Dynamically limiting energy consumed by cooling apparatus

US9043035B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Timothy J. Chainer · Mahopac, US
• Milnes P. David · Fishkill, US
• Madhusudan K. Iyengar · Woodstock, US
• Pritish R. Parida · Fishkill, US
• Roger R. Schmidt · Poughkeepsie, US
• Mark D. Schultz · Ossining, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 29, 2011
• Grant date: May 26, 2015
• Expiry date: Jun 26, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02D10/00
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Cooling apparatuses and methods are provided which include one or more coolant-cooled structures associated with an electronics rack, a coolant loop coupled in fluid communication with one or more passages of the coolant-cooled structure(s), one or more heat exchange units coupled to facilitate heat transfer from coolant within the coolant loop, and N controllable components associated with the coolant loop or the heat exchange unit(s), wherein N≧1. The N controllable components facilitate circulation of coolant through the coolant loop or transfer of heat from the coolant via the heat exchange unit(s). A controller is coupled to the N controllable components, and dynamically adjusts operation of the N controllable components, based on Z input parameters and one or more specified constraints, to provide a specified cooling to the coolant-cooled structure(s), while limiting energy consumed by the N controllable components, wherein Z≧1.