Smart cooling of data centers

A smart cooling system for cooling racks in a data center, said system comprising:

• a cooling device for supplying cooling fluid to said racks, said cooling device including a variable output fan;
• a plenum having an inlet and a plurality of outlets, wherein said inlet of said plenum is in fluid communication with said fan;
• a plurality of vents in fluid communication with said plurality of outlets for delivering said cooling fluid to said racks, wherein said vents are operable to vary a characteristic of said cooling fluid delivered to said racks through said vents;
• at least one vent controller operable to control at least one of said vents, wherein said at least one vent controller is configured to independently control one or more of said vents to thereby independently vary said characteristic of said cooling fluid delivered through said vents;
• a cooling device controller operable to control the output of said cooling device;
• and
• a pressure sensor situated within said plenum to measure the pressure of said cooling fluid located within said plenum,
• wherein said cooling device controller is operable to vary the output of said cooling fluid from said cooling device in response to the measured pressure of said cooling fluid in said plenum.

A smart cooling system for cooling racks in a data center, said system comprising:

• a cooling device for supplying cooling fluid to said racks, said cooling device including a variable output fan;
• a plenum having an inlet and a plurality of outlets, wherein said inlet of said plenum is in fluid communication with said fan;
• a plurality of vents in fluid communication with said plurality of outlets for delivering said cooling fluid to said racks, wherein said vents are operable to vary a characteristic of said cooling fluid delivered to said racks through said vents;
• and
• at least one vent controller operable to control at least one of said vents, wherein said at least one vent controller is configured to independently control one or more of said vents to thereby independently vary said characteristic of said cooling fluid delivered through said vents,
• wherein said plenum includes a divider, said divider being operable to divide said plenum into a first chamber and a second chamber.

A method of cooling a plurality of racks in a data center, said method comprising:

• activating a cooling system and opening a plurality of vents, each of said vents being configured to vary the supply cooling fluid to at least one of said racks;
• sensing the temperatures of said racks;
• determining whether said sensed temperatures are within a predetermined temperature range;
• varying said supply of said cooling fluid to one or more of said racks in response to said sensed temperatures;
• sensing a pressure of a supply of said cooling fluid;
• determining whether said sensed pressure is within a predetermined pressure range;
• and
• varying an output of said cooling system in response to said sensed pressure falling outside of said predetermined pressure range.

A data center housing a plurality of racks, said data center comprising:

• a raised floor having a plurality of vents;
• a plenum located beneath said raised floor;
• a cooling system having a variable capacity compressor and a variable output fan, said cooling system being configured to supply a cooling fluid into said plenum;
• said plenum being in fluid communication with said plurality of vents, said vents being configured to deliver said cooling fluid to said racks, wherein said vents are operable to vary a characteristic of said cooling fluid delivered through each of said vents;
• a divider positioned within said plenum and operable to divide said plenum into a first chamber and a second chamber;
• wherein said first chamber of said plenum is in fluid communication with said cooling system and said second chamber is in fluid communication with said vents, and wherein said divider operates to maintain the pressure of said cooling fluid in said second chamber at a substantially uniform pressure;
• at least one vent controller operable to control at least one of said vents, wherein said at least one vent controller is configured to independently control said vents to thereby independently vary said characteristic of said cooling fluid flow through said vents;
• and
• a cooling system controller operable to control a speed of said compressor and an output of said fan to thereby vary the output of said cooling fluid from said cooling system to thereby vary the cooling fluid supply in said plenum.

A computer readable storage medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs, said one or more computer programs implementing a method for cooling a plurality of racks in a data center, said one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions for:

• activating a cooling system and opening a plurality of vents, each of said vents being configured to vary the supply cooling fluid to at least one of said racks;
• sensing the temperatures of said racks;
• determining whether said sensed temperatures are within a predetermined temperature range;
• varying said supply of said cooling fluid to one or more of said racks in response to said sensed temperatures;
• sensing a pressure of a supply of said cooling fluid;
• determining whether said sensed pressure is within a predetermined pressure range;
• and
• varying an output of said cooling system in response to said sensed pressure falling outside of said predetermined pressure range.