Intensifier

Abstract

An intensifier is disclosed. The intensifier includes an enclosure with an intake port, an exhaust port, an interior surface that defines a chamber, and an air flow source in communication with the chamber. The intensifier can be positioned in an under floor plenum of a data center. In the plenum, an ambient at a first pressure is draw into the chamber via the intake port and is expelled out of the chamber via the exhaust port and at a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure. The ambient expelled from the intensifier can pass through a vent tile in a raised floor of the data center and the ambient can be used to cool a component supported by the raised floor.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to an intensifier. More specifically, the present invention relates to an intensifier that generates an air flow at a high flow rate and the air flow can be used to cool a component positioned adjacent to the intensifier. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] A data center is a type of computer room in which one or more components are positioned in the data center and are cooled by conditioned air circulating in the data center. Typical components include computers, PC's, servers, printers, disk arrays, network equipment, backup power supplies, and monitors, just to name a few. The conditioned air can be supplied by one or more computer room air conditioning units (CRAC) that may also be positioned in the data center. [0003] In FIG. 1, a prior data center 200 can include walls 213 and a raised floor 203 that is positioned above a sub-floor 205 with the raised floor 203 supporting components (220, 221). The data cente...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The intensifier solves the aforementioned problems because the ambient that exits the exhaust port at the second pressure generates a higher air flow rate out of the exhaust port. The higher air flow rate can be used to dissipate waste heat from components that would otherwise not receive an adequate air flow rate through the opening in the surface based solely on the first pressure.

[0010] The intensifier can be retrofitted in an existing environment (e.g. a data center) and the intensifier can be flexibly relocated as air flow needs in the environment change. Other advantages to the intensifier include fabrication from low cost materials (e.g. metals, plastics, composites, wood) and the use of commonly available components for the air flow source (e.g. an electrically powered fan).

Problems solved by technology

One disadvantage to the UFP 201 is that an air flow rate (e.g. in CFM) of the conditioned air 206 through the vent tiles 202 is mainly influenced by a local static head pressure in the UFP 201.

In either case, the resulting air flow rate may not be sufficient to meet the cooling requirements of some components.

An insufficient air flow rate can be detrimental to components that require a high air flow rate to adequately dissipate waste heat.

If the high density rack is positioned near vent tiles 202 that have an insufficient air flow rate, one or more of the components in the rack can fail due to overheating.

Moreover, it can be costly in terms of labor, rerouting cables, and system down time to move the high density rack to a location on the raised floor 203 where there is a sufficient air flow through the vent tiles 202 to meet the cooling needs of the high density rack.

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