Balanced flow cooling
AssigneeSun Microsystems, Inc.
InventorsAnthony R. Gravell, Richard J. Barlow
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is described a modular electronic circuit wherein a series of electronics modules are penetrated by a passageway having an air-permeable wall, and cooling air is supplied to the passageway at a pressure above that obtaining in the modules, so that each module receives a supply of air passing out through the wall of the passageway. The passageway is constituted by a plurality of aligned tubular sleeves mounted in respective modules. There is also described a ventilation module including blowers to pressurize the passageway. A second passageway may be provided, at a reduced pressure, to extract air from the modules.
Claims27
A modular electronic circuit comprising:
- a number of circuit modules each having a housing containing circuit elements;
- a ventilation passage extending through the housings of the modules and having a permeable wall portion through which air may pass to provide communication between the interior of the passageway and the interior of at least one module housing;
- and
- a ventilator operable to cause air to flow through said permeable wall portion.
A modular electronic circuit comprising a supporting structure, a cooling module, and one or more electronics modules, wherein the cooling module comprises:
- a pair of parallel side faces having mounting elements thereon for engaging the supporting structure;
- front and rear faces and upper and lower faces extending between the side faces, the front or rear face having an air inlet opening, and the upper or lower face having an air outlet opening;
- and
- a ventilator to move air into the cooling module through the inlet opening and out of the cooling module through the outlet opening;
- and the or each electronics module comprises a housing having:
- a pair of parallel side faces having mounting elements thereon for engaging the supporting structure;
- front and rear faces and upper and lower faces extending between the side faces;
- and
- a pair of aligned air inlet openings formed in the respective upper and lower faces of the electronics module;
- and
- a permeable tubular membrane extending from the lower face to the upper face of the module and surrounding the respective air inlet openings;
- the cooling and electronics modules being mounted to the supporting structure such that the air inlet openings of the electronics modules are aligned with the air outlet opening of the cooling module for the supply of air from the cooling module to the interior of the tubular membrane;
- and
- a closure element to close the distal air inlet opening of the electronics module furthest from the cooling module.
A module for housing an electronic circuit, the module comprising a pair of side panels, front and rear panels extending between the side panels, and upper and lower panels extending between the side panels to from an enclosure, the upper and lower panels being formed with aligned air inlet openings;
- and
- a tubular permeable membrane extending from the upper panel to the lower panel and enclosing their respective air inlet openings.
A ventilation module for a modular electronic circuit comprising a number of electronics modules arranged in a linear array, the ventilation module comprising:
- an impermeable housing having front and rear faces and upper and lower faces extending between a pair of side surfaces;
- mounting elements on the side surfaces for supporting the ventilation module;
- an air supply opening on the upper or lower face of the housing;
- an air inlet opening on the front or rear face of the housing;
- and
- ventilator means operable to move air into the housing through the inlet opening and out of the housing through the air supply opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.