Patent Application
20100059201
The liquid-fed heat exchangers 102 are rigidly held by the frame 101 approximately horizontally. Specifically, the liquid-fed heat exchangers 102 are secured to the frame 101 by screws such that the liquid-fed heat exchangers 102 are rigidly held in place in the frame 101.
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a liquid cooled rack with compliant heat exchanger support structure includes a rack having a rigid frame for supporting electronic components therein, a plurality of flexible supports connected to the rigid frame, and a liquid-fed heat exchanger mounted within the rack via the plurality of flexible supports. The plurality of flexible supports are connected to the heat exchanger and configured to flexbly support the liquid-fed heat exchanger with respect to the rigid frame.
Other aspects and advantageous of the invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claims.
Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Like elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency.
In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.
In the data room, an overhead pipe system 203 may be installed over the rack 200. The position of the overhead pipe system 203 may be adjusted according to the design of the data room and position of the rack 200. The overhead pipe system 203 delivers a liquid coolant to the heat exchangers 202 to cool the electronic components therein.
Although the overhead pipe system 203 is connected to each of the heat exchangers 202 in
Further, the rack 200 may include fans 208 for propagating air across the heat exchangers 202 through the rack 200 to cool the electronic components. The number of the fans and the position of the fans may be determined based on the design of the rack 200 and the electric components disposed therein.
As can be seen from
As shown in
The frame 201 has attachments parts 401 corresponding to the recessed portions 204. Specifically, the frame 201 has the attachment parts 403 and 404 at the inside surface thereof. Each of the attachment parts 403 has a projection 405 on the bottom surface thereof. Also, each of the attachment parts 404 has a projection 406 on the top surface thereof Correspondingly, the recessed portions 204 of the heat exchangers 202 have projections 410 and 412.
A spring 407 is installed between the projections 405 and 410. Also, a spring 408 is installed between the projections 406 and 412. Thus, the recessed portions 204 of the holder 203 are flexibly connected to the attachment parts 403 and 404 via the springs 407 and 408. That is, the springs 407 and 408 flexibly supports the heat exchangers 202 approximately horizontally with respect to the rigid frame 201.
As a result, the liquid cooled rack with compliant heat exchanger support structure allows the heat exchangers 202 to rotate/swivel and absorb displacement of the frame 201 transmitted from the frame 201 due to a vibration, such as, by an earthquake, allowing the heat exchangers 202 to maintain the spatial geometry and envelope.
The positions, the numbers, the size, and the shape of the recessed portions 204, attachment parts 403 and 404, springs 407 and 408, projections 406, 408, 410, and 412 may be adjusted in accordance with the design of the heat exchangers 202, the frame 201, and the internal electric components as long as the heat exchangers 202 are flexibly supported within the rack 200 as described.
In one or more embodiments, one skilled in the art will appreciate that, instead of springs 407 and 408, flexible plates, flexible rods, flexible bands, or any other flexible supports known in the art could be used as long as the heat exchangers 202 are flexibly supported within the rack 200 with respect to the rigid frame 201 as explained. For example,
As shown in
As a result, the liquid cooled rack with compliant heat exchanger support structure allows the heat exchangers 202 to rotate/swivel and absorb displacement of the frame 201 transmitted from the frame 201 due to an earthquake, allowing the heat exchangers 202 to maintain the spatial geometry and envelope during the earthquake.
In one or more embodiments, both ends of the flexible supports may be attached by adhesives, bonding, or any other methods known in the art as long as the heat exchangers 202 are flexibly supported by the flexible supports 501 with respect to the rigid frame 201 as explained above. Also, one skilled in the art will appreciate that any other the positions, the numbers, the sizes, and the shapes of the flexible supports 501 could be used as long as the heat exchangers 202 are flexibly supported within the rack 200 as explained above.
One or more embodiments of the present invention may have one or more of the following advantages. The liquid cooled rack with compliant heat exchanger support structure allows the heat exchangers to rotate/swivel and absorb the rack's frame displacement transmitted from the frame due to an earthquake, allowing the heat exchangers to maintain the spatial geometry and envelope during the earthquake. Further, the liquid cooled rack with compliant heat exchanger support structure prevents the flexure of the heat exchangers from exceeding the allowed flexure resulting in mechanical failure and or a leakage of the coolant.
While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be advised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as described therein Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.
