DESC:FIELD
The present disclosure relates to air-conditioning systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a rack cooling unit.
DEFINITION
As used in the present disclosure, the following terms are generally intended to have the meaning as set forth below, except to the extent that the context in which they are used indicate otherwise.
Rack Unit: The term ‘Rack Unit’ in this disclosure refers to, but is not limited to, a unit of measuring height of rack frames, as well as the height of any equipment that are mounted on these rack frames. For example, the height of a full-size rack cage is 42 rack units or 42U, while the equipment mounted thereon may be 1U, 2U, 4U, etc. in height.
1 rack unit, i.e., 1U = 44.50 mm (~1.75 in).
BACKGROUND
Rack cooling units (RCUs) are typically employed for cooling servers mounted on racks. Generally, rack cooling units are mounted either externally on a ceiling, on one of the front or the rear faces of the rack, or stacked into one of the frames of the rack, usually at the bottommost portion of the rack. Any of these arrangements evidently consumes significant space. When the RCU is mounted in the rack itself, it consumes capacity of the rack in the range of 6U to 9U, which would have otherwise been available for the actual purpose, e.g., stacking a server hardware unit.
Besides, existing RCUs have a fixed cooling capacity. Due to fixed cooling capacity and closed-loop cooling in existing RCUs, temperature drops beyond a certain value proportional to the cooling load and causes condensation on glass door, which is undesirable.
Also, existing RCUs do not allow redundancy of cooling in a single rack. In an existing single rack model of a cabinet, only one cooling unit can be mounted and thus, redundancy on active cooling cannot be provided.
There is, therefore, felt a need to provide a rack cooling unit that alleviates the above mentioned drawbacks.
OBJECTS
Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a rack cooling unit.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a rack cooling unit, which is compact and occupies minimum space within or around the rack.
Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a rack cooling unit, which prevents condensation on glass of the rack.
Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide a rack cooling unit, which allows use of an auxiliary cooling unit.
Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure envisages a Zero-U rack cooling unit for a server rack having a space defined therewithin. The Zero-U rack cooling unit comprises a frame, an array of fans, a front cover, a deflector, and an array of filters.
The frame is mounted on at least one side of the server rack. The array of fans is mounted on an operative front side of the frame. The array of fans is configured to generate an air stream that flows from an operative rear-to-front end of the server rack. The front cover is attached to the operative front side of the frame for encompassing the array of fans. The deflector is mounted on an inner surface of the front cover, and is configured to deflect the generated air stream towards the space defined within the server rack. The array of filters is attached to an operative rear end of the frame, and is configured to facilitate passage of the air stream flowing from the server rack therethrough. In an embodiment, the array of filters is selected from the group consisting of fiberglass filters, polyester filters, pleated filters, and high efficiency particulate (HEPA) filters.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of apertures is configured on an operative lateral side of the front cover. The air steam generated by the array of fans is deflected by the deflector towards the space defined within the server rack through the apertures.
In another embodiment, the Zero-U rack cooling unit includes a plurality of cooling tubes containing a refrigerant therein, and is configured to extend through space within the frame.
In still another embodiment, the frame, the front cover, and the deflector are of sheet metal.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, the Zero-U rack cooling unit includes at least one sensor. The sensor is configured to measure the temperature of the generated air stream.
In one embodiment, the width of the rack cooling unit is in the range of 80 mm to 100 mm.
In an embodiment, the Zero-U rack cooling unit includes a pair of side panels, a bottom case, and a drain pump. A side panel is attached to an operative left and ride side of the frame respectively. The bottom case is attached to an operative bottom of the frame. The drain pump is fitted within the bottom case, and is configured to remove excess condensate from a drain tray in order to prevent spillage in the Zero-U rack cooling unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
A Zero-U rack cooling unit of the present disclosure will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1a is a schematic view of a rack cooling unit of prior art configured on a rack;
Figure 1b is a schematic view of a rack cooling unit according to the present disclosure configured on a rack;
Figure 2 is an exploded view of a rack cooling unit of the present disclosure;
Figure 3 is an isometric view of a rack cooling unit of the present disclosure;
Figure 4a illustrates flow of supply air through a rack according to the present disclosure;
Figure 4a illustrates flow of supply air and return air through a rack cooling unit of the present disclosure; and
Figure 4c illustrates flow of return air through a rack according to the present disclosure.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
100’ rack cooling unit of a prior art
100 rack cooling unit
10 fan
20 frame
30 cooling tubes
40 front cover
45 apertures
50 deflector
60 filter
70 bottom case
80 drain pump
85 expansion valve
90 side panel
95 control unit
200 server rack
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments, of the present disclosure, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to the person skilled in the art. Numerous details are set forth, relating to specific components, and methods, to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.
The terminology used, in the present disclosure, is only for the purpose of explaining a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the forms "a,” "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," “including,” and “having,” are open ended transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of stated features, units and/or components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other features, components, and/or groups thereof.
Typically, rack cooling units consume a lot of space within or around the rack, wherein servers are typically mounted. A rack cooling unit 100’, shown in the schematic diagram of Figure 1a wherein air flow from the RCU 100’ to the rack 200 is shown by arrows, consumes U-space within the rack, thus limiting the available space for mounting a server’s hardware unit(s). Also, due to a fixed capacity of cooling, when the temperature drops below a certain value proportional to the cooling load, condensation occurs on the glass door of the server rack. Moreover, an auxiliary unit cannot be used in existing models of racks and thus redundancy of cooling is not possible.
The present disclosure envisages a Zero-U rack cooling unit 100. The Zero-U rack cooling unit 100 of the present disclosure is adapted to be mounted on either the left side or the right side (or both) of a server rack 200, schematically shown in Figure 1b wherein air flow from the Zero-U rack cooling unit 100 to the server rack 200 is shown by arrows.
The construction of the RCU 100 is shown in an exploded view in Figure 2, and in assembled state in an isometric view in Figure 3.
The Zero-U rack cooling unit 100 of the present disclosure comprises a frame 20, an array of fans 10, a front cover 40, a deflector 50, and an array of filters 60.
The frame 20 is mounted on at least one side of the server rack 200. The array of fans 10 is mounted on an operative front side of the frame 20. The array of fans 10 is configured to generate an air stream that flows from an operative rear-to-front end of the server rack 200. In an embodiment, the fans 10 are DC fans, which allow higher flow of air in CFM (cubic feet per minute).
The front cover 40 is attached to the operative front side of the frame 20 for encompassing the array of fans 10. The deflector 50 is mounted on an inner surface of the front cover 40, and is configured to deflect the generated air stream towards the space defined within the server rack 200. The array of filters 60 is attached to an operative rear end of the frame 20, and is configured to facilitate passage of the air stream flowing from the server rack 200 therethrough. In an embodiment, the array of filters 60 is selected from the group consisting of fiberglass filters, polyester filters, pleated filters, and high efficiency particulate (HEPA) filters.
The flow of air for the purpose of cooling the server rack 200 is illustrated in Figures 4a, 4b and 4c. Outwardly curved arrows show fresh air stream flowing towards the server rack 200 while inwardly curved arrows shows return air stream coming from the server rack 200.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of apertures 45 is configured on an operative lateral side of the front cover 40, i.e., on the side which is adjacent to the server rack 200. The air steam generated by the array of fans 10 is deflected by the deflector 50 towards the space defined within the server rack 200 through the apertures.
In another embodiment, the Zero-U rack cooling unit 100 includes a plurality of cooling tubes 30 containing a refrigerant therein, and is configured to extend through space within the frame 20. The air stream thus filtered flows over the cooling tubes 30 to undergo further drop in temperature. Further the cooled air is thus forced by the fans 10 towards the deflector 50 again.
In still another embodiment, the frame 20, the front cover 40, and the deflector 50 are of sheet metal. The sheet metal is made from the group consisting of stainless steel, aluminum alloy and the like.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, the Zero-U rack cooling unit 100 includes at least one sensor (not shown in figures). The sensor is configured to measure the temperature of the generated air stream.
In an embodiment, the Zero-U rack cooling unit 100 includes a control unit 95. The control unit 95 is configured to perform capacity control of the Zero-U RCU 100 based on the supply air temperature measured by the sensor. In another embodiment, an expansion valve 85 is employed for variable mass flow of the refrigerant.
In one embodiment, the width of the Zero-U rack cooling unit 100 is in the range of 80 mm to 100 mm.
In an embodiment, the Zero-U rack cooling unit 100 includes a pair of side panels 90, a bottom case 70, and a drain pump 80. A side panel, of the pair of side panels 90, is attached to an operative left and ride side of the frame 20 respectively. In one embodiment, the apertures 45 are configured on either or both side panels 90. The bottom case 70 is attached to an operative bottom of the frame 20. The drain pump 80 is fitted within the bottom case 70, and is configured to remove excess condensate from the drain tray in order to prevent spillage in the Zero-U rack cooling unit 100.
Alternatively, other essential refrigeration components such as a compressor, expansion valve and the like, can be installed within the bottom case 70.
In an embodiment, an environment-friendly refrigerant such as R410A is be used. Such rack cooling unit (RCU) of variable capacity has higher energy efficiency ratio (EER) as well as higher sensible heat ratio as compared to RCUs with a fixed capacity. Also, a variable capacity of the RCU ensures cooling as per load and will resolve the issue of condensation from the glass door of the rack.
According to yet another embodiment, the mounting orientation of the deflector 50 is altered so as to allow mounting of the Zero-U RCU 100 either on LH or RH (or both) sides of the server rack 200.
The Zero-U RCU 100 has a substantially slim design as compared to existing RCUs. Zero-U RCU 100 is preferably 88.9 mm wide in an embodiment. The Zero-U RCU 100 allows mounting of two units besides a rack (one on LHS and one on RHS), which makes possible providing redundancy of cooling of the rack. As compared to existing rack-mounted RCUs which may consume from 6U to 9U of rack space, the Zero-U configuration of the RCU 100 of the present disclosure provides extra space which can be used for expansion of the server in future.
The Zero-U RCU 100 of the present disclosure generates linear air flow. This leads to energy savings in the cooling operation.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, are interchangeable. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.
TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS
The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, the realization of a Zero-U rack cooling unit (RCU) which:
• is considerably compact;
• has variable cooling capacity;
• allows redundancy of cooling in a single rack
• prevents condensation on the door of the rack; and
• is energy-efficient.
The foregoing disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying embodiment which does not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.
The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.
Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated step, or group of steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, step, or group of steps.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:
1. A Zero-U rack cooling unit (100) for a server rack (200) having a space defined therewithin, said Zero-U rack cooling unit (100) comprising:
a. a frame (20) mounted on at least one side of said server rack (200);
b. an array of fans (10) mounted on an operative front side of said frame (20), said array of fans (10) configured to generate an air stream that flows from an operative rear-to-front end of said server rack (200);
c. a front cover (40) attached to said operative front side of said frame (20) for encompassing said array of fans (10);
d. a deflector (50) mounted on an inner surface of said front cover (40), said deflector (50) configured to deflect the generated air stream towards the space defined within said server rack (200); and
e. an array of filters (60) attached to an operative rear end of said frame (20), said filters (60) configured to facilitate passage of the air stream flowing from said server rack (200) therethrough.
2. The Zero-U rack cooling unit (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of apertures (45) is configured on an operative lateral side of said front cover (40).
3. The Zero-U rack cooling unit (100) as claimed in claim 1, which includes a plurality of cooling tubes (30) containing a refrigerant therein, and configured to extend through the space within said frame (20).
4. The Zero-U rack cooling unit (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said array of filters (60) is selected from the group consisting of fiberglass filters, polyester filters, pleated filters, and high efficiency particulate (HEPA) filters.
5. The Zero-U rack cooling unit (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frame (20), said front cover (40), and said deflector (50) are of sheet metal.
6. The Zero-U rack cooling unit (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of said rack cooling unit (100) is in the range of 80 mm to 100 mm.
7. The Zero-U rack cooling unit (100) as claimed in claim 1, which includes:
a. a pair of side panels (90) attached to an operative left and ride side of said frame (20) respectively;
b. a bottom case (70) attached to an operative bottom of said frame (20); and
c. a drain pump (80) fitted within said bottom case (70), said drain pump (80) configured to remove excess condensate from a drain tray in order to prevent spillage in said Zero-U rack cooling unit (100).
8. The Zero-U rack cooling unit (100) as claimed in claim 1, which includes at least one sensor configured to measure the temperature of said generated air stream.
9. The Zero-U rack cooling unit (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein a plurality of apertures (45) is configured on either or both of said side panels (90).

10. The Zero-U rack cooling unit (100) as claimed in claim 2 or 9, wherein the air steam generated by said array of fans (10) is deflected by said deflector (50) towards the space defined within said server rack (200) through said apertures (45).
Dated this 1st Day of October, 2019

_______________________________
MOHAN DEWAN, IN/PA - 25
of R.K.DEWAN & CO.
Authorized Agent of Applicant

TO,
THE CONTROLLER OF PATENTS
THE PATENT OFFICE, AT MUMBAI