KR20160082295A - Apparatus for cooling server rack - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for cooling a server rack, wherein the apparatus comprises: a housing including a frame for forming a containment space therein and side surface plates coupled to the frame, wherein the side surface plate has a first opening and a second opening spaced apart from each other; a partition arranged inside the housing, for dividing the containment space into a cold side corresponding to the first opening and a hot side corresponding to the second opening; a heat exchanging unit including a heat absorbing unit for absorbing heat on the cold side, and a heat radiating unit for radiating heat absorbed in the heat absorbing unit by being arranged on the hot side; an outdoor air introduction unit arranged on the cold side in the housing and including an opening/closing cover for introducing outdoor air outside the housing to the cold side; an air circulating tube having one end connected to the second opening and the other end facing the one end and interlinked with the cold side by penetrating the partition; an opening/closing plate, provided on the side surface plate, for opening/closing the second opening; and an interlinking unit for interlinking and operating the opening/closing cover and the opening/closing plate. Thereby, computerized equipment inside the server rack can be effectively cooled.

Description

{APPARATUS FOR COOLING SERVER RACK}

The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus for a server rack, and more particularly, to a closed cooling system for cooling and circulating air inside a server rack and an open cooling system for cooling by introducing outside air, And more particularly, to a cooling apparatus for a server rack that can operate in conjunction with a cooling method.

In general, a server rack provides an environment in which computer devices such as network devices, communication devices and servers operate smoothly, and protects computer equipment from external shocks and vibrations.

When a large number of computer equipment are housed in a server rack having a limited space, the temperature inside the server rack may rise sharply due to heat generated during operation of each computer equipment, thereby greatly reducing the performance of the computer equipment .

To solve this problem, most server racks include constant temperature and humidity functions to keep the temperature and humidity inside the server rack constant.

In order to keep the temperature and humidity inside the server rack constant, it is widely used to cool the computer equipment placed inside the server rack by providing the cool air generated from the outside of the server rack to the inside of the server rack.

A method for cooling the interior of a server rack by providing cool air generated from the outside of the server rack to the inside of the server rack is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,751,188 entitled "Method and system for providing cooling of components in a data storage system".

U.S. Patent No. 188 discloses a technique in which a tube through which cool air generated from an external air conditioner outside the server rack passes is disposed adjacent to each of the laminated electric elements and the cool air can be discharged from each tube to each of the electric elements have.

However, although the method of introducing the cool air generated from the outside of the server rack into the server rack as in the above-mentioned U.S. '188 is possible in a large data center equipped with an external air conditioner, Which is difficult to apply to a rack.

In addition, the technique of introducing the cool air generated from the outside of the server rack and providing the cool air generated inside the server rack to the inside of the server rack is greatly reduced in the utilization efficiency of the cool air because the cool air generated from the outside is discharged through the outlet immediately after passing through the server inside the server rack Problems.

On the other hand, U.S. Patent No. 7,144,320 entitled " Air distribution arrangement for rack-mounted equipment "includes a plenum formed between a server and a door mounted on a cabinet, and a cool air provided upward from an air box, And a technique of being exhausted to the ceiling or the rear panel through each server while rising along a conduit formed between the doors.

However, although the U.S. Patent No. 320 discloses an air box that introduces outside air into a conduit, U.S. Patent No. 320 is also unlikely to be used alone in a room without external air conditioning facilities, This is because it is inhaled and provided to the conduit but can not generate cold air itself.

1. U.S. Patent No. 7,751,188 entitled "Method and system for providing cooling of components in a data storage system" 2. U.S. Patent No. 7,144,320 entitled "Air distribution arrangement for rack-mounted equipment" (2006.12.05)

The present invention relates to an open cooling method for cooling computer equipment inside a server rack by providing outside air to a server rack for cooling the server rack, or re-cooled and re-cooled air supplied to a server rack Provides a cooling device for a server rack that can efficiently cool the computer equipment inside the server rack through a closed cooling system in which the computer equipment is cooled in a circulating manner and can perform cooling operation by interlocking the open cooling method and the closed cooling method .

In one embodiment, a cooling apparatus for a server rack includes: a housing having a frame forming a storage space therein and side plates coupled to the frame, the side plates having first and second spaced apart first and second openings; A partition disposed in the housing and dividing the storage space into a cold side corresponding to the first opening and a hot side corresponding to the second opening; A heat exchange unit including a heat absorbing unit for absorbing heat on the cold side and a heat radiating unit disposed on the hot side for radiating heat absorbed by the heat absorbing unit; And an open / close cover disposed on the cold side of the housing for introducing the outside air outside the housing to the cold side; An air circulation tube having one end connected to the second opening and the other end opposite to the one end communicating with the cold side through the partition; An opening / closing plate mounted on the side plate and opening / closing the second opening; And an interlocking unit for interlocking and operating the opening / closing cover and the opening / closing plate.

The interlocking unit of the cooling device for a server rack has one end connected to the opening / closing cover, the other end opposite to the one end connected to the opening / closing board, and the opening / closing board, And an elastic member to be changed.

Wherein the other end of the wire of the cooling device for server rack is coupled to the lower end of the open / close board, one end of the elastic member is coupled to an upper end opposite to the lower end of the open / close board, And the other side end is joined to the side plate.

The interlocking unit of the cooling device for the server rack includes a wire having one end connected to the opening / closing cover and the other end opposite to the one end coupled to the opening / closing plate and having elasticity.

The second opening is closed by the opening / closing plate when the opening / closing cover of the interlocking unit of the cooling device for server rack is opened, and the second opening is opened by the opening / closing plate when the opening / closing cover is closed.

The partition wall of the air conditioner for a server rack is disposed at a position corresponding to the space between the first and second openings, and the partition wall has a partition opening through which the air circulation tube passes.

The air conditioner for a server rack further includes a duct formed on the hot side of the housing and discharging heat generated by the heat dissipating unit to the outside of the housing.

The air conditioner for a server rack further includes an air blowing unit disposed on the cold side and providing cooled air through the heat absorbing unit to the first opening.

The air conditioner for a server rack includes a rotating unit that rotates the opening / closing cover.

In the cooling system for a server rack according to the present invention, in an environment in which an air conditioning facility is constructed through a self-cooling system, external air is introduced to cool the server rack, and the computer rack is cooled by an open cooling system, In the environment, the air inside the server rack is cooled and circulated, and the computer equipment inside the server rack is cooled by the closed cooling system, so that the computer equipment stored in the server rack can be cooled efficiently in various environments, So that cooling can be efficiently performed.

1 is a perspective view of a cooling apparatus for a server rack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a cooling apparatus for a server rack in which side plates of the cooling apparatus for the server rack of FIG. 1 are removed.
3 is a perspective view showing a state in which an air circulation tube is removed from the inside of a cooling device for a server rack.
4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure for interlocking a closed cooling system and an open cooling system in a server rack cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing that a server rack cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention cools air by a closed cooling system.

In the following description, only parts necessary for understanding the embodiments of the present invention will be described, and the description of other parts will be omitted so as not to obscure the gist of the present invention.

The terms and words used in the present specification and claims should not be construed as limited to ordinary or dictionary meanings and the inventor is not limited to the meaning of the terms in order to describe his invention in the best way. It should be interpreted as meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments described in the present specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention, so that various equivalents And variations are possible.

1 is a perspective view of a cooling apparatus for a server rack according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a cooling apparatus for a server rack in which side plates of the cooling apparatus for the server rack of FIG. 1 are removed. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which an air circulation tube is removed from the inside of a cooling device for a server rack.

1 to 3, a cooling apparatus 900 for a server rack includes a housing 100, a partition 200, an air circulation tube 300, a heat exchange unit 400, a blowing unit 500, 600 and an interlocking unit 650. In addition, the air conditioner 900 for a server rack may include a controller 700 and various sensors.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a cooling apparatus 900 for a server rack may be configured to provide cool air generated by a closed cooling system or an open cooling system to a server rack (not shown) in which computer equipment is stacked, Cool the servers.

The housing 100 includes a frame 110 and a plurality of side plates 120 coupled to the frame 100.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the frame 110 is formed, for example, in a hollow rectangular shape. Alternatively, the frame 110 may be formed in various shapes other than the rectangular shape.

The frame 110 serves as a skeleton so that the air conditioner 900 for a server rack can maintain a constant shape.

The side plates 120 may be detachably coupled to the frame 110, and the side plates 120 may be formed in a plate shape.

The partition 200 divides the internal space of the housing 100 constituted by the frame 110 and the side plates 120 into two areas, for example.

The inner space of the housing 100 is divided into a cold side CS and a hot side HS by the partition 200 and the air on the cold side CS has a relatively low temperature, Side HS has a relatively higher temperature than the cold side CS.

The partition wall 200 may be formed in the housing 100 so as to be perpendicular to the bottom plate of the housing 100 in order to divide the internal space of the housing 100 into a cold side CS and a hot side HS. And a partition opening 210 is formed in a part of the partition 200.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the partition 200 is a member that separates the cold side CS and the hot side HS, and the cold side CS and the hot side HS are not heat exchanged through the partition 200 The barrier rib 200 may be made of a synthetic resin material.

Alternatively, the barrier rib 200 may be formed by pressing a metal plate. When the barrier rib 200 is made of a metal plate, the barrier rib 200 may be a column The energy efficiency can be further improved by adding the transmission preventing member.

A first opening 122 is formed in the cold side CS of the pair of side plates 120 facing each other among the side plates 120 of the housing 100, And a second opening 124 is formed at a position corresponding to the hot side (HS)

The hot side (HS) of the housing (100) divided by the partition wall (200) is formed with an opening (130) for discharging the air introduced into the hot side (HS) and the air heated in the heat exchanger (130) is coupled to a duct extending outdoors.

One end of the air circulation tube 300 is connected to the second opening 124 and the other end of the air circulation tube 300 is connected to the partition opening 210 to the cold side (CS).

The air introduced through the second opening 124 by the air circulation tube 300 is supplied to the cold side CS through the partition opening 210 without mixing with the air on the hot side HS, The cooling apparatus 900 for a server rack can cool the server rack 900 in a closed cooling system.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the air circulation tube 300 is heat exchanged with the outside air to primarily cool the air passing through the air circulation tube 300.

Meanwhile, in order to provide cooling air by the open cooling method, the opening and closing plate 140 is disposed in the second opening 124 of the side plate 120, and the opening and closing plate 140 opens and closes the second opening 124.

When the opening and closing plate 140 closes the second opening 124 of the side plate 120, the outside air introducing unit 600 disposed at the lower end of the cold side CS of the housing 100 is opened, Side CS to cool the outside air at the cold side CS.

On the other hand, when the opening / closing plate 140 opens the second opening 124 of the side plate 120, the outside air introducing unit 600 disposed at the lower end of the cold side (CS) of the housing 100 is closed, (CS).

In one embodiment of the present invention, a heat exchange unit 400 is disposed inside the housing 100.

A heat radiating unit for radiating heat in the heat exchanging unit 400 is disposed on the hot side HS in a state where the inside of the housing 100 is divided into the cold side CS and the hot side HS by the partition 200 And a heat absorbing unit for absorbing heat in the heat exchanging unit 400 is disposed on the cold side (CS).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the heat exchange unit 400 may include a compressor 410, a condenser 420, an expansion unit 420, A valve (not shown) and an evaporator 430.

The heat dissipating unit including the compressor 410 and the condenser 420 of the heat exchanging unit 400 is disposed on the hot side HS of the housing 100 and is connected to the expansion valve of the heat exchanging unit 400 and the evaporator 430 The heat absorbing unit is disposed on the cold side (CS) of the housing (100).

A pair of evaporators 430 are disposed on the cold side CS and are hereinafter defined as a pair of evaporators 430 and a first evaporator 432 and a pair of evaporators 430, (432, 434) are arranged in a vertical direction, respectively.

The blowing unit 500 is disposed at the cold side CS of the housing 100 and the blowing unit 500 is disposed at a position adjacent to the evaporator 430 of the heat exchange unit 400.

The blowing unit 500 includes a first blowing unit 510 disposed to face the first evaporator 432 and a second blowing unit 520 disposed facing the second evaporator 434 ).

The first and second air blowing units 510 and 520 pass the first and second evaporators 432 and 434 and provide cooled air to the first opening 122 formed in the side plate 120 so that the cooled air flows through the first opening (Not shown).

The outside air introducing unit 600 is disposed on the cold side CS of the housing 100. The outside air introducing unit 600 includes an opening and closing cover 610 for opening and closing an opening formed in the bottom plate of the housing 100, 610 to rotate.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the rotation unit 620 may include a motor that rotates the opening / closing cover 610. [

The control unit 700 generates cold air in the cooling apparatus 900 for the server rack and provides the generated cooling air to the server rack corresponding to the temperatures of the outdoor air and the cold air measured from various sensors. Controls the operations of the heat exchange unit 400, the air blowing unit 500, and the outside air introduction unit 600 and the like.

Various sensors such as a temperature sensor for controlling the controller 700, a humidity sensor, a coolant temperature sensor, and an outside air temperature sensor may be mounted on the cooling device 900 for a server rack.

4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure for interlocking a closed cooling system and an open cooling system in a server rack cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 to 4, the server rack cooling apparatus 900 includes an outdoor air introducing unit 600 formed on the cold side CS and a second opening 124 formed on the side plate 120 of the housing 100 And an interlocking unit 650 for interlocking the opening / closing plate 140 and opening / closing the door.

The interlocking unit 650 may include a wire 652 and an elastic member 654 connecting the opening and closing cover 610 and the opening and closing plate 140 of the outside air introducing unit 600.

The wire 652 may comprise, for example, a metal wire with very little change in length due to tension.

One end of the wire 652 is coupled to the opening and closing cover 610 of the outside air introducing unit 600 and the other end of the wire 652 opposite to the one end is disposed on the side plate 120 of the housing 100 Closing plate 140 as shown in Fig.

The one end of the wire 652 can be coupled to the end of the opening / closing cover 610 so that the displacement of the wire 652 is increased by the rotation of the opening / closing cover 610 of the outside air introducing unit 600, May be coupled to the lower end of the opening / closing plate 140. [

On the path of the wire 652, the guide pawl 653 may be disposed such that the wire 652 moves along the designated path.

One end of the elastic member 654 is coupled to the upper end of the opening and closing plate 140 and the other end opposite to the one end of the elastic member 654 is fixed to the upper portion of the second opening 124 of the side plate 120, The elastic member 654 provides tension to the opening and closing plate 140 and the wire 652.

Hereinafter, the operation of the cooling apparatus for a server rack will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 in an open cooling system.

First, when the opening / closing cover 610 of the outdoor air introducing unit 600 is rotated by the rotating unit 620 to cool the air by the cooling method for the server rack 900 in an open cooling system, The opening and closing plate 652 is loosened by the rotation of the opening and closing cover 610 so that the opening and closing plate 140 is lifted by the elastic member 654 and thereby the opening and closing plate 140 is moved to the side plate 120 of the housing 100, And closes the second opening 124 disposed on the hot side (HS).

When the opening / closing plate 140 closes the second opening 124 of the side plate 120 of the housing 100, the outside air flows through the opening of the bottom plate of the housing 100 exposed by the opening / closing cover 610 And is introduced to the cold side (CS).

At this time, outside air is also supplied to the hot side (HS) of the housing 100 to cool the condenser 420 of the heat exchange unit 400 disposed on the hot side (HS) of the housing 100, Is exhausted to the outside through a duct connected to the housing (100).

The outside air introduced into the cold side CS by the rotation of the opening and closing cover 610 of the outside air introducing unit 600 is cooled while passing through the evaporator 430 of the heat exchanging unit 400 and is generated while passing through the evaporator 430 The cool air is discharged through the first opening 122 formed in the side plate 120 of the housing 100 through the air blowing unit 500.

The cool air discharged through the first opening 122 is provided to a server rack (not shown) to cool the server housed in the server rack.

After the server is cooled, the heated air is discharged to the outside through a duct formed in the server rack, and the server rack cooling apparatus 900 cools the server disposed in the server rack by the open cooling system.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing that a server rack cooling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention cools air by a closed cooling system.

1 to 3 and 5, in order for the server rack cooling apparatus 900 to cool the air by the closed cooling system, the opening / closing cover 610 of the open air introducing unit 600 is rotated by the rotating unit 620 And a tension is applied to the wire 652 connected to the opening / closing cover 610 by the reverse rotation of the opening / closing cover 610. As a result,

The wire 652 is pulled in the direction of the opening / closing cover 610 by the tension applied to the wire 652 so that the second opening 124 (see FIG. 5) disposed on the hot side HS of the side plate 120 of the housing 100 The second opening 124 is opened while the opening / closing plate 140 covering the first opening / closing plate 140 moves downward. At this time, tensile force is applied to the elastic member 654 connected to the opening / closing plate 140.

At this time, outside air is also supplied to the hot side (HS) of the housing 100 to cool the condenser 420 of the heat exchange unit 400 disposed on the hot side (HS) of the housing 100, Is exhausted to the outside through a duct connected to the housing (100).

Closing of the opening formed in the bottom of the housing 100 by the opening / closing cover 610 of the outside air introducing unit 600 prevents outside air from flowing into the cold side CS, thus cooling the server in the server rack, Air is introduced into the air circulation tube 300 through the second openings 124 of the side plates 120 of the housing 100 and the air heated through the air circulation tubes 300 passes through the cold side CS, .

The heated air passing through the partition opening formed in the partition wall 200 and provided to the cold side CS is cooled again while passing through the evaporator 430 of the heat exchange unit 400 and the cooled air is supplied to the blowing unit 500 and the housing Is provided to the server of the server rack through the first opening 122 of the side plate 120 of the server 100 to cool the server again.

By repeating this process, the server disposed inside the server rack is cooled by the circulating closed cooling system.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the closed cooling system can be applied when there is less heat generation inside the server rack, while the open cooling system can be applied instead of the closed cooling system when a large amount of heat is generated in the server rack.

The wires 652 and the elastic members 654 for connecting the opening and closing cover 610 and the opening and closing plate 140 are used for interlocking the closed cooling system and the open cooling system in the embodiment of the present invention The motor of the opening and closing plate 140 and the rotation unit 620 for rotating the opening and closing cover 610 may be operated in conjunction with each other to mount the motor for rotating the opening and closing plate 140 on the opening and closing plate 140, Do.

Although the interlocking unit 650 is interlocked with the opening / closing cover 610 and the opening / closing plate 140 by using the wire 652 and the elastic member 654 as described above, The elastic member 652 may be used as a material having elasticity.

Although it is shown and described that the inside of the server rack is cooled through the open cooling system and the closed cooling system in an embodiment of the present invention, a part of the outside air introducing unit is opened and a part of the open / The server rack may be cooled by a mixed cooling method in which air in the server rack is introduced into the server rack through the opening and closing plate to provide cool air to the server rack. In the mixed cooling system, the outdoor air introducing unit and the open / The interlocking unit can be mounted on the air conditioner for the server rack.

As described in detail above, the closed cooling system in which the heated air is circulated in the server rack in which the servers are disposed, or the open cooling system in which the cold air outside the server rack is introduced to provide cooling to the server rack The cooling of the server rack is performed in cooperation with the cooling operation of the server rack, thereby effectively cooling the server inside the server rack.

It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed in the drawings are merely examples of specific examples for the purpose of understanding, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications based on the technical idea of the present invention are possible in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein.

100 ... housing 200 ... partition wall
300 ... air circulation tube 400 ... heat exchange unit
500 ... air blowing unit 600 ... outside air introduction unit
650 ... interlocking unit 652 ... wire
654 ... elastic member 700 ... control unit
900 ... Air conditioner for server rack

Claims (9)

A housing including a frame defining a receiving space therein and side plates coupled to the frame, the side plates having first and second spaced apart openings;
A partition disposed in the housing and dividing the storage space into a cold side corresponding to the first opening and a hot side corresponding to the second opening;
A heat exchange unit including a heat absorbing unit for absorbing heat on the cold side and a heat radiating unit disposed on the hot side for radiating heat absorbed by the heat absorbing unit;
And an open / close cover disposed on the cold side of the housing for introducing the outside air outside the housing to the cold side;
An air circulation tube having one end connected to the second opening and the other end opposite to the one end communicating with the cold side through the partition;
An opening / closing plate mounted on the side plate and opening / closing the second opening; And
And an interlocking unit for interlocking and operating the opening / closing cover and the opening / closing plate. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the interlocking unit includes a wire having one end connected to the opening / closing cover, the other end opposite to the one end coupled to the opening / closing plate, and an elastic member coupled to the opening / closing plate, Air conditioning for server racks containing. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the other end of the wire is coupled to the lower end of the open / close board, one end of the elastic member is coupled to an upper end opposite to the lower end of the open / close board, and the other end opposite to the one end of the elastic member A cooling device for a server rack coupled to a side plate. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the interlocking unit includes a wire having one end connected to the opening / closing cover and the other end opposite to the one end coupled to the opening / closing plate and having elasticity. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the second opening is closed by the opening / closing plate when the opening / closing cover of the interlocking unit is opened, and the second opening is opened by the opening / closing plate when the opening / closing cover is closed. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the partition wall is disposed at a position corresponding to the space between the first and second openings, and the partition wall has a partition wall opening through which the air circulation tube passes. The method according to claim 1,
And a duct formed on the hot side of the housing for discharging the heat generated by the heat radiating unit to the outside of the housing. The method according to claim 1,
And an air blowing unit disposed on the cold side and providing cooling air passing through the heat absorbing unit to the first opening. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the outside air introduction unit includes a rotation unit that rotates the opening / closing cover.

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