Telecommunications shelter with emergency cooling and air distribution assembly

Abstract

A telecommunications outdoor shelter having an interior chamber containing one or more vertical racks of telecommunications and/or electronic components, and an AC powered air conditioner configured to deliver cooled air to said interior chamber, is characterized by a back-up cooling apparatus comprising: an outdoor refrigeration system exterior to the interior chamber configured for supplying refrigerant or chilled heat transfer fluid to an evaporator mounted in the interior chamber and for rejecting heat to ambient outside air; an air cooling unit comprising an air handler and evaporator mounted in the interior chamber and configured to receive refrigerant or heat transfer fluid from the outdoor refrigeration system and provide cool air to the interior chamber; an air distribution assembly cooperating with the comprising air cooling unit and one or more primary air ducts for directing cooled air from the evaporator and a plurality of secondary air ducts communicating with each of the primary air ducts, wherein each of the secondary air ducts is configured for delivering cooled air to one or more selected vertical racks at one or more vertical levels and wherein the handler includes one or more fans for moving warm air from the interior chamber to the evaporator and forcing cooled air through the one or more primary air ducts and the one or more secondary air ducts; an electric power generating unit configured to provide power for operating the outdoor refrigeration system and the indoor air cooling unit; and a sensor configured to initiate operation of the back-up cooling apparatus in response to AC power outage and/or interior chamber air temperature.

1 . A telecommunications outdoor shelter having an interior chamber containing one or more vertical racks of telecommunications and/or electronic components, and an AC powered air conditioner configured to deliver cooled air to said interior chamber, is characterized by a back-up cooling apparatus comprising:
 an outdoor refrigeration system exterior to said interior chamber configured for supplying refrigerant or chilled heat transfer fluid to an evaporator mounted in said interior chamber and for rejecting heat to ambient outside air;   an air cooling unit comprising an air handler and evaporator mounted in said interior chamber and configured to receive refrigerant or heat transfer fluid from said outdoor refrigeration system and provide cool air to said interior chamber;   an air distribution assembly cooperating with said air cooling unit and comprising one or more primary air ducts for directing cooled air from said evaporator and a plurality of secondary air ducts communicating with each of said primary air ducts, wherein each of said secondary air ducts is configured for delivering cooled air to one or more selected vertical racks at one or more vertical levels thereof within said interior chamber, and wherein said handler includes one or more fans for moving warm air from the interior chamber to said evaporator and forcing cooled air through said one or more primary air ducts and said one or more secondary air ducts;   an electric power generating unit configured to provide power for operating said outdoor refrigeration system and said indoor air cooling unit; and   a sensor configured to initiate operation of said back-up cooling apparatus in response to AC power outage and/or interior chamber air temperature.   
   
   
       2 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 1  wherein said one or more primary air ducts are mounted in said interior chamber and extend generally horizontally above said one or more vertical racks, and wherein each of said one or more secondary air ducts comprises one or more distribution outlet ports positioned below a primary air duct at a vertical level above the upper end of an adjacent vertical rack. 
   
   
       3 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 1  wherein said one or more primary air ducts comprises a plurality of detachably connected duct segments. 
   
   
       4 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 2  wherein the length of one or more of said secondary air ducts is adjustable for changing or selecting a vertical level and/or horizontal location of said one or more outlet ports. 
   
   
       5 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 4  wherein said one or more secondary air ducts comprises a plurality of disengagable connected duct segments. 
   
   
       6 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 2  wherein at least one of said secondary air ducts comprises a plurality of outlet ports and is configured to direct cool air simultaneously in two or more different lateral directions from said secondary air duct. 
   
   
       7 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 4  wherein at least one of said secondary air ducts comprises a plurality of outlet ports and is configured to direct cool air simultaneously in two or more different lateral directions from said secondary air duct. 
   
   
       8 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 2  wherein at least one of said secondary air ducts comprises a plurality of outlet ports and is configured to direct cool air simultaneously to two or more different vertical levels. 
   
   
       9 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 5  wherein one or more of said secondary air duct segments includes an outlet port for venting cool air therefrom. 
   
   
       10 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 9  wherein said one or more primary air ducts comprises a plurality of detachably connected duct segments. 
   
   
       11 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 2  comprising two or more said vertical racks having telecommunications and electronic components mounted at different vertical levels thereon, and wherein one of said secondary air ducts is configured to direct air toward two or more of said vertical racks, 
   
   
       12 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 2  comprising two or more of said vertical racks having telecommunications and electronic components mounted thereon at different vertical levels, and wherein one or more of said secondary air ducts comprises a plurality of detachably connected duct segments whereby the length of a said secondary air duct is adjustable for delivering cool air at selected vertical levels and/or selected horizontal locations. 
   
   
       13 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 12  wherein one or more of said secondary air duct segments includes an outlet port for venting cool air therefrom. 
   
   
       14 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 13  wherein said one or more primary air ducts comprises a plurality of detachably connected duct segments. 
   
   
       15 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 11  wherein at least one of said secondary air ducts comprises one or more direction and/or air flow adjustable air vents. 
   
   
       16 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 11  wherein at least one of said secondary air ducts comprises a plurality of outlet ports and is configured to direct cool air simultaneously to two or more different vertical levels. 
   
   
       17 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 12  wherein at least one of said secondary air ducts comprises a plurality of outlet ports and is configured to direct cool air simultaneously to two or more different vertical levels. 
   
   
       18 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 1  wherein said refrigeration system comprises an ammonia-water absorption chiller, and a heat transfer loop for directing chilled heat transfer fluid between said chiller and said indoor air cooling unit. 
   
   
       19 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 1  wherein said refrigeration system comprises an ammonia-water GAX chiller, and a heat transfer loop for directing heat transfer fluid between said GAX chiller and said indoor air cooling unit. 
   
   
       20 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 1  wherein said refrigeration system comprises a complex compound absorption system, and a heat transfer loop for directing heat transfer fluid between said absorption system and said indoor air cooling unit. 
   
   
       21 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 1  wherein said refrigeration system comprises a vapor compression refrigeration unit configured for cooling a heat transfer fluid, a heat transfer loop for directing a heat transfer fluid between said refrigeration unit and an ice storage tank and a cold water loop to said indoor air cooling unit. 
   
   
       22 . A telecommunications shelter of  claim 1  wherein said refrigeration system comprises a refrigerant vapor compression apparatus, and a heat transfer loop for directing refrigerant between said refrigeration system and said indoor air cooling unit, and wherein said electric power generating unit comprises a gas fired generator.