Equipment cooling

Abstract

Convection cooling channels are provided by means of an at least partially enclosed open cell metal foam structure for removing heat from equipment. In particular, an electronic equipment box is provided having walls comprising sections of open cell aluminium foam, clad with aluminium, through which air or other types of coolant may pass to remove heat from heat-generating components mounted thereon. Other types of equipment, such as electric motors, may be surrounded by customised sections of open cell metal foam, appropriately clad, through which a coolant may be channeled. The foam cell size may be adjusted according to desired coolant flow rate and weight considerations. Convection cooling structures may be combined with latent heat storage bodies comprising similar open cell metal foam structures containing wax, operating in tandem with the present convection cooling structures in a heat management solution.

1 . An equipment cooling apparatus, comprising a structure formed at least in part by an open cell foam made using a thermally conducting material, wherein said structure is arranged to enable a coolant to pass through the foam for removing heat conducted into the foam from equipment to be cooled. 
     
     
         2 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said structure comprises a panel of said open cell foam arranged to provide a duct for the passage of said coolant. 
     
     
         3 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said structure comprises a panel of said open cell foam arranged to provide a duct for the passage of said coolant, and wherein said apparatus is a cooled equipment box and said panel is a structural component of the box. 
     
     
         4 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said panel forms at least a part of a wall of the box. 
     
     
         5 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said box further comprises a panel of said open cell foam that is detached from the walls of the box and provides equipment cooling within the box. 
     
     
         6 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the equipment box further comprises a chimney, detached from the walls of the box, formed using said open cell foam to provide a supplementary passage for said coolant and for removing heat from equipment thermally linked thereto. 
     
     
         7 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said panel is provided with propelling means for propelling said coolant through the panel. 
     
     
         8 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said structure is shaped to correspond with the shape of a piece of equipment to be cooled. 
     
     
         9 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said structure is shaped to correspond with the shape of a piece of equipment to be cooled, and wherein said structure is shaped to at least partially enclose the piece of equipment to be cooled. 
     
     
         10 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said structure further comprises an enclosed section formed using said open cell foam and containing a latent heat thermal storage material to provide a heat storage body, thermally linked to that portion of the structure arranged to pass said coolant. 
     
     
         11 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said coolant comprises a gas or a mixture of gases. 
     
     
         12 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said coolant comprises a liquid. 
     
     
         13 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . An equipment cooling apparatus, comprising a structure formed at least in part by an open cell foam made using a thermally conducting material, wherein said structure is arranged to enable a coolant to pass through the foam for removing heat conducted into the foam from equipment to be cooled, wherein said structure further comprises an enclosed section formed using said open cell foam and containing a latent heat thermal storage material to provide a heat storage body, thermally linked to that portion of the structure arranged to pass said coolant. 
     
     
         19 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said structure comprises a panel of said open cell foam arranged to provide a duct for the passage of said coolant, and wherein said apparatus is a cooled equipment box and said panel is a structural component of the box. 
     
     
         20 . The equipment cooling apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the equipment box further comprises a chimney, detached from the walls of the box, formed using said open cell foam to provide a supplementary passage for said coolant and for removing heat from equipment thermally linked thereto.