Rack for cooling computing devices
AssigneeCore Scientific, Inc.
InventorThomas Fuller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for cooling large numbers of computing devices in a data center are disclosed. The devices are positioned on shelves in racks and are connected via network switches. The computing devices are oriented so that their cooling fans all exhaust waste heat to one side of the rack into a hot aisle, and each position is offset from positions on neighboring shelves above and below the current shelf. The racks can be offset, or the positions within the racks can be offset. Each computing device on the rack can also be angled horizontally and or vertically to improve airflow. Multiple racks can be configured together into sloped regular polygons, with the interior forming the hot aisle, and deflectors can be installed to further improve airflow.
Claims23
A method for operating a plurality of computing devices having cooling fans, the method comprising:
- positioning the plurality of computing devices on a plurality of shelves in one or more racks such that each of the computing devices on each of the shelves intakes air from a cold aisle on a first side of the shelf and exhausts hot air to a hot aisle on a second side of the shelf, wherein the computing devices on each shelf are offset horizontally from the computing devices on neighboring shelves;
- and
- sealing the area around each computing device such that the exhausted hot air cannot pass from the hot aisle to the cold aisle.
(canceled)
(canceled)
A system for supporting a plurality of computing devices in a data center, the system comprising:
- a first rack;
- a second rack;
- a first plurality of shelves;
- and
- a first plurality of vertical support members configured to hold the first plurality of shelves at a first set of vertical offsets within the first rack,
- wherein each of the first plurality of shelves has one or more positions for holding one of the plurality of computing devices,
- wherein each position on each shelf is offset horizontally from the positions on neighboring shelves,
- wherein second rack is offset from the first rack to form a hot aisle between the first rack and the second rack,
- wherein the first and second rack each further comprise a barrier with a plurality of openings, and
- wherein the barrier fills an area around each computing device and prevents airflow into the hot aisle except for the openings which permit exhaust from the plurality of computing devices to pass.
(canceled)
A system for supporting a plurality of computing devices in a data center, the system comprising:
- a plurality of racks configured in a regular polygon to form a hot aisle between the racks;
- a plurality of shelves in each of the racks;
- and
- a plurality of vertical support members in each rack configured to hold the shelves at a set of vertical offsets, wherein each of the plurality of shelves has one or more positions for holding one of the plurality of computing devices, wherein each position on each shelf is offset horizontally from the positions above and below.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.