Open-Loop Preheating for Cold-Start Electronic Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Edge and Telco datacenters often lack heating or cooling capabilities, causing information handling systems to operate outside their designed temperature range, which can lead to device failures and permanent damage.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses lookup tables to determine a predetermined time for preheating electronic devices based on ambient temperature, ensuring components reach operational temperatures before powering on, thereby avoiding damage from extreme temperatures without the need for internal temperature sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If information handling systems operate in cold environments without heating capabilities, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to operation outside designed temperature range
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the information handling system before powering on components. The controller determines that heating is needed based on ambient temperature, activates heating elements, waits for a predetermined time period, and only then powers on the system. This preliminary action ensures components reach safe operating temperatures before use, preventing damage without requiring continuous heating or cooling infrastructure.
2Use of energy by moving object
If information handling systems operate below designed temperature range, then energy consumption is reduced, but harmful factors increase causing permanent damage to components
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary heating only when ambient temperature is below a threshold and only for the minimum time needed to reach safe operating temperature. This approach consumes energy only when necessary to prevent damage, rather than continuously consuming energy to maintain temperature or risking damage by operating without heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful cold ambient environment into a manageable condition by using simple heating elements and time-delay logic. Instead of requiring complex climate control infrastructure, the system accepts the cold environment and compensates with targeted, minimal heating followed by a predetermined wait period, transforming the harmful cold condition into a controllable startup procedure.
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 effectively prevents component damage and failure by ensuring electronic devices operate within a safe temperature range, even in environments without adequate heating or cooling, extending their service life and maintaining optimal performance.
Implementation Method 1
heats the electronic device for the predetermined time
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention may provide an improved method for pre-heating an electronic device such as an information handling system, when internal temperatures are below safe operating ranges. To do so, the system selectively heats the entire device or select zones of the electronic device for a predetermined amount of time when the system is restarted after a period of time sufficient to bring the system to ambient temperatures. The predetermined amount of time is determined based on measured ambient temperatures. Using a table that corresponds the ambient temperatures to a time that a component needs to heat up to a nominal temperature in a zone, the predetermined time can be calculated.