METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A DISTRIBUTED COOLING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT ENCLOSURES

• US 20130213082A1
• Filed: 03/24/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scalematrix Holdings, Inc. (ScaleMatrix, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Elliptical Mobile Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: Woodbury, William E. II, Rohrich, Simon J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,575,443 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/498
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2204/04 comprising a cooling unit
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2204/06 comprising insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2301/20 Resilient wheel suspension using springs
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2301/256 by using endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0026 Propulsion aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/18 Construction of rack or frame
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20436 Inner thermal coupling elements in heat dissipating housings, e.g. protrusions or depressions integrally formed in the housing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for an electronic equipment enclosure that provides a frame and an enclosure surrounding the frame. One or more plenums may be arranged between the frame and enclosure and a heat exchanger may be mounted within the one or more plenums. The heat exchanger(s) may be water-based, glycol-based, refrigerant-based or based on other liquid mediums. The heat exchanger(s) may include multiple sets of fans and cooling elements, which may form a redundant cooling configuration. The heat exchanger(s) of one or more enclosures may be interconnected to a cooling controller that may control liquid-flow and air-flow rates within the one or more enclosures based on sensor signals provided to the cooling controller. Components of the cooling system may be distributed throughout

Claims

1. An electronic component enclosure, comprising:

a frame;

an enclosure surrounding the frame;

at least one plenum arranged between the frame and the enclosure; and

a heat exchanger mounted within the at least one plenum.

2. The electronic component enclosure of claim 1, wherein the at least one plenum includes a single plenum arranged below the frame.

3. The electronic component enclosure of claim 1, wherein the at least one plenum includes a single plenum arranged above the frame.

4. The electronic component enclosure of claim 1, wherein the at least one plenum includes a first plenum arranged below the frame and a second plenum arranged above the frame.

5. The electronic component enclosure of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is a water-based heat exchanger.

6. The electronic component enclosure of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is a glycol-based heat exchanger.

7. The electronic component enclosure of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger includes a single set of cooling elements and a single set of fans.

8. The electronic component enclosure of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger includes,

first and second sets of cooling elements;

and

first and second sets of fans, wherein the second set of cooling elements and the second of fans form a redundant cooling configuration.

9. The electronic component enclosure of claim 1, further comprising an air-cooled water chiller coupled to the heat exchanger.

10. The electronic component enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a water-cooled water chiller coupled to the heat exchanger.

11. An electronic component enclosure, comprising:

a frame;

an enclosure surrounding the frame;

at least one plenum formed between the frame and the enclosure; and

cooling coils mounted within the at least one plenum.

12. The electronic component enclosure of claim 11, wherein the at least one plenum includes a single plenum arranged below the frame.

13. The electronic component enclosure of claim 11, wherein the at least one plenum includes a single plenum arranged above the frame.

14. The electronic component enclosure of claim 11, wherein the at least one plenum includes a first plenum arranged below the frame and a second plenum arranged above the frame.

15. The electronic component enclosure of claim 11, wherein the cooling coils are HVAC cooling coils.

16. The electronic component enclosure of claim 11, wherein the cooling coils are HVAC cooling coils containing a refrigerant.

17. The electronic component enclosure of claim 11, further comprising an HVAC coupled to the enclosure and separate from the cooling coils, the HVAC including,

a compressor;

an expansion valve;

a condenser; and

an evaporator.

18. A cooling system, comprising:

a plurality of electronic enclosures, each electronic enclosure including,

a frame;

an enclosure surrounding the frame;

at least one plenum formed between the frame and the enclosure; and

a heat exchanger mounted within the at least one plenum; and

a cooling facility coupled to the heat exchanger of at least one of the plurality of electronic enclosures.

19. The cooling system of claim 18, wherein the cooling facility is an HVAC unit operable to circulate a refrigerant within the heat exchanger of the at least one of the plurality of electronic enclosures.

20. The cooling system of claim 18, wherein the cooling facility is a water chiller operable to circulate a liquid within the heat exchanger of the at least one of the plurality of electronic enclosures.