Ventilation and air flow control with heat insulated compartment

An apparatus positioned on a floor for storing electronic equipment with associated air flow direction control and heat separation systems, comprising:

• a cabinet comprising a cabinet front side, a cabinet rear side, a cabinet roof side, a cabinet floor side, a cabinet first side and a cabinet second side;
• the cabinet front side, cabinet rear side, cabinet roof side, cabinet floor side, cabinet first side and cabinet second side defining a cabinet interior space;
• a thermal barrier comprising a thermal barrier top side and a thermal barrier bottom side, the thermal barrier positioned within the cabinet interior space between, and substantially parallel to, the cabinet roof side and the cabinet floor side;
• the thermal barrier separating the cabinet interior space into a first compartment and a second compartment;
• the cabinet front side comprising a first compartment front side and a second compartment front side;
• the cabinet rear side comprising a first compartment rear side and a second compartment rear side;
• the first compartment front side, first compartment rear side, thermal barrier bottom side, cabinet floor side, cabinet first side, and cabinet second side defining a first compartment interior space configured to house heat generating electrical equipment;
• the second compartment front side, second compartment rear side, thermal barrier top side, cabinet first side, and cabinet second side defining a second compartment interior space configured to house heat sensitive gear;
• the first compartment front side having one or more openings to accept flow of intake air into the first compartment interior space and the first compartment rear side having one or more openings for exit of exhaust air from the first compartment interior space;
• the second compartment front side having one or more openings to accept flow of the intake air into the second compartment interior space and the second compartment rear side having a thermal seal to prevent the exhaust air from the first compartment interior space from entering the second compartment interior space;
• wherein the thermal barrier is configured to prevent the exhaust air from entering the second compartment interior space;
• one or more fans configured to be placed on the thermal barrier to conduct flow of the exhaust air from the first compartment interior space out of the first compartment rear side;
• one or more first compartment temperature sensors in the first compartment interior space and one or more second compartment temperature sensors in the second compartment interior space;
• and
• a fan control system configured to read temperature signals received from the one or more first compartment temperature sensors and second compartment temperature sensors, calculate an optimal fan speed, and control a fan speed of the one or more fans to increase or decrease a rate of the flow of the exhaust air from the first compartment interior space out of the first compartment rear side.

An apparatus positioned on a floor for storing electronic equipment with associated air flow direction control and heat separation systems, comprising:

• a cabinet defining a cabinet interior space;
• a thermal barrier positioned within the cabinet interior space separating the cabinet interior space into a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein the second compartment is positioned above the first compartment relative to the floor, and wherein the second compartment has a top side opposite the first compartment;
• the first compartment configured to house heat generating electrical equipment;
• the second compartment configured to house heat sensitive gear;
• a front side of the first compartment having one or more openings to accept flow of intake air into the first compartment and a rear side of the first compartment having one or more openings for exit of exhaust air from the first compartment;
• and
• the top side of the second compartment having one or more openings to accept flow of the intake air into the second compartment and a rear side of the second compartment having a thermal seal to prevent the exhaust air from the first compartment from entering the second compartment.

A method of controlling air flow direction and heat separation for electronic equipment, comprising:

• positioning a cabinet defining a cabinet interior space on a floor, the cabinet comprising a thermal barrier positioned within the cabinet interior space that separates the cabinet interior space into a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein the second compartment is positioned above the first compartment relative to the floor, and wherein the second compartment has a top side opposite the first compartment;
• a front side of the first compartment having one or more openings to accept flow of intake air into the first compartment and a rear side of the first compartment having one or more openings for exit of exhaust air from the first compartment;
• the top side of the second compartment having one or more openings to accept flow of the intake air into the second compartment and a rear side of the second compartment having a thermal seal to prevent the exhaust air from the first compartment from entering the second compartment;
• placing heat generating electrical equipment within the first compartment;
• placing heat sensitive gear within the second compartment;
• and
• conducting flow of the intake air into the first compartment, the intake air then being heated by the heat generating electrical equipment, the heated intake air then being conducted away from the heat generating electrical equipment as the exhaust air.