CABINET FOR THE INSTALLATION OF IT, computer, network and / or telecommunications systems

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cabinet for the installation of IT, computer, network and / or telecommunications systems according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0002] WO 02 / 17698 A2 abstractly describes a temperature management system for electronic components that includes at least two heat pumps and a heat pipe. It also refers to the use of such systems in conjunction with cabinets, and to the fact that fans and heat dissipation elements should then be provided on the outside. However, this document does not describe a specific arrangement of individual elements in or on the body of a cabinet for installing IT, data processing, network, and / or telecommunications systems.

[0003] From KR 10 2004 0 061 286 A a cooling system with internal cooling structures, internal fan, external cooling structures, external fan and heat pipes leading through the body of a cabinet is known.

[0004] Patent DE 10 2010 030 683 B4 discloses a cooling arrangement for a cabinet for installing IT, computer, network, and / or telecommunications systems, and a method for cooling such a cabinet. This cooling arrangement requires a relatively large amount of space and generates operating noise, which can be undesirable in some applications.

[0005] The invention is based on the object of providing a cabinet for the installation of IT, computer, network and / or telecommunications systems, which can be cooled efficiently and with as little noise as possible and at the same time offers possibilities for efficient physical protection, in particular protection against dust and / or protection against moisture or extinguishing water and / or protection against mechanical break-in attempts and / or fire protection.

[0006] The object is achieved according to the invention with the features of the independent claims. Further practical embodiments are described in conjunction with the dependent claims.

[0007] A cabinet according to the invention for the installation of IT, data processing, network and / or telecommunications systems comprises a body and at least one closable opening for the installation and maintenance of systems that can be arranged within the body, wherein passive cooling is provided without fans arranged on the outside of the body, wherein, to implement the passive cooling, at least one Peltier element with a warm side and a cold side is arranged only in or only on the body, wherein the warm side is functionally connected to at least one external cooling structure arranged on the outside of the body via at least one heat-conducting heat pipe (in particular in the form of one or more heat pipes).

[0008] To make cooling inside the cabinet particularly efficient, the cabinet according to the invention provides for forced airflow of a cooling air stream to be directed at least partially through an internal cooling structure. Such an internal cooling structure can be designed, in particular, as rib-like, slat-like, and / or labyrinth-like. For this purpose, for example, a cooling air stream that is guided within the cabinet from a warm side to a cold side can be forced through an internal cooling structure by means of a suitably designed partition.

[0009] Furthermore, in a cabinet according to the invention, at least one wall is designed as an insulating wall. This particularly includes walls that have at least one layer of insulating material. For example, such insulating walls can be formed by two or more sheet metal elements enclosing the insulating material, in particular by the sheet metal elements being arranged directly inside and outside the insulating material. The insulating layer is preferably several times greater than the sheet thickness, for example, at least 5 times, at least 10 times, or at least 15 times or 20 times.This has the advantage that the heat dissipation from the body to the outside does not take place over a large area across the entire walls, but can take place in a targeted manner via heat-conducting elements that penetrate the wall, such as heat pipes or other heat-conducting elements, such as metal elements.

[0010] "Only in the body" means that one or more Peltier elements are located exclusively within the body. In this case, no Peltier elements are located outside the body as part of the cooling system.

[0011] "Only on the body" refers to an arrangement of one or more Peltier elements exclusively on the outside of the body. In this case, no Peltier elements are arranged inside the body as part of the cooling system.

[0012] A cabinet designed in this way enables efficient and, in particular, quiet cooling, as no rotating parts are required or need to be located outside the cabinet body for cooling. A cabinet according to the invention is therefore also very low-maintenance and, in individual cases, can be described as maintenance-free with respect to its typical service life (hereinafter also referred to as service life).

[0013] The at least one Peltier element or the plurality of Peltier elements and heat pipes (in particular heat pipes) are preferably designed such that the temperature in the cabinet can be brought to a temperature below the ambient temperature when the cabinet is used as intended, in particular to temperatures below 30°C, preferably below 25°C, and more preferably below 20°C. This is advantageous in that IT, computer, network, and / or telecommunications systems installed in the cabinet are reliably prevented from overheating at temperatures below 20°C, and their service life can be maximized.

[0014] A particular advantage of the invention is that the inventive concept allows for the realization of an efficient air-to-air system in which air can be used as a cooling medium both inside and outside the cabinet, and liquid is only partially contained within the encapsulated heat pipes. This liquid does not require a separate external "drive," and the risk of leakage is low compared to liquid-cooled systems with pump-driven liquid cooling systems in cabinets.

[0015] In a practical embodiment of a cabinet according to the invention, the at least one Peltier element is arranged within the body, and at least one heat pipe is guided through at least one wall of the body. It is also possible to arrange a plurality of heat pipes (in particular "heat pipes") through at least one wall of the body. In this embodiment, the Peltier element can be arranged within the body in a particularly tamper-proof manner, resulting in particularly high functional reliability.

[0016] In a further practical embodiment of a cabinet according to the invention, the warm side of the at least one Peltier element is arranged directly against an inner wall of the body and / or the cold side of the at least one Peltier element is arranged directly against an outer wall of the body. Both variants result in a particularly space-saving arrangement of the Peltier element, whereby the aforementioned functional reliability is ensured above all in the variant in which the warm side of the at least one Peltier element is arranged directly against an inner wall of the body. The arrangement of the at least one Peltier element with the cold side directly against an outer wall of the body has the advantage that the interior space of the cabinet according to the invention is not reduced by the Peltier element, which can be particularly useful for very compact cabinets according to the invention.

[0017] In a further practical embodiment of a cabinet according to the invention, the at least one cooling structure (or the sum of several cooling structures) extends over a partial area of ​​an outer wall of the body and / or the at least one Peltier element (or the sum of several Peltier elements) extends over a partial area of ​​an inner wall of the body. Preferably, the at least one cooling structure and / or the at least one Peltier element extend over a partial area of ​​the outer wall of the body or the inner wall of the body, for example over at least 5%, preferably at least 10% and more preferably at least 15% or at least 20% of the area of ​​an inner wall of the body. This has the advantage that the area in the respective partial area can be used to the greatest extent possible to directly extract heat from the interior of the cabinet according to the invention or the body.It has been shown that very efficient cooling is possible even with a partial area of ​​a Peltier element on an outer or inner wall, extending over approximately 20% of a cabinet wall. This is especially true if a fluid circulating in the cabinet, especially air, is forced to pass completely or to a degree significantly greater than 50% during each circulation cycle, directly or indirectly, along at least part of this partial area.

[0018] If the at least one Peltier element is arranged outside the body, it is preferred if the heat pipes are arranged in the immediate vicinity of the Peltier element and are connected to it in a heat-conducting manner. This results in advantageous and efficient heat transfer from the warm side of the Peltier element to the heat pipes.

[0019] To achieve this, the cold side of the Peltier element is preferably arranged directly against the outside of the body, with the warm side of the Peltier element being connected in a heat-conducting manner to one or more heat pipes.

[0020] In a further preferred embodiment, at least one heat-conducting element, for example a metal block or other heat-conducting element, is arranged so as to protrude through a wall of the body, so that heat can be transferred to the outside via this heat-conducting element, primarily through the body. Such a heat-conducting element or several such heat-conducting elements are further preferably thermally connected to at least one internal cooling structure. This can, in particular, be a rib-like, lamellar, or labyrinth-like cooling element.

[0021] In a further practical embodiment, the heat pipes are arranged outside the body, with one end of the heat pipes being thermally connected to external cooling structures, and the other end being arranged in the immediate vicinity of the at least one Peltier element. In this case, further external heat transfer between the Peltier element and one or more external cooling structures can occur via the heat pipes.

[0022] A cabinet according to the invention preferably has means in the body for receiving a holding device and / or a holding device for receiving and connecting to IT, data processing, network, and / or telecommunications systems in standardized sizes. These can, in particular, be vertically extending rails designed for screwing systems built in 17-inch, 19-inch, 21-inch, or other standard sizes. Optionally, the levels, e.g., a 19-inch level, can be designed to be movable.

[0023] The invention particularly relates to compact cabinets with a cabinet volume designed to accommodate 1 to 12 height units, more preferably 1 to 10 height units, and particularly preferably 1 to 8 height units. One height unit corresponds to a height of 1¾ inches.

[0024] An air flow guided within a cabinet according to the invention can be guided and driven in a targeted manner in particular in certain areas of the body by arranging at least one ventilation device, in particular in the form of a fan, in such a way that a gas, in particular air, located in the body can be conveyed along the cold side of the Peltier element within the body.

[0025] In a further practical embodiment of a cabinet according to the invention, the body is tightly sealed when the at least one opening is closed, to the extent that at least no active air exchange with the environment takes place. In this case, the systems arranged in a cabinet according to the invention are effectively protected from smoke gases that may occur in the environment of the cabinet according to the invention. Preferably, the body is also additionally sealed in a watertight manner. This can be achieved in particular by arranging suitable seals in the region of a closing flap (door). Such a closing flap can be fixed to the body in particular via a simple rotating hinge and / or pivoting hinge arranged on the outside or inside.It is also possible to provide a multi-joint hinge to connect the closing flap and the body, in particular an internally arranged multi-joint hinge in conjunction with a stair rebate in the area of ​​the joint(s) between the closing flap and the body.

[0026] The invention also relates to a cabinet as described above for the installation of IT, data processing, network, and / or telecommunications systems, wherein the cabinet has a body and at least one closable opening for the installation and maintenance of systems that can be arranged within the body, wherein the at least one closable opening comprises a multi-joint hinge that is articulated outside and / or inside the body and enables a closing flap to be pivoted outwards. The pivoting is preferably kinematically designed such that a purely translational movement over a first travel path is initially realized, and only then does a pivoting movement begin. This makes it possible to realize a closing flap with a so-called stair rebate, which can be hinged from the inside and at the same time be provided with an efficient sealing concept. The multi-joint hinge preferably has a scissor mechanism.Alternatively, or in addition, the pivot point of such a multi-joint hinge is designed to be located outside the housing. Further details will be discussed in connection with the description of the figures.

[0027] In a further practical embodiment of a cabinet according to the invention with a multi-joint hinge, the multi-joint hinge comprises two scissor-like crossing scissor rods which are arranged one behind the other and / or one above the other.

[0028] The wall structure consists of a steel inner shell, an insulation layer, and a steel outer shell. The high insulating effect of the insulation layer ensures high fire protection, especially for IT components. The various seals and the intumescent bulkhead systems ensure water and smoke tightness. The multi-layer construction with several steel layers and the design of the closure flap (door structure) without external points of attack ensure a high level of burglary protection. Furthermore, the steel body provides a high level of protection against electromagnetic interference.

[0029] The cooling of the external cooling structure occurs through convection.

[0030] To ensure high fire protection, bulkhead systems are designed for the entry of cables and wires. These consist of a sleeve made of intumescent material and plugs made of a softer intumescent material that fits tightly around the wires. The intumescent material expands enormously when heated in the event of a fire, thus sealing and protecting the cable bulkhead.

[0031] Hinges are usually the weakest point of the door during a burglary and therefore the main point of attack. External hinges can be sawed off or pried open, for example. Internal hinges, on the other hand, offer no external point of attack and thus offer a high level of burglary protection.

[0032] The design of the door opening and door leaf as an interlocking stair rebate prevents heat or water from directly penetrating the building in the event of a fire. Furthermore, the intumescent and sealing gaskets installed on the steps ensure tightness against heat, water, and smoke.

[0033] The lock is also protected inside and offers no surface for attack.

[0034] The door is handleless and features a mechanical opening system. This consists of a pin-shaped construction that extends when the door is tapped and retracts when the door is closed.

[0035] The passive cooling or heat dissipation to the ambient air without external fans leads to a high level of noise insulation and silence of the system.

[0036] Further practical embodiments and advantages of the invention are described below in conjunction with the drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a cabinet according to the invention in a first embodiment in a horizontal section with a view from above and with the closure flap open without further elements, Fig. 2 the cabinet from Fig. 1 in a horizontal section view from above and closed cover without any further elements, Fig. 3 the cabinet from Fig. 1 in a horizontal section view from above, closed cover and schematic representation of an installed IT system and the air duct, Fig. 4 the cabinet from Fig. 1 in a vertical sectional view in a front view without the closing flap and Fig. 5 a cabinet according to the invention in a second embodiment in a vertical sectional view.

[0037] In the Fig. 1 to 4 a first embodiment of a cabinet 10 according to the invention is shown, wherein the Fig. 1 to 3show the cabinet 10 in a horizontal section in a view from above and Fig. 4 shows the cabinet 10 in a vertical section view looking from the front into the opening. The cabinet 10 comprises a body 12 with a first side wall 14, a rear wall 16 and a second side wall 18. Opposite the rear wall 16 is a closable opening 20, which is closed by means of a closing flap 22 designed as a door, as in Fig. 1 shown, opened and, as in Fig. 2 shown, can be locked.

[0038] As in Fig. 4 As can be seen, the body 12 further comprises a bottom wall 24 and a top wall 26. The cabinet 10 according to the invention according to the Fig. 1 to 4 is therefore cuboid-shaped overall.

[0039] The body 12 is in the embodiment shown according to the Fig. 1 to 4formed by arranging an insulating material 32 between an inner element 28 and an outer element 30. In the embodiment shown, the inner element 28 and the outer element 30 are realized by thin sheets, in this case by approximately 1 mm thick sheets made of a metal material, in particular steel or aluminum.

[0040] As in the Fig. 1 and 2 As can be seen, a first fastening element 34 is fastened to the first side wall 14 and a second fastening element 36 of a multi-joint hinge 38 in the form of a scissor mechanism 40 connecting these two fastening elements 34, 36 is fastened to the closure element 22.

[0041] In the Fig. 1 and 2It can also be clearly seen that the area in which the closure flap 22 adjoins the body 12 is designed by means of a so-called stair fold 42 in such a way that three surfaces aligned perpendicular to each other serve as contact surfaces between the closure flap 22 and the body 12 in the closed state according to Fig. 2 are provided. Sealing elements not shown in the figures are arranged in the area of ​​the stair rabbet 42, in particular three different sealing elements. These serve in particular to achieve watertightness and gas tightness. Furthermore, with the aid of such sealing elements, heat ingress from the outside into the cabinet 10 according to the invention can be reduced or completely prevented, in particular if higher, unintended temperatures suddenly occur outside the cabinet 10, for example, if a fire breaks out in the building or the surrounding area where the cabinet 10 is located.

[0042] To open and close the closure flap 22 as shown in the Fig. 1 and 2 shown, the scissor mechanism 40 is designed in such a way that in a first opening phase, starting from the Fig. 2 shown closed position of the closure flap 22 initially enables a purely translational direction opposite to the arrow x and only after extending from the stair ledge 42 does it change into a pivoting movement.

[0043] In Fig. 3 The illustration of the scissor mechanism 40 has been omitted. Instead, rails 44a, 44b provided inside the body 12 as a means for receiving and connecting to an IT, computer, network and / or telecommunications system in standardized standard sizes have been shown. On these rails 44a, 44b, Fig. 3 For example, a server 46 is attached using corresponding screws 48a, 48b.

[0044] In Fig. 3The air circulation through a cabinet 10 according to the invention is shown. Air is conveyed, for example, by means of a fan (not shown) or another suitable means according to arrow A from the front towards the rear wall 16 and from there in the direction of arrow B to a return flow designed as a forced air duct in the direction of arrow C. Air that has passed through the server 46 into the space 50 between the server 46 and the rear wall 16 can only flow back in the direction of arrow C along the first side wall 14 between the server 46 and the side wall 14 according to arrows D, E and F towards the closure flap 22. The air flows through a total of four internal cooling structures 52, of which in the Fig. 3 and 4 two internal cooling structures 52 are shown. In the illustrated embodiment of the cabinet 10 according to the invention according to the Fig. 1 to 4Two internal cooling structures 52 are arranged one behind the other and one above the other in the longitudinal direction of the first side wall 14.

[0045] As in Fig. 4 As can be seen, the internal cooling structures 52 are rib-like and arranged such that a flat plate 54 rests with its rear side on the inner surface of the first side wall 14 and, starting from the front side of this plate 54, extends in a rib-like manner in the transverse direction (y-direction) into the interior of the cabinet 10.

[0046] From the back of the plates 54 of the cooling structures 52, a metal element 58 extends through the first side wall 14 to the outside of the cabinet 10. There, the metal element 58 is connected to the cold side of a Peltier element 60. The cold side of the Peltier element 60 is therefore located on the side facing the body 12 of the cabinet 10. Opposite is the warm side of the Peltier element 60. The warm side is in direct contact with an adapter plate 62. In the embodiment shown, several adapter plates 62 are provided, each adapter plate 62 serving to accommodate one heat pipe 64 or - preferably - several heat pipes 64. In the embodiment shown, a total of four adapter plates 62 each accommodate 5-10 heat pipes 64.In the embodiment shown, the heat pipes 64 extend in an arc from the adapter plate 62, initially approximately parallel to the first side wall 14 and then in an arc such that the heat pipe 64 moves away from the first side wall 14. In the embodiment shown, the arc corresponds to a semicircle, so that the opposite end of the heat pipe 64 is arranged parallel to the end received by the adapter element 62.

[0047] In the region of the end of the heat pipe 64 remote from the body 12, fins 66 serving as external cooling structures 56 are arranged to effect cooling of the heat pipe 64 by convection in a region spaced from the body 12. In the embodiment shown, the fins 66 are arranged such that air can flow through the fins 66 from bottom to top in the direction of arrow G.

[0048] Fig. 5shows a cabinet 10 according to the invention in a second embodiment in a vertical section. For the description of this second embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for identical or at least functionally equivalent elements as in the first embodiment. Fig. 1 to 4 . The embodiment according to Fig. 5 differs essentially in that the Peltier element 60 is arranged here together with an adapter plate 62 for receiving heat pipes 64 inside the cabinet 10 directly on the body 12, here on the first side wall 14. It is possible to form the adapter plate 62 integrally and thus in one piece on the Peltier element 60, as in Fig. 5shown, or alternatively, to arrange a Peltier element 60 and an adapter plate 62 as separate elements, preferably such that the warm side of the Peltier element 60 is arranged directly adjacent to the adapter plate 62.

[0049] Also in the Fig. 5 In the embodiment shown, each adapter plate 62 accommodates a plurality of heat pipes 64. The heat pipes 64 extend from the respective adapter plate 62 through the body 12, here through the first side wall 12 into the area outside the body 12. At the outer end of the heat pipes 64, fins 66 are arranged, each provided as external cooling structures 56, through which heat is dissipated by convection. The fins 66 are in turn designed such that air flows upwards from bottom to top along the arrow G during convection, against the force of gravity g.

[0050] For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that in order to achieve a forced air flow along the arrows C, D, E and F between the server 46 and the first side wall 14, suitable partitions 68 are provided, which prevent air from passing from the space 50 in the area of ​​the rear wall 16 towards the closure flap 22 other than through the cooling structures 52. The partitions 68 are in Fig. 4 indicated by the dashed line 70.

[0051] Optionally, corresponding partitions (not shown) can also be arranged in the vertical direction (z-direction) between the cooling structures 52 to prevent air from flowing between two cooling structures 52 spaced apart in the vertical direction (z-direction). In this case, forced air flow is possible exclusively through the cooling structures 52.

[0052] Also optionally, additional fans can be provided in the cabinet 10 in the area of ​​room 50 to increase the volume flow of air conveyed through the cabinet 10. The same applies to other positions within the cabinet 10.

[0053] The features of the invention disclosed in the present description, the drawings, and the claims may be essential, both individually and in any combination, for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments. The invention may be varied within the scope of the claims and taking into account the knowledge of the person skilled in the art.

[0054] In particular, it is pointed out that instead of a server 46, one or more IT, computer, network and / or telecommunication systems can also be installed in a cabinet 10 according to the invention.

[0055] Furthermore, it should be noted that heat pipes within the meaning of the invention include not only heat pipes operating according to the wick principle, but also heat pipes operating according to the gravity principle. However, heat pipes are the preferred elements because they function independently of gravity and can be installed in any orientation. List of reference symbols

[0056] 10Cabinet 12Carcass 14Side wall 16Rear wall 18Side wall 20Lockable opening 22Closing flap 24Bottom wall 26Top wall 28Inner element 30Outer element 32Insulating material 34Fastening element 36Fastening element 38Multi-joint hinge 40Scissor mechanism 42Staircase rebate 44aRail 44bRail 46Server 48aScrew 48bScrew 50Compartment 52Inner cooling structures 54Plate 56Outer cooling structure 58Metal element 60Peltier element 62Adapter plate 64Heat pipe 66Fin 68Shield 70Dashed line

Claims

1. Cabinet (10) for the installation of IT, EDP, network and / or telecommunications systems, the cabinet (10) having a body (12) and at least one closable opening (20) for the installation and maintenance of systems which can be arranged within the body (12), characterised in that a passive cooling is provided without fans arranged on the outside of the cabinet, at least one Peltier element (60) having a hot side and a cold side being arranged only in or only on the body (12) in order to realise the passive cooling, the hot side being functionally connected to at least one external cooling structure (56) arranged on the outside of the body (12) via at least one heat pipe (64) connected in a heat-conducting manner, and a) a forced air flow of a cooling air stream being provided at least partially through an internal cooling structure (52) and b) at least one wall (14, 16, 18, 24, 26) being designed as an insulating wall.

2. Cabinet (10) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the at least one Peltier element (60) is arranged inside the body (12) and at least one heat pipe (64) is guided through at least one wall (14, 16, 18, 24, 26) of the body (12).

3. Cabinet (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the hot side of the at least one Peltier element (60) is arranged in direct contact with an inner wall of the body (12) and / or the cold side of the at least one Peltier element (60) is arranged in direct contact with an outer wall of the body (12).

4. Cabinet (10) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the at least one cooling structure extends over a partial area of the surface of an outer wall of the body (12) and / or the at least one Peltier element (60) extends over a partial area of the surface of an inner wall of the body (12).

5. Cabinet (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least one Peltier element (60) is arranged outside the body (12) and the heat pipes (64) are arranged in the immediate vicinity of the Peltier element (60) and are connected thereto in a heat-conducting manner.

6. Cabinet (10) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the heat pipes (64) are arranged outside the body (12), one end of the heat pipes (64) being connected in a heat-conducting manner to external cooling structures (56) and another end being arranged in the immediate vicinity of the at least one Peltier element (60).

7. Cabinet (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a) means for receiving a holding device and / or a holding device for receiving and connecting to IT, EDP, network and / or telecommunication systems in standardised standard sizes are arranged in the body (12) and / or b) at least one ventilation device is arranged in the body (12) in such a way that a gas located in the body (12) can be conveyed within the body along the cold side of the Peltier element (60).

8. Cabinet (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least one closable opening (20) comprises a multi-joint hinge (38) which is hinged outside and / or inside the body (12) and enables a closing flap (22) to be swung open outwards.

9. Cabinet (10) according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the multiple-joint hinge (38) comprises two scissor-like intersecting scissor rods which are arranged one behind the other and / or one above the other.