JP2007266256A - Electronic device housing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suitably control a temperature in a housing cabinet of electronic devices with a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: The interior of a cabinet 2 is divided into a lower housing chamber 25 and an upper housing chamber 26 by a partition plate 6. A Peltier electronic cooler is provided in a side wall of the housing chamber 25. A temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the chamber is provided in the housing chamber 25. The holding chamber 25 houses a group of electronic devices on a low side of an allowable temperature and the upper housing chamber 26 houses a group of electronic devices on a high side of the allowable temperature. When a temperature in the lower housing chamber 25 exceeds a temperature within a control range, the Peltier electronic cooler is driven to cool the electronic devices held in the housing chamber 25. By driving of an exhaust fan 18, the open air which is introduced from an inlet 8 and is cooled in the lower housing chamber 25 is passed through the upper housing chamber 26 and is exhausted from an exhaust port 9, so that the electronic devices held in the upper housing chamber 26 are cooled with a ventilating air. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device housing apparatus that collectively houses various related electronic devices that perform control such as communication in a cabinet.

  For example, when controlling communication or the like, a plurality of electronic devices are used, and some of these electronic devices have a high allowable temperature and a low allowable temperature as usage conditions. For example, a VDSL device used for communication control has a maximum allowable temperature of approximately 50 ° C., and an ATM switch has a maximum allowable temperature of approximately 40 ° C.

  Conventionally, a plurality of electronic devices having different allowable temperatures are generally mixed and accommodated in a cabinet.

  In addition to being installed indoors, the electronic device housing apparatus may be installed on the roof of a building. In such an outdoor installation state, the outside air temperature becomes 35 ° C. or higher in summer, and the temperature in the cabinet rises due to solar radiation. In addition, since each electronic device housed releases heat during operation, the temperature inside the cabinet becomes higher, and if the temperature rise exceeds the allowable temperature of the electronic device, the electronic device may malfunction or be worst-cased. In the case of failure.

  In order to prevent such problems, an opening is provided in the cabinet to introduce external air to allow natural cooling, or a fan (electric fan) is provided to forcibly introduce external air. The space inside the cabinet is also cooled, but on the rooftop, the outside air temperature is high due to the radiant heat of the sun from the concrete, so that a sufficiently satisfactory cooling effect cannot be obtained.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to easily control the temperature in the cabinet within the allowable temperature range of the electronic equipment to be accommodated, and to achieve a Peltier electronic cooler for temperature control. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic device housing apparatus that can be reduced in size and power consumption.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration as means for solving the problems. In other words, the first invention is an electronic device housing apparatus for housing a plurality of electronic devices in a cabinet, wherein the cabinet wall is constituted by a wall having a heat insulating function provided with a heat insulating material, and the cabinet device. The storage space is divided by a partition plate and has an upper storage chamber in which a group of electronic devices on the side with a higher allowable temperature is stored and a lower storage chamber in which a group of electronic devices on a side with a lower allowable temperature is stored. In addition, one or more Peltier electronic coolers are installed in the lower storage chamber, the lower storage chamber is provided with an outside air inlet, and the upper storage chamber is used to remove indoor air. The partition plate is provided with a communication port that communicates the lower storage chamber and the upper storage chamber, and the Peltier electronic cooler is at least disposed in the lower storage chamber. Temperature detection information It forms a means for solving the problems according to have a structure in which the temperature control means for controlling the temperature in the pre-given temperature range the temperature of the accommodating chamber of the drive control to at least the lower is provided.

  Furthermore, the second invention is provided with the configuration of the first invention, and is provided with an exhaust fan that is provided at the exhaust port and exhausts air from the upper accommodation chamber, and is provided at the introduction port with the outside air. Is configured to be provided with either or both of the intake fan and the intake fan that is introduced into the lower storage chamber.

  In the present invention (first and second inventions), when the inside of the cabinet is cooled, the lower storage chamber in which the group of electronic devices having a lower allowable temperature is stored is cooled by the Peltier electronic cooler. . In this way, the lower storage chamber only needs to be cooled to a temperature within the allowable temperature range of the electronic device accommodated therein, so that both the upper and lower storage chambers are cooled rather than being cooled to the same temperature. Since the space volume is reduced, the cooling load is reduced accordingly, and the Peltier electronic cooler can be reduced in size and power can be saved.

  In addition, the lower storage chamber is provided with an outside air inlet, the partition plate is provided with a communication port, and the upper storage chamber is provided with an exhaust port. Distribution and air distribution between the lower and upper storage chambers in the cabinet are effectively performed. Therefore, since the cooled air in the lower storage chamber enters the upper storage chamber through the communication port and exits from the exhaust port, the allowable temperature stored in the upper storage chamber when passing through the upper storage chamber. The group of the high-side electronic devices is cooled, so that the electronic device having the high allowable temperature can be efficiently cooled to a temperature within the allowable range.

  In the second invention, since either or both of the intake fan and the exhaust fan are provided, the drive control of the fan is performed in combination with the drive control of the Peltier electronic cooler, so that More precise control of the temperature control of the upper and lower storage chambers becomes possible, and the accuracy and reliability of the indoor temperature control can be further improved.

  In addition, when the temperature in the cabinet falls below the temperature control range, such as during severe winter, it is necessary to control the heating of the storage chamber. In this case, the heat absorption side and the exhaust heat side of the Peltier electronic cooler are reversed by reversing the direction of the current flowing to the Peltier electronic cooler, and the heating control of the storage chamber is similarly performed by the operation opposite to the cooling. It is possible to accurately control the storage chamber in the cabinet to a temperature within the temperature control range with high reliability.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an electronic device housing apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, an electronic device housing apparatus 1 has a cabinet (housing) 2. The cabinet 2 has a quadrangular shape and includes four side walls 3, a bottom wall 5, and a top wall 4. One side of the side wall 3 forms a door, or a lid is detachably attached so that an electronic device can be accommodated in the cabinet 2. The bottom wall 5 is formed with one or more inlets 8 at appropriate positions. The introduction port 8 functions as an air flow path for introducing air (outside air) into the cabinet 2 from the outside.

  The cabinet 2 can be formed of a synthetic resin provided with a heat insulating material. However, in the example shown in FIG. 1, two aluminum plates are used as a wall material, and the heat insulating material is provided between the two plates. Is provided in a sandwich shape. Various materials are known as the heat insulating material, and these known heat insulating materials may be used, and are not particularly limited to specific materials.

  Inside the cabinet 2, a gantry 7 is arranged upright with its bottom fixed to the bottom wall 5. And the partition plate 6 is attached to the upper and lower halfway position of this mount frame 7, and the space in the cabinet 2 is divided into the lower storage chamber 25 and the upper storage chamber 26. The material of the partition plate 6 is not particularly limited, but in the example of FIG. 1, an aluminum metal plate is used. The partition plate 6 is formed with one or more communication ports 10 at appropriate positions. The communication port 10 functions as an air passage that allows the lower storage chamber 25 and the upper storage chamber 26 to communicate with each other.

  In the present embodiment example, various electronic devices (including electronic devices related to control) that control communication and the like are divided into a group having a higher allowable temperature side and a group having a lower allowable temperature side for convenience. The storage chamber 25 is a chamber for storing a group of electronic devices having a lower allowable temperature, and the upper storage chamber 26 is a chamber for storing a group of electronic devices having a higher allowable temperature. The lower storage chamber 25 is provided with a temperature sensor 31 (see FIG. 4) that detects the temperature in the lower storage chamber 25.

  A Peltier electronic cooler 13 is installed on at least one side wall 3 of the lower storage chamber 25 as shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 1, three Peltier electronic coolers 13 are installed, but the number of Peltier electronic coolers 13 may be one or more. The configuration of the Peltier electronic cooler 13 is well known, and there are various types, and any type may be used. Here, an example is shown in FIG.

  In the Peltier electronic cooler 13 shown in FIG. 3, a large number of P-type thermoelectric conversion elements 23 and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 24 are alternately arranged between the substrates 19 and 20 arranged at intervals. Thus, an electric circuit is formed in which P-type thermoelectric conversion elements 23 and N-type thermoelectric conversion elements 24 are alternately connected in series via the formed electrodes 22. When a DC current is applied to this electric circuit, one side of the Peltier electronic cooler 13 is a heat transfer surface, for example, the substrate 19 becomes a heat transfer surface (also referred to as a heat absorption surface), and the opposite substrate 20 is a heat transfer surface. It becomes a heat transmission / reception surface (also referred to as an exhaust heat surface). When the energization direction is reversed, the heat absorption and exhaust heat sides are reversed (reversed), the substrate 19 becomes the heat exhaust surface, and the substrate 20 becomes the heat absorb surface. In addition, the code | symbol 21 in FIG. 3 has shown the sealing material 21 which seals the periphery between the board | substrates 19 and 20. As shown in FIG.

  In this embodiment, the Peltier electronic cooler 13 is attached to the side wall 3 with the substrate 19 serving as an endothermic surface facing the indoor side when the forward current is applied and the substrate 20 serving as the heat exhausting surface facing the outdoor side. ing. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the heat sink 14 protruding outside the room is connected (fixed) to the substrate 19 serving as the heat removal surface, and the heat sink 15 protruding into the room is connected to the substrate 20 serving as the heat absorption surface ( Fixed).

  The heat sink 14 is provided with a heat exhaust fan 17 that forcibly exhausts heat from the heat sink 14 to the outside, and the heat sink 15 is a heat introduction fan that forcibly introduces the cold heat of the heat sink 15 into the room. A cold air fan 16 is provided. The cold air fan 16 and the exhaust heat fan 17 are constituted by electric fans that are rotationally driven by a motor. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 11 denotes a hood for guiding the exhaust heat air flow exhausted by the exhaust heat fan 17 to the outside.

  At least one side wall 3 of the upper storage chamber 26 is provided with one or more (two in FIG. 1) exhaust ports 9, and each exhaust port 9 is provided with an exhaust fan 18 constituted by an electric fan. ing. The exhaust fan 18 sucks the air in the upper storage chamber 26 and exhausts it to the outside. A hood 12 that guides the flow of the exhaust is provided in a region where the exhaust port 9 is formed.

  Temperature control means and a power source are provided at appropriate positions of the cabinet 2, and the temperature control means is based on temperature detection information of a temperature sensor that detects the temperature in the lower storage chamber 25, and the Peltier electronic cooler 13. And the temperature control in the lower storage chamber 25 is directly performed by controlling the driving of the cold air fan 16, the exhaust heat fan 17, and the exhaust fan 18, and the temperature control of the upper storage chamber 26 is indirectly performed. An example of the control will be described below with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 4, the temperature control means 32 includes a control circuit 27, a memory 28, a current polarity switching circuit 30, and a switch 33. The power source 29 is constituted by a battery (battery) and is provided at an appropriate position in the cabinet 2. In addition to functioning as a driving power source for the Peltier electronic cooler 13, the power source 29 also functions as a power source for the cool air fan 16, the exhaust heat fan 17, the exhaust fan 18, and the temperature control means 32. A commercial power source may be used as the power source. In that case, AC is converted into DC by the rectifying means and used as a power source. More preferably, a commercial power supply and a battery (battery) are provided together, and normally the apparatus is driven using the commercial power supply and the battery is charged (charged) so that the battery is used during a power failure or the like. It is desirable.

  A temperature control program is given to the temperature control means 32 in advance, and temperature control is performed according to this program. The memory 28 is given a temperature control range at an upper limit temperature and a lower limit temperature. This temperature control range is given within the allowable temperature range of the electronic device accommodated in the lower accommodation chamber 25. The current polarity switching circuit 30 reverses the polarity of energization in accordance with the polarity switching command from the control circuit 27.

  A group of electronic devices having a lower allowable temperature is accommodated in the lower accommodating chamber 25 in the cabinet 2, and a group of electronic devices having a higher allowable temperature is accommodated in the upper accommodating chamber 26 so that the operation is turned on. Then, the control circuit 27 monitors the temperature in the lower storage chamber 25 by the temperature sensor 31. When the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 31 is higher than the upper limit temperature of the temperature control range, the switch 33 is closed, the current polarity switching circuit 30 is instructed to carry forward current, and the forward current is supplied to the Peltier electronic cooler 13. At the same time, the fans 16, 17, 18 are activated.

  The Peltier electronic cooler 13 absorbs the heat in the lower housing chamber 25 via the heat sink 15 and conveys the absorbed heat to the heat transfer surface (substrate 20) on the exhaust heat side. The heat is exhausted by the heat exhaust fan 17. The heat sink 15 on the heat absorption surface side is cooled by the operation of the Peltier electronic cooler 13, and the cool air discharged from the heat sink 15 is discharged into the lower storage chamber 25 by the cool air fan 16, and the lower storage chamber 25 is cooled. Progresses.

  On the other hand, by driving the exhaust fan 18, outside air is introduced into the lower storage chamber 25 from the introduction port 8 of the bottom wall 5, and further led to the upper storage chamber 26 through the communication port 10 of the partition plate 6. Then, the air is exhausted from the exhaust port 9 by the exhaust fan 18. Since this flowing air is cooled when it passes through the lower storage chamber 25 (some air flow paths may be exhausted through the upper storage chamber with little cooling. The cool air is introduced from the lower storage chamber 25 to the upper storage chamber 26, so that the electronic device stored in the upper storage chamber 26 is also cooled. As a result, the upper storage chamber 26 The temperature of the housed electronic device is indirectly controlled so that the temperature is within the allowable temperature range. By this cooling operation, the switch 33 is turned off (opened) by the control circuit 27 when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 31 falls to the lower limit temperature of the control range or a set temperature higher than that, and the Peltier electronic cooler 13 is energized. Is stopped, and the driving of the fans 16, 17, 18 is stopped.

  In the severe winter season or the like, when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 31 is lower than the lower limit temperature of the temperature control range, the control circuit 27 closes the switch 33 and applies a polarity switching command to the current polarity switching circuit 30. Then, since the current polarity switching circuit 30 reverses the direction of the current, a current in the reverse direction is supplied to the Peltier electronic cooler 13, and at the same time, the fans 16, 17, 18 are started.

  Since the heat absorption surface and the heat exhaust surface of the Peltier electronic cooler 13 are reversed (reversed) by energizing in the reverse direction, the high temperature heat released from the heat sink 15 is reduced by the cool air fan 16 with the substrate 19 side as the heat exhaust side. It is discharged into the storage chamber 25 on the side, and the temperature in the lower storage chamber 25 rises. Then, the cool air of the heat sink 14 on the substrate 20 side that becomes the heat absorption surface is discharged to the outside by the heat exhaust fan 17.

  By driving the exhaust fan 18, outside air is introduced into the lower storage chamber 25 from the introduction port 8 of the bottom wall 5, and further led to the upper storage chamber 26 through the communication port 10 of the partition plate 6. Then, the air is exhausted from the exhaust port 9 by the exhaust fan 18. Since this flowing air is heated when it passes through the lower storage chamber 25, the heated high-temperature air is introduced from the lower storage chamber 25 to the upper storage chamber 26, so that the upper As a result of heating the electronic device housed in the housing chamber 26, the temperature is indirectly controlled so that the electronic device housed in the upper housing chamber 26 has a temperature within the allowable temperature range. By this heating operation, the switch 33 is turned off (opened) by the control circuit 27 when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 31 rises to the upper limit temperature of the control range or a set temperature lower than that, and the Peltier electronic cooler 13 is energized. Is stopped, and the driving of the fans 16, 17, 18 is stopped.

  The electronic device which is operated as described above and is accommodated in the lower accommodation chamber 25 is controlled to a temperature within the allowable temperature range of the device, and is indirectly accommodated in the upper accommodation chamber 26. The electronic device is also controlled to a temperature within the allowable temperature range of the device.

  By the way, the temperature control in the cabinet by the Peltier electronic cooler is generally performed in a sealed type, but in this case, most of the heat generated by all the electronic devices in the cabinet and the amount of heat flowing from the outside are absorbed by the Peltier electronic cooler. It is required to do. Therefore, when performing temperature control such as cooling the storage chamber in the cabinet 2 using the Peltier electronic cooler 13, if the space in the cabinet 2 is sealed, the exhaust heat load (heat absorption load) increases. Therefore, the large Peltier electronic cooler 13 is inevitably required, which increases the price, increases the size, and increases the power consumption.

  In this respect, in this embodiment, the cabinet 2 is not a sealed type, but is provided with an introduction port 8 and an exhaust port 9 so that the outside air and the inside of the cabinet 2 can be freely circulated. For this reason, since the cooling effect by the airflow of external air introduction is obtained, the exhaust heat load (endothermic load) of the Peltier electronic cooler 13 is reduced accordingly, and the Peltier electronic cooler 13 is reduced in size, power saving, and cost reduction. it can. Moreover, since the Peltier electronic cooler 13 can be reduced in size, the electronic device accommodation apparatus 1 can be reduced in weight.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various embodiments can be adopted. For example, in the above embodiment, the upper storage chamber 26 is not provided with a temperature sensor, but the upper storage chamber 26 is also provided with a temperature sensor to control the temperature of the upper storage chamber 26 more accurately. You may comprise as follows. In this case, a temperature control range is set separately for the upper storage chamber 26, for example, although the temperature in the lower storage chamber 25 is within the temperature control range of the lower storage chamber 25. When the upper storage chamber 26 is not yet within the temperature control range of the upper storage chamber 26, the upper form is controlled by increasing the rotational speed of the exhaust fan 18 or increasing the number of exhaust fans 18 to be driven. The storage chamber 26 can also be controlled to surely enter a temperature within the set control temperature range.

  When the temperature of the upper storage chamber 26 reaches the temperature within the control range even though the lower storage chamber 25 has not yet reached the temperature within the control range, the rotational speed of the exhaust fan 18 is increased. The temperature of the lower storage chamber 25 is maintained while the temperature of the upper storage chamber 26 is maintained at a temperature within the control temperature range. The temperature can be controlled to fall within the control range.

  Further, when a plurality of exhaust ports 9 are provided, the exhaust fans 18 may be provided at all the exhaust ports 9, but the exhaust fans 18 may be provided only at selected exhaust ports 9 among the plurality of exhaust ports 9. Good. Further, when a plurality of exhaust fans 18 are provided, the rotational speeds of all the exhaust fans 18 may be controlled in the same manner, so that the exhaust fan 18 or a group of the exhaust fans 18 has a different fan rotational speed. You may control. When the rotation speed of each exhaust fan 18 is controlled independently, the state of the air flow in the cabinet 2 can be variably controlled.

  Further, although no fan is provided at the introduction port 8 in the above embodiment, an intake fan that forcibly introduces outside air into the lower storage chamber 25 may be provided at each introduction port 8 or the selected introduction port 8. Good. When a plurality of inlets 8 are provided, intake fans may be provided at all the inlets 8, or intake fans may be provided only at selected inlets 8. When a plurality of intake fans are provided, the rotational speeds of all the intake fans may be controlled to be the same as in the case where the plurality of exhaust fans 18 are provided, and for each intake fan or each group of intake fans. You may control so that it may become a different fan rotation speed.

  When an intake fan is provided, the exhaust fan 18 may not be provided, and both the intake fan and the exhaust fan 18 may be provided.

  Furthermore, without providing the exhaust fan 18 and the intake fan, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which outside air is introduced into the cabinet 2 from the introduction port 8 by natural convection and discharged from the exhaust port 9. In this case, the apparatus can be reduced in size, weight, and cost because the exhaust fan 18 and the intake fan are not required.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the Peltier electronic cooler 13 is not provided in the upper storage chamber 26. However, the Peltier electronic cooler 13 is similarly installed in the upper storage chamber 26, and the upper storage chamber 26 is also provided. The temperature may be directly controlled using the Peltier electronic cooler 13. In that case, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature in the upper storage chamber 26 is provided. It is also possible to take a more precise control mode of room temperature by using the control based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the drive control of the exhaust fan 18 and the intake fan as described above.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the energizing direction of the Peltier electronic cooler 13 is controlled forward and reverse, and the cooling and heating drive is switched by the Peltier electronic cooler 13. However, the Peltier electronic cooler 13 is a device dedicated to cooling. Also good. In that case, when heating drive is required, a heater is provided in the lower storage chamber 25 or in the lower storage chamber 25 and the upper storage chamber 26, and this heater drive is performed by the control circuit 27. It may be controlled to heat the room.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the indoor temperature is detected by the temperature sensor and the indoor temperature is controlled. However, the indoor temperature may be controlled without providing the temperature sensor. In this case, for example, a thermostat is provided in the current supply circuit (electric circuit) of the power source 29, the switch 33 and the Peltier electronic cooler 13 in FIG. 4, and the thermostat contact is closed when the lower limit temperature of the temperature control range is reached. The Peltier electronic cooler 13 is activated to drive temperature control. When the upper limit temperature of the temperature control range is reached, the thermostat contact is opened to stop energization of the Peltier electronic cooler 13. By controlling to, the indoor temperature can be controlled to a temperature within the control range.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the space in the cabinet 2 is divided into two chambers, that is, the lower storage chamber 25 and the upper storage chamber 26. However, the additional partition plate 6 divides the space in the cabinet 2 into three chambers. It is also possible to classify them as described above. At this time, the electronic devices to be accommodated are subdivided into a number of groups according to the allowable temperature, the electronic devices of the lowest allowable temperature group are accommodated in the lowermost storage chamber, and the electronic devices of the group in which the allowable temperature is sequentially increased. What is necessary is just to make it accommodate in the upper accommodation chamber sequentially. In this case, the Peltier electronic cooler 13 is necessarily provided in the lowermost storage chamber, but the Peltier electronic cooler 13 may be provided in each upper storage chamber as necessary.

  Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the cabinet is formed of an aluminum plate, but when the wall of the cabinet is formed of a metal plate, it may be formed of a metal plate other than aluminum.

  Further, in FIG. 1, the cabinet 2 has a quadrangular shape, but the shape of the cabinet 2 is not limited to a quadrangular shape, and may be another shape.

It is a structure explanatory view showing one embodiment of an electronic cooling device concerning the present invention. It is explanatory drawing of the installation state of a Peltier electronic cooler. It is explanatory drawing of the example of 1 structure of a Peltier electronic cooler. It is a figure which shows an example of the temperature control means in an electronic device accommodation apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electronic device accommodating apparatus 2 Cabinet 6 Partition plate 13 Peltier electronic cooler 25 Lower accommodating chamber 26 Upper accommodating chamber 32 Temperature control means

Claims (2)

  An electronic device housing apparatus for housing a plurality of electronic devices in a cabinet, wherein the wall of the cabinet is constituted by a wall having a heat insulating function provided with a heat insulating material, and the device housing space of the cabinet is divided by a partition plate. And an upper storage chamber in which a group of electronic devices having a higher allowable temperature is stored and a lower storage chamber in which a group of electronic devices having a lower allowable temperature is stored, and the lower storage chamber Is provided with one or more Peltier electronic coolers, the lower accommodation chamber is provided with an outside air inlet, and the upper accommodation chamber is provided with one or more exhausts for discharging indoor air to the outside. The partition plate is provided with a communication port that communicates the lower storage chamber with the upper storage chamber, and the Peltier electronic cooler is driven and controlled according to temperature detection information in at least the lower storage chamber Small Electronic device receiving apparatus characterized by temperature control means for controlling the temperature in the pre-given temperature range the temperature of the accommodating chamber Kutomo lower side.   One or both of an exhaust fan that is provided at the exhaust port and exhausts air from the upper accommodation chamber and an intake fan that is provided at the introduction port and introduces outside air into the lower accommodation chamber are provided. The electronic device accommodating device according to claim 1, wherein

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