Apparatuses For Controlling Airflow Beneath A Raised Floor

Abstract

In one embodiment, a floor tile includes a body having a top side, a bottom side, and multiple lateral sides, and an integrated flow control element extending down from the bottom side, the flow control element being configured to control the flow of air below the floor tile.

1 . A floor tile comprising:
 a body having a topside, a bottom side, and multiple lateral sides; and   an integrated flow control element extending down from the bottom side, the flow control element being configured to control the flow of air below the floor tile.   
     
     
         2 . The floor tile of  claim 1 , wherein the tile body comprises a plurality of perforations through which air can flow. 
     
     
         3 . The floor tile of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control element comprises a bristle brush including a multiplicity of closely-packed bristles. 
     
     
         4 . The floor tile of  claim 3 , wherein the bristles are composed of a flexible material. 
     
     
         5 . The floor tile of  claim 3 , wherein the bristles comprise filaments of non-static generating polymeric material. 
     
     
         6 . The floor tile of  claim 3 , wherein the bristles are mounted on a pivotable support member that can be pivoted relative to its longitudinal axis to change the orientation of the bristles relative to the tile body. 
     
     
         7 . The floor tile of  claim 6 , wherein the pivotable support member is supported from the tile body by a rotatable shaft about which the pivotable support member can rotate, such that the flow control element can be pivoted or rotated about two separate axes. 
     
     
         8 . The floor tile of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control element has a depth of approximately 24 inches to 36 inches and is adapted to extend down to a sub-floor over which a raised floor in which the floor tile is provided. 
     
     
         9 . The floor tile of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control element has a length that extends from one lateral side of the tile to another lateral side of the tile such that the flow control element is as long as the tile is wide. 
     
     
         10 . The floor tile of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control element comprises an air scoop that directs air up toward the bottom side of the tile body. 
     
     
         11 . The floor tile of  claim 10 , wherein air scoop has a three-dimensional curvature extending from a distal tip to a base that connects to the bottom side of the tile body. 
     
     
         12 . The floor tile of  claim 11 , wherein the distance between the tip and the base is approximately 24 inches to 36 inches. 
     
     
         13 . The floor tile of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control element comprises an air diverter that laterally diverts air. 
     
     
         14 . The floor tile of  claim 13 , wherein air diverter has a bell curve shape extending from a distal tip to a base that connects to the bottom side of the tile body. 
     
     
         15 . The floor tile of  claim 14 , wherein the distance between the tip and the base is approximately 24 inches to 36 inches. 
     
     
         16 . A data center comprising:
 a sub-floor; and   a raised floor constructed above the sub-floor so as to define a plenum between the sub-floor and the raised floor, the raised floor comprising a plurality of floor tiles, at least one floor tile comprising an integrated flow control element that extends down from the at least one floor tile toward the sub-floor, the flow control element being configured to control airflow within the plenum.   
     
     
         17 . The data center of  claim 16 , wherein the flow control element comprises a bristle brush including a multiplicity of closely-packed bristles. 
     
     
         18 . The data center of  claim 17 , wherein the flow control element is pivotable or rotatable about two separate axes. 
     
     
         19 . The data center of  claim 16 , wherein the flow control element comprises an air scoop that directs air up toward a bottom side of the at least one tile. 
     
     
         20 . The data center of  claim 16 , wherein the flow control element comprises an air diverter that laterally diverts air. 
     
     
         21 . The data center of  claim 16 , wherein the raised floor comprises multiple tiles comprising integrated flow control elements, the multiple tiles being aligned in a row with their flow control elements being aligned end-to-end to form a substantially continuous wall within the plenum.