Systems and methods for thermal management of an information handling system using correlations between fan speed and flow rate based on system configuration

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of temperature sensors configured to sense temperatures at a plurality of locations associated with an information handling system;

a cooling subsystem comprising at least one cooling fan configured to generate a cooling airflow in the information handling system; and

a thermal manager communicatively coupled to the plurality of temperature sensors and the cooling subsystem and configured to:

based on at least a power provided to a subsystem of the information handling system, estimate a thermal condition proximate to the subsystem; and

set a speed of the at least one cooling fan based on the estimated thermal condition, a required linear airflow velocity associated with the subsystem, and a correlation between the required linear airflow velocity and the speed, the correlation being based on a component inventory of the information handling system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the required linear airflow velocity is set by a user of the information handling system.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the estimated thermal condition comprises an ambient temperature within the subsystem.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the estimated thermal condition comprises an inlet temperature of the subsystem.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subsystem comprises a plurality of slots each configured to receive a respective card.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the required linear airflow velocity associated with the subsystem is a required linear airflow velocity of one of the plurality of slots.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the required linear airflow velocity of the one of the plurality of slots is based on required linear airflow velocity for a worst case slot of the plurality of slots.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the required linear airflow velocity of the one of the plurality of slots is based on at least whether the slot is populated with a respective card, a form factor of the respective card, and a lane width of the respective card.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the required linear airflow velocity associated with the subsystem is an average required linear airflow velocity of one of the plurality of slots.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal manager is further configured to:

determine if the at least one cooling fan is able to generate the required linear airflow velocity; and

alert a user of the system if the at least one cooling fan is unable to generate the required linear airflow velocity.

11. A method comprising:

sensing temperatures at a plurality of locations associated with an information handling system; and

based on at least a power provided to a subsystem of the information handling system:

estimating a thermal condition proximate to the subsystem; and

setting a speed of at least one cooling fan of a cooling subsystem for generating a cooling airflow in the information handling system based on the estimated thermal condition, a required linear airflow velocity associated with the subsystem, and a correlation between the required linear airflow velocity and the speed, the correlation being based on a component inventory of the information handling system.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the required linear airflow velocity is set by a user of the information handling system.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the estimated thermal condition comprises an ambient temperature within the subsystem.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the estimated thermal condition comprises an inlet temperature of the subsystem.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the subsystem comprises a plurality of slots each configured to receive a respective card.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the required linear airflow velocity associated with the subsystem is a required linear airflow velocity of one of the plurality of slots.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the required linear airflow velocity of the one of the plurality of slots is based on a required linear airflow velocity for a worst case slot of the plurality of slots.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the required linear airflow velocity of the one of the plurality of slots is based on at least whether the slot is populated with a respective card, a form factor of the respective card, and a lane width of the respective card.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the required linear airflow velocity associated with the subsystem is an average required linear airflow velocity of one of the plurality of slots.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining if the at least one cooling fan is able to generate the required linear airflow velocity; and

alerting a user of the information handling system if the at least one cooling fan is unable to generate the required linear airflow velocity.