Patents by Inventor Michael Nicolai
Michael Nicolai has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10206311Abstract: The invention relates to a cooling circuit system, comprising a plurality of juxtaposed racks; a double bottom consisting of double bottom elements mounted on a base bottom on which double bottom the racks are mounted; electric or electronic components to be cooled, which components are accommodated in the racks; and a cooling system, the components of which are accommodated in the double bottom, wherein the cooling system comprises fans that are connected in parallel and that blow cooled air from the double bottom towards the juxtaposed racks. The invention relates also to a method of controlling a cooling circuit system of that type.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2012Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: Rittal GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Michael Nicolai, Dieter Becker, Dirk Hemann, Martin Doerrich
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Patent number: 10047966Abstract: The invention relates a method for air conditioning of an IT environment which comprises hardware IT devices, computers, memories, telecommunication devices and peripheral devices, wherein a refrigeration supply system of the IT environment has a free cooler, refrigerators and an air circulation system which is operated by means of fans and contains heat exchangers for drawing off the heat generated by the hardware, wherein the method includes the following steps: determining a basic desired value for the feed air temperature of the IT environment on the basis of the existing hardware-configuration, measuring at least one parameter of the hardware which represents a disturbance variable which has a direct or indirect effect on the feed air temperature, and storing the measured value of the parameter, ascertaining a desired value for the feed air temperature from the measured parameter value of the hardware, and raising the target value for the feed air temperature until a critical parameter value is measured,Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2014Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: RITTAL GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Michael Nicolai, Helmut Nonn, Tim Siegel
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Patent number: 9883608Abstract: The invention relates to a cooling device for cooling of a switchgear cabinet, comprising an air inlet side for warm air and an air outlet side for cooled air, wherein a heat exchanger and at least one fan unit having a radial fan are located between the air inlet side and the air outlet side, and wherein the fan unit creates an air stream through the heat exchanger having a main flow direction between the air inlet side and the air outlet side, wherein the fan unit is located in the main flow direction behind the heat exchanger, characterized in that the fan unit comprises an air guide geometry, so that air exhausted from the radial fan is redirected into the main flow direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2013Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: Rittal GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Michael Nicolai, Martin Doerrich, Dieter Becker, Andreas Meyer
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Publication number: 20150377509Abstract: The invention relates a method for air conditioning of an IT environment which comprises hardware IT devices, computers, memories, telecommunication devices and peripheral devices, wherein a refrigeration supply system of the IT environment has a free cooler, refrigerators and an air circulation system which is operated by means of fans and contains heat exchangers for drawing off the heat generated by the hardware, wherein the method includes the following steps: determining a basic desired value for the feed air temperature of the IT environment on the basis of the existing hardware-configuration, measuring at least one parameter of the hardware which represents a disturbance variable which has a direct or indirect effect on the feed air temperature, and storing the measured value of the parameter, ascertaining a desired value for the feed air temperature from the measured parameter value of the hardware, and raising the target value for the feed air temperature until a critical parameter value is measured,Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2014Publication date: December 31, 2015Inventors: Michael NICOLAI, Helmut NONN, Tim SIEGEL
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Publication number: 20150156918Abstract: The invention relates to a cooling device for cooling of a switchgear cabinet, comprising an air inlet side for warm air and an air outlet side for cooled air, wherein a heat exchanger and at least one fan unit having a radial fan are located between the air inlet side and the air outlet side, and wherein the fan unit creates an air stream through the heat exchanger having a main flow direction between the air inlet side and the air outlet side, wherein the fan unit is located in the main flow direction behind the heat exchanger, characterized in that the fan unit comprises an air guide geometry, so that air exhausted from the radial fan is redirected into the main flow direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2013Publication date: June 4, 2015Inventors: Michael Nicolai, Martin Doerrich, Dieter Becker, Andreas Meyer
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Publication number: 20140240917Abstract: The invention relates to a cooling circuit system, comprising a plurality of juxtaposed racks; a double bottom consisting of double bottom elements mounted on a base bottom on which double bottom the racks are mounted; electric or electronic components to be cooled, which components are accommodated in the racks; and a cooling system, the components of which are accommodated in the double bottom, wherein the cooling system comprises fans that are connected in parallel and that blow cooled air from the double bottom towards the juxtaposed racks. The invention relates also to a method of controlling a cooling circuit system of that type.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2012Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: Rittal GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Michael Nicolai, Dieter Becker, Dirk Hemann, Martin Doerrich
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Patent number: 8737059Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling and monitoring an air-conditioning system of a data processing installation includes at least one server switchgear cabinet for accommodating electrical units. Controlling of the cooling power of an air-conditioning unit is performed in at least two distinct defined modes, wherein in a first mode the air volume capacity of a blower is controlled to a minimum value at a maximum defined temperature difference between sucked hot air and supplied cold air, and in a second mode the cooling power is controlled such that a maximum defined temperature for the cooling medium flowing from a heat exchanger is not exceeded. The method and apparatus provide energy-saving cooling of such data processing installations.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2012Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: Rittal GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Martin Doerrich, Michael Nicolai
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Publication number: 20130027879Abstract: The invention relates to a method for regulating a cooling system for cooling electrical built-in devices housed in control panels or racks by means of cooling units assigned thereto, through which a liquid cooling medium, cooled down from a return temperature to a flow temperature by means of a cooling apparatus of the cooling system flows, wherein a cooling power for cooling the built-in devices can be regulated by a primary reference variable according to specification. Energy-efficient cooling is achieved in that the flow temperature is variably adjusted according to a cooling power demand in the region of the built-in devices, wherein the primary reference variable is formed from the cooling power demand in the region of the built-in devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2011Publication date: January 31, 2013Applicant: RITTAL GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Helmut Saal, Michael Nicolai
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Publication number: 20120205089Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling and monitoring an air-conditioning system of a data processing installation includes at least one server switchgear cabinet for accommodating electrical units. Controlling of the cooling power of an air-conditioning unit is performed in at least two distinct defined modes, wherein in a first mode the air volume capacity of a blower is controlled to a minimum value at a maximum defined temperature difference between sucked hot air and supplied cold air, and in a second mode the cooling power is controlled such that a maximum defined temperature for the cooling medium flowing from a heat exchanger is not exceeded. The method and apparatus provide energy-saving cooling of such data processing installations.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: RITTAL GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Martin Doerrich, Michael Nicolai
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Publication number: 20120087087Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling an air conditioning system for a data processing facility that comprises at least one row of server switch cabinets, wherein the row of server switch cabinets bounds a cold aisle that is sealed off from a hot aisle facing away from the cold aisle side, wherein hot air is drawn in, cooled, and blown into the cold aisle by at least one air conditioner, and wherein cold air is drawn out of the cold aisle and fed into the hot aisle or into the surrounding space by at least one of the server switch cabinets. The invention further relates to a corresponding device for performing the method. According to the invention, the control of the air supply rate of the air conditioner is performed by means of a pressure controller, wherein a measured pressure difference between a pressure sensor in the cold aisle or in the hot aisle and a pressure sensor in the surrounding space outside the cold aisle or the hot aisle is used as an input variable of the pressure controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2010Publication date: April 12, 2012Applicant: RITTAL GMBH & CO., KGInventors: Michael Nicolai, Martin Doerrich, Tim Siegel, Helmut Saal
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Publication number: 20100291855Abstract: An air conditioning system for a data processing system that has at least one row of server cabinets. The row of server cabinets borders a cold path. At least one air conditioning unit takes in warm air, cools it, and blows it out as cold air. The air conditioning unit is integrated into a row of server cabinets and the dimensions of the air conditioning unit and the dimensions of the server cabinets are essentially the same or, while having the same height and depth, the width of the air conditioning unit corresponds to a whole-number multiple of a width of one server cabinet. The air conditioning system can be used to produce an effective cooling concept for temperature-sensitive data processing systems, which influences the immediate surroundings only slightly with warm air. The modular construction allows the cooling capacity to be scaled, also making it possible to carry out a subsequent expansion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2010Publication date: November 18, 2010Inventors: Helmut Nonn, Tim Siegel, Michael Nicolai
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Publication number: 20100226073Abstract: A cooling plant for cooling one or more switch cabinets. According to this invention, a large heat exchanger or several small heat exchangers operating in parallel are housed in a heat exchanger cabinet, wherein an inner space of the heat exchanger cabinet is coupled to a central air-conditioning device supplying cold air to a double bottom by an air inlet in the cabinet bottom and an air outlet of the double bottom. The cold air fed to the heat exchanger cabinet goes through the large heat exchanger or the small heat exchangers and cools the coolant flowing therein. The water supply and the water return of the large heat exchanger or the small heat exchangers are connected to the feed line and the return line of the switch cabinets that are to be cooled. This simple construction makes it possible to easily adapt the efficiency of cooling and the capacity to the variable number of switch cabinets.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2010Publication date: September 9, 2010Applicant: Rittal GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Michael Nicolai, Martin Dörrich
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Patent number: 7775061Abstract: A unit arrangement having a receiving housing, in particular a switchgear cabinet, in an interior of which electrical units are accommodated and having a cooling device which is in air-conducting communication with the interior of the receiving housing via at least one air inlet and at least one blower aperture, and a cooling operation monitoring device. A requirement-orientated control of the cooling operation is possible when the cooling operation monitoring device has an inlet temperature sensor which measures a temperature of the air to be cooled which is supplied to the cooling unit via the air inlet. An outlet temperature sensor measures a temperature of the cooled air which is supplied to the interior of the receiving housing via the blower aperture. A computing unit of the cooling operation monitoring device determines a temperature difference between the temperature measured by the inlet temperature sensor and the outlet temperature sensor.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2006Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: Rittal GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Martin Dörrich, Michael Nicolai
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Patent number: 7637118Abstract: A cooling device for a switchgear cabinet having an air-conducting conduit in which an air/water heat exchanger is arranged, and through which cooling air flows and to which a condensate collection container for collecting accumulating condensate. A pump installation conveys the condensate out of the condensate collection container.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2005Date of Patent: December 29, 2009Assignee: Rittal GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Michael Nicolai, Martin Dörrich
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Patent number: 7614247Abstract: A cooling arrangement with a housing for receiving electronic printed circuit boards or plug-in modules, and with an air-conditioning device which is connected via a coolant-conducting feed line and a return-flow line with at least one electronic component, which is to be cooled, on the respective printed circuit board or plug-in module. The feed line is coupled with at least one component feed line assigned to the electronic component. The return-flow line is coupled with at least one component return-flow line assigned to the electronic component. The component feed line and the component return-flow line have coupling elements attached at ends of the respective printed circuit board or plug-in module which, together with the counter coupling elements of the feed line and the return-flow line attached at the end of the housing, form a coupling connection, which is releasable.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2005Date of Patent: November 10, 2009Assignee: RITTAL RES Electronic Systems GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Michael Nicolai, Mouhamadou Ousmane, Wilfried Braun, Kurt Schaffer
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Patent number: 7559209Abstract: A liquid cooling system having cooling units individually assigned to electronic component groups housed in a rack or a switchgear cabinet, which are to be cooled, and having a monitoring and control arrangement for monitoring a cooling temperature. Effective cooling and temperature monitoring is obtained because the cooling units are liquid cooling units and are connected via branch points to a common central liquid line system integrated into the rack or the switchgear cabinet. The control and monitoring arrangement is for monitoring the cooling temperature in the central liquid line system and for emitting an error signal when a predetermined or a predeterminable threshold temperature in a liquid return branch is exceeded, or when a predetermined or predeterminable threshold temperature difference between a temperature in an inlet branch and a temperature in the return branch is exceeded, or when the liquid flow falls below a predetermined or predeterminable threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2004Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Rittal GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Michael Nicolai, Martin Dörrich, Heinrich Strackbein, Markus Hain, Jörg Kreiling
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Patent number: 7466549Abstract: A housing arrangement including a receiving housing with an interior inside which a cooling device and one or several electric units are accommodated. The cooling device includes a flow line and a return line extending at least partially between the base area and ceiling area of the receiving housing. Connecting lines run from the flow line and the return line and are physically connected to a cooling circuit of one or several electric units. Effective cooling of receiving areas which are fitted in a complex manner with built-in components is obtained because a distributor line is respectively guided from a flow line and a return line to a distributor which is maintained inside the receiving housing. The distributor includes several distributor connections that can be connected to connection lines which are guided to the electric built-in component, such as a computer unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2004Date of Patent: December 16, 2008Assignee: Rittal GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Martin Dörrich, Michael Nicolai
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Patent number: 7319594Abstract: An assembly of devices including at least one switchgear cabinet and a cooling device. The switchgear cabinet has a closed interior, in which electric installations can be housed. The cooling device is attached in the vicinity of or near a lateral surface of the switchgear cabinet that runs vertically with respect to the front face, extending at least over part of the height of the switchgear cabinet and having a spatial connection with the interior via at least one air inlet and at least one vent outlet. The cooling device includes a receiving chamber that houses at least one heat exchanger. This invention facilitates the adaptation of the cooling device in superstructures of this type to modified cooling requirements. To achieve this, at least sections of the receiving chamber of the cooling device are divided into two or more receiving sub-chambers that are situated one above the other and a cooling module is housed in at least one of the receiving sub-chambers.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2005Date of Patent: January 15, 2008Assignee: Rittal GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Michael Nicolai, Martin Dörrich
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Publication number: 20070165375Abstract: A cooling system for cooling a switchgear cabinet including, in the interior thereof, heat generating built-in components situated one above the other and to which individual heat sinks are assigned and included in a coolant circuit via a flow line and a return line. The heat sinks are connected to the flow line and to the return line via individual unit supply lines and are supplied with coolant. The coolant circuit is closed via the coolant exit side of the air/water heat exchanger. The air/water heat exchanger is arranged in the bottom area of the switchgear cabinet, and is coupled, via air entry side by an air entry opening of the switchgear cabinet bottom and of an air outlet opening of a double bottom of a setting-up bottom of the switchgear cabinet, to a central air-conditioning device, which supplies the double bottom with cool air. A pump and an expansion tank are included in the closed coolant circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2004Publication date: July 19, 2007Inventors: Michael Nicolai, Martin Dorrich
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Publication number: 20070158053Abstract: A cooling plant for cooling one or more switch cabinets. According to this invention, a large heat exchanger or several small heat exchangers operating in parallel are housed in a heat exchanger cabinet, wherein an inner space of the heat exchanger cabinet is coupled to a central air-conditioning device supplying cold air to a double bottom by an air inlet in the cabinet bottom and an air outlet of the double bottom. The cold air fed to the heat exchanger cabinet goes through the large heat exchanger or the small heat exchangers and cools the coolant flowing therein. The water supply and the water return of the large heat exchanger or the small heat exchangers are connected to the feed line and the return line of the switch cabinets that are to be cooled. This simple construction makes it possible to easily adapt the efficiency of cooling and the capacity to the variable number of switch cabinets.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2004Publication date: July 12, 2007Inventors: Michael Nicolai, Martin Dorrich