Air Scavenging System for Removing Heated Conditioned Air from a Computer Room

Abstract

An air scavenging system for removing heated air from a computer room, comprises at least one air intake port in communication with a first duct, a plenum chamber having at least one air input to which the first duct is connected, and an air output from the plenum chamber to a return duct for an air conditioner unit which supplies conditioned air to the computer room. The air flow is induced by an electrically driven fan at the output side of the plenum chamber. At least one air intake port is horizontally oriented, and is positioned at any position in the computer room. There are at least as many inputs to the plenum as there are ducts connected to it. At least one air intake port may be vertically oriented and is mounted to a rack which is hotter than the other racks.

1 . An air scavenging system for removing conditioned air from a computer room, wherein the air has been heated by flowing over or past power distribution units and rack mounted computer devices installed in the computer room, said air scavenging system comprising at least one air intake port in communication with a first duct, a plenum chamber having at least one air input to which said first duct is connected, and an air output from said plenum chamber in communication to a return duct for an air conditioner unit which supplies said conditioned air to said computer room;
 wherein said at least one air intake port may be positioned at any position in said computer room, and the respective duct has a length sufficient to reach said plenum chamber; and   wherein there is at least one electrically driven fan or blower located the output side of the plenum and adapted to create a negative air pressure at said at least one air input relative to the air pressure at said output side of said plenum chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The air scavenging system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one air intake port and the respective duct may be moved from a first position to another position as may be necessary to scavenge air having a higher temperature than the air at the former position of said at least one air intake. 
   
   
       3 . The air scavenging system of  claim 1 , wherein each power distribution unit installed in said computer room is rack mounted. 
   
   
       4 . The air scavenging system of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of air intake ports, each in communication with a respective duct, each of which is connected to a respective input of said plenum chamber. 
   
   
       5 . The air scavenging system of  claim 1 , wherein a reducer chamber is located between said at least one fan in said plenum chamber and said return duct, whereby the rate of air flow into said return duct is higher than the rate of air flow through said plenum chamber. 
   
   
       6 . The air scavenging system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one air intake port comprises an ingress structure mounted at the end of said first duct. 
   
   
       7 . The air scavenging system of  claim 4 , wherein said plurality of air intake ports each comprises an ingress structure mounted at the end of each respective duct. 
   
   
       8 . The air scavenging system of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of said plurality of ingress structures is vertically oriented, and is mounted at the side of a computer rack in said computer room from which heated air exits from the rack. 
   
   
       9 . The air scavenging system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one air intake port is horizontally oriented, at least a first portion of said first duct is vertically oriented, and a second portion of said first duct and said plenum chamber are horizontally oriented.