초록 ▼

A rack has a frame for supporting one or more electronic components. The frame includes a front side and a rear side. An angled panel is positioned on at least one of the front side and the rear side. The angled panel extends for a substantial portion of the frame and is configured to vary airflow

A rack has a frame for supporting one or more electronic components. The frame includes a front side and a rear side. An angled panel is positioned on at least one of the front side and the rear side. The angled panel extends for a substantial portion of the frame and is configured to vary airflow through the rack.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A rack comprising: a flame for supporting one or more electronic components, said frame having a front side and a rear side, wherein said front side contains an inlet for cooling fluid to enter into the rack and said rear side contains an outlet for air to exhaust from the ra

What is claimed is: 1. A rack comprising: a flame for supporting one or more electronic components, said frame having a front side and a rear side, wherein said front side contains an inlet for cooling fluid to enter into the rack and said rear side contains an outlet for air to exhaust from the rack; an angled panel positioned on at least one of the from side and the rear side, said angled panel extending for a substantial portion of the frame, wherein said angled panel is configured to vary airflow through the rack; a temperature sensor positioned to detect the temperature of the cooling fluid at the inlet; a temperature sensor positioned to detect the temperature of the air at the outlet; and a controller configured to vary the angle of the angled portion with respect to the frame based upon the detected temperatures at the inlet and the outlet. 2. The rack according to claim 1, wherein the angled panel is configured to rotate with respect to the frame, said angled panel being attached to an actuator configured to move the angled panel into various positions to thereby vary the airflow through the rack. 3. The rack according to claim 1, wherein said inlet and said outlet both comprise the angled panel. 4. The rack according to claim 1, wherein said angled panel comprises a movable louver system configured to control airflow through one or more walls of the angled panel. 5. The rack according to claim 1, wherein said one or more electronic components comprise component temperature sensors and wherein said controller is further configured to operate the angled panel based upon the temperatures detected by the component temperature sensors. 6. The rack according to claim 5, further comprising: a power draw sensor configured to detect the power draw of the one or more electronic components, wherein said controller is further configured to operate the angled panel based upon the power draw detected by the power draw sensor. 7. The rack according to claim 1, wherein said rear side comprises the angled panel and wherein said angled panel of the rear side is configured to control one or both of the mass flow rate and direction of airflow out of the rack. 8. The rack according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said front side and said rear side comprises a plurality of angled portions located at various positions along the height of one or more of the front side and the rear side. 9. A system for reducing re-circulation of air in a data center, said system comprising: a rack comprising: one or more electronic components; an angled panel positioned to vary airflow through the rack; an inlet temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of cooling fluid delivered into the rack; an outlet temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of heated air exhausted from the rack; an actuator configured to manipulate the angled panel; and a controller configured to operate the actuator substantially based on the temperatures detected by the inlet temperature sensor and the outlet temperature sensor to thereby vary the airflow through the rack and reduce re-circulation of air in the data center. 10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more electronic components comprises an electronic component temperature sensor, said electronic component temperature sensor being in communication with said controller, wherein said controller is further configured to operate the actuator substantially based on the temperature(s) of the one or more electronic components. 11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising: a memory associated with the controller, said controller being configured to access said memory to determine an actuator operation based upon the detected temperatures. 12. The system according to claim 10, further comprising: a plurality of angled panels positioned at various locations of the rack, wherein said controller is configured to substantially independently control the plurality of angled panels to enable substantially varied airflow through various sections of the rack. 13. The system according to claim 9, further comprising: a component power draw sensor, said component power draw sensor being in communication with said controller, and wherein said controller is further configured to operate the actuator substantially based on the power draw of the one or more electronic components. 14. A method for cooling one or more electronic components housed in a rack, said method comprising: receiving sensed temperatures of the one or more electronic components; determining whether the sensed temperatures are within predetermined ranges; determining whether the sensed temperatures are above predetermined maximum set point temperatures; manipulating an angled panel in response to the sensed temperatures of the one or more electronic components being outside of the predetermined ranges to thereby vary the flow of cooling fluid delivery to the one or more electronic components by increasing the cooling fluid delivery to the one or more electronic components in response to the sensed temperatures being above the predetermined maximum set point temperatures; and decreasing the cooling fluid delivery to the one or more electronic components in response to the sensed temperatures being below the predetermined maximum set point temperatures. 15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: receiving a second sensed temperature of the at least one component; comparing the second sensed temperature with the sensed temperature to determine whether a first manipulation of the angled panel resulted in an intended outcome; and manipulating the angled panel in an opposite manner to the first manipulation in response to the first manipulation resulting in an unintended outcome. 16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: determining whether the sensed temperature is above a predetermined maximum set point temperature; decreasing the cooling fluid delivery to the at least one electronic component in response to the sensed temperature being above the predetermined maximum set point temperature; and increasing the cooling fluid delivery to the at least one electronic component in response to the sensed temperature being below the predetermined maximum set point temperature. 17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: receiving sensed temperatures of a plurality of electronic components; determining whether the sensed temperatures are within predetermined ranges, and wherein said step of manipulating comprises manipulating a plurality of angled panels in substantially independent manners in response to the sensed temperatures of the plurality of electronic components being outside of the predetermined ranges to thereby vary the flow of cooling fluid delivery to the plurality of electronic components. 18. A system for cooling one or more electronic components in a rack, said system comprising: means for sensing the temperatures of the one or more electronic components; means for determining whether the sensed temperatures are within a predetermined range; means for determining whether the sensed temperatures are above or below predetermined maximum set point temperatures; means for manipulating the airflow through the rack in response to the sensed temperatures of the one or more electronic components being outside of the predetermined range to thereby vary the flow of cooling fluid delivery to the one or more electronic components by increasing the cooling fluid delivery to the one or more electronic components in response to the sensed temperatures being above the predetermined maximum set point temperatures; and decreasing the cooling fluid delivery to the one or more electronic components in response to the sensed temperatures being below the predetermined maximum set point temperature. 19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising: means for determining whether the sensed temperatures are above predetermined maximum set point temperatures; means for increasing the cooling fluid delivery to the one or more electronic components in response to the sensed temperature being above the predetermined maximum set point temperatures; and means for decreasing the cooling fluid delivery to the one or more electronic components in response to the sensed temperature being below the predetermined maximum set point temperatures. 20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising: means for receiving a second sensed temperature of the at least one component; means for comparing the second sensed temperature with the sensed temperature to determine whether a first manipulation of the angled panel resulted in an intended outcome; and means for manipulating the angled panel in an opposite manner to the first manipulation in response to the first manipulation resulting in an unintended outcome. 21. A method for retrofitting a rack designed to house a plurality of electronic components, said method comprising: removing at least one of a front panel and a rear panel of the rack; installing an angled panel in place of the removed at least one front panel and rear panel, said angled panel being configured to control the airflow through the rack; installing an actuator configured to move the angled panel between a plurality of positions with respect to the rack; and installing a controller configured to control the actuator to thereby vary the position of the angled panel and the airflow through the rack. 22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising: installing an inlet temperature sensor at an inlet of the rack; installing an outlet temperature sensor at an outlet of the rack; configuring said controller to receive information related to detected temperatures by said inlet temperature sensor and said outlet temperature sensor; and manipulating the angled panel based upon the information received from said inlet temperature sensor and said outlet temperature sensor. 23. A data center comprising: a rack housing one or more electronic components and having an inlet and an outlet, said rack having an angled panel positioned on at least one of the inlet and the outlet of the rack; a cooling system operable to supply said rack with cooling fluid to thereby cool the one or more electronic components; a temperature sensor positioned to detect the temperature of the cooling fluid at the inlet; a temperature sensor positioned to detect the temperature of air at the outlet; a panel controller configured to vary the angle of the angled panel with respect to the rack to vary the airflow through the rack based upon the detected temperatures at the inlet and the outlet. 24. The data center according to claim 23, wherein said cooling system comprises: a vent having a vent controller configured to determine airflow through said vent; a plenum positioned to supply the vent with cooling fluid, and a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure within the plenum. 25. The data center according to claim 24, wherein the panel controller is in communication with the vent controller and the pressure sensor, and wherein the panel controller is configured to vary the angle of the angled panel in response to data received from said vent controller and the pressure sensor. 26. The data center according to claim 24, wherein said rack further comprises: a component temperature sensor positioned to detect the temperatures of the one or more electronic components, and wherein the panel controller is in communication with said inlet temperature sensor, said outlet temperature sensor, and said component temperature sensor, and wherein said panel controller is configured to vary the angle of the angled panel in response to data received from said inlet temperature sensor, said outlet temperature sensor, and said component temperature sensor. 27. The data center according to claim 23, wherein said rack comprises a power draw sensor configured to detect the power supplied to the one or more electronic components, wherein said panel controller is in communication with said power draw sensor, and wherein said panel controller is configured to vary the angle of the angled panel in response to data received from said power draw sensor. 28. The data center according to claim 23, further comprising: a plurality of racks having angled panels; and wherein the plurality of racks comprise panel controllers, said panel controllers being configured to operate the angled panels to reduce re-circulation of the cooling fluid with air heated in the racks. 29. The data center according to claim 23, further comprising: a mobile device configured to detect one or more environmental conditions in the data center; said mobile device being in communication with the panel controller, and wherein said panel controller is configured to operate the angled panel in response to data received from the mobile device. 30. The data center according to claim 23, further comprising: a return configured to receive heated air from the rack, wherein said panel controller is configured to manipulate the angled panel to direct heated airflow in the general direction of the return. 31. The data center according to claim 23, further comprising: a heat exchanger unit having an intake configured to receive heated air from the rack, a heat exchanger configured to cool the heated air, and an exhaust configured to supply the cooled air to the rack, wherein said panel controller is configured to manipulate an angled panel located on the outlet of the rack to direct heated airflow in the general direction of the intake. 32. The data center according to claim 23, wherein the panel controller is configured to manipulate an angled panel located on the inlet of the rack to receive cooled air from the exhaust. 33. A method of reducing re-circulation of air in a data center having at least one rack and at least one vent for supplying cooling fluid to the at least one rack, said at least one rack having an angled panel, said method comprising: determining the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack; determining the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one vent; comparing the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack and the at least one vent; and manipulating the angled panel in response to the comparison of the mass flow rates through the at least one rack and the at least one vent to reduce re-circulation of air in the data center. 34. The method according to claim 33, wherein said step of determining the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack comprises calculating the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack on temperature measurements from a plurality of temperature sensors and power supply measurements from a power draw sensor. 35. The method according to claim 33, wherein said step of determining the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack comprises measuring the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack. 36. The method according to claim 33, wherein said step of determining the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one vent comprises basing the determination of the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one vent on information received from a vent controller and pressure measurements from a pressure sensor located in a cooling fluid supply plenum of the data center. 37. The method according to claim 33, further comprising: determining a conversion factor to compare the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack and the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one vent, wherein the conversion factor is based upon a substantially optimal mass flow rate difference that reduces or eliminates re-circulation of cooling fluid with heated air; and wherein the step of comparing the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack and the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one vent comprises comparing the mass flow rates of airflow through the at least one rack and the at least one vent based upon the conversion factor. 38. The method according to claim 37, further comprising: determining whether the converted mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack is greater than the converted mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one vent; and manipulating the angled panel in response to the converted mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack differing from the converted mass flow rate of the airflow through the at least one vent. 39. The method according to claim 38, further comprising: increasing the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack in response to the converted mass flow rate of the airflow through the at least one vent exceeding the converted mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack. 40. The method according to claim 38, further comprising: determining the temperatures of the one or more components in the at least one rack; determining whether the temperatures of the one or more components are below predetermined maximum temperatures; manipulating the angled panel to increase the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack in response to the temperatures of the one or more components exceeding the predetermined maximum temperatures; and manipulating the angled panel to decrease the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack in response to the temperatures of the one or more components falling below the predetermined maximum temperatures. 41. The method according to claim 40, further comprising: receiving a second sensed temperature of the one or more components; comparing the second sensed temperature with the sensed temperature to determine whether a first manipulation of the angled panel resulted in an intended outcome; and manipulating the angled panel in an opposite manner to the first manipulation in response to the first manipulation resulting in an unintended outcome. 42. The method according to claim 38, further comprising: determining the temperatures of one or more components in the at least one rack; determining whether the temperatures of the one or more components in the at least one rack is below a predetermined maximum temperature; manipulating the angled panel to decrease the mass flow rate of airflow through the rack in response to the temperatures of the one or more components exceeding the predetermined maximum temperature; and manipulating the angled panel to increase the mass flow rate of airflow through the rack in response to the temperatures of the one or more components falling below the predetermined maximum temperature. 43. The method according to claim 33, further comprising: performing a numerical modeling of a temperature distribution and characteristics of airflow in the data center; and manipulating the angled panel in response to the numerical modeling to reduce re-circulation of airflow in the data center. 44. The method according to claim 33, further comprising: implementing a plurality of angled panels of a plurality of racks as resources; and performing one or more of trading and allocating the resources as rack agents to distribute cooling fluid to the plurality of racks. 45. A computer readable storage medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs, said one or more computer programs implementing a method of reducing re-circulation of air in a data center having at least one rack and at least one vent for supplying cooling fluid to the at least one rack, said at least one rack having an angled panel, said one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions for: determining the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack; determining the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one vent; comparing the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack and the at least one vent; and manipulating the angled panel in response to the comparison of the mass flow rates through the at least one rack and the at least one vent to thereby reduce re-circulation of air in the data center. 46. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 45, said one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for: determining a conversion factor to compare the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack and the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one vent, wherein the conversion factor is based upon a substantially optimal mass flow rate difference that reduces or eliminates re-circulation of cooling fluid with heated air, and wherein the step of comparing the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack and the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one vent comprises comparing the mass flow rates of airflow through the at least one rack and the at least one vent based upon the conversion factor. 47. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 46, said one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for: determining whether the converted mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack is greater than the converted mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one vent; and manipulating the angled panel in response to the converted mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack differing from the converted mass flow rate of the airflow through the at least one vent. 48. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 46, said one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for: increasing the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack in response to the converted mass flow rate of the airflow through the at least one vent exceeding the converted mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack. 49. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 46, said one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for: determining the temperatures of one or more components in the at least one rack; determining whether the temperatures of the one or more components are below predetermined maximum temperatures; manipulating the angled panel to increase the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack in response to the temperatures of the one or more components exceeding the predetermined maximum temperatures; and manipulating the angled panel to decrease the mass flow rate of airflow through the at least one rack in response to the temperatures of the one or more components falling below the predetermined maximum temperatures. 50. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 49, said one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for: receiving a second sensed temperature of the one or more components; comparing the second sensed temperature with the sensed temperature to determine whether a first manipulation of the angled panel resulted in an intended outcome; and manipulating the angled panel in an opposite manner to the first manipulation in response to the first manipulation resulting in an unintended outcome. 51. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 46, said one or more computer programs further comprising a set of instructions for: determining the temperatures of one or more components in the at least one rack; determining whether the temperatures of the one or more components in the at least one rack is below a predetermined maximum temperature; manipulating the angled panel to decrease the mass flow rate of airflow through the rack in response to the temperatures of the one or more components exceeding the predetermined maximum temperature; and manipulating the angled panel to increase the mass flow rate of airflow through the rack in response to the temperatures of the one or more components falling below the predetermined maximum temperature.