An electrostatic precipitator that removes zinc whiskers from cooling air provided to cool components in an electronics enclosure. The electrostatic precipitator comprises an ionizer configured to apply a charge to zinc whiskers suspended in the cooling air. The electrostatic precipitator also comprises a collector that collects charged zinc whiskers from the contaminated cooling air to generate uncontaminated cooling air for cooling the components of the electronics enclosure. The electrostatic precipitator is configured to be disposed in the cooling air flow path upstream of the components such that the cooling air travels through the electrostatic precipitator prior to impinging on the components.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to electronics systems and, more particularly, to an electrostatic precipitator for removing zinc whiskers from cooling air for electronics systems.

2. Related Art

Computers such as servers and the like are housed within an electronics enclosure or chassis that provides multiple functions such as protecting operating components from damage and shielding against undesirable electromagnetic emissions. With the advent of data centers and the recent trend toward collocation facilities, such electronics enclosures are often configured to be mounted in a standard-size cabinet commonly referred to as a rack enclosure or cabinet. Such a cabinet can house multiple rack-mount collocation computers.

Thermal management within data centers is becoming increasingly difficult due to the continued increase in processing power of servers and other rack-mount collocation computers. Waste heat generated within such computers must be dissipated to avoid damage. Excessive heat, for example, can cause premature failures in processors, power supplies, disk drives and expensive plug-in cards such as fax modems, T1trunk cards, RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks) controllers and video-streaming cards, as well as other components.

Conventional data center installations use elevated or raised floors constructed from removable tiles. Elevated floors provide unrestricted space for the flexible routing of cables and power lines under the floor. One particular function of elevated floor systems is that they form a sub-floor duct or plenum for distributing cooling air. Typically, cooling air is forced through the plenum and enters the ambient air in the data center through gratings formed in certain floor tiles.

Traditionally, waste heat generated in rack-mount collocation computers was removed through the vertical distribution of cooling air from the plenum floor system. Conventional cabinets typically included fans mounted at or near the top of the cabinet. The fans draw cooling air up into the cabinet through an opening in the cabinet base. The cooling air is then exhausted from the cabinet into the ambient air in the data center.

More recently, manufacturers have developed servers with faster processing chips and greater input power in a smaller rack-mount enclosure. Because such servers require cooling air to be drawn through rather than around the rack-mount enclosure, cooling fans are now commonly integrated into servers. To provide on-board cooling fans with adequate airflow, rack cabinets have been redesigned to allow air to readily flow through the cabinet doors.

Data center floor tiles commonly include a steel, wood or wood-composite core with a steel bottom plate either hot-dipped or electroplated with zinc to prevent rust and corrosion. The electroplated zinc-coated tiles exhibit a peculiar behavior of having zinc filaments grow from various locations on the bottom surface. These zinc filaments are commonly referred to as zinc whiskers. Under stress or changing environmental conditions, the zinc atom structure separates from the steel and forms microscopic columns in a process known as atom migration. These columns of zinc, which grow from the bottom and sides of the elevated floor tiles, are approximately 2 microns in diameter, and grow at a rate of approximately 250 microns per year.

Zinc whisker contamination most commonly occurs when floor tiles of older elevated floor systems are disturbed. For example, when tiles are removed to gain access to the area under the floor to run cables or power lines, tiles are often placed one or top of another or are slid around on the floor. Such actions strip off thousands of zinc whiskers from the underside of the tile and introduce them into the air circulating in the data center. Zinc whisker contamination also often occurs simply with the passage of time. Zinc whiskers continually grow from the bottom of the floor tile into the stream of cooling air traveling through the raised floor plenum. Eventually, the zinc whiskers are severed from the floor tile by the passing cooling air. On-board cooling fans in rack-mount computers draw the zinc whiskers into the internal logic cages and power supplies. Once inside, the velocity of the zinc whiskers progressively diminishes due to the maze of components and electrical wires, facilitating the release of the zinc whiskers into the cooling air. The zinc whiskers, which are conductive contaminants, then settle on electronic components of logic cards and power supplies causing voltage or signal perturbations. Zinc whiskers can also cause catastrophic failures by shorting a power supply. Oftentimes malfunctions and data errors caused by zinc whiskers are transient and not repeatable because the zinc whiskers fuse and vaporize, or are repositioned when the rack-mount computer is removed for fault analysis.

The most common recommendation in the electronics industry to address the problems associated with zinc whiskers is to replace all accessible floor tiles and encapsulate those that are inaccessible. This is an extremely labor-intensive procedure involving specialized decontamination and encapsulation of air plenum surfaces. Another drawback of this and other disruptive procedures is that they increase the amount of zinc whisker released into the cooling air and ultimately distributed throughout the data center. A further drawback is that such a procedure often requires the computer systems supported by the elevated floor system to be taken off-line.

Other conventional approaches to addressing problems stemming from zinc whiskers have met with little success. For example, common filters are ineffective because zinc whiskers are small relative to dust and other common particulates. On the other hand, attempts to use filters capable of capturing zinc whiskers dramatically reduces airflow and cooling capacity in the data center. Other conventional approaches include coating printed circuit boards with a conformal coating, which is expensive, and separating high-voltage nodes of the printed circuit boards, which addresses only a subset of the problems caused by zinc whiskers, and which requires a redesign effort that could result in a printed circuit board which is too large for the server chassis.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

While the problems associated with zinc whiskers have been known in the electronics industry for some time, older electronic designs were less susceptible. As technology advanced, circuitry became much denser and operating voltages decreased thereby increasing the ability of zinc whiskers to adversely impact hardware reliability. What is needed, therefore, is an approach for preventing the adverse effects of zinc whiskers. Such an approach should be cost effective and its implementation should not reduce system availability.

In one aspect of the invention, an electrostatic precipitator is disclosed. The electrostatic precipitator removes zinc whiskers from cooling air provided to cool components in an electronics enclosure. The electrostatic precipitator comprises an ionizer configured to apply a charge to zinc whiskers suspended in the cooling air. The electrostatic precipitator also comprises a collector that collects charged zinc whiskers from the contaminated cooling air to generate uncontaminated cooling air for cooling the components of the electronics enclosure. The electrostatic precipitator is configured to be disposed in the cooling air flow path upstream of the components such that the cooling air travels through the electrostatic precipitator prior to impinging on the components.

In another aspect of the invention, a method for removing zinc whiskers from contaminated cooling air to provide uncontaminated cooling air for cooling components of an electronics enclosure having an air-intake aperture is disclosed. The method comprises passing the contaminated cooling air through an ionizer to charge the zinc whiskers; collecting the charged zinc whiskers on one or more of a plurality of charged collection plates in the electrostatic precipitator; and exhausting from the collecting means uncontaminated cooling air free of zinc whiskers.

In a further aspect of the invention, an electronics system is disclosed. The electronics system comprises an enclosing means for housing electronic components, the enclosing means having an aperture through which cooling air travels into the electronics enclosure. The electronics system also includes an ionizing means for applying a charge to zinc whiskers suspended in the contaminated cooling air, and a collecting means for collecting the charged zinc whiskers from the contaminated cooling air prior thereby generating uncontaminated cooling air.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is directed to an electrostatic precipitator for removing zinc whiskers from cooling air prior to the cooling air impinging on components in an electronics system enclosure. Because zinc whiskers are particularly problematic in computer rooms, collocation facilities and other data centers (collectively, “data centers”) having an elevated floor system, the present invention will be described with reference to a data center100, a perspective view of which is depicted inFIG. 1A. Data center100includes aisles of cabinets102such as the standard server racks commonly used in data centers. Such standard rack cabinets102are configured to operationally secure electronics equipment housed in a rack-mount enclosure. In data center100, the electronics systems are generally computers and, in particular, servers. These and other rack-mount systems are generally and collectively referred to herein as rack-mount electronics systems104.

Cabinets102are typically arranged in aisles on an elevated floor system106. Elevated floor system106comprises an array of floor tiles108supported on floor pedestals110resting on a sub-floor112. Elevated floor systems106are, as noted, commonly implemented in data centers to facilitate the placement of data cables, power lines and the like. Maintenance, replacement and reconfiguration of rack-mount electronics systems104require frequent access to the area below raised floor tiles108.

As noted, elevated floor system106creates a plenum114through which cooling air116travels. Cooling air116is generated by an air conditioning unit (not shown) located elsewhere in or adjacent to data center100. Cooling air116travels through plenum114and enters ambient air118in data center100through gratings120formed in certain floor tiles108.

On-board fans (not shown) in rack-mount electronics systems104draw cooling air116into the electronics enclosure to cool the active components contained therein. Waste heat122is exhausted from rack-mount electronics systems104and cabinets102into ambient air118in data center100. Ambient air118is then recirculated through the cooling system, and the above process is repeated.

In the exemplary data center100illustrated inFIG. 1A, cabinets102are, as noted, arranged in aisles. Rack-mount electronics systems104are arranged in adjacent cabinets102such that all on-board fans are oriented in the same direction, forming alternating aisles in which cool air is drawn into, and waste heat is exhausted from, rack-mount systems104. That is, rack-mount systems104mounted in each row of cabinets102are arranged such that their on-board fans draw air into the electronics enclosure from the same aisle and exhaust waste heat122into the same neighboring aisle. It should be appreciated that this is merely an exemplary arrangement and that the present invention can be implemented in any electronics environment.

FIG. 1Bis a magnified view of a bottom surface140of a raised floor tile108electroplated with zinc. Zinc filaments referred to herein as zinc whiskers150grow from various locations on bottom surface140of raised floor tiles108. Because zinc is a conductive material, a zinc whisker150can be considered a low capacitance resistance of 10 W to 40 W, depending on whisker geometry, with a DC fusing current of approximately 10 mA. Thus, although zinc whiskers150are small in size, they are large enough to cause problems such as short circuits, voltage variances, and other signal disturbances in rack-mount electronics systems104when they are released into the circulating air in data center100.

The present invention is directed to the use of an electrostatic precipitator configured to remove zinc whiskers150from cooling air116prior to the cooling air116impinging on components contained in an electronics enclosure such as rack-mount electronics systems104. Because cooling air116travels through air plenum114and is subject to zinc whisker contamination, cooling air116containing zinc whiskers150is referred to herein as contaminated cooling air116. As one or ordinary skill in the art will find apparent, the electrostatic precipitator can be positioned at any location upstream of the components contained in an electronics enclosure, such as within electronics enclosure itself.

Advantageously, the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention prevents zinc whiskers150from coming into contact with components in an electronics enclosure thereby preventing equipment failure and reducing hardware down-time. Significantly, embodiments of the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention can be selectively installed as an add-on component to existing equipment. Such retrofitting of specific systems reduces the cost of implementation. Thus, the present invention provides a solution to problems associated with zinc whiskers in computers without incurring costly treatment or replacement of elevated floor systems. The structure and operation of certain embodiments of the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention are described below, followed by a description of different configurations of the electrostatic precipitator.

FIG. 2is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of an electrostatic precipitator200. Electrostatic precipitator200is a two-stage electrostatic precipitator comprising a first stage in which contaminated cooling air116is passed through an ionizer202. In this illustrative example, ionizer202imparts a negative charge to zinc whiskers150contained within contaminated cooling air116. Airflow203exiting ionizer202has charged particles dispersed therein. Charged airflow203is passed through a collector206which removes the charged zinc whiskers204from the cooling air, effectively decontaminating cooling air116. The air exiting collector206has less zinc whiskers150than contaminated cooling air116and, preferably, is free of zinc whiskers150. Cooling air flowing from electrostatic precipitator200is referred to herein as uncontaminated cooling air205.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated inFIG. 2, ionizer202includes an array of electrode wires referred to as discharge electrodes210. Discharge electrodes210are substantially parallel with each other and are positioned orthogonal to the direction of airflow through electrostatic precipitator200. The array of discharge electrodes210, referred to as electrode grid208, is connected to a high voltage source at several kilovolts of negative polarity. In one embodiment, electrode grid208is connected to a DC-to-DC converter210that converts commonly-available 12 volt power to, for example, 13.5 kV DC. Maintaining discharge electrodes210at several thousand volts causes them to produce an ionizing field or corona212that releases electrons into the air stream of contaminated cooling air116. Preferably, discharge electrodes210are arranged with minimal spacing to prevent zinc whiskers150from passing through electrostatic precipitator200without passing through at least one corona212. The trajectory of zinc whiskers150pass through the corona212of one or more discharge electrodes210, as illustrated by the dashed line trajectory of zinc whisker150inFIG. 2. One or more electrons located in the coronas212attach to zinc whiskers150. This imparts a net negative charge, as represented by the negative charge indication on zinc whisker204in airflow203.

Collector206comprises a collector array218connected to a DC-to-DC converter222. Collector array218is a series of spaced rectangular electrodes referred to as collection plates214. Collection plates214are substantially parallel with each other and the direction of airflow through electrostatic precipitator200. Collection plates204are, therefore, substantially orthogonal to discharge electrodes210. Contaminated cooling air116entering collector array218travels past and between adjacent collector plates214. Collection plates214are connected to a high voltage source at several kilovolts of positive polarity, attracting negatively-charged zinc whiskers204. In one embodiment, collector plates214are each connected to DC-to-DC converter222that converts 12 volts to, for example, 6.5 kV, although other voltages can be used. This causes negatively-charged zinc whiskers204to migrate to a collection plate214. This is illustrated inFIG. 2by the dashed-line trajectory of charged zinc whisker204traveling into collector206and eventually landing on a collection plate214. Uncontaminated cooling air205then flows from electrostatic precipitator200.

FIG. 3is a side view of an alternative embodiment of an electrostatic precipitator of the present invention. Electrostatic precipitator300is a single stage device in which discharge electrodes210are located between collection plates214. As contaminated cooling air116enters electrostatic precipitator300, it immediately travels between a pair of collection plates214. The position of discharge electrodes210and collection plates214relative to the direction of air flow is the same as that described above with respect to electrostatic precipitator200. However, because in this embodiment, discharge electrodes210are aligned in the direction of air flow, zinc whiskers150can travel through a corona212of a number of discharge electrodes210. Eventually such zinc whiskers150accumulate a sufficient negative charge to become a charged zinc whisker204. Charged zinc whiskers204are then drawn toward a collection plate214as illustrated by the dashed line trajectories inFIG. 3. This embodiment allows different absolute or relative voltage levels to be used. Uncontaminated cooling air205is then exhausted from electrostatic precipitator300.

It should be understood that other embodiments of electrostatic precipitators can also be implemented. For example, in an alternative two-stage electrostatic precipitator, adjacent collection plates214have opposing polarities; that is, one collection plate214is maintained at a positive voltage while a neighboring collection plate214is maintained at a negative voltage. This operating configuration encourages rapid collection of zinc whiskers150due to the simultaneous attractive and repulsive forces acting on a charged zinc whisker150by neighboring collection plates214. In one version of this embodiment, all discharge electrodes210are maintained at either a positive or a negative voltage. In another version of this embodiment, neighboring discharge electrodes210are maintained at opposing polarities. In a further embodiment, collection plates214are grounded.

It should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the operating configuration of the electrostatic precipitators of the present invention are to be selected to achieve a desired operating efficiency in a given data center environment. Such configuration parameters include, for example, the relative physical arrangement of the discharge electrodes and collection plates, the distance between neighboring discharge electrodes and collection plates, the voltages at which the discharge electrodes and collection plates are maintained, etc. These and other physical and operating parameters are determined based on a number of factors. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the quantity, speed and size of zinc whiskers150, the volume of contaminated cooling air116passing through the electrostatic precipitator, the cooling requirements of the electronics systems relying on uncontaminated cooling air provided by the electrostatic precipitator, the size of the electrostatic precipitator relative to the volume and flow rate of contaminated cooling air116, etc. The selection of the configuration and operating parameters of the electrostatic precipitator is considered to be within the purview of those of ordinary skill in the art.

In accordance with the present invention, electrostatic precipitators200,300are configured to remove zinc whiskers150from contaminated cooling air116. Because zinc whisker contamination in cooling air116is a well-known problem in today's data centers, the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention is described as a separate unit that can be retrofitted into an existing data center100, cabinet102or rack-mount electronics system104. Accordingly, the embodiments of the electrostatic precipitator described below are configured to be inserted into the air stream of contaminated cooling air116entering data center100(FIG. 4), cabinets102(FIG. 5) and rack-mount electronics systems104(FIG. 6). From the following descriptions of these embodiments, it should become apparent that the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention can be configured to be disposed in any portion of the path of contaminated cooling air116to capture zinc whiskers150. For example, the electrostatic precipitator can be integrated within an electronics enclosure or mounted at the outlet of an air conditioning unit.

FIG. 4is a side view of an elevated floor system400including a floor tile402having an integrated electrostatic precipitator408to remove zinc whiskers150from contaminated cooling air116. Electrostatic precipitator408releases uncontaminated cooling air205into ambient air118of data center100. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 4, a pedestal type elevated floor system is illustrated. Floor pedestals110are fixed-height pedestals with a base416that rests on sub-floor112and a vertical member414that supports a stanchion412. Horizontal stringers410rest on and are secured to stanchions412to create rows of raised, substantially parallel, horizontal support members. Removable, uniform size floor tiles108rest on horizontal stringers410to form a plenum114through which contaminated cooling air116travels. Cooling air is generated by a cooling unit (not shown) and forced through plenum114. At the point at which the cooling air enters data center100, it contains zinc whiskers150and is, as noted, referred to as contaminated cooling air116.

In place of selected floor tiles108, elevated floor system400includes floor tiles402located at appropriate locations to provide uncontaminated cooling air205to active components in data center100. In the example embodiment shown inFIG. 4, a single floor tile402is shown located adjacent to a cabinet102which operationally supports rack-mount electronics systems104such as servers. Floor tiles402comprise a support member420having an aperture404formed therein to receive an electrostatic precipitator408. Electrostatic precipitator408can be any of the electrostatic precipitators noted above as well as any other electrostatic precipitator configured to ionize and collect zinc whiskers150traveling through contaminated cooling air116. Electrostatic precipitator408is constructed and arranged to be removably secured to support member420such that contaminated cooling air215travels through electrostatic precipitator408. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 4, aperture404in support member420has a countersink403formed therein. Electrostatic precipitator408has a flange405adapted to mate with countersink403when electrostatic precipitator408is operationally positioned in aperture404. It should be understood, however, that electrostatic precipitator408can be secured to support member420of floor tile402in any known manner. In alternative embodiments, electrostatic precipitator408and floor tile402can be unitary. In this exemplary implementation, floor tile402also includes an optional grating406to transfer weight applied to floor tile402to support member420.

Typical raised floor tiles are 2 feet by 2 feet squares while a typical pedestal-type floor is between six and twelve inches above sub-floor112. Electrostatic precipitator408, therefore, can be have a wide range of dimensions to accommodate a desired configuration. Also, electrostatic precipitator408is easily accessible for repair, cleaning and maintenance. In addition, any number of floor tiles402can be installed in elevated floor system400to provide a desired cooling capacity in data center100while insuring that only uncontaminated cooling air205is provided to data center100. It should also be appreciated that elevated floor system400illustrated inFIG. 4is exemplary only and that the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention can be implemented in other elevated floor systems and floor tiles to remove zinc whiskers150from contaminated cooling air116. For example, floor tile402can be implemented in movable-type, clip-on, bolt-down and other elevated floor systems.

FIG. 5is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention. As noted, waste heat122generated in rack-mount electronics systems104has traditionally been removed through the vertical distribution of cooling air116from elevated plenum floor system106. Contaminated cooling air116is drawn up and through cabinet102through an opening in the base of the cabinet by fans mounted at or near the top of the cabinet. The air is exhausted from the cabinet into the data center ambient air118.

In such cabinets102, removal of zinc whiskers150from cooling air116can be achieved with rack-mount electrostatic precipitator500. Electrostatic precipitator500is constructed and arranged to be removably mounted in a bottom-most position in a cabinet102to receive contaminated cooling air116as it enters through the base of cabinet102. As with electrostatic precipitator408, electrostatic precipitator500can be any of the above noted and other electrostatic precipitators configured to ionize and collect zinc whiskers150. The dimensions of electrostatic precipitator500are such that precipitator500can be mounted in cabinet102. Accordingly, electrostatic precipitator500is preferably designed to fit within the standard width but can have any desired vertical height suitable for the application.

It should be appreciated that electrostatic precipitator500includes other common features to facilitate mounting in cabinet102. For example, extension rails502are secured to opposing sides of electrostatic precipitator500to mate with corresponding railings in cabinet102. It should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that other mounting-related features commonly implemented in rack-mount devices can also be included with electrostatic precipitator500.

An alternative embodiment of the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention is described below with reference to a rack-mount collocation computer. As noted, more recently, manufacturers have developed servers with greater processing power housed in smaller rack-mount enclosures. A schematic block diagram of an exemplary conventional rack-mount collocation computer600is illustrated inFIG. 6. Rack-mount collocation computer600includes an enclosure612having dimensions suitable for mounting in a standard size cabinet102. Typically, a card cage602, power supply604, and drive bay606are housed in enclosure612. The illustrated configuration of such components in enclosure612is but just one example. Because rack-mount collocation computer600requires cooling air to be drawn through rather than around enclosure612, cooling fans608and610have been installed in rack-mount enclosure612. Fan608draws cooling air into enclosure612through a grille, perforations, or other type of aperture614(generally, aperture614) in collocation computer600. In addition, fan610exhausts waste heat122through vents in the rear of collocation computer600. The relative position of fans608,610, along with the internal configuration of the components of rack-mount collocation computer600determine the path cooling air116takes from fan608to fan610. InFIG. 6, the path of cooling air through collocation computer600is illustrated by a plurality of arrows.

Commonly, rack-mount collocation computer600includes a front grille mounted on the front of enclosure612through which cooling air116travels when entering enclosure612. Other rack-mount collocation computers have a module attached to the front thereof that includes a user interface. Such a user interface may be, for example, indicators, displays, manual control knobs and push buttons, and the like. Oftentimes, such user interface elements and grille are integrated into a single module616that is mechanically secured to electronics enclosure612. One or more cables or leads for transferring data and power between module616and the components housed in electronics enclosure612is not shown inFIG. 6.

An exploded schematic view of rack-mount collocation computer600with an electrostatic precipitator mounted thereon to remove zinc whiskers150from contaminated cooling air116to provide rack-mount collocation computer600with uncontaminated cooling air205is provided inFIG. 7. In this alternative embodiment, electrostatic precipitator702is configured to be positioned in the air circulation path adjacent to air intake aperture(s)614of electronics enclosure612. In the exemplary application shown inFIG. 6, electrostatic precipitator702is secured to the exterior of rack-mount collocation computer600immediately adjacent to air intake aperture614in the flow path of contaminated cooling air116so that electrostatic precipitator702can remove zinc whiskers150from all incoming contaminated cooling air116prior to cooling air116entering electronics enclosure612.

In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 7, grille/user interface module616has extension arms703that mate with slots705formed in enclosure612. Electrostatic precipitator702is mounted on enclosure612such that contaminated cooling air116travels through electrostatic precipitator704prior to entering enclosure612. In this embodiment, electrostatic precipitator702includes extension arms707for mounting electrostatic precipitator702on enclosure612using slots705. Electrostatic precipitator702is configured with slots708similar to slots705. This enables module616to be mounted on electrostatic precipitator702using flanges703. Communication and power lines (not shown) would be extended through electrostatic precipitator702to connect module704with enclosure612.

It should be appreciated that electrostatic precipitator702can be mounted to rack-mount computer enclosure612using any technique now or later developed. In addition, in alternative embodiments in which the user interface is integrated into rack-mount collocation computer612, electrostatic precipitator702is secured to the surface of enclosure612immediately adjacent to air intake aperture614in the flow path of cooling air116. In one such embodiment, the electrostatic precipitator is configured with appropriately configured apertures to view indicators on the integrated user interface that would otherwise be covered by electrostatic precipitator702.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. One example is the source of the zinc whiskers. It should be appreciated that zinc whiskers may grow on other surfaces electroplated with zinc. For example, at one time or another in the past few decades sub-racks, switch assemblies and card cages have been electroplated with zinc. Zinc whiskers originating on such elements will also be ionized and captured by the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention. Another example is the environment or application presented above. The present invention was described in the context of a data center having an elevated floor. This is because such environments can be greatly impacted by zinc whiskers due to the vast surface area of electroplated zinc surfaces, the turbulent air flow typically found in the air plenum beneath the elevated floor of such facilities, and the quantity of computers, servers and other rack-mount collocation computers that can be adversely impacted by zinc whiskers. However, it should be appreciated that the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention can be implemented in other environments in which zinc whisker contamination is present. As noted, the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention is described as a device which can be used to retrofit an existing elevated floor tile108, cabinet102or electronics system104. It should also be appreciated that the electrostatic precipitator can be constructed and arranged to be installed within an electronics enclosure during the manufacturing of, for example, rack-mount electronics systems104. In such embodiments, the electrostatic precipitator can be configured to be incorporated into electronics enclosure612immediately adjacent to aperture614or, perhaps, immediately adjacent to a fan608that is in contact with aperture614. Alternatively, the electrostatic precipitator can be an integral part of a larger ventilation assembly that also comprise a fan, an optional filter, grille, and other related components which can be installed or manufactured in collocation computer600. Alternatively, the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention can be configured to be an integral part of a larger cooling system. Another example is the particular type of electrostatic precipitator. It should be understood that other types of electrostatic precipitators now or later developed can also be implemented to collect zinc whiskers150from contaminated cooling air116. For example, in alternative embodiments, point-to-plane and concentric electrostatic precipitators can be implemented. Still further, the electrostatic precipitator of the present invention can be constructed and arranged to be placed in other locations in the air flow path of contaminated cooling air116between the location of zinc whiskers150and the components housed in electronics enclosure612. For example, in alternative embodiments, the electrostatic precipitator is configured to be secured in air ducts which supply cooling air to an electronics system. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.