Computer cabinets having progressive air velocity cooling systems and associated methods of manufacture and use
AssigneeCray Inc.
InventorWade J. Doll
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Computer cabinets, such as supercomputer cabinets, having progressive air velocity cooling systems are described herein. In one embodiment, a computer cabinet includes an air mover positioned beneath a plurality of computer module compartments. The computer module compartments can be arranged in tiers with the computer modules in each successive tier being positioned closer together than the computer modules in the tier directly below. The computer cabinet can also include one or more shrouds, flow restrictors, and/or sidewalls that further control the direction and/or speed of the cooling air flow through the cabinet.
Claims20
A computer system comprising:
- a computer cabinet;
- a first computer module compartment positioned in the computer cabinet;
- a second computer module compartment positioned in the computer cabinet and spaced apart from the first computer module compartment;
- a first plurality of computer modules carried in the first computer module compartment, wherein the first plurality of computer modules includes at least a first computer module spaced apart from a second computer module by a first distance to define a first open passageway therebetween;
- a second plurality of computer modules carried in the second computer module compartment, wherein the second plurality of computer modules includes at least a third computer module spaced apart from a fourth computer module by a second distance that is less than the first distance to define a second open passageway therebetween;
- and
- an air mover configured to move a flow of cooling air through the first open passageway in the first computer module compartment and the second open passageway in the second computer module compartment.
A computer system comprising:
- a computer cabinet;
- an air mover configured to move a flow of cooling air through the computer cabinet in a first direction;
- a first plurality of computer modules in edgewise orientation relative to the first direction;
- a second plurality of computer modules in edgewise orientation relative to the first direction and positioned downstream from the first plurality of computer modules;
- and
- means for increasing the velocity of the cooling air as it moves through the second plurality of computer modules.
A method of cooling computer modules in a computer cabinet, the method comprising:
- positioning a plurality of first computer modules in a first portion of the computer cabinet to define a plurality of first spaces between the individual first computer modules;
- positioning a plurality of second computer modules in a second portion of the computer cabinet to define a plurality of second spaces between the individual second computer modules, wherein the individual second spaces are narrower than the individual first spaces;
- positioning a plurality of third computer modules in a third portion of the computer cabinet to define a plurality of third spaces between the individual third computer modules, wherein the individual third spaces are narrower than the second spaces;
- driving a first portion of cooling air through the first spaces between the first plurality of computer modules;
- driving a second portion of cooling air through the second spaces between the second plurality of computer modules;
- and
- driving a third portion of cooling air through the third spaces between the third plurality of computer modules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.