Enhanced fan design, configuration, and control for modular, scalable and expandable, rack-based information handling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10004162-B2
Application number	US-201314139700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2013
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

A rack-based information handling system (IHS) includes a rack having a modular structure that supports insertion of different numbers and sizes of information technology (IT) gear to create one or more IT nodes. A fan bay module is attached to the rack and supports insertion of multiple different fan configurations in more than one fan receptacle. At least one fan is inserted within corresponding at least one fan receptacle of the fan bay module to conform to at least a first fan configuration. A block controller is configurable to control each of the different fan configurations and which, in response to detecting the first fan configuration of the at least one fan inserted within the fan bay module, activates a corresponding first control algorithm that enables the detected first fan configuration to be utilized to provide rack-level cooling for one or more of the IT nodes inserted within the rack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rack-based information handling system (IHS), comprising:
a rack having a modular structure that supports insertion of different numbers and sizes of information technology (IT) gear to create one or more IT nodes;
a fan bay module attached to the rack and configured with more than one fan receptacle, the fan bay module supporting insertion of multiple different fan configurations in the more than one fan receptacle, wherein the fan bay module supports insertion of: a first fan configuration having a first number of fans within a single fan bay module, the first fan configuration controllable via a first control algorithm; and a second fan configuration having a second, different number of fans within a single fan bay module, the second fan configuration controllable via a second control algorithm;
at least one fan inserted within a corresponding fan receptacle of the fan bay module to conform to at least a first fan configuration;
a block controller that is configurable to control each of the different fan configurations and which, in response to detecting the first fan configuration of the at least one fan inserted within the fan bay module, automatically activates a corresponding first control algorithm that enables the detected first fan configuration to be utilized to provide rack-level cooling for one or more of the IT nodes inserted within the rack, wherein each fan bay module is assigned to cool a different set of components within the rack and is separately controllable via the single block controller executing respective first and second control algorithms, wherein the block controller comprises a fan module interface;
one or more cables connected between the fan module interface and the fan bay module to communicate signals and power between the block controller and the at least one fan, wherein the multiple different fan configurations are associated respectively with a corresponding unique wiring configuration that is electrically communicated to the fan module interface by the one or more cables; and
wherein the block controller is further configurable to determine a fan configuration of each fan module based on the wiring configuration sensed at the fan module interface.

2. The rack-based IHS of claim 1 , wherein:
the fan bay module supports insertion of multiple different fan configurations including a first fan configuration having fans of a first size within a single fan bay module and a second fan configuration having fans of a second, different size within a single fan bay module, each fan bay module assigned to cool a different set of components within the rack and being separately controllable via the single block controller.

3. The rack-based IHS of claim 1 , wherein:
the fan bay module supports concurrent insertion of multiple different fan configurations, including a first fan configuration having a first number of fans of a first size within a first single fan bay module and a second fan configuration having a second number of fans of a second size within a next single fan bay module, each fan bay module assigned to cool a different set of components within the rack and being separately controllable via the single block controller.

4. The rack-based IHS of claim 3 , further comprising:
at least one cooling zone identified within the rack at a location of one or more IT nodes that require cooling by one or more fans within an adjacent fan bay module;
wherein the block controller is further configured to control a speed of the one or more fans in response to a determination, based upon (i) information about the IT gear located at the at least one cooling zone and (ii) a relative size and number of fans within the one or more fan bay modules that service the at least one cooling zone.

5. The rack-based IHS of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one cooling zone identified within the rack at a location of one or more IT nodes that require cooling by one or more fans within the fan bay module;
at least one temperature sensor positioned within a location of each IT node corresponding to each cooling zone serviced by fans within the fan bay module;
wherein each fan receptacle of the fan bay module is delineated according to which cooling zone is serviced by fans placed at the specific fan receptacle within the fan bay module; and
wherein the block controller is configurable to:
detect a respective fan configuration of the multiple different fan configurations for each of the more than one cooling zone;
detect a sensed temperature from a respective temperature sensor corresponding to each of the more than one cooling zone;
activate a corresponding control algorithm that enables the detected respective fan configuration to be utilized to provide rack-level cooling for the one or more IT nodes of the more than one cooling zone; and
trigger a fan speed of the one or more fans of a particular fan bay module based on a sensed temperature from the at least one temperature sensor at the corresponding cooling zone serviced by the fan bay module.

6. The rack-based IHS of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding unique wiring configuration comprises a selected one or more of: (i) a number of the one or more cables, (ii) a first subset of allowable conductors of a cable connector of the one or more cables, and (iii) a second subset of conductors of the one or more cable connectors that are in electrical communication with the at least one fan.

7. A cooling system for an information handling system (IHS) having a rack of a modular structure that supports insertion of different numbers and sizes of information technology (IT) gear to create one or more IT nodes, the cooling system comprising:
a fan bay module attached to the rack and which supports insertion of multiple different fan configurations in more than one fan receptacle, wherein the fan bay module supports insertion of: a first fan configuration having a first number of fans within a single fan bay module, the first fan configuration controllable via a first control algorithm; and a second fan configuration having a second, different number of fans within a single fan bay module, the second fan configuration controllable via a second control algorithm;
at least one fan inserted within the at least one fan receptacle of the fan bay module to conform to at least a first fan configuration;
a block controller that is configurable to control each of the multiple different fan configurations and which, in response to detecting the first fan configuration of the at least one fan inserted within the fan bay module, activates an associated first control algorithm that enables the detected first fan configuration to be utilized to provide rack-level cooling for one or more of the IT nodes inserted within the rack adjacent to the at least one fan within the at least one fan receptacle, wherein each fan bay module is assigned to cool a different set of components within the rack and is separately controllable via the single block controller executing respective first and second control algorithms, the block controller comprising a fan module interface;
one or more cables connected between the fan module interface and the fan bay module to communicate signals and power between the block controller and the at least one fan, wherein the multiple different fan configurations are associated respectively with a corresponding unique wiring configuration that is electrically communicated to the fan module interface by the one or more cables; and
wherein the block controller is further configurable to determine a fan configuration of each fan bay module based on the wiring configuration sensed at the fan module interface.

8. The cooling system of claim 7 , wherein:
the fa

Assignees

• Dell Inc
• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Bailey Edmond
• Shelnutt Austin Michael
• Stuewe John R
• Vancil Paul W

Classifications

• H05K7/20736 Primary

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title

• H05K7/20209

  Thermal management, e.g. fan control · CPC title

• H05K7/20836

  Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control · CPC title

• G05D23/1932

  to control the temperature of a plurality of spaces · CPC title