Velocity-based power capping for a server cooled by air flow induced from a moving vehicle

1. A method comprising:

detecting, via a respective velocity sensor, a velocity of at least one of (i) movement of a velocity cooled (VC) mobile data center (MDC) and (ii) ram air moving into the VC MDC;

comparing the detected velocity to an outside air cooling threshold velocity;

in response to the detected velocity being below the outside air cooling threshold velocity, selecting a first power cap, having a first power cap value, based in part on the detected velocity being below the outside air cooling threshold velocity;

in response to the detected velocity being at or above the outside air cooling threshold velocity, selecting a second power cap, having a second power cap value, based in part on the detected velocity being at or above the outside air cooling threshold velocity, the second power cap value being greater than the first power cap value; and

applying, by a management information handling system (IHS), a power cap for all power consuming components of the VC MDC based, in part, on the detected velocity of the VC MDC compared with the outside air cooling threshold velocity, wherein the management IHS implements power capping to conserve available onboard power for IT equipment processing, based on availability of ram air cooling to support heat removal from the operating IT equipment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the first power cap value further comprises:

allocating a first block of available power within the first power cap to operation of a secondary air source; and

allocating a second block of available power within the first power cap to operation of Information Technology (IT) equipment, the IT equipment comprising at least one information handling system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the second power cap value further comprises:

allocating up to a maximum available power within the second power cap to operation of Information Technology (IT) equipment, the IT equipment comprising at least one information handling system, wherein the management IHS increases the second power cap value based on the amount of cooling air flow and a resulting effect on an ambient temperature within the IT compartment.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second power cap value correlates to a highest power cap value supported by an amount of outside air cooling being provided by ingestion of ram air.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the VC MDC is operating in a hybrid cooling mode that includes powering a secondary cooling source; and

in response to determining that VC MDC is operating in the hybrid cooling mode, selecting a low power cap value to apply to IT equipment operation, and allocating a portion of available power to the secondary cooling source to power the secondary cooling source.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

monitoring at least one of a velocity of the VC MDC and an amount of cooling being applied by the outside air cooling; and

in response to one of (i) detecting the velocity of the VC MDC reaching or surpassing the minimum threshold velocity or (ii) the amount of cooling being applied by solely ingestion of the outside air surpassing a minimum outside air cooling operating threshold:

terminating an allocation of power to the secondary cooling source;

re-allocating the power from the secondary cooling source to the IT equipment; and

selectively increasing the power cap in correlation to an increase in the detected velocity.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the VC MDC being stationary or moving at a relatively low velocity below the cooling threshold velocity, placing the IT equipment in a standby mode;

identifying whether the VC MDC is coupled to an externally powered cooling air source; and

in response to identifying that VC MDC is receiving cooling air flow from an externally powered cooling air source, increasing the power cap from a first power cap up to a higher power cap supported by an amount of cooling air being received.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the power cap comprises throttling data processing operation of the IT equipment in response to reduced transport velocity, to offset increases in electrical power consumed by air moving devices.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: measuring the velocity of the ram air entering a chamber of the VC MDC; and applying the power capping based on the measured velocity.

10. A velocity cooled (VC) mobile data center (MDC) comprising:

a volumetric container having a plurality of exterior walls, with a first wall and at least one second side or rear facing wall, the container configured with an information technology (IT) compartment and designed for placement on a trailer capable of being moved in at a velocity that facilitates cooling air flow through the IT compartment;

at least one heat generating information technology (IT) equipment positioned within the IT compartment, the IT equipment comprising at least one IHS;

a ram air based cooling subsystem comprising an air intake design that utilizes dynamic air pressure created by vehicle motion to increase a static air pressure inside the VC MDC and provides a flow of ram air to cool the IT equipment when the VC MDC is moving;

at least one air handling unit (AHU) located within a second compartment of the container, the at least one AHU being configurable to selectively operate in one of a standby mode and an active mode, the active mode ranging from a first active mode providing minimal airflow to a second active mode providing a maximum airflow, the AHU selected to operate in the active mode based on an amount of cooling air being ingested by the ram air based cooling subsystem;

at least one velocity transducer located inside an IT chamber of the VC MDC to measure a velocity of the ram air; and

a management IHS that controls the operation of the IT equipment and the at least one AHU based in part on a measured velocity of at least one of (i) movement of the VC MDC and (ii) the ram air moving into the VC MDC, the management IHS configured with power allocation control firmware that enables the management IHS to:

compare the detected velocity to an outside air cooling threshold velocity;

in response to the detected velocity being below the outside air cooling threshold velocity, select a first power cap, having a first power cap value, based in part on the detected velocity being below the outside air cooling threshold velocity;

in response to the detected velocity being at or above the outside air cooling threshold velocity, select a second power cap, having a second power cap value, based in part on the detected velocity being at or above the outside air cooling threshold velocity, the second power cap value being greater than the first power cap value; and

implement power capping to conserve available onboard power for IT equipment processing, based on availability of ram air cooling to support heat removal from the operating IT equipment as determined by the measured velocity of the ram air.

11. The VC MDC of claim 10 ,

wherein the management IHS implements power capping to conserve available onboard power for IT equipment processing, based on availability of ram air cooling to support heat removal from the operating IT equipment.

12. The VC MDC of claim 11 , wherein in selecting the first power cap value, the firmware further configures the management IHS to:

allocate a first block of available power within the first power cap to operation of a secondary air source; and

allocate a second block of available power within the first power cap to operation of Information Technology (IT) equipment, the IT equipment comprising at least one information handling system.

13. The VC MDC of claim 11 , wherein in selecting the first power cap value, the firmware further configures the management IHS to:

allocate up to a maximum available power within the second power cap to operation of Information Technology (IT) equipment, the IT equipment comprising at least one information handling system, wherein the management IHS increases the second power cap value based on the amount of cooling air flow and a resulting effect on an ambient temperature within the IT compartment, wherein the second power cap value correlates to a highest power cap value supported by an amount of outside air cooling being provided by ingestion of ram air.