DE20108669U1 - cooling arrangement - Google Patents

Description

Cooling arrangement

The innovation relates to a cooling arrangement according to the preamble of claim 1.

Office equipment such as computers, screens, printers, etc. are sources of heat. On the one hand, they cause increased temperatures in their immediate surroundings, e.g. at a particular workstation, and on the other hand, they contribute to increasing the temperature in the room in which they are installed. In rooms with a large number of such office equipment, such an increase in temperature can lead to uncomfortably high temperatures directly at the workstations and also greatly increase the overall temperature in such a room.

Various methods and devices have already become known to counteract this heat development. For example, walls or partition walls in such rooms that act as cooling elements are known. These solutions are on the one hand costly and on the other hand expensive and generally cannot solve the problem of heat dissipation directly at the workplace or cannot solve it adequately. WO 98/49498 discloses the arrangement of a hood-shaped cooling element above free-standing monitors. Furthermore, a cooling arrangement is known which cools computers arranged in a piece of furniture by sucking in and cooling room air and releasing the cooled air into the furniture. A relatively low flow temperature of the cooling medium is required to cool the room air. So-called dealer workstations are also known, in which computers are housed in a first part of a piece of furniture and monitors in a second part of the furniture that can be seen from the outside. Cooling in such a workplace is carried out by a cooling unit that cools the warm air from the first compartment and releases the cooled air into the second compartment.

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17.05.2001

in which the air cools the monitors, after which the warmed air is released into the room. This means that efficient room cooling is not ensured. CH-A-666 170 discloses such a workplace in which cooled air is released into the environment.

The aim of the innovation is to eliminate the disadvantages mentioned and to create a cooling arrangement for cooling the room that contains workstations with heat-generating office equipment, with the equipment being arranged in and on a piece of furniture. The arrangement should be as efficient as possible and its design and installation should be cost-effective, and the workstations should be as draught-free as possible while the equipment is well cooled.

This object is achieved in a cooling arrangement of the type mentioned at the outset with the characterizing features of claim 1.

Because the very warm air from the furniture compartment enters the cooling device, is cooled and then released directly into the environment or the room without being reheated in another compartment, it is possible to work with a relatively high flow temperature of the cooling medium with good efficiency. The side opening provides good cooling for devices (monitors) standing on the furniture, while largely preventing drafts for the users. This results in good room and workplace cooling. The devices are cooled by the room air flowing into the compartment.

Advantageous embodiments emerge from the dependent claims.

Examples of implementation of the innovation are explained in more detail below using the drawings. It shows:

Figure 1 shows a simplified vertical cross-section through workstations with a cooling device,

Figure 2 shows a section through the cooling device shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a plan view of a plurality of workstations with the cooling device shown in Figure 1, Figure 4 is a cross-section according to Figure 1 through another example, and

Figure 5 shows a section through another cooling device.

Figure 1 shows a simplified version of a piece of furniture 39 which in this example forms several workstations, whereby in Figure 1 two workstations are shown, each with a table top 1, 2. Under the table tops 1, 2, which form the top 40 of the furniture, are the so-called technical compartments 3, 4 in which computers, i.e. heat-generating office equipment, are arranged. Above the table tops 1, 2 in this example are further office equipment or screens, which in the embodiment shown are shown as flat screens 5, 6. These flat screens 5, 6 are supported, for example, by columns 7, 8 or stand on the table top with their feet or stands. Screens or monitors are also heat-generating office equipment.

A cooling device 9 is now installed between the table tops 1, 2. It should be noted that this installation location is only a preferred example for the workstation arrangement shown; the cooling device 9 could, for example, also be installed completely or partially below the level or top 40 of the furniture determined by the table tops 1, 2. This cooling device 9 preferably has an elongated cooling chamber 10.

A fan 11 is arranged at the lower end of the cooling chamber 10 of this design. This arrangement is not mandatory. The fan 11 can basically be arranged in any area of the cooling chamber 10 or in the furniture. In the assembled state, the end section of the cooling device which is removed from the table tops 1, 2 or their base for the cooling device has

In this example, the cooling chamber 10 has two lateral outlets 12, 13. The cooling chamber 10 also contains a slot-shaped air outlet arrangement 14 at its upper end.
Preferably in the top 40 of the furniture, or in the example shown in the table tops 1, 2, openings 15, 16 are formed. In the illustrated embodiment, the columns 7, 8 protrude into these openings 15, 16. It should be noted that the screens, ie

Monitors do not have to be designed like the one shown and therefore do not have to have any component protruding into the openings 15, 16.

Chambers 17, 18 are arranged under the table tops. The reference numerals 30, 31 indicate the area for parts of the electrical system, e.g. cable ducts.

The chambers 17, 18 are limited at the bottom by air filters 19, 20.

Instead of the air filters 19, 20 under the chambers 17, 18 or in addition to these, a single air filter 21 can also be arranged in front of the fan 11.

Figure 2 shows a cross section through the cooling device 9 with the cooling chamber 10. The fan 11 with the air filter 21 there is visible. The reference numerals 22, 23 schematically designate cooling water connections.

In the cooling chamber 10, cooling tubes 24 are arranged which run perpendicular to the plane of the drawing and which are supported in fins 25 which run parallel to the rising air flow.

The side outlets 12, 13 are located in the upper area of the cooling chamber 10 and are, for example, perforated plates on which air-permeable mats 26, 27 are arranged. These mats 26, 27 in particular form flow resistances for the escaping air.

Preferably, the flow resistances are designed in such a way that the escaping air flow is as laminar as possible.

At the upper end of the cooling chamber 10 there is the slot-shaped air outlet arrangement 14, which is designed in such a way that a relatively strong air jet flows out at the top.
In particular, the cross-section of this slot-shaped air outlet arrangement 14 is set relative to the side outlets 12, 13 such that the flow velocity of the partial air flow flowing out at the top is higher than the flow velocity of the partial air flow flowing out at the side, which may be laminar.

The side walls 32 of the cooling chamber 10 can be perforated and lined on the inside with a sound-absorbing layer 33, e.g. glass wool, so that noise from both the interior of the cooling chamber 10 and its surroundings is effectively dampened. Figure 3 shows a simplified plan view of an arrangement of workstations with a cooling device according to the present invention. A large number of screens 5, 6 are arranged on the table tops 1, 2. Chairs 28, 29 are located in front of the screens.

The cooling chamber 10 with the upper, slot-shaped air outlet arrangement 14 extends between the row of screens 5, 6.

During operation, the office equipment in the technical compartments 3, 4, which are, for example, computers, generate heat. The warm air inlet 21' of the cooling device 9 is connected to the compartments 3, 4. The fan 11 generates an ascending air flow of the warmed air. In the cooling chamber 10, this air from the compartments is cooled. This cooled air exits directly into the room - without cooling other devices in other compartments - which enables the room to be cooled with high efficiency. Direct also means the discharge of the cooling air into a duct or the like, which directs the cooling air exiting from the cooling device into the room.

Preferably, two partial air streams flow out of the side outlets 12, 13. These partial air streams, preferably laminar air streams with a low flow velocity, descend to the table tops 1, and flow around the heat-generating screens standing on the table tops, so that they are cooled. These partial air streams are then sucked into the furniture through the openings 15, 16 in the table tops 1, 2 as a result of the blower effect, enter the chambers 17, 18, flow through the air filters 19, 20 and back to the devices, e.g. computers in the technical compartments 3, 4, in order to cool them.

The further partial flow of cooled air exiting from the slot-shaped upper air outlet arrangement 14, which preferably exits at a higher speed than the partial air flows from the side openings 12, 13, cools the room in which the workstations are arranged.

It is therefore clear that the example of the cooling arrangement shown in a room with workstations dissipates the heat from both the furniture's internal and external heat sources via air flows that are specifically tailored to the type of heat source and their respective characteristics. The heat from the devices in the technical compartments 3, 4 of the desks or tables is dissipated by the heated air being sucked out by the fan 11 and subsequently cooled in the cooling device 9.

The heat from the screens 5, 6 and other heat-generating office equipment arranged next to them is dissipated by the cold air flowing down over these devices to the table tops 1.

The heat from other people staying in the respective room and other heat loads distributed in the room are cooled by the cooling air exiting from the top of the cooling device 9, which mixes with the room air and causes the cooling.

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Since the local cooling is generated by a preferably laminar cooling air flowing out from the side, a very high cooling performance can be achieved at a lower speed than the cooling air released upwards, while at the same time ensuring that the workplace is practically completely draught-free.

With the cooling device 9 shown, local cooling can be achieved and at the same time the decentralized heat loads can also be cooled.

This means that an additional cooling system for the room is not necessary.

The cooling device shown also works together with other cooling devices that are installed permanently or movably in a given room. This is to be understood as follows: An office room, whether existing or in a new building, is mechanically ventilated. A limited cooling capacity is provided by the ventilation system and any existing air conditioning system. In cases where this cooling capacity is insufficient, an additional cooling system is usually used in existing buildings. This cooling system is generally permanently installed in the building. However, in existing buildings these known systems no longer meet the comfort requirements expected today, or they are at their performance limits due to the internal heat loads that have increased over the last twenty years (electrical or electronic office equipment).

In these cases, investors or tenants were faced with the decision of either not meeting the comfort requirements of the employees or initiating a costly and time-consuming total or partial renovation of the cooling system.

With the cooling device shown, an extremely powerful cooling system that meets the highest comfort requirements can now be available as an additional variant, which can be ready for operation with minimal installation work and in a short amount of time.

In new buildings, it is possible to install mechanical ventilation with minimal dehumidification for the summer as a basic installation that covers the average fresh air and cooling requirements. In rooms with increased cooling requirements, cooling can now be ensured using the cooling device shown or several such cooling devices. Due to the high cooling water temperature, as will be shown later, the upfront investment can be limited to the installation of uninsulated cooling water risers.

As has been shown, the cooling devices are not permanently connected to the building. They can be moved around the office and only need to be mounted on or under the desks when the furniture is installed. The heat absorbed by the cooling elements can be recooled via the cooling water system. The individual cooling devices can generally be connected to cooling water pipes in the floor, ceiling or parapets via flexible pipes. A large number, e.g. eight, cooling devices can be connected in series to a connection point on a given cooling water pipe. The individual cooling devices can be connected to one another via short, flexible connecting hoses. A Tichelmann system built into the cooling devices, known to those skilled in the art, can ensure that each cooling device can be supplied with the same amount of water without manual adjustment.

Since the cooling units shown are not part of the building's fixed air conditioning installation, the time required to install the air conditioning system can be reduced considerably compared to a conventional building-fixed cooling system. The only building-fixed installation must consist of the cooling water distribution line and the recooling.

The following values can be considered as temperatures.

In one of the preferred embodiments, the cooling water supply can have a temperature in the range of 19°C to 21°C, the return 23°C to 28°C. The room temperature is in the range of 23-24°C. The heated air from the devices in the technical compartments 3, 4 has a temperature in the range of 28-35 ⁰ C. The temperature of the air exiting the cooling device and the sides is 20-22 ⁰ C. The air entering the chambers 17, 18 under the table tops has a temperature of 23-24°C if screens 5, 6 are present, and a temperature in the range of 20.5 ⁰ C to 22.5°C if there are no screens.

The cooling device is therefore designed in such a way that it works with a relatively high flow temperature of the cooling water in the range of preferably 19 ⁰ C to 21 ° C and constantly cools the air to 20-22 ⁰ C. If it is desired to keep the room temperature at a value of, for example, 22 ° C instead of 24 ⁰ C, the temperature level of the cooling water would be kept in the range of 18-20 ⁰ C. The temperature of the cooling air is then reduced accordingly by 2 ° C. No control elements for water or air are necessary, i.e. the cooling device does not need a regulator. The design shown ensures that the air is cooled perfectly regardless of whether or not there are screens and whether or not there are other heat sources in the room, e.g. at weekends and on days off. The laminar flowing air is discharged directly without mixing with the ambient air. If no screens are installed in front of the cooling unit, the laminar descending air moves directly into the openings in the table top 1, 2 without noticeably mixing with the ambient air.

In the case of screens, the laminar descending air mixes with the warm air from the screens and causes cooling. This means that cover plates such as

previous versions, which are intended to prevent the heated air from rising, are not necessary. It should also be noted that this descending air has a very low flow speed and basically flows around the equipment to be cooled like a veil, so that people at their workplaces are not exposed to draughts.

When air-conditioning a building with the cooling devices shown, the additional advantage can be that considerably less energy is needed to operate the cooling devices because the cooling water, due to its high temperature, can be cooled directly via a cooling tower over a long period of time without a refrigeration machine.

In a further embodiment of the cooling arrangement shown in Figure 1, means, e.g. flaps or adjustable air guide elements, are provided at the side openings 12, 13, by means of which the air direction and/or the air quantity of the lateral partial air flows can be adjusted from outside the cooling device. This allows the user of the furniture or workstation an adjustment option.

In a further embodiment, one or more side openings (not shown) can be provided in the lower area of the cooling device 10, preferably in the intake area of the fan, so that part of the lateral air flows are guided back into the cooling device at this point and not via the openings 15, 16 in the furniture. The openings 15, 16 in the furniture can also be provided at a point on the furniture other than on its top and then serve to allow room air to enter the compartment.

Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the cooling arrangement, in which the same reference numerals as previously used designate the same parts. In this embodiment, the cooled air is also discharged upwards from the cooling device 9 into the environment; the side openings in this case result

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by adjustable air guide elements 41 in conjunction with air guide plates 41', which influence the air flow. In the right half of the figure, the element 41 is shown in such a way that only a small air flow falls downwards to the side, in the left half, the element 41 is shown in such a way that a larger air flow runs laterally. The arrows in this figure show schematically the path of the air flows, which, apart from the deviation explained, corresponds to that in Figure 1. As mentioned, there are further air guide plates 41' or a structural design of the outlet opening can be provided that allows or improves the formation of the lateral air flows.

In a further embodiment, part of the cooled air can also be guided downwards within the cooling device to the furniture and there guided into the compartments 3, 4 via suitable openings and air guide elements, with the air preferably being guided in such a way that the returned cooled air does not mix with the heated exhaust air from the compartments before reaching the compartments. Figure 5 shows a schematic of a cooling device 9 in which the return of partial air flows 42, 43 takes place, for which purpose air guide elements 44, 45 and 46 are provided. Corresponding further channels are then provided in the furniture, which guide the cooled air to the devices in the compartments 3, 4.

Of course, the cooling arrangement can also be provided with a normal office furniture with only one workstation, which in this case also offers the advantage of device cooling for devices housed in the furniture in combination with room cooling.

Claims (14)

1. Cooling arrangement comprising a piece of furniture ( 39 ) and a cooling device ( 9 ), the furniture having an upper side ( 40 ) and at least one compartment ( 3 , 4 ) for accommodating at least one heat-emitting device, in particular a computer, the cooling device being connected to the compartment with its warm air inlet ( 21 ) and the cold air outlet ( 12 , 13 , 14 ) of the cooling device ( 9 ) comprising an opening ( 14 ) open directly to the environment at the top, characterized in that at least one side opening (12, 13) open to the environment is also provided and a flow resistance device ( 26 , 27 ) is arranged in the side opening (12, 13). 2. Cooling arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the flow resistance device ( 26 , 27 ) is designed to form a predominantly laminar air flow. 3. Cooling arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an operable element ( 41 ) for influencing the air flow direction and/or air quantity is provided at the opening ( 14 ) and/or the side opening (12, 13). 4. Cooling arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the furniture top ( 40 ) has at least one opening ( 15 , 16 ) which is connected to the compartment ( 3 , 4 ) in order to allow air flowing out laterally from the cooling device to enter the compartment through the furniture surface. 5. Cooling arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the cooling device ( 9 ) is provided with at least one opening arranged laterally next to the warm air inlet ( 21 '). 6. Cooling arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that air guiding means ( 44 , 45 , 46 ) are provided in the cooling device ( 9 ), through which a partial flow of cooled air in the cooling device can be guided towards the furniture. 7. Cooling arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that air guiding means are provided in the furniture, through which the partial air flow emitted by the cooling device can be guided into the compartment ( 3 , 4 ). 8. Cooling arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cooling device ( 9 ) has a fan ( 11 ) which causes an air flow from the warm air inlet ( 21 ') to the cold air outlet ( 14 ). 9. Cooling arrangement according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cooling device ( 9 ) has a chamber ( 10 ) equipped with cooling water connections ( 22 , 23 ). 10. Cooling arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the cooling chamber ( 10 ) has an air outlet slot arrangement ( 14 ) at its end opposite its base, which is designed such that a partial air flow aligned with the flow direction of the air within the cooling chamber ( 10 ) exits at this end, and that the passage cross section of the air outlet arrangement ( 14 ) is set relative to the lateral outlets ( 12 , 13 ) such that a flow velocity of the air at the air outlet slot arrangement ( 14 ) results which is higher than the flow velocity of the air at the lateral outlets ( 12 , 13 ). 11. Cooling arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that flow resistance devices ( 26 , 27 ) are provided in the lateral outlets ( 12 , 13 ), which have mats through which the cooled air can flow. 12. Cooling arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the cooling device is designed as an air/water heat exchanger. 13. Cooling arrangement according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the side walls of the cooling chamber ( 10 ) are perforated and lined on the inside with a sound-insulating layer, such that sound originating both from the interior of the cooling chamber ( 10 ) and from its surroundings is dampened. 14. Cooling arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the cooling device ( 9 ) is arranged completely above the top side of the furniture ( 40 ), or that the cooling device is arranged partially above the top side of the furniture, or that the cooling device is arranged completely below the top side of the furniture.