Asymmetric Fan Speed Controller for Storage Enclosure Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling systems for storage systems face inefficiencies in temperature control, particularly due to vibration interference from fans, which reduces disk throughput and requires extensive testing for fan speeds, and struggle with scalability and optimal power consumption, leading to increased costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A controller that determines cooling device speeds using an asymmetric set of speed values, allowing for tailored control to improve acoustic and power performance, with closer spacing in specific ranges to reduce vibration interference and testing efforts, while maintaining a manageable number of speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a large number of fan speeds are used to control cooling, then temperature control precision is improved, but RVI testing effort and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous fan speed range is segmented into discrete speed levels. The controller divides the cooling control into specific speed steps, where each step represents a discrete cooling intensity level. This segmentation allows precise temperature control through multiple levels while limiting the total number of speeds to a manageable set for testing purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of fan speed from continuous to discrete values. By defining a specific number of speed levels (e.g., 5-15 discrete speeds), the system achieves sufficient temperature control precision without requiring testing of every possible speed value. The discrete parameter transformation reduces testing complexity while maintaining control effectiveness.
2Temperature
If fan speed is increased to improve cooling performance, then temperature control is improved, but acoustic noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts fan speed based on real-time temperature conditions rather than operating at fixed high speeds. The controller monitors temperature and selectively increases fan speed only when cooling demand requires it, otherwise maintaining lower speeds to reduce acoustic noise. This dynamic adaptation balances cooling performance with noise reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The fan operates in periodic cycles of high and low speed based on thermal conditions. Rather than continuous high-speed operation, the system periodically adjusts speed levels according to temperature thresholds, providing adequate cooling when needed while reducing noise during lower thermal demand periods.
3Loss of time
If discrete speed levels are used to reduce testing effort, then RVI testing is simplified, but temperature control precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The discrete speed levels are strategically distributed across the operating range with non-uniform spacing. Closer speed steps are provided in temperature ranges where precise control is most critical, while wider spacing is used in less sensitive ranges. This local optimization maintains temperature control precision where needed while minimizing the total number of speeds requiring testing.
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 enhances cooling system efficiency by reducing noise and power consumption, minimizing vibration interference, and simplifying testing, while allowing for adaptable configurations across different storage enclosures.
Implementation Method 1
pass cooling air through the storage system so as to remove heat produced in operation by the disk drives
Implementation Method 2
provide a variable speed flow of coolant to cool one or more components of the electronic apparatus
Implementation Method 3
determine a speed value for the cooling device in accordance with a temperature input received from a temperature sensor
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed a controller (120) for controlling the speed of a cooling device (118) in an electronic apparatus (100), an apparatus (100), a storage enclosure (102) and a method of configuring an apparatus (100). The controller (120) is constructed and arranged to determine a speed value for the cooling device (118) in accordance with a temperature input received from a temperature sensor (122) associated with the apparatus, the speed value being selected from a set of N speed values. The controller is arranged to control the speed of the cooling device in accordance with the selected speed value. The step between at least one pair of adjacent speed values in the set is different from the step between another pair of adjacent speed values in the set.