Ventilation – Electronic cabinet
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-19
2002-04-02
Lu, Jiping (Department: 3749)
Ventilation
Electronic cabinet
C361S695000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06364761
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for cooling components, e.g., semiconductors. More specifically, the invention relates to a cooling assembly that provides redundant cooling for high powered microprocessors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Because certain systems, e.g., servers, must minimize downtime, redundant features are often built into them. Redundancy enables the system to continue running, even when a defective component must be replaced. Such a system cannot continue to operate if the microprocessor cooling system fails. Consequently, such systems frequently rely upon redundant components to perform that cooling function.
Conventionally, heat is removed from microprocessors by placing a heat sink next to them, and forcing fan driven air across the heat sink. When redundant fans are included in a server to cool the microprocessor, or microprocessors, a first fan may drive air over the heat sink while a second fan draws air from the heat sink. If one fan fails, the remaining fan's speed may be increased to compensate for that failure, enabling the system to continue running until the defective fan can be replaced.
A problem may arise when one fan's failure serves to obstruct airflow that the other fan generates, such as may occur in systems that employ a series redundant cooling scheme. Consider, for example, the system
100
illustrated in
FIG. 1
a
. System
100
includes chassis
120
, which encloses duct
102
. In normal operation, first fan
101
(i.e., the leading fan, which is positioned at first end
110
of duct
102
—the inlet section of duct
102
) forces air through duct
102
and over the device to be cooled, e.g., microprocessor
103
. Second fan
104
(i.e., the trailing fan, which is positioned at second end
111
of duct
102
—the exhaust section of duct
102
) draws air through duct
102
from microprocessor
103
. Airflow direction through duct
102
, and over microprocessor
103
, is indicated by arrows
112
and
113
.
As shown in
FIG. 1
b
, if first fan
101
fails, second fan
104
must carry the entire cooling load. In this particular design, however, defective first fan
101
obstructs airflow through duct
102
, which may prevent second fan
104
from providing adequate cooling for microprocessor
103
—even if second fan
104
significantly increases its speed. Similarly, as shown in
FIG. 1
c
, if second fan
104
fails, it obstructs airflow through duct
102
, which may prevent first fan
101
from providing adequate cooling for microprocessor
103
—even if first fan
104
significantly increases its speed.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved cooling assembly that provides redundant cooling. There is a need for such a system that ensures that the failure of one fan does not obstruct airflow generated by a second fan. The cooling assembly of the present invention provides such a system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2431726 (1947-12-01), Bechtler
patent: 4829882 (1989-05-01), Jackson
Lu Jiping
Seeley Mark V.
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