In-room air conditioner adjustment method, apparatus, and controller
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Solution Overview
Problem
In equipment rooms with IT devices of varying loads, conventional air conditioner control methods lead to temperature and air pressure differences among air conditioners, resulting in inefficient cooling and potential hot spots due to mismatched fan rotational speeds and air pressures.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of multiple temperature and pressure sensors connected to a controller that adjusts fan rotational speeds based on temperature and pressure thresholds to ensure uniform cooling capacity across air conditioners, reducing the difference in fan speeds and air pressures between adjacent units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the fan rotational speed is increased to meet cooling capacity requirements, then the cooling capacity is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts fan rotational speeds based on real-time temperature sensor feedback. Each air conditioner's fan speed is continuously optimized to meet the minimum cooling requirement without excessive energy consumption, transforming the static high-speed operation into a dynamic adaptive control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller changes the operational parameters (rotational speed) of fans based on detected temperature conditions. By monitoring return air temperatures and adjusting fan speeds accordingly, the system adapts cooling output to match actual IT device load requirements, avoiding unnecessary energy consumption during low-load periods.
2Use of energy by moving object
If different fan rotational speeds are used to match IT device loads, then energy efficiency is improved, but temperature and air pressure differences among air conditioners worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature sensors on each air conditioner provide continuous feedback to the controller about return air temperatures. The controller uses this feedback to adjust fan rotational speeds, creating a closed-loop control system that balances energy efficiency with temperature uniformity across the equipment room.
Solution Approach 2:
Each air conditioner operates with locally optimized fan speeds based on its specific thermal conditions and adjacent unit statuses. The system allows different operational characteristics for different units while maintaining overall temperature uniformity through coordinated control.
3Power
If high air pressure is generated to ensure cooling delivery, then cooling capacity is improved, but air flows to low pressure areas causing insufficient cooling and hot spots
Solution Approach 1:
The system coordinates fan rotational speeds among adjacent air conditioners to equalize air pressure levels across the equipment room. By preventing large pressure differences, the system eliminates the driving force that causes air to flow from high-pressure to low-pressure areas, ensuring reliable cooling delivery to all zones without creating hot spots.
4Power
If fan rotational speed is adjusted based on return air temperature, then cooling capacity is optimized, but air pressure differences among air conditioners increase
Solution Approach 1:
The controller monitors both temperature and the operational status of adjacent air conditioners, using feedback from temperature sensors to adjust fan speeds in a coordinated manner that optimizes cooling capacity while minimizing air pressure differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes fan rotational speed parameters based on real-time temperature conditions and adjacent unit status, optimizing cooling capacity while maintaining air pressure balance across the equipment room through coordinated parameter adjustment.
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 energy efficiency by matching cooling capacity with IT device loads, preventing hot spots and ensuring stable operation by equalizing air pressure and temperature differences among air conditioners.
Implementation Method 1
multiple temperature sensors, where the multiple temperature sensors are separately disposed on return air vent sides of air conditioners included in a room in which the apparatus is located, and are configured to detect a return air temperature on a return air vent side of each air conditioner
Implementation Method 2
The controller obtains a return air temperature according to the temperature sensor, and adjusts a rotational speed of a corresponding fan of the air conditioner according to a difference between the return air temperature and a specified value. If the return air temperature is greater than the specified value, the rotational speed of the fan is increased, an air volume is increased, and a cooling capacity is increased.
Implementation Method 3
A plenum is disposed on a supply air vent side of the air conditioner. Therefore, air blown by a fan with a high air pressure flows to an area with a low air pressure.
Data Source
AI summary
An in-room air conditioner adjustment method is provided and includes: obtaining a return air temperature detected by a temperature sensor corresponding to each air conditioner; adjusting, according to a difference between the obtained return air temperature and a temperature threshold, a fan rotational speed of each air conditioner until it is determined that an absolute value of the difference between the obtained return air temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the temperature threshold is less than a first specified value; determining that the absolute value of the difference between the return air temperature detected by the temperature sensor; and when an absolute value of a difference between fan rotational speeds of any two adjacent air conditioners is greater than a second specified value, adjusting a fan rotational speed of an air conditioner whose fan rotational speed is lower in the two adjacent air conditioners.