Energy saving system and method for cooling computer data center and telecom equipment

Abstract

A system and method of reducing consumption of electricity used to cool electronic computer data center, networking, and telecommunications equipment, and to reduce the incidence of thermal failure of electronic components, includes provision of one or more partitions to reduce the volume of the cooled environment supplying coldest possible cooled air from air conditioning systems to a chamber adjacent to racks containing the electronic components, preventing dilution of the supplied cooling airflow by warmer air from outside of the reduced volume environment, and controlling the delivery of cooling air flow through the reduced volume of the cooled environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooling system for cooling at least one electronic component with cooling air, the cooling system comprising:
 a substantially airtight enclosure formed within a structure, for delivering the cooling air to at least one electronic component without dilution by warm air in a surrounding environment, the substantially airtight enclosure at least partially enclosing the at least one electronic component;   means for exposing the cooling air with respect to the substantially airtight enclosure at least partially enclosing the at least one electronic component, the means for exposing the cooling air with respect to the substantially airtight enclosure comprising a pressure differential influence; and   means for controlling the flow of the cooling air with respect to the at least one electronic component, the means for controlling the flow of cooling air with respect to the at least one electronic component comprising at least one chamber defined by the substantially airtight enclosure, the enclosure being formed by at least one partition.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling air source for the cooling air exposed with respect to the at least one electronic component. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the means for exposing the cooling air with respect to the at least one electronic component comprises a plenum. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the means for exposing the cooling air with respect to the at least one electronic component comprises a plenum receiving cooling air from a cooling air source. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the means for exposing the cooling air with respect to the at least one electronic component comprises a chamber defined by the substantially airtight enclosure at least partially enclosing the at least one electronic component, the chamber receiving air from a cooling air source. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling system of  claim 5 , wherein the means for exposing the cooling air with respect to the at least one electronic component comprises the chamber defined by the substantially airtight enclosure receiving cooling air from the plenum receiving cooling air from a cooling air source. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the means for controlling the flow of cooling air comprises a plenum receiving cooling air from a cooling air source, wherein the plenum exposes air to the substantially airtight enclosure at least partially enclosing the at least one electronic component. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling system of  claim 7 , wherein the plenum receiving air from the cooling air source comprises a segregated portion of an overall space. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling system of  claim 7 , wherein the plenum comprises a warm air plenum having flow communication with cooling air provided to the at least one electronic component from a cooling air source. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling system of  claim 7 , wherein the plenum terminates at a lower portion of the substantially airtight enclosure. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling system of  claim 7 , wherein the plenum, terminates at a top portion of the substantially airtight enclosure. 
     
     
         12 . The cooling system of  claim 7 , wherein the plenum terminates at a side of the substantially airtight enclosure. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling system of  claim 7 , wherein the plenum has flow communication with air outside of the structure. 
     
     
         14 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the means for controlling the flow of the cooling air with respect to the electronic component comprises at least one fan. 
     
     
         15 . The cooling system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one fan is a fan other than a fan mounted on or within a computer rack or electronic component. 
     
     
         16 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the means for controlling the flow of the cooling air with respect to the electronic component comprises a blower of an air conditioning unit. 
     
     
         17 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the means for controlling the flow of the cooling air with respect to the electronic component comprises a fan discharging air from the at least one chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the enclosure is variably movable. 
     
     
         19 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one access point for personnel and equipment to enter into and exit from the substantially airtight enclosure. 
     
     
         20 . The cooling system of  claim 19 , wherein the access point enables maintaining the enclosure substantially airtight while at least one human occupies the enclosure. 
     
     
         21 . A cooling system for cooling electronic equipment with cooling air, the cooling system comprising:
 a substantially airtight enclosure for exposing the cooling air to the electronic component, the substantially airtight enclosure at least partially enclosing the electronic equipment and being defined by at least one partition;   means for exposing the cooling air with respect to the substantially airtight enclosure, the means for exposing cooling air with respect to the substantially airtight enclosure comprising a cooling air delivery plenum; and   means for controlling the flow of the cooling air with respect to the electronic component, the means for controlling the flow of the cooling air with respect to the electronic component comprising at least one chamber defined by the substantially airtight enclosure.   
     
     
         22 . The cooling system of  claim 21 , further comprising a cooling air source, the cooling air exposed with respect to the substantially airtight enclosure. 
     
     
         23 . The cooling system of  claim 21 , wherein the means for controlling the flow of the cooling air with respect to the electronic component comprises at least one fan. 
     
     
         24 . The cooling system of  claim 21 , wherein the fan is the blower of an air conditioning unit. 
     
     
         25 . The cooling system of  claim 21 , wherein the fan discharges air from the at least one chamber. 
     
     
         26 . A method of reducing the consumption of energy used to cool electronic equipment said method comprising:
 providing an enclosure within a structure at least partially enclosing the electronic equipment, the enclosure defining a reduced volume cooled environment relative to the contained volume of the structure;   exposing cooling air with respect to the reduced volume cooled environment, the reduced volume cooled environment being defined by at least one partition;   generating a pressure differential from a first side of the electronic equipment to a second side of the electronic equipment via at least one fan to create a flow of the cooling air across a surface of the electronic equipment; and   controlling the delivery of cooling air from the reduced volume cooled environment to the electronic equipment.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising substantially inhibiting mixing of cooling air flowing to the electronic equipment from the cooling air source with other air within the structure before cooling the electronic equipment.