Abstract: A method for controlling one or more computer room air conditioning (CRAC) units for energy efficient operation, in which, the temperature of the air returned (Trat) into the one or more CRAC units and the temperature of the air supplied (Tsat) by the one or more CRAC units is detected. The caloric heat transfer level (Q) is calculated based upon the Trat and the Tsat and it is determined whether the Q is within a predetermined setpoint caloric heat transfer range. In addition, at least one operation of the one or more CRAC units is reduced in response to the Q being within the predetermined setpoint caloric heat transfer range to thereby increase the efficiencies of the one or more CRAC units.

Abstract: A system for reducing effects of adverse air re-circulation in a room containing at least one heat generating component includes an air conditioning unit configured to cool airflow in the room and at least one cooling vent tile operable to deliver the cooled airflow to the at least one heat generating component. The system also includes at least one secondary vent tile positioned and operated to one of, introduce airflow into a re-circulating airflow and remove airflow from a re-circulating airflow, to thereby respectively divert or vary the temperature of the re-circulating airflow and thereby reduce the effects of air re-circulation in the room.

Abstract: In a method for predicting an airflow rate of at least one air delivery device, a plurality of airflow rates through the at least one air delivery device at a plurality of airflow rates of at least one air moving device are received. A conditional probabilistic model is generated with the air moving device flow rates as inputs and the airflow rates through the at least one air delivery device as outputs. Moreover, the airflow rate of the at least one air delivery device is predicted from the conditional probabilistic model.

Abstract: A component cooling system including a sprayer configured to eject a stream of cooling fluid and a stream deflector to control deflection of the stream. The sprayer may be continuous or incremental. Excess spray may be deflected into a gutter configured to obstruct cooling fluid from striking the component. The stream deflector may operate using a contact surface, controllable orifice heaters, and/or electrodes is configured to deflect the stream in one or more degrees of freedom. Multiple sprayers may have overlapping spray patterns for redundancy.

Abstract: In a method of managing a structure configured to perform a service a net power value for implementing the structure is determined. A structure available energy value is calculated from the net power value and a fuel available energy value is calculated from the structure available energy value. The fuel available energy value is a function of the structure available energy value and an environmental sustainability of the structure. In addition, the structure is managed based upon the calculated fuel available energy value.

Abstract: A virtual cooling infrastructure includes a demand manager having logical descriptions of a plurality of heat loads and the demand manager is configured to determine cooling load demands of the heat loads. The infrastructure also includes a capacity manager having logical descriptions of a plurality of cooling system components configured to supply cooling resources to cool the heat loads. The infrastructure further includes a service operator configured to map the cooling resources of the cooling system components to the cooling load demands of the heat loads.

Abstract: A system for cooling an electronic device having a heat-generating component includes a passive cooling device having a cooling ability designed to expire after a predetermined amount of heat is absorbed from the heat-generating component and an active cooling device configured to at least one of dissipate heat generated by the heat-generating component and cool the passive cooling device, when the active cooling device is activated. The system also includes a controller configured to activate the active cooling device after a determination that a predetermined threshold condition has occurred, wherein the predetermined threshold condition is selected to occur after the passive cooling device cooling ability has substantially expired, to thereby substantially minimize power consumption of the active cooling device in cooling the heat-generating component.

Abstract: A method of workload placement among servers includes receipt of a workload request. The method also includes selection of a group of servers from a set of servers capable of performing the requested workload. In addition, server workload indexes, which are ratios of temperature rises due to re-circulation load for the servers in the group of servers to temperature rises due to re-circulation load for the set of servers, of the servers in the group of servers are calculated. Moreover, the workload is placed on one or more of the servers in the group of servers based upon the server workload indexes of the servers in the group of servers.

Abstract: In a method of workload placement based upon capacity utilizations of a plurality of CRAC units, the provisioning of the plurality of CRAC units is determined and the zone of influence for each of the plurality of CRAC units is also determined based upon the provisioning of the plurality of CRAC units. It is determined whether a CRAC unit of the plurality of CRAC units is at least one of near failure or has failed. In addition, the workload is shifted from a zone of influence of at least one CRAC unit to a zone of influence of another of the plurality of CRAC units in response to a determination that a CRAC unit is at least one of near failure or has failed.

Abstract: In a method for determining a state of an apparatus, detected temperatures are received from a plurality of sensors and are compared to at least one preset condition. The state of the apparatus is determined based upon the comparison.

Abstract: An enclosure forms a plurality of tiers vertically stacked in a longitudinal dimension. Each tier is a 1U modular computer system having a computer chassis configured for mounting in the multi-tiered support, and computer components that need cooling within the computer chassis. A cooling system is formed by a plenum pressurized by a blower. The plenum defines a plurality of configurable orifices in the chassis, each directing pressurized air toward a component. The plenum includes adjustable valves to controllably limit airflow through the orifices, and a controller to control the air pressure within the plenum and the orifice flow rates through the valves.

Abstract: A modular sensor assembly for sensing conditions at a computer rack, such as environmental conditions. The sensor assembly includes an elongate flexible body, configured to attach to a computer rack, with a plurality of addressable sensors, disposed along the body and interconnected to a common connector wire. A connector wire lead is provided to interconnect the connector wire to a central system configured to receive and interpret data from the plurality of sensors relating to conditions associated with the computer rack.

Abstract: In a method for correlating vent tiles with racks, the vent tiles are opened to a first setting and the mass flow rates of air received by the racks and supplied through the vent tiles are determined. In addition, one of the vent tiles is closed to obtain a second setting and the mass flow rates of air received by the racks and supplied through the vent tiles are determined at the second setting. The vent tiles and the racks are correlated based upon the determined mass flow rates of air received by the racks and the mass flow rates of air supplied through the vent tiles at the first and second settings.

Abstract: A system for controlling airflow around an air-cooled heat generating device includes a cooling fluid line and heat exchangers positioned along the cooling fluid line to cool airflow around components in the heat generating device. The heat exchangers are positioned adjacent to the heat generating device such that the heat exchangers are directly in the path of at least one of airflow supplied into the components and airflow exhausted from the components. The system also includes valves positioned along the cooling fluid line to control cooling fluid flow through respective heat exchangers. The system further includes a secondary heat exchanger configured to absorb heat from the cooling fluid and a controller configured to control the valves to thereby control the cooling fluid flow through the heat exchangers.

Abstract: A method for data connectivity in a room with a robotic device. In the method, at least one condition is detected with a plurality of sensors and the detected at least one condition is communicated from the sensors to associated access points. One or more of the access points are selected and the robotic device is maneuvered to a location in a vicinity of one or more of the selected access points. The detected at least one condition is communicated from one or more of the selected access points to the robotic device. In addition, the robotic device is maneuvered to a location in a vicinity of a base station and the detected at least one condition is communicated from the robotic device to the base station.

Abstract: A cooling system including a housing forming a cooling chamber containing the component submerged in a pool of alcohol, oil or glycerine, a sprayer configured to spray water at the component through the oil or glycerine, and a heat exchanger configured to cool the oil or glycerine. A control system receives heat-generation information from temperature sensors on water-impingement regions of the component, and controls the spraying in response to this information. A pump pumps the oil or glycerine from a lower portion of the cooling chamber to the heat exchanger. A sprayer inlet draws water from an upper portion of the cooling chamber, or from a lower portion of a reservoir connected to the heat exchanger. Oil or glycerine is passed from a portion of the heat exchanger reservoir back to the cooling chamber, and water passes from an upper portion of the reservoir to the sprayer. Alternatively, the oil or glycerine could be replaced with helium.

Abstract: In a method for correlating vent tiles with racks based upon vent tile settings and rack inlet temperatures, the vent tiles are set to a first setting, the first vent tile settings are recorded and the temperatures at the inlets of the racks are detected at the first vent tile settings. One of the vent tiles is closed to obtain a second setting, the second vent tile settings are recorded and the temperatures at the inlets of the racks are detected at the second vent tile settings. In addition, the vent tiles and the racks are correlated based upon the settings of the vent tiles and the temperatures detected at the first vent tile settings and the second vent tile settings.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, the present invention pertains to a system for detecting airflow in a room. The system includes an airflow indicating device having a movable component whose movement substantially corresponds to airflow in a vicinity of the airflow indicating device. The system also includes cooling system components and a computer system configured to control the cooling system components substantially based upon movement of the movable component.

Abstract: An adaptable semiconductor chip cooling system having a readily openable enclosure defining a chamber configured to hold a printed circuit board carrying components to be cooled. Within the enclosure is a sprayer delivery system with a height-controllable sprayer for spraying hot components. The sprayer delivery system has an actuator configured to move the sprayer among positions for spraying different components. The actuator can be of the types used for ink-jet printers or X-Y plotters. Alternatively, the actuator can be a continuous ribbon loop, or a series of radially extending rails. The actuator and sprayer are controlled by a controller, which also controls a configuration system that configures the sprayer delivery system for use with different boards. The controller uses sensors that sense the temperature of the hot components.

Abstract: In a method for thermally managing a room with at least one air moving device having a temperature actuator and an airflow rate actuator, a temperature of airflow at a first location in the room is received and compared with a first predetermined temperature range and a second predetermined temperature range. In the method, one of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator is varied when the received temperature of the airflow is outside of the first predetermined temperature range and the other of the temperature actuator and the airflow rate actuator is varied when the received temperature of the airflow is within the first predetermined temperature range and outside of the second predetermined temperature range.