Computer system with external bypass air plenum

A computer system, comprising:

• a chassis, having an inlet end, that at least partially encompasses a chassis interior and at least partially bounds, on an external surface of at least one end that is separate from the inlet end, a gap space external to the chassis interior;
• at least one inlet air plenum configured to direct an inlet air flow received from the inlet end of the chassis through at least an upstream portion of the chassis interior that is proximate to the inlet end to remove heat from an upstream heat-producing component installed in the upstream portion of the chassis interior;
• and
• at least one bypass air vent, included in the at least one end that is separate from the inlet end, that is configured to receive a bypass airflow from a portion of the gap space to mix with the inlet air flow in a location in the chassis interior that is downstream of the upstream heat-producing component, wherein the bypass air flow is isolated from the inlet air flow and isolated from heat transfer communication with heat producing components at least until mixing with the inlet air flow downstream of the upstream heat-producing component.

A method, comprising:

• configuring a computer system to direct a bypass air flow of air that bypasses flowing in heat transfer communication with at least one heat-producing component installed in an interior of the computer system to mix with a separate inlet air flow in a portion of the computer system interior that is downstream of the at least one heat-producing component in the computer system interior, wherein the configuring comprises:
• installing a bypass air vent in an end of the chassis that is downstream of the at least one heat-producing component in the computer system interior, wherein the bypass air vent is in flow communication with an external environment;
• and
• mounting at least one structural element, proximate to an outer surface of the end of the chassis, to establish a gap space external to the computer system, wherein the gap space is at least partially encompassed by the outer surface of the end of the chassis and the at least one structural element, wherein the bypass air vent is configured to direct the bypass air flow from the gap space into the chassis interior to mix with the separate inlet air flow in the portion of the computer system interior that is downstream of the at least one heat-producing component in the computer system interior, wherein the bypass air flow is isolated from the separate inlet air flow and isolated from heat transfer communication with heat producing components at least until mixing with the separate inlet air flow downstream of the at least one heat-producing component.