Control device, control method, and control program

• US 8,285,420 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2009
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Kentaroh, Nakamura, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Cottingham, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US12/491,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20090326721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 700276-278, 700/304, 361/679.49, 361/691, 621/80, 621/86
• US Class Current: 700/278
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• 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

Provision of a control device, method and program capable of performing a suitable temperature control in a room having an equipment installed therein. A control device controls air-conditioning of a room having installed therein a plurality of pieces of equipment each being capable of drawing outside air to thereby cool down an interior of the equipment. A storage portion is capable of storing therein operating information that represents as to whether it is abnormal or not if each piece of equipment is put into a non-operating state. A temperature measurement portion is capable of measuring a temperature of the air drawn by each piece of equipment. A detection portion is capable of measuring a flow speed of the air drawn by each piece of equipment. A control portion is configured to control the air-conditioning based on the measurement result of the temperature or the flow speed of the air drawn by each piece of equipment.

Claims

1. A control device for controlling air-conditioning of a room containing equipment capable of drawing outside air to cool down an interior of the equipment, comprising:

a temperature measurement portion for measuring a temperature of air drawn by the equipment;

a detection portion for detecting whether the equipment is drawing or exhausting air;

a control portion for controlling the air-conditioning based on the measured temperature and whether the equipment is drawing or exhausting air; and

a storage portion for storing operating information indicating that it is abnormal if the equipment is placed in a non-operating state or that it is not abnormal even when the equipment is placed in the non-operating state;

wherein, if the operating information stored in the storage portion indicates that the equipment is placed in the non-operating state, and the detection portion detects that the equipment is not drawing air, the control portion outputs a warning to a user.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the detection portion measures a flow speed of air drawn or exhausted by the equipment, and wherein the control portion determines that the equipment is drawing or exhausting air by comparing the measured flow speed to a reference value.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the temperature measurement portion and the detection portion are provided at an intake port side of the equipment to measure the temperature and the flow speed of air drawn by the equipment, respectively.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein, if the operating information stored in the storage portion indicates that the equipment is placed in the non-operating state, and the detection portion detects that the equipment is not drawing air, the control portion controls the air-conditioning to decrease the temperature of air drawn by the equipment.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control portion:

controls the air-conditioning to decrease the temperature of air drawn by the equipment when the measured temperature is higher than a first reference temperature, and the equipment is drawing air; and

controls the air-conditioning to decrease the temperature of air drawn by the equipment when the measured temperature is higher than a second reference temperature higher than the first reference temperature, regardless of whether the equipment is drawing air.

6. The control device according to claim 3,

wherein a plurality of pieces of equipment are mounted in a rack, the control device further comprising:

a movable system including at least one of the temperature measurement portion and the detection portion; and

a driving system for moving the movable system toward the intake port side of each of the plurality of pieces of equipment.

7. The control device according to claim 6, wherein the control portion controls the driving system to move the movable system based on at least one of a measurement result of the temperature measurement portion or a detection result of the detection portion.

8. A control device for controlling air-conditioning of a room containing equipment, the equipment being capable of drawing outside air to cool down an interior of the equipment, comprising:

a storage portion for storing operating information indicating that it is abnormal if the equipment is placed in a non-operating state, or that it is not abnormal even when the equipment is placed in the non-operating state;

a temperature measurement portion for measuring a temperature of air drawn by the equipment;

a detection portion for measuring a flow speed of air drawn by the equipment;

a movable system including the temperature measurement portion and the detection portion;

a driving system for moving the movable system toward an intake port side of the equipment; and

a control portion for controlling the driving system to measure the temperature or the flow speed of air drawn by the equipment to control the air-conditioning based on a measurement result, the control portion being configured to;

determine that the equipment is drawing air by comparing the measured flow speed to a reference value;

control the air-conditioning to decrease the temperature of air drawn by the equipment when the measured temperature is higher than a reference temperature, and the equipment is drawing air at a flow speed of at least the reference value;

output a warning to a user when the operating information indicates that it is abnormal if the equipment is placed into a non-operating state, and the equipment is not drawing air at a flow speed of at least the reference value; and

maintain a control state of the air-conditioning when the operating information indicates that it is not abnormal if the equipment is placed into a non-operating state and is not drawing air.

9. A control method for controlling air-conditioning of a room containing equipment capable of drawing outside air to cool down an interior of the equipment, comprising:

measuring a temperature of air drawn by the equipment;

detecting whether the equipment is drawing or exhausting air;

controlling the air-conditioning based on the measured temperature and whether the equipment is drawing or exhausting air; and

storing operating information indicating that it is abnormal if the equipment is placed in a non-operating state or that it is not abnormal even when the equipment is placed in the non-operating state;

wherein, if the stored operating information indicates that the equipment is placed in the non-operating state, and the detecting detects that the equipment is not drawing air, a warning is output to a user.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the detecting further comprises measuring a flow speed of air drawn or exhausted by the equipment, and wherein the controlling further comprises determining that the equipment is drawing or exhausting air by comparing the measured flow speed to a reference value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the measuring and detecting are performed at an intake port side of the equipment to measure the temperature and the flow speed of air drawn by the equipment, respectively.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein, if the operating information indicates that the equipment is placed in the non-operating state, and the detecting detects that the equipment is not drawing air, the controlling controls the air-conditioning to decrease the temperature of air drawn by the equipment.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the controlling further comprises:

controlling the air-conditioning to decrease the temperature of air drawn by the equipment when the measured temperature is higher than a first reference temperature, and the equipment is drawing air; and

controlling the air-conditioning to decrease the temperature of air drawn by the equipment when the measured temperature is higher than a second reference temperature higher than the first reference temperature, regardless of whether the equipment is drawing air.

10. A computer program stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, which when executed by a computer, controls air-conditioning of a room containing equipment capable of drawing outside air to cool down an interior of the equipment, comprising program code for:

measuring a temperature of air drawn by the equipment;

detecting whether the equipment is drawing or exhausting air;

controlling the air-conditioning based on the measured temperature and whether the equipment is drawing or exhausting air; and

storing operating information indicating that it is abnormal if the equipment is placed in a non-operating state or that it is not abnormal even when the equipment is placed in the non-operating state;

wherein, if the stored operating information indicates that the equipment is placed in the non-operating state, and the detecting detects that the equipment is not drawing air, a warning is output to a user.

15. The computer program of claim 10, wherein the detecting further comprises measuring a flow speed of air drawn or exhausted by the equipment, and wherein the controlling further comprises determining that the equipment is drawing or exhausting air by comparing the measured flow speed to a reference value.

16. The computer program of claim 15, wherein the measuring and detecting are performed at an intake port side of the equipment to measure the temperature and the flow speed of air drawn by the equipment, respectively.

17. The computer program of claim 10, wherein, if the operating information indicates that the equipment is placed in the non-operating state, and the detecting detects that the equipment is not drawing air, the controlling controls the air-conditioning to decrease the temperature of air drawn by the equipment.

18. The computer program of claim 10, wherein the controlling further comprises:

controlling the air-conditioning to decrease the temperature of air drawn by the equipment when the measured temperature is higher than a first reference temperature, and the equipment is drawing air; and

controlling the air-conditioning to decrease the temperature of air drawn by the equipment when the measured temperature is higher than a second reference temperature higher than the first reference temperature, regardless of whether the equipment is drawing air.