| Designing Configurable Air Transport Racks |
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| Jan 01 2008 | |
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advertisement: Configurability Through Thermal Management Perhaps the most difficult challenge of ATR design is thermal management. While form factors are getting smaller, computing hardware is getting more powerful, increasing heat dissipation requirements. In addition, today’s COTS boards have greater cooling requirements and are constantly pushing the cooling envelopes traditionally used. Conventional systems can use forced-air convection-cooled designs. Harsh and caustic environments (chemical, salt, sand and dust) require conduction cooling, which is less efficient and often requires creative solutions. To accommodate different cooling strategies for different environments, manufacturers have designed innovative solutions to meet a wide range of situations. Carlo Gavazzi addresses the heat dissipation problem in the conduction and air-over conduction ATRs by using stateof- the-art thermal simulation techniques to optimize the size and location of innovative heat spreaders, which are responsible for conducting heat away from the chassis’ power supply and card cage area. The resulting designs are then realized using a dip brazing fabrication process or modular conducting frames, which both completely seal the enclosure and aid in its natural convection to quickly cool the unit.Carlo Gavazzi also uses an innovative panel-over-frame design that both lowers weight and provides flexibility in meeting a wide range of deployable configurations. The use of the panel-overframe design is similar in concept to the fabrication techniques used in aircraft where the combination of frame and exterior panels produce a rugged overall assembly. Positioned to Meet Future Needs The ATR will continue to be utilized as designers adapt it to new situations. Enclosure manufacturers will respond with new materials, designs and technologies such as liquid cooling systems. Those manufacturers who have embraced the design philosophy of modularity and configurability over customization, and who leverage their experience to anticipate future needs, will be the best positioned to deliver in time and on spec. This article was written by Jim Tierney, VP of Government Systems, Carlo Gavazzi Computing Solutions (Brockton, MA). For more information, contact Mr. Tierney at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or click here. |
