Heat Exchanger and Method For Cooling Network Cabinets

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger for water-cooled network cabinets and to a method for cooling network cabinets, particularly server cabinets. The heat exchanger is constructed as an air-water heat exchanger in redundant form and ensures a leaktight arrangement and cooling in a network cabinet. The heat exchanger has two heat exchanger elements with separate cooling water connections which, accompanied by the formation of a space, are provided for the supply of exhaust air from the cabinet interior. A partition is adjustably placed in the space and in the case of a fault, e.g. if one heat exchanger element or a cooling circuit fails, the corresponding heat exchanger element is aerodynamically blocked with the aid of the partition. The entire exhaust air is cooled in the intact heat exchanger element and supplied to the cabinet interior, so that no interruption of operation is necessary.

1 . Heat A heat exchanger for water-cooled network cabinets
 having a housing, which has an air intake side for an exhaust air flow and an air exit side for the cooling air from the heat exchanger and in which there are two heat exchanger elements arranged at an angle to one another and accompanied by the formation of a space open on the air intake side,   
     characterized in that comprising
 for a redundant construction of the heat exchanger the heat exchanger elements have separate cooling water connections, 
 that a partition is located in the space between the two heat exchanger elements and 
 that the partition can be adjusted from a position for supplying the exhaust air flow to the two heat exchanger elements into a blockade position for the aerodynamic blocking of one of the two heat exchanger elements and for supplying the exhaust air flow to the in each case other heat exchanger element. 
 
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , 
     wherein
 the position of the partition for supplying the exhaust air flow to the two heat exchanger elements is a central position and that the partition in the blockade position in each case covers one of the two heat exchanger elements. 
 
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the heat exchanger elements are parallelepipedic and positioned in such a way that the air intake-side space is in horizontal section V-shaped and an air exit area is virtually W-shaped.   
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the partition is positioned vertically and is dimensioned corresponding to the vertical longitudinal side of each heat exchanger element bounding the space to be covered.   
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the partition is adjustable about a pivoting axis and that the pivoting axis is positioned vertically in an area of the space facing the air exit side.   
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the partition is adjustable about a pivoting axis, which is positioned in the vicinity of the mutually adjacent, vertical inner edges of the two heat exchanger elements.   
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the heat exchanger elements are constructed as tubular/finned blocks and are in each case detachably connected to the forward and return run of independent lines of a cold water main or a recooler.   
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each heat exchanger element is located on a separate support element and is constructed so as to be extractable together with the given support element from the housing of heat exchanger for repair or replacement purposes.   
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the lower part of the heat exchanger housing is constructed as a condensate/leakage water collecting tank.   
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the partition. can be fixed and/or locked in the central position for normal operation and/or in the two blockade positions provided in the case of a fault.   
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the adjustment of the partition takes place manually or using a drive and e.g. a gas pressure spring or an electric motor is provided.   
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in the vicinity of the two heat exchanger elements and their cooling lines are provided sensors for fault detection and for emitting fault and warning signals, particularly flow and leak sensors.   
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least in the air exit area, is provided a fixed partition constructed as an extension of the adjustable partition.   
   
   
       14 . The heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims,  claim 1 , wherein
 in the air exit area and/or in a cabinet area on the air exit side of the heat exchanger are provided adjustable air guiding elements for the distribution over the cabinet width of the cooling air flow unilaterally exiting in a partition blockade position.   
   
   
       15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 on the air exit side is provided an air guiding device, which can be detachably fixed to the heat exchanger housing or to the inside of the cabinet door.   
   
   
       16 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 it is positioned at the bottom in a cabinet, particularly a server cabinet, and the cabinet door, which extends to above the heat exchanger, is to be opened for extracting a heat exchanger element for repair or replacement purposes.   
   
   
       17 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at the bottom it is placed in a cabinet, particularly a server cabinet and a front door of the cabinet extends up to the upper edge of heat exchanger,   that on the air exit side the heat exchanger has separate coverings, which are in each case associated with a heat exchanger element and are vertically positioned and that arresting elements are provided and are in each case associated with a heat exchanger element and in each case can be brought into the arresting position after extracting a heat exchanger element in order to prevent an interchange of the cooled supply air with ambient air.   
   
   
       18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the heat exchanger elements are connected via quick couplers to the lines of a cold water main or a recooler.   
   
   
       19 . A method for cooling network cabinets, particularly server cabinets, with the aid of an air-water heat exchanger, comprising the steps of:
 in the air-water heat exchanger providing two heat exchanger elements and connecting to separate cooling water connections and that in normal operation supplying both heat exchanger elements with exhaust air and in the case of a fault one heat exchanger element is aerodynamically blocked and the other heat exchanger element is supplied with all the exhaust air.   
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the cooling air which in normal operation passes out of both heat exchanger elements and in the case of a fault from only a single element is supplied to the inner area of the network cabinet via a frontal supply air duct. 
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein
 in the case of a failure of a heat exchanger element or a cooling circuit, the given heat exchanger element is aerodynamically blocked and the network cabinet with the intact heat exchanger element and/or with the supply air sidedoor opened, is cooled by the ambient air.   
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein
 there is a flow through the heat exchanger elements from the rear in the direction of the front of the cabinet and if a fault occurs one heat exchanger element is blocked with the aid of an air intake-side partition.   
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the cooling air passing out of the heat exchanger elements is guided separately and distributed with the aid of air guiding elements into a cabinet supply air duct.   
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the heat exchanger elements are placed on separate support elements and can be extracted from the heat exchanger housing and/or the cabinet, without interrupting operation, for repair or disassembly purposes.   
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the cooling air flow passing out of a heat exchanger element in the case of a fault is directed and spread out with the aid of air guiding elements over the entire cabinet width and that the cooling air flow mixed with ambient air or with the aid of coverings on the front and top of the air exit area of each heat exchanger element the exiting cooling air is supplied in unmixed form to the cabinet interior.