Air curtain containment system and assembly for data centers

1 . An air curtain containment system comprising:

an enclosure defining a plenum, the plenum including:

an air intake section configured to receive heated air discharged from one or more servers disposed in server cabinets; and

at least one air curtain discharge section;

at least one heat exchanger disposed at the air intake section and configured to cool the heated air; and

at least one housing coupled to a side of the enclosure defining the plenum, the at least one housing including:

at least one cooling fan coupled to the enclosure defining the plenum, wherein the at least one cooling fan is configured to draw the heated air through the at least one heat exchanger; and

at least one air curtain fan assembly coupled to the enclosure defining the plenum, wherein the at least one air curtain fan assembly is configured to expel cold air through the at least one air curtain discharge section to form an air curtain above the server cabinets.

2 . The air curtain containment system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure defining the plenum is configured to extend across a width of an aisle separating two rows of the server cabinets.

3 . The air curtain containment system of claim 1 , wherein the air intake section is configured as one of a partially obstructed opening and an unobstructed opening.

4 . The air curtain containment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger is positioned over the air intake section.

5 . The air curtain containment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one housing further includes at least one cool air exhaust section to expel the cold air to ambience.

6 . The air curtain containment system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one cool air exhaust section is implemented as a window covered by a safety wire.

7 . The air curtain containment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one housing is a cylindrical shape or a conical shape.

8 . The air curtain containment system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one air curtain fan assembly includes:

a pipe including at least one opening along a length of the pipe; and

fans disposed on each side of the enclosure defining the plenum, wherein the fans include:

inlets configured to draw in a portion of the cold air flowing from the heat exchanger; and

outlets configured to discharge the cold air into the pipe,

wherein the pipe extends between the fans, and

wherein the at least one opening of the pipe directs the cold air out of the at least one opening, and forms the air curtain above the server cabinets.

9 . The air curtain containment system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one opening is a slit extending along a portion of the pipe, at least one slit, at least one nozzle, or at least one circular aperture.

10 . The air curtain containment system of claim 1 , wherein the air curtain is configured to create a barrier between a hot aisle and a cold aisle.

11 . The air curtain containment system of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger includes rows coupled together in a counter-flow configuration.

12 . The air curtain containment system of claim 1 , wherein at least one server cabinet of the server cabinets has a different height than other server cabinets of the server cabinets.

13 . An air curtain containment assembly comprising:

at least one heat exchanger for cooling heated air in a hot aisle formed by IT racks;

first fans in fluid communication with the at least one heat exchanger and configured to draw the heated air through the at least one heat exchanger;

an enclosure forming a volume between the at least one heat exchanger and the first fans;

at least one air distribution duct disposed adjacent to the enclosure; and

second fans configured to draw cooled air cooled by the at least one heat exchanger from the volume into the at least one air distribution duct, wherein the at least one air distribution duct is configured to form the cooled air into an air curtain extending to at least a portion of the IT racks.

14 . The air curtain containment assembly of claim 13 , wherein the second fans are coupled to the at least one air distribution duct,

wherein each fan of the second fans includes:

an inlet configured to draw in a portion of cold air flowing from the at least one heat exchanger; and

an outlet configured to discharge the cold air into the at least one air distribution duct,

wherein the at least one air distribution duct extends between the second fans, and

wherein the at least one air distribution duct includes at least one opening along a portion of the air distribution duct for directing the cold air out of the at least one opening and forming the air curtain extending to the IT racks.

15 . The air curtain containment assembly of claim 14 , wherein the at least one opening is a slit extending along at least one of a length of the at least one air distribution duct, at least one slit, at least one nozzle, or at least one circular aperture.

16 . The air curtain containment assembly of claim 13 , wherein the air curtain is configured to create a barrier between the hot aisle and a cold aisle.

17 . The air curtain containment assembly of claim 13 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger includes rows coupled together in a counter-flow configuration.

18 . The air curtain containment assembly of claim 13 , wherein the second fans are disposed on the enclosure.

19 . An air curtain containment system comprising:

at least one heat exchanger for cooling heated air generated by IT racks;

at least one first fan configured to draw the heated air through the at least one heat exchanger to cool the heated air, yielding cooled air;

at least one air distribution duct disposed near the IT racks; and

at least one second fan configured to draw air cooled by the at least one heat exchanger into the at least one air distribution duct, wherein the at least one air distribution duct is configured to form the cooled air into an air curtain to separate the heated air generated by the IT racks from cool ambient air.

20 . The air curtain containment system of claim 19 , further comprising an enclosure forming an at least partially enclosed volume between the at least one heat exchanger and the at least one first fan.