Air Mover Speed Control Using Airflow-Power Efficiency Curves

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing information handling systems face challenges in optimizing air mover speed to balance airflow efficiency with power consumption, as airflow is linear with speed but power consumption increases exponentially with speed, leading to inefficiencies and potential overheating.

Innovation Solution

A thermal control system determines and regulates air mover speed to optimize airflow-versus-power efficiency by partitioning the air speed range into regions and communicating control signals to maintain optimal operating conditions based on thermal and acoustic requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If air mover speed is increased to improve cooling performance, then airflow increases linearly, but power consumption increases exponentially

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveairflowVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts air mover speed based on real-time thermal conditions and power constraints. The controller continuously monitors temperature sensors and modifies the air mover operating point along the power curve to achieve optimal cooling efficiency at varying load conditions, rather than operating at a fixed speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operating parameters of the air mover by selecting different speeds from a predefined set of operating points on the power curve. Each operating point represents a specific speed- airflow- power consumption triplet, allowing the system to switch between efficiency modes based on thermal requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of energy

If air mover speed is reduced to decrease power consumption, then energy efficiency improves, but cooling performance may be insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcooling performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs a closed-loop feedback mechanism where temperature sensors continuously monitor thermal conditions and feed this information back to the controller. The controller then adjusts the air mover speed accordingly, ensuring that cooling performance requirements are met while minimizing power consumption by operating at the most efficient speed for the current thermal load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The air mover operating speed is dynamically adjusted based on real-time thermal feedback. The system transitions between different operating points on the power curve according to actual cooling requirements, achieving adaptive energy efficiency rather than static operation at a fixed speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Temperature

If multiple air movers are operated at high speed to meet thermal requirements, then cooling performance is sufficient, but overall system power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling performanceVSAvoidsystem power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the air mover fleet into different operational groups based on thermal zones and load distribution. Rather than uniformly operating all air movers at high speed, the controller selectively activates and adjusts individual air movers or groups based on localized thermal requirements, reducing total system power consumption while maintaining adequate cooling performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Use of energy by moving object

If air mover speed is optimized for efficiency, then power consumption is reduced, but the system may not meet acoustic requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidacoustic noise

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes operational parameters by selecting from multiple predefined operating points that each represent a specific combination of speed, airflow, power consumption, and acoustic noise characteristics. The controller chooses the appropriate operating point based on real-time requirements for power efficiency and acoustic constraints, adjusting the air mover speed accordingly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach maximizes airflow-per-unit-power efficiency while ensuring thermal and acoustic requirements are met, reducing energy waste and preventing overheating in information handling systems.

Implementation Method 1

an air mover configured to drive air to cool the information handling resource

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS11422596B2Systems and methods for air mover speed optimization based on information of air mover speed versus air mover power curve

Publication Date: 2022.08.23 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

An information handling system may include an information handling resource, an air mover configured to drive air to cool the information handling resource, and a thermal control system for controlling the air mover and configured to determine an air speed requirement for the air mover and regulate an air speed of the air mover to optimize an airflow-versus-power efficiency of the air mover while satisfying the air speed requirement.