Expandable Thermal Enclosure for Rack-Mounted Interface Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Rack-mounted computing equipment with varying cooling requirements poses challenges in providing a sealed flow path for conditioned air to rear-mounted interface devices, due to disparate sizes and orientations, leading to inefficiencies and recirculation of hot air within datacenter cabinets.

Innovation Solution

A laterally expandable thermal management enclosure with first and second lateral portions configured to be joined at an expansion region, allowing for customizable installation between mounting rails to provide a sealed flow path from the cold aisle to rear-mounted interface devices, preventing hot air recirculation and accommodating various device depths.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed-size enclosure is used for rear-mounted interface devices, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot accommodate devices with varying depths and sizes, leading to poor adaptability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of varying device depths and sizesVSAvoidenclosure structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The enclosure incorporates a telescoping mechanism that allows the front wall to move relative to the rear wall, transforming the fixed structure into a dynamic one. This enables the enclosure to adjust its internal depth to accommodate interface devices of varying sizes while maintaining a compact form when not in use, thus improving adaptability without permanently increasing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The enclosure is divided into multiple segments including a front wall, rear wall, and telescoping sections that can move independently. This segmentation allows each part to perform specific functions - the telescoping sections adjust to device depth requirements while the fixed sections maintain structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Temperature

If ducts are used to direct air flow to rear-mounted devices, then cooling reach is improved, but ineffective sealing creates recirculation paths that reduce cooling efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling air delivery to rear devicesVSAvoidcooling efficiency due to hot air recirculation

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The telescoping enclosure acts as an intermediary structure between the cold aisle and rear-mounted devices. It provides a sealed, extendable duct that delivers conditioned air directly to devices while preventing hot air recirculation through its sealed construction, thus improving both cooling delivery and energy efficiency simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The telescoping mechanism uses flexible sealing elements and thin-walled construction that can extend and retract while maintaining seals. This allows the enclosure to adapt to different device depths while preventing air leakage and recirculation, resolving the contradiction between effective cooling delivery and energy loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Manufacturing precision

If custom ducting solutions are designed for each interface device, then cooling precision is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomized cooling flow path precisionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity and cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The telescoping enclosure is designed as a universal solution that can accommodate multiple types and sizes of interface devices through its adjustable mechanism. Rather than requiring custom ducting for each device, this single multi-functional enclosure provides precise cooling delivery for various configurations, thus improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining cooling precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Adaptability or versatility

If the enclosure is always extended to maximum depth, then all device sizes are accommodated, but the structure occupies excessive space when smaller devices are installed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of all device sizesVSAvoidenclosure volume occupation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The telescoping front wall can be dynamically adjusted to match the depth of installed devices. When small devices are installed, the front wall retracts to minimize enclosure volume. When larger devices are installed, it extends to provide adequate space, thus optimizing volume utilization while maintaining adaptability to all device sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10849254B2Devices, systems, and methods for thermal management of rack-mounted computing infrastructure devices

Publication Date: 2020.11.24 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

Devices, systems, and methods for thermal management provide conditioned air from an inlet of an electronics cabinet to a rear-mounted interface device using an enclosure mounted in the electronics cabinet. The enclosure is laterally expandable in order to make installation easier and to enable installation of the enclosure between electronics cabinets of several mounting widths. The enclosure is installed to an internal surface of the mounting rails of the electronics cabinet so that the interface devices are mounted directly to the mounting rails, so the enclosure does not support the mass of the interface devices.