Air conditioning controlling system and air conditioning controlling method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9702580-B2
Application number	US-201514713021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2015
Priority date	Jul 17, 2014
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

An air conditioning controlling system, includes: a sensor configured to measure a first air pressure in a cold aisle in a first space cooled by an air conditioner and a second air pressure in a hot aisle in a second space cooled by the air conditioner; and a control apparatus configured to calculate a first prediction value of a power consumption amount of an information processing apparatus and a second prediction value of a power consumption amount of the air conditioner for each of a plurality of first temperatures at an air capacity of the air conditioner which is based on the first air pressure and the second air pressure, detect, from among the plurality of first temperatures, a temperature at which a total value of the first prediction value and the second prediction value is minimized, and set the detected temperature as a second temperature to the air conditioner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air conditioning controlling system, comprising:
a sensor including a first sensor provided in a cold aisle in a first space of a container cooled by an air conditioner and a second sensor provided in a hot aisle in a second space of the container cooled by the air conditioner, the first sensor configured to measure a first air pressure difference between a cold point in the cold aisle and an outside point outside the first space and the second space, the second sensor configured to measure a second air pressure difference between a hot point in the hot aisle and the outside point; and
a control apparatus configured to:
adjust an air capacity of the air conditioner in such a manner that an air pressure difference between the first air pressure difference and the second air pressure difference falls within a given range when a temperature in the container becomes a temperature setting for the air conditioner;
calculate a first prediction value of a power consumption amount of an information processing apparatus in the container and a second prediction value of a power consumption amount of the air conditioner at the adjusted air capacity of the air conditioner based on a temperature of air outside the first space and the second space;
detect a temperature at which a total value of the first prediction value and the second prediction value is minimized from a storage including a plurality of temperatures to be set in the air conditioner in association with respective total values; and
set the detected temperature as a new temperature setting for the air conditioner.

2. The air conditioning controlling system according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensor has a shape of a tube which is coupled to the cold point and the outside point and the second sensor has a shape of a tube which is coupled to the hot point and the outside point.

3. The air conditioning controlling system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the detected temperature is set as the temperature setting for the air conditioner, the control apparatus stores the total value in the storage.

4. The air conditioning controlling system according to claim 1 , wherein the air conditioner includes a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of air outside the first space and the second space.

5. The air conditioning controlling system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the detected temperature is set as the new temperature setting for the air conditioner, the adjusted air capacity is set as an air capacity setting for the air conditioner.

6. The air conditioning controlling system according to claim 1 , wherein the cold aisle and the hot aisle are disposed across a rack in which the information processing apparatus is accommodated, and the cold aisle is disposed on a cooler side.

7. The air conditioning controlling system according to claim 2 , wherein the control apparatus adjusts the air capacity based on the air pressure difference.

8. The air conditioning controlling system according to claim 2 , wherein the control apparatus decreases the air capacity when the air pressure difference exceeds a threshold value, and increases the air capacity when the air pressure difference is equal to or smaller than the threshold value and exhibits a negative value.

9. The air conditioning controlling system according to claim 2 , wherein, within the given range, the air pressure difference is equal to or smaller than a threshold value and exhibits a positive value.

10. The air conditioning controlling system according to claim 1 , wherein the cold point in the cold aisle, the hot point in the hot aisle and the outside point are placed at the same height.

11. The air conditioning controlling system according to claim 1 , wherein the cold point and the hot point are provided in such a manner that a server rack is provided between the cold point ant the hot point.

12. An air conditioning controlling method, comprising:
measuring, by a first sensor having a shape of a tube and provided in a cold aisle in a first space of a container cooled by an air conditioner and a second sensor having the shape of the tube and provided in a hot aisle in a second space of the container cooled by the air conditioner, a first air pressure difference and a second air pressure difference, respectively, the first air pressure difference being an air pressure difference between a cold point in the cold aisle and an outside point outside the first space and the second space, the second air pressure difference being an air pressure difference between a hot point in the hot aisle and the outside point;
adjusting an air capacity of the air conditioner in such a manner that an air pressure difference between the first air pressure difference and the second air pressure difference falls within a given range when a temperature in the container becomes a temperature setting for the air conditioner;
calculating a first prediction value of a power consumption amount of the information processing apparatus and a second prediction value of a power consumption amount of the air conditioner at the adjusted air capacity of the air conditioner based on a temperature of air outside the first space and the second space;
selecting a temperature at which a total value of the first prediction value and the second prediction value is minimized from a storage including a plurality of temperatures to be set in the air conditioner in association with respective total values; and
setting the selected temperature as a new temperature setting for the air conditioner.

13. The air conditioning controlling method according to claim 12 , further comprising, storing the total value in the storage when the selected temperature is set as the temperature setting for the air conditioner.

14. The air conditioning controlling method according to claim 12 , further comprising,
measuring the temperature of air outside the first space and the second space.

15. The air conditioning controlling method according to claim 12 , further comprising,
setting the adjusted air capacity as an air capacity setting for the air conditioner when the selected temperature is set as the temperature setting for the air conditioner.

16. The air conditioning controlling method according to claim 12 , wherein the cold aisle is disposed on a cooler side.

17. The air conditioning controlling method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
decreasing the air capacity when the air pressure difference between the first air pressure difference and the second air pressure difference exceeds a threshold value; and
increasing the air capacity when the air pressure difference between the first air pressure difference and the second air pressure difference is equal to or smaller than the threshold value and exhibits a negative value.

18. The air conditioning controlling method according to claim 12 , wherein the first sensor has a shape of a tube which is coupled to the cold point and the outside point and the second sensor has a shape of a tube which is coupled to the hot point and the outside point.

19. The air conditioning controlling method according to claim 12 , wherein the cold point in the cold aisle, the hot point in the hot aisle and the outside point are placed at the same height.

20. The air conditioning controlling method according to claim 12 , wherein the cold point and the hot point are provided in such a manner that a server rack is provided between the cold point ant the hot point.

Assignees

• Fujitsu Ltd

Inventors

• Minegishi Akira
• Kikuchi Akira

Classifications

• H05K7/20745

  within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device · CPC title

• H05K7/20836 Primary

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

• F24F2140/60

  Energy consumption · CPC title

• F24F11/62

  characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values · CPC title

• F24F2110/40

  Pressure, e.g. wind pressure · CPC title