Detecting a fouled air filter in a computer equipment enclosure

• US 7,751,990 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2008
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kolvick, Randolph S., Pahel, Thomas D. Jr., Kerrigan, Brian M., Matteson, Jason A., Steinke, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhat; Aditya
• Application Number:
  US12/176,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 702/34
• US Class Current: 702/34
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0086 Filter condition indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20181 Filters; Louvers

Abstract

Detecting a fouled air filter in a computer equipment enclosure that includes an air filter, a supply plenum connecting the air filter and the computer equipment enclosure, a fan operating at a current fan speed, and a filter monitoring module connected for data communications to a management module. Detecting a fouled air filter according to embodiments of the present invention includes calculating, by the filter monitoring module, a pressure differential across the air filter; determining, for the current fan speed by the filter monitoring module in dependence upon a pressure differential profile for the air filter, whether the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and if the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds the predetermined threshold value, reporting, by the filter monitoring module to the management module, that the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a fouled air filter in a computer equipment enclosure, the computer equipment enclosure comprising:

an air filter, a supply plenum connecting the air filter and the computer equipment enclosure, a fan operating at a current fan speed, the fan providing airflow across computer equipment installed in the computer equipment enclosure, and a filter monitoring module connected for data communications to a management module, the management module capable of managing the computer equipment enclosure and computer equipment installed in the computer equipment enclosure,

the method comprising;

calculating, by the filter monitoring module, a pressure differential across the air filter, further comprising;

determining, from a first pressure sensor located outside the computer equipment enclosure, air pressure outside the computer equipment enclosure;

determining, from a second pressure sensor located inside the supply plenum, air pressure inside the supply plenum; and

calculating the difference of the air pressure outside the computer equipment enclosure and the air pressure inside the supply plenum;

determining, for the current fan speed by the filter monitoring module in dependence upon a pressure differential profile for the air filter, whether the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and

if the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds the predetermined threshold value, reporting, by the filter monitoring module to the management module, that the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing the pressure differential profile for the air filter including recording for each of a plurality of fan speeds an expected pressure differential across the air filter when the air filter is non-fouled.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising notifying a user, by the management module upon receipt of the report that the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeded the predetermined threshold value, that the air filter is fouled.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds the predetermined threshold value, initiating a visual indication of a fouled air filter.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining by the management module a log of reports received from the filter monitoring module.

6. An apparatus for detecting a fouled air filter in a computer equipment enclosure, the computer equipment enclosure comprising:

an air filter, a supply plenum connecting the air filter and the computer equipment enclosure, a fan operating at a current fan speed, the fan providing airflow across computer equipment installed in the computer equipment enclosure, and a filter monitoring module connected for data communications to a management module, the management module capable of managing the computer equipment enclosure and computer equipment installed in the computer equipment enclosure,

the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of;

calculating, by the filter monitoring module, a pressure differential across the air filter, further comprising;

determining, from a first pressure sensor located outside the computer equipment enclosure, air pressure outside the computer equipment enclosure;

determining, from a second pressure sensor located inside the supply plenum, air pressure inside the supply plenum; and

calculating the difference of the air pressure outside the computer equipment enclosure and the air pressure inside the supply plenum;

determining, for the current fan speed by the filter monitoring module in dependence upon a pressure differential profile for the air filter, whether the

calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and

if the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds the predetermined threshold value, reporting, by the filter monitoring module to the management module, that the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

establishing the pressure differential profile for the air filter including recording for each of a plurality of fan speeds an expected pressure differential across the air filter when the air filter is non-fouled.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising computer program instructions capable of notifying a user, by the management module upon receipt of the report that the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeded the predetermined threshold value, that the air filter is fouled.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

if the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds the predetermined threshold value, initiating a visual indication of a fouled air filter.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

maintaining by the management module a log of reports received from the filter monitoring module.

11. A computer program product for detecting a fouled air filter in a computer equipment enclosure, the computer equipment enclosure comprising:

an air filter, a supply plenum connecting the air filter and the computer equipment enclosure, a fan operating at a current fan speed, the fan providing airflow across computer equipment installed in the computer equipment enclosure, and a filter monitoring module connected for data communications to a management module, the management module capable of managing the computer equipment enclosure and computer equipment installed in the computer equipment enclosure,

the computer program product disposed in a computer readable signal bearing medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of;

calculating, by the filter monitoring module, a pressure differential across the air filter, further comprising;

determining, from a first pressure sensor located outside the computer equipment enclosure, air pressure outside the computer equipment enclosure;

determining, from a second pressure sensor located inside the supply plenum, air pressure inside the supply plenum; and

calculating the difference of the air pressure outside the computer equipment enclosure and the air pressure inside the supply plenum;

determining, for the current fan speed by the filter monitoring module in dependence upon a pressure differential profile for the air filter, whether the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and

if the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds the predetermined threshold value, reporting, by the filter monitoring module to the management module, that the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

establishing the pressure differential profile for the air filter including recording for each of a plurality of fan speeds an expected pressure differential across the air filter when the air filter is non-fouled.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising computer program instructions capable of notifying a user, by the management module upon receipt of the report that the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeded the predetermined threshold value, that the air filter is fouled.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

if the calculated pressure differential across the air filter exceeds the predetermined threshold value, initiating a visual indication of a fouled air filter.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

maintaining by the management module a log of reports received from the filter monitoring module.