Abstract: An enclosure forms a plurality of tiers vertically stacked in a longitudinal dimension, each tier supporting two lateral stacks of printed circuit board cards. Each tier has an associated distribution plenum contiguous to a top longitudinal end of the tier and an associated exhaust plenum contiguous to a bottom longitudinal end of the tier. A pump receives air from a pump plenum, and pressurizes the distribution plenum with that air. The distribution plenum distributes the pressurized air through jets in the top of the tier, creating directed streams of cooling air. In the tier, the air flows longitudinally to the exhaust plenum on the bottom of the tier. The air laterally enters the enclosure via the pump plenum, and laterally exits the enclosure via the exhaust plenum.

Abstract: In a method of operating an air conditioning unit to reduce moisture varying operations, psychrometric chart data is accessed. In addition, a constraint is set on the relationship between the temperature of air supplied by the air conditioning unit and the relative humidity of the air supplied based upon information contained in the psychrometric chart data. The air conditioning unit is controlled based upon the constraint to thereby reduce moisture varying operations of the air conditioning unit.

Abstract: A cooling system including a thermosyphon subsystem and a spray cooling subsystem, each being configured to evaporatively cool a component, and a controller configured to selectively operate the spray cooling subsystem based on the cooling requirements of the component. The controller controls a valve limiting the operation of the thermosyphon when the spray cooling system is active. The component is configured to run in a plurality of performance states including a low power state and a high power state. The spray cooling system operates when the component is in the high power state. The controller can order the component to operate in a lower power state if the cooling systems are inadequate to the cooling needs. The cooling needs are determined with a component temperature sensor, a vapor temperature sensor, a vapor pressure sensor, or a power usage sensor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ventilated casing for an electronic device. The ventilated casing includes a housing which has a ventilation inlet and a ventilation outlet. The ventilated casing also includes a high speed fan for moving air from the ventilation inlet to the ventilation outlet to dissipate heat that in use is generated by electronic components positioned in the housing. The fan has a blade, a motor and an air guiding portion positioned near the blade. The air guiding portion has a first mode resonance frequency that is greater than the rotational frequency of the fan.

Abstract: A device for sensing at least one environmental condition in a data center. The device includes a chassis, a propelling mechanism, a power supply, a steering mechanism, and a controller supported on the chassis. The chassis also supports at least one environmental condition sensor and is operable to travel through the data center and sense at least one environmental condition at various locations throughout the data center.

Abstract: A method for commissioning sensors includes determining correlation data between the sensors and a plurality of actuators. The correlation data is based upon conditions detected by the sensors at a plurality of actuator settings. Correlation indexes are calculated from the correlation data, where a correlation index for a sensor is a function of the plurality of actuator settings and a particular actuator. In addition, each of the sensors is assigned to at least one of a plurality of actuator families based upon the calculated correlation indexes of the sensors to thereby commission the sensors.

Abstract: A system for collecting data in a room. The system includes a plurality of sensor devices positioned at various locations in the room. The sensor devices include a sensor configured to detect at least one condition and a controller configured to control the sensor. The system also includes at least one data storage device configured to store the detected at least one condition and an interface mechanism for enabling communication of the stored at least one condition. The system further includes a data collector for interfacing with the interface mechanism to receive the stored at least one condition from the at least one data storage device.

Abstract: A cooling system is configured to supply individually metered amounts of cooling fluid to heat generating components, e.g., processors, micro-controllers, high speed video cards, disk drives, semi-conductor devices, and the like, of an electronic system. The cooling system includes at least one variable speed fan, e.g., blower, configured to supply fluid through a centralized plenum and thereafter through a plurality of nozzles to the components of the electronic system. Each of the nozzles contains a valve to control the amount of fluid flow through the each of the nozzles. A controller is provided to control the operation of the variable speed fan and the operation of each of the valves is also controlled by a controller.

Abstract: A semiconductor chip cooling system having a body that forms an enclosed spray chamber, and having a thermal-transmittance wall configured to conformingly adjoin to a chip, a substrate or printed circuit board carrying one or more chips, or another such heated device. Inkjet-type sprayers are configured to spray cooling fluid on the thermal-transmittance wall to cool the chip. A controller transmits a control signal to the sprayer to cause the sprayer to spray at a rate leading to the cooling fluid being vaporized by the semiconductor device without the device either drying or becoming covered by a pool. The cooling system uses cooling fluid surface tension forces to draw liquid cooling fluid up a porous member from the spray chamber back to the sprayers, to be sprayed again. The cooling system uses gravity and/or pressure within the spray chamber to direct vaporized cooling fluid upward from the spray chamber to a condenser. The condenser is configured to cool and condense the vapor.

Abstract: A system for utilizing waste heat to provide power to an electronic device in a data center. The system includes at least one data center component configured to generate heat energy during operation thereof and a converter for receiving the heat energy generated by the at least one data center component. The converter is configured to convert the heat energy to electrical energy. The system also includes a power supply operable to be recharged through receipt of the electrical energy converted by the converter, and where the power supply is configured to deliver the electrical energy to the electronic device.

Abstract: A method for operating a data center with a robotic device. In the method, a condition is detected in a location of the data center. The robotic device, which includes a camera and a manipulator, is maneuvered to travel to the location of the data center. The location of the data center is imaged with the camera of the robotic device and an object is manipulated with the manipulator of the robotic device.

Abstract: A cooling system for a display projector. The display projector has a plurality of panels substantially enclosing a heat generating component. The system includes means for conducting heat from the heat generating component to at least one panel of the housing and means for dissipating the conducted heat, wherein the means for dissipating comprises at least one panel of the display projector.

Abstract: A method of controlling cooling fluid provisioning in a room housing a plurality of components. The room includes at least one plenum having one or more cooling system components configured to vary a characteristic of at least one of cooling fluid supply to and removal from the room. In the method, location aware sensors are positioned at various locations in the room and their locations are determined. One or more conditions are detected with the location aware sensors and it is determined whether to manipulate at least one of the one or more cooling system components to modify a characteristic of cooling fluid contained in the plenum based upon the detected one or more conditions. In addition, at least one of the one or more cooling system components is manipulated in response to a determination to that the at least of the one or more cooling system components is to be modified.

Abstract: An index of air re-circulation in a data center having one or more racks is determined to identify the level of heated air re-circulation into cooling fluid delivered to the one or more racks. The one or more racks comprise inlets and outlets and are positioned along a cool aisle and a hot aisle. The index is calculated by dividing the enthalpy rise due to infiltration of heated air into the cool aisle and the total enthalpy rise of the heated air from the outlets of the one or more racks.

Abstract: A computer fan efficiency feedback system and method are presented. In one embodiment, an indication electronic components are operating is received. A cooling system is directed to provide air flow to the electronic components. In one exemplary implementation the cooling system includes a fan. The fan speed is modulated in accordance with a fan speed efficiency control plan. For example, the fan speed efficiency control plan includes directions for changing or modulating the fan speed to a value that maximizes an efficiency ratio of flow work to input power supplied to the fan.

Abstract: In a method for evaluating one or more components in a data center, inlet and outlet temperatures of one or more heat dissipating devices are detected. In addition, the temperatures of air supplied by one or more computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units are also detected. Indices of air re-circulation for the one or more heat dissipating devices are calculated based upon the detected inlet temperatures, outlet temperatures and supplied air temperatures. The indices of air re-circulation are determined at various flow field settings of air delivered to the one or more heat dissipating devices and the one or more components are evaluated based upon changes in the indices of air re-circulation for the one or more heat dissipating devices at the various flow field settings.

Abstract: A method for semi-autonomous operation of a robotic device in a room. In the method, one or more goal points are set and the distances between the robotic device and the one or more goal points are determined. A first one of the one or more goal points is selected and the robotic device is maneuvered to travel to the first one of the one or more goal points.

Abstract: A device and a system for cooling heat generating electronics is disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention is a system for cooling at least one computer component. The system has a plurality of cold plates which are adapted to transfer heat from a plurality of computer components to a cooling fluid. A supply line supplies the cooling fluid to and from these cold plates. The system also has a housing with one or more racks to support the computer component(s). The racks may also support the cold plates so that the cold plates are in thermal communication with at least one computer component.

Abstract: A cooling system is configured to supply individually metered amounts of cooling fluid to heat generating components, e.g., processors, micro-controllers, high speed video cards, disk drives, semi-conductor devices, and the like, of an electronic system. The cooling system includes at least one variable speed fan, e.g., blower, configured to supply fluid through a centralized plenum and thereafter through a plurality of nozzles to the components of the electronic system. Each of the nozzles contains a valve to control the amount of fluid flow through the each of the nozzles. A controller is provided to control the operation of the variable speed fan and the operation of each of the valves is also controlled by a controller.

Abstract: A method of reducing energy consumption in a multi-effect absorption system. The multi-effect absorption system includes a primary generator for a primary desorption process and a secondary generator for a secondary desorption process. In the method, heat is provided to the primary generator from a primary heat source for the primary desorption process. Heat generating devices are cooled with the multi-effect absorption system while the generated heat is collected and transferred to the to the secondary generator for use in the secondary desorption process thereby reducing the amount of heat required from the primary heat source and reducing the energy consumption of the absorption system.