COMMUNICATIONS AMONG SUBSYSTEMS IN ADAPTIVE COOLING AND ENERGY HARVESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Arrangements for communications among subsystems within adaptive cooling and energy harvesting arrangements for use in information technology and other heat-producing equipment are disclosed. The arrangements provide for cooling and energy harvesting subsystems, each of which can operate in isolation and can be interconnected with additional subsystems in peer and hierarchical relationships. Each subsystem comprises at least one thermoelectric device capable of acting as a thermoelectric cooler and as a thermoelectric generator, a control system, and electronics controlled to selectively configure the thermoelectric device in at least in a thermoelectric cooler operating mode and in a thermoelectric generation operating mode. The thermoelectric device can incorporate quantum-process and quantum-well materials for higher heat transfer and thermoelectric generation efficiencies. The control system of each subsystem can operate in isolation but also work together with the control systems of other associated subsystems interconnected in peer or hierarchical associations.
1 . A system for incremental deployment of stand-alone and hierarchical adaptive cooling and energy harvesting arrangements for use in at least information technology, the system comprising:
a plurality of subsystems, each subsystem providing controlled cooling and energy harvesting functions within an associated article of heat-producing equipment, each sub-system comprising:
at least one thermal interface for heat transfer,
at least one thermoelectric device capable of acting as a thermoelectric cooler and as a thermoelectric generator;
a control system receiving at least one input signal and providing a control output;
electronics controlled by the control output and connected to the thermoelectric device, the electronics selectively configuring the thermoelectric device in at least a thermoelectric cooler operating mode and a thermoelectric generation operating mode, and
at least one control interface for providing information transfer between the control system and at least one other associated subsystem;
an interconnection between respective thermal interfaces of each subsystem of the plurality of subsystems; and
an interconnection between respective control interfaces of each subsystem of the plurality of subsystems, and
wherein respective thermal interfaces of at least two subsystems of the plurality of subsystems are interconnected to form a thermal interconnection;
wherein respective control interfaces of the at least two subsystems of the plurality of subsystems are interconnected, and
wherein the two subsystems exchange communications.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications comprise messages.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications comprise measurement information.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications comprise control information.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications comprise configuration information.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications comprise status information.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications comprise diagnostic information.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications comprise logging information.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications comprise timing information.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications are carried over a network.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of subsystems assume a role in a cooling hierarchy.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control systems of at least some of the plurality of subsystems assume a role in a hierarchical control system.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of subsystems are connected in a full-mesh topology.
14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of subsystems are connected in a strictly-layered hierarchy.
15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of subsystems operate in a peer relationship.
16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the network is implemented as a daisy-chain among the subsystems.
17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the network is implemented as a bus.
18 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the network is implemented with a network hub.
19 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the network is implemented with a switch.
20 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the network is implemented with fiber.