Energy efficient CRAC unit operation using heat transfer levels
First Claim
1. A method for controlling one or more computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units for energy efficient operation, wherein said CRAC units comprise a cooling system and a blower, said one or more CRAC units being configured to receive return air, and wherein said cooling system comprises at least one of a refrigerant and a coolant configured to cool the return air, said method comprising:
- detecting a power consumption of the cooling system;
detecting a power consumption of the blower;
calculating costs associated with the cooling system power consumption and the blower power consumption;
comparing the costs associated with increasing the temperature of the at least one of the refrigerant and the coolant and the costs associated with decreasing the volume flow rate of air delivered by the blower; and
reducing at least one operation of the one or more CRAC units in response to the compared costs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for controlling one or more computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units for energy efficient operation, in which, the temperature of the air returned (Trat) into the one or more CRAC units and the temperature of the air supplied (Tsat) by the one or more CRAC units is detected. The caloric heat transfer level (Q) is calculated based upon the Trat and the Tsat and it is determined whether the Q is within a predetermined setpoint caloric heat transfer range. In addition, at least one operation of the one or more CRAC units is reduced in response to the Q being within the predetermined setpoint caloric heat transfer range to thereby increase the efficiencies of the one or more CRAC units.
101 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for controlling one or more computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units for energy efficient operation, wherein said CRAC units comprise a cooling system and a blower, said one or more CRAC units being configured to receive return air, and wherein said cooling system comprises at least one of a refrigerant and a coolant configured to cool the return air, said method comprising:
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detecting a power consumption of the cooling system; detecting a power consumption of the blower; calculating costs associated with the cooling system power consumption and the blower power consumption; comparing the costs associated with increasing the temperature of the at least one of the refrigerant and the coolant and the costs associated with decreasing the volume flow rate of air delivered by the blower; and reducing at least one operation of the one or more CRAC units in response to the compared costs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14)
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8. A method for controlling one or more computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units for energy efficient operation, wherein said CRAC units comprise a cooling system and a blower, said one or more CRAC units being configured to receive return air, and wherein said cooling system comprises at least one of a refrigerant and a coolant configured to cool the return air, said method comprising:
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detecting the temperature of the air returned (Trat) into the one or more CRAC units; determining whether the Trat is below a minimum setpoint temperature level-in calculating costs associated with decreasing the temperature of at least one of the refrigerant and the coolant; calculating costs associated with increasing a volume flow rate of air delivered by the blower; comparing the costs associated with decreasing the temperature of at least one of the refrigerant and the coolant and the costs associated with increasing the volume flow rate of air delivered by the blower; and operating the one or more CRAC units to at least one of decrease a temperature of at least one of a refrigerant and a coolant and increase a volume flow rate of cooling fluid delivered by a blower of the one or more CRAC units in response to the Trat being above the minimum setpoint temperature level. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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15. A computer room air conditioning (CRAC) unit comprising:
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a return air temperature sensor; and a controller configured to compare the temperature of the return air (Trat) with a predetermined setpoint temperature range to determine whether the Trat is below a minimum setpoint temperature level in response to the Trat being outside of the predetermined setpoint temperature range, wherein the controller is further configured to reduce at least one operation of the CRAC unit by at least one of decreasing a temperature of cooling fluid delivered by the CRAC unit and increasing a volume flow rate of c un fluid delivered by the CRAC unit in response to the Trat being above the minimum setpoint temperature level and wherein the controller is configured to cause the CRAC unit to enter into a reduced power mode in response to the Trat being below the minimum setpoint temperature level and cause the CRAC unit to withdraw the CRAC unit from the reduced power mode in response to the detected Trat exceeding a predefined temperature level. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for controlling a computer room air conditioning (CRAC) unit, said system comprising:
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means for detecting a temperature of air returned (Trat) into the CRAC unit; means for determining whether the Trat is within a predetermined setpoint temperature range, said means for determining also including means for reducing at least one operation of the CRAC unit in response to the Trat being within the predetermined setpoint temperature range; and means for causing CRAC unit to enter into a reduced power mode in response to the Trat being below the minimum setpoint temperature level, said means for detecting Trat being configured to detect the Trat while the CRAC unit is in the reduced power mode, and wherein the means for determining is further configured to cause the CRAC unit to exit from the reduced power mode in response to the Trat exceeding a predefined temperature level. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A computer readable storage medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs, said one or more computer programs implementing a method for controlling a computer room air conditioning (CRAC) unit for energy efficient operation, said CRAC unit being configured to receive return air, said one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions for:
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detecting the temperature of the air returned (Trat) into the CRAC unit; determining whether the Trat is within a predetermined setpoint temperature range; determining whether the Trat is below a minimum setpoint temperature level in response to the Trat being outside of the predetermined setpoint temperature range; causing the CRAC unit to enter into a reduced power mode in response to the Trat being below the minimum setpoint temperature level; detecting the Trat while the CRAC unit is in the reduced power mode; and
causing the CRAC unit to exit from the reduced power mode in response to the Trat exceeding a predefined temperature level. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification