초록 ▼

A technique for cooling equipment racks that contain multiple individual devices, such as computers, that each have their own internal cooling fans. An air passage (“shunt tube”) is placed between a compartment inside the rack, and the ambient air outside the rack, or between compartments inside the

A technique for cooling equipment racks that contain multiple individual devices, such as computers, that each have their own internal cooling fans. An air passage (“shunt tube”) is placed between a compartment inside the rack, and the ambient air outside the rack, or between compartments inside the rack. Sensors inside the air passage detect movement of the air inside the passage, and thus indirectly measure the presence of a differential pressure. The preferred sensor embodiment uses temperature sensors, and takes advantage of the differences of the air temperatures inside the computer rack, and outside the computer rack (or between internal computer rack compartments) to determine if the air is moving through the air passage, and which direction the air is moving. In response to the measurements, a control system is configured to drive the plenum to a slight vacuum, and then slowly reduce an exhaust fan until the plenum is slightly pressurized, at which point the fan speeds up and again creates a slight vacuum. This allows the rack enclosure to continuously adapt to any changes in cooling requirements, as the computer utilization changes.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for controlling an airflow device arranged for supplying or exhausting cooling air for a rack enclosure, the method comprising the steps of: disposing an opening between an area inside the rack enclosure and an area outside the rack enclosure;measuring a first temperature, a second tempe

1. A method for controlling an airflow device arranged for supplying or exhausting cooling air for a rack enclosure, the method comprising the steps of: disposing an opening between an area inside the rack enclosure and an area outside the rack enclosure;measuring a first temperature, a second temperature and a third temperature at locations in thermal communication with said opening, where the measured first temperature is affected by airflow through said opening, the airflow resulting from a pressure differential across said opening;determining a direction of airflow though said opening from said temperature measurement, andcontrolling the airflow device in response to said direction determining step; wherein a shunt tube is disposed in the opening, the first temperature is measured at a location inside the shunt tube, the second temperature is measured at a location outside the enclosure, the third temperature is measured at a location inside the rack enclosure, and wherein the direction of airflow is determined from the first, second and third temperatures measured. 2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the second temperature is measured at one end of the shunt tube. 3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the rack enclosure further comprises an intake plenum and exhaust plenum, and the shunt tube is disposed between the intake and exhaust plenums. 4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the direction of airflow is determined by comparing an average of the second and third temperatures with the first temperature. 5. A method for controlling an airflow device arranged for supplying or exhausting cooling air for a rack enclosure, the method comprising the steps of: disposing an opening between an area inside the rack enclosure and an area outside the rack enclosure;measuring a first temperature and a second temperature at locations in thermal communication with said opening, where the measured first temperature is affected by airflow through said opening, the airflow resulting from a pressure differential across said opening;determining a direction of airflow though said opening from said temperature measurement, andcontrolling the airflow device in response to said direction determining step, wherein the step of determining a direction of airflow further comprises measuring a second temperature at a second location adjacent the opening and determining the direction of airflow by comparing the first and second temperatures measured, wherein the direction of airflow is determined to be a first direction when the first temperature is less than the second temperature, and the direction of airflow is determined to be a second direction when the second temperature is less than the first temperature. 6. A method as in claim 5 wherein the enclosure further encloses a data processing system having a corresponding second air mover for providing exhaust air from the data processing system.