Rack-mounted air deflector
View Patent ↗One or more air deflection assemblies are used to redirect air emitted by computers in a rack-based computer system. These air deflection assemblies may be used to redirect air emerging horizontally out of the back sides of computers into a vertically-oriented exhaust plenum. This can eliminate the need for exhaust fans to draw heated air through the exhaust plenums and out of the rack.
1. A rack system for housing computers, comprising:
a rack assembly configured to support a first plurality of computers in a first stack; and
at least one air deflection assembly mounted to the rack assembly for redirecting a substantially horizontal airflow emerging from each of the first plurality of computers, wherein the substantially horizontal airflow is redirected by the at least one air deflection assembly to a substantially vertical output airflow that flows within an exhaust plenum laterally adjacent to the first stack;
wherein the exhaust plenum is for receiving the substantially horizontal airflow emerging from each of the first plurality of computers and directing the substantially vertical output airflow out of an exhaust port of the rack system; and
wherein the rack assembly is further configured to support a second plurality of computers in a second stack such that the back sides of the computers in the first stack face the back sides of the computers in the second stack and the exhaust plenum is disposed between the back sides of the computers in the first stack and the back sides of the computers in the second stack.
2. The rack system of claim 1 , wherein the air deflection assembly at least partially overlaps with two or more of the first plurality of computers so as to redirect air from the two or more of the first plurality of computers.
3. A rack system for housing computers, comprising:
a rack assembly configured to support a first plurality of computers in a first stack; and
at least one air deflection assembly mounted to the rack assembly for redirecting a substantially horizontal airflow emerging from each of the first plurality of computers, wherein the substantially horizontal airflow is redirected by the at least one air deflection assembly to a substantially vertical output airflow that flows within an exhaust plenum laterally adjacent to the first stack;
wherein the exhaust plenum is for receiving the substantially horizontal airflow emerging from each of the first plurality of computers and directing the substantially vertical output airflow out of an exhaust port of the rack system;
wherein each air deflection assembly comprises two vertical frame members and a plurality of blades supported between the two vertical frame members; and
wherein the two vertical frame members are coupled to the rack assembly and the plurality of blades are positioned at an angle to a direction of exhaust air emitted from the first plurality of computers.
4. The rack system of claim 3 , wherein the rack assembly is further configured to support a second plurality of computers in a second stack such that the back sides of the computers in the first stack face the back sides of the computers in the second stack and the exhaust plenum is disposed between the back sides of the computers in the first stack and the back sides of the computers in the second stack.
5. A computer system, comprising:
a rack assembly;
a first plurality of computers supported by the rack assembly in a first stack; and
at least one air deflection assembly mounted to the rack assembly adjacent to the first stack of computers, the at least one air deflection assembly for redirecting a substantially horizontal airflow emerging from each of the first plurality of computers, wherein the substantially horizontal airflow is redirected by the at least one air deflection assembly to a substantially vertical output airflow that flows within an exhaust plenum laterally adjacent to the first stack; and
wherein the exhaust plenum is for receiving the substantially horizontal airflow emerging from each of the first plurality of computers and directing the substantially vertical output airflow out of an exhaust port of the computer system; and
wherein the rack assembly is further configured to support a second plurality of computers in a second stack such that the back sides of the computers in the first stack face the back sides of the computers in the second stack and the exhaust plenum is disposed between the back sides of the computers in the first stack and the back sides of the computers in the second stack.
6. The computer system of claim 5 , wherein the air deflection assembly at least partially overlaps with two or more of the first plurality of computers so as to redirect air from the two or more of the first plurality of computers.
7. The computer system of claim 5 , wherein:
each of the first plurality of computers comprises an internal fan for drawing air into a front side of the computer and emitting air out of the back side of the computer; and
each air deflection assembly receives the air emitted out of the back sides of the first plurality of computers and redirects the air in a different direction.
8. A computer system, comprising:
a rack assembly;
a first plurality of computers supported by the rack assembly in a first stack; and
at least one air deflection assembly mounted to the rack assembly adjacent to the first stack of computers, the at least one air deflection assembly for redirecting a substantially horizontal airflow emerging from each of the first plurality of computers, wherein the substantially horizontal airflow is redirected by the at least one air deflection assembly to a substantially vertical output airflow that flows within an exhaust plenum laterally adjacent to the first stack; and
wherein the exhaust plenum is for receiving the substantially horizontal airflow emerging from each of the first plurality of computers and directing the substantially vertical output airflow out of an exhaust port of the computer system;
wherein each air deflection assembly comprises two vertical frame members and a plurality of blades supported between the two vertical frame members; and
wherein the two vertical frame members are coupled to the rack assembly and the plurality of blades are positioned at an angle to a direction of exhaust air emitted from the first plurality of computers.
9. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the rack assembly is further configured to support a second plurality of computers in a second stack such that the back sides of the computers in the first stack face the back sides of the computers in the second stack and the exhaust plenum is disposed between the back sides of the computers in the first stack and the back sides of the computers in the second stack.