Fan control apparatus and fan control method for computer equipment
A fan control apparatus is provided for the computer equipment including a fan, a temperature sensor, and a device module (e.g. an add-in card) mounting at least two devices aligned along an air flow. The fan control apparatus determines a revolving speed of the fan for cooling each device based on an inlet temperature and a usage rate of each device. In addition, the fan control apparatus estimates an inlet temperature of a second device, which is disposed in the downstream side of a first device among at least two devices, based on an inlet temperature and a usage rate of the first device. Thus, it is possible to control the fan to cause an adequate amount of cooling air for cooling devices mounted on the device module installed in the computer equipment.
1. A fan control apparatus adapted to a computer equipment including a fan configured to sequentially cool first and second devices operating at first and second usage rates and a temperature sensor configured to measure an inlet temperature applied to the first device of the computer equipment, the fan control apparatus comprising:
a controller configured to estimate an outlet temperature of the first device as an inlet temperature of the second device based on the inlet temperature of the first device and the first usage rate and to thereby determine a first revolving speed of the fan based on the inlet temperature of the first device and the first usage rate and a second revolving speed of the fan based on the inlet temperature of the second device and the second usage rate; and
a fan revolving speed controller configured to control the fan to operate at an optimum revolving speed based on the first revolving speed and the second revolving speed.
2. A fan control system adapted to a computer equipment including first and second devices aligned together, comprising:
a fan configured to cool the first and second devices operating at first and second usage rates inside the computer equipment;
a temperature sensor configured to measure an inlet temperature applied to the first device of the computer equipment; and
a fan control apparatus
configured to estimate an outlet temperature of the first device as an inlet temperature of the second device based on the inlet temperature of the first device and the first usage rate and to thereby determine a first revolving speed of the fan based on the inlet temperature of the first device and the first usage rate and a second revolving speed of the fan based on the inlet temperature of the second device and the second usage rate, thus controlling the fan to operate at an optimum revolving speed based on the first revolving speed and the second revolving speed.
3. The fan control system according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second devices are detachably mounted on a device module installed inside the computer equipment.
4. A computer equipment comprising:
a device module including first and second devices aligned together; a temperature sensor configured to measure an inlet temperature of the device module;
a fan configured to cool the first and second devices operating at first and second usage rates in the device module;
a storage unit including a temperature estimation table configured to store an outlet temperature of each device in correspondence with an inlet temperature and a usage rate of each device and a fan control table configured to store a revolving speed of the fan in correspondence with the inlet temperature and the usage rate of each device; and
a fan control apparatus configured to
estimate an outlet temperature of the first device as an inlet temperature of the second device based on the inlet temperature of the first device and the first usage rate with reference to the temperature estimation table and to thereby determine a first revolving speed of the fan based on the inlet temperature of the first device and the first usage rate and a second revolving speed of the fan based on the inlet temperature of the second device and the second usage rate with reference to the fan control table, thus controlling the fan to operate at an optimum revolving speed based on the first revolving speed and the second revolving speed.
5. A fan control method adapted to a computer equipment including a fan configured to cool first and second devices operating at first and second usage rates and a temperature sensor configured to measure an inlet temperature applied to the first device of the computer equipment, the fan control method comprising:
estimating an outlet temperature of the first device as an inlet temperature of the second device based on the inlet temperature of the first device and the first usage rate;
determining a first revolving speed of the fan based on the inlet temperature of the first device and the first usage rate and a second revolving speed of the fan based on the inlet temperature of the second device and the second usage rate; and
controlling the fan to operate at an optimum revolving speed based on the first revolving speed and the second revolving speed.
6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored a program causing a computer serving as a fan control apparatus to implement the fan control method according to claim 5 .