Efficient Rack Cooling Without Increasing Depth
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Summary
Problems
Existing rack cooling systems for electronic equipment increase the depth of data center racks due to thickened panels with fans and ducting, limiting the number of racks that can be fitted in a data center.
Innovation solutions
A rack cooling system that maintains the rack depth minimal by using an open area at the back and top with an air passageway to extract heated air, potentially featuring an air-moving device and flexible or inflexible ducts, allowing heated air to be conducted away from the housing without the need for deep rear doors and internal fans.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If thickened panels with fans and ducting are used to cool electronic equipment, then heat dissipation is improved, but rack depth increases
Why choose this principle:
The invention extracts the air-moving device from the traditional location within thickened front or back panels and relocates it to the side of the housing. The air passageway is also extracted from the panel thickness and repositioned to extend along the side of the housing, allowing the panel itself to remain thin while still providing effective cooling. This separation of the cooling function from the panel structure resolves the contradiction between heat dissipation and rack depth.
Principle concept:
If thickened panels are used to accommodate cooling components, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but the number of racks that can be fit into a data center decreases
Why choose this principle:
By extracting the cooling components (air-moving device and air passageway) from the panel thickness and relocating them to the side of the housing, the invention reduces the panel thickness to minimal necessary dimensions. This allows racks to be placed closer together in data centers, maximizing rack capacity while maintaining effective cooling through the side-mounted configuration.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
A rack cooling system that maintains the rack depth minimal by using an open area at the back and top with an air passageway to extract heated air, potentially featuring an air-moving device and flexible or inflexible ducts, allowing heated air to be conducted away from the housing without the need for deep rear doors and internal fans.
Abstract
An assembly for extracting heat from a housing for electronic equipment, the housing having a front, a back, two sides and a top. The assembly is defined by a back for the housing that defines an open area proximate the top, and an air passageway in fluid communication with the open area in the back, to conduct heated air exiting the housing through the open area away from the housing.