Multi-fluid cooling system and method with freeze protection for cooling an electronic device
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25D-011/00
F25B-045/00
H05K-007/20
출원번호
UP-0530992
(2006-09-12)
등록번호
US-7665325
(2010-04-09)
발명자
/ 주소
Campbell, Levi A.
Chu, Richard C.
Ellsworth, Michael J.
Iyengar, Madhusudan K.
Schmidt, Roger R.
Simons, Robert E.
출원인 / 주소
International Business Machines Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Monteleone, Esq., Geraldine
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
5인용 특허 :
12
초록▼
A multi-fluid cooling system and method for cooling an electronic device are provided which employ freeze protection when in a shipping state. The cooling system includes a coolant loop having an expansion tank containing first and second fluids, which are immiscible and of different densities, and
A multi-fluid cooling system and method for cooling an electronic device are provided which employ freeze protection when in a shipping state. The cooling system includes a coolant loop having an expansion tank containing first and second fluids, which are immiscible and of different densities, and the second fluid freezes at a lower temperature than the first. The coolant loop further includes a first valve for facilitating coupling of the first fluid into the coolant loop and a second valve for facilitating coupling of the second fluid into the coolant loop, the first and second valves being independently controllable. Control logic electronically controls actuation of the first and second valves to automatically pass the first fluid through the coolant loop when the system is in an operational state and to automatically maintain the second fluid in the coolant loop when the system is in a shipping state.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A method of providing a cooling system of a computer system with freeze protection during shipping, the method comprising: providing a cooling loop configured to facilitate cooling of an electronic device of a computer system, the cooling loop being in fluid communication wit
What is claimed is: 1. A method of providing a cooling system of a computer system with freeze protection during shipping, the method comprising: providing a cooling loop configured to facilitate cooling of an electronic device of a computer system, the cooling loop being in fluid communication with at least one expansion tank containing a primary coolant and a freeze protect fluid, the primary coolant and the freeze protect fluid being immiscible, the primary coolant having superior cooling properties compared to the freeze protect fluid, and the freeze protect fluid freezing at a lower temperature than the primary coolant, and wherein the cooling loop further comprises multiple valves, the multiple valves including a first valve and a second valve coupled to respective supply lines extending from the at least one expansion tank for selectively, controllably coupling only one of the primary coolant or the freeze protect fluid at a time into the cooling loop from the at least one expansion tank, the first valve and the second valve being independently controllable; placing the cooling system into a shipping state with the freeze protect fluid in the cooling loop and with control logic of the cooling system controlling the first valve and the second valve to automatically maintain the freeze protect fluid in the cooling loop while the cooling system is in the shipping state, the shipping state being a non-operational state, wherein in the shipping state, substantially all primary coolant is in the at least one expansion tank, and wherein the at least one expansion tank is sized to accommodate freezing of the primary coolant therein when the cooling system is in the shipping state; and prior to employing the cooling system to cool the electronic device of the computer system, transitioning the cooling system from the shipping state to an operational state by flushing the freeze protect fluid from the cooling loop into the at least one expansion tank employing the primary coolant, wherein the cooling system achieves the operational state once the freeze protect fluid is replaced in the cooling loop by the primary coolant, and wherein the freeze protect fluid is selected to protect components of the cooling system from freezing when the cooling system is in the shipping state, and the primary coolant is selected to facilitate cooling of the electronic device of the computer system when the cooling system is in the operational state. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing the placing of the cooling system into the shipping state prior to shipping the cooling system to a customer, and wherein the transitioning occurs upon power up of the cooling system for the first time subsequent to arrival at the customer's site, and before operational use of the cooling system to cool the electronic device of the computer system. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically determining a hydrostatic pressure within the at least one expansion tank to determine whether the cooling system is in the shipping state or the operational state after the cooling system is powered on, and before the electronic device to be cooled is powered on. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising delaying applying power to the electronic device until after the cooling system has reached the operational state, with the primary coolant flowing through the cooling loop. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling system further comprises a coolant pump in fluid communication with the cooling loop, and the transitioning comprises pumping the primary coolant through the cooling loop when transitioning from the shipping state to the operational state, and the control logic automatically controls the coolant pump and actuation of the first valve and the second valve to perform the transitioning of the cooling system from the shipping state to the operational state. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transitioning comprises employing the control logic to automatically control transitioning of the cooling system from the shipping state to the operational state by closing the second valve and opening the first valve, and thereafter pumping the primary coolant through the cooling loop, to thereby return the freeze protect fluid to the at least one expansion tank. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transitioning the cooling system from the operational state to the shipping state by shutting down a coolant pump in fluid communication with the cooling loop, opening the second valve and using gravity to allow the freeze protect fluid to flow into the first valve to a level of the freeze protect fluid in the expansion tank, the freeze protect fluid having a density greater than the primary coolant, and thereafter closing the first valve, and activating the coolant pump to move the freeze protect fluid into the cooling loop and thereby move the primary coolant from the cooling loop, returning the primary coolant to the at least one expansion tank. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing comprises selecting the freeze protect fluid to have a greater density than the primary coolant, and thereby occupy a lower portion of the at least one expansion tank, and wherein the at least one expansion tank is disposed above the cooling loop to allow gravity to facilitate transitioning of the cooling system from the operational state to the shipping state. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling loop is in fluid communication with two expansion tanks, a first expansion tank containing the primary coolant and a second expansion tank containing the freeze protect fluid, and wherein the cooling loop further comprises a third valve and a fourth valve, (he first valve and the second valve controlling egress of primary coolant and freeze protect fluid from the first expansion tank and the second expansion tank, respectively, and the third valve and the fourth valve controlling ingress of primary coolant and freeze protect fluid to the first expansion tank and the second expansion tank, respectively, and wherein the control logic controls actuation of the first valve, second valve, third valve and fourth valve to automatically pass the primary coolant through the cooling loop when the cooling system is in the operational state and to automatically maintain the freeze protect fluid in the cooling loop when the cooling system is in the shipping state. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising employing a first level sensor in the first expansion tank and a second level sensor in the second expansion tank to automatically sense whether the cooling system is in the shipping state or the operational state, and to provide feedback in controlling transitioning of the cooling system between the shipping state and the operational state. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing comprises sealing the cooling system with the primary coolant and the freeze protect fluid disposed therein.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (12)
Daniel N. Donahoe ; Michael T. Gill, Apparatus for liquid cooling of specific computer components.
Campbell, Levi A.; Chu, Richard C.; Ellsworth, Jr., Michael J.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Schmidt, Roger R.; Simons, Robert E., Cooling system and method employing a closed loop coolant path and micro-scaled cooling structure within an electronics subsystem of an electronics rack.
Keyes Denis E. (P.O. Box 507 Rocky Hill NJ 08553-0507) Randall John R. (72 Stratford Dr. Freehold NJ 07728) Curcio James V. (113 New York Ave. South Plainfield NJ 07080), Volumetric fluid dispensing apparatus.
Campbell, Levi A.; Chu, Richard C.; David, Milnes P.; Ellsworth, Jr., Michael J.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Simons, Robert E.; Singh, Prabjit; Zhang, Jing, Cooling system with automated seasonal freeze protection.
Zhang, Chunbo; Gu, Yuandong; Kristoffersen, Martin; Kulacki, Francis A.; Krafthefer, Brian C., System and method that dissipate heat from an electronic device.
Zhang, Chunbo; Gu, Yuandong; Kristoffersen, Martin; Kulacki, Francis A.; Krafthefer, Brian C., System and method that dissipate heat from an electronic device.
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