SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREDICTING TRANSIENT COOLING PERFORMANCE FOR A DATA CENTER

• US 20120041569A1
• Filed: 08/12/2010
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Zhang, Xuanhang, VanGilder, James W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,509,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/13 Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

A system and method is provided for evaluating the transient cooling performance of a data center. In one version, the method includes receiving input data from a storage device, the input data including data center architecture information and operating data, displaying a model of the data center, performing real-time transient cooling performance calculations for the data center using the input data, and displaying results of the real-time transient cooling performance calculations, wherein the results include a maximum predicted temperature of the data center following a power outage of the data center.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for evaluating the transient cooling performance of a data center, the method comprising:

receiving input data from a storage device, the input data including data center architecture information and operating data;

displaying a model of the data center;

performing real-time transient cooling performance calculations for the data center using the input data; and

displaying results of the real-time transient cooling performance calculations, wherein the results include a maximum predicted temperature of the data center following a power outage of the data center.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the results include a graphical representation of data center temperature verses time for a time period following the power outage of the data center.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the maximum predicted temperature of the data center with a threshold to obtain a comparison result; and

controlling at least one device in the data center based on the comparison result.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising

comparing the maximum predicted temperature of the data center with a threshold to obtain a comparison result;

altering design parameters of the data center based on the comparison result; and

performing a second iteration of real-time transient cooling performance calculations using the altered design parameters.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a change in at least one cooling parameter in the data center; and

performing a second iteration of real-time transient cooling performance calculations using the at least one cooling parameter.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the maximum predicted temperature of the data center with a threshold to obtain a comparison result; and

providing a warning to an operator based on the comparison result.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein performing real-time transient cooling performance calculations for the data center includes developing a set of energy balance and heat transfer linear equations for the data center based on the input data, and generating a symbolic expression for each of a plurality of temperature variables in the set of energy balance linear equations.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the data center includes at least one uninterruptible power supply, and wherein the method includes altering a connection of cooling equipment to the uninterruptible power supply based on the comparison result.

9. A system for evaluating transient cooling performance of a data center, 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 center architecture information and operating data;

display a model of the data center on the display;

perform real-time transient cooling performance calculations for the data center using the input data; and

control the display to display results of the real-time transient cooling performance calculations, wherein the results include a maximum predicted temperature of the data center following a power outage of the data center.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the results include a graphical representation of data center temperature verses time for a time period following the power outage of the data center.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare the maximum predicted temperature of the data center with a threshold to obtain a comparison result; and

control at least one device in the data center based on the comparison result.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare the maximum predicted temperature of the data center with a threshold to obtain a comparison result;

alter design parameters of the data center based on the comparison result; and

perform a second iteration of real-time transient cooling performance calculations using the altered design parameters.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a change in at least one cooling parameter in the data center; and

perform a second iteration of real-time transient cooling performance calculations using the at least one cooling parameter.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare the maximum predicted temperature of the data center with a threshold to obtain a comparison result; and

provide a warning to an operator based on the comparison result.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to perform real-time transient cooling performance calculations for the data center by developing a set of energy balance and heat transfer linear equations for the data center based on the input data, and generating a symbolic expression for each of a plurality of temperature variables in the set of energy balance linear equations.

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

receive input data regarding a layout of a data center and cooling systems contained in the data center;

control a display to display a model of the data center;

store the input data;

perform real-time transient cooling performance calculations for the data center using the input data; and

control a display to display results of the real-time transient cooling performance calculations.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the sequences of instruction further include instructions that will cause the processor to determine a maximum temperature of the data center following a power outage.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the sequences of instruction further include instructions that will cause the processor to:

compare the maximum predicted temperature of the data center with a threshold to obtain a comparison result; and

control at least one device in the data center based on the comparison result.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the sequences of instruction further include instructions that will cause the processor to:

compare the maximum predicted temperature of the data center with a threshold to obtain a comparison result;

alter design parameters of the data center based on the comparison result; and

perform a second iteration of real-time transient cooling performance calculations using the altered design parameters.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the sequences of instruction further include instructions that will cause the processor to compare the maximum predicted temperature of the data center with a threshold to obtain a comparison result, and provide a warning to an operator based on the comparison result.