JP5657153B1 - Air-conditioning mechanism for racks for heating equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

In a conventional rack air-conditioning mechanism, a cold aisle space is configured to be hermetically or semi-hermetically sealed. According to the present invention, a plurality of rack rows configured by coupling a plurality of racks that contain heat-generating devices are arranged with their longitudinal directions facing each other at intervals, and a pair of facing racks It is configured to supply cold air from the air conditioner upward from the floor surface between the rows, and projecting a plate body in a bowl shape from the upper end side of each rack row to the upper end direction of the other opposite rack row, A cold aisle space having a gap on the ceiling side is formed by providing a gap between the edges of the plates projecting from each rack row, and the gap is a cold aisle space by the cold air supplied from the floor surface. However, the above-described problems have been solved by the air conditioning mechanism of the heat generating equipment rack that is set at an interval that does not cause a pressure difference with the ceiling-side outer space. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioning mechanism for a rack that is installed in, for example, a server room, a data center, and the like and in which various heat generating devices such as rack mount servers and communication devices are installed.

  In general, racks for installing heat generating devices such as servers in server rooms and data centers are arranged in a line according to the scale, and heat generating devices such as servers installed in these racks are efficient. It is necessary to be surely cooled.

  For this reason, in the past, many systems have been used in which rack rows in which the required number of racks are arranged are installed on a double floor, and cool air from an air conditioner is supplied upward from the floor surface to flow to the racks. In this case, air-conditioning efficiency can be achieved by arranging a space called a cold aisle space on the air suction side to the rack and a hot aisle space on the air discharge side from the rack between adjacent rack rows. The idea which raises is made.

  In order to further secure the cooling effect by such an arrangement, after the warm air supplied to the cold aisle space and warmed through the rack is discharged to the hot aisle space side, the cold aisle is used as the warm air. Various measures are taken to prevent sneaking into the space.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, a pair of rack rows in which a plurality of racks for accommodating heat generating devices are arranged in a row with their longitudinal directions facing each other and spaced from each other, and from the floor surface between the pair of rack rows. In the configuration in which the cool air from the air conditioner is supplied upward, the space between the pair of rack rows, that is, the ceiling side of the cold aisle space, is shielded by a shield spanning between the upper surfaces of the rack rows.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, as in Patent Document 1, the ceiling side of the cold aisle space is shielded by a shield that spans between the upper surfaces of the rack rows. In order to keep the wind pressure related to the fan constant, a wind pressure adjusting unit such as a flap or a slit is provided.

  By maintaining the cold aisle space in a sealed or semi-sealed manner in this manner, mixing of cold air and warm air is effectively prevented, and cooling efficiency is improved.

Japanese Patent No. 3833515 Japanese Patent No. 4873997

  In the configuration in which the cold aisle space is maintained sealed or semi-sealed by the shield as in the invention described in the above-described patent document, mixing of cold air and warm air is effectively prevented, and high cooling efficiency is obtained. However, in general, when a space surrounded by walls, etc. is newly constructed in a building, it may be necessary to add disaster prevention equipment required by law according to the degree of sealing. The cost may increase.

  Further, in the invention described in the above-mentioned patent document, since the pair of rack rows arranged opposite to each other is integrally coupled by the shield, the swing of each rack row due to the earthquake motion is transmitted to the other, and is integrally Due to the movement, the risk of breakage increases depending on the pattern of seismic motion.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioning mechanism for a rack that solves such problems.

In the present invention, a plurality of rack rows configured by combining a plurality of racks that contain heat-generating devices are arranged at intervals with their longitudinal directions opposed, and a floor between a pair of opposed rack rows. The cooling air from the air conditioner is supplied upward from the surface, and a plate body is projected in a bowl shape from the upper end side of each rack row to the upper end direction of the other rack row, and each rack row A cold aisle space having a gap on the ceiling side is provided by providing a gap between the edges of the plate projecting from the ceiling, and the cold aisle space is provided on the ceiling side by the cold air supplied from the floor surface. The gap is set so that no pressure difference is generated between the outer space and the support frame is supported on the outer side of the pair of rack-shaped plates corresponding to the end in the depth direction of the cold aisle space. Through the By et support frame, and configured to support the partition door member to the end portion in the depth direction of the cold aisle space, the partition door member, the air conditioning mechanism structure as the heat-generating equipment rack partitioning without gaps the cold aisle space suggest.

  According to the present invention, in the above-described configuration, the bowl-shaped plate body is configured to be supported for each rack by a rectangular frame-shaped frame, and the rack for a heat generating device configured to combine and integrate adjacent rack frames. Air conditioning mechanism is proposed. In this case, it is proposed that the frame is formed of an aluminum structural material having an axial nut mounting groove formed on the outer periphery, and is configured to be coupled by a nut mounted in the nut mounting groove.

  According to the present invention, a cold aisle space is formed between the upper edge of each rack row and the edge of the plate body protruding in a hook shape in the upper edge direction of the other opposite rack row. It is set as the structure which has a clearance gap in the side. The gap is set at a relatively wide space in which the cold aisle space does not cause a pressure difference between the ceiling side outer space and the cold aisle supplied from the floor, so the cold aisle space has no sealing property. .

  Accordingly, there is a possibility that an additional disaster prevention facility, which is required by law for a sealed or semi-sealed space provided in a building, is unnecessary in the cold aisle space according to the present invention.

  In addition, even when there is a change in the supply status of the cold air from the floor surface, the pressure fluctuation in the cold aisle space is alleviated and the operation of the fan for the heat generating device installed in the rack is hardly affected.

  Moreover, in the cold aisle space according to the present invention, although there is a relatively wide gap, in a state where the supply of cold air and the discharge through the heat generating device are balanced, the cold air descending property and the warm air rising property, Substantially no warm air flows into the interior through the gap.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, since a pair of opposing rack rows are not integrated, it is possible to prevent damage caused by vibrations that are not in phase in each rack row during an earthquake.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, cables, pipes, and the like can be arranged on the inner and outer sides of the cold aisle space via the gap.

  In the present invention, by supporting the partition door member at the end portion in the depth direction of the cold aisle space, it is possible to prevent the inflow of warm air through the end portion in the depth direction and contribute to the improvement of the cooling efficiency.

  The partition door member and the support frame that supports the partition door member can also be prevented from being damaged during the earthquake due to the integration by making the configuration that does not contribute to the integration of the pair of opposing racks.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, the bowl-shaped plate body is supported for each rack by a rectangular frame-shaped frame, and is configured by combining the frames of adjacent racks so as to be integrated according to the number of racks combined. A bowl-shaped plate body can be formed.

  The frame material constituting the rectangular frame-shaped frame can be easily combined with the nut mounted in the nut mounting groove by using an aluminum structure material in which an axial nut mounting groove is formed on the outer periphery. Cameras, monitors, various sensors, flexible sheet bodies such as curtains, plates used as walls and doors, and the like can be easily installed.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of an air-conditioning mechanism for a heating equipment rack according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a single rack of a heat generating equipment rack according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a process of forming a desired rack row by combining the racks of the heat generating equipment rack according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another aspect of the process of connecting the single racks of the heat generating equipment rack according to the present invention to form a desired rack row. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the air-conditioning mechanism of the heating equipment rack according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the air-conditioning mechanism of the heat generating equipment rack according to the present invention. FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, and 8D are perspective views showing examples of members that can be installed on the rack frame.

Next, a mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First, an air-conditioning mechanism for a heating equipment rack according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 as follows.

  Reference numeral 1 generally indicates an air-conditioning mechanism of a heat-generating equipment rack installed in a room such as a server room or a data center. Reference numeral 2 denotes a rack that accommodates various heat generating devices 3 such as rack mount servers and communication devices. A plurality of these racks 2 are combined to form a rack row 4. In this embodiment, four racks 2 are combined to form one rack row 4. The rack row 4 has a plurality of rows arranged on the floor 5 in the room with their longitudinal directions facing each other and spaced from each other. In the drawings showing the embodiment, the rack row 4 is a pair of two rows, and only one pair is shown, but it is needless to say that a plurality of pairs of rack rows 4 can be arranged as necessary.

  In the rack row 4 arranged indoors as described above, the cold air supply unit 6 from the air conditioner (not shown) is configured on the floor surface 5c corresponding to the pair of facing rack rows 4a and 4b. Thus, the cooling air is supplied upward from the floor surface 5c corresponding to the pair of rack rows 4a and 4b facing each other. Further, the cool air supply unit 6 is not configured on the floor surface 5h opposite to the floor surface 5c with respect to the rack rows 4a and 4b.

  In the above configuration, in the present invention, the plate bodies 7a and 7b project from the upper end side of the respective rack rows 4a and 4b in a bowl shape in the upper end direction of the other rack row 4b and 4a facing each other. A space L is provided between the edges of the plate bodies 7a and 7b protruding from the rack rows 4a and 4b. Thereby, in this invention, the cold aisle space Sc which has the clearance gap 8 by the ceiling side is comprised above the floor surface 5c between a pair of rack row | line | columns 4a and 4b. On the other hand, the upper part of the floor surface 5h opposite to the floor surface 5c with respect to each rack row 4a, 4b is configured as a hot aisle space Sh, and the warm air in the hot aisle space Sh is returned to the air conditioner. Thus, an air conditioning mechanism is configured.

  The gap 8 in the cold aisle space Sc is set to an interval L that does not cause a pressure difference between the cold aisle space Sc and the ceiling side outer space So by the cold air supplied from the floor surface 5c. Here, if the cold aisle space Sc does not produce a pressure difference with the ceiling side outer space So due to the cold air supplied from the floor surface 5c, the amount of the supplied cold air fluctuates, for example, increases. In this case, when the cold air in the cold aisle space Sc is discharged through the gap 8 with a small flow resistance, a substantial pressure rise in the cold aisle space Sc does not occur, and conversely, That is, the air in the ceiling-side outer space So flows in through the gap 8 with a small flow resistance, so that no substantial pressure drop in the cold aisle space Sc occurs.

  In the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 2, the cold air from the air conditioner is blown upward from the floor surface 5 c by the cold air supply unit 6 through the underfloor space Su, and then supplied into the cold aisle space Sc. The fan 9 provided in the heat generating device 3 flows into the rack 2 from the surface on the cold aisle space Sc side, passes through the heat generating device 3 accommodated in the rack 2, is cooled, and is itself warmed. As a result, the air becomes warm and flows out from the other surface into the hot aisle space Sh outside the rack 2. As described above, the warm air that has flowed into the hot aisle space Sh is returned to the air conditioner as described above, and becomes cold air again for cooling.

  In the above operation, in the cold aisle space Sc according to the present invention, although there is a gap 8 with a relatively wide interval L on the ceiling side, the cold air is supplied from the floor surface 5c and the heating device 3 is warmed. In a state in which the warm air discharge is balanced, the warm air does not substantially flow into the cold aisle space Sc through the gap 8 due to the cool air descending property and the warm air increasing property. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 17 denotes a ceiling.

  In the above description, as shown in FIG. 2, the flow of the cold air passing through the heat generating device 3 is formed by the fan 9 installed in the heat generating device 3 itself. In addition to the fan 9, a fan can be installed in the rack 2 itself.

  In the present invention, as described above, the cold aisle space Sc is configured to have the gap 8 set at a relatively wide distance L on the ceiling side, and thus the cold aisle space Sc does not have any sealing property.

  Therefore, there is a possibility that an additional disaster prevention facility that is required by law for a sealed or semi-sealed space provided in a building is not required in the cold aisle space Sc of the air conditioning mechanism according to the present invention.

  Since the interval L of the gap 8 is set as described above, the pressure fluctuation in the cold aisle space Sc is alleviated and installed in the rack even when the supply state of the cold air from the floor surface 5c varies. It is difficult to influence the operation of the fan 9 for the heat generating device.

  In the present invention, since the pair of opposing rack rows 4a and 4b are not integrated, vibrations that are not in phase in the rack rows 4a and 4b during an earthquake vibrate independently of each other. Can be prevented from being damaged.

  As described above, in the present invention, a plurality of racks 2 are combined to form the rack row 4, but not only the racks 2 are combined, but as shown in FIGS. 7 can be supported for each rack 2 by a frame 10 having a rectangular frame shape, and the frames 10 of adjacent racks 2 can be coupled and integrated.

  In the case of such a configuration, the bowl-shaped plate body 7 can be appropriately configured according to the number of racks 2 coupled in the rack row 4.

  At this time, the frame material constituting the rectangular frame 10 is made of an aluminum structural material having an axial nut mounting groove formed on the outer periphery, so that it can be easily coupled by the nut mounted in the nut mounting groove. Can do. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 8, in addition to the camera and monitor as shown in (a), various sensors 18 and the like, the flexible sheet body 19 used as a curtain and the like as shown in (b), (c) A plate body 20 used as a sliding door, a swing door or the like as shown, and a plate body 21 used as a wall as shown in (d) can be easily installed. In addition, since the structure of an aluminum structural material and the attachment method itself of a component are known, illustration is abbreviate | omitted.

Next, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the air-conditioning mechanism for the heat-generating equipment rack according to the present invention.
In this embodiment, the partition door member 11 is supported at the end portion in the depth direction of the cold aisle space Sc, thereby preventing the inflow of warm air through the end portion in the depth direction. It is intended to improve efficiency.
Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  In the second embodiment, the support frame 12 is supported on the outer side of the bowl-shaped plate body 7 of the pair of racks 2 (2e) corresponding to the end of the cold aisle space Sc in the depth direction, and the interval 13 is provided. The partition door member 11 is supported by the support frame 12 at the end in the depth direction of the cold aisle space Sc with a flexible sheet body 14 such as a vinyl curtain.

  Since the pair of support frames 12 corresponding to the opposing racks 2e and 2e are not integrated with each other but spaced apart from each other, they also have an effect of preventing damage to vibrations other than the same phase in the earthquake motion. .

Next, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the air-conditioning mechanism of the heat generating equipment rack according to the present invention.
As in the second embodiment, this embodiment prevents the inflow of warm air through the end in the depth direction by supporting the partition door member 11 at the end in the depth direction of the cold aisle space Sc. Thus, the cooling efficiency is improved by such a configuration.
In this embodiment, cables and pipes 16 are arranged inside and outside the cold aisle space Sc.
Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  In this second embodiment, instead of the flexible sheet body 14 such as the vinyl curtain of the second embodiment, the support frame 12 supports the plate body 15 in a sliding door shape, and the partition door member 11 is It is composed.

  The present invention is as described above, and by not forming the cold aisle space as a sealed space or a semi-sealed space as in the past, heat generation that can reduce cost on disaster prevention facilities and improve resistance to earthquakes. An air conditioning mechanism for an equipment rack can be provided.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air conditioning mechanism 2 Rack 3 Heat generating apparatus 4 (4a, 4b) Rack row | line | column 5 (5c, 5h) Floor surface 6 Cold-air supply part 7 (7a, 7b) Plate body (saddle shape)
8 Clearance 9 Fan 10 Frame 11 Partition door member 12 Support frame 13 Spacing 14 Flexible sheet 15 Plate 16 Cable, piping, etc. 17 Ceiling 18 Camera and monitor, various sensors 19 Flexible sheet 20, 21 Plate L Spacing Sc Cold aisle space Sh Hot aisle space So Ceiling side outer space Su Underfloor space

Claims (5)

A plurality of rack rows configured by combining a plurality of racks that contain heat-generating devices are disposed with their longitudinal directions facing each other and spaced apart from each other, and upward from the floor surface between the pair of facing rack rows. The cooling air is supplied from the air conditioner, and a plate body is projected in a bowl shape from the upper end side of each rack row to the upper end direction of the other opposite rack row, and is projected from each rack row. A cold aisle space having a gap on the ceiling side is formed by providing an interval between the edges of the plate body, and the cold aisle space is formed between the cold aisle supplied from the floor surface and the cold aisle space is separated from the ceiling side outer space. The gap is set so as not to cause a pressure difference therebetween, and the support frame is supported on the outside of the pair of rack-shaped plates corresponding to the end in the depth direction of the cold aisle space, and is opposed via a gap. Let these support frames By chromatography arm, and configured to support the partition door member to the end portion in the depth direction of the cold aisle space, the partition door member, the heat-generating equipment rack, characterized in that it has a structure that partitions without gaps the cold aisle space Air conditioning mechanism. The air conditioning mechanism for a rack for a heat generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the partition door member is configured by a plate body. The air-conditioning mechanism of the rack for heat-generating equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the partition door member is configured by a flexible sheet body. 2. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein the bowl-shaped plate is configured to be supported for each rack by a rectangular frame-shaped frame, and is configured to combine and integrate frames of adjacent racks. Rack air-conditioning mechanism. 5. The air conditioning mechanism for a heating equipment rack according to claim 4 , wherein the frame is formed of an aluminum structural member having an axial nut mounting groove formed on an outer periphery thereof, and is coupled by a nut mounted in the nut mounting groove.

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