Assembly For Providing A Downflow Return Air Supply

An assembly for supplying heated air to a housing with an interior that is adapted to hold air conditioning equipment, the housing comprising a top portion and a back portion, where the top portion defines a first opening that leads to the housing interior, the first opening located proximate the back of the top portion, where the back portion defines a second opening that leads to the housing interior, the second opening located proximate the top of the back portion, and where the first opening is contiguous with the second opening, the assembly comprising:

• a) an intermediate assembly adapted to be coupled to the support assembly, the intermediate assembly defining at least part of the back portion of the housing and at least part of the top portion of the housing, the intermediate assembly further defining:
• i) a first opening extending across substantially all of the width of the top portion of the housing and leading to the housing interior, the first opening located at the back of the top portion, proximate the back portion of the housing;
• and
• ii) a second opening extending across substantially all of the width of the back portion of the housing and leading to the housing interior, the second opening located at the top of the back portion, proximate the top portion of the housing;
• and
• b) a flue external to the housing and adapted to be coupled to the intermediate assembly below the second opening and in front of the first opening such that the flue encompasses and is in fluid communication with the first and second openings, the flue defining an inlet for conducting air into the flue and an outlet for conducting air out of the flue and into the housing through the first and second openings.

An assembly for supplying heated air to a housing with an interior that is adapted to hold air conditioning equipment, the housing comprising a top portion and a back portion, where the top portion defines a first opening that leads to the housing interior, the first opening located proximate the back of the top portion, where the back portion defines a second opening that leads to the housing interior, the second opening located proximate the top of the back portion, and where the first opening is contiguous with the second opening, the assembly comprising:

• a) an intermediate assembly adapted to be coupled to the support assembly, the intermediate assembly defining at least part of the back portion of the housing and at least part of the top portion of the housing, the intermediate assembly further defining:
• i) a first opening extending across substantially all of the width of the top portion of the housing and leading to the housing interior, the first opening located at the back of the top portion, proximate the back portion of the housing;
• and
• ii) a second opening extending across substantially all of the width of the back portion of the housing and leading to the housing interior, the second opening located at the top of the back portion, proximate the top portion of the housing;
• and
• b) a flue external to the housing and adapted to be coupled to the intermediate assembly below the second opening and in front of the first opening, where the flue defines an air passageway encompasses and is in fluid communication with the first and second openings, the air passageway defining an inlet for conducting air into the air passageway and an outlet for conducting air out of the passageway and into the housing through the first and second openings.

A system for use in a data center, the system comprising:

• a plurality of cabinets, each cabinet comprising a generally rectangular vertical front face, two generally rectangular vertical side faces coupled to the front face, a generally rectangular top face coupled to the side faces and to the front face, a generally rectangular back face coupled to the side faces, wherein the plurality of cabinets are arranged in a first row and a second row horizontally displaced from each other such that the front faces of the cabinets in the first row are facing the front faces of the cabinets in the second row to define a cold aisle between the front faces;
• where at least one of the cabinets is an equipment cabinet adapted to house one or more heat-generating components, and at least one of the cabinets is an air-conditioning cabinet adapted to house one or more air-cooling components;
• a first baffle proximate the front face of a first cabinet in the first row and the front face of a first cabinet in the second row, the first baffle being configured to inhibit horizontal airflow into and out of the cold aisle;
• a second baffle proximate the front face of a last cabinet in the first row and the front face of a last cabinet in the second row, the second baffle being configured to inhibit horizontal airflow into and out of the cold aisle;
• a chimney in communication with the equipment cabinet, for conducting air warmed by the heat-generating components from the interior of the equipment cabinet to a location above the cabinets;
• and
• a flue in communication with the air-conditioning cabinet, for conducting warmed air from a location above the cabinets to the interior of the air-conditioning cabinet.