Vane Assembly Airflow Redirection After Air Mover Fault

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Solution Overview

Problem

In information handling systems, airflow recirculation and redirection issues arise during an air mover fault, leading to inadequate cooling of components and potential overheating, as redundant air movers may not sufficiently compensate for the failure of one air mover.

Innovation Solution

A vane assembly is mechanically coupled to multiple air movers, with vanes arranged to assume different positions when an air mover fails, preventing recirculation and redirecting airflow from operational air movers to ensure continued cooling of components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If air movers are used in a redundant configuration, then system reliability is improved, but airflow recirculation occurs during fault conditions causing inadequate cooling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidairflow recirculation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The vane assembly is designed to dynamically change its configuration based on system conditions. When an air mover fails, the vanes automatically redirect airflow from operational air movers to previously served components, preventing recirculation and maintaining cooling effectiveness. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to maintain both redundancy and proper airflow patterns under fault conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The vane assembly acts as an intermediary device between operational air movers and components requiring cooling. By introducing these flow control vanes, the system can redirect airflow paths to prevent recirculation through failed air movers while ensuring continued cooling of dependent components, thus eliminating the harmful recirculation effect while maintaining system reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If air flow is redirected from operational air movers, then cooling adequacy is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling adequacyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The airflow control function is segmented into individual vanes associated with each air mover. Each vane can be independently positioned to control airflow from its associated air mover, allowing precise redirection to specific components without requiring complex centralized control. This segmentation maintains cooling adequacy while limiting the increase in system complexity to simple, localized flow control elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The vane assembly serves multiple functions: it prevents recirculation through failed air movers, redirects airflow to compensate for failures, and maintains cooling coverage for all components. By consolidating these multiple airflow control functions into a single integrated assembly, the design achieves improved cooling adequacy without proportionally increasing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

The solution effectively reduces airflow recirculation and ensures adequate cooling of information handling system components even when one air mover fails, maintaining component stability and extending lifespan by redirecting airflow efficiently.

Implementation Method 1

at least one of the second set of one or more vanes assumes a third position to redirect air flow of the second air mover to compensate for failure of the first air mover

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAirflow redirection:

Implementation Method 2

the first set of one or more vanes assumes a second position to prevent recirculation of air through the first air mover

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAirflow blocking:

Data Source

PatentUS11089713B2Systems and methods for redirection of airflow in an information handling system after an air mover fault

Publication Date: 2021.08.10 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

A vane assembly may be configured to mechanically couple to a first air mover and a second air mover, and the vane assembly may include a first set of one or more vanes configured to be proximate to the first air mover when the vane assembly is mechanically coupled to the first air mover and the second air mover and a second set of one or more vanes configured to be proximate to the second air mover when the vane assembly is mechanically coupled to the first air mover and the second air mover. The first set of one or more vanes and the second set of one or more vanes may be configured to be arranged relative to the first air mover and the second air mover such that when the first air mover and the second air mover are operational, the first set of one or more vanes and the second set of one or more vanes each assume a respective first position allowing air to flow from the first air mover and the second air mover and when the first air mover is failed and the second air mover is operational the first set of one or more vanes assumes a second position to prevent recirculation of air through the first air mover and at least one of the second set of one or more vanes assumes a third position to redirect air flow of the second air mover to compensate for failure of the first air mover.