Virtual Rack Temperature Monitoring for Data Center Cooling Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data centers face challenges in accurately monitoring environmental conditions at an individual rack or server level due to the recirculation of exhaust air, which reduces heat removal efficiency and can lead to overheating, damage to computing components, and inefficient cooling resource allocation, while existing methods require extensive and costly sensor installations.
Innovation Solution
A virtual monitoring system that uses internal temperature sensors in computer systems to derive virtual external temperature sensor measurements, allowing for the monitoring of environmental conditions at a rack and server level without the need for additional external sensors, by communicating with a processor module to calculate these measurements based on internal and external temperature relationships.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If environmental sensors are installed in various regions to monitor individual rack and server level conditions, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of external temperature sensor measurements by using internal temperature sensor data from computer systems. Instead of installing physical external sensors at every rack and server location, the system generates virtual sensor readings that replicate what external sensors would measure, based on the relationship between internal and external temperatures. This copying approach achieves fine-grained environmental monitoring without the complexity of extensive physical sensor installations.
2Productivity
If exhaust air is recirculated from the exhaust end back to the intake end of racks, then cooling air flow is maintained, but heat removal efficiency deteriorates due to feedback loops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism that monitors virtual external temperature measurements at rack intake ends and adjusts cooling operations accordingly. By detecting when recirculated exhaust air reaches intake ends (indicated by elevated virtual external temperatures), the system can modify air handling system operations to prevent harmful feedback loops while maintaining adequate cooling air flow to computer systems.
3Reliability
If cooling air flow is increased to prevent overheating, then reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment of cooling operations based on real-time virtual external temperature measurements. Rather than maintaining constant high cooling air flow, the system continuously monitors environmental conditions and adjusts air handling system operations dynamically. This allows the system to provide adequate cooling to prevent overheating while minimizing energy consumption by reducing cooling when conditions permit.
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 the granularity of environmental monitoring within data centers, reducing the need for extensive sensor installations and improving the accuracy of temperature measurements, thereby preventing overheating and optimizing cooling resources.
Implementation Method 1
cooling air removes heat from heat-producing components of the computer systems
Data Source
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AI summary
A virtual temperature monitoring system in a data center communicates with servers mounted in racks to receive internal temperature data generated by internal temperature sensors of the servers. The system derives a virtual sensor measurement of external temperatures external to the server, including a portion of a cold aisle that extends proximate to a rack in which the server is mounted, based upon a relationship between the received internal temperature sensors and the external environment. Sensor data from other sensors can be received via a building management system, and building management signals to the building management system can be generated based at least partially on the virtual sensor data. The virtual sensor data can be used to generate a graphical representation of the servers that highlights relative thermal characteristics of the servers based on the virtual external sensor measurements, including heat indices, excursions beyond thresholds, historical excursion histories, etc.