Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method, and more particularly, an apparatus and method for cooling the air exiting an electronics enclosure, are disclosed. Air is taken into the enclosure and heated by the electronic equipment. The air is then expelled through a heat exchanger, which cools the exiting air. The exiting air is cooled using an external source of cooling liquid, which absorbs the heat from the exiting air. This absorbed heat is then expelled from the liquid outside of the environment containing the enclosure. Cooling the air exiting the enclosure causes the enclosure to present a neutral heat load to a room containing such an enclosure. Cooling the exiting air obviates the necessity of increasing the room air conditioning capacity to account for the heat added to the room by the electronics within the enclosure.

Abstract: A system for cooling heat-generating objects, such as computer boards situated in a rack, includes an enclosure in which the heat generating objects are situated. The enclosure has an air inlet and an air outlet, and a fan induces airflow into the air inlet, through the enclosure and out the air outlet. A heat exchanger is situated in the enclosure such that the heat exchanger is in a spaced apart relationship with the heat-generating object. Air moving through or past the heat-generating object is warmed, and the heat exchanger removes the heat before the air exits the enclosure.