Monitoring device, monitoring method, and program

Abstract

A monitoring device is provided with: an air conditioner evaluation unit that evaluates the power of an air conditioner, which includes an outdoor unit provided outside a data center and an indoor unit provided inside the data center, on the basis of the outside air temperature measured outside the data center and the intake temperature of the indoor unit; a heat dissipation amount evaluation unit that evaluates the heat dissipation amount of a rack in which at least one electronic device is stored in the data center on the basis of an intake air temperature at which the temperature of air entering the rack is measured, an exhaust air temperature at which the temperature of the air discharged from the rack is measured, and a flow rate of the air; and an efficiency evaluation unit that evaluates the power use efficiency of the air conditioner in the data center on the basis of the air conditioner power and the heat dissipation amount.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a monitoring device, a monitoring method and a program.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-049799 filed in Japan on March 27, 2023, and incorporates the content of the patent application herein. Background Art

[0003] In order to realize a decarbonized society, it is also considered to reduce power consumption in data centers (for example, refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] Previous technical literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-505784

[0007] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 5649646 Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical issues to be solved by the invention

[0009] One example of a data center's energy conversion efficiency is PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness). PUE is calculated by dividing the overall power consumption of a data center by the power consumption of electronic equipment such as servers. In recent years, there has been a demand for monitoring and managing PUE to curb the increase in power consumption in data centers.

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring device, a monitoring method, and a program capable of monitoring the power usage effectiveness (PUE) of air conditioners in a data center.

[0011] Means for solving technical problems

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a monitoring device includes: an air conditioner evaluation unit, which evaluates the power of the air conditioner, including an outdoor unit installed outside a data center and an indoor unit installed inside the data center, based on the outside air temperature measured outside the data center and the intake temperature of the indoor unit; a heat dissipation evaluation unit, which evaluates the heat dissipation of a rack storing at least one electronic device in the data center, based on the intake temperature measured by measuring the temperature of air entering the rack, the exhaust temperature measured by measuring the temperature of the air discharged from the rack, and the flow rate of the air; and an efficiency evaluation unit, which evaluates the power usage efficiency of the air conditioner in the data center based on the air conditioner power and the heat dissipation.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a monitoring method includes the following steps: for an air conditioner including an outdoor unit installed outside a data center and an indoor unit installed inside the data center, evaluating the power of the air conditioner based on the outside air temperature measured outside the data center and the intake temperature of the indoor unit; for a rack storing at least one electronic device in the data center, evaluating the heat dissipation of the rack based on the intake temperature measured by the temperature of the air entering the rack, the exhaust temperature measured by the temperature of the air discharged from the rack, and the flow rate of the air; and evaluating the power usage efficiency of the air conditioner in the data center based on the air conditioner power and the heat dissipation.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a program causes a monitoring device to perform the following steps: for an air conditioner including an outdoor unit located outside a data center and an indoor unit located inside the data center, evaluating the power of the air conditioner based on the outside air temperature measured outside the data center and the intake temperature of the indoor unit; for a rack storing at least one electronic device in the data center, evaluating the heat dissipation of the rack based on the intake temperature measured as the temperature of air entering the rack, the exhaust temperature measured as the temperature of the air discharged from the rack, and the flow rate of the air; and evaluating the power usage efficiency of the air conditioner in the data center based on the air conditioner power and the heat dissipation.

[0015] Effects of the Invention

[0016] According to the above aspect, the power usage efficiency (PUE) of the air conditioners in the data center can be monitored. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 It is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the monitoring system according to the first embodiment.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of entry measurement points and exit measurement points according to the first embodiment.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the monitoring device according to the first embodiment.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the monitoring device according to the first embodiment.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing an example of entry measurement points and exit measurement points according to the second embodiment.

[0022] Figure 6It is a diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioner and a rack according to a third embodiment.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the monitoring device according to the third embodiment.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a diagram for explaining the functions of the monitoring device according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] <First embodiment>

[0026] Below, reference Figures 1 to 4 , the first embodiment is described.

[0027] (Overall structure of the monitoring system)

[0028] Figure 1 It is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the monitoring system according to the first embodiment.

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, the monitoring system 1 includes a monitoring device 2 , a plurality of racks 3 , and a plurality of air conditioners 4 .

[0030] The monitoring device 2 is a system for monitoring the air conditioning and PUE of the data center DC. The detailed functional configuration of the monitoring device 2 will be described later.

[0031] Rack 3 (server rack) is located in the data center DC and stores at least one electronic device. The electronic device is, for example, an information device such as a server or router. It is assumed that each rack 3 has the same structure.

[0032] The up-down direction of the paper is set as the front-back direction of the frame 3, and the left-right direction of the paper is set as the left-right direction of the frame 3. Figure 1 In the example of FIG, a plurality of racks 3 are arranged in the left-right direction to form a rack row 30. In addition, a plurality of rack rows 30 may be arranged at intervals along the front-back direction and the left-right direction. Figure 1 In the example of FIG, rack rows 30a, 30b, and 30c are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction in the left region, and rack rows 30d and 30e are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction in the right region.

[0033] The rack 3 has an air inlet on the front surface 31 for taking in cooling air F (intake air F1), and an air outlet on the rear surface 32 for discharging the air F that has risen in temperature due to cooling the electronic equipment (exhaust air F2). The passages between the rack rows 30 arranged in the front-to-back direction are arranged so that the front surface 31 (air inlet) or the rear surface 32 (air outlet) of the rack 3 face each other. Figure 1In the example, the rack rows 30a and 30b are arranged so that their rear surfaces 32 face each other. Furthermore, the rack rows 30b and 30c are arranged so that their front surfaces 31 face each other. The aisles facing the front surfaces 31 of the rack rows 30 are called cold aisles CI, while the aisles facing the rear surfaces 32 are called hot aisles HI.

[0034] Furthermore, an intake air temperature sensor 35 and a flow meter 36 are provided on the front side of the rack 3, and an exhaust air temperature sensor 37 is provided on the rear side. The intake air temperature sensor 35 measures the temperature of the intake air F1 (intake air temperature). The flow meter 36 measures the velocity of the air F. The exhaust air temperature sensor 37 measures the temperature of the exhaust air F2 (exhaust air temperature). In this embodiment, the flow meter 36 is provided on the front side of the rack 3 to measure the velocity of the intake air F1. In other embodiments, the flow meter 36 may be provided on the rear side of the rack 3 to measure the velocity of the exhaust air F2.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of entry measurement points and exit measurement points according to the first embodiment.

[0036] like Figure 2 As shown, an inlet measurement point Pi, a representative point for measuring the temperature and flow rate of the intake air F1, is set at an arbitrary position on the front surface 31 of the chassis 3. Also, an outlet measurement point Po, a representative point for measuring the temperature of the exhaust air F2, is set at an arbitrary position on the rear surface 32 of the chassis 3. Figure 2 In the example shown, the inlet measurement point Pi and the outlet measurement point Po are located near the center of the front surface 31 and the rear surface 32 of the chassis 3, respectively, but this is not limiting. In other embodiments, the positions of the inlet measurement point Pi and the outlet measurement point Po may be modified depending on the location of the air inlet or outlet. The intake air temperature sensor 35 and the flow meter 36 are located near the inlet measurement point Pi. The exhaust temperature sensor 37 is located near the outlet measurement point Po.

[0037] The air conditioner 4 cools the air F in the data center DC. Figure 1 In this example, one air conditioner 4 (4a-4g) is installed for each aisle (cold aisle CI, hot aisle HI) in the front-to-back direction of the rack 3. Each air conditioner 4 is assumed to have the same structure. Each air conditioner 4 includes an indoor unit 41 and an outdoor unit 42. The indoor unit 41 is installed inside the data center DC, and the outdoor unit 42 is installed outside the data center DC. The indoor and outdoor units 41, 42 are connected by piping 43 for circulating refrigerant.

[0038] Furthermore, an intake temperature sensor 45 is provided in the indoor unit 41. The intake temperature sensor 45 measures the intake temperature, which is the temperature of the air F taken into the indoor unit 41. An outside air temperature sensor 46 is provided in the outdoor unit 42. The outside air temperature sensor 46 measures the outside temperature of the data center DC, which is the outside air temperature. Alternatively, the outside air temperature sensor 46 may be provided near the outdoor unit 42, rather than being mounted on the outdoor unit 42.

[0039] (Functional Structure of Monitoring Device)

[0040] Figure 3 This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the monitoring device according to the first embodiment.

[0041] like Figure 3 As shown, the monitoring device 2 includes a processor 20 , a memory 21 , a storage device 22 , a communication interface 23 , and an input / output interface 24 .

[0042] The processor 20 operates according to a predetermined program to enable the monitoring device 2 to perform various functions. The functions of the processor 20 will be described later.

[0043] The memory 21 has a memory area necessary for the operation of the processor 20 .

[0044] The storage device 22 is a so-called auxiliary storage device, and is, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage device 22 stores data acquired, generated, or referenced by various components of the processor 20 during processing.

[0045] The communication interface 23 is an interface for transmitting and receiving various data, control signals, and the like between sensors installed in each rack 3 and the air conditioners 4 .

[0046] The input / output interface 24 is a connection interface for communicating with devices such as the display device 2A and the input device 2B. The display device 2A is a monitor such as a liquid crystal display. The input device 2B is a device such as a mouse or keyboard for receiving input operations from the monitoring personnel. The display device 2A and the input device 2B can be integrally formed, for example, by a touch panel.

[0047] Next, the functions of the processor 20 will be described. The processor 20 operates according to a pre-prepared program to function as a measurement value acquisition unit 201, an air conditioner evaluation unit 202, a heat dissipation evaluation unit 203, an efficiency evaluation unit 204, and an abnormality determination unit 205.

[0048] The measurement value acquisition unit 201 acquires the measurement values of the intake air temperature sensor 35 , the flow meter 36 , and the exhaust air temperature sensor 37 of each rack 3 . Furthermore, the measurement value acquisition unit 201 acquires the measurement values of the intake air temperature sensor 45 and the outside air temperature sensor 46 of each air conditioner 4 .

[0049] The air conditioner evaluation unit 202 evaluates the air conditioner power of the air conditioner 4 based on the outside air temperature outside the data center DC and the intake temperature of the indoor unit 41 of the air conditioner 4. In this embodiment, the air conditioner evaluation unit 202 evaluates the total power of the plurality of air conditioners 4.

[0050] The heat dissipation estimator 203 estimates the heat dissipation of the rack 3 based on the intake air temperature (intake air F1) measured at the inlet measurement point Pi on the front surface 31 of the rack 3, the exhaust air temperature (exhaust air F2) measured at the outlet measurement point Po on the rear surface 32 of the rack 3, and the flow rate of the air F (intake air F1 or exhaust air F2). In this embodiment, the heat dissipation estimator 203 estimates the total heat dissipation of all racks 3 in the data center DC.

[0051] The efficiency evaluation unit 204 evaluates the power usage effectiveness (PUE) of the air conditioners 4 in the data center DC based on the power of the air conditioners and the heat dissipation of the racks 3 .

[0052] The abnormality determination unit 205 determines whether there is an abnormality in the power consumption of the air conditioner 4. Specifically, when the PUE exceeds a predetermined determination threshold, the abnormality determination unit 205 determines that the power consumption of the air conditioner 4 is abnormal.

[0053] (Processing flow of monitoring device)

[0054] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the monitoring device according to the first embodiment.

[0055] Here, reference Figure 4 , the processing flow of the monitoring device 2 is explained.

[0056] First, the process of evaluating the power of the air conditioner by the monitoring device 2 will be described.

[0057] The measured value acquisition unit 201 acquires the measured values of the intake temperature and the outside air temperature from the intake temperature sensor 45 and the outside air temperature sensor 46 of each air conditioner 4 (step S101 ).

[0058] The air conditioner evaluation unit 202 evaluates the air conditioner power of the entire data center DC based on the intake temperature of the air conditioner 4 and the outside air temperature (step S102 ).

[0059] For example, the air conditioner evaluation unit 202 calculates the power (power consumption [kW]) of each air conditioner 4 based on the intake temperature and outside air temperature of each air conditioner 4, the length (piping distance) of the pipe 43 connecting the indoor unit 41 and the outdoor unit 42, and the cooling capacity determined by the specifications of the air conditioner 4. Since the method of calculating the power of each air conditioner 4 is already known, its description is omitted. In addition, the air conditioner evaluation unit 202 adds up the power of each air conditioner 4 to obtain the total power value Qp [kW] of the air conditioner of the data center DC as a whole. Figure 1 In the example of , the air conditioner evaluation unit 202 calculates the air conditioner power total value Qp which is the sum of the power of the eight air conditioners 4a to 4g.

[0060] Next, the process of evaluating the heat dissipation of the data center DC by the monitoring device 2 will be described. This process is performed in parallel with the evaluation of the power of the air conditioner.

[0061] The measurement value acquisition unit 201 acquires the measurement values of the temperature (intake air temperature) and flow velocity of the intake air F1 and the temperature (exhaust temperature) of the exhaust gas F2 from the intake air temperature sensor 35 , the flow meter 36 , and the exhaust temperature sensor 37 of each rack 3 (step S103 ).

[0062] Then, the heat dissipation evaluation unit 203 evaluates the heat dissipation Qc of the rack 3 by the air conditioner 4 based on each measurement value.

[0063] Specifically, first, the heat dissipation evaluation unit 203 derives the air volume (mass flow rate m [kg / s]) of the air F for each rack 3 using the following equations (1) and (2) (step S104 ).

[0064] V = A × v……(1)

[0065] m=V×ρ……(2)

[0066] V in formula (1) is the volume flow rate [m 3 / s], A is the cross-sectional area of the air inlet of rack 3, and v is the flow velocity of intake air F1 measured by flow meter 36. Furthermore, ρ in equation (2) is the density of intake air F1. The density ρ is calculated based on the temperature (intake air temperature) and pressure (atmospheric pressure) of intake air F1.

[0067] Next, the heat dissipation evaluation unit 203 derives the exchanged heat amount Q [kW] of each rack 3 using the following equation (3) (step S105 ).

[0068] Q = m × cp × ΔT……(3)

[0069] In equation (3), m is the mass flow rate derived from equation (2), cp is the specific heat, and ΔT is the temperature difference between the intake and exhaust temperatures. The specific heat cp is calculated from the temperature (intake air temperature) and pressure (atmospheric pressure) of the intake air F1.

[0070] Next, the heat dissipation evaluation unit 203 adds up the exchanged heat amounts Q of the respective racks 3 and evaluates the total heat dissipation Qc [kW] of all the racks 3 in the data center DC (step S106 ).

[0071] When the evaluation of the power and heat dissipation of the air conditioner is completed, the efficiency evaluation unit 204 evaluates the PUE of the air conditioner 4 in the data center DC using the following equation (4) (step S107 ).

[0072] PUE=(Qp+Qc) / Qc……(4)

[0073] Next, the abnormality determination unit 205 determines whether the power consumption of the air conditioner 4 is abnormal based on the PUE calculated using equation (4) (step S108). Specifically, if the PUE is less than a predetermined threshold (step S108: No), the abnormality determination unit 205 determines that there is no abnormality (step S109) and terminates the process. The threshold, for example, is "1.5" and can be arbitrarily changed based on the required energy conversion efficiency specifications for the data center DC and the scale of the data center DC.

[0074] On the other hand, if the PUE is above the determination threshold (step S108; "Yes"), the abnormality determination unit 205 determines that the power consumption of the air conditioner 4 is abnormal and outputs a warning to the monitoring personnel (step S110). The abnormality determination unit 205 outputs the warning, for example, in the form of a warning message to the display device 2A. Furthermore, the abnormality determination unit 205 may cause a speaker (not shown) to read a warning message or output a warning sound, or may send a warning message (email, etc.) to a terminal (personal computer, smartphone, tablet, etc.) held by the monitoring personnel.

[0075] The monitoring device 2 periodically executes Figure 3 A series of processes are performed to monitor the PUE of the air conditioner 4 in the data center DC.

[0076] (Action, effect)

[0077] As described above, the monitoring device 2 involved in this embodiment includes: an air conditioner evaluation unit 202, which evaluates the air conditioner power Qp based on the outside air temperature measured outside the data center DC and the intake temperature of the indoor unit 41 of the air conditioner 4; a heat dissipation evaluation unit 203, which evaluates the heat dissipation Qc of the rack 3 based on the intake temperature of the cooling air F entering the rack 3, the exhaust temperature of the air F discharged from the rack 3, and the flow rate of the air F; and an efficiency evaluation unit 204, which evaluates the PUE of the air conditioner 4 in the data center DC based on the air conditioner power Qp and the heat dissipation Qc.

[0078] Thus, the monitoring device 2 can evaluate and monitor the efficiency (PUE) of the power consumed by the air conditioner 4 to cool the rack 3 simply by providing a simple configuration for measuring temperature and flow rate in the data center DC.

[0079] Furthermore, the monitoring device 2 further includes an abnormality determination unit 205 that determines that the power consumption of the air conditioner 4 is abnormal when the PUE exceeds a predetermined determination threshold.

[0080] Thus, the monitoring device 2 can detect that the air conditioner 4 of the data center DC is abnormally consuming power that does not contribute to cooling the rack 3 .

[0081] Furthermore, when the abnormality determination unit 205 determines that the power consumption of the air conditioner 4 is abnormal, it may output a warning to a monitoring person.

[0082] The monitoring device 2 can urge the monitoring personnel to promptly implement measures such as changing the settings of the air conditioner by outputting a warning.

[0083] <Second embodiment>

[0084] Next, refer to Figure 5 , a second embodiment will be described. Components identical to those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0085] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing an example of entry measurement points and exit measurement points according to the second embodiment.

[0086] like Figure 5 As shown, the inlet measurement point Pi for measuring the intake air temperature and flow rate of the rack 3 and the outlet measurement point Po for measuring the exhaust air temperature can be set at multiple positions.

[0087] exist Figure 5In this example, the front surface 31 of the gantry 3 is divided into nine regions, with one entry measurement point Pi1 to Pi9 set in each region (e.g., near the center of each region). Furthermore, the rear surface 32 of the gantry 3 is divided into nine regions corresponding to the front surface 31. Within each region of the rear surface 32, exit measurement points Po1 to Po9 are set at positions corresponding to the entry measurement points Pi1 to Pi9, respectively.

[0088] One intake air temperature sensor 35 and one flow meter 36 are provided at each of the inlet measurement points Pi1 to Pi9, and one exhaust temperature sensor 37 is provided at each of the outlet measurement points Po1 to Po9.

[0089] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the heat dissipation evaluation unit 203 of the monitoring device 2 Figure 4 In step S104 , the air volume (mass flow rate m) in the area of each rack 3 is obtained using the measurement values at each measurement point.

[0090] Specifically, the heat dissipation evaluation unit 203 first calculates the volume flow rate Vi (V1 to V9) for each area of the rack 3 using the following equation (5) based on the flow velocities vi (v1 to v9) measured at each inlet measurement point Pi1 to Pi9 and the cross-sectional areas Ai (A1 to A9) of the air inlets in the areas corresponding to each inlet measurement point Pi1 to Pi9.

[0091] Vi=Ai×vi……(5)

[0092] The heat dissipation evaluation unit 203 calculates the mass flow rate mi (m1 to m9) of each area of the rack 3 using the following equation (6) based on the volume flow rate Vi (V1 to V9) and density ρi (ρ1 to ρ9) of each area.

[0093] mi=Vi×ρi……(6)

[0094] Then, in Figure 4 In step S105, the heat dissipation estimating unit 203 uses the measured values at each measurement point to calculate the heat exchange amount Q of rack 3. Specifically, the heat dissipation estimating unit 203 calculates the heat exchange amount Q by summing the heat exchange amounts of each area of rack 3 using the following equation (7), based on the mass flow rate mi (m1-m9), specific heat cpi (cp1-cp9), and the temperature difference ΔTi (ΔT1-ΔT9) between the intake and exhaust temperatures at each measurement point.

[0095] Q=Σ(mi×cpi×ΔTi)......(7)

[0096] And, in Figure 4In step S106 , the heat dissipation evaluation unit 203 adds up the exchanged heat amounts Q of the plurality of racks 3 and evaluates the total heat dissipation Qc [kW] of all the racks 3 in the data center DC.

[0097] As described above, in the monitoring device 2 according to this embodiment, the heat dissipation estimating unit 203 calculates the heat exchange amount Q, obtained by summing the heat exchange amounts for each region corresponding to each measurement point, based on the measurement values measured at each of the multiple entry measurement points Pi and exit measurement points Po of the rack 3. The heat dissipation estimating unit 203 then evaluates the heat exchange amount Q for each of the multiple racks 3. Furthermore, the heat dissipation estimating unit 203 sums the heat exchange amounts Q for each of the multiple racks 3 to estimate the heat dissipation Qc for the entire rack 3.

[0098] As a result, the monitoring device 2 can more accurately evaluate the heat dissipation Qc of the rack 3 and the efficiency (PUE) of the power consumed by the air conditioner 4 for cooling the rack 3 .

[0099] <Third embodiment>

[0100] Next, refer to Figures 6 to 8 , a third embodiment will be described. Components identical to those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0101] (Functional Structure of Monitoring Device)

[0102] Figure 6 It is a diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioner and a rack according to a third embodiment.

[0103] like Figure 6 As shown, in the monitoring device 2 according to the present embodiment, the processor 20 further functions as a detection unit 206 and a control unit 207 .

[0104] If the abnormality determination unit 205 determines that the power consumption of the air conditioner 4 is abnormal, the detection unit 206 detects racks 3 among the multiple racks 3 that have hot spots where the intake or exhaust temperature exceeds a predetermined upper limit. Hot spots are locations within the data center DC where the temperature is locally high. Hot spots may occur in racks 3 that house more servers than other racks 3, racks 3 that house servers with concentrated computing loads, or racks 3 located far from the air conditioner 4.

[0105] When the detection unit 206 detects a rack with a hot spot, the control unit 207 lowers the set temperature of the air conditioner 4 that contributes most to cooling the rack 3 with the hot spot among the multiple air conditioners 4 and increases the set temperature of at least one of the other air conditioners 4.

[0106] (Processing flow of monitoring device)

[0107] Figure 7 This is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the monitoring device according to the third embodiment.

[0108] Figure 7 The processing of steps S201 to S210 is the same as Figure 4 The processing of steps S101 to S110 is the same, so the description is omitted. Figure 7 The processing of steps S211 to S212 will be described.

[0109] When the abnormality determination unit 205 determines that the power consumption of the air conditioner 4 is abnormal ( S208 ; Yes, and S210 is executed), the detection unit 206 determines whether there is a hot spot (step S211 ).

[0110] If the intake and exhaust temperatures of all racks 3 are lower than the predetermined upper limit temperature, the detection unit 206 determines that there is no hot spot in the data center DC (step S211 ; No). This determination result can be displayed on the display device 2A for monitoring personnel to confirm.

[0111] On the other hand, if the intake air temperature or the exhaust air temperature in any rack 3 is equal to or higher than the upper limit temperature, the detection unit 206 determines that a hot spot exists in the rack 3 where the temperature was measured (step S211 ; YES).

[0112] Figure 8 This is a diagram for explaining the functions of the monitoring device according to the third embodiment.

[0113] For example, assuming that the intake air temperature of rack 3cn in row 30c and the exhaust air temperature of rack 3d1 in row 30d are above the upper limit temperature among the rack rows 30a to 30e, the detector 206 detects rack 3cn and rack 3d1 as racks having hot spots.

[0114] At this time, the detection unit 206 can display information that can identify the location of the hot spot (the name or identification number of the rack 3cn, 3d1 where the hot spot is located) on the display device 2A and notify the monitoring personnel. In addition, the mark ( Figure 8 The hot spot mark HS) is superimposed on the image data (map data) representing the arrangement of each rack 3 in the data center DC and displayed on the display device 2A.

[0115] Furthermore, when a plurality of entry measurement points Pi and exit measurement points Po are provided in each rack 3 as in the second embodiment, the detection unit 206 may notify the monitoring personnel of the positions of the measurement points where hot spots exist via the display device 2A.

[0116] Next, the control unit 207 performs a setting change process of lowering the set temperature of the air conditioner 4 that contributes most to cooling the rack 3 having the hot spot among the plurality of air conditioners 4 ( 4 a - 4 e ) and raising the set temperature of at least one of the other air conditioners 4 (step S212 ).

[0117] exist Figure 8 In the example, rack 3cn has a hot spot on its front surface 31 (air inlet). Therefore, control unit 207 selects air conditioner 4c, which cools the aisle with this hot spot (cold aisle CI between rack rows 30b and 30c), as the air conditioner that contributes most to cooling rack 3bn. Furthermore, rack 3d1 has a hot spot on its rear surface 32 (air outlet). Therefore, control unit 207 selects air conditioner 4e, which cools the aisle with this hot spot (hot aisle HI between rack rows 30d and 30e), as the air conditioner that contributes most to cooling rack 3d1.

[0118] The control unit 207 lowers the set temperatures of the selected air conditioners 4c and 4e by a certain temperature (α°C). Furthermore, the control unit 207 raises the set temperatures of the other air conditioners 4a, 4b, 4d, 4f, and 4g, which can have their set temperatures raised, by a certain temperature (β°C). The values of α°C and β°C can be the same or different.

[0119] For example, the control unit 207 pre-sets the intake air reference temperature and the exhaust air reference temperature. When the intake air temperature of all racks 3 whose front surfaces 31 face a certain aisle is lower than the intake air reference temperature, the control unit 207 determines that the set temperature of the air conditioner 4 cooling the aisle can be increased. Figure 8 In this case, assuming that the intake air temperature of all racks 3a1 to 3an in the rack row 30a is lower than the intake air reference temperature, the control unit 207 determines that the set temperature of the air conditioner 4a cooling the intake side duct of the rack row 30a can be increased.

[0120] Alternatively, the control unit 207 may select multiple air conditioners 4 whose set temperatures can be increased. For example, if the exhaust temperature of all racks 3a1 to 3an in row 30a and the exhaust temperature of all racks 3b1 to 3bn in row 30b are below the exhaust reference temperature, the control unit 207 may also determine that the set temperature of the air conditioner 4b cooling the aisle between these rows 30a and 30b can be increased. In this manner, the control unit 207 controls both air conditioners 4a and 4b to increase their set temperatures by β°C.

[0121] Thus, the monitoring device 2 can improve the cooling effect at the location where the hot spot exists, and can suppress an increase in the power consumption of the entire air conditioner 4 and a deterioration in the PUE.

[0122] The monitoring device 2 periodically executes Figure 6 The series of processing not only monitors the PUE of the air conditioners 4 in the data center DC, but also detects and eliminates hot spots.

[0123] In another embodiment, the monitoring device 2 may perform the process of notifying the monitoring personnel of the presence of the hot spot, so that the monitoring personnel can manually change the temperature setting of the air conditioner 4. In this case, the monitoring device 2 may not include the control unit 207.

[0124] (Action, effect)

[0125] As described above, the monitoring device 2 according to this embodiment further includes the detection unit 206. When it is determined that the power consumption of the air conditioner 4 is abnormal, the detection unit 206 detects a rack among the plurality of racks 3 having a hot spot where the intake air temperature or the exhaust air temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit temperature.

[0126] Thus, the monitoring device 2 can quickly detect the presence of a hot spot and pinpoint its location. Furthermore, the monitoring device 2 can display information pinpointing the location of the hot spot on the display device 2A. This allows monitoring personnel to confirm the location of the hot spot and arbitrarily change the set temperature of each air conditioner 4.

[0127] Furthermore, the monitoring device 2 further includes a control unit 207 which, when a hot spot is detected, lowers the set temperature of the air conditioner 4 that contributes most to cooling the rack 3 where the hot spot is located among the plurality of air conditioners 4 and increases the set temperatures of the other air conditioners 4 .

[0128] Conventional technology eliminates hot spots by lowering the set temperatures of all air conditioners in a data center. However, as mentioned above, lowering the set temperatures of all air conditioners increases the PUE. However, the monitoring device 2 of this embodiment performs control by lowering the set temperatures of only the air conditioners 4 that contribute to cooling the hot spot, while raising the set temperatures of all other air conditioners. This allows the monitoring device 2 to improve the cooling effect at the hot spot while preventing an increase in overall power consumption of the air conditioners 4, which would otherwise deteriorate the PUE.

[0129] <Other implementation methods>

[0130] While one embodiment has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above description and various design changes are possible. Specifically, in other embodiments, the order of the above processes may be appropriately changed. Furthermore, some processes may be executed in parallel.

[0131] In the above embodiment, the data center DC is described as consisting of only one floor. However, in other embodiments, the data center DC may have multiple floors. In this case, the efficiency evaluation unit 204 of the monitoring device 2 can evaluate the power usage efficiency (pPUE) (partial PUE) of the air conditioners 4 on each floor. Furthermore, the efficiency evaluation unit 204 can sum the pPUE of the air conditioners 4 on each floor to evaluate the PUE of the air conditioners 4 in the entire data center DC.

[0132] <Note>

[0133] The monitoring device, monitoring method, and program described in the above-mentioned embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0134] (1) According to the first embodiment, the monitoring device 2 includes: an air conditioner evaluation unit 202 for evaluating the air conditioner power Qp of the air conditioner 4 including an outdoor unit 42 installed outside the data center DC and an indoor unit 41 installed inside the data center DC based on the outside air temperature measured outside the data center DC and the intake temperature of the indoor unit 41; a heat dissipation evaluation unit 203 for evaluating the heat dissipation Qc of the rack 3 storing at least one electronic device in the data center DC based on the intake temperature measured as the temperature of the air F entering the rack 3, the exhaust temperature measured as the temperature of the air F discharged from the rack 3, and the flow rate of the air F; and an efficiency evaluation unit 204 for evaluating the power usage efficiency (PUE) of the air conditioner 4 in the data center DC based on the air conditioner power Qp and the heat dissipation Qc.

[0135] Thus, the monitoring device 2 can evaluate and monitor the efficiency (PUE) of the power consumed by the air conditioner 4 to cool the rack 3 simply by providing a simple configuration for measuring temperature and flow rate in the data center DC.

[0136] (2) According to the second embodiment, in the monitoring device 2 involved in the first embodiment, the intake air temperature is measured at a plurality of inlet measurement points Pi set on the front surface 31 of the rack 3, the exhaust air temperature is measured at a plurality of outlet measurement points Po set on the rear surface 32 of the rack 3 corresponding to each of the plurality of inlet measurement points Pi, and the flow velocity is measured at the plurality of inlet measurement points Pi or the plurality of outlet measurement points Po, and the heat dissipation evaluation unit 203 evaluates the heat dissipation Qc of the rack 3 based on the plurality of intake air temperatures, the plurality of exhaust air temperatures, and the plurality of flow velocities.

[0137] As a result, the monitoring device 2 can more accurately evaluate the heat dissipation Qc of the rack 3 and the efficiency (PUE) of the power consumed by the air conditioner 4 for cooling the rack 3 .

[0138] (3) According to the third aspect, the monitoring device 2 according to the first or second aspect further includes an abnormality determination unit 205 that determines that the power consumption of the air conditioner 4 is abnormal when the power usage efficiency (PUE) exceeds a predetermined determination threshold.

[0139] Thus, the monitoring device 2 can detect that the air conditioner 4 of the data center DC is abnormally consuming power that does not contribute to cooling the rack 3 .

[0140] (4) According to the fourth aspect, the monitoring device 2 according to the third aspect further includes a detection unit 206. When it is determined that the power consumption of the air conditioner 4 is abnormal, the detection unit 206 detects a rack 3 among the plurality of racks 3 that has a hot spot where the intake air temperature or the exhaust air temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit temperature.

[0141] Thereby, the monitoring device 2 can quickly detect the presence of a hot spot and can identify the position of the hot spot.

[0142] Furthermore, the monitoring device 2 may display information that can identify the location of the hot spot on the display device 2A.

[0143] In this way, the monitoring personnel can confirm the position of the hot spot and arbitrarily change the set temperature of each air conditioner 4.

[0144] (5) According to the fifth aspect, the monitoring device 2 involved in the fourth aspect further includes a control unit 207. When a hot spot is detected, the control unit 207 lowers the set temperature of the air conditioner 4 that contributes most to cooling the rack 3 where the hot spot is present among the multiple air conditioners 4, and increases the set temperature of at least one of the other air conditioners 4.

[0145] Thus, the monitoring device 2 can improve the cooling effect at the location where the hot spot exists, and can suppress an increase in the power consumption of the entire air conditioner 4 and a deterioration in the PUE.

[0146] (6) According to the sixth aspect, the monitoring method includes the following steps: for an air conditioner 4 including an outdoor unit 42 provided outside the data center DC and an indoor unit 41 provided inside the data center DC, evaluating the power Qp of the air conditioner based on the outside air temperature measured outside the data center DC and the intake temperature of the indoor unit 41; for a rack 3 storing at least one electronic device in the data center DC, evaluating the heat dissipation Qc of the rack 3 based on the intake temperature measured as the temperature of the air F entering the rack 3, the exhaust temperature measured as the temperature of the air F discharged from the rack 3, and the flow rate of the air F; and evaluating the power usage efficiency (PUE) of the air conditioner 4 in the data center DC based on the power Qp of the air conditioner and the heat dissipation Qc.

[0147] (7) According to the seventh mode, the program causes the monitoring device 2 to execute the following steps: for an air conditioner 4 including an outdoor unit 42 installed outside the data center DC and an indoor unit 41 installed inside the data center DC, the air conditioner power Qp is evaluated based on the outside air temperature measured outside the data center DC and the intake temperature of the indoor unit 41; for a rack 3 storing at least one electronic device in the data center DC, the heat dissipation Qc of the rack 3 is evaluated based on the intake temperature measured as the temperature of the air F entering the rack 3, the exhaust temperature measured as the temperature of the air F discharged from the rack 3, and the flow rate of the air F; and the power usage efficiency (PUE) of the air conditioner 4 in the data center DC is evaluated based on the air conditioner power Qp and the heat dissipation Qc.

[0148] Industrial applicability

[0149] According to the above aspect, the power usage efficiency (PUE) of the air conditioners in the data center can be monitored.

[0150] Explanation of symbols

[0151] 1-Monitoring system, 2-Monitoring device, 20-Processor, 201-Measurement value acquisition unit, 202-Air conditioner evaluation unit, 203-Heat dissipation evaluation unit, 204-Efficiency evaluation unit, 205-Abnormality determination unit, 206-Detection unit, 207-Control unit, 21-Memory, 22-Storage device, 23-Communication interface, 24-Input / output interface, 2A-Display device, 2B-Input device, 3-Rack, 30-Rack array, 31-Front surface, 32-Rear surface, 35-Intake air temperature sensor, 36-Flow meter, 37-Exhaust air temperature sensor, 4-Air conditioner, 41-Indoor unit, 42-Outdoor unit, 43-Piping, 45-Intake temperature sensor, 46-Outside air temperature sensor.

Claims

1. A monitoring device comprising: an air conditioner evaluation unit that evaluates the power of an air conditioner including an outdoor unit installed outside the data center and an indoor unit installed inside the data center based on an outside air temperature measured outside the data center and an intake temperature of the indoor unit; a heat dissipation evaluation unit that evaluates heat dissipation of a rack storing at least one electronic device in the data center based on an intake temperature measuring the temperature of air entering the rack, an exhaust temperature measuring the temperature of the air discharged from the rack, and a flow rate of the air; and An efficiency evaluation unit evaluates power usage efficiency of the air conditioner in the data center based on the power of the air conditioner and the heat dissipation amount.

2. The monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein The intake air temperature is measured at a plurality of inlet measurement points set on the front surface of the rack. The exhaust gas temperature is measured at a plurality of outlet measurement points set on the rear surface of the rack corresponding to the plurality of inlet measurement points, respectively. Regarding the flow rate, measurements are performed at a plurality of the inlet measurement points or a plurality of the outlet measurement points, The heat dissipation evaluation unit evaluates the heat dissipation of the rack based on a plurality of the intake air temperatures, a plurality of the exhaust air temperatures, and a plurality of the flow rates. 3 . The monitoring device according to claim 1 , further comprising an abnormality determination unit configured to determine that the power consumption of the air conditioner is abnormal when the power usage efficiency exceeds a predetermined determination threshold.

4. The monitoring device according to claim 3, further comprising a detection unit that, when it is determined that the power consumption of the air conditioner is abnormal, detects a rack among the plurality of racks having a hot spot where the intake air temperature or the exhaust air temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined upper limit temperature.

5. The monitoring device according to claim 4 further comprises a control unit, which, when the hot spot is detected, lowers the set temperature of the air conditioner that contributes most to cooling the rack where the hot spot is present among the plurality of air conditioners, and increases the set temperature of at least one of the other air conditioners.

6. A monitoring method comprising the following steps: For an air conditioner including an outdoor unit installed outside a data center and an indoor unit installed inside the data center, the power of the air conditioner is evaluated based on an outside air temperature measured outside the data center and a suction temperature of the indoor unit; For a rack storing at least one electronic device in the data center, evaluating heat dissipation of the rack based on an intake temperature measured as a temperature of air entering the rack, an exhaust temperature measured as a temperature of the air exhausted from the rack, and a flow rate of the air; and The power usage efficiency of the air conditioner in the data center is evaluated based on the power of the air conditioner and the heat dissipation.

7. A program causing a monitoring device to execute the following steps: For an air conditioner including an outdoor unit installed outside a data center and an indoor unit installed inside the data center, the power of the air conditioner is evaluated based on an outside air temperature measured outside the data center and a suction temperature of the indoor unit; For a rack storing at least one electronic device in the data center, evaluating heat dissipation of the rack based on an intake temperature measured as a temperature of air entering the rack, an exhaust temperature measured as a temperature of the air exhausted from the rack, and a flow rate of the air; and The power usage efficiency of the air conditioner in the data center is evaluated based on the power of the air conditioner and the heat dissipation.

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