Cooling Fan Speed Control for Component Bank Hotspots

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing information handling systems struggle to accurately determine the required cooling airflow, often failing to account for cooling bottlenecks and hotspots, leading to inefficient energy usage and inadequate cooling.

Innovation Solution

The system calculates multiple temperature changes across different banks of components and determines inlet temperatures to assess cooling requirements. It uses these calculations to adjust cooling fan speeds in a closed-loop control system, optimizing airflow based on temperature changes and energy usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If cooling fan speed is increased to meet cooling requirements, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic fan speed adjustment based on real-time temperature monitoring and cooling requirements. The system continuously calculates temperature changes across different component banks and adjusts fan speeds dynamically rather than operating at fixed speeds, optimizing the balance between cooling effectiveness and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters (fan speed) based on calculated cooling requirements. By determining minimum required cooling fan speeds through temperature change calculations and comparing them with current speeds, the system adjusts fan operation parameters to meet cooling needs while minimizing energy usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If cooling fan speed is decreased to reduce energy consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but cooling effectiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidcooling effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a feedback mechanism where temperature sensors continuously monitor component temperatures, the system calculates temperature changes and cooling requirements, compares minimum required fan speeds with current speeds, and adjusts fan operation accordingly. This closed-loop feedback ensures cooling effectiveness is maintained while optimizing energy efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system calculates minimum required cooling fan speeds for different component banks and applies partial cooling action only where and when needed. Rather than uniformly cooling all components at maximum capacity, the system determines the minimum necessary cooling for each bank based on their specific thermal requirements and heat generation patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Device complexity

If uniform cooling is applied to all components, then system simplicity is maintained, but cooling precision for specific hotspots deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidcooling precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the system into multiple component banks (first bank, second bank, etc.) with separate temperature monitoring and cooling requirement calculations for each bank. This segmentation allows targeted cooling precision for different hotspots while maintaining relatively simple control logic through standardized calculation methods for each segment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies local quality by determining specific cooling requirements for each component bank based on their individual temperature changes, heat generation characteristics, and thermal conditions. Each bank receives customized cooling action tailored to its local thermal needs rather than uniform system-wide cooling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 enables the information handling system to efficiently meet cooling requirements by optimizing cooling fan speeds, reducing energy consumption, and ensuring that temperature and airflow requirements are met.

Implementation Method 1

a bank of cooling fans 104

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Data Source

PatentUS12235694B2Calculate minimum required cooling fan speeds

Publication Date: 2025.02.25 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

An information handling system may calculate multiple temperature changes within the information handling system. Each of the temperature changes is across a different bank of components of the information handling system. The system may calculate multiple inlet temperatures, each of which is associated with a different component of the information handling system. The inlet temperatures are utilized in determining whether cooling requirements for the system configuration are met. Based on the temperature changes and the inlet velocities, the system may determine whether the cooling requirements are met. In response to the cooling requirements for the system configuration not being met, the system may decrease a current cooling fan speed for the information handling system. In response to the cooling requirements for the system configuration being met, the system may store the current cooling fan speed.