Expandable, modular information technology building infrastructure with removable exterior expansion wall

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9512611-B2
Application number	US-201514590186-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2015
Priority date	Jan 6, 2015
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

An Expandable Modular Information Technology (IT) Building Infrastructure (EMITBI) supports a large-scale modularly-constructed information handling system (LMIHS). The EMITBI includes: a base pad providing a fixed area of usable space on which one or more modular sub-components of the LMIHS can be placed; and a plurality of exterior walls extending vertically from an outer perimeter of the base pad and connected to a roof structure, the plurality of exterior walls and roof structure collectively providing an initial outer enclosure of the EMITBI, within which a first maximum number of modular IT components can be housed. The plurality of exterior walls includes at least one exterior wall that is constructed as a removable expansion wall (REW) that enables later expansion of the EMITBI to occur. The REW remains physically in place to shield the IT modules located within the first section of the EMITBI during construction of an adjoining expansion section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An Expandable Modular Information Technology (IT) Building Infrastructure (EMITBI) that supports a large-scale modularly-constructed information handling system (LMIHS), the EMITBI comprising:
an initial base pad providing a fixed area of usable space on which one or more modular sub-components of the LMIHS can be placed;
a plurality of exterior walls extending vertically from an outer perimeter of the base pad and connected to a roof structure, the plurality of exterior walls and roof structure collectively providing an outer perimeter of an initial enclosure of the EMITBI, within which a first maximum number of modular IT components can be housed, the plurality of exterior walls including at least one exterior wall that is constructed as a removable expansion wall (REW) that is designed for and which enables physical expansion of the usable space of the EMITBI prior to physical removal of the REW; and
a plurality of modular IT components placed within the EMITBI on the usable space and operational as the LMIHS, wherein the REW enables the EMITBI to provide a protective enclosure, with a controlled environment, within which the LMIHS can operate with minimal exposure to an environment outside of the plurality of exterior walls, including while the usable space is being physically expanded exterior to the REW; wherein the at least one removable section of the REW is assembled around one or more support columns that is affixed to a foundation of the EMITBI and which extends upwards to support the roof structure, wherein a de-assembly and removal of the REW includes removal of the at least one removable section without removing the one or more supports columns; and
wherein the EMITBI comprises dedicated hot and cold aisle modules that are placed within the usable space, and wherein the REW is located at a cold aisle module and a new removable external wall is also provided at an opposing cold aisle module to allow for later expansion.

2. The EMITBI of claim 1 , wherein:
the REW is designed to allow for later de-assembly and removal of the REW without affecting a structural integrity of a remainder of the EMITBI.

3. The EMITBI of claim 2 , wherein:
the REW includes one or more structurally rigid modules/panels physically attached to the adjacent exterior walls; and
each of the adjacent exterior walls and the base pad includes a connecting point at which the REW physically connects to adjacent exterior walls and the base pad.

4. The EMITBI of claim 3 , wherein:
the REW comprises a plurality of panels that interlock with adjacent panels to create a single physical structure.

5. The EMITBI of claim 3 , wherein:
the REW extends vertically along a perimeter edge of each abutting, adjacent exterior wall to affix the REW in place at the abutting ends of the adjacent exterior walls.

6. The EMITBI of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one removable section of the REW is non-load bearing;
at least two of the remaining exterior walls are permanent walls that provide load bearing support to the roof structure and any ceiling of the EMITBI enclosure, such that removal of the at least one removable section of the REW does not negatively affect a structural integrity of the EMITBI.

7. The EMITBI of claim 1 , wherein:
the REW is constructed of one or more materials that exhibits structural rigidity when vertically extended from the base pad to a ceiling and enables the REW to provide a physical and environmental barrier to seal the enclosure and prevent physical access to the IT modules within the enclosure, while preventing exposure of the IT gear to a surrounding external environment; and
at least a main structural material of the REW is durable, and re-usable.

8. The EMITBI of claim 3 , wherein:
the base pad and the one or more of the abutting exterior walls contain a perimeter edge proximate to the REW, which enable further construction and expansion of the respective pad or wall that extends the particular pad or wall to enable construction of a second section of the EMITBI, which second section directly abuts and extends from a first section of the EMITBI to increase the interior area of the enclosure within a single contiguous structure of extended exterior walls, roof structure, and expanded usable space;
a configuration of the perimeter edge enables horizontal attachment by, and provides initial structural support for connecting, a newly-constructed abutting exterior wall and usable space that respectively extends in a same lateral direction as the existing wall and usable space, respectively;
an entire expansion of the EMITBI occurs while the REW is physically in place to shield the IT modules located within the first section of the EMITBI during construction of the adjoining expansion section.

9. The EMITBI of claim 8 , wherein:
the REW is physically located a pre-set distance inside of an exterior edge of a lateral perimeter of the base pad, exposing an expansion connecting edge of the base pad on an exterior side of the REW; and
one or more of the abutting exterior walls and the roof structure can extend laterally beyond a vertical location of the REW to support later expansion of the EMITBI.

10. The EMITBI of claim 3 , further comprising:
a second base pad placed adjacent to the expansion connecting edge of the base pad, the second base pad abutting the expansion connecting edge to provide an expanded usable space for placement of additional IT modules, wherein the base pad and second base pad are constructed to allow the second base pad to be horizontally flushed with the base pad and constructed in place directly adjacent to base pad without affecting the REW, wherein the REW remains in place during construction of the second base pad such that the expansion of the EMITBI into an expanded EMTBI occurs without affecting operation of existing IT gear within the initial enclosed section of the original EMITBI, and the extended usable space increases the capacity of the EMITBI to hold additional IT modules and increase a computational size of the LMIHS.

11. An Expandable Modular Information Technology (IT) Building Infrastructure (EMITBI) comprising:
a first baseline section having:
a first installed base pad providing a first usable space area for placement of a first maximum number of modular IT components;
a plurality of exterior vertical walls extending upwards from the first installed base pad with at least two walls oriented in a lateral direction and supporting a first originally-constructed segment of an extended roof structure; and
a plurality of modular IT components that collectively provides a first installation of a large-scale modularly-constructed information handling system (LMIHS), the first installation being completely housed within the first baseline section;

a second extended section having:
a second installed base pad providing a second usable space area for placement of additional modular IT components, the second usable space area and first usable space area collectively providing a modularly-extended usable space area, the second installed base pad being constructed while the first baseline section was operational and included a removable expansion wall (REW) that was left in place while the second extended section was being constructed;
a plurality of exterior vertical walls, including a pair of exterior walls abutting respective ends of the at least two walls and respectively extending laterally away from the at least two walls along respective perimeter edges of the second installed base pad, the pair of exterior walls further supporting an extension segment of the extended roof structure; and
an end wall abutting the ends of the p

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Schmitt Ty
• Bailey Mark

Classifications

• E04B1/34384

  Assembling details for foldable, separable, collapsible or retractable structures · CPC title

• E04B1/34321 Primary

  mainly constituted by panels · CPC title

• E04B2001/34389

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E04H1/00

  Buildings or groups of buildings for dwelling or office purposes; General layout, e.g. modular co-ordination or staggered storeys (E04H3/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E04B1/34869

  Elements for special technical purposes, e.g. with a sanitary equipment · CPC title