Patent ID: 8457938

Claim:
An apparatus for physically simulating at least one operational characteristic of an electronics rack comprising at least one electronic subsystem, the apparatus comprising: a rack frame distinct from the electronics rack for which at least one operational characteristic is to be physically simulated, the rack frame lacking the at least one electronic subsystem of the electronics rack; at least one of an air inlet door or an air outlet door, the air inlet door being hingedly mounted along one edge to the rack flame at an air inlet side thereof and comprising an opening therein allowing external air into the rack frame, and the air outlet door being hingedly mounted along one edge to the rack frame at the air outlet side thereof and comprising an opening therein allowing air from the rack frame to pass therethrough; at least one air-moving device associated with the rack frame to establish a physical airflow through the rack frame from an air inlet side to an air outlet side thereof, wherein established physical airflow through the rack frame correlates to anticipated airflow through the electronics rack; and an adjustable heat source associated with the rack frame, the adjustable heat source comprising an adjustable fluid heater providing a heated fluid of a controlled temperature, and at least one heated fluid-to-air heat exchanger coupled to receive the heated fluid, the adjustable heat source controllably heating air passing through the rack frame, wherein the at least one heated fluid-to-air heat exchanger is mounted within at least one of the at least one air inlet door or air outlet door, and heats air passing across the at least one heated fluid-to-air heat exchanger by transferring heat from the heated fluid passing therethrough to the air passing thereacross, with heated air physically exhausting from the air outlet side of the rack frame being controlled to physically simulate anticipated heated air to exhaust from the electronics rack during operation thereof.