Acoustical Attenuator for Server Storage Arrays

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-speed fans in server systems generate excessive noise and turbulence, compromising heat dissipation efficiency and hard disk drive read/write performance due to increased airflow turbulence.

Innovation Solution

The acoustic attenuator apparatus employs flow guiding and separating structures made of sound-absorbing materials, strategically aligned to funnel and split airflow, reducing turbulence and noise while maintaining airflow efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If high-speed fan is used to increase airflow for heat dissipation, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but noise level increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidnoise level

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

An acoustic attenuator is introduced as an intermediary component between the high-speed fan and the storage arrays. The attenuator includes flow guiding structures and flow separating structures that modify airflow characteristics, reducing turbulence and noise while maintaining heat dissipation effectiveness. This mediator allows the system to benefit from high-speed cooling without directly exposing storage arrays to the associated noise and turbulence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If high-speed fan is used to increase airflow for heat dissipation, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but airflow turbulence increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidairflow turbulence

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The acoustic attenuator divides the airflow into multiple segments through flow guiding structures (first row) and flow separating structures (second row). This segmentation breaks up large turbulent eddies into smaller, more controlled flow patterns, reducing overall turbulence while maintaining the high airflow velocity needed for effective heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flow guiding and separating structures utilize curved surfaces and rounded edges to guide airflow smoothly. These curved geometries reduce flow separation and turbulence by eliminating sharp corners that would create eddies and chaotic flow patterns, thereby stabilizing the airflow while maintaining high velocity for heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If acoustic attenuator is added to reduce noise, then noise level is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise levelVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The acoustic attenuator incorporates porous sound-absorbing materials within its structure. These porous materials effectively absorb acoustic energy and reduce noise transmission from the fan to the storage arrays. The porous structure achieves noise reduction through material properties rather than complex geometric arrangements, simplifying the overall design while maintaining effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution effectively reduces sound pressure levels and improves hard disk drive performance by minimizing turbulence and noise, balancing heat dissipation and read/write efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

The plurality of flow guiding structures and the plurality of flow separating structures can be encased by sound absorber material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSound absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Implementation Method 2

The shape of each of the plurality of flow guiding structures can funnel the hard drive disk airflow at the trailing edge

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlow guidance:

Implementation Method 3

each of the plurality of flow separating structures can be a fin. The fin of each of the plurality of flow separating structures can be configured to split the airflow received from the plurality of flow guiding structures

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlow separation: Flow Separation

Data Source

PatentUS10468010B2Acoustical attenuator in storage array to improve performance

Publication Date: 2019.11.05 QUANTA COMPUTER INC

AI summary

An apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of flow guiding structures spatially aligned in a first row, each of the plurality of flow guiding structures comprising a fin-shape to funnel airflow at a trailing edge of each of the plurality of flow guiding structures. The apparatus also includes a plurality of flow separating structures spatially aligned in a second row interleaved between each of the plurality of flow guiding structures, each of the plurality of flow separating structures comprising a fin-shape configured to split airflow received from the plurality of flow guiding structures.