Rack assembly for vertical airflow cooled devices
地域：
WA
WA Redmond
摘要
An assembly includes a lower sub-assembly containing a first fan, a middle sub-assembly supported above the lower sub-assembly, a bottom air flow control plane supported in the middle sub-assembly and having openings sized to fit multiple computers having vertical cooling air paths, and a top air flow control plane supported in the middle sub-assembly above the bottom air flow control plane and having openings sized to fit the multiple computers such that air is forced through the vertical cooling air paths.
說明書
Data centers commonly house thousands of computers and associated equipment to provide computing resources via network connections. The computers in many instances take the form of blades that are inserted into racks, with cooling air provided to ensure the blades do not overheat. The use of computers in the form of blades and racks, allows significant density of computing power in a compact format.
Racks are commonly designed to accommodate computers that are arranged in a blade format. The airflow proceeds horizontally through the blades. Some computers are not arranged in a blade format but may take shapes that are not conducive to a high-density arrangement in an equipment rack. In addition, some such computers are designed to sit upright on a desktop and may require the upright orientation where air flows vertically through the computers to properly cool the computers. It can be difficult to design racks that can hold a high density of such computers and still provide sufficient cooling air to keep the computers in a desirable operating temperature range.
An assembly includes a lower sub-assembly containing a first fan, a middle sub-assembly supported above the lower sub-assembly, a bottom air flow control plane supported in the middle sub-assembly and having openings sized to fit multiple computers having vertical cooling air paths, and a top air flow control plane supported in the middle sub-assembly above the bottom air flow control plane and having openings sized to fit the multiple computers such that air is forced through the vertical cooling air paths
權(quán)利要求
The invention claimed is:1. An assembly comprising:a lower sub-assembly containing a first fan; a middle sub-assembly supported above the lower sub-assembly; a bottom air flow control plane supported in the middle sub-assembly and having bottom openings, each bottom opening having a first perimeter sized to fit and support a corresponding computer by supporting a perimeter of a corresponding computer chassis having a maximum perimeter less than the first perimeter, the corresponding computer chassis having a vertical cooling air path through the computer chassis; a top air flow control plane supported in the middle sub-assembly above the bottom air flow control plane and having top openings having a second perimeter larger than the maximum perimeter of the corresponding computer chassis, each top opening sized to allow insertion of the corresponding computer chassis through each top opening, the bottom air flow control plane and the top air flow control plane providing an-enclosure such that air is forced through a corresponding bottom opening of the computer chassis, the vertical cooling air path through each corresponding computer chassis, and a corresponding top opening of the computer chassis; and a top sub-assembly supported above the middle sub-assembly to receive air from the top openings of each computer chassis. 2. The assembly of claim 1 and further comprising a second fan disposed above the top air flow control plane to act in cooperation with the first fan to move air through the vertical cooling air path of each corresponding computer chassis. 3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the top sub-assembly comprises a double wailed top and forms a plenum to facilitate air flow through the second fan. 4. The assembly of claim 1 and further comprising a bar beneath the bottom air flow control plane and in the lower sub-assembly positioned to support the corresponding computer chassis. 5. The assembly of claim 4 and further comprising bottom rails to movably support the bottom sub-assembly. 6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein each corresponding computer chassis is cylindrical in shape and wherein the airflow control planes contain round openings corresponding to the cylindrical shape of the computer chassis. 7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the openings in the top airflow control plane are larger than the bottom openings in the bottom airflow control plane to permit insertion and removal of each corresponding computer chassis through the top openings. 8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the lower sub-assembly comprises multiple cards for storage and networking and wherein the first fan blows air past the multiple cards towards each computer chassis bottom opening. 9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the bottom air flow control plane has a cable opening positioned to pass cables from the cards in the lower sub-assembly to the connectors of each corresponding computer in the middle sub-assembly. 10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the cables comprise network cables, and wherein at least two network cables from cards are combined into a single network cable prior to passing through the cable opening in the bottom air flow control plane. 11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the upper air flow control plane includes handles extending upward to facilitate lifting of the upper air flow control plane for providing physical access to each corresponding computer. 12. A system comprising:a lower sub-assembly including a first fan; a middle sub-assembly supported above the lower sub-assembly; a bottom air flow control plane supported in the middle sub-assembly and having bottom openings, each bottom opening sized to fit and support a perimeter of a corresponding computer, each corresponding computer having a vertical cooling air path through a cylindrical shaped computer chassis such that air is forced through the vertical cooling air path; a top air flow control plane supported in the middle sub-assembly above the bottom air flow control plane and having top openings having a perimeter larger than a perimeter of the corresponding computer, each top opening sized to fit the corresponding computer through each top opening such that air is forced through a corresponding computer chassis bottom opening, the vertical cooling air path through each corresponding computer, and a corresponding computer chassis top opening: and a second fan disposed above the bottom air flow control plane to act in cooperation with the first fan to move air through the vertical cooling air paths of each corresponding computer chassis. 13. The system of claim 12 and further comprising a plenum positioned above the middle sub-assembly to facilitate air flow through the second fan. 14. The system of claim 12 and further comprising:middle rails to moveably support the middle sub-assembly; and bottom rails to movably support the bottom sub-assembly. 15. The system of claim 12 wherein the bottom airflow control plane bottom openings are round openings corresponding to the cylindrical shape of each corresponding computer, the system further comprising a bar beneath the bottom air flow control plane and in the lower sub-assembly positioned to support each corresponding computer chassis. 16. The system of claim 12 wherein the lower sub-assembly comprises multiple cards for storage and networking and one or more power supplies each having a fan coupled to expel air outside the assembly to cool the one or more supplies. 17. The system of claim 12 and further comprising a top airflow control plane supported in the middle sub-assembly above the bottom air flow control plane and having top openings sized to permit insertion and removal of each corresponding computer through the top openings such that air is forced through the vertical cooling air paths. 18. A system comprising:a lower sub-assembly including a first fan; a middle sub-assembly supported above the lower sub-assembly; a bottom air flow control plane supported in the middle sub-assembly and having bottom openings, each bottom opening sized to fit and support a perimeter of a corresponding computer, each corresponding computer having a vertical cooling air path through a cylindrical shaped computer chassis such that air is forced through the vertical cooling air path; a top air flow control plane supported in the middle sub-assembly above the bottom air flow control plane and having top openings sized to fit the corresponding computer through each top opening such that air is forced through a corresponding computer chassis bottom opening, the vertical cooling air path through each corresponding computer, and a corresponding computer chassis top opening; and a bar beneath the bottom air flow control plane and in the lower sub-assembly positioned to support the corresponding computer chassis.
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