GB1521464A - Mounting of electrical equipment for cooling - Google Patents

Abstract

1521464 Cooling component assemblies THORN AUTOMATION Ltd 15 Oct 1975 [31 Aug 1974] 38168/74 Heading H1R A cooled rack for mounting modular enclosures of electrical equipment comprises a metal angle framework carrying top, bottom, and side panels and lateral cross-members supporting angular guides which carry equipment modular enclosures inserted from the front (Fig. 1, not shown). Hollow cooling plates 20 (Fig. 2) are mounted one per shelf along the back of the rack to contact the rear of each; and liquid coolant is circulated through the plates from an inlet manifold 23 to an outlet manifold 24. The latter are interconnected by a closed circuit pump 26 and heat exchanger 25 air cooled by fan 27. Each modular enclosure (Fig. 3) is enclosed in a case 30 with a thick conduction plate 31 at the rear thereof contacting the cooling plates 20, which contains end embedded isothermal heat pipes 32 supported also by a plate 33 at the front of the module. These support conduction members 34 on which heat generating components 35 are mounted. Other isothermal heat pipes 36 are secured to the outer surface of plate 31 to engage grooves of the cooling plate 20 (Fig. 4, not shown). The modular enclosures are clamped in position (Fig. 5) by rubber blocks 40 on rear cross members 15, and rods 41 passing therethrough project from the ends to locate in forked ends of pairs of levers 43. These are slidably located with respect to the enclosure by studs 44 of the latter engaging elongated holes 45 of the levers, which are also slidable with respect to actuator plates 46 by stud 47 engaging an elongated hole 48 of each lever 43. Each actuator plate is slidably located to the modular enclosure by three studs 49 thereof, passing through parallel slots 50 of the plates, which carry toothed racks 51 adjacent the front of the enclosure co-operating with toothed segments 51 carried by a handle 53 pivoted adjacent the front thereof (Figs. 5, 6). When the modular enclosure is located in the rack the ends of rods 41 are located in the forked ends of levers 43 with the handles 53 in the downward position and plates 46 in their forward position. Rearward movement pivots the levers 43 about the ends of rods 41 until they reach a clamped position in which the rubber blocks retain the enclosure against the cooling plates, and for removal handle 53 is pivoted downwards so that the resulting movement of the actuator plates pivots levers 42 about rods 41 into disengagement, enabling the modular enclosure to be withdrawn. The rack may be wired for interconnection of several modular enclosures automatically on insertion, and identifying grooves and keyways may be provided to ensure correct insertion. Thermal contact may be made directly between the conduction plates and the cooling plates. Alternatively the cooling may be convection air or gas flow.