JP2004087633A - Cooling unit, electronic apparatus using it, and method for cooling - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cooling unit which effectively cools an element mounted on a rack from the side surface of the element by taking air from an unoccupied space on the front face of the rack. <P>SOLUTION: Air fed into a direct duct 20a from a fan 11 is guided to the side surface of the lack through a connection duct 20b and a crossing duct 20c and sucked from an air suction port formed on the side surface of a device to be cooled 40 fixed to a rack frame 30 to cool the device 40. Since the lengths of the direct duct 20a and the crossing duct 20c are variable, the device 40 placed at an optional position can be cooled. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cooling unit that cools a cooled element mounted on a rack, an electronic device and a cooling method using the same, and in particular, a cooling unit that cools from the side of the cooled element, an electronic device and a cooling method using the same It is about.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are the following methods for cooling a device that is a cooled element mounted on a rack. (1) Attach an exhaust fan to the rack ceiling. (2) Attach an intake fan to the space below the device to be cooled. (3) Attach the intake / exhaust fan to the side of the rack. In addition, a duct is used to control a ventilation path such that ventilation by a fan is uniformly and efficiently distributed to each device to be cooled mounted in a rack, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-202264. ing.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As a device mounted on a 19-inch rack of the EIA (Electronic Industries Alliance) standard, for example, there are a server and a network device. In a server, cooling is usually performed by taking in air from the front of the apparatus and exhausting air from the back. On the other hand, in a network device, intake and exhaust are often performed from the side of the device. In a device that intakes and exhausts air from the side, if the side of the rack is closed, air intake and exhaust cannot be performed properly, and if it is placed near a device that exhausts air from the rear, it will absorb warm exhaust air from that device. Cooling may not be possible.
[0004]
In the cooling method (1), only the device mounted on the upper part of the rack is effectively cooled. In the method (2), the air flows from the front to the back, so that sufficient air is not fed to the side of the device, and a sufficient effect cannot be obtained for a device in which air is sucked and exhausted from the side. Even if the method of (1) and the method of (2) are combined, the air almost only flows in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction of the rack. In the method (3), it is difficult to attach a fan when a plurality of racks are connected with their side surfaces in contact with each other. Therefore, the cooling device cannot be effectively cooled. Also, the ducts are only used for effectively flowing air in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction of the rack.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cooling unit capable of effectively cooling a cooled element mounted on a rack from the side thereof, an electronic device using the same, and a cooling method. It is to provide.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a cooling unit having a cooling fan and a duct for guiding air sent from the cooling fan, wherein a flow direction of the air sent from the cooling fan is controlled by the duct. A cooling unit is provided, which is changed at least three times, wherein a direction of air blowing from the cooling fan and a direction of discharging air from the duct are orthogonal to each other.
Preferably, the cooling unit is attachable to a front surface of an EIA or JIS standard rack.
Further, preferably, the length of each part of the duct is variable.
[0007]
To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus having a cooled element mounted on a rack, wherein the cooled element is cooled by the cooling unit. Equipment is provided.
[0008]
To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a cooling method for cooling an element to be cooled mounted on a rack, wherein air is supplied from a cooling fan mounted on a front surface of the rack using a duct. A step of flowing air in the front-rear direction, a step of changing the direction of air flow, a step of flowing air in the vertical direction of the rack, and a step of supplying air to the element to be cooled on a side surface of the rack. A cooling method is provided.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooling unit according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the cooling unit of the present invention has a fan unit 10 and a duct unit 20. The fan unit 10 has a fan base 12 and a fan 11 fixed to the fan base 12. The duct portion 20 is attached to the fan base 12 by screwing or welding. A mounting hole is formed in the fan base 12 so as to match a screw hole of a frame on the front of the EIA standard 19-inch rack, and the cooling unit is mounted to the rack frame 30 with a screw through the mounting hole. When the fan 11 is energized, air outside the rack is sent into the duct unit 20. The air sent into the duct portion 20 is changed in the flow direction along the shape of the duct portion 20 and is guided to the side surface of the rack, and the air inlet (at the side surface of the device to be cooled 40 fixed to the rack frame 30). (Not shown) to cool the cooled device 40. In the cooling unit of the present invention, the duct unit 20 is configured so that the dimensions in the depth direction and the height direction when viewed from the front of the rack can be changed.
[0010]
[Example 1]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cooling unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, parts that are the same as the parts shown in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.
In this embodiment, the direct duct 20a, the connecting duct 20b, and the orthogonal duct 20c constitute a duct portion. The air sent from the fan 10 to the straight duct 20a passes through the connecting duct 20b and the orthogonal duct 20c and is guided to the side of the rack, and the air inlet (at the side of the cooled device 40 fixed to the rack frame 30). (Not shown) to cool the cooled device 40.
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 3, the straight duct 20a includes an outer cylinder 21a and an inner cylinder 21b. Both side surfaces of the outer cylinder 21a are formed of double side walls 22, 22 ', and there are gaps between the side walls 22 and 22' and between the inner side wall 22 'and the upper and lower surfaces. I have. The side wall, the top surface, and the bottom surface of the inner cylinder 21b are inserted into these gaps, and the length of the straight duct 20a in the depth direction can be adjusted by sliding the inner cylinder 21b. A long hole 24 is formed in the outer side wall 22 of the outer cylinder 21a. The inner cylinder 21b is fixed to the outer cylinder 21a by tightening a fixing screw 25 screwed through a long hole 24 into a screw hole (not shown) formed in a side wall of the inner cylinder 21b. The outer cylinder 21a is screwed to the fan base 12, and the inner cylinder 21b is screwed to the connecting duct 20b. It straight to one direction of the air sent into the opening 26a ₁ is fed (depth direction) from the fan 11 is fed into a connection duct 20b from the other opening 26a _2.
[0012]
As shown in FIG. 4, the connection duct 20b has a right-angled triangle shape on the top and bottom surfaces, and has openings 26b ₁ and 26b ₂ formed on two sides of the top and bottom surfaces including two sides sandwiching the right angle. . By opening 26b ₁ is connected to an opening 26a ₂ nonstop duct 20a, an opening 26b ₂ are in the direction of the rack sides. Therefore, the air sent by the fan 11 is guided to the side of the rack. In FIG. 4, the air sent by the fan 11 is guided to the left side of the rack, but it is needless to say that the air can be guided to the right side.
[0013]
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the orthogonal duct 20c. As shown in FIG. 5, the orthogonal duct 20c includes a direction changing unit 20c1, a length adjusting unit 20c2, and an air discharging unit 20c3. Direction changing part 20c1 has two openings _26c 1, 26c ₂ which are orthogonal to each other. By opening 26c ₁ is connected to an opening 26b ₂ of the connection duct 20b, directed upward opening 26c ₂ is in rack side. Therefore, the air sent by the fan 11 is guided upward on the side of the rack. It goes without saying that it is also possible to be guided downward. The length adjusting section 20c2 is constituted by a plurality of adjusting ducts 27. The adjustment duct 27 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open bottom and top, and the length of the length adjustment unit 20c2 is adjusted by the number of stages of the adjustment duct 27 stacked. The opening of the lowermost adjusting duct length adjusting portion 20c2 coupled to an opening 26c ₂ in the direction changing part 20c1, it guides the air sent from the direction changing section 20c1 upward. The uppermost adjusting duct opening 26c ₃ of the length adjusting portion 20c2, one opening 26c ₄ of the air discharge portion 20c3 is connected. The air discharge unit 20c3 has the same shape as the direction changing unit 20c1. Other opening 26c ₅ of the air discharge portion 20c3 is directed to the air inlet side of the cooling device 40 mounted to the rack frame 30.
[0014]
With the above structure, air sent from the fan 11, direct duct 20a, the connection duct 20b, through the orthogonal duct 20c, from the opening 26c ₅ of the air discharge portion 20c3 of the orthogonal duct 20c, next to the device to be cooled 40 that It is supplied to the air inlet formed on the side surface and cools the device to be cooled 40.
As described above, the cooling unit according to the present embodiment changes the flow direction of the air sent from the fan 11 and discharges the air from the side of the rack. Can be cooled from its side. Since the cooling unit of this embodiment can adjust the length in the depth direction and the height direction, it is possible to cool the device at an arbitrary position.
[0015]
[Example 2]
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the orthogonal duct of the cooling unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 6, parts that are the same as the parts of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 5 are given the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted as appropriate. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 5 in that there are two types of adjustment ducts having different sizes of openings, and the size of the opening of _one adjustment duct 271 is different from that of the other adjustment duct 27 _2. and that it is twice the size of the opening of the size of the opening of the air discharge portion 20c3 is, is that equal to the magnitude of the adjustment ducts 27 _second opening. The size of the adjustment duct 27 _first opening is equal to the size of the opening of the direction changing portion 20c1.
[0016]
The upward opening of the direction changing part 20c1, adjusting duct 27 ₁ of one or more stages are stacked, are coupled with screws. Next, adjust the duct 27 ₂ of one stage in the opening of the regulating ducts 27 ₁ halves of the uppermost stage stacked, are connected by screws. The opening of the uppermost adjusting duct 27 ₁ of the remaining half is connected the air discharge portion 20c3. Subsequently, on the regulation duct 27 _2, optionally, be connected further one stage or more regulatory duct 27 _2. On the regulating ducts 27 ₂ uppermost, are connected the air discharge portion 20c3.
The configuration other than the above configuration is the same as the configuration of the first embodiment.
[0017]
The cooling unit according to the present embodiment has the same effect as the cooling unit according to the first embodiment. Further, the cooling unit of the present embodiment is equipped with two air discharge units 20c3 for supplying air to the device to be cooled, so that the two devices to be cooled can be cooled.
In the case where the cooling device is located in the cooling unit and close height may adjust the duct 27 ₁ is not used. Further, by adjusting the size ratio of the openings of the regulating ducts 27 ₁ and adjusting duct 27 _2, it is also possible to allow mounting the air outlet 20c3 3 or more.
[0018]
[Example 3]
The cooling unit according to the present embodiment has a configuration similar to that of the cooling unit of the first embodiment, except that a single orthogonal duct 20f shown in FIG. 7 is used as the orthogonal duct.
Orthogonal duct 20f is of a bellows-like shape, the opening 26f 1 of the upper and _lower, 26f ₂ is, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bellows, and are oriented in the same direction. Connected to a duct that corresponds to the opening 26f ₁ of the lower side connecting duct 20b of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4, from the upper opening 26f ₂ to the configuration sending air to the device to be cooled, and the cooling unit Example 1 It has the same configuration. Under the other hand, connected to a duct that corresponds to the connection duct 20b of the first embodiment showing the upper opening 26f ₂ in FIG. 4, when the configuration sending air from the opening 26f ₁ of the lower side the device to be cooled, than the cooling unit The equipment on the side can be cooled. Furthermore, since the orthogonal duct 20f has a bellows shape, and its length (height) can be freely changed, the opening on the side for sending air to the device to be cooled is fixed to the device to be cooled at any time. can do.
[0019]
Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the apparatus to be cooled is disposed below the cooling unit, and the opening on the side for sending air to the apparatus to be cooled is fixed to the apparatus to be cooled, so that the apparatus is stable in strength. The structure can be realized at low cost.
In addition, a part of the bellows structure of the present embodiment may be used instead of one or more of the adjustment ducts of the first or second embodiment, or a combination thereof with the direction changing unit 20c1 or the air discharging unit 20c3. Good. Thus, also in the first and second embodiments, the height of the duct can be continuously changed or fixed to the device to be cooled. Further, the connecting duct may have a bellows structure.
[0020]
As described above, the present invention has been described based on the preferred embodiments. However, the cooling unit, the electronic device and the cooling method using the same according to the present invention are not limited to only the above-described embodiments. A cooling unit in which various changes are made without changing the gist of the invention, an electronic device using the cooling unit, and a cooling method are also included in the scope of the present invention. For example, the duct is configured to change the traveling direction of the air sent from the fan three times, but may be configured to change three or more times depending on the position of the device to be cooled. What is necessary is just to be configured so that air can be supplied to the intake port of the device to be cooled on the side surface of the rack. Further, the rack to which the cooling unit is attached is not limited to the EIA standard 19 inch rack, but may be a JIS standard rack or the like.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the cooling unit of the present invention changes the flow direction of the air sent from the fan and discharges the air from the side of the rack. It is possible to cool from the side.
Further, since the cooling unit of the present invention can adjust its length in the depth direction and the height direction, it is possible to cool a device at an arbitrary position.
Further, since the cooling unit of the present invention controls the flow of air by the duct, it is possible to reliably and effectively cool the device to be cooled.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooling unit according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cooling unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the straight duct of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the connection duct of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the orthogonal duct of FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the orthogonal duct of the cooling unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an orthogonal duct of a cooling unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Fan part 11 Fan 12 Fan base 20 Duct part 20a Direct duct 20b Connecting duct 20c, 20f Orthogonal duct 20c1 Direction changing part 20c2 Length adjusting part 20c3 Air discharging part 21a Outer cylinder 21b Inner cylinder 22, 22 'Side wall 24 Long hole 25 fixing screw _{26a 1, 26a 2, 26b 1} , 26b 2, 26c 1, 26c 2, 26c 3, 26c 4, 26c 5, 26f 1, 26f 2 openings 27, 27 _1, 27 ₂ adjusted duct 30 rack frame 40 to be cooled apparatus

Claims (16)

A cooling unit having a cooling fan and a duct for guiding air sent from the cooling fan, wherein a flow direction of air sent from the cooling fan is changed at least three times by the duct, and a blowing direction of the cooling fan and A cooling unit, wherein directions of discharging air from the duct are orthogonal to each other. A straight duct portion in which the duct flows air sent by the cooling fan in the direction of air flow of the cooling fan, and an orthogonal duct portion in which air sent from the straight duct portion flows in a direction orthogonal to the air blowing direction of the cooling fan And a connecting duct section that connects the orthogonal duct section and the orthogonal duct section, wherein the orthogonal duct section sends air sent from the orthogonal duct section to the blowing direction of the cooling fan and the inside of the orthogonal duct section. The cooling unit according to claim 1, wherein the cooling unit is discharged in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which air flows. The cooling unit according to claim 1, wherein the duct is connected to a fan fixing portion that fixes the cooling fan. 4. The cooling unit according to claim 3, wherein the fan fixing unit is attachable to a front surface of an EIA or JIS standard rack. 5. The cooling unit according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a length of the straight duct portion in a direction in which air flows is variable. The said straight duct part has an inside and outside double duct structure, The inside straight duct part is slidably attached along the inner wall of the outside straight duct part, The said direct duct part is characterized by the above-mentioned. Cooling unit. The cooling unit according to claim 2, wherein a length of the orthogonal duct in a direction in which air flows is variable. The cooling unit according to claim 7, wherein a length of the orthogonal duct portion in a direction in which air flows is variable by connecting a plurality of ducts. The cooling unit according to claim 7, wherein the orthogonal duct has a bellows structure. The cooling unit according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein there are two or more air outlets of the orthogonal duct portion. An electronic device having the cooled element mounted on a rack, wherein the cooled element is cooled by the cooling unit according to any one of claims 1 to 10. A cooling method for cooling an element to be cooled mounted on a rack, wherein a duct uses a duct to flow air from a cooling fan attached to the front of the rack in a front-rear direction of the rack, and a step of changing the direction of air flow. A method of flowing air in the vertical direction of the rack, and a step of supplying air to the element to be cooled on the side surface of the rack. 13. The cooling method according to claim 12, wherein a distance for flowing air in the front-rear direction of the rack is variable. 14. The cooling method according to claim 12, wherein a distance for flowing air in a vertical direction of the rack is variable. The cooling method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the element to be cooled is below the cooling fan. 16. The cooling method according to claim 12, wherein in a step of supplying air to the element to be cooled on the side surface of the rack, an air outlet of the duct is fixed to the element to be cooled.

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