Equipment enclosure with air diverter temperature control system

• US 9,326,426 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2011
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diversified Control, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Diversified Control, Inc.
• Inventors: James, Lewis G., King, Aron J., Halik, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister, Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cotov, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US13/253,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20130087320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 454/184, 454/193, 454/185, 165/253
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20572 within cabinets for removing heat from sub-racks, e.g. plenum

Abstract

An equipment enclosure includes an air exhaust opening and an air intake opening at respective upper and lower regions of the enclosure, and an interior equipment chamber configured to house controlled temperature equipment at a controlled temperature equipment area. A temperature diverter system includes a warm air exhaust subsystem and a warm air circulation subsystem. The warm air exhaust subsystem is operable to vent warm air in the enclosure through the air exhaust opening in order to cool the controlled temperature equipment area. The warm air circulation subsystem is operable to circulate warm air in the enclosure to the controlled temperature equipment area in order to warm that area. The equipment enclosure further includes one or more temperature sensors and a temperature controller for controlling operations of the warm air exhaust subsystem and the warm air circulation system based on input from the temperature sensor(s).

Claims

1. An equipment enclosure, comprising:

an air exhaust opening disposed at a first region of said equipment enclosure;

an air intake opening disposed at a second region of said equipment enclosure;

an interior equipment chamber configured to house controlled temperature equipment at a controlled temperature equipment area therein;

a temperature diverter system, said air diverter system comprising;

a warm air exhaust subsystem operable to vent warm air collected at a top of said equipment enclosure through said air exhaust opening in order to cool said controlled temperature equipment area; and

a warm air circulation subsystem operable to circulate warm air collected at said top of said equipment enclosure to said controlled temperature equipment area in order to warm said controlled temperature equipment area;

said temperature diverter system comprising either (1) a common air mover that is shared by said warm air exhaust subsystem and said warm air circulation subsystem, with said warm air exhaust subsystem comprising a first movable damper and said warm air circulation subsystem comprising a second movable damper, each said damper being mechanically connected to a damper motor implemented as a multi-position stepper motor that selectively positions said damper through a range of positions so that said warm air collected at said top of said equipment enclosure is selectively directed by said common air mover to said warm air exhaust system and said warm air circulation system, or (2) a first air mover for said warm air exhaust subsystem and a second air mover for said warm air circulation subsystem, said first air mover and said second air mover being controllable so that said warm air collected at said top of said equipment enclosure is selectively directed by said first air mover and said second air mover to said warm air exhaust system and said warm air circulation system;

one or more temperature sensors; and

a digital temperature controller implementing a control routine for controlling operations of said warm air exhaust subsystem and said warm air circulation subsystem based on input from said one or more temperature sensors.

2. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said air exhaust opening is located above said air intake opening.

3. The equipment enclosure of claim 2, wherein said controlled temperature equipment area is disposed below said air exhaust opening and above said air intake opening.

4. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises one or more fans.

5. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises one or more dampers.

6. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises one or more air movers and one or more dampers.

7. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said warm air exhaust subsystem comprises an air mover that receives warm air in said equipment enclosure and directs it to said air exhaust opening via a warm air exhaust plenum mounted to said equipment enclosure.

8. The equipment enclosure of claim 7, wherein said warm air exhaust plenum provides a closed air pathway from said air mover to said air exhaust opening.

9. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said warm air circulation subsystem comprises an air mover that receives warm air in said equipment enclosure and directs it to said controlled temperature equipment area via a warm air circulation plenum mounted to said equipment enclosure.

10. The equipment enclosure of claim 9, wherein said warm air circulation plenum provides a closed air pathway from said air mover to said controlled temperature equipment area.

11. The equipment enclosure of claim 10, wherein said closed pathway is disposed at least in part on a door of said equipment enclosure.

12. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises a warm air receiver unit comprising a box-shaped plenum structure disposed at a warm air collecting area of said interior equipment chamber proximate to a closed top panel of said equipment enclosure, said common air mover being mounted at an upper air receiving port in said box-shaped plenum structure to receive warm air from said warm air collecting area, said common air mover being shared by said warm air exhaust subsystem and said warm air circulation subsystem and comprising a radial fan that draws air downwardly from said upper air receiving port into a central interior region of said box-shaped plenum structure, then redirects said air through an angle of approximately 90 degrees so that it flows radially outwardly toward respective warm air exhaust and circulation discharge ports of said box-shaped plenum structure, and further wherein said warm air exhaust subsystem comprises said first movable damper disposed within said box-shaped plenum structure proximate to said warm air exhaust discharge port, and said warm air circulation subsystem comprises said second movable damper disposed within said box-shaped plenum structure proximate to said warm air circulation discharge port.

13. The equipment enclosure of claim 12, wherein said first and second movable dampers are powered by separate motors mounted on said box-shaped plenum structure.

14. The equipment enclosure of claim 1, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises said first air mover for said warm air exhaust subsystem and said second air mover for said warm air circulation subsystem.

15. The equipment enclosure of claim 14, wherein said warm air exhaust subsystem further comprises a movable spring loaded damper.

16. A method for controlling temperature in an equipment enclosure,

said equipment enclosure comprising:

an air exhaust opening disposed at an upper region of said equipment enclosure;

an air intake opening disposed at a lower region of said equipment enclosure;

an interior equipment chamber configured to house controlled temperature equipment at a controlled temperature equipment area therein;

a temperature diverter system, said temperature diverter system comprising;

a warm air exhaust subsystem operable to vent warm air collected at a top of said equipment enclosure through said air exhaust opening in order to cool said controlled temperature equipment area;

a warm air circulation subsystem operable to circulate warm air collected at said top of said equipment enclosure to said controlled temperature equipment area in order to warm said controlled temperature equipment area;

said temperature diverter system comprising either (1) a common air mover that is shared by said warm air exhaust subsystem and said warm air circulation subsystem, with said warm air exhaust subsystem comprising a first movable damper and said warm air circulation subsystem comprising a second movable damper, each said damper being mechanically connected to a damper motor implemented as a multi-position stepper motor that selectively positions said damper through a range of positions so that said warm air collected at said top of said equipment enclosure is selectively directed by said common air mover to said warm air exhaust system and said warm air circulation system, or (2) a first air mover for said warm air exhaust subsystem and a second air mover for said warm air circulation subsystem, said first air mover and said second air mover being controllable so that said warm air collected at said top of said equipment enclosure is selectively directed by said first air mover and said second air mover to said warm air exhaust system and said warm air circulation system;

one or more temperature sensors; and

a digital control subsystem implementing a control routine for controlling operations of said warm air exhaust subsystem and said warm air circulation system based on input from said one or more temperature sensors;

said method comprising;

obtaining a temperature measurement from a temperature sensor located in said controlled temperature equipment area; and

controlling said warm air exhaust subsystem to vent warm air if said temperature measurement is too high and controlling said warm air circulation subsystem to circulate air to said controlled temperature area if said temperature measurement is too low.

17. The method of claim 16, further including controlling both said warm air exhaust system and said warm air circulation system to achieved a desired temperature in said controlled temperature area.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises one or more dampers, and wherein said controlling comprises selectively positioning said one or more dampers.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises one or more air movers, and wherein said controlling comprises selectively controlling a speed of said one or more air movers.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said temperature diverter system comprises one or more heaters, and wherein said controlling comprises selectively controlling said one or more heaters.

21. An equipment enclosure, comprising:

an air exhaust opening disposed at an upper region of said equipment enclosure;

an air intake opening disposed at a lower region of said equipment enclosure;

an interior equipment chamber configured to house controlled temperature equipment at a controlled temperature equipment area therein;

warm air exhaust means for venting warm air collected at a top of said equipment enclosure through said air exhaust opening in order to cool said controlled temperature equipment area;

warm air circulation means for circulating warm air collected at said top of said equipment enclosure to said controlled temperature equipment area in order to warm said controlled temperature equipment area;

said warm air exhaust means and said warm air circulation means collectively comprising either (1) common air mover that is shared by said warm air exhaust means and said warm air circulation means, with said warm air exhaust means comprising a first movable damper and said warm air circulation means comprising a second movable damper, each said damper being mechanically connected to a damper motor implemented as a multi-position stepper motor that selectively positions said damper through a range of positions so that said warm air collected at said top of said equipment enclosure is selectively directed by said common air mover to said warm air exhaust means and said warm air circulation means, or (2) a first air mover for said warm air exhaust means and a second air mover for said warm air circulation means, said first air mover and said second air mover being controllable so that said warm air collected at said top of said equipment enclosure is selectively directed by said first air mover and said second air mover to said warm air exhaust means and said warm air circulation means;

one or more temperature sensors; and

digital control means for implementing a control routine for controlling operations of said warm air exhaust subsystem and said warm air circulation system based on input from said one or more temperature sensors.

22. An equipment enclosure, comprising:

an interior equipment chamber;

a temperature diverter system, said air diverter system comprising;

a warm air receiver unit comprising a box-shaped plenum structure disposed at a warm air collecting area of said interior equipment chamber proximate to a closed top panel of said equipment enclosure;

two warm air subsystems operable to direct warm air collected by said warm air receiver to two areas of said equipment enclosure in order to provide a desired warming or cooling effect;

a first one of said warm air subsystems being a warm air exhaust system operable to vent warm air collected at said warm air collecting area through an air exhaust opening in a side panel of said equipment enclosure;

a second one of said warm air subsystems being a warm air circulation system operable to vent warm air collected at said warm air collecting area to a controlled temperature equipment area in said equipment chamber where controlled temperature equipment is housed;

said warm air subsystems collectively comprising a common air mover mounted at an upper air receiving port of said box-shaped plenum structure that forms an inlet of said warm air receiver unit, said box-shaped plenum structure further including a warm air exhaust port in fluid communication with said air exhaust opening, and a warm air circulation port in fluid communication with said controlled temperature equipment area, said warm air exhaust port and said warm air circulation port being disposed on opposite sides of said box-shaped plenum structure;

said common air mover being shared by said warm air exhaust system and said warm air recirculation system and comprising a radial fan that draws air downwardly from said upper air receiving port into a central interior region of said box-shaped plenum structure, then redirects said air through an angle of approximately 90 degrees so that it flows radially outwardly toward said warm air exhaust discharge port and said warm air circulation discharge port, with said warm air exhaust system and said warm air circulation system each comprising a movable damper disposed within said box-shaped plenum structure and respectively disposed proximate to said warm air exhaust discharge port and said warm air circulation discharge port, each said damper being mechanically connected to a respective damper motor on said box-shaped plenum structure that selectively positions said damper through a range of positions so that said warm air collected at said warm air collecting area is selectively directed by said common air mover via said warm air exhaust discharge port to said exhaust opening and via said warm air circulation discharge port to said controlled temperature equipment area; and

digital temperature control logic operable to implement a control routine to control operations of said warm air subsystems in order to selectively direct warm air to said exhaust opening and said controlled temperature equipment area.