GB2121530A

GB2121530A - Heat transfer arrangement for cooling equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2121530A
Application number: GB08315130A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barry Tremlett; James Lorimer Langley Russell
Original assignee: British Aerospace PLC
Current assignee: BAE Systems PLC
Priority date: 1982-06-02
Filing date: 1983-06-02
Publication date: 1983-12-21
Also published as: GB2121530B; GB8315130D0

Abstract

A racking system for electronic equipment or other equipment to be cooled, includes a rack structure (1) and at least one drawer structure (2) slidable into and out of the rack structure. The rack structure includes a chamber through which pressurised coolant is circulated, a wall region (7) of the chamber being urgable under coolant pressure into heat transfer association with a wall region (10) of a drawer structure to be cooled. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Heat transfer arrangement This invention relates to heattransfer arrangements where heat is to be transferred from one structure to another, one being detachable from the other.

Although having more general applications, the invention has particular use in racking systems for electronic equipment in which the equipment is carried in drawer units which can be inserted or removed from racks. The electronic equipment within the units may generate excessive heat so that cooling is necessary; efficient cooling is often inconsistent with such insertion or removal.

For example, the use of fluids, especially liquids, in general necessitates the provision offluid seals and the couplings which naturally militate against easy insertion and removal ofthe units.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an arrangement for providing heat transfer between a fixed structure and a movable structure includes a chamber in one structure, through which a fluid heat transfer medium can circulate, a wall region on the other structure which requires to be in heat transfer association with the chamber, the chamber having an urgablewall region arranged such that in use the said wall region is urged into heattransferassociation with the wall region of said other structure.

Conveniently, by this arrangement, the heat transfer medium can be pressurised such that said urgable wall region is urged into heattransfer association by the pressure forces, thus, when pressure is reduced or removed, the heat transfer association of the two wall regions is broken at leastsufficientlyto allow removal of the movable structure and subsequent reinsertion withoutthe necessityofdisconnection orconnection of ducts and the breaking or making of seals. This is particularly advantageous when the cooling medium is a liquid rather than a gas.

In a racking system of the type to which reference is made above, the chamber is formed in the fixed rack structure whilst the wall region to be in heattransfer association with the urgable wall region ofthe chamber is formed upon a drawer unit.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a racking system for electronic equipment or other equipment to be cooled includes a rack structure, and at least one drawer structure slidable into and out ofthe rack structure, the rack including a chamber through which pressurised coolant is circulated, a wall region ofthe chamber being urgable under coolant pressure into heat transfer association with a wall region of a drawer structure to be cooled.

Some embodiments ofthe invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a racking system, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation in the plane of arrows Il-Il of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a similar view of an alternative to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, and showing an end region of a racking system rather than the intermediate region shown in Figure 2, Figure 4 is a similarviewto that of Figure 3 in an alternative condition, and Figure 5 is a similarview of yet a further embodiment.

A racking system for electronic equipment includes a rack structure 1 and a plurality of drawer units 2 slidable into and outofthe rack structure before and after use. The units 2 slide on guides 3; they require in this instance to be cooled. Formed within each upright of the rack structure is a chamber 4 through which pressurised coolant, e.g. a water/glycol mixture, is circulated by way longitudinally extending inlet and outlet ducts 5 and 6 respectively.

Each chamber4 has at least one urgablewall 7 which lies in spaced facing relationship with a wall 10 of an inserted drawer unit. That embodiment of Figure 2 has two oppositely facing walls, being in an intermediate upright whilst that of Figure 3 has a single such wall, being an end upright.

Each urgablewall 7 is in the form of a plate of suitably heat conducting metal 8, e.g. aluminium, attached to the remainder ofthe chamber by means of a resilient diaphragm memberS. As an alternative, shown in Figure 5, the diaphragm member9can be replaced by a bellows member 14 which may be formed integ rally with the plate 8. To accommodate, and thereby protect the bellows member when retracted out of heat transfer association with the wall ofthe drawer unit, a recess 13 is provided on the rack structure.

Irrespectively, the wall 7 is urgable towards its facing wall 10 until it is in sufficiently close contact to effect a good heat transfer path, by means ofthe pressurised coolant. In the unpressurised state, the spaced relationship of the wall 7 and the wall 1 O is suchastoalloweasysliding movement of the drawer unit. The unpressurised state is shown in Figures 2 and 3 whilst an example of the pressurised state is shown in Figure 4.

To accommodate any asperity, that is to say unevenness, in thewall loasheetofthermally conductive resilient material, e.g. Chotherm 1677 by Chamerics, is positioned to be sandwiched between the two walls in use.

In Figure 1,this is in the form of a separate sheet 11 lying to the exterior of the wall 7 and spaced therefrom but anchored by its edges to the chamber. Outward urging of the wall 7 is such that this sheet 1 1 is sandwiched between the plate 8 and the wall 10.

In Figures 3,4 and 5,this is intheform of a sheet 12 attached to the exterior of the plate 8 by means of Chotherm 1670 adhesive, for exam ple.

Any lack of parallelism to tolerances in the construction ofthe rackand/orthe drawer unit isaccommo- dated by the resilient diaphragm member S or its alternative bellows member 14.

The sheets 11 and 12 materially improve heat transfer association ofthewalls7 and 10 since, not only do they accommodate roughness or undulations in the walls, but they also envelope any foreign material, such as grit, which otherwise would cause the walls to be at least locally spaced apart.

Claims

1. An arrangement for providing heattransfer between a fixed structure and a movable structure includes a chamber in one structure, through which a fluid heattransfer medium can circulate, a wall region on the other structure which requires to be in heat transfer association with the wall region of said other structure.

2. An arrangement according to Claim 1,wherein the heattransfer medium can be pressurised to effect urging ofthe urgable wall region into heattransfer association with the waIl region of said otherstruc ture.

3. An arrangement according to Claim 2, wherein the urgable wall region of the chamber comprises a layer of heat conductive material sealingly carried by flexible means.

4. An arrangement according to Claim 3, wherein E sheet of heat conducting resilient material is positioned to be, in use, sandwiched between said layer of heat conductive material and the wall region of said other structure.

5. An arrangement according to Claim 4, wherein said sheet of heat conducting resilient material is formed as separate wall external to said urgablewall region.

6. An arrangement according to Claim 4, wherein said sheet of heat conducting resilient material is carried by said urgablewall region.

7. An arrangement according to any one of Claims 3 to 6, wherein the layer of heat conductive material comprisesasheetofa generally rigid material andthe flexible means comprises a flexible diaphragm or bellows.

8. A racking system for electronic equipment or other equipment to be cooled, including a rack structure, and at least one drawer structure slidable into and out of the rack structure, the rack structure including a chamberthrough which pressurised coolant is circulated, a wall region ofthe chamber being urgable under coolant pressure into heat transfer association with a wall region of a drawer structure to be cooled.

9. A racking system substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, Figures 1 and 3, or Figures 1 and 5.