METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING TEMPERATURE IN A COMPUTER SYSTEM

• US 20100030394A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Gross, Kenny C., Urmanov, Aleksey M., Lewis, Andrew J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,706,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/300
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments of a system for regulating temperature in a computer system are described. During operation, the system estimates a thermal trajectory as a function of time in at least a portion of the computer system. Then, the system modifies a flow resistance of a cooling mechanism in a thermal-regulation system in the computer system based on the estimated thermal trajectory, where the flow resistance is modified to regulate a temperature of at least the portion of the computer system.

Claims

1. A method for regulating temperature in a computer system, comprising:

estimating a thermal trajectory as a function of time in at least a portion of the computer system; and

modifying a flow resistance of a cooling mechanism in a thermal-regulation system in the computer system based on the estimated thermal trajectory, wherein the flow resistance is modified to regulate a temperature of at least the portion of the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal trajectory is estimated based on temperature measurements in at least the portion of the computer system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the temperature measurements are performed using telemetry monitors in the computer system.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the temperature measurements include temperature measurements in a set of time intervals.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the thermal trajectory is estimated based on jobs that have executed on at least the portion of the computer system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the thermal trajectory is estimated based on additional jobs in a job queue of the computer system.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the thermal trajectory is estimated based on an operational history of at least the portion of the computer system;

and

wherein the operational history includes the executed jobs and associated temperature measurements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow resistance is modified using closed-loop feedback control.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling mechanism includes a fluid port of a forced-fluid driver in the computer system;

and

wherein the flow resistance corresponds to an iris opening of the fluid port.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the fluid port includes an air vent and the forced-fluid driver includes a fan.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the temperature is regulated while the forced-fluid driver operates at approximately a fixed forcing rate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fixed forcing rate corresponds to an approximately fixed angular rotation rate of the forced-fluid driver.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the temperature is regulated while the forced-fluid driver operates at approximately one or more fixed forcing rates in a set of pre-determined fixed forcing rates.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a given fixed forcing rate in the one or more fixed forcing rates corresponds to approximately a fixed angular rotation rate of the forced-fluid driver.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the fixed forcing rate of the forced-fluid driver is determined based on reliability characteristics of the forced-fluid driver.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow resistance is modified by changing a viscosity of a magnetorheological fluid using a magnetic field.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein a thermal cycling load corresponding to temperature variations in the computer system of 30 C is regulated by modifying the flow resistance, thereby approximately maintaining the temperature at a constant value.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least the portion of the computer system includes one or more processors.

19. A computer-program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer-program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein for configuring the computer system, the computer-program mechanism including:

instructions for estimating a thermal trajectory as a function of time in at least a portion of the computer system; and

instructions for modifying a flow resistance of a cooling mechanism in a thermal-regulation system in the computer system based on the estimated thermal trajectory, wherein the flow resistance is modified to regulate a temperature of at least the portion of the computer system.

20. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

memory;

a program module, wherein the program module is stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor, the program module including;

instructions for estimating a thermal trajectory as a function of time in at least a portion of the computer system; and

instructions for modifying a flow resistance of a cooling mechanism in a thermal-regulation system in the computer system based on the estimated thermal trajectory, wherein the flow resistance is modified to regulate a temperature of at least the portion of the computer system.