The term “sub-plenum” means that portion of the computer room below the air-grate floor panels when installed on a pedestal support system. The term “upper plenum” means that portion of the computer room above the air-grate floor panels, including the data processing server equipment and in-row air conditioners, or air handling units. Thus, the term “computer room” means the overall air handling environment including the upper and sub plenums from the subfloor to the ceiling. Finally, “CRAC units” means those computer room air conditioning units typically located at the perimeter of the data center floor surrounding the (server) racks, or in-rows, to circulate air in the data center space to create a cooling loop.
Raised floor systems are used in data centers to create a sub-plenum space between the subfloor, of a building, and the normal operating environment of the computer room. The sub-plenum space is used for circulating cooling air to the computer servers. Perforations in the top plates, of air-grate floor panels, are configured to enhance the circulation of cooling air through the raised floor. Air-grate floor panels use an open-box load bearing frame. The open-box frame is designed with longitudinally spaced apart vertical girder plates, and transverse vertical reinforcing rib plates, in a crisscrossed assembly, for supporting the load.
Manufacturers of raised floor panels have engaged in the redesign and development of the open box sub-frame to include girder plates which are configured with a lower vaned face, which acts to redirect a tangential cooling airflow, originating in the sub-plenum, upwardly, through the open air-grate perforations in the top plate with an object of enhancing cooling efficiency to the server cabinets. One such design, which has gained side acceptance in the industry, is the open box sub-frame disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D567,398, entitled “Floor Panel Superstructure,” issued Apr. 22, 2008, to Meyer, which is specifically incorporated herein by reference for all that it discloses and teaches. There, it is ordinarily observed that the supporting girder plates, of the open box subframe, include lower inclined airfoils that are capable of capture and redirection of a tangential flow of cooling air. It can be appreciated that a fluid dynamic, inherent in use of this design, would result in an increase in the volume and directional velocity of the cooling air flowing from the sub-plenum and into the upper plenum, of a computer room, through the slotted perforations in the air-grate floor panel top plate. This increase in velocity enhances cooling efficiency, and further promotes the creation of an air separation barrier within the computer room.
Another such example is the air grate floor panel sub-plenum retrofit airfoil disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,217,252, to Meyer. There, it is ordinarily observed a retrofit airfoil for attachment to at least one of the girder members of an open-box load bearing frame supporting an air-grate raised access floor panel. The open box frame includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart vertical girder-plate members and a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart transverse vertical reinforcing rib-plate members. The airfoil includes a sheet. The sheet has an upper edge, a lower edge, and a horizontal bend formation positioned along a longitudinal axis established therebetween. The bend formation defines an upper vertical face, and a lower inclined face.