Multi-Interface Fan Box for Central-Unit-Free Server Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The emergence of multi-node servers without a central management unit poses a challenge as existing fan boxes designed for systems with a central management board are no longer applicable, necessitating a new design that can be controlled by multiple server boards to maintain efficient heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
A fan box with multiple communication interfaces and a controller that can receive and process speed adjustment instructions from multiple server boards, allowing for intelligent, multi-master control, and includes an automatic mode to adjust fan rotation based on temperature when communication is interrupted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fan box is designed for a multi-node server with a central management board, then the fan box can be controlled by the central management board, but the space utilization of the server is reduced due to the presence of the central management board
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the central management board from the server architecture, removing the single point of control and allowing each server board to independently control the fan box. This eliminates the need for a dedicated central management board, thereby improving space utilization while maintaining fan box controllability through multiple communication interfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The fan box is designed with multiple communication interfaces that can each independently receive control signals from different server boards. This multi-functional capability allows the fan box to work in both traditional centralized control modes and new decentralized modes, making it universally adaptable to different server architectures
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fan box has multiple communication interfaces to support multi-master control, then the fan box can be controlled by multiple server boards, but the device complexity of the fan box increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fan box control system is segmented into multiple independent communication interfaces, each capable of receiving and processing control instructions from different server boards. This segmentation allows the fan box to support multi-master control without requiring a completely new control architecture, as each interface operates independently while coordinating through the same fan control mechanism
3Ease of operation
If the fan box relies on communication with server boards for control, then precise speed adjustment is achieved, but system reliability decreases when communication is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The fan box is equipped with temperature sensors that continuously monitor thermal conditions and are pre-configured with control algorithms. When communication with server boards is interrupted, the fan box can immediately switch to autonomous operation mode, using the pre-monitored temperature data and embedded control logic to adjust fan speed appropriately, thereby maintaining system reliability without sacrificing communication-based precision control during normal operation
Data Source
AI summary
This application discloses a fan box, a server system, and a method for adjusting a rotation speed of a fan box, and belongs to the field of server heat dissipation technologies. The fan box provided in embodiments of this application has a plurality of communication interfaces, and each communication interface can be electrically connected to one server board. Therefore, the fan box provided in embodiments of this application can be electrically connected to a plurality of server boards. In addition, a controller in the fan box can adjust a rotation speed of a fan based on a plurality of fan box speed adjustment instructions. Therefore, the fan box provided in embodiments of this application can be controlled by a plurality of master control nodes, and is applicable to a multi-node server system with a central management unit-free architecture, and any server system that requires multi-node master control.