Method for thermally managing a room

• US 7,218,996 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2006
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Beitelmal, Abdlmonem H., Bash, Cullen E., Patel, Chandrakant D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta; Kidest
• Application Number:
  US11/474,765
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/277, 700/291, 312/265.1, 165/80.3, 454/184, 361/690
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20745 within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

In a method for thermally managing a room with at least one air moving device having a temperature actuator and an airflow rate actuator, a temperature of airflow at a first location in the room is received and compared with a first predetermined temperature range and a second predetermined temperature range. In the method, one of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator is varied when the received temperature of the airflow is outside of the first predetermined temperature range and the other of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator is varied when the received temperature of the airflow is within the first predetermined temperature range and outside of the second predetermined temperature range.

Claims

1. A method for thermally managing a room with at least one air moving device having a temperature actuator and an airflow rate actuator, said method comprising:

receiving a temperature of airflow at a first location in the room;

comparing the received temperature with a first predetermined temperature range and a second predetermined temperature range, wherein the first predetermined temperature range is outside of the second predetermined temperature range;

varying one of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator when the received temperature of the airflow is outside of the first predetermined temperature range; and

varying the other of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator when the received temperature of the airflow is within the first predetermined temperature range and outside of the second predetermined temperature range.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining which of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator is associated with higher costs; and

wherein varying one of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator when the received temperature of the airflow is outside of the first predetermined temperature range further comprises varying the one of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator associated with the higher costs.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving temperatures of airflows from a plurality of locations in the room;

wherein comparing the received temperature further comprises comparing the received temperatures with the first predetermined temperature range and the second predetermined temperature range;

wherein varying one of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator further comprises varying the temperature actuator to vary the temperature of airflow supplied from the at least one air moving device when at least one of the received temperatures is outside of the first predetermined temperature range; and

wherein varying the other of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator further comprises varying the airflow rate actuator to vary the flow rate of airflow supplied from the at least one air moving device when at least one of the received temperatures is within the first predetermined temperature range and outside of the second predetermined temperature range.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether the flow rate of airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device is equal to or exceeds a predetermined flow rate maximum value for the at least one air moving device in response to the at least one of the received temperatures falling below an upper bound of the first predetermined temperature range;

decreasing a temperature setpoint of the at least one air moving device from a first temperature setpoint by a preset amount in response to the flow rate of airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device being equal to or exceeding the predetermined flow rate maximum value; and

wherein varying the airflow rate actuator further comprises varying the airflow rate actuator to increase the flow rate of airflow supplied from the at least one air moving device in response to the flow rate of airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device falling below the predetermined flow rate maximum value.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the room comprises a plurality of air moving devices, said method further comprising:

determining zones for the plurality of air moving devices;

determining in which air moving device zone the at least one of the received temperatures that fell below the predetermined flow rate maximum value is located; and

wherein varying the airflow rate actuator to increase the flow rate of airflow further comprises varying the airflow rate actuator to increase the flow rate of airflow supplied from the at least one air moving device corresponding to the determined air moving device zone by a preset amount.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein varying the temperature actuator further comprises varying the temperature actuator to increase a temperature setpoint of the at least one air moving device from a first temperature setpoint by a preset amount in response to the at least one of the received temperatures falling below a lower bound of the first predetermined temperature range.

7. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether the flow rate of airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device is equal to or falls below a predetermined flow rate minimum value for the at least one air moving device in response to the at least one of the received temperatures exceeding a lower bound of the first predetermined temperature range;

increasing a temperature setpoint of the at least one air moving device from the first temperature setpoint by a preset amount in response to the flow rate of airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device being equal to or falling below the predetermined flow rate minimum value; and

wherein varying the airflow rate actuator further comprises varying the airflow rate actuator to decrease the flow rate of airflow supplied from the at least one air moving device in response to the flow rate of airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device exceeding the predetermined flow rate minimum value.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the room comprises a plurality of air moving devices, said method further comprising:

determining zones for the plurality of air moving devices;

determining in which air moving device zone the at least one of the received temperatures that exceeded the predetermined flow rate minimum value is located; and

wherein varying the airflow rate actuator to decrease the flow rate of airflow further comprises varying the airflow rate actuator to decrease the flow rate of airflow supplied from the at least one air moving device corresponding to the determined air moving device zone by a preset amount.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving temperatures of airflows from a plurality of locations in the room;

wherein comparing the received temperature further comprises comparing the received temperatures with the first predetermined temperature range and the second predetermined temperature range;

wherein varying one of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator further comprises varying the airflow rate actuator to vary the rate of airflow supplied from the at least one air moving device when at least one of the received temperatures is outside of the first predetermined temperature range; and

wherein varying the other of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator further comprises varying the temperature actuator to vary the temperature of the airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device when at least one of the received temperatures is within the first predetermined temperature range and outside of the second predetermined temperature range.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether the flow rate of airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device is equal to or exceeds a predetermined flow rate maximum value for the at least one air moving device in response to the at least one of the received temperatures exceeding an upper bound of the first predetermined temperature range;

decreasing a temperature setpoint of the at least one air moving device from a first temperature setpoint by a preset amount in response to the flow rate of airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device being equal to or exceeding the predetermined flow rate maximum value; and

wherein varying the airflow rate actuator further comprises varying the airflow rate actuator to increase the flow rate of airflow supplied from the at least one air moving device in response to the flow rate of airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device falling below the predetermined flow rate maximum value.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the room comprises a plurality of air moving devices, said method further comprising:

determining zones for the plurality of air moving devices;

determining in which air moving device zone the at least one of the received temperatures that fell below the predetermined flow rate maximum value is located; and

wherein varying the airflow rate actuator to increase the flow rate of airflow further comprises varying the airflow rate actuator to increase the flow rate of airflow supplied from the at least one air moving device corresponding to the determined air moving device zone by a preset amount.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether the flow rate of airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device is equal to or falls below a predetermined flow rate minimum value for the at least one air moving device in response to the at least one of the received temperatures exceeding a lower bound of the first predetermined temperature range;

increasing a temperature setpoint of the at least one air moving device from a first temperature setpoint by a preset amount in response to the flow rate of airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device being exceeding the predetermined flow rate minimum value; and

wherein varying the airflow rate actuator further comprises varying the airflow rate actuator to decrease the flow rate of airflow supplied from the at least one air moving device in response to the flow rate of airflow supplied by the at least one air moving device exceeding the predetermined flow rate minimum value.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the room comprises a plurality of air moving devices, said method further comprising:

determining zones for the plurality of air moving devices;

determining in which air moving device zone the at least one of the received temperatures that exceeded the predetermined flow rate minimum value is located; and

wherein varying the airflow rate actuator to decrease the flow rate of airflow further comprises varying the airflow rate actuator to decrease the flow rate of airflow supplied from the at least one air moving device corresponding to the determined air moving device zone by a preset amount.

14. A system for thermally managing a room, said system comprising:

an air moving device having a temperature actuator and an airflow rate actuator, the temperature actuator having a temperature setpoint and the airflow rate actuator having a flow rate setpoint;

at least one sensor positioned at various location in the room, said at least one sensor being configured to take temperature measurements; and

a controller configured to receive the temperature measurements from the at least one sensor and to control the air moving device, wherein the controller is configured to vary the setpoint for one of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator when the at least one temperature measurement exceeds a first predetermined temperature range and to vary the setpoint for the other of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator when the at least one temperature measurement falls between a second predetermined temperature range and the first predetermined temperature range, wherein the first predetermined temperature range is outside of the second predetermined temperature range.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to determine which of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator is associated with higher costs, and wherein the controller is further configured to vary the setpoint for the one of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator being associated with the higher costs when the at least one temperature measurement falls outside of a first predetermined temperature range.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the temperature setpoint for the temperature actuator when the at least one temperature measurement exceeds an upper bound of the first predetermined temperature range and to increase the temperature setpoint for the temperature actuator when the at least one temperature measurement falls below a lower bound of the first predetermined temperature range.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to increase the flow rate setpoint for the airflow rate actuator when the at least one temperature measurement falls between an upper bound of the second predetermined temperature range and an upper bound of the first predetermined temperature range and to decrease the flow rate setpoint for the airflow rate actuator when the at least one temperature measurement falls between a lower bound of the second predetermined temperature range and a lower bound of the first predetermined temperature range.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to increase the flow rate setpoint for the airflow rate actuator when the at least one temperature measurement exceeds an upper bound of the first predetermined temperature range and to decrease the temperature setpoint for the temperature actuator when the at least one temperature measurement falls below a lower bound of the first predetermined temperature range.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the temperature setpoint for the temperature actuator when the at least one temperature measurement falls between an upper bound of the second predetermined temperature range and an upper bound of the first predetermined temperature range and to increase the temperature setpoint for the temperature actuator when the at least one temperature measurement falls between a lower bound of the second predetermined temperature range and a lower bound of the first predetermined temperature range.

20. A computer readable storage medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs, said one or more computer programs implementing a method for thermally managing a room with an air moving device having a temperature actuator and an airflow rate actuator, said one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions for:

determining which of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator is associated with higher costs;

receiving temperatures of airflows from at least one location in the room;

comparing the received temperature with a first predetermined temperature range and a second predetermined temperature range, wherein the first predetermined temperature range is outside of the second predetermined temperature range;

varying the one of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator associated with the higher costs when the received temperature of the airflow is outside of the first predetermined temperature range; and

varying the other of the first actuator and the second actuator when the received temperature of the airflow falls between the first predetermined temperature range and the second predetermined temperature range.