JPS59189699A - Fan malfunction warning system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Technical field to which the invention pertains] The present invention relates to a fan abnormality warning system, particularly to a communication device.

The present invention relates to a fan abnormality warning system that detects and warns in advance of abnormalities in fans used in electronic devices such as computers.

[Background of the invention]

Generally, electronic circuits in electronic devices such as computers generate a considerable amount of heat when in use, and an effective cooling method is to enclose the electronic circuit in a cylinder and force air into the heat-generating part using a fan from one end. A method called the so-called air cooling method is used.

[Prior art]

Conventional fan abnormality warning systems are designed to protect electronic equipment from malfunctions and destruction due to abnormal temperature rises when a fan abnormality occurs. The method was to stop the operation of the equipment by turning off the power to the unit, thereby giving a warning of an abnormality in the 7-amp.

In this case, if a fan abnormality occurs in a central device of the system, such as a logical device of a computer, a fatal failure, such as a system down, will occur in the entire system.

Therefore, the conventional fan abnormality warning system has the drawback that if such a fan abnormality occurs in the main equipment of the system, the entire system will stop, resulting in a fatal failure.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a fan abnormality warning system that can generate a warning that foretells the occurrence of a fatal failure, rather than warning of the occurrence of a fatal failure.

That is, an object of the present invention is to monitor the rotational speed of a fan used in a device at necessary intervals or constantly monitor the rotational speed of the fan used in a device, and to check whether the rotational speed of the fan drops below a certain value before the fan rotation stops. By detecting this, it is possible to predict fan abnormalities and replace all the fans by appropriate means before an abnormal temperature rise occurs due to fan stoppage, thereby preventing catastrophic failure of equipment due to fan abnormality. An object of the present invention is to provide a fan abnormality warning system that can avoid the occurrence of an abnormality.

[Structure of the invention]

The fan abnormality warning system of the present invention includes a fan that cools electronic equipment, and a tachometer that monitors the number of rotations of the fan and generates a warning signal when the number of rotations of the fan falls below a predetermined value.

In other words, the fan abnormality warning method of the present invention is applicable to equipment using a fan equipped with an internal tachometer to measure the number of revolutions, or equipment equipped with a fan and a tachometer to measure the number of revolutions of the fan. The system is configured to monitor the rotation speed at any time or all the time, and to warn of fan abnormality when the rotation speed drops below a certain value before the fan stops rotating.

In other words, the fan abnormality warning system of the present invention is a means to prevent fatal failures of electronic equipment caused by abnormality of the fan of the electronic equipment. Alternatively, use a fan equipped with an internal tachometer, and ■ Have a mechanism that uses the tachometer to detect when the fan's rotation speed has fallen below a certain value and report it to the outside. is configured to predict in advance.

[Explanation of Examples]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of equipment showing an embodiment of the present invention.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a casing l surrounded by a thick line indicates a casing in which equipment is mounted, and a 77-unit 2 is accommodated therein.

A tachometer 3 shown below the fan 2 is a tachometer that measures the number of rotations of the fan 2, and monitors the number of rotations of the fan at any time or at all times.

The advisory signal 4 is a signal issued by the tachometer, and is output to give the defendant a warning when the number of rotations of the fan falls below a certain specified value.

The monitoring panel 6 has a warning display lamp 5 that lights up in response to the warning signal 4.
This is a monitoring board that implements.

The electronic circuit section 7 is housed in the casing 1, is the part that mainly generates heat within the casing 1, and is supplied with electric power from the power supply unit 8.

The power cutoff instruction signal 9 is a signal that instructs the power supply unit 8 to cut off the power supply to the electronic circuit section 7 when the number of rotations of the fan 2 in the tachometer 3 falls below a certain specified value.

FIG. 2 is a graph for explaining the failure process of the fan shown in FIG.

In Figure 2, no is rotating under normal conditions.
- The number of rotations of the fan, and n2 is the number of rotations of the fan or the case where the abnormality of the fan progresses considerably and the fan's air blowing effect decreases and the temperature inside the electronic circuit section 7 rises and the normal operation of the logic circuit cannot be guaranteed. This is the minimum number of revolutions, that is, the limit number of revolutions, at which the internal temperature of the body increases and there is a risk that the logic circuit may be destroyed. nl indicates an arbitrary number of revolutions from the normal number of revolutions to the limit number of revolutions n2.

tO+'l+j2 indicates the time point with respect to the rotational speed nO'+''1+n2, and the time point t indicates the time point when the 7-an 2 stops due to an abnormality.

In other words, Figure 2 shows the time from time 0 to 2000 when the fan 2 inside the housing 1 is rotating normally, and after that time an abnormality in the fan 2 becomes apparent as the rotation speed drops by 7 degrees. This indicates that the erectile dysfunction 2 starts to stop.

Next, an outline of the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be explained using FIG. 2.

The 77 engine 2 inside the housing 1 is initially rotating at a normal rotation speed n6.

From this point on, the abnormality of the fan 2 begins to become apparent as the number of revolutions decreases, and the number of revolutions reaches nl+n2 at times t1 and t2, and finally at time t3, the fan 2 stops.

The operation inside the casing 1 before reaching this time t3 is guaranteed, and at the time t1 when the rotation speed reaches the limit rotation speed 02, n, which was before the time t2, the tachometer 3 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the fan 2. In order to warn the operator, maintenance person, etc. of the device, a warning signal 4 is sent out and a warning indicator lamp 5 mounted on a monitoring panel 6 is turned on.

Operators, maintenance personnel, etc. who have been warned of an abnormality in the 7-an 2 by the lighting of the warning indicator lamp 5 should not worry even if the electronic device section 7 stops operating before the time t2 when the rotation speed reaches the limit of 12 that can guarantee operation. By turning off the power to the device at an unavoidable time, such as late at night, and replacing the abnormal fan with a normal fan, fatal failures due to temperature abnormalities due to fan 2 stopping, etc. can be prevented or minimized. becomes possible.

If the replacement of the abnormal fan with a normal fan is delayed due to some reason and the rotation speed unavoidably drops to the limit rotation speed n2, the tachometer 3 sends a power disconnection instruction signal 9 to the power supply unit 8. An instruction is given to cut off the power supply to the electronic circuit unit 7, thereby forcibly avoiding the worst case scenario.

The configuration and operation of one embodiment of the present invention have been described above, but the effect of the present invention is that by constantly or timely monitoring the rotation speed of the 77 fans for air cooling, fatal fan abnormalities can be predicted in advance. It becomes possible to save the situation.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to one embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and can also be applied to the following cases.

■ Notify operators, maintenance personnel, etc. of fan abnormalities with a sound such as a bell ringing instead of a lamp. or both.

■ In addition to notifications on the device, be equipped with a terminal for notifications at a remote location.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The fan abnormality warning method of the present invention can predict the occurrence of a fatal failure by monitoring the rotation speed of the fan instead of monitoring the temperature of electronic equipment, and has the effect of avoiding the occurrence of a fatal failure. be.

In other words, the fan abnormality detection method of the present invention constantly or timely monitors the fan rotation speed to predict fan abnormality before it becomes a fatal abnormality, and prevent fatal equipment failure due to fan stoppage, etc. This has the effect of making it possible to prevent or minimize the impact of major failures.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a device showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a graph for explaining the failure process of the fan shown in FIG. 1. l...Housing, 2...Fan, 3...
...Tachometer, 4...Warning signal, 5...
・Warning indicator lamp, 6...Monitoring panel, 7...
...Electronic circuit section, 8...Power supply unit, 9...
...Power cut-off instruction signal, Island...Rotation speed, n2...Rotation speed, n,
...Rotation speed, t...low citrus rise time, tI...time 1, t2...river time, φ1, t
,...Denmen≠shijigyo, n...Rotation number,
t.old...time. ／ Based on figure □? shop

Claims (1)

[Claims] A fan abnormality warning system comprising: a fan that cools electronic equipment; and a tachometer that monitors the number of rotations of the fan and generates a warning signal when the number of rotations of the fan falls below a predetermined value.