System, method, and apparatus for providing a thermal bypass in electronic equipment

摘要

A system enclosure uses two heat exchangers and a thermoelectric cooling module to manage heat within the system. An airflow enters the system and is heated by server blades. Portions of the airflow split and travel to various portions of the system enclosure. Some heat is removed from the airflow by passing through the first heat exchanger before circulating around downstream subsystems. The first heat exchanger contacts the cold side of a TEC module, to reduce the temperature of that airflow. The air then enters the network switch module or other subsystem where it is further heated. Thereafter, the second heat exchanger 'bypasses' those components by reinserting the upstream heat back into the downstream airflow. The second heat exchanger contacts the hot side of the TEC module. The mixture of all heated air is then expelled from the system enclosure.