Parallel-series hybrid fan cooling apparatus and optimization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11041500-B2
Application number	US-201514861161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2015
Priority date	Sep 22, 2015
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

A system for cooling a heat generating enclosure includes a first array of one or more fans of a first size and a second array of one or more fans of a second size, where the second array is in series to the first array. The system also includes a measuring unit configured to measure at least one process variable. The system also includes a control unit configured to control at least one of the fans in the first array or at least one of the fans in the second array based on the process variable, wherein the fans are controlled to achieve an optimization criterion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for cooling a heat-generating enclosure, comprising:
a first array of one or more fans of a first size, 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 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;
a second array of one or more fans of a second size smaller than the first size, wherein the second array is in series to the first array, 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;
a measuring unit configured to measure at least one process variable; and
a control unit configured to implement a cooling strategy for the heat-generating enclosure, wherein the cooling strategy is implemented by controlling each of the fans in the first array and each of the fans in the second array based on the cooling strategy, wherein the cooling strategy is calculated based on 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 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.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third array of one or more fans of a third size, where the third array is in series to the first array and the second array; and
wherein the control unit is further configured to control at least one of the fans in the third array to achieve an optimization criterion.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to individually control each of the fans in the first array, the second array, and the third array.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the process variable is temperature.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fans in the first array and the second array are controlled to achieve a temperature specification while minimizing a fan noise.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control at least one of the fans in the first array or at least one of the fans in the second array based on the process variable in order to provide a minimum required amount of cooling.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit can control the speed of each of the fans in the first array and the second array.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to increase or decrease the speed of one or more fans in the second array, based on the process variable.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to turn on one or more fans in the second array of one or more fans to target a subset of heat-generating components within the heat-generating enclosure, based on the process variable.

10. The system 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.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cooling strategy is further calculated to preserve component life for a heat-generating component within the heat-generating enclosure.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06F1/206

  comprising thermal management · CPC title

• F04D27/004 Primary

  by varying driving speed · CPC title

• F05D2270/303

  Temperature · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• H05K7/20736

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title