Radial Fan Air Guide Geometry for Inline Switchgear Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling devices with radial fans cannot guide air linearly between the air inlet and outlet sides, requiring protrusion beyond switchgear cabinets, which limits air guidance and space usage in data centers.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an air guide geometry within the fan units to redirect the air stream into the main flow direction, allowing the air outlet to align with switchgear cabinets, using an ashlar-formed fan box with air outlets on multiple sides and separative elements to separate intake and outlet flows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If radial fans with backward curved blades are used to minimize energy consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but the ability to guide air flow linearly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
An air guide geometry is introduced as an intermediary component between the radial fan and the heat exchanger. This air guide redirects the air flow from the radial fan in a 90-degree angle to align with the main flow direction, enabling linear air flow path while maintaining the energy efficiency benefits of radial fans with backward curved blades.
2Ease of operation
If cooling device protrudes beyond switchgear cabinets to enable lateral air outlet, then air outlet function is achieved, but space utilization and air guidance in cold aisle deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of protruding the cooling device laterally beyond the switchgear cabinets to achieve air outlet, the invention inverts the approach by using air guide geometry to redirect the air flow 90 degrees within the confined space. This allows the cooling device to maintain a compact profile aligned with the switchgear cabinets while still achieving effective air outlet through the heat exchanger.
3Ease of manufacture
If air outlet is positioned at 90 degrees to main flow direction, then radial fan operation is simplified, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The air guide geometry serves as a mediating structure that connects the radially-oriented fan outlet to the linearly-oriented heat exchanger inlet. This intermediary component enables the system to maintain the manufacturing simplicity of radial fans while achieving the desired linear air flow configuration, effectively decoupling the fan orientation from the overall air flow path.
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
Enables the cooling device to operate in inline-mode with air outlet aligned with switchgear cabinets, improving air guidance and space utilization within data centers by maintaining low pressure loss and homogeneous air streams.
Implementation Method 1
at least one fan unit comprising a radial fan... the fan unit produces an air stream having a main flow direction through the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
a heat exchanger and at least one fan unit comprising a radial fan are disposed between the air inlet side and the air outlet side
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a cooling device for cooling of a switchgear cabinet, comprising an air inlet side for warm air and an air outlet side for cooled air, wherein a heat exchanger and at least one fan unit having a radial fan are located between the air inlet side and the air outlet side, and wherein the fan unit creates an air stream through the heat exchanger having a main flow direction between the air inlet side and the air outlet side, wherein the fan unit is located in the main flow direction behind the heat exchanger, characterized in that the fan unit comprises an air guide geometry, so that air exhausted from the radial fan is redirected into the main flow direction.