U.S. patent application number 13/916011 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-17 for air-conditioning control system and air volume adjustment device.
This patent application is currently assigned to FUJITSU LIMITED. The applicant listed for this patent is FUJITSU LIMITED. Invention is credited to Minoru Ishinabe, Takeo Kasajima, Takahiro Kashikawa, Kyouko Tadaki, Fumio Takei, Kazushi Uno.
Application Number | 20130273825 13/916011 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46244219 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130273825 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Uno; Kazushi ; et
al. |
October 17, 2013 |
AIR-CONDITIONING CONTROL SYSTEM AND AIR VOLUME ADJUSTMENT
DEVICE
Abstract
An air volume adjustment device is located at a vent for
connecting an equipment installation area, where a rack for housing
computers is installed, to a free access floor provided below a
floor of the equipment installation area and supplied with air from
an air conditioner. The air volume adjustment device includes an
air volume adjustment sheet provided with an opening to allow
passage of air, a first roll connected to one end portion of the
air volume adjustment sheet and made capable of reeling in the air
volume adjustment sheet, and a second roll located away from the
first roll, connected to another end portion of the air volume
adjustment sheet, and made capable of reeling in the air volume
adjustment sheet.
Inventors: |
Uno; Kazushi; (Atsugi,
JP) ; Takei; Fumio; (Isehara, JP) ; Kasajima;
Takeo; (Machida, JP) ; Kashikawa; Takahiro;
(Hadano, JP) ; Ishinabe; Minoru; (Atsugi, JP)
; Tadaki; Kyouko; (Atsugi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FUJITSU LIMITED |
Kawasaki-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
FUJITSU LIMITED
Kawasaki
JP
|
Family ID: |
46244219 |
Appl. No.: |
13/916011 |
Filed: |
June 12, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/JP2010/072551 |
Dec 15, 2010 |
|
|
|
13916011 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
454/184 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 11/0001 20130101;
H05K 7/20836 20130101; H05K 7/20745 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
454/184 |
International
Class: |
F24F 11/00 20060101
F24F011/00 |
Claims
1. An air-conditioning control system comprising: a rack housing a
plurality of computers; an equipment installation area where the
rack is installed; a free access floor provided under a floor of
the equipment installation area; an air conditioner configured to
take in air from the equipment installation area and to supply the
air at adjusted temperature to the free access floor; a vent
connecting the equipment installation area to the free access
floor; an air volume adjustment device located at the vent and
configured to adjust a volume of air flowing from the free access
floor to the equipment installation area; a driving unit configured
to drive the air volume adjustment device; and a control unit
configured to control the driving unit, wherein the air volume
adjustment device comprises: an air volume adjustment sheet
provided with an opening to allow passage of air; a first roll
connected to one end portion of the air volume adjustment sheet and
made capable of reeling in the air volume adjustment sheet; and a
second roll located away from the first roll, connected to another
end portion of the air volume adjustment sheet, and made capable of
reeling in the air volume adjustment sheet.
2. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 1, the
system further comprising: a temperature measurement unit
configured to measure a temperature of the rack, wherein the
control unit controls the driving unit on the basis of a result of
temperature measurement performed by the temperature measurement
unit.
3. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 2,
wherein the temperature measurement unit measures the temperature
of the rack by using an optical fiber as a temperature sensor.
4. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 1,
wherein the air volume adjustment sheet is provided with a
plurality of the openings in different shapes arranged in a
longitudinal direction of the sheet.
5. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 4,
wherein at least one of the plurality of openings provided to the
air volume adjustment sheet includes a fin having an inclination
angle varied by passage of the air.
6. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 1, the
system further comprising: a management computer configured to
manage operating conditions of the computers housed in the rack,
wherein the control unit acquires an information on the operating
conditions of the computers from the management computer and
controls the driving unit on the basis of the information on the
operating conditions of the computers.
7. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 6,
wherein the management computer determines which computer to submit
a job to depending on a shape of the opening of the air volume
adjustment sheet.
8. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 6,
wherein the control unit acquires information on power consumption
by a plurality of the racks from the management computer, controls
the driving unit based on a ratio of the power consumption among
the racks, and thereby adjusts an aperture ratio of the air volume
adjustment device located in front of the racks.
9. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 1,
wherein the air volume adjustment sheet is provided with a position
control marker, the driving unit controls the air volume adjustment
device based on a result of detection of the position control
marker in such a way that a predetermined portion of the air volume
adjustment sheet is located between the first roll and the second
roll.
10. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 1,
wherein the control unit controls an air blow volume of the air
conditioner depending on the aperture ratio determined by a size of
the opening located between the first roll and the second roll.
11. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 10,
wherein the control unit controls the air blow volume of the air
conditioner in such a way that a volume of air blowing out of the
vent having the largest aperture ratio out of a plurality of the
vents is a specified volume.
12. The air-conditioning control system according to claim 1,
wherein the single air volume adjustment device is provided with
respect to a plurality of the racks.
13. An air volume adjustment device comprising: an air volume
adjustment sheet provided with an opening to allow passage of air;
a first roll connected to one end portion of the air volume
adjustment sheet and made capable of reeling in the air volume
adjustment sheet; and a second roll located away from the first
roll, connected to another end portion of the air volume adjustment
sheet, and made capable of reeling in the air volume adjustment
sheet.
14. The air volume adjustment device according to claim 13, wherein
the air volume adjustment sheet is provided with a plurality of the
openings in different shapes arranged in a longitudinal direction
of the sheet.
15. The air volume adjustment device according to claim 14, wherein
at least one of the plurality of openings provided to the air
volume adjustment sheet includes a fin having an inclination angle
varied by passage of the air.
16. The air volume adjustment device according to claim 14, wherein
the air volume adjustment sheet is provided with a position control
marker.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of International Patent
Application No. PCT/JP2010/072551 filed Dec. 15, 2010 and
designated the U.S., the entire contents of which are incorporated
herein by reference.
FIELD
[0002] The present embodiments discussed herein relate to an
air-conditioning control system and an air volume adjustment
device.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In recent years, a large quantity of data are handled by
computers with the advent of an advanced information society and a
large number of computers are often installed in one room and
managed in a centralized manner. In a data center, for example, a
large number of racks (server racks) are installed in a computer
room and a plurality of computers (servers) are housed in each
rack. Then, a large amount of jobs are organically distributed to
and efficiently processed by the computers.
[0004] In general, a computer of a rack-mounted type (a type
designed to be housed in a rack) takes in the air in a room from
one surface side of a rack to cool a CPU (central processing unit)
and the like, and discharges the air raised to a high temperature
as a consequence from another surface side of the rack. An increase
in temperature in the room where the computers are installed may
cause a failure or a malfunction of a computer. Accordingly, in a
data center, the temperature in the computer room is managed by an
air conditioner so that temperatures of the computers do not exceed
an allowable temperature.
[0005] The amount of power consumption used for air conditioning in
a data center is said to be as large as the total power consumption
by computers. For this reason, reduction in the power used for the
air conditioning is desired.
[0006] Meanwhile, a performance improvement of a CPU, an
introduction of 64-bit OS (operating system), a capacity increase
of a hard disk drive, and the like are enabling a single computer
(a physical server) to run with a plurality of virtual machines
(VM) loaded thereon. Accordingly, so-called VM consolidation and
deployment techniques have been developed and are being gradually
put into practical use. In the VM consolidation and deployment
techniques, virtual machines in a plurality of computers (physical
servers) with low CPU utilization are consolidated into one
computer and the computers thus turned into an idle state are
temporarily turned off.
[0007] A rack-mounted computer consumes power of about 100 W even
in an idle state. Accordingly, it may be possible to reduce the
power consumption in the data center by turning off the computers
turned into the idle state by use of the VM consolidation and
deployment techniques. [0008] Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open
Patent Publication No. 2009-299919 [0009] Patent Document 2:
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-32174 [0010] Patent
Document 3: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No.
2006-64283
[0011] However, there is a demand to further reduce power
consumption in a data center from the standpoint of energy saving
and prevention of global warming.
SUMMARY
[0012] According to an aspect of the disclosed technique, provided
is an air-conditioning control system including: a rack housing a
plurality of computers; an equipment installation area where the
rack is installed; a free access floor provided under a floor of
the equipment installation area; an air conditioner configured to
take in air from the equipment installation area and to supply the
air at adjusted temperature to the free access floor; a vent
connecting the equipment installation area to the free access
floor; an air volume adjustment device located at the vent and
configured to adjust a volume of air flowing from the free access
floor to the equipment installation area; a driving unit configured
to drive the air volume adjustment device; and a control unit
configured to control the driving unit. The air volume adjustment
device includes: an air volume adjustment sheet provided with an
opening to allow passage of air; a first roll connected to one end
portion of the air volume adjustment sheet and made capable of
reeling in the air volume adjustment sheet; and a second roll
located away from the first roll, connected to another end portion
of the air volume adjustment sheet, and made capable of reeling in
the air volume adjustment sheet.
[0013] According to another aspect of the disclosed technique,
provided is an air volume adjustment device including: an air
volume adjustment sheet provided with an opening to allow passage
of air; a first roll connected to one end portion of the air volume
adjustment sheet and made capable of reeling in the air volume
adjustment sheet; and a second roll located away from the first
roll, connected to another end portion of the air volume adjustment
sheet, and made capable of reeling in the air volume adjustment
sheet.
[0014] The object and advantages of the invention will be realized
and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly
pointed out in the claims.
[0015] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary
and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a plan view explaining an example of a computer
room;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the computer
room;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a state where computers are
housed in a rack;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective view (part 1) exemplifying an air
volume adjustment device according to an embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective view (part 2) exemplifying the air
volume adjustment device according to the embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a development view exemplifying an air volume
adjustment sheet (part 1) provided with a plurality of opening
patterns (openings);
[0022] FIG. 7 is a development view exemplifying an air volume
adjustment sheet (part 2) provided with a plurality of opening
patterns (openings);
[0023] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram exemplifying a first
air-conditioning control system;
[0024] FIG. 9 is a flowchart exemplifying operations of the first
air-conditioning control system;
[0025] FIGS. 10A to 10C are schematic diagrams exemplifying the
operations of the first air-conditioning control system;
[0026] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a flow of air
from a grille to a rack;
[0027] FIG. 12 is a view illustrating a simulation result of
relations between aperture ratios of the grilles and volumes of air
blowing out of the grilles;
[0028] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a layout inside
a computer room at the time of simulation calculation;
[0029] FIG. 14A is a perspective view explaining another example of
an opening pattern provided to an air volume adjustment sheet, and
FIG. 14B is a schematic diagram illustrating a state where the air
volume adjustment sheet is located near a grille; and
[0030] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram exemplifying a second
air-conditioning control system.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0031] Prior to descriptions of embodiments, a prelude for
facilitating understandings of the embodiments will be described
below.
[0032] FIG. 1 is a plan view explaining an example of a computer
room. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the same computer
room. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a state where computers are
housed in a rack.
[0033] As in FIG. 2, a computer room 10 includes an equipment
installation area 10a where racks (server racks) 11 are installed,
and a free access floor (an underfloor space) 10b provided below a
floor of the equipment installation area 10 and used to place power
cables, communication cables, and the like.
[0034] As in FIG. 1, a large number of racks 11 are installed side
by side in rows in the equipment installation area 10a. Meanwhile,
as in FIG. 3, a plurality of computers (physical servers) 16 are
vertically arranged and housed in each rack 11.
[0035] Each computer 16 is provided with a cooling fan 17. The
cooling fan 17 is configured to take in air from a front surface
(hereinafter referred to as an "intake surface") side of the rack
11 while rotating at the number of revolutions corresponding to a
temperature of a CPU, for example, and discharge the air heated to
a high temperature as a consequence of cooling the CPU from a back
surface (hereinafter referred to as an "exhaust surface") side.
[0036] The racks 11 in adjacent rows are arranged in such a way
that their intake surfaces or exhaust surfaces are opposed to each
other. Grilles (vents) 13 to connect the free access floor 10b to
the equipment installation area 10a are provided on the floor of an
aisle on the intake surface side for each one or a plurality of
racks 11.
[0037] Meanwhile, one or a plurality of air conditioners 15 are
installed in the computer room 10. The air conditioner 15 is
configured to take in the air from the equipment installation area
10a and supply the air adjusted to a low temperature to the free
access floor 10b. The low-temperature air is sent out to the
equipment installation area 10a through the grilles 13 and is taken
into the racks 11 from the intake surface side. Then, the air
(exhaust air) at an increased temperature after cooling the
computers 16 in the racks 11 is discharged from the exhaust side of
the racks 11 to the equipment installation area 10a.
[0038] In the computer room 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2,
the racks in adjacent rows are arranged in such a way that intake
surfaces or exhaust surfaces of the racks 11 in the adjacent rows
are opposed to each other. In this way, an area where the
low-temperature air is supplied through the grilles 13 and an area
where the high-temperature air is discharged from the racks 11 are
spatially separated, whereby efficient cooling of the racks 11 may
be enabled. In the following, the area on the intake surface side
of the racks where the low-temperature air is supplied will be
referred to as a cold aisle and the area on the exhaust surface
side of the racks where the high-temperature air is discharged will
be referred to as a hot aisle.
[0039] The air inside the computer room 10 circulates in the
following order: the air conditioners 15; the free access floor
10b; the equipment installation area 10a (the cold aisles); the
racks 11; the equipment installation area 10a (the hot aisles); and
the air conditioners 15.
[0040] In the meantime, the CPU utilization of a computer 16 varies
depending on submitted jobs, and a computer 16 to which a large
quantity of jobs are submitted or a computer 16 to which heavy load
jobs are submitted generates a large amount of heat along with
processing such jobs. On the other hand, the low-temperature air
sent out of the air conditioners 15 is supplied substantially
evenly to the racks 11 through the grilles 13. For this reason,
insufficient cooling may occur locally if the temperature inside
the computer room 10 is simply adjusted by the air conditioners
15.
[0041] For instance, it may be possible to resolve the local
insufficient cooling by employing an air conditioner having a large
cooling capacity and operating the air conditioner always at its
full capacity. However, a problem of an increase in the power used
for the air conditioning arises in that case. For this reason, the
efficient air conditioning in the computer room 10 is expected.
[0042] In order to realize the efficient cooling inside the
computer room 10, there has been a proposal to cool a rack 11
having a large amount of heat generation (a sum of amounts of heat
generated by the computers housed therein) locally by using a local
cooling device separately from the air conditioners 15. However, in
this case, an effect of reducing the power used for the air
conditioning is not sufficiently obtained not only because it may
be necessary to bear costs associated with installation of the
local cooling device but also because power consumption by the
local cooling device is relatively high.
[0043] Meanwhile, one conceivable solution is that the volume of
the low-temperature air to be supplied from the free access floor
10b to the equipment installation area 10a is adjusted for each
grille 13. Specifically, the volume of the air supplied from each
grille 13 is dynamically changed in such a manner as to increase
the volume of the air supplied from the grille 13 to the rack 11
having a large amount of heat generation and to decrease the volume
of the air supplied from the grille 13 to the rack 11 having a
small amount of heat generation. In this way, it may be possible to
achieve an effect similar to that in the case of using the local
cooling device.
[0044] One conceivable idea for dynamically changing the volume of
the air supplied from the grille 13 is to provide each grille 13
with an electric fan. Such a grille 13 provided with the electric
fan will be hereinafter referred to as an electric fan-assisted
grille. In the air-conditioning control system adopting the
electric fan-assisted grilles, the number of revolutions of the
electric fan of each grille 13 is controlled depending on the
amount of heat generation of the corresponding rack 11, and
temperature settings of the air conditioners 15 and the air blow
volume therefrom are adjusted depending on an average value of the
amounts of heat generated from all the racks 11. Thus, the local
insufficient cooling may be avoided while the power used for the
air conditioning is reduced.
[0045] However, the above-described air-conditioning control system
uses a large number of electric fans inside the computer room 10
and causes increases in initial costs as well as maintenance costs.
In addition, even when the electric fans are stopped, the
low-temperature air passes through the grilles 13 due to a pressure
difference between the free access floor 10b and the equipment
installation area 10a. For this reason, the low-temperature air is
also supplied to the racks 11 not in operation, and the volume of
the low-temperature air to be supplied to the racks 11 in operation
is decreased accordingly. As a result, the cooling efficiency goes
down. Moreover, since the weight is increased when the grilles 13
are respectively provided with the electric fans, a floor
reinforcement or earthquake resistant work may be adopted.
[0046] Another conceivable idea is to provide each grille 13 with a
louver, and to adjust the volume of the air supplied from the
grille 13 to the rack 11 by adjusting an angle of slats of the
louver and changing an aperture ratio of the grille 13. Such a
grille provided with the louver will be hereinafter referred to as
a louver-assisted grille. In the case of the louver-assisted
grille, it may be possible to achieve weight saving as compared to
the electric fan-assisted grille. Hence, the louver-assisted grille
does not adopt a floor reinforcement or earthquake resistant work
and may therefore be realized relatively at low costs.
[0047] However, in the case of the louver-assisted grille, the
aperture ratio is adjusted by means of the angle of the slats, and
the angle of the air blowing out of the grille 13 therefore varies
depending on the aperture ratio. In other words, when the aperture
ratio of the grille 13 is low, the low-temperature air is supplied
preferentially to a computer 16 located in a low position of the
rack 11 whereas the volume of the low-temperature air to be
supplied to a computer 16 located in a high position is
reduced.
[0048] Now, the embodiments will be described below with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
AIR VOLUME ADJUSTMENT DEVICE
[0049] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are perspective views (schematic diagrams)
exemplifying an air volume adjustment device according to an
embodiment. Note that the following description will also refer to
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 exemplifying the layout inside the computer room
10 and to FIG. 3 exemplifying the computers 16 housed in the rack
11.
[0050] An air volume adjustment device 20 according to the
embodiment is located below grille plates 31 as in FIG. 5.
Meanwhile, the air volume adjustment device 20 according to the
embodiment includes a delivery roll 21a, a wind-up roll 21b, and an
air volume adjustment sheet 22.
[0051] Each grille plate 31 is located above a vent (a grille 13)
provided in the floor of the equipment installation area 10a, and
is provided with a plurality of venting holes 31a which allow
passage of the air supplied from the free access floor 10b to the
rack installation area 10a. The grille plate 31 has a withstand
load which is enough for avoiding a breakage when a person steps
thereon at the time of maintenance.
[0052] The delivery roll 21a is located along a side of the vent
(the grille 13) near the rack 11, for example, while the wind-up
roll 21b is located along the opposite side of the side where the
delivery roll 21a is located. The delivery roll 21a has both ends
supported by a bearing guide 23a and is rotated by a motor 24a.
Meanwhile, the wind-up roll 21b has both ends supported by a
bearing guide 23b and is rotated by a motor 24b.
[0053] The air volume adjustment sheet 22 is made of a thick resin
film, fabric or the like, and is extended from the delivery roll
21a to the wind-up roll 21b. The air volume adjustment sheet 22 is
provided with openings 27 which allow passage of the air. In this
embodiment, a plurality of opening patterns (openings) 27a, 27b,
27c, . . . having different shapes from one another are provided in
a longitudinal direction of the air volume adjustment sheet 22 as
exemplified in a development view of FIG. 6. The air volume
adjustment sheet 22 is delivered from the delivery roll 21a and is
rolled up around the wind-up roll 21b by the rotation of the motor
24b, and is reeled out from the wind-up roll 21b and is rolled up
around the delivery roll 21a by the rotation of the motor 24a.
[0054] Note that FIG. 7 is a view exemplifying an air volume
adjustment sheet 22 provided with opening patterns 27d, 27e, 27f
having different shapes from the opening patterns 27a, 27b, 27c
illustrated in FIG. 6. The shapes of the opening patterns on the
air volume adjustment sheet 22 may be set as appropriate depending
on operating conditions of the computers 16. In the meantime, sheet
guides holding two sides in a width direction of the air volume
adjustment sheet 22, for example, may be provided in order to
prevent undulation of the air volume adjustment sheet 22 attributed
to the flow of the air and thereby to achieve smooth movement of
the air volume adjustment sheet 22.
[0055] As in FIG. 4, position control markers 25 are provided to
one edge portion in the width direction of the air volume
adjustment sheet 22, and a marker reading sensor 26 is located in
the vicinity of the bearing guide 23a. In this embodiment, a
plurality of holes are provided as the markers 25 at the edge
portion of the air volume adjustment sheet 22. The marker reading
sensor 26 is connected to a driving unit 44 to be described later,
and outputs a given signal to the driving unit 44 upon detection of
the markers 25. The driving unit 44 controls drive of the motors
24a, 24b on the basis of this signal. Thus, a predetermined portion
of the air volume adjustment sheet 22 may be located between the
delivery roll 21a and the wind-up roll 21b. Here, bar codes, QR
codes, and the like may also be used as the markers 25.
FIRST AIR-CONDITIONING CONTROL SYSTEM
[0056] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram exemplifying a first
air-conditioning control system using the above-described air
volume adjustment device. As in FIG. 8, the first air-conditioning
control system includes the air conditioner 15, the air volume
adjustment device 20, a temperature distribution measurement unit
42 to which an optical fiber 41 serving as a temperature sensor is
connected, a control unit 43, and the driving unit 44.
[0057] The optical fiber 41 is laid in such a manner as to pass
through the intake surface and the exhaust surface of each of the
racks 11, and to pass through the free access floor 10b between one
rack 11 and another rack 11. The temperature distribution
measurement unit 42 is configured to measure temperature
distribution of the intake surfaces and the exhaust surfaces of the
racks 11, where the optical fiber 41 is laid, by detecting Raman
scattered light generated when light (a laser beam) passes through
the optical fiber 41.
[0058] Here, the optical fiber 41 is used as the temperature
sensor. Instead, a thermocouple, a thermistor, an IC-type
temperature sensor or the like may be located as the temperature
sensor at each of the racks 11. Alternatively, a temperature sensor
embedded in a CPU or any other semiconductor chip in the computer
16 may be used.
[0059] The control unit 43 outputs control signals respectively to
the driving unit 44 and the air conditioner 15 on the basis of
temperature distribution data inputted from the temperature
distribution measurement unit 42.
[0060] The air conditioner 15 is configured to adjust the air blow
volume and the temperature setting in accordance with the control
signal outputted from the control unit 43. Meanwhile, the driving
unit 44 is configured to control the air volume adjustment device
20 (the motors 24a, 24b) in accordance with the control signal
outputted from the control unit 43 and outputs from the marker
reading sensors 26 (see FIG. 4), and to adjust the aperture ratios
of the grilles 13.
[0061] Now, an example of operations of the above-described
air-conditioning control system will be described with reference to
a system configuration diagram of FIG. 8 and a flowchart of FIG. 9.
Here, in order to simplify description, four racks 11a to 11d are
assumed to be installed in the computer room 10 as in FIGS. 10A to
10C, and grilles 13a to 13d are assumed to be provided on the floor
on the intake surface side of the racks 11a to 11d.
[0062] In addition, for the convenience of description, the
aperture ratio of each of the grilles 13a to 13d is assumed to be
defined herein by the area of an overlapping portion between the
grille plate 31 and the opening 27 of the air volume adjustment
sheet 22. Specifically, a case where the grille plate 31 completely
overlaps the opening 27 of the air volume adjustment sheet 22 is
defined as the aperture ratio of 100% while a case where the grille
plate 31 does not overlap the opening 27 of the air volume
adjustment sheet 22 at all is defined as the aperture ratio of
0%.
[0063] Moreover, the air volume adjustment sheet 22 is assumed to
be provided with the opening patterns 27a, 27b, 27c, . . . having
the shapes as in FIG. 6. Furthermore, the control unit 43 is
assumed to control the air blow volume of the air conditioner 15
based on an average aperture ratio among the grilles 13a to 13d.
For example, the control unit 43 sets the air blow volume of the
air conditioner 15 as level 1 (the weakest) when the average
aperture ratio among the grilles 13a to 13d is 0% to 10%, sets the
air blow volume of the air conditioner 15 as level 2 when the
average aperture ratio among the grilles 13a to 13d is 10% to 20%,
. . . , and sets the air blow volume of the air conditioner 15 as
level 10 (the strongest) when the average aperture ratio among the
grilles 13a to 13d is 90% to 100%.
[0064] First, in step S11, the control unit 43 acquires a result of
temperature distribution measurement of the racks 11a to 11d from
the temperature distribution measurement unit 42. Thereafter, the
process goes to step S12 where the control unit 43 determines the
aperture ratios of the grilles 13a to 13d and the opening pattern
of the air volume adjustment sheet 22 on the basis of the result of
the temperature distribution measurement of the racks 11a to
11d.
[0065] Next, the process goes to step S13 where the control unit 43
controls the driving unit 44 on the basis of the aperture ratios of
the grilles 13a to 13d and the opening pattern of the air volume
adjustment sheet 22 determined in step S12 in such a way that the
driving unit 44 drives the air volume adjustment device 20 and
adjusts the aperture ratios of the grilles 13a to 13d. Meanwhile,
the control unit 43 determines the air blow volume of the air
conditioner 15 on the basis of the average aperture ratio among the
grilles 13a to 13d, and performs control such that the air
conditioner 15 blows air at the determined volume.
[0066] Next, the process goes to step S14 where the control unit 43
acquires a result of temperature distribution measurement of the
racks 11a to 11d from the temperature distribution measurement unit
42. Then, the process goes to step S15 where the control unit 43
judges whether or not the temperature (such as the highest
temperature) of each of the racks 11a to 11d is within an
appropriate range. Here, the process returns to step S11 and
continues when it is judged that the temperatures of the racks 11a
to 11d are within the appropriate range.
[0067] On the other hand, if the temperature of any of the racks
11a to 11d is out of the appropriate range, the process goes to
step S16 where the temperature setting of the air conditioner 15 is
changed. Then, the process returns to step S11 and continues.
[0068] In FIG. 10A, the computers 16 in the two racks 11a, 11b on
the left side are assumed to be processing relatively light load
jobs while the computers 16 in the two racks 11c, 11d on the right
side are assumed to be in a non-operating state. Moreover, the
control unit 43 is assumed to have determined the aperture ratios
of the grilles 13a, 13b in front of the racks 11a, 11b to be set to
20% and the aperture ratios of the grilles 13c, 13d in front of the
racks 11c, 11d to be set to 0% on the basis of the temperature
distribution of the racks 11a to 11d. In addition, the control unit
43 is assumed to have determined the opening pattern 27b as the
opening pattern of the air volume adjustment sheet 22, and the air
blow volume of the air conditioner 15 to be set to level 2 on the
basis of the aperture ratios of the grilles 13a to 13d.
[0069] The control unit 43 controls the air volume adjustment
device 20 and the air conditioner 15 in accordance with the
aperture ratios, the opening pattern, and the air blow volume thus
determined.
[0070] In FIG. 10B, the computers 16 in the two racks 11a, 11b on
the left side are assumed to be processing heavy load jobs while
the computers 16 in the two racks 11c, 11d on the right side are
assumed to be processing relatively light load jobs. Moreover, the
control unit 43 is assumed to have determined the aperture ratios
of the grilles 13a, 13b in front of the racks 11a, 11b to be set to
100% and the aperture ratios of the grilles 13c, 13d in front of
the racks 11c, 11d to be set to 20% on the basis of the temperature
distribution of the racks 11a to 11d. In addition, the control unit
43 is assumed to have determined the opening pattern 27b as the
opening pattern of the air volume adjustment sheet 22, and the air
blow volume of the air conditioner 15 to be set to level 6 on the
basis of the aperture ratios of the grilles 13a to 13d.
[0071] The control unit 43 controls the air volume adjustment
device 20 and the air conditioner 15 in accordance with the
aperture ratios, the opening pattern, and the air blow volume thus
determined.
[0072] In FIG. 10C, loads of jobs being processed by the computers
16 in the racks are assumed to be heavier in order of the rack 11a,
the rack 11b, the rack 11c, and the rack 11d. Moreover, the control
unit 43 is assumed to have determined the aperture ratio of the
grille 13a to be set to 88%, the aperture ratio of the grille 13b
to be set to 63%, the aperture ratio of the grille 13c to be set to
38%, and the aperture ratio of the grille 13d to be set to 13% on
the basis of the temperature distribution of the racks 11a to 11d.
In addition, the control unit 43 is assumed to have determined the
opening pattern 27c as the opening pattern of the air volume
adjustment sheet 22, and the air blow volume of the air conditioner
15 to be set to level 6 on the basis of the aperture ratios of the
grilles 13a to 13d.
[0073] The control unit 43 controls the air volume adjustment
device 20 and the air conditioner 15 in accordance with the
aperture ratios, the opening pattern, and the air blow volume thus
determined.
[0074] In the above-described examples, the aperture ratios of the
grilles 13, the opening pattern of the air volume adjustment sheet
22, and the air blow volume of the air conditioner 15 are set on
the basis of the result of temperature distribution measurement of
the racks 11. Instead, a job to be submitted to a computer 16 (or
the amount of heat generated by a CPU as a consequence of
processing such a job) may be associated (developed into a pattern)
with a grille aperture ratio, an opening pattern of the air volume
adjustment sheet 22, and an air blow volume of the air conditioner
15 in advance. In this case, there is an advantage that once the
job to be submitted to the computer 16 is decided, the grille
aperture ratio, the opening pattern of the air volume adjustment
sheet 22, and the air blow volume of the air conditioner 15 are
uniquely determined whereby the control is facilitated.
[0075] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a flow of the
air from the grille 13 to the rack 11. In the air volume adjustment
device 20 of the embodiment, the low-temperature air is supplied
from the free access floor 10b to the intake surface side (the cold
aisle) of the rack 11 via the opening 27 of the air volume
adjustment sheet 22 as in FIG. 11.
[0076] In this case, unlike the aforementioned louver-assisted
grille, the low-temperature air is sent out of the grille 3
substantially in the vertical direction irrespective of the
aperture ratio of the grille 13 in the air volume adjustment device
20 according to the embodiment. As a consequence, the
low-temperature air is supplied almost evenly to the entire intake
surface of the rack 11 irrespective of the aperture ratio of the
grille 13.
[0077] In addition, the air volume adjustment device 20 according
to the embodiment has a relatively simple structure and may save
the weight as compared to the aforementioned electric fan-assisted
grille. Therefore, a floor reinforcement or earthquake resistant
work is not adopted. Moreover, since the air volume adjustment
device 20 according to the embodiment has the relatively simple
structure, manufacturing costs are low and maintenance is easy.
Furthermore, the air volume adjustment device 20 according to the
embodiment may set the aperture ratio of the grille equal to 0%
(which means fully closed) unlike the electric fan-assisted
grille.
[0078] In addition, in case of an emergency where the motors 24a,
24b break down in the state of the grille aperture ratio of 0%, for
example, the air volume adjustment device 20 according to the
embodiment can supply the low-temperature air to the computers 16
in the rack 11 by cutting out the air volume adjustment sheet 22
with a knife or the like. Thus, it may be possible to avoid
failures of the computers 16 attributed to insufficient
cooling.
[0079] Although the delivery roll 21a is driven by the motor 24a in
this embodiment, it may be also possible to use a spring instead of
the motor 24a and to provide a torque to the delivery roll 21a by
using the force of this spring. In this case, it is preferable to
provide a mechanism configured to latch the wind-up roll 21b such
that the air volume adjustment sheet 22 is rolled up around the
delivery roll 21a and the aperture ratio of the grille 13 becomes
equal to 100% when a latch is released. Thus, in case of an
emergency such as a breakdown of the motor 24b, it may be possible
to supply the low-temperature air to the computers 16 in the rack
11 by releasing the latch and thereby to avoid failures of the
computers 16 attributed to insufficient cooling.
[0080] In the meantime, if a flow rate of the air blowing out of
the grille 13 changes in association with a change in the aperture
ratio of the grille 13, cooling efficiency of the computers 16 in
the rack 11 fluctuates as a consequence. For example, assuming that
the air blow volume of the air conditioner 15 is constant, the flow
rate of the air blowing out of the grille 13 is increased when the
aperture ratio of the grille 13 is small, and the cooling
efficiency becomes higher at a computer 16 located on an upper side
of the rack 11 than a computer 16 located on a lower side thereof.
On the other hand, the flow rate of the air blowing out of the
grille 13 is decreased when the aperture ratio of the grille 13 is
large, and the cooling efficiency becomes lower at the computer 16
located on the upper side of the rack 11 than the computer 16
located on the lower side thereof.
[0081] In this regard, it is preferable to adjust the air blow
volume of the air conditioner 15 to avoid a change in the flow rate
of the air blowing out of the grille 13 even when the aperture
ratio of the grille 13 is changed. A way of such control will be
described below.
[0082] FIG. 12 is a view illustrating a simulation result of
relations between aperture ratios of the grilles and volumes of the
air blowing out of the grilles. It is to be noted that, as in FIG.
13, assumptions are made herein that four rows of racks 11 are
arranged in the computer room, and fourteen grilles 13 denoted by
grille No. (1) to grille No. (14), respectively, are installed on
the floor on the intake surface side of each row of the racks and
along the row of the racks. The size of each grille 13 is assumed
to be 50 cm.times.50 cm. The aperture ratio of each of seven
grilles 13 (grille Nos. (1) to (7)) located on the row of a
simulation target (which is the second row from the right in FIG.
13) near an air conditioner 15 is set equal to any of 0% (an
opening width of 0 cm), 30% (an opening width of 15 cm), 70% (an
opening width of 35 cm), and 100% (an opening width of 50 cm),
while the aperture ratio of the rest of the grilles 13 is
constantly set equal to 100%.
[0083] FIG. 12 indicates that the air volume changes almost in
proportion to the aperture ratio when the air blow volume of the
air conditioner 15 is adjusted in such a way that the volume of the
air blowing out of grille 13 having the aperture ratio of 100% is a
specified volume. In other words, when the air blow volume of the
air conditioner 15 is adjusted in such a way that the volume of the
air blowing out of the grille 13 having the aperture ratio of 100%
is the specified volume, the flow rates of the air blowing out of
the grilles 13 are almost equal to each other irrespective of the
aperture ratios of the grilles 13.
[0084] Here, it is preferable that the volumes of the air blowing
out of grilles 13 be equal if the grilles 13 have the same aperture
ratio.
[0085] Nevertheless, in reality, the air blow volumes fluctuate
between a grille 13 located near the air conditioner 15 and a
grille 13 located away from the air conditioner 15 as in FIG. 12.
In this regard, the aperture ratios of the grilles 13 may be
corrected depending on distances from the air conditioner 15.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF OPENING PATTERN ON AIR VOLUME ADJUSTMENT
SHEET
[0086] FIG. 14A is a perspective view explaining another example of
an opening pattern provided to the air volume adjustment sheet 22,
and FIG. 14B is a schematic diagram illustrating a state where the
air volume adjustment sheet 22 is located near a grille.
[0087] In this opening pattern 27x, each fin 22a is formed on the
air volume adjustment sheet 22 by providing a slit therein in such
a manner as to leave one side of a quadrangle intact. Then, a
plurality of fins 22a (three in FIG. 14) thus formed are arranged
in a longitudinal direction of the air volume adjustment sheet 22
(a traveling direction of the air volume adjustment sheet 22). The
fins 22a are tilted (inclined) by a pressure of the air passing
through the grille 13 while using portions connected to the air
volume adjustment sheet 22 as supporting points. In the example of
FIGS. 14A and 14B, rod-shaped members 22b having rigidity are
placed at the portions where the fins 22a are connected to the air
volume adjustment sheet 22 so as to avoid flapping of the air
volume adjustment sheet 22.
[0088] In the grille 13 provided with the above-described opening
pattern 27x, the air from the free access floor 10b flows in an
oblique direction along the fins 22a. As a consequence, the
low-temperature air is supplied preferentially to computers 16
housed on the lower side of the rack 11. In this regard, the
computers 16 and the air conditioners 15 may be efficiently
operated by setting a virtual machine deployment policy according
to this situation in such a way that virtual machines are loaded
preferentially to the computers 16 housed on the lower side of the
rack 11 and that jobs are submitted to these virtual machines.
[0089] Note that this opening pattern 27x may be provided to the
air volume adjustment sheet 22 together with the other opening
patterns. Meanwhile, an inclination angle regulation member
configured to regulate an inclination angle of the fin 22a may be
provided in order to cause the air to blow out of the grille 13 at
a predetermined angle.
SECOND AIR-CONDITIONING CONTROL SYSTEM
[0090] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram exemplifying a second
air-conditioning control system.
[0091] Here, an example of an application to air conditioning of a
data center employing VM consolidation and deployment techniques
will be described. In FIG. 15, the same constituents as those in
FIG. 8 will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed
description thereof will be omitted. Note that shaded portions in
FIG. 15 schematically illustrate CPU utilizations of the computers
16 in the racks 11. A shaded portion having a greater height
indicates a higher CPU utilization of the computers 16 in the rack
11.
[0092] As in FIG. 15, the air-conditioning control system according
to the embodiment includes the air conditioner 15, air volume
adjustment devices 20a to 20c, the temperature distribution
measurement unit 42, the control unit 43, the driving unit 44, and
a VM management server 45. An optical fiber (not illustrated)
serving as the temperature sensor is connected to the temperature
distribution measurement unit 42. The optical fiber is laid in such
a manner as to pass through the intake surface and the exhaust
surface of each rack 11. As in FIG. 3, the plurality of computers
16 (the physical servers) are housed in each rack 11.
[0093] The VM management server 45 acquires data indicating
operating conditions from the computers 16 in the racks 11, such as
data on CPU utilizations, CPU temperatures, and memory
temperatures. Then, based on the data, the VM management server 45
deploys virtual machines in the computers 16 in the racks 11 and
determines jobs to be submitted to the virtual machines.
[0094] In this case, the VM management server 45 deploys the
virtual machines on the basis of a predetermined policy. For
example, the VM management server 45 consolidates the virtual
machines to the computers 16 in a specific rack 11 so as to set the
CPU utilizations of the computers 16 housed in this rack 11 within
a range of 50% to 80%, and turns off the computers 16 which are set
to an idle state by this consolidation. In the example of FIG. 15,
the VM management server 45 turns off the computers 16 in the racks
11 having rack Nos. (1) and (2), and consolidates the virtual
machines into the computers 16 in the racks 11 having rack Nos. (3)
to (8) and submits the jobs thereto.
[0095] Meanwhile, upon determination of the deployment of the
virtual machines and the computers 16 to which the jobs are
submitted, the VM management server 45 outputs corresponding data
to the control unit 43. At the same time, the VM management server
45 predicts the CPU utilizations, the CPU temperatures, and the
memory temperatures of the computers 16 after the jobs are
submitted thereto, and outputs the predicted results to the control
unit 43 as well.
[0096] The control unit 43 controls the driving unit 44 and the air
conditioner 15 based on the data and the predicted results acquired
from the VM management server 45. The driving unit 44 controls the
air volume adjustment devices 20a to 20c based on a signal
outputted from the control unit 43, and adjusts the aperture ratios
of the grilles. Meanwhile, the air conditioner 15 adjusts the air
blow volume and the temperature setting based on a signal outputted
from the control unit 43.
[0097] After controlling the air volume adjustment devices 20a to
20c and the air conditioner 15 based on the data acquired from the
VM management server 45 as described above, the control unit 43
acquires data on temperature distribution of the racks 11 from the
temperature distribution measurement unit 42, and then judges
whether or not the temperature (such as the highest temperature) of
each of the computers 16 is within an appropriate range. In
consequence, if there is a computer 16 which does not satisfy the
appropriate range, the control unit 43 adjusts the grille aperture
ratio by means of the driving unit 44, or adjusts any of the air
blow volume and the temperature setting of the air conditioner
15.
[0098] In the first air-conditioning control system (see FIG. 8),
the change in temperature of the computer 16 is first detected by
the temperature distribution measurement unit 42, and then the
grille aperture ratio, the air blow volume and the temperature
setting of the air conditioner 15 are changed by the control unit
43. In contrast, in the second air-conditioning control system, the
grille aperture ratio, the air blow volume and the temperature
setting of the air conditioner 15 are changed by the control unit
43 either before the jobs are submitted from the VM management
server 45 to the computers 16 or substantially at the same time as
the submission of the jobs. In this way, it may be possible to
prevent the computers 16 from overheating, and thereby to perform
efficient air-conditioning control.
[0099] Here, data on the grille aperture ratios, the air blow
volumes and the temperature setting of the air conditioner 15, and
the temperature distribution of the racks 11 in the past may be
accumulated in the control unit 43. In this case, for example, the
control unit 43 controls the grille aperture ratios and the air
conditioner 15 based on the data transmitted from the VM management
server 45 and on the accumulated data. Thus, it may be possible to
perform even more efficient air-conditioning control.
[0100] In the meantime, in FIG. 15, the three air volume adjustment
devices 20a to 20c are provided to the eight racks 11 (rack Nos.
(1) to (8)) arranged in a row. Here, boundaries between the racks
11 are not aligned with boundaries between the air volume
adjustment devices 20a to 20c. Specifically, the boundary between
the air volume adjustment device 20a and the air volume adjustment
device 20b is located in front of the rack 11 in rack No. (3) and
the boundary between the air volume adjustment device 20b and the
air volume adjustment device 20c is located in front of the rack 11
in rack No. (6). This is because positions to lay out the air
volume adjustment devices 20a to 20c are presumably restricted by
posts and the like provided in the free access floor. If there are
not such restrictions, then it may be of course possible to align
the boundaries between the racks 11 with the boundaries between the
air volume adjustment devices 20a to 20c.
[0101] In the example of FIG. 15, both of the air volume adjustment
devices 20a, 20b are located in front of the rack 11 in rack No.
(3). However, percentage of contribution of the air volume
adjustment device 20b to the cooling of the rack 11 in rack No. (3)
is small (below 30%, for example) and is therefore negligible.
Accordingly, the result of temperature distribution measurement of
rack No. (3) is assumed to be used for controlling the air volume
adjustment device 20a in this case.
[0102] Meanwhile, both of the air volume adjustment devices 20b,
20c are located in front of the rack 11 in rack No. (6). Percentage
of contribution of the air volume adjustment devices 20b, 20c to
the cooling of the rack 11 in rack No. (6) is relatively large
(equal to or above 30%, for example) and is therefore not
negligible. Accordingly, the result of temperature distribution
measurement of rack No. (6) is assumed to be used for controlling
the air volume adjustment devices 20b, 20c in this case.
[0103] If the VM management server 45 determines the deployment of
the virtual machines based on the operating conditions (such as the
CPU utilizations) of the computers 16, then it is difficult to cool
the racks 11 always in the optimum conditions because there is a
limit to the number of opening patterns which may be provided to
the air volume adjustment sheet 22. Accordingly, it is preferable
to provide a restriction on the deployment of the virtual machines
by the VM management server 45 in advance. For example, the virtual
machines are deployed in two or more racks 11 to be cooled by the
same air volume adjustment device in such a manner that the
operating conditions of the computers 16 in these racks 11 are
substantially the same. Thus, it may be possible to reduce the
number of the opening patterns on the air volume adjustment sheet
22.
[0104] Moreover, in the example of FIG. 15, the boundary between
the air volume adjustment devices 20b, 20c are located in front of
the rack 11 in rack No. (6). For this reason, it is conceivable
that the volume of the low-temperature air supplied to the rack 11
in rack No. (6) via the grille 13 is smaller than the volumes of
the low-temperature air supplied to the other racks 11. In such a
case as well, a conceivable idea is to provide a restriction on the
deployment of the virtual machines by the VM management server 45
in such a manner as to reduce the number of virtual machines
loadable in the rack 11 having rack No. (6) as compared to the
other racks 11.
[0105] The virtual machine deployment policy may be modified by
software. Even more efficient air conditioning may be performed by
creating the virtual machine deployment policies depending on the
opening patterns of the air volume adjustment sheet 22. Thus, it
may be possible to further reduce power consumption in the data
center.
[0106] Here, it may be configured so that the VM management server
45 acquires information on power consumption by each of the racks,
and the control unit 43 calculates ratios of the power consumption
between mutually adjacent pairs of the plurality of racks 11 based
on the information and controls the air volume adjustment devices
20a, 20b, 20c located in front of the racks 11 in accordance
therewith. Efficient cooling may be achieved in this case as
well.
[0107] Meanwhile, the above-described embodiments have explained
the case where the air conditioner is controlled by the control
unit. Instead, the air conditioner may be operated independently
from the control unit. For example, it may be configured so that
the air conditioner is operated autonomously under preset
conditions and the control unit controls the air volume adjustment
devices in accordance with a signal from any of the temperature
distribution measurement, the VM management server, and the
like.
[0108] All examples and conditional language recited herein are
intended for the pedagogical purposes of aiding the reader in
understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the
inventor to further the art, and are not to be construed as
limitations to such specifically recited examples and conditions,
nor does the organization of such examples in the specification
relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the
invention. Although one or more embodiments of the present
invention have been described in detail, it should be understood
that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be
made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *