System and method for predicting perforated tile airflow in a data center

• US 8,996,180 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: VanGilder, James W., Sheffer, Zachary R., Zhang, Xuanhang
• Primary Examiner(s): ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ, CARLOS R
• Application Number:
  US12/884,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20120071992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276
• US Class Current: 700/282
• 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

Systems and methods provide determinations of airflow from a raised floor plenum. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method is provided for predicting airflow from a plurality of openings in a plenum, including determining an average air pressure in the plenum, determining an airflow value for each of the openings based on the average air pressure, dividing the plenum into a plurality of grid cells, determining a value for airflow velocity for each of the grid cells, determining an air pressure value at each of the openings based on the airflow velocity, determining a new airflow value for each one of the plurality of openings based on the air pressure value, determining whether a difference between the new airflow values and previous airflow values is greater than a threshold, and storing the new airflow value for each one of the plurality of openings as a final airflow value.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for predicting airflow from a plurality of openings in a plenum, the method comprising:

(A) receiving input data from a storage device, the input data including data related to the plenum;

(B) determining an average air pressure in the plenum;

(C) determining an airflow value for each of the openings based on the average air pressure;

(D) modeling the plenum as a plurality of computational grid cells, wherein modeling comprises automatically setting a size of each grid cell of the plurality of computational grid cells such that the size of at least one grid cell is different from the size of at least one other grid cell;

(E) using a first iterative method, determine a value for airflow velocity for each of the grid cells, wherein using the first iterative method further comprises setting a limit for a number of iterations of the first iterative method;

(F) determining an air pressure value at each of the openings based on airflow velocity values determined using the first iterative method;

(G) using a second iterative method, determine a new airflow value for each of the openings based on the air pressure value at each of the openings, wherein setting the limit for the number of iterations of the first iterative method is based on a completed number of iterations of the second iterative method;

(H) determining whether a difference between the new airflow values and previous airflow values is greater than a threshold; and

(I) repeating acts (E) through (H) until the difference between the new airflow values and the previous airflow values is not greater than the threshold, and then storing the new airflow value for each of the openings as a final airflow value.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the final airflow value for each of the openings.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein act (D) includes creating a two dimensional model of an obstruction in the plenum.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising controlling at least one of a cooling device and an equipment rack in a data center based on at least one final airflow value.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein automatically setting a size includes determining a size of each grid cell of the plurality of computational grid cells based on characteristics of the plenum.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein act (E) includes setting a relaxation factor for the first iterative method, and using the relaxation factor in the first iterative method.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising increasing the limit based on an increase in the completed number of iterations of the second iterative method.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein act (G) includes determining if airflows in the plenum satisfy a mass balance equation.

9. The computer method of claim 8, further comprising correcting an air pressure value or airflow value directly at each of the openings if the mass balance equation is not met.

10. A system for evaluating airflow in a plenum of a data center, the plenum having a plurality of openings, the system comprising:

a storage device;

a display;

a controller coupled to the storage device and the display and configured to;

receive input data from the storage device, the input data including data related to the plenum;

determine an airflow value for each of the openings based on an initial air pressure value;

model the plenum as a plurality of computational grid cells including at least one grid cell that has a size different from a size of at least one other grid cell;

use a first iterative method to determine a value for airflow velocity for each of the grid cells and an air pressure value at each of the openings based on the determined values for airflow velocity, wherein the controller is further configured to set a limit for a number of iterations of the first iterative method;

use a second iterative method to determine a new airflow value for each of the openings based on the air pressure value at each of the openings, wherein the number of iterations of the first iterative method is based on a completed number of iterations of the second iterative method;

determine whether a difference between the new airflow values and previous airflow values is greater than a threshold; and

continue using the first iterative method and the second iterative method using updated values until the difference between the new airflow values and the previous airflow values is not greater than the threshold, and then storing in the storage device the new airflow value for each of the openings as a final airflow value.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to control the display to display the final airflow value for each of the openings.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one device based on at least one final airflow value.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the size of each grid cell of the plurality of computational grid cells is based on characteristics of the plenum.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to set a relaxation factor for the first iterative method, and use the relaxation factor in the first iterative method.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to increase the limit based on an increase in the completed number of iterations of the second iterative method.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to create a two dimensional model of an obstruction in the plenum.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instruction including instructions that will cause a processor to:

receive input data, the input data including data related to a plenum having a plurality of openings;

determine an average air pressure in the plenum;

determine an airflow value for each of the openings based on the average air pressure;

model the plenum as a plurality of computational grid cells including at least one grid cell that has a size different from a size of at least one other grid cell;

use a first iterative method to determine a value for airflow velocity for each of the grid cells and an air pressure value at each of the openings based on the determined values for airflow velocity, wherein the instructions further cause a processor to set a limit for a number of iterations of the first iterative method;

use a second iterative method to determine a new airflow value for each of the openings based on the air pressure value at each of the openings, wherein the limit for the number of iterations of the first iterative method is based on a completed number of iterations of the second iterative method;

determine whether a difference between the new airflow values and previous airflow values is greater than a threshold; and

continue using the first iterative method and the second iterative method using updated values until the difference between the new airflow values and the previous airflow values is not greater than the threshold, and storing the new airflow value for each of the openings as a final airflow value.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the size of each grid cell of the plurality of computational grid cells is based on characteristics of the plenum.