Optimizing free cooling of data centers through weather-based intelligent control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9338928-B2
Application number	US-201113293800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2011
Priority date	Nov 10, 2011
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

Optimizing free cooling of data centers through weather-based intelligent control, including: receiving predictive weather information for the data center's location, wherein the predictive weather information includes information describing expected future weather conditions at the data center's location; receiving a predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center; receiving excursion information describing acceptable temporary operating conditions during which the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center is higher than the sustainable inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center; and determining a free air cooling schedule in dependence upon the predictive weather information and the excursion information, the free air cooling schedule specifying periods of time during which cooling is provided with free air.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of optimizing free cooling of data centers through weather-based intelligent control, the method comprising:
receiving, by a free cooling maximization module, predictive weather information for the data center's location, wherein the predictive weather information includes information describing expected future weather conditions at the data center's location;
receiving, by the free cooling maximization module, a predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center;
receiving, by the free cooling maximization module, excursion information describing acceptable temporary operating conditions during which the inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center is higher than the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center, wherein the excursion information includes a maximum excursion temperature and a maximum amount of time during which the data center may operate using the maximum excursion temperature, wherein the maximum excursion temperature specifies an inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center that is higher than the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center;
determining, by the free cooling maximization module, a free air cooling schedule in dependence upon the predictive weather information, the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center, and the excursion information, wherein the free air cooling schedule specifies periods of time during which cooling for computing components in the data center is provided with free air external to the data center and drawn into the data center at a temperature higher than the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature; and
determining, by the free cooling maximization module, periods of time in the free air cooling schedule during which cooling for computing components in the data center is provided with HVAC, wherein the periods of time in the free air cooling schedule during which cooling is provided with HVAC are scheduled after all the periods of time during which cooling for computing components in the data center is provided with free air external to the data center and drawn into the data center at a temperature higher than the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature have been utilized,
wherein the free air cooling schedule includes periods of time during which cooling for computing components in the data center is provided with free air external to the data center and drawn into the data center at a temperature higher than the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature and periods of time during which cooling for computing components in the data center is provided with HVAC in order to ensure adequate cooling with reduced electricity consumption.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising tracking, by the free cooling maximization module, air cooling information that includes:
the amount of time during which the inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center is higher than the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center; and
the amount of time during which the inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center is lower than or equal to the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising updating the free air cooling schedule in dependence upon the air cooling information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the predictive weather information includes a weather forecast for the data center's location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the predictive weather information includes historical weather data for the data center's location.

6. An apparatus for optimizing free cooling of data centers through weather-based intelligent control, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of:
receiving, by a free cooling maximization module, predictive weather information for the data center's location, wherein the predictive weather information includes information describing expected future weather conditions at the data center's location;
receiving, by the free cooling maximization module, a predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center;
receiving, by the free cooling maximization module, excursion information describing acceptable temporary operating conditions during which the inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center is higher than the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center, wherein the excursion information includes a maximum excursion temperature and a maximum amount of time during which the data center may operate using the maximum excursion temperature, wherein the maximum excursion temperature specifies an inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center that is higher than the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center;
determining, by the free cooling maximization module, a free air cooling schedule in dependence upon the predictive weather information, the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center, and the excursion information, wherein the free air cooling schedule specifies periods of time during which cooling for computing components in the data center is provided with free air external to the data center and drawn into the data center at a temperature higher than the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature; and
determining, by the free cooling maximization module, periods of time in the free air cooling schedule during which cooling for computing components in the data center is provided with HVAC, wherein the periods of time in the free air cooling schedule during which cooling is provided with HVAC are scheduled after all the periods of time during which cooling for computing components in the data center is provided with free air external to the data center and drawn into the data center at a temperature higher than the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature have been utilized,
wherein the free air cooling schedule includes periods of time during which cooling for computing components in the data center is provided with free air external to the data center and drawn into the data center at a temperature higher than the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature and periods of time during which cooling for computing components in the data center is provided with HVAC in order to ensure adequate cooling with reduced electricity consumption.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the step of tracking, by the free cooling maximization module, air cooling information that includes:
the amount of time during which the inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center is higher than the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center; and
the amount of time during which the inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center is lower than or equal to the predetermined target inlet air flow temperature for computing components in the data center.

8. The ap

Assignees

• Lehman Bret W
• IBM

Inventors

• Lehman Bret W

Classifications

• H05K7/20836 Primary

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

• G06F1/206 Primary

  comprising thermal management · CPC title