초록 ▼

A cooling approach is provided for cooling an electronics subsystem, such as an electronics rack. The cooling approach includes a coolant conditioning unit and a thermal capacitor unit. The coolant conditioning unit has a heat exchanger, a first cooling loop and a second cooling loop. The first cool

A cooling approach is provided for cooling an electronics subsystem, such as an electronics rack. The cooling approach includes a coolant conditioning unit and a thermal capacitor unit. The coolant conditioning unit has a heat exchanger, a first cooling loop and a second cooling loop. The first cooling loop receives facility coolant from a facility coolant source and passes at least a portion thereof to the heat exchanger. The second cooling loop provides system coolant to the electronics subsystem, and expels heat in the heat exchanger from the electronics subsystem to the facility coolant in the first cooling loop. The thermal capacitor unit is in fluid communication with the second cooling loop to maintain temperature of the system coolant within a defined range for a period of time upon shutdown or failure of the facility coolant in the first cooling loop, thereby allowing continued operation of the electronics subsystem.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A cooling system comprising: at least one coolant conditioning unit, the at least one coolant conditioning unit comprising a heat exchanger, a first cooling loop and a second cooling loop, the first cooling loop receiving facility coolant and passing at least a portion thereo

What is claimed is: 1. A cooling system comprising: at least one coolant conditioning unit, the at least one coolant conditioning unit comprising a heat exchanger, a first cooling loop and a second cooling loop, the first cooling loop receiving facility coolant and passing at least a portion thereof through the heat exchanger, the second cooling loop providing system coolant to at least one electronics subsystem, and expelling heat in the heat exchanger from the at least one electronics subsystem to the facility coolant in the first cooling loop; and at least one thermal capacitor unit in fluid communication with the second cooling loop of the at least one coolant conditioning unit to maintain temperature of the system coolant within a defined range for a period of time upon shutdown or failure of the facility coolant in the first cooling loop of the at least one coolant conditioning unit. 2. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein when the cooling system is in operation, system coolant flows through the second cooling loop from the heat exchanger of the at least one coolant conditioning unit to the at least one electronics subsystem and then to the at least one thermal capacitor unit, before returning back to the heat exchanger of the at least one coolant conditioning unit. 3. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the at least one thermal capacitor unit includes at least one housing comprising a chamber with a phase change material disposed therein, wherein the phase change material maintains temperature of the system coolant substantially constant within the predefined range for the period of time upon shutdown or failure of the facility coolant in the first cooling loop. 4. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein the at least one thermal capacitor unit further comprises a plurality of coolant flow tubes passing through the chamber of the at least one housing, the plurality of coolant flow tubes having a plurality of thermal conduction fins coupled thereto, and wherein the phase change material at least partially surrounds the plurality of coolant flow tubes and the plurality of thermal conduction fins coupled thereto, the plurality of thermal conduction fins facilitating heat transfer between system coolant in the plurality of coolant flow tubes and the phase change material. 5. The cooling system of claim 4, wherein the at least one housing further comprises an inlet plenum and an outlet plenum in fluid communication with the second cooling loop, wherein when the cooling system is in operation, system coolant passes from the second cooling loop through the inlet plenum, to the plurality of coolant flow tubes, then through the outlet plenum back to the second cooling loop for return to the heat exchanger of the at least one coolant conditioning unit. 6. The cooling system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of thermal conduction fins comprise a plurality of plate fins, and wherein the plurality of coolant flow tubes pass through the plurality of plate fins and are coupled thereto for extraction of heat from system coolant passing through the plurality of coolant flow tubes upon shutdown or failure of the facility coolant in the first cooling loop of the at least one coolant conditioning unit. 7. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the at least one coolant conditioning unit is multiple coolant conditioning units, the at least one electronics subsystem is multiple electronics subsystems, and the at least one thermal capacitor unit is multiple thermal capacitor units, and wherein each coolant conditioning unit provides system coolant to a different, associated electronics subsystem of the multiple electronics subsystems to be cooled, and wherein system coolant of the second cooling loop of each coolant conditioning unit passes from the associated electronics subsystem through an associated thermal capacitor unit of the multiple thermal capacitor units before returning to the coolant conditioning unit. 8. The cooling system of claim 7, wherein the multiple electronics subsystems comprise multiple electronics racks, and wherein facility coolant is provided from a common source to each of the multiple coolant conditioning units. 9. A cooled electronics system comprising: at least one electronics rack comprising a plurality of drawer units; and a cooling system comprising: at least one coolant conditioning unit, the at least one coolant conditioning unit comprising a heat exchanger, a first cooling loop and a second cooling loop, the first cooling loop receiving facility coolant and passing at least a portion thereof through the heat exchanger, the second cooling loop providing system coolant to the at least one electronics rack, and expelling heat in the heat exchanger from the at least one electronics rack to the facility coolant in the first cooling loop; and at least one thermal capacitor unit in fluid communication with the second cooling loop of the at least one coolant conditioning unit to maintain temperature of the system coolant within a defined range for a period of time upon shutdown or failure of the facility coolant in the first cooling loop of the at least one coolant conditioning unit. 10. The cooled electronics system of claim 9, wherein when the cooled electronics system is operational, system coolant flows through the second cooling loop from the heat exchanger of the at least one coolant conditioning unit to the at least one electronics rack and then to the at least one thermal capacitor unit and back to the heat exchanger of the at least one coolant conditioning unit. 11. The cooled electronics system of claim 9, wherein the facility coolant is provided from a common source to the at least one coolant conditioning unit. 12. The cooled electronics system of claim 11, wherein the at least one electronics rack is multiple electronics racks, and the at least one coolant conditioning unit of the cooling system is multiple coolant conditioning units, and the at least one thermal capacitor unit is multiple thermal capacitor units, and wherein the facility coolant is provided to the multiple coolant conditioning units from the common source. 13. The cooled electronics system of claim 12, wherein at least one coolant conditioning unit provides system coolant to at least one associated electronics rack of the multiple electronics racks to be cooled, and wherein system coolant of the second cooling loop of the at least one coolant conditioning unit passes from the at least one associated electronics rack through at least one associated thermal capacitor unit of the multiple thermal capacitor units before returning to the at least one coolant conditioning unit. 14. The cooled electronics system of claim 9, wherein the at least one thermal capacitor unit comprises at least one housing including a chamber with a phase change material disposed therein, wherein the phase change material maintains temperature of the system coolant substantially constant within the predefined range for the period of time upon shutdown or failure of the facility coolant in the first cooling loop while the at least one electronics rack remains operational. 15. The cooled electronics system of claim 14, wherein the at least one thermal capacitor unit further comprises a plurality of coolant flow tubes passing through the chamber of the at least one housing, the plurality of coolant flow tubes including a plurality of thermal conduction fins coupled thereto, and wherein the phase change material at least partially surrounds the plurality of coolant flow tubes and the plurality of thermal conduction fins coupled thereto, the plurality of thermal conduction fins facilitating heat transfer between system coolant in the plurality of coolant flow tubes and the phase change material. 16. The cooled electronics system of claim 15, wherein the at least one housing further comprises an inlet plenum and an outlet plenum in fluid communication with the second cooling loop, wherein when the cooling system is operational, system coolant passes from the second cooling loop through the inlet plenum, to the plurality of coolant flow tubes, then through the outlet plenum back to the second cooling loop for return to the heat exchanger of the at least one coolant conditioning unit. 17. The cooled electronics system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of thermal conduction fins comprise a plurality of plate fins, and wherein the plurality of coolant flow tubes pass through the plurality of plate fins and are coupled thereto for facilitating transfer of heat from system coolant passing through the plurality of coolant flow tubes upon shutdown or failure of the facility coolant in the first cooling loop of the at least one coolant conditioning unit while the at least one electronics rack remains operational. 18. A method of cooling at least one electronics subsystem, the method comprising: providing at least one coolant conditioning unit, the at least one coolant conditioning unit comprising a heat exchanger, a first cooling loop and a second cooling loop, the first cooling loop receiving facility coolant and passing at least a portion thereof through the heat exchanger, the second cooling loop providing system coolant to the at least one electronics subsystem, and expelling heat in the heat exchanger from the at least one electronics subsystem to the facility coolant in the first cooling loop; and providing at least one thermal capacitor unit in fluid communication with the second cooling loop of the at least one coolant conditioning unit to maintain temperature of the system coolant within a defined range for a period of time upon shutdown or failure of the facility coolant in the first cooling loop of the at least one coolant conditioning unit while the at least one electronics subsystem remains operational. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising coupling the at least one coolant conditioning unit, the at least one electronics subsystem, and the at least one thermal capacitor unit in fluid communication, wherein system coolant flows through the second coolant loop of the at least one cooling conditioning unit from the heat exchanger thereof to the at least one electronics subsystem and then to the at least one thermal capacitor unit, before returning back to the heat exchanger of the at least one coolant conditioning unit. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising coupling the first cooling loop of the at least one coolant conditioning unit to a common source of facility coolant. 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the providing of the at least one thermal capacitor unit further includes assembling the at least one thermal capacitor unit, the assembling including providing at least one housing having a chamber with a plurality of coolant flow tubes passing therethrough, the plurality of coolant flow tubes including a plurality of thermal conduction fins coupled thereto, wherein the plurality of thermal conduction fins facilitate heat transfer between system coolant in the plurality of coolant flow tubes and the phase change material, and wherein the at least one housing further includes an inlet plenum and an outlet plenum to be placed in fluid communication with the second cooling loop, and wherein the method further comprises heating the housing, with the plurality of coolant flow tubes and plurality of thermal conduction fins therein to a temperature above a melting temperature of a phase change material, and at least partially filling the chamber with molten phase change material, and thereafter allowing the molten phase change material to solidify. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the assembling of the at least one thermal capacitor unit further comprises establishing a partial vacuum within the chamber prior to introducing molten phase change material into the chamber, wherein solidifying of the phase change material comprises allowing the phase change material to cool. 23. The method of claim 21, wherein when cooling the at least one electronics subsystem, system coolant passes from the at least one electronics subsystem via the second cooling loop through the inlet plenum, the plurality of coolant flow tubes, and then the outlet plenum back to the second cooling loop for return to the heat exchanger of the at least one coolant conditioning unit, wherein heat is extracted from the system coolant passing through the plurality of coolant flow tubes upon shutdown or failure of the facility coolant in the first cooling loop of the at least one coolant conditioning unit while the at least one electronics subsystem remains operational.