Scalable space-optimized and energy-efficient computing system

US8179674B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• John B. Carter · Austin, US
• Wael R. El-Essawy · Austin, US
• Elmootazbellah Nabil Elnozahy · Austin, US
• Madhusudan K. Iyengar · Woodstock, US
• Thomas Walter Keller · Austin, US
• Jian Li · Hubei, CN
• Karthick Rajamani · Austin, US
• Juan C. Rubio · Austin, US
• William E. Speight · Austin, US
• Lixin Zhang · Shenyang, CN

Key dates

• Filing date: May 28, 2010
• Grant date: May 15, 2012
• Expiry date: Oct 10, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F1/20
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A scalable space-optimized and energy-efficient computing system is provided. The computing system comprises a plurality of modular compartments in at least one level of a frame configured in a hexadron configuration. The computing system also comprises an air inlet, an air mixing plenum, and at least one fan. In the computing system the plurality of modular compartments are affixed above the air inlet, the air mixing plenum is affixed above the plurality of modular compartments, and the at least one fan is affixed above the air mixing plenum. When at least one module is inserted into one of the plurality of modular compartments, the module couples to a backplane within the frame.