Cross-Reference to Related Applications

This patent application is related to Italian Patent Application No . 102021000023759 filed on September 15 , 2021 , the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference .

Technical Field

The present invention concerns a fan wall module , in particular a fan wall module of a conditioning fan wall unit arrangement .

The present invention finds its preferred, although not exclusive , application in IT device conditioning, such as data hall conditioning . Reference will be made to this application by way of example below .

Background of the Invention

IT devices needs to be maintained within a pre-set temperature range to allow an optimi zed operation . Indeed, for sake of example , it is known that the elaboration of data by an IT device produces heat that should be dissipated, taking into account the environmental temperature , in order to allow the correct operation of the IT device .

An example of such IT devices are data halls that are provided with so-called fan wall units that are voted to their conditioning .

Fan wall units are constructed in a modular way so that a single fan wall module is overlapped side-by-side , i . e . on the left and/or the right and upper and/or lower by another fan wall module in order to cover the entire data hall surface with fan modules .

Figure 1 discloses a prior art known arrangement of a row of fan modules of a fan wall unit arrangement.

As can be appreciated, the fan wall modules 1' are arranged linearly in front of IT device 2' such as a data hall. The modules 1' comprises essentially a fan 3' that is rigidly carried by a frame 4' defining a space 5' that houses the fan 3' . The frame 4' comprises a plate 6' on which the fan 3' is mounted that divides the space 5' into a negative pressure portion 5a' and a positive pressure portion 5b' .

The positive pressure portion 5b' houses heat exchanger assembly provided conduits for allowing passage of conditioning fluid while the negative pressure portion 5a' houses filters 7' for the fan 3' .

Clearly, since the positive pressure portion 5b' is faced to the IT device 2' , that is fixed to ground, a user may provide maintenance of the elements in positive pressure portion 5b' only by disassembling the fan 3' from the plate 6' and, if necessary also plate 6' from framework 4' .

Accordingly, it is clear that the maintenance or the inspection of the elements contained in positive pressure portion 5b' is a long, costly operation that cannot be executed often, thereby increasing the risk of malfunctioning of the system.

Moreover, as said, each module 1' is connected side-by- side to the other. Accordingly, during the relative mounting of each module 1' it is necessary to pay attention to correctly match the relative positions between the modules in order to allow the connection of the conduits that allow the circulation of conditioning fluid.

If such positioning is not correct, e.g. due to standard tolerances, in case of the presence of multiple rows of modules 1' , it may be necessary to provide joint conduits with a designed specific shape to compensate the different position of the conduits of each module .

Again, such need of providing peculiar j oints increases costs and installation time of the fan wall arrangement .

In view of the above drawbacks , the need is felt to provide a fan wall module for a fan wall unit arrangement that has an easy installation and that allows an easy maintenance of all its elements .

An aim of the present invention is to satis fy the above mentioned needs in a cost ef fective , compact and optimi zed manner .

Summary of the Invention

The aforementioned aim is reached by a fan wall module and a fan wall unit arrangement as claimed in the appended set of claims .

Brief Description of Drawings

For a better understanding of the present invention, a preferred embodiment is described in the following, by way of a non-limiting example , with reference to the attached drawings wherein :

• Figure 1 is a schematic top sectioned view of a fan wall unit arrangement as known in the art ;

• Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a first arrangement of fan wall modules according to the present invention;

• Figure 3 is a perspective view, with parts removed for sake of clarity, of a portion of the fan wall modules according to the present invention in an operational condition;

• Figure 4 is a front view of the portion of figure 3 ;

• Figure 5 is a top sectioned view of the portion of figure 3 ;

• Figure 6 is a perspective view of a second arrangement of fan wall modules according to the present invention; and

• Figure 7 is a perspective view of an element of the fan wall units arrangement of figure 6 .

Detailed Description of the Invention

Figure 1 discloses a fan wall unit arrangement 1 comprising a plurality of fan modules 4 , as shown, arranged laterally one with respect to the other along a longitudinal axis A one with respect to the other .

The arrangement 1 comprises a frame 2 provided with a plurality of rods and walls to del imit a space 3 into which the plurality of fan modules 4 are arranged .

In greater detail , each fan module 4 is faced to an IT device (not shown ) such as a data hall , on a first side and, on a second side opposite to the first side each module 4 is faced to a frame wall defined by frame 2 .

In the disclosed example , the frame wall of each fan module 4 is provided with a door 5 configured to be hinged with to frame 2 in order to assume a first , closed, configuration wherein the space 3 is separated from the environment and a second, opened, configuration wherein the space 3 is communicating with the environment .

As exemplarily disclosed, preferably, the doors 5 of two adj acent fan modules 4 are placed in order to open on opposite sides thereby, when opened together, they allow a greater communicating area between the space 3 and the environment .

More preferably and as per se known, such door 5 or the walls of each fan module 4 on the second side and the first side of frame 2 are provided with openings conf igured to allow the passage of air ; in particular in the disclosed embodiment such openings houses corrugated filters suitable for air filtration .

Other details about frame 2 , the rods/walls comprised by the latter and their fixation are not further disclosed for sake of brevity being clear that the disclosed shape and mounting may be varied according to the dimension and needs of the IT device to be conditioned .

In detail , each fan module 4 comprises a portion of frame 2 that can be connected to another portion of frame 2 of another fan module 4 . Such portion of frame 2 is configured to carry a fan assembly 6 that may be of any typology and that is configured to push out air through the IT device , i . e . from the first side of the module and suck such air on the opposite side , i . e . on the second side , through the door 5 / wall of frame 2 .

As can be appreciated by figures 2 , 3 and 4 , the fan assembly 6 is carried by a wall 7 that subdivide the space 3 into a positive pressure portion 3a and a negative pressure portion 3b, according to a standard operation of the fan assembly 6 , i . e . pushing out air through the IT device . As exemplarily shown, the wall 7 defines an opening that is entirely occupied by fan assembly 6 configured to suck air from the negative pressure portion 3b and push out air into positive pressure portion 3a . In detail , the wall 7 is carried by the aforementioned portion of frame 2 and it is substantially flat and extends parallel to longitudinal axis A.

Even i f not disclosed into detail , the positive pressure portion 3a houses heat exchangers and any other element need to the conditioning circuit to condition the I T device via fan assembly airflow, while the negative pressure portion 3b houses filters for allowing e f ficient operation of fan ass e mb 1 y 6 . Advantageously, the wall 7 is carried in a movable manner with respect to the portion of the frame 2 so that it can be displaced to allow to reach the positive pressure portion 3a from the negative pressure portion 3b .

In particular, at least one among the fan modules 4 comprised by the fan wall unit arrangement 1 may comprise a movable wall 7 . Indeed, such one or some among the fan module 3 may provide access to the positive pressure portion 3a and the other may provide support to conduits , as described hereunder, for allowing the circulation of conditioning fluid .

Preferably, the wall 7 is movable in a sliding manner with respect to frame 2 in order to assume a plurality of positions between a first , closed, configuration, wherein the positive pressure portion 3a and the negative pressure portion 3b are separated by wall 7 that is secured to the frame 2 and a second, opened, configuration, wherein the positive pressure portion 3a and the negative pressure portion 3b are communicating with the maximum area passage between them .

In particular, in such second configuration, the wall 7 is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A direction .

Making reference , in particular, to figure 3 , the fan module 4 preferably comprise guide means 8 configured to support the wall 7 in a sliding manner with respect to the portion of frame 2 in order to assume the above defined positions .

Preferably, the fan module 4 comprises locking means , not shown, configured to lock the wall 7 in one between the first or the second configurations . Such locking means may be mechanical , such as screws , or magnetic locking means . More preferably, such locking means may be integrated into the guide means 8 .

In the disclosed embodiment , the guide means 8 comprises an upper rail 9 and a lower rail 10 that are fixedly carried by the portion of frame 2 while the wall 7 comprises sliding elements 11 , such as a pin or rollers as exemplarily shown, configured to respectively cooperate in sliding manner with the upper rail 9 and the lower rai l 10 to allow the passage of wall 7 between the first and second configurations .

In greater detail , the upper and lower rails 9 , 10 are reali zed, respectively, vertical ly over a top edge of the wall 7 and vertically under a bottom edge of the wall 7 . Accordingly, the sliding elements 11 are carried by such top and bottom edges to cooperate with the respective upper and lower rails 9 , 10 .

In particular, according to the shown embodiment , the upper and lower rails 9 , 10 comprise a first portion 9a, 10a parallel to axis A and a second portion 9b, 10b inclined with respect to the first portion 9a, 10a and preferably perpendicular to this latter, i . e . upper and lower rails 9 , 10 are preferably "L-shaped" .

In particular, the first and second portions 9a, 10a, 9b, 10b extend so that in the second configuration the wall 7 is substantially perpendicular to axis A.

The passage of wall 7 between the disclosed configurations may be achieved by the user pushing on the wall 7 ( in case , after unlocking the wall 7 ) , thereby allowing the movement of sliding elements 11 on the guide means 8 . Clearly, an actuator may be provided to automatically move the wall 7 on the guide means 8 , in function of a control signal .

In figure 6 it is shown a further possible fan wall unit arrangement 1 comprising a plurality of fan modules 4 disposed on two rows vertically placed one with respect to the other . In the following, reference will be made to the following consideration, the same would apply to vertical rows placed laterally adj acent one with respect to the other .

At least one per row among the fan wall modules 4 defines a passage for conduits 20 configured to allow the feeding or the return of the conditioning fluid to the heat exchanger assemblies housed in the negative pressure portion 3b of each fan module 4 .

The feeding and return conduits 20 of each row are fluidly connected to a return main conduit 21 and a feeding main conduit 22 configured, respectively to divide between the di f ferent feeding conduits 20 the conditioning fluid and collect the conditioning fluid from the di f ferent return conduit 20 of each row .

Advantageously, the return and feeding main conduits 21 , 22 comprises a main portion 21 a, 22a fixedly carried by frame 2 of each fan module 4 and a connection portion 21b, 22b configured to fluidly connect together two main portions 21a, 22a of two di f ferent fan modules 4 .

Advantageously, the connection portion 21b, 22b have a tubular form about an axis B and comprises a pair of extremity portions 23 ' , 23 ' ’ and an intermediate portion 24 axially comprised along axis B between the extremity portions 23 ' , 23 ' ’ . Preferably, the connection portions 21b, 22b are substantially cylindrical and are concentric with respect to intermediate portion 24 .

The extremity portions 23 ' , 23 ' ’ are dimensioned to cooperate with respective main portions 21a, 22a of di f ferent fan modules 4 to allow the fluidic connection among them via intermediate portion 24 . Advantageously, the intermediate portion 24 is deformable in order to allow the displacement of the extremity portions 23' , 23' ’ with respect to axis B according to its deformation, i.e. between a first, non-def ormed, configuration wherein the intermediate portion 24 and the extremity portions 23' , 23' ’ are concentric and a second, deformed, configuration wherein the intermediate portion 24 and the extremity portions 23' , 23' ’ are no more concentric, i.e. displaced at least one with respect to the other.

Preferably, the intermediate portion 24 is realized as bellow-shaped, i.e. comprising a multiple V-shaped profile that allows a modification of length and/or inclination and/or transversal position between the extremity portions 23' , 23' ' .

In view of the above, it is underlined that the conduits 20, 21, 22 are all located within the frame 2, i.e. in the space 3 defined by the fan wall unit arrangement 1.

The operation of the above described fan wall unit arrangements according to the invention is the following.

During a mounting phase of the fan wall unit arrangement 1, the different rows of fan wall modules 4 can be mounted side-by-side one other or adjacent the other. The return and feeding main conduits 21, 22 are then connected via connection portion 21b, 22b. In particular, the extremity portions 23' , 23' ’ are connected to the main portions 21a, 22a of two different fan wall modules 4 and the intermediate portion 24 may be deformed in order to compensate any different relative positions between the main portions 21a, 22a of two different fan wall modules 4.

During a standard operative phase of fan wall unit arrangement 1, the wall 7 is in its first configuration and therefore the fan assembly suck air from the negative pressure portion 3b thereby conditioning the IT device placed in front of the f irst side of the fan wall unit arrangement 1 .

During a maintenance/ inspection phase of fan wall unit arrangement 1 , the wall 7 is moved in its second configuration, thereby allowing a user to access to positive pressure portion 3a in an easy and comfortable way .

In view of the foregoing, the advantages of a fan module and a fan arrangement according to the invention are apparent .

Thanks to the proposed movable wal l 7 that carries the fan assembly, the inspection/maintenance of the elements housed in the negative pressure portion is easier and quicker .

In particular, the used of sliding means that allows the total opening of the wall guarantees a wide access to the operator .

Moreover, the use of upper and lower rails allows to move in a light way the wall and the assembly, notwithstanding to its weight .

Furthermore , the presence of actuators for automatically moving the wall and/or of locking means for blocking the wall in its two limit configurations facilitate the displacement of this latter by the user .

The presence of coupling means having a deformable portion allows the user to easily and quick mounting two fan wall modules compensating possible mounting tolerances .

The use of a deformable portion realized as bellows is particularly compact , resistant and economic .

It is clear that modi fications can be made to the described fan module and the fan arrangement which do not extend beyond the scope of protection defined by the claims . For example, as said, the number of fan wall module 4 and rows may vary, such as the vertical or horizontal positioning of the disclosed conduits 20, 21, 22.

Similarly, more modules 4 may be provided with a movable wall 7 and fan assembly may be realized in different manners and comprise more than one fan.

Clearly, as said, the shape and typology of frame 2 may vary according to the number and dimension of modules 4.

Moreover, even in not described in combination for sake of drawings clarity, the two described embodiment of figures 1 and 6 can be combined together.