Rack Cooling System with Internal Dividers for Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air convection systems are insufficient for cooling high-density electronic components, leading to noise disturbances and increased operational expenses due to HVAC burden, while liquid cooling systems require high maintenance and pose risks to electronic components.
Innovation Solution
A modular rack system with internal dividers that house multiple cooling sections, allowing for configuration of air or liquid cooling systems to match the cooling needs of electronic components, utilizing closed-loop air circulation and conductive heat transfer through dividers to efficiently manage heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If air convection systems are used to cool electronic components, then the cooling system is simple and easy to implement, but the system becomes insufficient for high-density electronic components and increases noise and operational expenses
Solution Approach 1:
The rack is divided into multiple cooling sections, each with independent cooling capacity. Each cooling section can be configured with appropriate cooling systems (air or liquid) based on the specific heat density requirements of electronic components housed in that section, allowing targeted cooling without over-cooling or under-cooling any area.
Solution Approach 2:
Different cooling sections within the rack can have different cooling configurations - some sections use air cooling while others use liquid cooling, depending on the heat generation characteristics of the electronic components in each section. This localized approach optimizes cooling effectiveness while managing complexity.
2Reliability
If liquid cooling systems are used to cool high-density electronic components, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but maintenance requirements and risk to electronic components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling sections, each with its own cooling circuit. This modular approach allows liquid cooling to be applied only where necessary while maintaining simpler air cooling in other sections, reducing overall maintenance complexity and isolationating potential liquid cooling failures to specific sections only.
3Device complexity
If air convection systems are used, then the system is simple to implement, but noise disturbances and operational expenses increase due to HVAC burden
Solution Approach 1:
High heat-density electronic components are concentrated in specific cooling sections that use liquid cooling or enhanced cooling mechanisms. This localizes the cooling demand, allowing standard HVAC systems to handle the remaining cooling needs with reduced noise and energy consumption, rather than requiring high-power air convection throughout the entire rack.
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
The system effectively cools high-density electronic components, reducing noise and operational expenses by optimizing cooling configurations within the rack, enhancing flexibility and maintaining system integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a number of electronics sections including at least a first number of electronic components, and a number of cooling sections including at least a first cooling system that cools at least the first number of electronic components via heat transfer through the number of dividers
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Examples of the present disclosure may include methods and systems for cooling electronic components housed in a rack. An example system for cooling a rack may include a frame (100, 200a, 200b, 200c, 300a, 300b, 300c, 450, 452, 454) including a number of dividers (108-1, 208-1, 308-1, 408-1) internal to the rack that define a plurality of sections (104, 106, 112, 204, 206, 212, 304, 306, 312, 404-1, 404-2, 406-1, 406-2, 412-1, 412-2) within the rack. Moreover, an example system for cooling electronic components housed in a rack may further include a number of electronics sections (104, 106, 204, 206, 304, 306, 404-1, 404-2, 406-1, 406-2, 412-2) including at least a first number of electronic components (114-1, 114-2, 214-1, 214-2, 214-3, 214-4, 214-5, 214-6, 214-7, 214-8, 314-1, 314-2, 414), and a number of cooling sections (112, 212, 312, 412-1) including at least a first cooling system (102, 202, 402) that cools at least the first number of electronic components (114-1, 114-2, 214-1, 214-2, 214-3, 214-4, 214-5, 214-6, 214-7, 214-8, 314-1, 314-2, 414) via heat transfer through the number of dividers(108-1, 208-1, 308-1, 408-1).