Apparatus and method of environmental condition management for electronic equipment

• US 8,783,336 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Baselayer Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: IO Data Centers, LLC
• Inventors: Slessman, George
• Primary Examiner(s): FORD, JOHN K
• Application Number:
  US12/626,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20100139908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 165/47, 165/121, 165/238, 165/239, 165/267, 165/268, 165/222, 165/234, 165/244, 165/246, 165/247, 454/184, 236/44.C, 738/656, 374/57, 361/701
• US Class Current: 165/222
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/0265 by using guiding means or impingement means inside the header box
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/028 by using inserts for modifying the pattern of flow inside the header box, e.g. by using flow restrictors or permeable bodies or blocks with channels
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1497 Rooms for data centers; Shipping containers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20554 Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant in closed loop H05K7/206 or H05K7/20609 or H05K7/20618
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20745 within rooms for removing heat from cabinets, e.g. by air conditioning device
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20763 Liquid cooling without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

A control system for providing thermal management of electronic equipment housed in a cabinet enclosure. The system can include a plurality of sensors in proximity to the cabinet enclosure for monitoring a temperature, a pressure and a humidity associated with the electronic equipment; and a controller in communication with the sensors for receiving data from the sensors, where the controller adjusts the temperature, the pressure and the humidity associated with the electronic equipment.

Claims

1. A control system for providing thermal management of electronic equipment housed in a cabinet enclosure, the control system comprising:

a plurality of sensors in proximity to the cabinet enclosure for monitoring a temperature, a pressure and a humidity associated with operation of the electronic equipment;

a controller in communication with the sensors for receiving data from the sensors, wherein the controller is configured to generate control signals to independently adjust the temperature, the pressure and the humidity associated with the operation of the electronic equipment,

wherein the controller is configured to collect efficiency data corresponding to adjustment techniques for adjusting the temperature associated with the operation of the electronic equipment,

wherein the efficiency data comprises an elapsed time of each of the adjustment techniques, an amount of power utilized by each of the adjustment techniques, or a combination thereof; and

adjustment equipment in communication with the controller, the adjustment equipment including a cooling subsystem, a damper, a dehumidifier, and a fan configured to receive the control signals to independently adjust the temperature, the pressure, and the humidity associated with the operation of the electronic equipment,

wherein the adjustment techniques include a first technique and a second technique to decrease the temperature associated with the operation of the electronic equipment, the first technique including adjusting the pressure with the fan and the second technique including adjusting the temperature with the cooling subsystem, and

wherein the controller is configured to select between the first technique and the second technique to achieve the decrease in temperature based on the efficiency data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the damper is connected with a pressurized plenum to control an air flow to the electronic equipment based on the control signals generated by the controller.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the temperature, the pressure and the humidity associated with the operation of the electronic equipment in real time.

4. A control system for providing thermal management of electronic equipment housed in a cabinet enclosure, the control system comprising:

a plurality of sensors in proximity to the cabinet enclosure for monitoring a temperature, a pressure and a humidity associated with operation of the electronic equipment;

a controller in communication with the sensors for receiving data from the sensors, wherein the controller is configured to generate control signals to independently adjust the temperature, the pressure and the humidity associated with the operation of the electronic equipment,

wherein the controller is configured to collect efficiency data corresponding to adjustment techniques for adjusting the temperature associated with the operation of the electronic equipment,

wherein the efficiency data comprises an elapsed time of each of the adjustment techniques, an amount of power utilized by each of the adjustment techniques, or a combination thereof; and

adjustment equipment in communication with the controller, the adjustment equipment including a cooling subsystem, a damper, a dehumidifier, and a fan configured to receive the control signals to independently adjust the temperature, the pressure, and the humidity associated with the operation of the electronic equipment,

wherein controller is configured to collect noise data associated with each of the adjustment techniques, and wherein the controller is configured to select between the adjustment techniques based on the noise data.