Abstract:
A system and method for controlling temperature in an equipment enclosure are disclosed. The system includes an enclosure having a top side, side walls, a front side, and a back side. The enclosure is configured to receive computer equipment. Further included is an air mover to draw air into the enclosure at the top side. Cooling panels are coupled to the front side of the sidewalls. The cooling panels are configured to receive the air from the air mover, and the received air is cooled as it travels within the cooling panels. The cooling panels include outlet ports for allowing the air that has been cooled to travel from the front side of the enclosure to the backside of the enclosure.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   The present invention pertains to cooling systems, and more particularly, to apparatus and methods for cooling computer equipment stored in an equipment enclosure. 
   For example, data storage and processing equipment are stored and operated in equipment enclosures located in data centers. The operation of data storage and processing equipment generates waste heat that not only elevates the room temperature in the data centers, but also can degrade the performance of the data storage and processing equipment. Accordingly, data centers are equipped with ventilation and air conditioning systems to remove waste heat to maintain the desired room temperature in the data centers and keep the data storage and processing equipment operating efficiently without overheating. However, as data storage and processing equipment become more complex and operate at higher speed and greater capacity, more waste heat is generated. In order to keep the data storage and processing equipment operating efficiently without overheating, greater demands are put on the facility ventilation and air conditioning systems to remove the excess heat and keep the equipment from overheating. Accordingly, a cooling system is desired to assist with meeting increasing demands. 
   SUMMARY 
   Broadly speaking, the present invention provides the systems and methods for efficiently cooling equipment that generates waste heat during operation. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide the apparatus and methods to cool equipment stored in an equipment enclosure, e.g., equipment rack in a data center. 
   In one embodiment, a system for controlling temperature in an equipment enclosure is disclosed. The system includes an enclosure having a top side, side walls, a front side, and a back side. The enclosure is configured to receive computer equipment. Further included is an air mover to draw air into the enclosure at the top side. Cooling panels are coupled to the front side of the sidewalls. The cooling panels are configured to receive the air from the air mover, and the received air is cooled as it travels within the cooling panels. The cooling panels include outlet ports for allowing the air that has been cooled to travel from the front side of the enclosure to the backside of the enclosure. 
   In another embodiment, a method for controlling temperature in an equipment enclosure is disclosed. The method includes providing an enclosure that is configured to hold computer equipment. Then, conditioning air to a desired cooled temperature and flowing the conditioned air through the enclosure. The conditioned air experiences an elevation in temperature upon passing through the enclosure when holding computer equipment in operation. Then, flowing air out of the enclosure. The air flowing out of the enclosure is less heated due to the conditioning of the air before flowing the air into the enclosure. In this manner, the need and cost to condition the room that holds the computer equipment is reduced or minimized. 
   Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of examples the principles of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and like reference numerals designating like structural elements. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of a top view of a data center. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram of an isometric view of an equipment enclosure. 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram of an isometric view of a cooling system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show a diagram of a cut-out section of the cooling panel in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a diagram of a cooling panel in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a diagram of a side view of a cooling system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8A  is a flowchart detailing a process of operating a cooling system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8B  is a continuation of the flowchart  8 A detailing a process of operating a cooling system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates front and side views of an enclosure and the air flow lines, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The present invention, as illustrated by the following embodiments, provides the systems and methods for cooling equipment that generates waste heat during operation. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide the apparatus and methods to cool equipment stored in an equipment enclosure located in a data center. As should be appreciated, the present invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including systems or methods. In some instances, well known process operations and components have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments of the present invention. 
     FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a data center. In  FIG. 1 , a data center  102  is equipped with two computer room air conditioning (CRAC) systems  104  and two ventilation ducts  106 . The CRAC systems  104  provide air temperature control, e.g., cooling, of the data center  102 . The ventilation ducts  106  provide air ventilation in to and out of the data center  102 . Four rows of equipment enclosures  108  (e.g., equipment racks) are installed in the data center  102 . A variety of data storage and processing equipment (e.g., blade servers, etc.) may be stored in the equipment enclosures  108 . As the data storage and processing equipment is operated, waste heat is generated as a byproduct of the operation. The ventilation ducts  106  remove some the waste heat generated from the equipment enclosures  108  as well as supplying fresh air into the data center  102 . The CRAC systems  104  cool the air in the data center  102  to maintain the room temperature in the data center  102  at a proper level. The data center  102  is, however, only one example of the arrangement of equipment in a room. Thus, data center  102  should be viewed as an example case where measures are taken to address the generated heat. 
     FIG. 2  is a diagram of a typical equipment enclosure. In  FIG. 2 , an equipment enclosure  108  is configured with slots  202  for storing data storage and processing equipment (e.g., blade servers, etc.), and door  204  secures the equipment enclosure  108 . Although  FIG. 2  shows one particular configuration for storing data storage and processing equipment, the equipment enclosure  108  may be configured in a variety of ways to store data storage and processing equipment. As the data storage and processing equipment is operated, waste heat is generated and exhausted from the equipment enclosure  108  into the data center  102 . 
     FIG. 3  is a diagram of a cooling system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 3 , a cooling system  300  is mounted to an equipment enclosure  108 . The cooling system  300  includes an air mover  302 , e.g., fan, blower, etc., which draws air into the cooling system  300 . The air mover  302  directs air to a manifold  304  of the cooling system  300 . The manifold  304  then splits the air to separate paths, such that air is directed to cooling panels  306 . 
   Although  FIG. 3  shows the cooling panels  306  being mounted to the equipment enclosure  108 , it is within the scope of the present invention to incorporate the cooling panels  306  as the panels of the equipment enclosure  108 . Accordingly, the cooling system  300  may be incorporated as of part of the equipment enclosure, e.g., panels of the equipment enclosure, or as an add-on system that can be attached to the equipment enclosure. When attached to an existing enclosure, the connection can be by way of any desired manner. For instance, the cooling panels can be clipped on, screwed on, welded on, bracketed on, and the like. In some embodiments, the cooling panels  306 , when connected to the enclosure, may be optionally coupled with an interfacing gasket. 
   The air flow is shown traveling down the cooling panels  306  and then directed toward the center area in front of the slots  202 . Once the cool air is in front of the slots  202 , the cool air is caused to flow through the slots (e.g., into the equipment components). Once the air travels into the equipment and cools the equipment, the air is expelled from the back of the equipment enclosure  108 . The air leaving the equipment enclosure  108 , which is elevated in temperature, is then channeled to ducts (not shown) that remove the air from the room. In operation, the door  204  may be closed, but typically, the door is not a solid door. The door  204 , in many configurations, is a wire mesh or steel door that provides a level of theft security to the installed equipment. 
   In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the cooling panels assist in conditioning the air (i.e., cooling the air), before the air is passed into the enclosure. By doing this, the air rises in temperature as it passes through the enclosure (when equipment is in operation). However the air that exits the enclosure will not be elevated. That is, the air that exits the enclosure, although increases in temperature, will exit the enclosure at temperature that is closer to room temperature. For instance, if room temperature is 23-25 degrees C., and the air is cooled to 13-15 degrees C. (in the cooling panels), the air that exits the enclosure may be about 23-25 degrees C. In this example, the rise in temperature between air that goes in to air that comes out of the enclosure is 10 degrees C. Consequently, the cooling of the air in the cooling panels assists in removing the heat that would otherwise be exhausted out of the enclosure. As a comparison to the prior art, the prior art technique is to simply supply air into the enclosure, and then treat the elevated temperature of the room (e.g., data center). 
   In one embodiment, the cooling panels can supply about 15-18 Kilowatts of cooling capacity. For this capacity, the cooling panels  306  may extend off the enclosure by about 10 inches. Of course, the cooling panels can be increased in size to supply more cooling capacity. The size of the cooling panels  306 , will therefore depend on the cooling load (e.g., the amount of heat that can be generated by the computer equipment in the enclosure). 
     FIG. 4  is a diagram of a cut-out section of the cooling panel  306  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The cooling panel  306  has a path for moving air. The path is defined by the walls of the cooling panel  306 .  FIG. 4  shows that air is directed from the manifold  304  into the cooling panel  306 . Air is ventilated out of the cooling panel  306  through outlet ports  402 . As will be discussed further below, the outlet ports  402  may be configured in various manners to facilitate the operation of the cooling system  300 . The cooling ports can also be provided with vent controlling louvers. The vent controlling louvers can be manually adjusted or computer controlled (by predefined programs or programs actively receiving sensed feedback data) so that different regions of the cooling panels  306  exhaust air and others do not. For instance, the panels can allow cooled air to exit into the enclosure near the top, and bottom, but not in the center, or in any determined configuration. The determined confirmation would depend on the installed computer equipment, as some equipment may generate more heat that others. 
     FIG. 5  is a diagram showing a cut-out section of the cooling panel in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The cooling panels  306  can include coolant tubes  502 , which circulate coolant (e.g., and without limitation, X134A, R134U, CFC refrigerant, etc.) throughout the cooling panels  306 . The cooling panels  306  can be of any suitable dimension, but in one example, the cooling panels  306  extend out to about 10 inches and have a thickness of about 1-2 inches. In one embodiment, the dimensions of the cooling panels  306  will allow easy coupling to the enclosure, yet allow for unobstructed installation, removal or servicing of computer equipment (e.g., blade servers, components of any dimension (e.g., 1U, 2U, 3U, 4U, 8U, etc.)). 
   The coolant tubes  502  may be constructed from a material (e.g., copper coils, micro-channel coils, radiating fins, hollow conductors, or other thermally conducting materials) that is most suitable for maximizing heat transfer between the coolant in the coolant tubes  502  and the air that is being cooled in cooling panel  306 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling panels  306  are configured with fins (similar to the configuration of a heat exchanger see  FIG. 6 ) to provide a maximum surface area to facilitate conduction and convection. 
   Still referring to  FIG. 3 , each of the cooling panels has a plurality of outlet ports  402  (see  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 ) to allow air to be ventilated out. In one embodiment of the invention, the outlet ports  402  are configured in such manner that air is ventilated toward the front face of the equipment rack  108  with a velocity V 1 . The airflow having a velocity V 1  is directed toward the front of the equipment enclosure  108 . Air flows through the equipment enclosure  108  from the front to the back. As air, which is cooled by the cooling panels  306 , passes through the data storage and processing equipment and cools the equipment&#39;s heat generating electrical and electrical components, and the waste heat temperature is lowered. Accordingly, the temperature of the waste heat is reduced by the cooled air from the cooling panels  306 . The cooled air from the cooling panels  306  not only reduces the heat load to the ventilation and air conditioning systems in the data center  102 , but it also cools the data storage and processing equipment. 
     FIG. 6  is a diagram of a cooling panel in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Cooling panel  306  is configured with fins to maximize the surface area of the cooling panel for maximum heat transfer between the cooling panel  306  (e.g., by way of the coolant) and the air that is being ventilated from the outlet ports  402 . That is, the cooling panels  306  have an outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall includes the fins for enhancing cooling of the air. The cooled air is directed toward the front face of the equipment enclosure  108 . Since the cooled air is ventilated out of the outlet ports  402  with a velocity V 1 , the cooled air will pass through the equipment enclosure  108 , cooling the data storage and processing equipment as the cooled air passes from the front of the equipment enclosure  108  to the back of the equipment enclosure  108 . 
     FIG. 7  is a diagram of a cooling system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 7  shows a second air mover  702  being mounted to the equipment enclosure  108  to facilitate the cooled air from the cooling panels  306  to pass through the equipment enclosure  108 . The second air mover  702  draws the cooled air through the equipment enclosure  108  to the exhaust duct  704 . Thus, in this embodiment of the present invention, the equipment enclosure  108  might be considered as a self-contained unit. That is, the equipment enclosure  108  may not require cooling from the ventilation and air conditioning systems in the data center  102  to maintain the interior temperature of the equipment enclosure  108  at a proper level. The cooling system as described in this embodiment is able to provide cooled air to cool the data storage and processing equipment in the equipment enclosure  108 . At the same time, the cooling system is capable of exhausting away any waste heat by way of the duct  704  without loading the ventilation and air conditioning system of the data center  102 . 
   In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooling system  300  includes temperature and airflow monitoring components  706  and cooling system controller  708 . The cooling system controller  708  is configured to control the cooling system  300 . The temperature and airflow monitoring component  706  monitors the interior temperature and airflow in the equipment enclosure  108  and transmit temperature and airflow information to the cooling system controller  708 . The cooling system controller  708  is configured to controller the air mover  302 , the circulation of the coolant in the cooling panels  306 , the ventilation of cooled air through the outlet ports  402 , and the second air mover  702 , such that the cooling system  300  is properly cooling the data storage and processing equipment in the equipment enclosure  108  and removing waste heat generated by the operation of the data storage and processing equipment. 
   For example, the cooling system controller  708  is capable of controlling the air mover  302  to regulate the amount of air that is being drawn into the cooling system  300 . Also, the cooling system controller  708  is capable of controlling the circulation of coolant through the cooling tubes  502  in the cooling panels  306  to regulate the cooling capacity of the cooling panels  306 . The cooling system controller  708  can also control the amount of cooled air that is being ventilated through the outlet ports  402  to regulate the airflow through the equipment enclosure  108 . In addition, the cooling system controller  708  can control the air mover  702  to regulate the draw from the air mover  702  to assist with the cooled air passing through the equipment enclosure  108 . Accordingly, the cooling system  300  is capable of maintaining the interior temperature of the equipment enclosure  108 , such that the data storage and processing equipment can perform at peak efficiency without loading the ventilation and air conditioning system in the data center  102 . 
     FIG. 8A  is a flow chart detailing a process of operating a cooling system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The operating of the cooling system begins by drawing air into the cooling system by an air mover, in operation  802 . As air is drawn into the cooling system, air is directed to cooling panels by a manifold, in operation  804 . Coolant is circulated in the cooling panels to cool the cooling panels, in operation  806 . Air is directed to cooling panels to cool the air, in operation  808 . Cooled air is ventilated toward the front face of the equipment enclosure through outlet ports configured in the cooling panels, in operation  810 . 
     FIG. 8B  is a continuation of the flow chart in  FIG. 8A . Cooled air is passed through the equipment enclosure cooling data storage and processing equipment in the equipment enclosure and reducing the temperature of waste heat, in operating  812 . Additionally, cooled air is drawn through the equipment enclosure by a second air mover to assist with directing the cooled air through the equipment enclosure, in operation  814 . Air is exhausted from the equipment enclosure by way of an exhaust duct in operation  816 . Interior air temperature and airflow are monitored to determine the effectiveness of the cooling system, in operation  818 . As necessary, the operation parameters of the cooling system are adjusted by the cooling system controller to optimize the performance of the cooling system, in operation  820 . 
     FIG. 9  illustrates a simplified embodiment of the present invention. As shown, a front view illustrates the flow lines of the air. Also shown is a side view of the same enclosure. The illustration of  FIG. 9  will complement the diagram of  FIG. 3 . 
   Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail herein, it should be understood, by those of ordinary skill, that the present invention may be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details provided therein, but may be modified and practiced within the scope of the appended claims.