Articulating bifurcated integrated transition duct assembly
A transition duct assembly includes a shared connector, and a plurality of primary cooling pathways for cooling one or more systems or components. Each primary cooling pathway includes a transition duct in fluid communication with the shared connector, and a transition connector in fluid communication with the transition duct.
1. A method of directing fluid flow in a cooling system, comprising:
providing a shared connector comprising an articulatable partition that forms a plurality of channels within the shared connector, wherein the shared connector is operably couplable to a cooling apparatus;
providing a plurality of primary cooling pathways for cooling one or more systems or components, wherein each of the primary cooling pathways is in fluid communication with a respective channel within the shared connector by:
disposing a respective transition duct in fluid communication with a single respective channel within the shared connector; and
disposing a respective transition connector in fluid communication with the respective transition duct, wherein articulation of the articulatable partition from a first to a second position allows for air flow over most or all of the cooling apparatus.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the articulatable partition is articulated or actuated.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
each respective transition duct comprises at least a portion that is a rigid material, a flexible material, an articulated portion, a flexible portion, or a combination thereof;
the shared connector comprises at least a portion that is a rigid material, a flexible material, an articulated portion, a flexible portion, or a combination thereof; or
each respective transition connector comprises at least a portion that is a rigid material, a flexible material, an articulated portion, a flexible portion, or a combination thereof.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disposing one or more secondary cooling pathways by disposing for each of the secondary cooling pathways a conduit in fluid communication with the transition duct of one of the primary cooling pathways.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein each conduit comprises at least a portion that is a rigid material, a flexible material, an articulated portion, a flexible portion, or a combination thereof.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the conduit is operably coupled with a distributed cooling device.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shared connector is operably coupled with a shared cooling device.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each respective transition connector is positioned in fluid communication with a fan.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming a plurality of channels comprises forming two channels, and wherein the disposing a plurality of primary cooling pathways comprises disposing two primary cooling pathways.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising disposing two secondary cooling pathways.