Fan monitoring for failure prediction

1. A method for monitoring a fan in an electronic system comprising:

measuring power usage of the fan;

determining a derivative of the measured fan power usage;

tracking the derivative over time; and

predicting impending fan failure based on the tracked fan power usage derivative.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

measuring fan current usage;

determining a derivative of fan current usage;

recording a fan current derivative record over time; and

monitoring to determine an increase in fan current derivative according to a predefined criteria of impending fan failure.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

measuring fan speed concurrently with power usage measurement; and

predicting impending fan failure based on the tracked fan power usage derivative and the fan speed in combination.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring the tracked fan power usage derivative for multiple fans;

analyzing relative condition of the multiple fans; and

selectively setting fan speed individually for ones of the multiple fans whereby relatively higher condition fans are run at higher fan speed and relatively lower condition fans are run at relatively lower fan speed.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring the tracked fan power usage derivative for multiple fans;

analyzing relative condition of the multiple fans; and

displaying an image of relative and/or absolute condition of the multiple fans.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

predicting an expected time before fan failure based on the tracked fan power usage derivative.

7. A fan condition monitoring apparatus comprising:

a power sensor adapted for coupling to at least one fan in an electronic system and measuring fan power usage; and

a controller coupled to the power sensor and adapted to determine a derivative of the measured fan power usage, track the derivative over time, and predict impending fan failure based in the tracked fan power usage derivative.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising:

the power sensor that is adapted to measure fan current usage; and

the controller that is adapted to determine a derivative of fan current usage and record a fan current derivative record over time.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising:

a filter operational in combination with the controller; and

the controller adapted to monitor to detect an increase in fan current derivative according to predefined criteria of impending fan failure.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising:

the controller adapted to monitor to detect an increase in fan current derivative according to a predefined threshold increase in fan current derivative indicative of impending fan failure.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising:

the controller adapted to monitor to detect an increase in fan current derivative according to a predefined substantially stair-step threshold increase in fan current derivative indicative of immediate impending fan failure.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising:

a tachometer coupled to the controller and adapted to measure fan speed concurrently with power usage measurement; and

the controller adapted to predict impending fan failure based on the tracked fan power usage derivative and the fan speed in combination.

13. The apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising:

a plurality of power sensors respectively coupled to a plurality of fans and adapted to measure fan power usage; and

the controller coupled to the plurality of power sensors and adapted to monitor the tracked fan power usage derivative for multiple fans and detecting relative condition of the multiple fans.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising:

the controller adapted to selectively set fan speed individually for ones of the fan plurality whereby relatively higher condition fans are run at higher fan speed and relatively lower condition fans are run at relatively lower fan speed.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising:

the controller adapted to monitor tracked fan power usage derivative for multiple fans and detect relative condition of the multiple fans; and

a display coupled to the controller and adapted to show an image of relative and/or absolute condition of the multiple fans.

16. The apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising:

the controller adapted to predict an expected time before fan failure based on the tracked fan power usage derivative.

17. An electronic system comprising:

a power supply;

at least one fan coupled to the power supply;

at least one electronic component coupled to the power supply; and

a fan condition monitoring device coupled to the at least one fan and further comprising:

a power sensor adapted for coupling to at least one fan in an electronic system and measuring fan power usage; and

a controller coupled to the power sensor and adapted to determine a derivative of the measured fan power usage, track the derivative over time, and predict impending fan failure based on the tracked fan power usage derivative.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein the fan condition monitoring device further comprises:

at least one tachometer coupled to the controller and the at least one fan, the at least one tachometer adapted to measure fan speed concurrently with power usage measurement; and

the controller adapted to predict impending fan failure based on the tracked fan power usage derivative and the fan speed in combination.

19. The system according to claim 17 wherein the fan condition monitoring device further comprising:

a plurality of power sensors respectively coupled to a plurality of fans and adapted to measure fan power usage; and

the controller coupled to the plurality of power sensors and adapted to monitor the tracked fan power usage derivative for multiple fans and determining relative condition of the multiple fans.

20. The system according to claim 19 wherein the fan condition monitoring device further comprising:

the controller adapted to selectively set fan speed individually for ones of the fan plurality whereby relatively higher condition fans are run at higher fan speed and relatively lower condition fans are run at relatively lower fan speed.

21. The system according to claim 19 wherein the fan condition monitoring device further comprising:

the controller adapted to monitor tracked fan power usage derivative for multiple fans and detect relative condition of the multiple fans; and

a display coupled to the controller and adapted to show an image of relative and/or absolute condition of the multiple fans.

22. The system according to claim 17 wherein the fan condition monitoring device further comprising:

the controller adapted to monitor tracked fan power usage derivative for multiple fans and detect power consumption of the multiple fans and generate a signal indicative of the power consumption.