Reversible fan direction control responsive to device enclosure orientation

A method, comprising:

• automatically determining whether a first device enclosure is oriented in a first orientation with a front of the first device enclosure facing in the same direction as a front of an adjacent second device enclosure or in a second orientation with the front of the first device enclosure facing in the same direction as a back of the adjacent second device enclosure;
• operating a reversible rotary fan of the first device enclosure in a first rotational direction to move air through the first device enclosure in a first airflow direction from front to back through an airflow pathway extending through the first device enclosure in response to determining that the first device enclosure is in the first orientation;
• and
• operating the reversible rotary fan of the first device enclosure in a second rotational direction to move air through the first device enclosure in a second airflow direction from the back to the front through the airflow pathway in response to determining that the first device enclosure is in the second orientation;
• wherein automatically determining whether the first device enclosure is oriented in the first orientation or the second orientation, includes:
• measuring the air temperature at the front and back of the airflow pathway through the first device enclosure, determining that the first device enclosure is oriented in the first orientation in response to the air temperature at the front of the first device enclosure being less than the air temperature at the back of the first device enclosure, and determining that the first device enclosure is oriented in the second orientation in response to the air temperature at the front of the first device enclosure being greater than the air temperature at the back of the first device enclosure.

A method, comprising:

• automatically determining whether a first device enclosure is oriented in a first orientation with a front of the first device enclosure facing in the same direction as a front of an adjacent second device enclosure or in a second orientation with the front of the first device enclosure facing in the same direction as a back of the adjacent second device enclosure;
• operating a reversible rotary fan of the first device enclosure in a first rotational direction to move air through the first device enclosure in a first airflow direction from front to back through an airflow pathway extending through the first device enclosure in response to determining that the first device enclosure is in the first orientation;
• and
• operating the reversible rotary fan of the first device enclosure in a second rotational direction to move air through the first device enclosure in a second airflow direction from the back to the front through the airflow pathway in response to determining that the first device enclosure is in the second orientation;
• wherein automatically determining whether the first device enclosure is oriented in the first orientation or the second orientation, includes:
• running the reversible rotary fan in a first rotational direction to move air through the first device enclosure in a first airflow direction during a first test period and measuring one or more temperatures within the first device enclosure during the first test period, running the reversible rotary fan in a second rotational direction to move air through the first device enclosure in a second airflow direction during a second test period and measuring one or more temperatures within the first device enclosure during the second test period, determining that the first device enclosure is oriented in the first orientation in response to the one or more temperatures measured during the first test period being less than the one or more temperatures measured during the second test period, and determining that the first device enclosure is oriented in the second orientation in response to the one or more temperatures measured during the first test period being greater than the one or more temperatures measured during the second test period.