein the computer rack and computers direct the airflow that flows through the computers down to exit the computer rack through a lower section of the computer rack.

25. A set of computers, comprising:

a computer rack; and

at least two computers, each computer comprising at least one heat-generating component;

wherein the computers are positioned in the computer rack in a back-to-back configuration, wherein;

each of the at least two computers having a depth of less than half of the depth of the computer rack,

each of the at least two computers having a width corresponding to the standard U width of the computer rack,

air flows through each computer such that airflow goes over the at least one heat-generating component, and the computer rack and computers cooperate to direct air up to enter the computer rack through a lower section of the computer rack and exits through the computers.

26. The set of computers of claim 25, wherein each computer further comprises a chassis comprising a front panel.

27. The set of computers of claim 25, wherein each computer further comprises a chassis enclosing at least one main board.

28. The set of computers of claim 25, wherein the computers and the computer rack cooperate to define a space between at least two back-to-back computers.

29. The set of computers of claim 27, wherein the computers and the computer rack cooperate to define a space between at least two back-to-back computers.

30. The set of computers of claim 27, wherein the computers are configured with at least one vent.

31. The set of computers of claim 30, wherein the at least one vent is provided at a back section of at least one of the computers.

32. The set of computers of claim 30, wherein the at least one vent is provided at a front section of at least one of the computers.

55. The set of claim 25, wherein the computer rack and computers cooperate to direct down to enter the computer rack through an upper section of the computer rack and exit through the computers.

33. A method of cooling one or more heat-generating components in two or more computers, where such computers are mounted back-to-back in a computer rack, the method comprising:

directing air into and through each of the computers to cool at least one heat-generating component; and

directing the air up to exit the computer rack through an upper section of the computer rack, wherein each of the two or more computers having a depth of less than half of the depth of the computer rack, and wherein each of the two or more computers having a width corresponding to the standard U width of the computer rack.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of providing the back-to back computers to form in cooperation with the computer rack a space between the back-to-back computers.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of providing fans in the computers, the fans adapted to draw air from the computers into the space between the computers.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising the step of providing fans in the computers, the fans adapted to pass air through, over, or adjacent to the at least one heat-generating component and into the space between the computers.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein the step of directing air into and through each of the computers comprises providing forced air to the computers.

38. The method of claim 34 wherein the step of directing air into and through each of the computers comprises providing air conditioned air to the computers.

39. The method of claim 34 wherein the step of directing air into and through each of the computers comprises drawing air to cool the at least one heat-generating component in from the environment and exhausting the air out the computer rack.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein the one or more heat-generating components are provided on one or more main boards of the computers, where each of the computers has a front section and a back section.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein the one or more heat-generating components comprise power supplies.

56. The method of claim 33, directing the air down to exit the computer rack through a lower section of the computer rack.

42. A method of cooling one or more heat-generating components in two or more computers, where such computers are mounted back-to-back in a computer rack, the method comprising:

directing air to cool the one or more heat-generating components up to enter the computer rack through a lower section of the computer rack; and

directing the air through the computers such that the air flows over the at least one heat-generating component, wherein each of the two or more computers have a depth of less than half of the depth of the computer rack, and wherein each of the two or more computers having a width corresponding to the standard U width of the computer rack.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of providing the back-to back computers to form in cooperation with the computer rack a space between the back-to-back computers.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of providing fans in the computers, the fans adapted to draw air from the space between the computers to cool the at least one heat-generating component.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising the step of providing fans in the computers, the fans adapted to pass air from the space between the computers and through, over, or adjacent to the at least one heat-generating component.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of directing air to cool the one or more heat-generating components comprises providing forced air to the space.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of directing air to cool the one or more heat-generating components comprises providing air conditioned air to the space.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of directing air to cool the one or more heat-generating components comprises drawing air to cool the at least one heat-generating component in from the environment and exhausting the air out the computer rack.

49. The method of claim 42, wherein the one or more heat-generating components are provided on one or more main boards of the computers, where each of the computers has a front section and a back section.

50. The method of claim 42, wherein the one or more heat-generating components comprise power supplies.

57. The method of claim 42, further comprising directing air to cool the one or more heat-generating components down to enter the computer rack through an upper section of the computer rack.

51. A set of computers, comprising:

at least two computers, each computer comprising at least one heat-generating component; and

a computer rack receiving the at least two computers in a back-to-back configuration, wherein air is permitted to flow through each computer such that airflow goes over the at least one heat-generating component such that the airflow flows through the back-to-back computers and the computer rack, wherein each of the at least two computers having a depth of less than half of the depth of the computer rack, and wherein each of the at least two computers having a width corresponding to the standard U width of the computer rack.