System and method for cooling electronic equipment

Abstract

A system for cooling electronic equipment includes one or more electronic equipment enclosures that receive cool air from one or more cool air sources and return warmed air utilizing a plurality of fan assemblies. The plurality of fan assemblies include a fan speed controlled to maintain a temperature and/or pressure. The plurality of fan assemblies are capable of independent operation, but adjust the fan speed in relation to the fan speed of the one or more other fan assemblies. In an alternative embodiment, one or more cool air sources determine the airflow for one or more electronics equipment enclosures based on fan speed and fan model type communicated by one or more fan assemblies and adjust the amount of cool air provided based on the airflow.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a cool air source;   an electronic equipment enclosure, the electronic equipment enclosure configured to receive cool air from the cool air source, warm the cool air by directing the cool air across at least one electronic equipment component, and return the warmed air to the cool air source;   a fan assembly including a fan that directs the warmed air from the electronic equipment enclosure, the fan assembly controlling a fan speed of the fan; and   at least one additional fan assembly including an additional fan that directs the warmed air from the electronic equipment enclosure, the at least one additional fan assembly controlling an additional fan speed of the additional fan,   wherein the fan assembly is configured to receive the additional fan speed and the fan assembly adjusts the fan speed in relation to the additional fan speed.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fan assembly controls the fan speed based on at least one of an electronic equipment enclosure temperature or a detected pressure differential between an electronic equipment enclosure pressure and an exterior of the electronic equipment enclosure and the at least one additional fan assembly controls the additional fan speed based on at least one of the electronic equipment enclosure temperature or the detected pressure differential between the electronic equipment enclosure pressure and the exterior of the electronic equipment enclosure. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fan assembly adjusts the fan speed in relation to the additional fan speed so that the fan speed substantially matches the additional fan speed. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fan assembly is configured to determine that the at least one additional fan assembly has failed and increase the fan speed to compensate for the failed at least one additional fan assembly. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fan assembly is configured to determine that the at least one additional fan assembly is operating improperly and increase the fan speed to compensate for the improperly operating at least one additional fan assembly. 
   
   
       6 . A method, comprising:
 cooling an electronic equipment enclosure by receiving cool air from a cool air source, warming the cool air by directing the cool air across at least one electronic equipment component, and returning the warmed air to the cool air source;   controlling a fan speed of a first fan assembly and an additional fan speed of at least one additional fan assembly, the first fan assembly and the at least one additional fan assembly directing the warmed air from the electronic equipment enclosure; and   adjusting the fan speed in relation to the additional fan speed.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said controlling a fan speed of a first fan assembly and an additional fan speed of at least one additional fan assembly comprises:
 controlling the fan speed and the additional fan speed based on at least one of an electronic equipment enclosure temperature or a detected pressure differential between an electronic equipment enclosure pressure and an exterior of the electronic equipment enclosure.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said adjusting the fan speed in relation to the additional fan speed comprises:
 adjusting the fan speed in relation to the additional fan speed so that the fan speed substantially matches the additional fan speed.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said adjusting the fan speed in relation to the additional fan speed comprises:
 determining that the at least one additional fan assembly has failed; and   increasing the fan speed to compensate for the failed at least one additional fan assembly.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said adjusting the fan speed in relation to the additional fan speed comprises:
 determining that the at least one additional fan assembly is operating improperly; and   increasing the fan speed to compensate for the improperly operating at least one additional fan assembly.   
   
   
       11 . A system, comprising:
 at least one cool air source;   at least one electronic equipment enclosure, the electronic equipment enclosure configured to receive cool air provided by the at least one cool air source, warm the cool air by directing the cool air across at least one electronic equipment component, and return the warmed air to the at least one cool air source; and   at least one fan assembly, the at least one fan assembly including a fan controller that controls a fan speed based on a detected pressure differential between at least one electronic equipment enclosure pressure and a pressure exterior of the at least one electronic equipment enclosure,   wherein the at least one cool air source is configured to receive an airflow measurement of the at least one electronic equipment enclosure and adjust an amount of the cool air provided by the at least one cool air source based on the airflow measurement of the at least one electronic equipment enclosure.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the airflow measurement is determined based upon at least one of the fan speed of the at least one fan assembly or an airflow meter. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the fan controller that controls the fan speed to maintain at least one of a negative pressure, a positive pressure, or a neutral pressure. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one electronic equipment enclosure comprises a plurality of electronic equipment enclosures and the at least one cool air source is configured to adjust an amount of the cool air provided based on an airflow of the plurality of electronic equipment enclosures. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one cool air source comprises a plurality of cool air sources and the plurality of cool air sources are configured to adjust an amount of the cool air provided based on the airflow of the at least one electronic equipment enclosure. 
   
   
       16 . A method, comprising:
 cooling at least one electronic equipment enclosure by receiving cool air provided by at least one cool air source, warming the cool air by supplying the cool air across at least one electronic equipment component, and returning the warmed air to the at least one cool air source;   controlling at least one fan speed of at least one fan assembly based on a detected pressure differential between an electronic equipment enclosure pressure and a pressure exterior to the electronic equipment enclosure;   determining an airflow of the at least one electronic equipment enclosure based on the at least one fan speed of the at least one fan assembly; and   adjusting an amount of the cool air provided by the at least one cool air source based on the airflow of the at least one electronic equipment enclosure.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said determining an airflow of the at least one electronic equipment enclosure based on the at least one fan speed comprises:
 determining the at least one fan speed and fan model type of the at least one fan assembly; and   communicating the at least one fan speed and the fan model type of the at least one fan assembly to the at least one cool air source.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said controlling at least one fan speed of at least one fan assembly based on a detected pressure differential between an electronic equipment enclosure pressure and a pressure exterior to the electronic equipment enclosure:
 controlling the at least one fan speed of the at least one fan assembly to maintain at least one of a negative pressure, a positive pressure, or a neutral pressure.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one electronic equipment enclosure comprises a plurality of electronic equipment enclosures and said adjusting an amount of the cool air provided by the at least one cool air source based on the airflow of the at least one electronic equipment enclosure comprises:
 adjusting the amount of the cool air provided by the at least one cool air source based on an airflow of the plurality of electronic equipment enclosures.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one cool air source comprises a plurality of cool air sources and said adjusting an amount of the cool air provided by the at least one cool air source based on the airflow of the at least one electronic equipment enclosure comprises:
 adjusting the amount of the cool air provided by the plurality of cool air sources based on the airflow of the at least one electronic equipment enclosure.   
   
   
       21 . A system, comprising:
 a cool air source;   a first electronic equipment enclosure, the first electronic equipment enclosure configured to receive cool air from the cool air source, warm the cool air by directing the cool air across at least one electronic equipment component, and return the warmed air to the cool air source via a warm return formed of a partial ceiling;   a second electronic equipment enclosure, the first electronic equipment enclosure configured to receive cool air from the cool air source, warm the cool air by directing the cool air across at least one electronic equipment component, and return the warmed air to the cool air source via a warm return formed of the partial ceiling, the partial ceiling extending a width between the cool air source and the first electronic equipment enclosure, the partial ceiling extending a width between the first electronic equipment enclosure and the second equipment enclosure;   a fan assembly including a fan that directs the warmed air from the electronic equipment enclosure, the fan assembly controlling a fan speed of the fan; and   at least one additional fan assembly including an additional fan that directs the warmed air from the electronic equipment enclosure, the at least one additional fan assembly controlling an additional fan speed of the additional fan,   wherein the fan assembly is configured to receive the additional fan speed and the fan assembly adjusts the fan speed in relation to the additional fan speed.