Design assistance system, design assistance method, and program

Abstract

This design assistance system comprises a thermal analysis unit that inputs spatial information including: three-dimensional information pertaining to a first space in which a server rack is installed, a second space occupied by a server rack in the first space, and a plurality of apparatuses including the server racks installed in the first and second spaces; and heat medium information including information pertaining to heat transfer by a heat medium in the first and second spaces, and that performs thermal analysis. The thermal analysis unit outputs a first analysis result that is the result of the analysis and a second analysis result that is an analysis result obtained by changing a portion of the spatial information and the heat medium information input to obtain the first analysis result. In comparison with the spatial information and the heat medium information input to obtain the first analysis result, the second analysis result is calculated as a result of an input of spatial information and heat medium information processed so as to subtract a portion of heat transfer from the second space to the first space.

Description

Design support system, design support method, and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a design support system, a design support method, and a program. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-051977 filed in Japan on March 26, 2025, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a configuration example of a system for determining and displaying the temperature, pressure, or velocity of air in an IT room including an IT (information technology) equipment rack on a graphical user interface. A processor included in the system described in Patent Document 1 receives input including airflow resistance parameters through the rack, airflow parameters of the IT equipment, heat dissipation parameters, external pressure, and external temperature. Here, the heat dissipation parameters are associated with the airflow parameters of the IT equipment. The airflow parameters of the IT equipment are associated with the IT equipment in the rack and associated with at least one fan that supplies airflow passing through the IT equipment. The processor also inputs the input to an airflow network solver that analyzes the airflow velocity through at least one surface of the rack and the air outflow temperature of the rack based on the input. The processor then generates an output including the airflow velocity and the air outflow temperature of the rack. According to Patent Document 1, for example, the results of this system can be used to provide an optimized design of an IT room by changing the actual layout and / or capacity of equipment, or the proposed layout and / or capacity of equipment.

[0003] US Patent No. 11570934 Specification

[0004] However, in the system described in Patent Document 1, the analysis target is cooling of equipment by airflow (air cooling). Furthermore, Patent Document 1 does not mention liquid cooling, which uses liquid for cooling equipment.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a design support system, a design support method, and a program that can easily cope with changes in cooling methods.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the design support system according to this disclosure includes a thermal analysis unit that inputs spatial information which includes at least three-dimensional information relating to a first space in which one or more server racks are installed, a second space which is the space occupied by the one or more server racks within the first space, and a plurality of devices including the server racks installed in the first and second spaces, and heat transfer medium information which includes information relating to the exchange of heat by a heat transfer medium in the first and second spaces, and performs a thermal analysis, wherein the thermal analysis unit outputs a first analysis result which is the result of the analysis, and a second analysis result which is the result of the analysis obtained by modifying a part of the spatial information and the heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result, wherein the second analysis result is calculated as the result of inputting spatial information and the heat transfer medium information which has been processed to subtract a part of the heat transfer from the second space to the first space when compared with the spatial information and the heat transfer medium information which was input to obtain the first analysis result.

[0007] The design support method relating to this disclosure includes the steps of: inputting spatial information which includes at least three-dimensional information relating to a first space in which one or more server racks are installed, a second space which is the space occupied by the one or more server racks within the first space, and a plurality of devices including the server racks installed in the first and second spaces, and heat transfer medium information which includes information relating to the exchange of heat by a heat transfer medium in the first and second spaces, and performing a thermal analysis; and outputting a first analysis result which is the result of the analysis, and a second analysis result which is the result of the analysis obtained by modifying a part of the spatial information and heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result, wherein the second analysis result is calculated as the result of inputting spatial information and heat transfer medium information which has been processed to subtract a part of the heat transfer from the second space to the first space when compared with the spatial information and heat transfer medium information which was input to obtain the first analysis result.

[0008] The program relating to this disclosure causes a computer to perform a thermal analysis by inputting spatial information which includes at least three-dimensional information relating to a first space in which one or more server racks are installed, a second space which is the space occupied by the one or more server racks within the first space, and a plurality of devices including the server racks installed in the first and second spaces, and heat transfer medium information which includes information relating to the transfer of heat by a heat transfer medium in the first and second spaces, and outputting a first analysis result which is the result of the analysis and a second analysis result which is the result of the analysis obtained by modifying a part of the spatial information and heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result, wherein the second analysis result is calculated as the result of inputting spatial information and heat transfer medium information which has been processed to subtract a part of the heat transfer from the second space to the first space when compared with the spatial information and heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result.

[0009] The design support system, design support method, and program disclosed herein can easily accommodate changes in the cooling method.

[0010] This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a design support system according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of analysis results obtained by the design support system according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of analysis results obtained by the design support system according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. This is a schematic diagram illustrating spatial information and heat transfer medium information according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of processing spatial information and heat transfer medium information according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. This is a flowchart illustrating an example of operation of the design support system according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. This is a system diagram showing an example of application of the design support system according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a design support system according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. This is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a computer according to at least one embodiment.

[0011] Hereinafter, the design support system, design support method, and program according to the embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. In each figure, the same or corresponding components are given the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0012] <First Embodiment> The design support system 1 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure is configured as a system to support the design of cooling for a space such as a server room in a data center where multiple server racks are installed. The design support system 1 can be configured using one or more computers, and comprises a thermal analysis unit 11, an information processing unit 12, a determination unit 13, and a display generation unit 14 as functional blocks composed of a combination of hardware such as computers and software such as programs executed by the computers. Some or all of the one or more computers that constitute the design support system 1 may be cloud-based or the like.

[0013] The thermal analysis unit 11 numerically analyzes fluid flow and heat transfer using a computer, for example, by performing thermal fluid analysis using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). In this embodiment, the thermal analysis unit 11 receives spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 as input, performs thermal analysis based on the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17, and outputs analysis results 16. The analysis results 16 include, for example, representative point position information in the space defined by the spatial information 15, and information representing temperature distribution, flow velocity distribution, etc., which are the results of the numerical analysis.

[0014] In this embodiment, the spatial information 15 includes at least three-dimensional information relating to a server room (first space) 32 in which one or more server racks 34 are installed, as shown in Figure 2, an occupied space (second space) 34s which is a three-dimensional space occupied by one or more server racks 34 within the server room 32, and a plurality of devices including server racks 34 installed in the server room 32 and the occupied space 34s. The three-dimensional information is three-dimensional information, and for example, it is information that represents the shape, position, dimensions, area, volume, etc. of an object. The spatial information 15 includes, for example, three-dimensional information relating to air conditioner outlets, air conditioner inlets, server inlets (cold aisles), server exhausts (hot aisles), work passages, etc. in the server room 32. The spatial information 15 may also include, for example, information relating to the space and equipment, such as specifications and materials. Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a server room 32 in a data center (DC) 30. In the example shown in Figure 2, multiple server racks 34 are arranged in the server room 32, and multiple air conditioners 33 are installed in the air conditioning room 31 adjacent to the server room 32.

[0015] In this embodiment, spatial information 15 includes, for example, data obtained by digitizing (converting into data) the physical arrangement of equipment in the server room 32 of the DC 30, either in reality or under design. Spatial information 15 may also include dimensional measurement results of the actual server room 32, or electronic information extracted from design drawings. As an example, spatial information 15 may be a group of coordinates in three-dimensional space represented by the above-mentioned electronic information. An example of spatial information 15 is schematically shown in Figure 4. The example shown in Figure 4 is an example in which the three-dimensional information of an object included in spatial information 15 is shown on a UI (user interface) using three-dimensional coordinates (X, Y, Z) by software. Figure 4 shows an example in which the enclosure of a server rack 34 is modeled by software. In Figure 4, the spatial information 15 corresponding to the enclosure of the server rack 34 is a "rectangular parallelepiped with eight vertices at (1,2,0), (4,2,0), (1,3,0), (4,3,0), (1,2,5), (4,2,5), (1,3,5), and (4,3,5)". Here, the area on the enclosure of the server rack 34 where server exhaust is performed = exhaust port 341 can be defined as a "rectangle with four vertices at (1,2,3), (4,2,3), (1,2,4), and (4,2,4)", and "heat transfer medium information" can be added as something associated with this area. As described above, the spatial information 15 includes data such as the physical configuration and dimensions of the server room 32, the location and dimensions of the intake and exhaust ports of the air conditioner 33 and the server rack 34, etc.

[0016] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the heat transfer medium information 17 includes information regarding the exchange of heat by the heat transfer medium in the server room 32 (first space) and the space occupied by the server rack 34 (second space) 34s. In this embodiment, the heat transfer medium is air cooled by the air conditioner 33. The heat transfer medium information 17 includes, as an example, data representing the amount of heat received by the equipment (server 35, etc.) of the DC 30, or the amount of heat released from the equipment, either in reality or under design. The exhaust air velocity, temperature, etc., of the equipment (server 35, etc.) of the DC 30 may be electronic information based on measurements or simulation results from design drawings. The heat transfer medium information 17 includes, for example, data showing scalar quantities (amount of heat, temperature, etc.) or vectors (air velocity, etc.) in three-dimensional space represented by the above electronic information. Figure 4 shows the heat transfer medium information 17 added to a model represented by software. As heat transfer medium information 17 associated with the server exhaust port 341, the wind speed 342 is represented as "a scalar quantity 2 in the negative Y-axis direction, starting from a corresponding point on a rectangular plane whose vertices are the four points mentioned above." On the UI, this may be represented as a single vector, representing the most average / representative vector of these countless points. The heat transfer medium information 17 includes numerical information regarding temperature and thermal energy, linked to the spatial information 15. Furthermore, the heat transfer medium information 17 may include data indicating the heat transfer density and location from one or more servers 35 mounted in the server rack 34, the quality of the air in the server room 32 (humidity, temperature distribution), and the effect of radiation from the walls.

[0017] The thermal analysis unit 11 outputs, as analysis result 16, a first analysis result which is the result of thermal analysis, and a second analysis result which is the result of analysis obtained by changing at least a part of the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 that were input to obtain the first analysis result. Furthermore, in the design support system 1 of this embodiment, the second analysis result is calculated as the result of inputting spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 that have been processed to subtract a part of the heat transfer from the occupied space 34s (second space) to the server room 32 (first space), as will be described later, by comparing them with the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 that were input to obtain the first analysis result. Furthermore, in the design support system 1 of this embodiment, the processing of spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 can be repeated once or more, preferably multiple times, so that the leveling of thermal concentration in the server room 32 (first space) suggested by the second analysis result satisfies a predetermined standard.

[0018] The thermal analysis unit 11, as a first analysis result, estimates that a thermal concentration (high-temperature exhaust 41) is occurring around the exhaust ports of the four server racks 34a shown in shaded areas within the server room 32, as shown in Figure 2. The thermal analysis unit 11 also outputs an analysis result assuming that the cooling method of the four server racks 34a has been changed from air cooling to liquid cooling, as shown in Figure 3, for example, and that the high-temperature exhaust 41 from the server racks 34a to the server room 32 has been reduced. That is, as a result of inputting spatial information 15 and heat transfer medium information 17 that have been processed to subtract a portion of the heat transfer from the occupied space 34s (second space) to the server room 32 (first space), it calculates a second analysis result. In the example shown in Figure 3, liquid is used to subtract the heat generated in the occupied space 34as occupied by the four server racks 34a shown in shaded areas. In the occupied space 34as, processors such as CPUs (Central Processing Units) and GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) are cooled by supplying a liquid coolant to a cold plate in contact with the processors, for example, by DLC (Direct Liquid Cooling). The liquid coolant passing through the cold plate is cooled by a liquid coolant supplied from the cooling equipment 36 via piping 37. In this embodiment, these liquid coolants are used to subtract the heat generated in the occupied space 34as (second space). In this case, the cooling equipment 36 includes, for example, at least one of a heat pump chiller and free cooling, and dissipates (dissipates heat) a portion of the heat received by the server rack 34a to the outside of the server room 32. Here, the liquid coolant passing through the cold plate and the liquid coolant supplied from the cooling equipment 36 via piping 37 may be separate or the same. Furthermore, the cooling by the liquid coolant passing through the cold plate may utilize a phase change from liquid to gas, or it may not utilize a phase change. Note that the liquid cooling method is not limited to DLC; for example, immersion cooling may also be used.

[0019] Furthermore, the thermal analysis unit 11 can, for example, calculate the power consumption of cooling equipment installed inside and outside the server room 32 (first space) according to the results of the thermal analysis. In this case, the thermal analysis unit 11 can calculate, for example, the sum of the power used for heat transfer by the heat transfer medium and the power used for heat dissipation from the server room 32 to the outside of the server room 32. In addition, in the design support system 1 of this embodiment, instead of the leveling described above, the processing of the spatial information 15 and the heat transfer medium information 17 can be repeated one or more times, preferably multiple times, so that the sum of power corresponding to the second analysis result satisfies a predetermined standard. That is, the design support system 1 of this embodiment can select whether to output the second analysis result so that the thermal concentration in the server room 32 (first space) is more leveled as described above, or to output the second analysis result so that the power consumption is reduced.

[0020] Furthermore, the information processing unit 12 shown in Figure 1 processes (modifies) a portion of at least one of the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 input to the thermal analysis unit 11. Based on the determination result of the determination unit 13, the information processing unit 12 processes a portion of the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17. At that time, the information processing unit 12 processes a portion of the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 in such a way that it subtracts a portion of the heat transfer from the occupied space 34s (second space) to the server room 32 (first space) compared with the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 input to obtain the first analysis result. In this embodiment, "subtracting a portion of the heat transfer" means reducing a portion of the heat received by the heat medium in the server room 32 (first space), or reducing a portion of the heat medium that flows into (appears in) the server room 32. For example, by changing a portion of at least one of the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17, it means reducing the amount of heat received by the heat medium, or the amount of heat medium that flows into (appears in) per unit time (flow rate or flow velocity). Here, changes to the spatial information 15 include, for example, changing the number or location of server racks 34, changing the location or size of the intake and exhaust ports of the server racks 34, or eliminating the intake and exhaust ports of the server racks 34. Changes to the heat transfer medium information 17 include, for example, if the amount of heat received (absorbed) by the refrigerant in the server room 32 increases due to a change in the cooling method (cooling system, etc.), reducing the amount of heat emitted by the equipment in the server room 32 by that amount (the increased amount) while maintaining the previous cooling method (without changing the cooling method). Alternatively, it includes lowering the temperature of the high-temperature exhaust gas discharged from the server racks 34 in the server room 32, or reducing the exhaust gas velocity or flow rate. For example, when the information processing unit 12 replaces some or all of the cooling of equipment by air cooling with cooling by liquid cooling, it responds to the change in cooling method by, for example, processing the values ​​of the parameters used for air cooling, rather than introducing new parameters for liquid cooling.

[0021] As an example, the information processing unit 12 receives spatial information 15, processes it to become a set of coordinates in three-dimensional space corresponding to server racks 34 with different configurations, and outputs it. As an example, the information processing unit 12 processes the three-dimensional information = spatial information 15 of the aforementioned objects (server racks 34 and servers 35). As a result, the object display shape changes. Figures 4 to 6 show an example in which only the parts corresponding to servers 35 and 35a are changed. Here, server 35a shown in Figure 6 is a server in which all or part of the heat emitted by server 35 shown in Figures 4 and 5 has been reduced. As an example, the information processing unit 12 processes the heat information = heat transfer medium information 17 of the aforementioned objects. This changes the position of the heat associated with the object. As a result, by processing the spatial information 15 and / or heat transfer medium information 17, the information processing unit 12 converts the physical configuration of server racks 34b, 34c, etc., which are different from the server rack 34 before processing, into information. Based on this information, the thermal analysis unit 11 performs an analysis, which allows us to obtain thermal fluid analysis results under conditions different from those given in advance. By repeating this process, we can obtain analysis results corresponding to the configurations of countless server racks 34. Here, the processing process corresponding to the change from Figure 4 to Figure 5 (hereinafter referred to as process (1)) and the processing process corresponding to the change from Figure 5 to Figure 6 (hereinafter referred to as process (2)) are both processes that change only the part corresponding to the server 35. However, process (2) is nothing more than the deletion of the spatial information 15 and heat transfer medium information 17 associated with the server 35. Such a change can be described as "subtracting". This change (process (2)) corresponds to the liquid cooling of the server 35 in an actual server rack 34 (the server 35 disappears or is significantly reduced). When changing a server 35 to a liquid cooling system, this process (2) is performed when comparing the heat quantity before and after the change. In this example, deletion was used as an example, but the information processing unit 12 can also be described as "subtracting" if it performs processing (modification) that reduces the amount of heat. In this embodiment, by performing this subtraction process at least once, the effect of changing the server 35 to a liquid cooling system can be clarified through analysis.

[0022] Furthermore, the determination unit 13 determines whether to stop calculating the second analysis result when the information processing unit 12 modifies a portion of the spatial information 15 and the heat transfer medium information 17 and the thermal analysis unit 11 recalculates the second analysis result, and this process is repeated. For example, the determination unit 13 determines to stop calculating the second analysis result if the leveling of thermal concentration or the reduction in power consumption meets a predetermined standard. For example, the determination unit 13 stores in a predetermined storage unit the information representing the first analysis result, the method of subtraction that has the greatest effect on leveling thermal concentration or reducing power consumption (the method of subtraction when subtracting a portion of the heat transfer from the occupied space 34s (second space) to the server room 32 (first space)), and the information representing the second analysis result. Also, during the determination process, the determination unit 13 calculates, for example, the leveling degree, which is an index representing the degree of leveling. In this embodiment, the degree of leveling is an index that represents, for example, the magnitude of temperature fluctuations within the server room 32, and can be defined using, for example, the standard deviation, range, or temperature change per unit distance of the calculated (or measured (in the case of the first analysis result)) temperature values ​​at multiple representative points. In this embodiment, the degree of leveling is expressed as a score, and the higher the score, the more level (smaller fluctuations). The determination unit 13 also determines that it will stop calculating the second analysis result if the degree of leveling is above a predetermined level.

[0023] The display generation unit 14 visualizes information 18 that shows how a portion of the heat transfer or movement of heat transfer fluids between heat transfer fluids in the thermal analysis unit 11 is subtracted, and the second analysis result. The display generation unit 14 visualizes the information 18 by representing the temperature distribution and the flow velocity distribution of the heat transfer fluid on a plan view showing the arrangement of the server room 32 and the server racks 34 within the server room 32, as shown in Figure 2, and displays it on a predetermined display device, for example. Alternatively, the display generation unit 14 visualizes the subtraction method and the second analysis result by displaying a schematic diagram showing how the subtraction is performed, as shown in Figure 3, for example, or by displaying the results of comparing the PUE (Power Usage Efficiency) and costs (electricity bills, etc.) between the first analysis result and the second analysis result using a bar graph or the like. Here, PUE is an index that shows the power usage efficiency of the data center 30, and is the value obtained by dividing the total power consumption of the data center 30 by the power consumption of the IT equipment.

[0024] Next, referring to Figure 7, an example of the operation of the design support system 1 described with reference to Figure 1, etc., will be explained. The process shown in Figure 7 can be started by the user at any time. When the process shown in Figure 7 is started, the thermal analysis unit 11 inputs, for example, reference values ​​for spatial information 15 and heat transfer medium information 17 (step S11). The reference values ​​can be, for example, current measured values, values ​​based on data obtained as simulation results based on the current situation, etc.

[0025] Next, the thermal analysis unit 11 performs the first thermal fluid analysis (step S12). Next, the information processing unit 12 modifies the spatial information 15 and / or heat medium information 17 used in the (N-1)th calculation (here, N=2, N-1=1), for example, for a corresponding location of an arbitrary server rack 34, by assuming, for example, liquid cooling, and subtracting the heat transfer from the occupied space 34s (second space) to the server room 32 (first space) (step S13). Next, the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 processed in step S13 are input, and the thermal analysis unit 11 performs the Nth (here, N=2) thermal fluid analysis (step S14). Next, the determination unit 13 compares the "leveling degree" of the Nth and (N-1)th calculations and stores or updates the "subtraction method" with the higher score (step S15). Next, the determination unit 13 determines whether the highest score of the "leveling degree" is above a predetermined level (step S16).

[0026] If the highest score is not above a predetermined level (Step S16: No), the information processing unit 12 increments the variable N by 1 and repeats the process in Step S13 (Step S13). If the highest score is above a predetermined level (Step S16: Yes), the display generation unit 14 generates information to visualize the "subtraction method" that achieved the high score and the thermal fluid analysis results. For example, the generated information is displayed on the user's terminal display device, and the process shown in Figure 7 is terminated.

[0027] Next, an example of the application of the design support system 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 8. The example shown in Figure 8 is an example in which the design support system 1 is applied to a model for which a manufacturer 54 proposes a system for cooling the server room 32 or a modification thereof to the data center operator (DC operator 52) of the data center 30. In the example shown in Figure 8, the DC operator 52 can use the DCIM (Data Center Infrastructure Management) system 51 to acquire multiple measurement values ​​(hereinafter referred to as equipment data) related to IT equipment and cooling equipment in the air conditioning room 31, server room 32, and DC 30.

[0028] In the example shown in Figure 8, the procedure for proposing a cooling system to the DC operator 52 is as follows: First, the DC operator 52 provides the manufacturer 54 with data for analysis, including equipment data (Step S1). If there is any missing data, the manufacturer 54 visits the server room 32 to obtain the necessary information (Step S2). Next, the manufacturer 54 automatically generates input data on a web browser (notebook PC (personal computer), tablet, etc.) 53, and the design support system 1 performs the calculations described, for example, with reference to Figure 7 (Step S3). Next, the DC operator 52 views the comparison results of indicators such as server temperature, PUE, and cost when, for example, the server layout is changed or a liquid cooling system is introduced (Step S4). The DC operator 52 can also change the conditions as needed and run the design support system 1 again (Step S5).

[0029] By using the design support system 1 of this embodiment, a cooling system can be presented anytime, anywhere, to anyone, and quickly, for example, through steps S1 to S4. Furthermore, by having the DC operator 52 perform calculations and verify the results on the same day or at a later date (step S5), it is possible to jointly consider server configuration changes, liquid cooling system introduction, etc. (co-creative design). Since the calculations can be performed on, for example, the manufacturer's 54 server, the computational load on the terminal that inputs and outputs the information necessary for the calculations is not placed on it. Therefore, a web browser 53 can be installed, but this method also works on terminals with low computing power. According to this model, proposals and considerations can be made anywhere as long as there is a notebook PC or tablet terminal (regardless of ownership) and a network connection environment.

[0030] In the example shown in Figure 8, the design support system 1 generates information 18 from the analysis results 16, showing the analysis results and how to perform the subtraction. Next, we will explain the process from the thermal fluid calculation results (analysis results 16) to approaching the customer (presenting a bar graph (information 18) showing PUE and cost).

[0031] Design support system 1 allows for the prediction of temperature distribution within a server room by using thermal fluid calculations in server placement planning when high-performance (high-heat) servers are air-cooled, for example, when introducing high-performance (high-heat) servers. This also makes it possible to predict areas of hot spots. If thermal fluid analysis of the placement changes does not eliminate hot spots, introducing liquid-cooled servers (e.g., servers using liquid cooling methods such as DLC) that do not generate high-temperature exhaust is an effective measure to prevent the occurrence of hot spots. Liquid-cooled servers (such as DLC) use a liquid with a large heat capacity for cooling, so a small flow rate of coolant is sufficient, reducing the power required to circulate the fluid compared to air-cooled servers which require a large flow rate of air. In other words, introducing liquid-cooled servers can reduce PUE. Liquid-cooled servers can increase the IT computing power (power consumption) per server rack compared to air-cooled servers, meaning that the IT computing power per unit installation area can be increased. Therefore, for the same computing power, the server room size can be reduced, resulting in cost reduction.

[0032] As described above, according to this embodiment, the design support system 1 includes a thermal analysis unit 11. The thermal analysis unit 11 receives spatial information 15 which includes at least three-dimensional information about a server room 32 (first space) where one or more server racks 34 are installed, an occupied space 34s (second space) which is the space occupied by one or more server racks 34 within the server room 32, and a plurality of devices (servers 35, etc.) including the server racks 34 installed in the server room 32 and the occupied space 34s, and heat transfer medium information 17 which includes information about heat transfer between the occupied space 34s (second space) and the server room 32 (first space), and performs a thermal analysis. The thermal analysis unit 11 also outputs a first analysis result (analysis result 16), which is the result of the thermal analysis, and a second analysis result (analysis result 16), which is the result of an analysis obtained by changing a part of the spatial information 15 and heat transfer medium information 17 that were input to obtain the first analysis result. Furthermore, the second analysis result is calculated as a result of inputting spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 that have been processed to subtract a portion of the heat received by the heat medium in the occupied space 34s, compared with the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 that were input to obtain the first analysis result. With this configuration, when processing a portion of the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 input to the thermal analysis unit 11 when calculating the first analysis result and inputting it to the thermal analysis unit 11 to calculate the second analysis result, the processing (modification) of the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 is limited to processing to subtract a portion of the heat received by the heat medium in the occupied space 34s (second space). With this configuration, even when changing the cooling method, for example, the scope of modification in the spatial information 15 and heat medium information 17 can be easily reduced compared to when this limitation is not made. Therefore, with this embodiment, it is possible to easily respond to changes in the cooling method, for example, compared to when the limitation is not made.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the spatial information 15 and heat transfer medium information 17 can be repeatedly processed so that the leveling of thermal concentration in the server room 32 (first space) suggested by the second analysis result satisfies a predetermined standard. With this configuration, for example, it is possible to simulate the heat buildup of an existing air-cooled server and to determine / show where to adopt liquid cooling to achieve thermal leveling in the space (elimination of heat buildup and overcooling).

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the thermal analysis unit 11 can calculate the total power used for heat transfer by the heat transfer medium and the total power used for heat dissipation from the server room 32 (first space) to the outside of the server room 32 (first space). Instead of leveling, the spatial information 15 and heat transfer medium information 17 can be repeatedly processed so that the total power corresponding to the second analysis result meets a predetermined standard. With this configuration, thermal leveling is a means, and if energy saving is the objective, the method of analysis can be switched to pursuing energy saving midway through, thus stopping the pursuit of excessive leveling midway.

[0035] Furthermore, this embodiment includes a display generation unit 14 that visualizes the method of subtraction and the second analysis result. This configuration makes it easier to understand the method of subtraction and the second analysis result.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the heat transfer medium is air, and a liquid is used to subtract a portion of the heat generated in the occupied space 34s (second space).

[0037] <Second Embodiment> Next, with reference to Figure 9, a design support system 1a according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Compared to the design support system 1 shown in Figure 1, the design support system 1a shown in Figure 9 is newly equipped with an information processing condition setting unit 21, and the configuration of the information processing unit 12a, which corresponds to the information processing unit 12 in Figure 1, is partially different. Unlike the information processing unit 12, the information processing unit 12a processes spatial information 15 and heat transfer medium information 17 to satisfy the processing conditions set by the information processing condition setting unit 21.

[0038] The information processing condition setting unit 21 sets processing conditions, which are indicators of the extent to which processing is permitted when the information processing unit 12a processes the information input to the thermal analysis unit 11, in response to the user's input operation.

[0039] Furthermore, the information processing condition setting unit 21 allows for the setting of spatial conditions 22, such as the number of liquid-cooled racks and their locations, as processing conditions. The spatial conditions 22 can be set, for example, to "limit the number of racks to be liquid-cooled to two," and the thermal analysis unit 11 can perform numerical analysis under these conditions.

[0040] Furthermore, the information processing condition setting unit 21 allows setting of, for example, heat generation conditions 23, such as the slight heat generation of the liquid-cooled rack, as a processing condition. The heat generation condition 23 can be set to, for example, "when liquid cooling is introduced, the amount of heat dissipated into the air is reduced by 10 kW," and the thermal analysis unit 11 can perform numerical analysis under this condition.

[0041] Furthermore, the information processing condition setting unit 21 allows setting cost conditions 24, which are cost-related conditions such as the specifications of the liquid-cooled racks and the length of the piping, as processing conditions. The cost conditions 24 can be set, for example, to "up to 50 million yen including construction costs," and the thermal analysis unit 11 can perform numerical analysis under these conditions. In this case, for example, it is possible to compare replacing five high-quality liquid-cooled racks with replacing ten low-quality racks.

[0042] Compared with the first embodiment, the difference in the flow lies in that when the information processing unit 12a performs the processing of "subtracting the transfer of heat", it determines whether the subtraction method (the processing of the spatial information 15 and the heat medium information 17) conforms to the conditions set by the information processing condition setting unit 21. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, assuming that it is desired to eliminate heat accumulation (high-temperature exhaust gas 41) in "A to D in the third column" (four server racks 34a in the third column from the left in the figure), it is assumed that the information processing unit 12a is set to "subtract the heat dissipation of server racks in A to D in the third column". At this time, if the condition "the number of racks to be liquid-cooled is up to two" is set as the spatial condition 22, since this setting does not conform to the condition, it is determined as "non-conforming". In this case, the process is returned to the information processing unit 12a again, and processing for calling / creating another subtraction method is performed.

[0043] Similarly, by setting the heat generation condition 23 and the cost condition 24, constraints can be added to the "subtraction method" of the information processing unit 12a. Note that the information processing conditions can be arbitrarily set by a person as a target value. These constraints also have the secondary effect of reducing calculation time.

[0044] As described above, in the present embodiment, the design support system 1a includes an information processing condition setting unit 21 that sets processing conditions that define the degree of processing for subtracting a part of the heat received by the heat medium in the occupied space 34s (second space). According to this configuration, the processing range and the like by the information processing unit 12a can be arbitrarily set.

[0045] <Effects> The design support system, design support method, and program according to each embodiment input spatial information that includes at least three-dimensional information relating to a first space in which one or more server racks are installed, a second space which is the space occupied by one or more server racks within the first space, and a plurality of devices including server racks installed in the first and second spaces, and heat transfer medium information that includes information relating to the transfer of heat by a heat transfer medium in the first and second spaces, and performs a thermal analysis. It also outputs a first analysis result, which is the result of the analysis, and a second analysis result, which is the result of the analysis obtained by changing a part of the spatial information and heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result. The second analysis result is calculated as the result of inputting spatial information and heat transfer medium information that has been processed to subtract a part of the heat transfer from the occupied space (second space) to the server room (first space) by comparing it with the spatial information and heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result.Therefore, according to the design support system, design support method, and program of each embodiment, it is possible to easily accommodate changes in the cooling method.

[0046] <Other Embodiments> Although embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments and may include design changes and the like that do not depart from the gist of this disclosure.

[0047] <Computer Configuration> Figure 10 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a computer according to at least one embodiment. The computer 90 includes a processor 91, main memory 92, storage 93, and interface 94. The design support systems 1 and 1a described above are implemented in the computer 90. The operation of each of the above-described processing units is stored in the storage 93 in the form of a program. The processor 91 reads the program from the storage 93, loads it into the main memory 92, and executes the above processing according to the program. The processor 91 also allocates storage areas in the main memory 92 corresponding to each of the above-described storage units according to the program.

[0048] The program may be intended to implement part of the functions to be exerted by the computer 90. For example, the program may exert its functions through a combination with another program already stored in a storage or a combination with another program installed in another device. In other embodiments, in addition to or instead of the above configuration, the computer may comprise a custom LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) such as a PLD (Programmable Logic Device). Examples of PLDs include PAL (Programmable Array Logic), GAL (Generic Array Logic), CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and the like. In this case, part or all of the functions implemented by the processor may be implemented by said integrated circuit.

[0049] Examples of the storage 93 include HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), semiconductor memories, and the like. The storage 93 may be an internal medium directly connected to the bus of the computer 90, or may be an external medium connected to the computer 90 via the interface 94 or a communication line. Further, when this program is distributed to the computer 90 via a communication line, the computer 90 that has received the distribution may load the program into the main memory 92 and execute the above processing. In at least one embodiment, the storage 93 is a non-transitory tangible storage medium.

[0050] <Supplementary Note> The design support systems 1 and 1a described in each embodiment can be grasped, for example, as follows.

[0051] (1) The design support systems 1 and 1a according to the first embodiment include a thermal analysis unit that inputs spatial information including at least three-dimensional information relating to a first space in which one or more server racks are installed, a second space which is the space occupied by the one or more server racks within the first space, and a plurality of devices including the server racks installed in the first and second spaces, and heat transfer medium information including information relating to the transfer of heat by a heat transfer medium in the first and second spaces, and performs a thermal analysis, wherein the thermal analysis unit outputs a first analysis result which is the result of the analysis, and a second analysis result which is the result of the analysis obtained by changing a part of the spatial information and the heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result, wherein the second analysis result is calculated as the result of inputting spatial information and the heat transfer medium information processed to subtract a part of the heat transfer from the second space to the first space when compared with the spatial information and the heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result. According to this embodiment and each of the following embodiments, it is possible to easily accommodate changes in the cooling method.

[0052] (2) The design support systems 1 and 1a according to the second embodiment are the design support systems 1 and 1a of (1), wherein the processing can be repeated so that the leveling of thermal concentration in the first space suggested by the second analysis result satisfies a predetermined standard.

[0053] (3) The design support systems 1 and 1a according to the third embodiment are the design support systems 1 and 1a of (1) or (2), wherein the thermal analysis unit can calculate the sum of the power used for heat transfer by the heat transfer medium and the power used for heat dissipation from the first space to the outside of the first space, and instead of the leveling, the processing can be repeated so that the sum corresponding to the second analysis result satisfies a predetermined standard.

[0054] (4) The design support systems 1 and 1a according to the fourth embodiment are the design support systems 1 and 1a of (1) to (3), and include a display generation unit that visualizes the method of subtraction and the second analysis result.

[0055] (5) The design support system 1a according to the fifth embodiment is the design support system 11a of (1) to (4), and includes a processing condition setting unit that sets processing conditions that determine the degree of processing that subtracts a portion of the heat received by the heat transfer medium in the second space.

[0056] (6) The design support systems 1 and 1a according to the sixth embodiment are the design support systems 1 and 1a of (1) to (5), wherein the heat transfer medium is air, and a liquid is used in the second space to subtract a portion of the heat received by the heat transfer medium.

[0057] The design support system, design support method, and program disclosed herein can easily accommodate changes in the cooling method.

[0058] 1, 1a...Design support system 11...Thermal analysis unit 12...Information processing unit 13...Decision unit 14...Display generation unit 15...Spatial information 16...Analysis results 17...Heat transfer medium information 18...Information 21...Information processing condition setting unit 30...Data center 31...Air conditioning unit room 32...Server room 33...Air conditioner 34, 34a, 34c...Server rack 34s, 34as...Occupied space 35, 35a...Server 36...Cooling equipment 37...Piping

Claims

1. A design support system comprising a thermal analysis unit that inputs spatial information including at least three-dimensional information relating to a first space in which one or more server racks are installed, a second space which is the space occupied by the one or more server racks within the first space, and a plurality of devices including the server racks installed in the first and second spaces, and heat transfer medium information including information relating to the transfer of heat by a heat transfer medium in the first and second spaces, and performs a thermal analysis, wherein the thermal analysis unit outputs a first analysis result which is the result of the analysis, and a second analysis result which is the result of the analysis obtained by modifying a part of the spatial information and the heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result, wherein the second analysis result is calculated as the result of inputting spatial information and the heat transfer medium information processed to subtract a part of the heat transfer from the second space to the first space when compared with the spatial information and the heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result.

2. The design support system according to claim 1, wherein the processing can be repeated so that the leveling of thermal concentration in the first space suggested by the second analysis result satisfies a predetermined standard.

3. The design support system according to claim 2, wherein the thermal analysis unit can calculate the sum of the power used for heat transfer by the heat transfer medium and the power used for heat dissipation from the first space to the outside of the first space, and instead of the leveling, the processing can be repeated so that the sum corresponding to the second analysis result satisfies a predetermined standard.

4. The design support system according to claim 3, further comprising a display generation unit for visualizing the method of subtraction and the second analysis result.

5. The design support system according to claim 4, further comprising a processing condition setting unit for setting processing conditions that determine the degree of processing that subtracts a portion of the heat received by the heat transfer medium in the second space.

6. The design support system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heat transfer medium is air, and a liquid is used in the second space to subtract a portion of the heat transfer medium's heat absorption.

7. A design support method comprising the steps of: inputting spatial information which includes at least three-dimensional information relating to a first space in which one or more server racks are installed, a second space which is the space occupied by the one or more server racks within the first space, and a plurality of devices including the server racks installed in the first and second spaces, and heat transfer medium information which includes information relating to the exchange of heat by a heat transfer medium in the first and second spaces, and performing a thermal analysis; and outputting a first analysis result which is the result of the analysis, and a second analysis result which is the result of the analysis obtained by modifying a part of the spatial information and the heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result, wherein the second analysis result is calculated as the result of inputting spatial information and the heat transfer medium information which has been processed to subtract a part of the heat transfer from the second space to the first space when compared with the spatial information and the heat transfer medium information which was input to obtain the first analysis result.

8. A program that causes a computer to perform a thermal analysis by inputting spatial information which includes at least three-dimensional information relating to a first space in which one or more server racks are installed, a second space which is the space occupied by the one or more server racks within the first space, and a plurality of devices including the server racks installed in the first and second spaces, and heat transfer medium information which includes information relating to the transfer of heat by a heat transfer medium in the first and second spaces, and outputting a first analysis result which is the result of the analysis, and a second analysis result which is the result of the analysis obtained by modifying a part of the spatial information and heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result, wherein the second analysis result is calculated as the result of inputting spatial information and heat transfer medium information which has been processed to subtract a part of the heat transfer from the second space to the first space when compared with the spatial information and heat transfer medium information input to obtain the first analysis result.

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