Controlling electric fans in cabinet assemblies
An example method for providing cooling capacity and reducing power consumption of a server assembly is disclosed. The method includes receiving temperature information corresponding to a CPU of an electrical component in the server assembly, which further includes an equipment room, and a cabinet fan module positioned adjacent to a side of the equipment room. The cabinet fan module includes electric fans therein, and the electrical component is implemented in the equipment room. The method includes determining a current power level of the CPU, and determining, using the temperature information and the current power level, a first operating speed for the electric fans. Furthermore, the method includes combining the first operating speed with a second operating speed received from a proportional-integral-derivative controller to determine a combined operating speed. The method still further includes instructing the electric fans to operate at the combined operating speed.
1 . A server assembly for providing cooling capacity and reducing power consumption, the server assembly comprising:
a fan module having electric fans therein;
a central processing unit (CPU);
a thermal heat sink;
an electrical component; and
a processor for executing logic configured to:
receive, by the processor, temperature information corresponding to the CPU;
determine, by the processor, a current power level of the CPU;
determine, by the processor using the temperature information and the current power level, a first operating speed for the electric fans, wherein the current power level of the CPU includes a thermal design power value, and wherein the determination is made by comparing the thermal design power value to predetermined ranges; identifying one of the predetermined ranges that corresponds to the thermal design power value; and adjusting a base operating speed of the electric fans based on the identified predetermined range;
combine, by the processor, the first operating speed with a second operating speed received from a proportional-integral-derivative controller to determine a combined operating speed; and
control, by the processor, the electric fans to operate at the combined operating speed.
2 . The server assembly of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive, by the processor, ambient temperature information from electronic temperature sensors;
use, by the processor, the received ambient temperature information to determine an ambient temperature of the server assembly; and
determine, by the processor, an updated operating speed by combining a third operating speed with the combined operating speed, the third operating speed corresponding to the ambient temperature of the server assembly.
3 . The server assembly of claim 1 , wherein, to adjust the base operating speed of the electric fans, the processor is further configured to:
identify, by the processor, a duty cycle value based on the temperature information corresponding to the CPU;
weigh, by the processor, the duty cycle value by an amount defined by the predetermined range; and
instruct, by the processor, the electric fans to implement the weighted duty cycle.
4 . The server assembly of claim 1 , wherein the temperature information includes an average operating temperature of the CPU, and wherein the temperature information is received from an electronic temperature sensor coupled to the CPU.
5 . The server assembly of claim 1 , wherein, to instruct the electric fans to operate at the combined operating speed, the processor is further configured to:
send, by the processor, the combined operating speed to a pulse width modulator (PWM); and
instruct, by the processor, the PWM to cause the electric fans to operate at the combined operating speed.
6 . The server assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electric fans are configured to generate an airflow path that (i) originates at an air inlet of the server assembly, (ii) extends through the CPU and the thermal heat sink, and (iii) passes the electrical component before exiting the server assembly.
7 . The server assembly of claim 4 , wherein the thermal heat sink is coupled to the CPU, and wherein the thermal heat sink is configured to remove thermal heat from air received from the CPU along the airflow path.
8 . The server assembly of claim 1 , wherein the combined operating speed is a merger between the first operating speed and the second operating speed.
9 . A method for providing cooling capacity and reducing power consumption of a server assembly, the method comprising:
receiving temperature information corresponding to a central processing unit (CPU) in the server assembly, the server assembly further including:
a fan module having electric fans therein;
a thermal heat sink; and
an electrical component;
determining a current power level of the CPU including a thermal design power value;
determining, using the temperature information and the current power level, a first operating speed for the electric fans, wherein the determining includes comparing the thermal design power value to predetermined ranges; identifying one of the predetermined ranges that corresponds to the thermal design power value; and adjusting a base operating speed of the electric fans based on the identified predetermined range;
combining the first operating speed with a second operating speed received from a proportional-integral-derivative controller to determine a combined operating speed; and
controlling the electric fans to operate at the combined operating speed.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving ambient temperature information from electronic temperature sensors;
using the received ambient temperature information to determine an ambient temperature of the server assembly; and
determining an updated operating speed by combining a third operating speed with the combined operating speed, the third operating speed corresponding to the ambient temperature of the server assembly.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the base operating speed of the electric fans based on the identified predetermined range includes:
identifying a duty cycle value based on the temperature information corresponding to the CPU;
weighting the duty cycle value by an amount defined by the predetermined range; and
instructing the electric fans to implement the weighted duty cycle.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the temperature information includes an average operating temperature of the CPU, and wherein the temperature information is received from an electronic temperature sensor coupled to the CPU.
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein instructing the electric fans to operate at the combined operating speed includes:
sending the combined operating speed to a pulse width modulator (PWM); and
instructing the PWM to cause the electric fans to operate at the combined operating speed.
14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the electric fans are configured to generate an airflow path that (i) originates at an air inlet of the server assembly, (ii) extends through the CPU and the thermal heat sink, and (iii) passes the electrical component before exiting the server assembly.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the server assembly includes multiple CPUs, wherein determining the current power level of the CPU includes calculating an average power level of the multiple CPUs.
16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the combined operating speed is a merger between the first operating speed and the second operating speed.
17 . A computer program product for providing cooling capacity and reducing power consumption of a server assembly, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions readable and/or executable by a processor to cause the processor to:
receive, by the processor, temperature information corresponding to a central processing unit (CPU) in the server assembly, the server assembly further including:
a fan module having electric fans therein;
a thermal heat sink; and
an electrical component;
determine, by the processor, a current power level of the CPU including a thermal design power value;
determine, by the processor using the temperature information and the current power level, a first operating speed for the electric fans, wherein the determining includes comparing the thermal design power value to predetermined ranges; identifying one of the predetermined ranges that corresponds to the thermal design power value; and adjusting a base operating speed of the electric fans based on the identified predetermined range;
combine, by the processor, the first operating speed with a second operating speed received from a proportional-integral-derivative controller to determine a combined operating speed; and
control, by the processor, the electric fans to operate at the combined operating speed.
18 . The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein, to instruct the electric fans to operate at the combined operating speed, the program instructions are further readable and/or executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
send, by the processor, the combined operating speed to a pulse width modulator (PWM); and
instruct, by the processor, the PWM to cause the electric fans to operate at the combined operating speed.
19 . The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the electric fans are configured to generate an airflow path that (i) originates at an air inlet of the server assembly, (ii) extends through the CPU and the thermal heat sink, and (iii) passes the electrical component before exiting the server assembly.
20 . The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the server assembly includes an edge server, wherein the thermal heat sink is coupled to the CPU, and wherein the thermal heat sink is configured to remove thermal heat from air received from the CPU along the airflow path.