Refrigeration – Processes – Circulating external gas
Reexamination Certificate
2003-06-09
2004-06-08
Tapolcai, William E. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Processes
Circulating external gas
C062S259200, C165S080300, C361S695000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06745579
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer room reduced air flow method and apparatus but is not limited to use in computer rooms and instead can be utilized with respect to any equipment assembly requiring cooling which is positioned in a room. The method and apparatus described below permits achieving energy savings while reducing the amount of air required to cool electronic/heat generating equipment, wherein a computer rack heat extraction device (CRHED) or similar device is utilized. The method and apparatus permits the collection of heat generating, for example, by the rack electronic equipment.
2. Discussion of the Background
A conventional computer room method and assembly is illustrated in
FIG. 3
which exemplifies the approach for cooling electronic equipment commonly used currently wherein an array of racks of equipment are positioned on a raised floor.
FIG. 3
illustrates an air-conditioning system used in the method and apparatus of a conventional system wherein a room space
1
defined by a room floor
2
, side walls
3
and a ceiling
4
having a plurality of ceiling panels
4
a
is provided. The room floor
2
is positioned a predetermined distance above a base floor
5
such that the room floor
2
and the base floor
5
in combination form a double floor structure having a free space
6
(i.e., an air passageway) formed therein. A rack
7
for one or more computer processing units (CPUs) is disposed on the floor
2
wherein electronic cables for the rack are capable of being housed in the free space
6
of the double floor structure but can be specifically communicated to the rack separate from the free air space, if desired.
In installing each of the CPUs or other equipment on the rack of the floor, a plurality of support members
2
b
can be provided which are stationary by being fixed by bolts or similar fastening elements to predetermined positions on the floor
2
.
The rack
7
is positioned in a casing
8
having air inlets
8
a
and air outlets
8
b
formed respectively in a bottom plate of a casing
8
and in the ceiling portion of the casing
8
. A computer case fan
9
is operable during operation of the equipment
7
so as to assist the air flow upwardly from the casing through the air outlets
8
b
. As shown in
FIG. 3
, the CPU members are arranged in an air passageway formed within the casing
8
. The floor
2
includes a plurality of floor panels located on support members or pedestals
2
b
, one panel
2
a
of which includes a plurality of perforations to allow air flow as indicated by the arrows to flow through the front of the outside housing to casing
8
, through the CPU rack
7
and out the back of casing
8
. A cooling unit
14
is positionable either inside or outside the room
1
and is communicated with a heat exchanger or other air conditioning equipment so as to permit a cooling coil
15
located within unit
14
to cool air blowing there through. The cooling unit
14
also includes a fan
16
which is positionable below cooling coil
15
. An inlet
20
is provided to allow air from the room to flow thereinto from the room, the air in the casing
8
mixing with room air prior to being introduced into the cooling unit
14
, as illustrated in FIG.
3
. The fan
16
is therefore arranged between the air inlet
20
and an air outlet
22
located at the lower portion of unit
14
and feeds air into the free space
6
located above the base floor. The fan
16
thus permits air in the interior of the room to be sucked into the air inlet
20
of the casing
8
and also permits the air in the room to pass through cooling coil
15
. The air in the room is typically at a temperature of 75° F.±.
The above-noted approach for cooling electronic equipment thus permits the area in the free space
6
below the raised floor
2
to be used for cable management and also serves as a supply air plenum. The computer room air conditioning units (CRACUs) utilize cooling coil
15
to cool the air. The CRACUs supply conditioned air at approximately 55° F. to the underfloor supply air plenum or free space
6
. The floor tiles with perforations or slots to allow air to flow from under the raised floor to above the floor are positionable below or are located adjacent to the rack
7
. Other perforated tiles are positionable throughout the room to provide air supply to other heat generating equipment and to maintain the room at an ambient environment.
As illustrated by the arrows in
FIG. 3
showing the air flow, the conditioned air is then drawn into the rack
7
by either convection by air flow from perforated panels
2
a
and/or opening
8
a
to the casing
8
or by fans
9
located in the top of the racks. The air enters the racks at a temperature of approximately 55° F., is heated by the CPUs or other electronic equipment, and flows upwardly out of the rack at approximately a temperature of 95° F. The warm air leaves the rack and mixes with the conditioned ambient environment of the room
1
which is at a temperature of approximately 75° F., and thus returns to the CRACUs at a temperature of approximately 75° F. as illustrated in FIG.
3
.
Before the foregoing, it can be understood that a conventional CRACUs have a 20° delta T (±4° F.) across the cooling coil
15
. This is also coincident with the space delta T which is defined as being the difference in temperature between the air supplied to the space and the air returned from such space. The temperature of the air returned from the space is usually coincident with the ambient space temperature such that the return air at 75° F. enters the return on top of the CRACUs, passes along the cooling coil
15
and is discharged at a temperature of substantially 55° F. at the bottom of unit
14
so as to pass into the free space
6
. The required air quantity to cool such space is a direct function of the space delta T. The equation set forth below is used to calculate the required air flow or cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air to cool a space:
CFM=BTUH/1.08×delta T
From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that the disadvantage of the conventional system set forth above requires a significant amount of fan horsepower for operation and thus the need has arisen for reducing the amount of horsepower necessary to operate the fan
16
.
Devices of the type described above are exemplified, for example, by U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,628; U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,631 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,045, the disclosure of each of which is herein incorporated by reference, as is the disclosure of parent application Ser. No. 09/784,238, the priority of which has been claimed in the present application.
The original concept by the inventors of the present application is exemplified by
FIG. 4
of the present application. Such figure shows an air conditioning system used in a method and apparatus as described in such application. As shown therein, the room space is defined by room floor
2
, sidewalls
3
and an upper ceiling
4
wherein a lower ceiling
4
a
is formed, for example, of ceiling tiles defining, a ceiling plenum
4
b
, and a base floor
5
. The room floor
2
is formed a predetermined distance from the base floor such that the room floor
2
and the base floor
5
collectively form a double floor structure having a free space
6
or air passageway formed therein within which electric cables may also be housed. As shown in
FIG. 4
, air flow from space
6
can enter one side portion of each of the CPU racks and flow across the same towards a plenum
8
c
which can run the full length of the equipment assembly so as to permit air to flow across each CPU in the rack and then flow upwardly towards a plurality of ducts
24
. The ducts
24
are sealed with respect to the equipment assembly by, for example, rubber gaskets wherein similar rubber gaskets
26
are provided between the duct
24
and the lower ceiling
4
a
. Also provided are computer case fans
24
b
and
24
c
, if desired, to assist in air flow through the ducts
24
.
FIG. 1
shows an air cond
Peltz Dennis L.
Spinazzola R. Stephen
Tapolcai William E.
TOC Technology, LLC
LandOfFree
Computer room air flow method and apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Computer room air flow method and apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Computer room air flow method and apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3349172