System for hot swapping heat exchangers

1. An enclosure for housing electronic equipment, comprising:

a cabinet for receiving the electronic equipment and a cooling system,

wherein said cooling system comprises:

a coolant circulation system including a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and at least one fluid coupling device in fluid communication therewith;

at least two heat exchange units, each heat exchange unit comprising a liquid-cooled heat exchanger in fluid communication with said coolant circulation system via said at least one fluid coupling device and each heat exchange unit including at least one blind mating sleeve;

at least one fan positioned so as to blow air across said heat exchanger; and

a condensate line, wherein each heat exchange unit includes a condensate pan having a pan drain, and wherein each pan drain is in fluid communication with said condensate line via a bayonet-style connector; and

wherein said cabinet includes at least one guide pin for facilitating blind connection of said heat exchange unit to said fluid coupling device, each guide pin being positioned so as to be received in a blind mating sleeve when said heat exchange units are mounted in said cabinet.

2. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein each heat exchange unit further includes at least one indicator light for indicating connection of said heat exchange unit to said fluid coupling device.

3. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein each heat exchanger includes an inlet line and an outlet line, and wherein said inlet line and said outlet line are each coupled to a fluid coupling device by a bayonet-style connector.

4. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein each heat exchange unit is hot-swappable.

5. The enclosure of claim 1 , further including a connection sensor electrically connected to an indicator light.

6. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein a first indicator light indicates that the heat exchanger unit is partially connected and a second indicator light indicates that the heat exchanger unit is fully connected.

7. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein each heat exchange unit is associated with a corresponding fan.

8. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein each fan is included in a fan unit and wherein each fan unit is hot-swappable.

9. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein said cooling system further includes a condensate collector into which said condensate line drains and a pump in fluid communication with said condensate collector.

10. A computer system, comprising:

at least one processor;

a cabinet for receiving and supporting the processor; and

a cooling system housed in said cabinet, wherein said cooling system comprises:

a coolant circulation system including a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and at least one fluid coupling device in fluid communication therewith;

at least two heat exchange units, each heat exchange unit comprising a liquid-cooled heat exchanger in fluid communication with said coolant circulation system via said at least one fluid coupling device and each heat exchange unit including at least one blind mating sleeve;

at least one fan positioned so as to blow air across said heat exchanger;

a condensate line, wherein each heat exchange unit includes a condensate pan having a pan drain, and wherein each pan drain is in fluid communication with said condensate line via a bayonet-style connector; and

wherein said cabinet includes at least one guide pin for facilitating blind connection of each heat exchange unit to said fluid coupling device, each guide pin being positioned so as to be received in a blind mating sleeve when said heat exchange units are mounted in said cabinet.

11. The computer system of claim 10 wherein each heat exchange unit further includes at least one indicator light for indicating connection of said heat exchange unit to said fluid coupling device.

12. The computer system of claim 10 wherein each heat exchange unit includes an inlet line and an outlet line, and wherein said inlet line and said outlet line are each coupled to a fluid coupling device by a bayonet-style connector.

13. The enclosure of claim 10 wherein each heat exchange unit is hot-swappable.

14. The enclosure of claim 10 wherein each heat exchange unit is associated with a corresponding fan.

15. The enclosure of claim 10 wherein each fan is included in a fan unit and wherein each fan unit is hot-swappable.

16. The enclosure of claim 15 wherein each fan unit includes a duct for directing air.

17. The enclosure of claim 11 , wherein said cooling system further includes a condensate collector into which said condensate line drains and a pump in fluid communication with said condensate collector.

18. A method for operating electronic equipment in a cabinet having a cooling system with at least two heat exchange units, each heat exchange unit comprising a liquid-cooled heat exchanger in fluid communication with a coolant circulation system, comprising:

operating the electronic equipment in the cabinet;

operating the cooling system so as to cool the electronic equipment;

detecting a failure in one of the heat exchangers;

removing the failed heat exchanger from the cooling system while continuing to operate the electronic equipment and the cooling system;

cooling the electronic equipment with a remaining heat exchanger; and

draining condensation via a condensate line to a drain pan that is in is in fluid communication with said condensate line via a quick disconnect.

19. The method of claim 18 , further including the steps of inserting a replacement heat exchanger into the cooling system while continuing to operate the electronic equipment and the cooling system and then operating the cooling system with said replacement heat exchanger and said remaining heat exchanger.