Parallel-series hybrid fan cooling apparatus and optimization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11035371-B2
Application number	US-201514930217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2015
Priority date	Sep 22, 2015
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A method of cooling a heat generating enclosure includes setting a speed of each fan in a first array of fans, wherein each fan in the first array of fans is a first size, is disclosed. The method further includes measuring a process variable. The method also includes calculating a cooling strategy based at least in part on the value of the process variable. The method further includes setting the speed of each fan in the first array of fans or the speed of each fan in a second array of fans, wherein the second array of fans is in series to the first array of fans and each fan in the second array of fans is a second size, and wherein the speed of each fan that is set in the first or second array is set to implement the cooling strategy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for cooling a heat-generating enclosure, comprising:
setting a speed of each fan in a first array of fans, wherein each fan in the first array of fans is a first size, and wherein the first array of fans is arranged to provide a baseload cooling flow to a plurality of high-heat sections and low-heat sections of a plurality of heat-generating sections within the heat-generating enclosure and a targeted cooling flow for a first number of high-heat sections of the plurality of high-heat sections;
measuring a process variable;
calculating a cooling strategy based on a value of the process variable, a first cooling efficiency of the fans in the first array based on acoustics or a power usage of the fans in the first array, a second cooling efficiency of fans in a second array of fans based on acoustics or a power usage of the fans in the second array, a second number of the plurality of high-heat sections and low-heat sections, and one or more locations of the plurality of high-heat sections and low-heat sections; and
setting the speed of each fan in the first array of fans and the speed of each fan in the second array of fans, wherein each fan in the second array of fans is arranged to provide a cooling flow to a targeted subset of the plurality of heat-generating sections comprising a third number of high-heat sections of the plurality of high-heat sections, wherein the third number of high-heat sections is less than the first number of high-heat sections, wherein the second array of fans is in series to the first array of fans and each fan in the second array of fans is a second size, and wherein the speed of each fan in the first and second arrays is set to implement the cooling strategy.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
setting the speed of each fan in a third array of fans, wherein the third array of fans is in series to the first array of fans and each fan in the third array of fans is a third size, and wherein the speed of each fan in the third array is set to implement the cooling strategy.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the process variable is temperature.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein setting the speed of each fan in the second array of fans further comprises setting the speed of one or more fans in the second array of fans to a speed to provide localized cooling to an area within the heat-generating enclosure.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
waiting a predetermined number of seconds;
measuring the process variable;
calculating a second cooling strategy based at least in part on a new value of the process variable; and
resetting the speed of each fan in the first array of fans and the speed of each fan in the second array of fans to implement the second cooling strategy.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second cooling efficiency is different from the first cooling efficiency, wherein the first cooling efficiency of the fans in the first array is further based on
a temperature specification of the fans in the first array,
wherein, the second cooling efficiency of the fans in the second array is further based on
a temperature specification of the fans in the second array.

7. A method for cooling a heat-generating enclosure, comprising:
setting a speed of each fan in a first array of fans, wherein each fan in the first array of fans is a first size, and wherein the first array of fans is arranged to provide a baseload cooling flow to a plurality of high-heat sections and low-heat sections of a plurality of heat-generating sections within the heat-generating enclosure and a targeted cooling flow for a first number of high-heat sections of the plurality of high-heat sections;
acquiring temperature data from one or more sensors within the heat-generating enclosure;
mapping temperature data to a swept area of each fan in the first array of fans and to a swept area of each fan in a second array of fans wherein the second array of fans is in series to the first array of fans and each fan in the second array of fans is a second size, wherein each fan in the second array of fans is arranged to provide a cooling flow to a targeted subset of the plurality of heat-generating sections comprising a second number of high-heat sections of the plurality of high-heat sections, wherein the second number of high-heat sections is less than the first number of high-heat sections;
calculating an airflow required for one or more swept areas to meet a predetermined temperature constraint;
calculating a fan speed for each fan in the first array and the second array based on the airflow required and a first cooling efficiency of the fans in the first array based on acoustics or a power usage of the fans in the first array, a second cooling efficiency of the fans in the second array based on acoustics or a power usage of the fans in the second array, a third number of the plurality of high-heat sections and low-heat sections, and one or more locations of the plurality of high-heat sections and low-heat sections; and
setting the fan speed to the calculated fan speed for each fan in the first array and the second array.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
waiting a predetermined number of seconds;
acquiring new temperature data from the one or more sensors;
mapping the new temperature data to the swept area of each fan;
calculating a new airflow required to meet the predetermined temperature constraint;
calculating a new fan speed for each fan of the first array and the second array; and
setting the new fan speed for each fan in the first array or the second array.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first array of fans and the second array of fans are on opposite sides of the heat-generating enclosure.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first array of fans and the second array of fans are on the same side of the heat-generating enclosure.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein calculating an airflow required for one or more swept areas further comprises utilizing tachometer data from one or more fans in the first array or the second array.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second cooling efficiency is different from the first cooling efficiency, wherein the first cooling efficiency of the fans in the first array is further based on
a temperature specification of the fans in the first array,
wherein, the second cooling efficiency of the fans in the second array is further based on
a temperature specification of the fans in the second array.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Barron David
• Freitas Rachael C
• Mahaney Jr Howard V
• Mashak Benjamin W
• Zacharakis-Jutz George

Classifications

• F05D2270/303

  Temperature · CPC title

• F04D25/166

  using fans · CPC title

• Y02B30/70

  Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating · CPC title

• F04D19/002

  Axial flow fans · CPC title

• F04D27/004 Primary

  by varying driving speed · CPC title