Controlling operational parameters of a cooling unit

A cooling unit, comprising:

• a heat exchanger;
• at least one liquid flow control element adapted to control flow of liquid coolant through the heat exchanger;
• at least one gas flow control element adapted to control flow of gas coolant across the heat exchanger;
• at least one temperature sensor adapted to sense a temperature associated with equipment to be cooled by the cooling unit;
• and
• a controller, wherein:
• the controller is coupled to the at least one temperature sensor to receive at least one temperature signal representing the temperature associated with the equipment to be cooled by the cooling unit;
• the controller is adapted to receive at least one delayed-effect variable signal representing a delayed-effect variable associated with equipment cooled by the cooling unit;
• the controller is coupled to the at least one liquid flow control element and adapted to manipulate the at least one liquid flow control element to control the flow of liquid coolant through the heat exchanger;
• the controller is coupled to the at least one gas flow control element and adapted to manipulate the at least one gas flow control element to control the flow of gas coolant across the heat exchanger;
• wherein the controller is configured to:
• calculate, using a thermal system model to which the at least one temperature signal, the at least one delayed-effect variable signal;
• the liquid coolant flow and the gas coolant flow are inputs, a projected future temperature associated with the equipment cooled by the cooling unit;
• and
• responsive to the projected future temperature, adjust coolant flow through the cooling unit to target the projected future temperature toward a set-point.

A computer program product comprising a tangible computer-readable medium carrying instructions which, when executed by a controller coupled to a cooling unit wherein a coolant flow through the cooling unit comprises a liquid coolant flow and a gas coolant flow across, cause the controller to control operational parameters of the cooling unit by:

• receiving, at the controller, at least one temperature signal representing a present temperature associated with equipment cooled by the cooling unit;
• receiving, at the controller, at least one delayed-effect variable signal representing a delayed-effect variable associated with equipment cooled by the cooling unit;
• calculating, by the controller, using a thermal system model to which the at least one temperature signal, the at least one delayed-effect variable signal, the liquid coolant flow and the gas coolant flow are inputs, a projected future temperature associated with the equipment cooled by the cooling unit;
• and
• responsive to the projected future temperature, adjusting coolant flow through the cooling unit to target the projected future temperature toward a set-point.