Abstract:
A rack panel, rack enclosure, and system for cooling electronic components which are vertically mounted in a rack enclosure wherein the system has a front panel with two hollow internal ducts separated by an inner screen-like wall for more evenly distributing and delivering virtually equal amounts of cold air to each component with the rack enclosure. An air inlet, with one or more air movers adjacent thereto, introduces cold air into the front panel, evenly circulates it through the two ducts, and delivers it to the electronic components. A temperature sensor on the exhaust vents of the rear panel of the rack enclosure sensing the temperature of the cold air as it is discharged from the rack enclosure to ensure a continued sustainable degree of cold air is maintained throughout the rack enclosure.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 11/426,353, filed on Jun. 26, 2006. 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   None. 
   BACKGROUND 
   The rack panel of this disclosure generally relates to a novel panel for rack enclosures and a more efficient and effective method to cool the rack-mounted equipment inside the rack enclosures and to a method to more uniformly deliver large volumetric flows of cool air to cool a tall-standing rack enclosure containing such electronic equipment such as servers. 
   Most electronic equipment, particularly servers, is commonly arranged on racks and stacked vertically within the rack enclosure. These racks or enclosures meet industry standards for form and fit. As the equipment [servers] is on and operating, which commonly is 24 hours per day, seven days a week, they generate heat. The more servers, the greater the heat. Heat will build up and cause a slow down to the function of the equipment or a breakdown. Consequently, to maintain high degrees of efficiency and continued operation, the equipment within must be cooled. 
   To cool the equipment inside the rack enclosure, the electronic equipment within is usually designed to draw air from the same side, the front of the rack enclosure. Further, more than one rack enclosure is in a room. Generally the rack enclosures, with electronic equipment within, may be located in a special room where the fully equipped rack enclosure is on a raised floor with a sub-floor under the raised floor. The space between the sub-floor and the raised floor has ample space for power and data and communications cables, and generally has cold air circulating laterally throughout that space. In some applications, the cold air from that space is introduced in proximity to the front of the rack enclosures to cool the electronic equipment. 
   As electronic equipment becomes more and more powerful and faster and faster in operation, it becomes hotter and hotter. It is therefore necessary to introduce larger amounts of cold air from the space between the sub-floor and the raised floor in order to better cool the electronic equipment. For rack enclosures designed to industry standards [such as the EIA-310, the IEC 60297, and the Din 41494 and SC48D] there is limited space within the rack enclosure to accommodate larger flows of cold air which are necessary to properly cool the electronic equipment. 
   In theory, this is overcome by using high velocity air, but this air moves so fast through small ducts that it cannot be delivered evenly to the electronic equipment. A better rack enclosure component and method were needed to more efficiently and effectively move the large quantities of cold air necessary for proper cooling of the electronic equipment from the space between the sub-floor and the raised floor to the inlet surface of electronic equipment within the rack enclosure and to distribute that air more evenly throughout the entire rack enclosure and thereby, more evenly to and through the electronic equipment. 
   This novel panel of the present disclosure for use with current rack enclosures and the method incorporated thereby is intended to fulfill the need to more evenly introduce of large amounts of sub-ambient [cold] air to the surfaces of the rack enclosure and particularly to the electronic equipment within. 
   The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the rack panel of this disclosure. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the rack panel of this disclosure. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed rack panel of this disclosure in a different manner or by modifying the rack panel of this disclosure within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the rack panel of this disclosure may be had by referring to the summary of the rack panel of this disclosure and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the rack panel of this disclosure defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
   SUMMARY 
   The above-noted problems, among others, are overcome by the rack panel of this disclosure. Briefly stated, the rack panel of this disclosure contemplates a system for cooling electronic components vertically mounted in a rack enclosure wherein the system has a front panel with two hollow internal ducts separated by an inner screen-like wall for more evenly distributing and delivering virtually equal amounts of cold air to each component with the rack enclosure. 
   An air inlet, with one or more air movers adjacent thereto which is at or near to the bottom or the top of the front panel, introduces cold air into the front panel and evenly circulates it through the two ducts and delivers it to the electronic components through a plurality of discharge outlets. A temperature sensor is at the air inlet to measure the temperature of incoming cold air and one or more similar sensors are on the exhaust side panel or exhaust vents of the rear panel of the rack enclosure to sense and measure the temperature of the hot exhaust air that was heated by the electronic components and is discharged from the rack enclosure to ensure that a continued sustainable volume of cold air is delivered to the rack enclosure by adjusting the fan speed. 
   The rack panel of the present disclosure may be used as a replacement to the front panel of a rack enclosure or to the two side panels of a rack enclosure or on all three sides if desired. 
   The foregoing has outlined the more pertinent and important features of the rack panel of this disclosure in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood so the present contributions to the art may be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the rack panel of this disclosure will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific embodiment may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures and methods for carrying out the same purposes of the rack panel of this disclosure. It also should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions and methods do not depart from the spirit and scope of the rack panel of this disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the rack panel of this disclosure, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are perspective detailed views of a prior art rack enclosure and panels. 
       FIG. 2  is a cut-away detailed view of a preferred embodiment of the rack panel of the present disclosure. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  2 ,  FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate typical prior-art rack enclosures  10 . The rack enclosure  10  has four side panels  12 A-D and a top  11 . In these examples panel  12 A is the front and panel  12 C is the rear. The side panels  12 A-D may have vents  13  or may be solid.  FIG. 1A  illustrates a rack enclosure  10  wherein only the rear panel  12 C has exhaust vents  13  and the other panels  12 A,  12 B, and  12 D are basically solid.  FIG. 1B  illustrates a rack enclosure  10  which has vents on all four side panels  12 A- 12 D. 
   Inside the rack enclosure  10  are brackets  14  with slots  15  which support the electronic components  18  within. These are conventional brackets  14  using conventional means in which to adjust height and in which to hold and support the electronic component  18 . Space is important as it is the goal to vertically insert in the rack enclosure  10  as many electronic components  18  as is possible. Consequently, the electronic components  18  are virtually stacked atop one another. 
   Typically the electronic components  18  have slits or vents  19  on the inlet side [that side facing the front panel  12 A] and on the exhaust side [that side facing the rear panel  12 C, electronic component  18  vents not shown]. The space between the inlet side vents  19  and the front panel  12 A generally is very small. In some cases, the electronic components  18  have vents  19  on all sides as illustrated in  FIG. 1B  [electronic component rear vent not shown]. 
     FIG. 1A  is a typical prior art configuration of a rack enclosure  10  with exhaust vents  13  only on the rear panel  12 C. In this situation, cold air is introduced into the rack enclosure  10  at the front [panel  12 A] of the rack enclosure  10  and generally from below. One or more air movers or fans  17 , arranged in parallel relationship at the bottom of the rack enclosure  10 , pulls the cold air into the rack enclosure  10  in the direction of Arrow X through inlet port  36  and up through its exhaust/outlet port  38 . The fans  17  are typically housed in an enclosure  16  on the bottom of the rack enclosure  10 . 
   In this prior-art configuration, the cold air enters the room from the sub-floor rises and settles to the floor above the sub-floor. The cold air is then drawn into the interior through outlet port  38  the direction of Arrow Y and, due to the internal fans inside the electronic components  18 , the cold air then enters the front vents  19  on the electronic components  18 , passes through the electronic components  18 , out the rear vents  19  of the electronic components  18 , and passes out of the rack enclosure  10  in the direction of Arrow W through the rear panel  12 C of the rack enclosure  10  through its vents  13  [not shown] on that rear panel  12 C. 
   Generally in this type configuration, the electronic components  18  only have vents  19  on the front and rear but may also have similar vents  19  on the sides. As described above the space between the inlet vents  19  of the electronic components  18  is quite small and, consequently, a sustained and sufficient volume of cold air necessary to cool the electronic components  18  cannot be achieved. 
   Another prior-art configuration is illustrated in  FIG. 1B . This means of cooling provides for vents  13  on all the panels  12 A-D or typically only on the front panel  12 A and the rear panel  12 C, the latter being more effective than the former. In the more typical configuration of vents  13  only on the front and rear panels  12 A,  12 C, respectively, room ambient air is drawn into the rack enclosure  10  in the direction of Arrow Z and into the vents  19  of the electronic components  18  by the internal fans of those electronic components  18 . As the ambient air passes through the electronic components  18 , it is heated after which the now heated air passes out the rear vents  19  of the electronic components  18 , and ultimately out the exhaust vents  13  [not shown] on the rear panel  12 C. 
   Generally, room ambient air does not effectively cool the many electronic components  18  in these rack-enclosed systems in that they generate large heat loads and typically require large volumetric flows of cold air to be properly cooled. As explained above, in all prior art devices and methods, there is limited space to deliver the required large volumes of cold air where specifically needed. Consequently, either an insufficient volume and an unequal temperature of cold air is delivered equally to each one of the electronic components, or a sufficient volume and temperature of cold air is delivered unequally to each one of the electronic components  18  because the cold air is moving too fast. 
   The cooling capabilities of these prior devices and systems are uneven and inadequate. In all such prior art cooling systems, because the volumetric flow is very high and the space between the front panel  12 A [the incoming side, or any side panel] and the equipment vents  19  is so small, the incoming cold air at the uppermost regions of the rack enclosure  10  is not nearly as cold as the air below nor is the volume or pressure the same. Consequently, an unacceptable and uneven cooling process results. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the rack panel  20  of the present disclosure and the method associated therewith provide for a virtually even distribution of cold temperatures to each one of the electronic components  18  within the rack enclosure  10 . For greater administrative clarity, the rack panel  20  is shown in relation to the other side and rear panels  12 B,  12 D, and  12 C, respectively but without the frame of the rack enclosure  10 . The rack panel  20  is an enclosed panel having a hollow interior and is adapted to replace any one or more of the side panels  12 B, D or the front panel  12 A of the prior art rack enclosures  10  as described and illustrated in  FIG. 1A . 
   The rack panel  20  has at least a first wall  21 , a second wall  22 , two end walls  31 ,  32  each respectively connected the first wall  21  and to the second wall  22  thereby forming the hollow interior, and a top  25 . The bottom of the rack panel  20  has a bottom wall  35  to thereby fully enclose the rack panel  20  defining a fully enclosed inner hollow chamber within. An air intake duct  26  at or near to the bottom of the rack panel  20  permits entry of cold air into the hollow chamber. The cold air is circulated and ducted through this hollow chamber up to and through the electronic equipments  18 . The size of the hollow chamber allows for large amounts of cold air to move at low velocity and thereby more evenly. 
   The cold air is directed by one or more high pressure air moving devices or fans  17  and into the air intake duct  26  on the rack panel  20  in the direction of Arrow A. To more evenly distribute the cold air such that each one of the many electronic components  18  within the rack enclosure  10  receive virtually the same volume and degree of cold air, the hollow chamber is divided into two separate ducts  23 ,  24  by an inner wall  30  which has a plurality of apertures  27  to permit air to circulate from the first duct  23  into the second duct  24  in the direction of Arrow B. 
   The cold air will circulate through the first duct  23  and into the second duct  24  passing through the apertures  27  of the screen-like inner wall  30  in the direction of Arrows B and C. Such passage through these apertures  27  evens the pressure and flow of the cold air all along the length of the rack panel  20  which may run from the bottom  35  of the rack panel  20  up to the top wall  25 . This cold air is evenly distributed through the long narrow second duct  24  and vented to the electronic equipment  18  via the discharge vents/outlets  28  in the directions of Arrows C and D. This configuration and method of more directly forcing high volumes of cold air towards the heat load and mixing it with ambient air permits delivery of large volumetric flows along a narrow exhaust vent. 
   Without the screen-like inner wall  30  there of course would be a single duct and the cold air within would be moving rapidly and with uneven pressure throughout the length of the single duct. With the screen-like inner wall  30 , the top wall  25 , and the bottom wall  35 , the forced-in cold air will then be forced to turn 90° to face and move toward and through the apertures  27  of the inner wall  30  [balancing screen]. As the cold air passes through the inner wall  30 , its pressure and volumetric airflow will be evened out and thereby become more even throughout the length of the second duct  24 . 
   Once inside the second duct  24 , with no other outlet except for the plurality of discharge outlets  28  on the first wall  21  situated between the inner wall  30  and the first end wall  31 , the evenly dispersed cold air will turn in the direction of Arrow C and out the discharge outlets  28  in the direction of Arrow D to and evenly through each electronic component in the rack enclosure  10 . 
   The discharge outlets  28  generally should be as close as possible to the first end wall  31  and thereby will be close to the intake vents  19  of the electronic components when the rack panel  20  replaces side panels  12 B,  12 D of the rack enclosure  10  as illustrated in  FIG. 1A . The air intake duct  26  may also have a collar  29  around its opening to facilitate the flow of cold air to its maximum extent into the hollow chamber  23 ,  24  of the rack panel  20 . 
   Though the air intake duct  26  of the rack panel  20  is illustrated to be on the bottom of the panel, it may be situated at or near the top or both at the top and the bottom depending on a user&#39;s particular needs and circumstances. Regardless of point of entry, cold air will be evenly distributed through this rack panel  20  and its dual duct  23 ,  24  configuration and screen-like inner wall  30 ,  27 . Typically the discharge outlets  28  should be above the air intake duct  26  if such if situated at or near the bottom, and should be below the air intake duct  26  if situated at or near the top. 
   This evenly distributed cold air will be delivered to each electronic component  18  through its intake vents  19  and has a greater cooling effect than prior-art devices and methods. The cold air will pass through the electronic component  18 , become heated and will pass out exhaust the vents  19  of the electronic components  18 , and ultimately out the rack enclosure  10  through the exhaust vents  13  which typically are on the rear panel  12 C. 
   In other words, and using  FIG. 1A  as a model, the rack panel  20  of this disclosure would replace the front panel  12 A of that rack enclosure  10 . Cold air would be forced through the rack panel  20  of this disclosure and into and through the electronic components  18  via their respective intake and exhaust vents  19  thereby cooling the electronic equipment  18 . The rear panel  12 C of that rack enclosure would have exhaust vents  13  and typically the side panels  12 B,  12 D would not. 
   The cold air passing through the electronic components  18  would cool the electronic components  18  and thereby become heated. The now heated are will vent out of the electronic components  18  and be discharged from the rack enclosure  10  through the exhaust vents  13  on the rear panel  12 C. Though this description discussed that only the front panel  12 A was replaced by the rack panel  20  of this disclosure, a more efficient and effective means of cooling would be to replace the side panels  12 B,  12 D of the rack enclosure  10  with the rack panel  20  of this disclosure. 
   Using  FIG. 1A  as an example where the rack enclosure  10  has a solid front panel  12 A and solid side panels  12 B,  12 D, with the rear panel  12 C having exhaust vents  13 , the side panels  12 B,  12 D would be removed. These side panels  12 B,  12 D would be replaced with the rack panel  20  of this disclosure. The rack panel  20  as illustrated in  FIG. 2  would replace the left side panel  12 D. The discharge outlets  28  are adjacent to the front panel  12 A and thereby as close as possible to the inlet vents  19  of the electronic components  18 . 
   A mirror-image of the rack panel  20  illustrated in  FIG. 2  would be placed on the right side of the rack enclosure  10  thereby replacing side panel  12 B. In this regard, the discharge outlets  28  of this rack panel  20  also are adjacent to the front panel  12 A and thereby as close as possible to the inlet vents  19  of the electronic components  18 . This dual approach of replacing the two side panels  12 B,  12 D of the rack enclosure  10  with the rack panel  20  of this disclosure provides maximum sustained cooling to the electronic components  18 . 
   Additionally, conventional temperature sensors at the air intake duct  26  [reference character  48 A] or at the rear vents  19  of the electronic components  18  [or rear side vents on the rear panel, reference character  48 B] or both measure incoming air and exhaust air, respectively, to ensure quality of cooling effect. As the temperature of exhaust air rises [or falls as the case may be] such would be detected by the sensor  48 B for example at or near to one or more of the exhaust vents  13 . 
   Depending on the reading and desired cooling effect, the sensor  48  would cause the fans  17  to throttle up or down as necessary. In most efficient cooling situations, the exhaust air should not exceed 25° C. or lower. If for example the sensor  48 B at the exhaust side of the rack enclosure  10  senses a pre-determined threshold as established and set by the user, an alarm signal would be sent to a controller or to the fans  17  and the fans  17  would be throttled up to direct and force more cold air into the rack panel  20  to mix with ambient air going through the electronic equipment  18 . 
   The present disclosure includes that contained in the present claims as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this rack panel of this disclosure has been described in its preferred forms with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts and method steps may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the rack panel of this disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the rack panel of this disclosure should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. 
   Applicant[s] have attempted to disclose all the embodiments of the rack panel of this disclosure that could be reasonably foreseen. It must be understood, however, that there may be unforeseeable insubstantial modifications to rack panel of this disclosure that remain as equivalents and thereby falling within the scope of the rack panel of this disclosure.