초록 ▼

The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling air conditioning facilities, and a system and method for power management of a computer room. In an air-conditioning facility control system of a computer room (cooling room) equipped with air-conditioning facilities for air-coolin

The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling air conditioning facilities, and a system and method for power management of a computer room. In an air-conditioning facility control system of a computer room (cooling room) equipped with air-conditioning facilities for air-cooling the computer room in which a large number of information processing units are installed, an air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit calculates a temperature sensitivity coefficient of each information processing unit, and that of each air conditioner, and then determines discharge air temperature of each air conditioner by use of the temperature sensitivity coefficients in such a manner that the sum of squares of a deviation of a change in discharge air temperature of each information processing unit becomes the smallest, and in such a manner that the sum total of the power consumption of the individual air conditioners becomes the smallest.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An air-conditioning facility control system for a computer room in which one or more information processing units and one or more air conditioners are placed, said system comprising: temperature sensors configured to measure temperature, each temperature sensor being provided at an intake air por

1. An air-conditioning facility control system for a computer room in which one or more information processing units and one or more air conditioners are placed, said system comprising: temperature sensors configured to measure temperature, each temperature sensor being provided at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the information processing unit, at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the information processing unit is discharged, at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the air conditioner, and at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the air conditioner is discharged;an information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit configured to monitor and control the individual information processing units; andan air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit configured to monitor and control the individual air conditioners, and configured to input the output of the individual temperature sensors; wherein:the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit or the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit includes an information processing unit database in which data about specifications and locations of the information processing units are accumulated;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit includes:a data input/output unit configured to input/output data from/to the individual air conditioners and the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit;a storage unit configured to store temperature data collected by the individual temperature sensors; andan individual air-conditioner set temperature instruction unit configured to control the discharge air temperature of air discharged from the individual air conditioners; andthe individual air-conditioner set temperature instruction unit includes:an air-conditioner set-temperature change calculation module configured to change set temperature of each of the air conditioners;an information-processing-unit intake-air temperature allowance calculation module configured to calculate a deviation of temperature of intake air taken into each of the information processing units from an upper limit thereof;an air-conditioner cycle calculation module configured to calculate a cooling cycle of each of the air conditioners to determine the power consumption of the air conditioner; anda temperature sensitivity calculation module configured to calculate a temperature sensitivity coefficient of each of the information processing units associated with each of the air conditioners, and a temperature sensitivity coefficient of each of the air conditioners associated with each of the information processing units,wherein:based on the computer room that is actually operating or by means of heat fluid simulation in which the computer room is modeled, the temperature sensitivity calculation module successively changes discharge air temperature of air discharged from each of the air conditioners by a specified temperature width, measures a change in temperature by the temperature sensor disposed at the intake air portion of each of the information processing units, and a change in temperature by the temperature sensor disposed at the discharge air portion of each of the information processing units or inputs calculated values of changes in temperature of air in each of the information processing units space based on heat fluid simulation, divides the change in temperature of air at the intake air portion of each of the information processing units, and the change in temperature of air at the discharge air portion of each of the information processing units, by the temperature width by which the discharge air temperature of the air discharged from each of the air conditioners has been changed, to thereby obtain temperature sensitivity coefficients of each of the information processing units associated with each of the air conditioners, and then saves the temperature sensitivity coefficients; andthe temperature sensitivity calculation module successively changes air temperature at the discharge air portion of each of the information processing units by a specified temperature width, inputs air temperature at an intake air portion of each of the air conditioners, and divides a change in temperature at the intake air portion of each of the air conditioners by the temperature width by which the air temperature at the discharge air portion of each of the information processing units has been changed, to thereby obtain temperature sensitivity coefficients of each of the air conditioners associated with each of the information processing units, and then saves the temperature sensitivity coefficients. 2. An air-conditioning facility control system for a computer room in which one or more information processing units and one or more air conditioners are placed, said system comprising: temperature sensors configured to measure temperature, each temperature sensor being provided at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the information processing unit, at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the information processing unit is discharged, at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the air conditioner, and at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the air conditioner is discharged;an information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit configured to monitor and control the individual information processing units; andan air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit configured to monitor and control the individual air conditioners, and configured to input the output of the individual temperature sensors; wherein: the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit or the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit includes an information processing unit database in which data about specifications and locations of the information processing units are accumulated;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit includes:a data input/output unit configured to input/output data from/to the individual air conditioners and the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit;a storage unit configured to store temperature data collected by the individual temperature sensors; andan individual air-conditioner set temperature instruction unit configured to control the discharge air temperature of air discharged from the individual air conditioners; andthe individual air-conditioner set temperature instruction unit includes:an air-conditioner set-temperature change calculation module configured to change set temperature of each of the air conditioners;an information-processing-unit intake-air temperature allowance calculation module configured to calculate a deviation of temperature of intake air taken into each of the information processing units from an upper limit thereof;an air-conditioner cycle calculation module configured to calculate a cooling cycle of each of the air conditioners to determine the power consumption of the air conditioner; anda temperature sensitivity calculation module configured to calculate a temperature sensitivity coefficient of each of the information processing units associated with each of the air conditioners, and a temperature sensitivity coefficient of each of the air conditioners associated with each of the information processing units,based on the computer room that is actually operating or by means of heat fluid simulation in which the computer room is modeled, the temperature sensitivity calculation module successively changes discharge air temperature of air discharged from each of the air conditioners by a specified temperature width, measures a change in temperature by the temperature sensor disposed at the intake air portion of each of the information processing units, and a change in temperature by the temperature sensor disposed at the discharge air portion of each of the information processing units or inputs calculated values of changes in temperature of air in each of the information processing units space based on heat fluid simulation, divides the change in temperature of air at the intake air portion of each of the information processing units, and the change in temperature of air at the discharge air portion of each of the information processing units, by the temperature width by which the discharge air temperature of the air discharged from each of the air conditioners has been changed, to thereby obtain temperature sensitivity coefficients of each of the information processing units associated with each of the air conditioners, and then saves the temperature sensitivity coefficients;the temperature sensitivity calculation module successively changes air temperature at the discharge air portion of each of the information processing units by a specified temperature width, inputs air temperature at an intake air portion of each of the air conditioners, and divides a change in temperature at the intake air portion of each of the air conditioners by the temperature width by which the air temperature at the discharge air portion of each of the information processing units has been changed, to thereby obtain temperature sensitivity coefficients of each of the air conditioners associated with each of the information processing units, and then saves the temperature sensitivity coefficients;the information-processing-unit intake-air temperature allowance calculation module refers to the temperature sensitivity coefficients of each of the information processing units associated with each of the air conditioners, calculates a deviation of a temperature value measured by the temperature sensor disposed at the intake air portion of each of the information processing units placed in the actually operating computer room from an upper limit of intake air temperature of each of the information processing units, which is stored in the information processing unit database, and then saves the deviation; andthe air-conditioner set-temperature change calculation module calculations discharge air temperature of air discharged from each of the air conditioners in such a manner that the sum of squares of the deviation becomes the smallest and stores the resulting value therein, and then outputs the discharge air temperature of the air discharged from each of the air conditioners to each of the air conditioners from the data input/output unit as control instruction temperature of each of the air conditioners. 3. The air-conditioning facility control system according to claim 2, wherein: the discharge air temperature of the air discharged from each of the air conditioners is not output to each of the air conditioners as the control instruction temperature; andthe air-conditioner set-temperature change calculation module refers to the temperature sensitivity coefficients of each of the information processing units associated with each of the air conditioners, and calculates discharge air temperature of air discharged from each of the air conditioners in such a manner that on the assumption that the discharge air temperature of the air discharged from each of the air conditioners is an initial value and the sum total of the power consumption of the individual air conditioners becomes the smallest, and stores the resulting value therein, and then outputs the discharge air temperature of the air discharged from each of the air conditioners, which minimizes the sum total of the power consumption of the individual air conditioners, to each of the air conditioners from the data input/output unit as control instruction temperature of each of the air conditioners. 4. A power management system for a computer room in which one or more information processing units and one or more air conditioners are placed, said system comprising: temperature sensors configured to measure temperature, each temperature sensor being provided at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the information processing unit, at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the information processing unit is discharged, at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the air conditioner, and at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the air conditioner is discharged;an information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit configured to monitor and control the individual information processing units; and an air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit configured to monitor and control the individual air conditioners, and configured to input the output of the individual temperature sensors; wherein: the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit or the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit includes an information processing unit database in which data about specifications and locations of the information processing units are accumulated;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit includes:a data input/output unit configured to input/output data from/to the individual air conditioners and the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit;a storage unit configured to store temperature data collected by the individual temperature sensors; andan individual air-conditioner set temperature instruction unit configured to control the discharge air temperature of air discharged from the individual air conditioners;the individual air-conditioner set temperature instruction unit includes:an air-conditioner set-temperature change calculation module configured to change set temperature of each of the air conditioners;an information-processing-unit intake-air temperature allowance calculation module configure to calculate a deviation of temperature of intake air taken into each of the information processing units from an upper limit thereof;an air-conditioner cycle calculation module configured to calculate a cooling cycle of each of the air conditioners to determine the power consumption of the air conditioner; anda temperature sensitivity calculation module configured to calculate a temperature sensitivity coefficient of each of the information processing units associated with each of the air conditioners, and a temperature sensitivity coefficient of each of the air conditioners associated with each of the information processing units; andthe information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit includes:a data input/output unit configured to input an operational state of each of the information processing units, and configured to give an instruction to assign a job to each of the information processing units;an information-processing-unit monitoring unit configured to monitor each of the information processing units; andan information-processing-unit job instruction unit configured to calculate assignment of a job (load) to each of the information processing units, and configured to then give an instruction to assign the job,wherein:based on the computer room that is actually operating or by means of heat fluid simulation in which the computer room is modeled, the temperature sensitivity calculation module successively changes discharge air temperature of air discharged from each of the air conditioners by a specified temperature width, measures a change in temperature by the temperature sensor disposed at the intake air portion of each of the information processing units, and a change in temperature by the temperature sensor disposed at the discharge air portion of each of the information processing units or inputs calculated values of changes in temperature of air in each of the information processing units space based on heat fluid simulation, divides the change in temperature of air at the intake air portion of each of the information processing units, and the change in temperature of air at the discharge air portion of each of the information processing units, by the temperature width by which the discharge air temperature of the air discharged from each of the air conditioners has been changed, to thereby obtain temperature sensitivity coefficients of each of the information processing units associated with each of the air conditioners, and then saves the temperature sensitivity coefficients; andthe temperature sensitivity calculation module successively changes air temperature at the discharge air portion of each of the information processing units by a specified temperature width, inputs air temperature at an intake air portion of each of the air conditioners, and divides a change in temperature at the intake air portion of each of the air conditioners by the temperature width by which the air temperature at the discharge air portion of each of the information processing units has been changed, to thereby obtain temperature sensitivity coefficients of each of the air conditioners associated with each of the information processing units, and then saves the temperature sensitivity coefficients. 5. A power management system for a computer room in which one or more information processing units and one or more air conditioners are placed, said system comprising: temperature sensors configured to measure temperature, each temperature sensor being provided at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the information processing unit, at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the information processing unit is discharged, at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the air conditioner, and at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the air conditioner is discharged;an information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit configured to monitor and control the individual information processing units; andan air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit configured to monitor and control the individual air conditioners, and configured to input the output of the individual temperature sensors; wherein: the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit or the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit includes an information processing unit database in which data about specifications and locations of the information processing units are accumulated;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit includes:a data input/output unit configured to input/output data from/to the individual air conditioners and the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit;a storage unit configured to store temperature data collected by the individual temperature sensors; andan individual air-conditioner set temperature instruction unit configured to control the discharge air temperature of air discharged from the individual air conditioners;the individual air-conditioner set temperature instruction unit includes:an air-conditioner set-temperature change calculation module configured to change set temperature of each of the air conditioners;an information-processing-unit intake-air temperature allowance calculation module configured to calculate a deviation of temperature of intake air taken into each of the information processing units from an upper limit thereof;an air-conditioner cycle calculation module configured to calculate a cooling cycle of each of the air conditioners to determine the power consumption of the air conditioner; anda temperature sensitivity calculation module configured to calculate a temperature sensitivity coefficient of each of the information processing units associated with each of the air conditioners, and a temperature sensitivity coefficient of each of the air conditioners associated with each of the information processing units; andthe information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit includes:a data input/output unit configured to input an operational state of each of the information processing units, and configured to give an instruction to assign a job to each of the information processing units;an information-processing-unit monitoring unit configured to monitor each of the information processing units; andan information-processing-unit job instruction unit configured to calculate assignment of a job (load) to each of the information processing units, and configured to then give an instruction to assign the job, wherein the air-conditioner set-temperature change calculation module refers to the temperature sensitivity coefficients of each of the air conditioners associated with each of the information processing units, calculates a calorific value of each of the information processing units, or a calorific value of a rack group into which racks each storing information processing units are grouped, which minimizes the sum total of the power consumption of the individual air conditioners, under a condition in which the sum total of the calorific values becomes equivalent to the sum total of the cooling capacity of each of the air conditioners at the calculated discharge air temperature of cooling air from each of the air conditioners, and saves the calorific value, and then transmits the resulting calorific value to the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit through the data input/output unit. 6. A power management system for a computer room in which one or more information processing units and one or more air conditioners are placed, said system comprising: temperature sensors configured to measure temperature, each temperature sensor being provided at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the information processing unit, at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the information processing unit is discharged, at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the air conditioner, and at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the air conditioner is discharged;an information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit configured to monitor and control the individual information processing units; andan air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit configured to monitor and control the individual air conditioners, and configured to input the output of the individual temperature sensors; wherein: the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit or the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit includes an information processing unit database in which data about specifications and locations of the information processing units are accumulated;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit includes:a data input/output unit configured to input/output data from/to the individual air conditioners and the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit;a storage unit configured to store temperature data collected by the individual temperature sensors; andan individual air-conditioner set temperature instruction unit configured to control the discharge air temperature of air discharged from the individual air conditioners;the individual air-conditioner set temperature instruction unit includes:an air-conditioner set-temperature change calculation module configured to change set temperature of each of the air conditioners;an information-processing-unit intake-air temperature allowance calculation module configured to calculate a deviation of temperature of intake air taken into each of the information processing units from an upper limit thereof;an air-conditioner cycle calculation module configured to calculate a cooling cycle of each of the air conditioners to determine the power consumption of the air conditioner; anda temperature sensitivity calculation module configured to calculate a temperature sensitivity coefficient of each of the information processing units associated with each of the air conditioners, and a temperature sensitivity coefficient of each of the air conditioners associated with each of the information processing units; andthe information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit includes:a data input/output unit configured to input an operational state of each of the information processing units, and configured to give an instruction to assign a job to each of the information processing units;an information-processing-unit monitoring unit configured to monitor each of the information processing units; andan information-processing-unit job instruction unit configured to calculate assignment of a job (load) to each of the information processing units, and configured to then give an instruction to assign the job,wherein:the air-conditioner set-temperature change calculation module refers to the temperature sensitivity coefficients of each of the air conditioners associated with each of the information processing units, calculates a calorific value of each of the information processing units, or a calorific value of a rack group into which racks each storing information processing units are grouped, which minimizes the sum total of the power consumption of the individual air conditioners, under a condition in which the sum total of the calorific values becomes equivalent to the sum total of the cooling capacity of each of the air conditioners at the calculated discharge air temperature of cooling air from each of the air conditioners, and saves the calorific value, and then transmits the resulting calorific value to the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit through the data input/output unit; andreferring to the calorific value of each of the information processing units, or the calorific value of the rack group into which racks each storing information processing units are grouped, which has been transmitted from the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit, the information-processing-unit job instruction unit optimizes assignment of jobs to the individual information processing units, and saves the assignment, and then gives a job instruction to each of the information processing units through the data input/output unit. 7. An air-conditioning facility control method of an air-conditioning facility control system for a computer room in which one or more information processing units and one or more air conditioners are placed, said system comprising:an information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit for monitoring and controlling the individual information processing units,an air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit for monitoring and controlling the individual air conditioners, and for inputting the output of the individual temperature sensors, andthe information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit or the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit includes an information processing unit database in which data about specifications and locations of the information processing units are accumulated,said method comprising the steps of:providing temperature sensors for measuring temperature, each temperature sensor being provided at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the information processing unit, at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the information processing unit is discharged, at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the air conditioner, and at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the air conditioner is discharged;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit collecting information about temperature measured by the individual temperature sensors; the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit, on the basis of the temperature information, determining temperature sensitivity coefficients for the intake air temperature and discharge air temperature of each of the information processing units associated with discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners, and temperature sensitivity coefficients for intake air temperature of each of the air conditioners associated with discharge air temperature of each of the information processing units;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit, on the basis of the temperature sensitivity coefficients for the intake air temperature and discharge air temperature of each of the information processing units associated with the discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners, determining discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners in such a manner that the sum of squares of a deviation of the discharge air temperature of each of the information processing units becomes the smallest, and determining the power consumption and cooling capacity at the discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners at this point of time;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit, on the basis of the temperature sensitivity coefficients for the intake air temperature and discharge air temperature of each of the information processing units associated with the discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners, determining discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners in such a manner that the sum total of the power consumption of the individual air conditioners becomes the smallest, and determining the power consumption and cooling capacity at the discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners at this point of time; andthe air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit, outputting the discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners, which minimizes the sum of squares of a deviation of the discharge air temperature of each of the information processing units, or the discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners, which minimizes the sum total of the power consumption of the individual air conditioners, to each of the air conditioners as set temperature thereof. 8. A power management method of a power management system for a computer room in which one or more information processing units and one or more air conditioners are placed, said system comprising:an information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit for monitoring and controlling the individual information processing units; andan air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit for monitoring and controlling the individual air conditioners, and for inputting the output of the individual temperature sensors,the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit or the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit includes an information processing unit database in which data about specifications and locations of the information processing units are accumulated,said power management method comprising the steps of:providing temperature sensors for measuring temperature, each temperature sensor being provided at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the information processing unit, at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the information processing unit is discharged, at an intake air portion through which air circulating in the computer room is taken into the air conditioner, and at a discharge air portion through which the air taken into the air conditioner is discharged;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit, collecting information about temperature measured by the individual temperature sensors;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit, on the basis of the temperature information, determining temperature sensitivity coefficients for the intake air temperature and discharge air temperature of each of the information processing units associated with discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners, and temperature sensitivity coefficients for intake air temperature of each of the air conditioners associated with discharge air temperature of each of the information processing units;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit, on the basis of the temperature sensitivity coefficients for the intake air temperature and discharge air temperature of each of the information processing units associated with the discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners, determining discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners in such a manner that the sum of squares of a deviation of the discharge air temperature of each of the information processing units becomes the smallest, and determining the power consumption and cooling capacity at the discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners at this point of time;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit, on the basis of the temperature sensitivity coefficients for the intake air temperature and discharge air temperature of each of the information processing units associated with the discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners, determining a calorific value of each of the information processing units in such a manner that the sum total of the power consumption of the individual air conditioners becomes the smallest, and determining the power consumption and cooling capacity of each of the air conditioners at the calorific value of each of the information processing units at this point of time;the air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit, outputting the discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners, which minimizes the sum of squares of a deviation of the discharge air temperature of each of the information processing units, or the discharge air temperature of each of the air conditioners, which minimizes the sum total of the power consumption of the individual air conditioners, to each of the air conditioners as set temperature thereof; andthe air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit, outputting the calorific value of each of the information processing units, which minimizes the sum total of the power consumption of the individual air conditioners, to the information-processing-unit monitoring and controlling unit.