Patent Application
20140148086
Embodiments described herein generally relate to a controllable air inlet duct for rack systems, and more specifically to an apparatus, method, and system related to providing controlled and balanced air flow to electronic equipment contained in racks.
The heat generated by electronic devices may be concentrated in locations where electrical components are placed in close proximity to one another. As one example, a rack system may contain densely packed electrical components. Accordingly, such racks may generate a substantial amount of localized heat during operation. The ability to control and remove this heat may affect performance, efficiency, and lifespan of electronic components contained and used in rack systems.
In one embodiment, a method is provided for providing air to a rack system. The method may include adapting a duct to channel air into a receiving section of the rack system. The method may further include, directing incoming air into partitions corresponding to the receiving sections of the rack system before exiting the duct using an adjustable separator within the duct. The adjustable separator may have an adjustability of length and have a paneling made of a flexible material.
In another embodiment, an apparatus is provided for providing air to a rack system. The apparatus may include a duct adapted to channel air into a receiving section of the rack system. The apparatus may also include an adjustable separator within the duct to direct incoming air into partitions corresponding to the receiving section of the rack system before exiting the duct. The adjustable separator may have an adjustability of length and have a paneling made of a flexible material.
In the Figures and the Detailed Description, like numbers refer to like elements.
Often heat must be removed from an electronic component and its immediate area in order for the component to maintain an operational temperature within desired limits. Failure to remove heat effectively results in increased component temperatures, which in turn, may lead to thermal runaway conditions causing decreased performance and potentially catastrophic failure. Thermal management is the process of maintaining a desirable temperature in electronic devices and their surroundings. The need to cool current and future high heat load, high heat flux electronic components and systems therefore mandates the development of aggressive thermal management techniques.
Rack system may contain multiple electronic devices for which thermal management is desired. In one embodiment, the electronic devices may be servers. In other embodiments, the rack system may contain electronic storage or networking hardware. Traditionally, rack systems may be kept in rooms that have carefully controlled temperature and humidity levels. For more powerful rack systems that may run at higher temperatures this may not be enough for maintaining proper temperature of contained electronics. For rack systems that require greater thermal management, ducts may be attached so that air may be directed through the rack system for better thermal maintenance. In various embodiments, the temperature of the air, the volume of air, the velocity of the air and the humidity of the air being channeled through the ducts may be controlled. Previously ducts for rack systems may have greatly limited configurability and adjustability. Previous ducts may have used metal sheet as separators. The separators may be used for directing or dividing air channeled through the duct into the rack system. These separators may typically be made of metal and thus a nonadjustable length. The size and shape of a duct may limit the angles that such separators may be used at, thereby limiting their use in dividing and directing air flow. This may mean that if rack system is modified or if the duct is applied to a different rack system, the duct may not channel air where needed without difficult and time consuming part replacement.
Features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of the invention. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the invention. It is also to be understood that the descriptions of the embodiments are provided by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention as claimed.
In the shown embodiment, the receiving section of the server, face 11, may have panels 15a through 15i (collectively referred to as 15) designed to receive the air from a duct. These panels 15 when removed or opened may allow for air from an attached duct to flow into the server rack 10. In various embodiments, the panels 15 may be screwed on plates, pop-out pieces, or hinged plates. The opening or removal of specific panels 15 may result in air flowing over specific components in the server rack 10. This may result in improved thermal control of such components. For example, the opening of only panels 15c, 15d, and 15e may result in a majority of the volume of air from the duct attached to receiving face flowing over and around components located behind panels 15c, 15d, and 15e. In various embodiments the number of panels 15 may vary or the panels may be replaced by one or more openings on receiving face of the server. In another embodiment, the panels 15 may be replaced with screening or may be one or more uncovered openings for allowing for air to pass through into the server rack 10.
In the embodiment shown, the duct 110 has a mounting bracket 115. The mounting bracket 115 has a multitude of retainers 117 attached thereto. The mounting bracket 115 and retainers 117 may create a plurality of attachment points in the duct 110 for the bases 121 of the adjustable separators 120. In other embodiments, the duct may have a multitude of mounting brackets and retainers. In another embodiment, the duct may have no mounting bracket for the retainers 117 and instead the retainers may be mounted, built into, or part of the walls, sides, or floor of the duct 110.
In the embodiment shown, the duct 110 may have a multitude of holders 118. The holders 118 may create a plurality of attachment points in the duct 110 for the connectors 122 at the end of the adjustable separators 120. In other embodiments, the duct 110 may use a mounting bracket 115 for attaching the holders 118. In another embodiment, the duct 110 may have the mounting brackets 115 built into, mounted, or part of the walls, sides, top of the duct 110.
The retainers 117 and holders 118 may be used for mounting opposing ends of the adjustable separators 120a and 120b (collectively referred to as 120). The adjustable separators 120 may have respective bases 121a and 121b, paneling 123a and 123b, and end with connectors 122a and 122b. The bases 121 may be installed to any of the retainers 117. The connectors 122, which are the located on the ends of the adjustable separators 120 opposite the bases 121, may be installed to any of the holders 118. The adjustable separator 120 may be installed to any combination of retainer 117 and holder 118. The paneling 123 may adjust to the various combinations of lengths possible using the retainer 117 and holders 118. In various embodiments, the use of the retainers 117, holders 118, bases 121, and the connectors 122 may be rearranged with respect to these elements use at either the entrance or exit of the duct 110. The selection of various retainers 117 and holders 118 for the adjustable separators 120 may create partitions for the incoming air 111 such as 131a, 131b, and 131c. The partitions 131 may be adjusted by selecting either a different retainer 117 or holder 118, or both, for the adjustable separator 120. The paneling 123 may be adjustable to accomplish the required adaptability, and is discussed below.
The embodiment shown also has optional air guides 125a and 125b. The air guides may be used to further direct exiting air groups 112a, 112b, and 112c to specific areas or components within the server rack 10 as they leave the duct 110. The air guides may be attached to the adjustable separators 120 at either the connectors 122 or the paneling 123.
The adjustable separator 120 may adjust to various lengths by using paneling 123 that can vary in length to meet the range of possible needs in a duct 110. The paneling 123 may be a flexible material such as a soft plastic, vinyl, nylon, or cloth. The use of flexible materials for the paneling 123 may provide for the adjustability of lengths and angles created when using various retainers 117 and holders 118. In one embodiment, the paneling material may also be elastic, for example a spandex material, allowing for it to be stretched to match different lengths needs. Other embodiments may use mechanical means to assist in adjusting the length of the panel 120. In various embodiments, the panel 120 may wrap around the base 121. For example in one embodiment, base 121 may include a spring roller mechanism and housing that may allow for the length of the panel 120 to be adjustable. In another embodiment, the base 121 may include the housing for holding accordion folds of paneling 123 which may allow for adjustment in the length of the paneling 123.
In the embodiment shown in
In another embodiment, the air guide may be made of a multitude of filaments. Specifically, an air guide 125a may be a row of brush-like filaments or bristles set into a rod or elongated member. In one embodiment, the rod or elongated member may be placed substantially parallel to the connector 122. In another embodiment, the rod or elongated member may be part of the connector 122. The filaments may extend perpendicularly from the elongated member into the rack system. In such an embodiment, the filaments may act semi-rigid curtain, solid enough to direct air while flexible enough to conform around components they come in contact with.
While the disclosed subject matter has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the subject matter, which are apparent to persons skilled in the art to which the disclosed subject matter pertains are deemed to lie within the scope and spirit of the disclosed subject matter.
