DE102011117988B4 - Cooling arrangement for cooling in a room in control cabinets arranged electronic devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The cooling arrangement for cooling electronic devices arranged in control cabinets places the control cabinets (27, 28) in each case via openings of a double bottom (22). It contains at least two cuboid tower-like heat exchanger cabinets (1) which have at least two vertical side surfaces (2, 3, 4, 5) arranged heat exchangers (8, 9, 10) and are arranged above openings of the double bottom (22). The false floor (22) has a cavity (21) which is divided into two by partition walls (31, 32, 33, 34) delimited cavity portions (36, 38). Each heat exchanger cabinet (1) is associated with a fan (20) which is adapted to convey cold air from the respectively associated heat exchanger cabinet (1) into the cavity (21). Each control cabinet (27, 28) is in fluid communication with the cavity (21). The partition walls are arranged so that at least two of the heat exchanger cabinets (1) are fluidly connected to each of the cavity sections (36, 38).

Description

The invention relates to a cooling arrangement for cooling in a room in control cabinets arranged electronic devices according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a cooling arrangement is known from DE 10 2009 030 114 B4 known.

There, a cooling arrangement is proposed for cooling with a heat exchanger, which forms at least a portion of a boundary wall of a room. Thus, the effective area of the heat exchanger can be significantly increased. The heat exchanger is arranged to form a first cavity parallel to a wall of the room. This first cavity is in fluid communication with a second cavity below the bottom. This second cavity can be divided by partitions into a plurality of partial cavities.

The DE 100 48 877 C2 shows a cooling arrangement for placement in a room having a cavity under the room floor. A rectangular heat exchanger cabinet is placed above the room floor. Its interior is in fluid communication with the cavity. Devices to be cooled in the room are also located above the floor and in fluid communication with the cavity. A fan means blows cooled air through openings in the heat exchanger cabinet, these openings respectively producing said flow connections. In the known heat exchanger cabinet, a heat exchanger is arranged, which extends in a side view substantially along a diagonal and whose width substantially corresponds to the width of the heat exchanger cabinet. The fan is located below the floor in the cavity. The heat exchanger cabinet has on its upper side an opening through which room air to be cooled reaches the heat exchanger. If the heat exchanger cabinet has a base area with the dimensions a × b and a height h, the surface for the air inlet and outlet also has the dimensions a × b and the surface of the heat exchanger is a maximum of a × b × √2 × h. The height h of the heat exchanger cabinet is usually greater than the edges of the base a, b. For a sufficient air flow, therefore, the fan must have a relatively high flow rate, which is not desirable in terms of both energy consumption and noise.

A similar cooling arrangement for cooling is known from DE 10 2009 053 527 A1 known, in which the heat exchanger is housing-free and the fan means is arranged and arranged so that exiting the heat exchanger cooling air passes directly into the room. Compared to the aforementioned document so the flow direction is reversed.

The KR 10 2005 0080470 A shows a heat exchange device with a cuboid, tower-like housing in the form of a cabinet having arranged on at least two vertical side surfaces heat exchanger. Cooling arrangements with heat exchangers are also made US Pat. No. 6,412,292 B2 . KR 10 2005 0074107 A . DE 9319483 U1 . DE 198 12 117 A1 . DE 2813682 A1 . US 2008/0049396 A1 . US 2005/0000240 A1 . US 6,924,981 B2 . US Pat. No. 6,819,563 B1 known.

The JP 2002122348 A shows a cooling arrangement for cooling similar to the DE 100 48 877 C2 with the difference that in the heat exchanger cabinet two V-shaped heat exchanger are arranged, in which case the air to be cooled from the top of the cabinet forth and the heat exchanger extend only about half of the height of the cabinet. The fan is located inside the cabinet and above the floor.

The JP 04335557 A shows a similar cooling arrangement for cooling, in which the fan is arranged in the upper region of the cabinet. Air to be cooled is sucked from a cavity below the room floor and blown out at the top of the heat exchanger cabinet.

The DE 103 25 929 A1 shows a cooling arrangement for cooling cabinets with a heat exchanger cabinet, wherein the heat exchanger similar to DE 100 48 877 C2 is arranged diagonally and the fan is located at the top of the cabinet.

The DE 20 2006 003 919 U1 shows a heat exchanger cabinet in which a heat exchanger is arranged on a side wall of the cabinet.

A horizontal air flow through computer cabinets or refrigerators is also out of the DE 101 28 367 A1 . DE 10 2004 049 487 B4 and FR 2831019 A1 known.

Generally, it should be noted that electrical and electronic equipment, particularly office computers, server rooms, and data centers, incur significant amounts of waste heat that must be dissipated by powerful cooling equipment to protect the computers from overheating. The cooling units used should have the highest possible cooling power density, d. H. have a high cooling capacity with the smallest possible footprint.

It is desirable, at least essential components of the refrigerator as To have a compact unit in the form of a cabinet that can be installed without major structural changes of the room. Provided this is only a raised floor, which is usually already available in offices to lay cables and other lines, the actual room floor only needs openings that require access to the lying under the floor space cavity.

A cooling arrangement in the sense of the present description contains the following components: a heat exchanger cabinet with air inlet and outlet openings and at least one heat exchanger; at least one fan, which may be inside or outside the heat exchanger cabinet; a cooling device containing a cooling medium, such. B. water, for the heat exchanger provides, said cooling device may also be located inside or outside of the heat exchanger cabinet and also outside the room in which the heat exchanger cabinet is placed; Finally, a complete cooling device also contains control devices with sensors, regulators and actuators, and these control devices can also be located inside or outside the heat exchanger cabinet. Normally, the room temperature is controlled, for which the parameter temperature of the cooling medium, such as the flow rate of the cooling medium through the heat exchangers and the air flow rate of the fan, can be regulated.

From the above it is apparent that the term heat exchanger cabinet is only a partial component of a complete cooling arrangement and only the air inlet and outlet openings and heat exchanger must contain, while all other mentioned components of a complete cooling arrangement outside the heat exchanger cabinet and sometimes even outside of the room in which the heat exchanger cabinet is placed, can be arranged.

The object of the invention is to improve the cooling arrangement of the type mentioned in that relative to the volume of the heat exchanger cabinet an increased cooling capacity is achieved and in case of failure of a heat exchanger cabinet anyway all located in the room cabinets are cooled.

This object is achieved by the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims.

The basic idea of the invention is to provide a cuboid heat exchanger cabinet whose height is greater than the side lengths of its base surface, wherein at least two and preferably three or four heat exchangers are arranged in the interior of the heat exchanger cabinet, which are each parallel to the side walls of the heat exchanger cabinet. Thus, the effective area of the heat exchanger is substantially increased. Based on the initially defined dimensions a × b × c of the heat exchanger cabinet is obtained in three heat exchangers an effective heat exchange surface of 3 × a × b × h, which compared to the prior art according to the preamble corresponds to an increase by a factor of 2.63. With four heat exchangers on all four side walls of the heat exchanger cabinet, the increase in the effective area of the heat exchangers compared to this prior art corresponds to a factor of 2.82. This can also be used a relatively large fan running at low speed, which reduces fan and flow noise.

Briefly summarized, the invention provides a cooling arrangement with a heat exchanger cabinet with a tower-like rectangular top view housing, of which at least two of the side walls have heat exchangers through which room air flows and is discharged through a fan. In one embodiment, the air flows from the heat exchanger cabinet in a double bottom and from there through openings in the room back and circulates. The flow direction of the air in the heat exchanger cabinet can be both upwards and downwards. The primary cooling is done by cold water flowing through the heat exchangers. A regulation arranged inside or outside of the heat exchanger cabinet can regulate both the flow of the coolant and the speed of the fan. By using at least two, but better three and best with four side walls with heat exchanger to obtain an enlarged cooling surface in contrast to heat exchanger cabinets with only one heat exchanger.

In a space to be cooled, several such heat exchanger cabinets can be installed, each heat exchanger cabinet has its own fan.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail by means of embodiments in conjunction with the drawing. It shows:

1 a schematic cross-section of a heat exchanger cabinet which can be used in the invention, in isolation, however, is not the subject of the invention;

2 a section along the line AA of 1 ;

3 A cooling arrangement according to the invention in a room to be conditioned with four heat exchanger cabinets;

4 a schematic side view of a cooling arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention with representation of a space to be cooled and image of a heat exchanger cabinet; and

5 a not forming the subject invention view of a cooling arrangement similar 4 ,

The heat exchanger cabinet 1 of the 1 , which is not the subject of the invention in isolation, has a tower-like in plan view ( 2 ) rectangular housing with four side walls 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 that have a height h that is, for example, 2300 mm. Next, the heat exchanger cabinet has an upper cover wall 6 with an area a × b, wherein the top wall is preferably square, with a = b of, for example, 1200 mm. A floor 7 the heat exchanger cabinet is substantially open and protected by a grid. At least two of the side walls 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 Heat exchangers are mounted, in the illustrated embodiment, three of the side walls, namely the side walls 2 . 3 and 4 depending largely on the entire surface of a heat exchanger 8th . 9 . 10 exhibit. All heat exchangers are to the outside with a filter 11 . 12 . 13 covered. In the illustrated embodiment, the fourth wall 5 designed as a door for maintenance in the interior of the heat exchanger cabinet 1 to get to. Of course it is also possible in the door 5 to arrange another heat exchanger. For most applications, the door is 5 dispensable, so that preferably four heat exchangers are used in all four vertical side walls. It makes sense then a door if, as in the embodiment described below the 5 the air flows from inside to outside through the heat exchanger, because then the filters 10 . 11 . 12 are to be mounted on the inside of the heat exchanger and the interior of the heat exchanger cabinet 1 to change the filter must be entered.

The heat exchangers 8th . 9 . 10 are through pipeline sections 14 . 15 interconnected and through pipelines 16 and 17 with a cooling device 18 outside the heat exchanger cabinet 1 and here even outside the room to be cooled 19 is arranged. The cooling device 18 represents in a known manner a cooling medium, such as. B. Water, ready, through the pipes 16 and 17 and the heat exchangers 8th . 9 . 10 circulated.

In the embodiment of 1 and 2 Warm room air flows in the direction of the arrows through the side walls and thus through the heat exchangers 8th . 9 . 10 through and out of the interior of the heat exchanger cabinet 1 down through the grid 7 through a fan 20 in a cavity 21 discharged, which is below a room floor 22 lies. In practice one speaks of a "double bottom" with the two bottom walls 22 and 23 between which the cavity 21 lies.

The ventilator 20 is below the grid 7 and thus below the heat exchanger cabinet 1 in the cavity 21 arranged and stands with its own height-adjustable frame 24 on the ground 23 , The ventilator 20 is a radial fan, the air axially in the direction of the arrow 25 sucks and radially in the direction of the arrows 26 blows. The speed and thus the air flow of the fan 20 is adjustable.

The cooled air flows through the cavity 21 and then comes out in the 1 and 2 not shown openings of the room floor 22 back in the room 19 from, flows through there to cooling devices such. As cabinets or computers and circulates back to the heat exchanger cabinet 1 ,

The ventilator 20 can be very large, with its diameter in the order of the edge lengths a, b. This also achieves low fan speeds 20 a high air flow. Depending on the structural conditions, the fan 20 also larger or smaller than the edge length a, b be.

For the sake of clarity, all components of the scheme in the 1 and 2 not shown. These components, such as control valves, circulating pump for the cooling medium, regulators, etc. can be located in the heat exchanger cabinet 1 For example, at the door 5 to be appropriate. But you can also in the cooling device 18 be housed.

3 shows a plan view of a room 19 in which four heat exchanger cabinets 1 according to the 1 and 2 placed near side walls of the room. Between these heat exchanger cabinets 1 are control cabinets 27 and 28 set up in which objects to be cooled, such. B. computers are housed. In the field of control cabinets 27 and 28 has the ground 22 Openings with a grid 29 . 30 are covered, so that between the under the ground 22 located cavity 21 and the interior of the control cabinets 27 and 28 a flow connection for cold air is present, which is in the direction of the arrows 26 from the heat exchanger cabinets 1 is conveyed into the cavity. From there it flows through the bars 29 and 30 and through the control cabinets, where they are above the floor 22 in the room 19 exit and according to the arrows to the heat exchanger cabinets 1 where it enters through the side walls provided with heat exchangers in its interior, whereby the air circuit is closed.

Below the ground 22 is the cavity through partitions 31 . 32 ; 33 . 34 divided into different sections, these sections are sealed from each other. This will separate cavities 35 to 39 educated. Cold air from the control cabinets 1 flows below the ground 22 thus only through the cavities 36 and 38 , thus forming a "cold aisle". By contrast, the cold air flowing out of the heat exchanger cabinets does not get into the cavities 35 . 37 and 39 , thus forming an "aisle". Through these partitions 31 . 32 . 33 . 34 the cold air becomes more precise to the control cabinets 27 and 28 directed.

Another advantage of the partitions 31 . 32 . 33 . 34 is that even during the cooling operation, the hot aisles are accessible without interference, for example, by receiving raised floor panels to perform maintenance and laying work on cables can.

Optionally, between adjacent cold aisles, so here between the partitions 32 and 33 a transverse to these partitions 32 and 33 extending further partition 40 be provided, then sections 41 and 42 the partitions 32 and 33 the heat exchanger cabinets 1 are facing, either omitted or form switchable flaps or lockable or openable slat walls. This is the cold aisles 36 and 38 connected with each other. This can be advantageous if one of the heat exchanger cabinets 1 has failed, so that the arranged on the corresponding page remaining heat exchanger cabinet can provide both cold aisles with cooling air. Also, a more uniform pressure distribution of the cold air can be achieved in the cold aisles.

In 3 is just one of the additional partitions 40 shown. Of course, this partition on both sides of the cabinets 27 and 28 to be available.

4 shows a schematic side view of a room 19 with a heat exchanger cabinet 1 and a control cabinet 27 , The upper wall 6 of the control cabinet 1 is open and via a supply air duct 43 with outside air 44 connected. The ventilator 20 is in the cavity 21 arranged and thus sucks outside air 44 over the outside air duct 43 and room air through its side walls in the interior of the heat exchanger cabinet 1 , which then according to the embodiment of 3 circulated as cold air. Next has the room 19 an exhaust port 45 , about which part of the warm air from the room 19 can be dissipated. At the outside air channel 43 controllable flaps are arranged to control the amount of outside air supplied can.

In the 5 , which is not the subject of the invention, is the heat exchanger cabinet 1 with outside air 44 supplied by its upper open wall 6 with an outside air duct 43 connected is. The ventilator 20 is here above the heat exchanger cabinet 1 arranged. But he can also within the heat exchanger cabinet 1 be arranged near the top. The outside air duct 43 also has one to the room 19 indicative opening 46 so that he has both outside air 44 as well as receiving warm air from the fan 20 into the interior of the heat exchanger cabinet 1 is blown. From there it flows through the heat exchangers on the side walls of the heat exchanger cabinet 1 directly in the room. The flow direction of the flow through the heat exchanger is thus reversed compared to the previously described embodiments. The air to be cooled is located inside the heat exchanger cabinet 1 and the cooled air exits on its side walls. The underside of the heat exchanger cabinet 1 is closed, so that the double floor or the cavity 21 not needed. Cold air from the room enters the control cabinet via side walls 27 and flows out at the top. Again, there is an exhaust port 27 in one of the walls of the room 19 attached, can be dissipated via the excess hot air to the outside. Finally, here too, the amount of the supplied outside air can be regulated by corresponding flaps at the inlet or outlet of the outside air duct 43 ,

In connection with 5 It should be noted that the outside air duct 43 omitted and the fan 20 can be arranged above the heat exchanger cabinet, so that warm room air from above into the heat exchanger cabinet 1 can be blown, in which case an axial fan is to be used. Next since noted that in the embodiments of the 4 and 5 On all heat exchangers, shutter valves are to be arranged in order to be able to regulate the admixture of outside air depending on the temperature.

Claims (8)

Cooling arrangement for cooling electronic devices arranged in control cabinets, with control cabinets ( 27 . 28 ), each via openings in a double floor ( 22 ) are placed, and at least two cuboid tower-like heat exchanger cabinets ( 1 ) on at least two vertical side surfaces ( 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 ) arranged heat exchanger ( 8th . 9 . 10 ) and via openings of the double bottom ( 22 ) are arranged, wherein the raised floor ( 22 ) a cavity ( 21 ), which in two by partitions ( 31 . 32 . 33 . 34 ) delimited cavity sections ( 36 . 38 ), each heat exchanger cabinet ( 1 ) a fan ( 20 ), which is set up cold air from the respectively associated heat exchanger cabinet ( 1 ) in the cavity ( 21 ), each cabinet ( 27 . 28 ) in fluid communication with the cavity ( 21 ), and wherein the partitions ( 31 . 32 ; 33 . 34 ) are arranged so that at least two of the heat exchanger cabinets ( 1 ) with each of the cavity sections ( 36 . 38 ) are fluidly connected. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that sections ( 41 . 42 ) of the partitions ( 32 . 33 ), the heat exchanger cabinets ( 1 ), switchable flaps or closed and openable lamellar walls for connecting the two cavities ( 36 . 38 ) exhibit. Cooling arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that on three side surfaces ( 2 . 3 . 4 ) of the heat exchanger cabinet ( 1 ) Heat exchanger ( 8th . 9 . 10 ) are arranged and that on the fourth side surface of a door ( 5 ) is arranged. Cooling arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the heat exchanger cabinet ( 1 ) has a square base. Cooling arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the diameter of the heat exchanger cabinet ( 1 ) associated fan ( 2 ) a side length of the base of the heat exchanger cabinet ( 1 ) corresponds. Cooling arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the fan ( 20 ) below the heat exchanger cabinet ( 1 ) is arranged and that a bottom of the heat exchanger cabinet ( 1 ) is open. Cooling arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the fan ( 20 ) inside the heat exchanger cabinet ( 1 ) is arranged. Cooling arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a top wall ( 6 ) of the heat exchanger cabinet ( 1 ) is open and with an outside air duct ( 43 ) connected is.

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