Automatically reconfigurable liquid-cooling apparatus for an electronics rack
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H05K-007/20
F28F-007/00
F28D-015/00
출원번호
US-0947302
(2010-11-16)
등록번호
US-8274790
(2012-09-25)
발명자
/ 주소
Campbell, Levi A.
Chu, Richard C.
Ellsworth, Jr., Michael J.
Iyengar, Madhusudan K.
Kemink, Randall G.
Simons, Robert E.
출원인 / 주소
International Business Machines Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Jung, Esq., Dennis
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
8인용 특허 :
39
초록▼
An apparatus is provided for cooling an electronics rack, which includes an electronic subsystem across which air passing through the rack flows. A cooling unit provides, via system coolant supply and return manifolds, system coolant in parallel to the electronic subsystem and an air-to-liquid heat
An apparatus is provided for cooling an electronics rack, which includes an electronic subsystem across which air passing through the rack flows. A cooling unit provides, via system coolant supply and return manifolds, system coolant in parallel to the electronic subsystem and an air-to-liquid heat exchanger disposed to cool, in normal-mode, air passing through the rack. A controller monitors coolant associated with the cooling unit and automatically transitions the cooling apparatus from normal-mode to failure-mode responsive to detecting a failure of the coolant. In transitioning to failure-mode, multiple isolation valves are employed in switching to a serial flow of system coolant from the electronic subsystem to the heat exchanger for rejecting, via the system coolant, heat from the electronic subsystem to air passing across the heat exchanger.
대표청구항▼
1. A cooling apparatus for facilitating cooling of an electronics rack comprising at least one electronic subsystem, the cooling apparatus comprising: at least one cooling unit configured to provide, via a coolant loop, system coolant to the at least one electronic subsystem for facilitating cooling
1. A cooling apparatus for facilitating cooling of an electronics rack comprising at least one electronic subsystem, the cooling apparatus comprising: at least one cooling unit configured to provide, via a coolant loop, system coolant to the at least one electronic subsystem for facilitating cooling thereof, wherein each cooling unit comprises a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, a first coolant path and a second coolant path, the first coolant path of each cooling unit receiving, in normal operation, chilled coolant from a source and passing at least a portion thereof through the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, and the second coolant path being coupled in fluid communication with the coolant loop, and in normal operation, providing cooled system coolant to the at least one electronic subsystem, and expelling heat in the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger from the system coolant to the chilled coolant in the first coolant path;an air-to-liquid heat exchanger associated with the electronics rack for cooling, in normal operation, at least a portion of air passing through the electronics rack, the air-to-liquid heat exchanger being coupled to the coolant loop to receive system coolant therefrom and exhaust system coolant thereto;multiple isolation valves coupled to the coolant loop to facilitate transitioning of the cooling apparatus between a normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and a failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger; andat least one controller coupled to the multiple isolation valves for automatically transitioning the cooling apparatus from the normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger responsive to a failure of the chilled coolant from the source, wherein in normal-mode, the at least one cooling unit provides cooled system coolant in parallel to the at least one electronic subsystem, for liquid-cooling thereof, and to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger for cooling at least a portion of air passing through the electronics rack, and responsive to detection of the failure, the at least one controller employs the multiple isolation valves to automatically transition the cooling apparatus to the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger for rejecting, via the system coolant, heat from the at least one electronic subsystem to air passing across the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 2. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coolant loop comprises a system coolant supply manifold and a system coolant return manifold associated with the electronics rack, the system coolant supply manifold and system coolant return manifold each being coupled in fluid communication with the at least one cooling unit for facilitating providing system coolant to the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger, and wherein the air-to-liquid heat exchanger is coupled via a coolant supply line to the system coolant supply manifold for receiving system coolant from the system coolant supply manifold and is coupled via a coolant return line to the system coolant return manifold for exhausting system coolant to the system coolant return manifold, and wherein in normal-mode, the at least one cooling unit provides cooled system coolant to the system coolant supply manifold and receives exhausted system coolant from the system coolant return manifold, the system coolant supply manifold supplying cooled system coolant in parallel to the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 3. The cooling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one electronic subsystem is coupled in fluid communication between the system coolant supply manifold and the system coolant return manifold, and wherein the multiple isolation valves comprise a first isolation valve associated with the coolant supply line supplying system coolant to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and a second isolation valve associated with the system coolant return manifold and disposed in fluid communication therewith downstream of the at least one electronic subsystem and upstream of the coolant return line coupling the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the system coolant return manifold. 4. The cooling apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a system coolant shunt line with a first end coupled in fluid communication with the system coolant return manifold downstream of the at least one electronic subsystem and upstream of the second isolation valve, and a second end coupled in fluid communication with the coolant supply line between the first isolation valve and an inlet to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger, wherein in normal-mode, the first isolation valve and the second isolation valve are open, and the third isolation valve is closed so that system coolant flows in parallel through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger, and responsive to detection of the failure, the at least one controller closes the first isolation valve and the second isolation valve, and opens the third isolation valve to transition the cooling apparatus to failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger for rejecting, via the system coolant, heat from the at least one electronic subsystem to air passing across the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 5. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling apparatus further comprises a temperature sensor for monitoring a coolant temperature associated with the at least one cooling unit, the at least one controller being coupled to the temperature sensor, and responding to the coolant temperature exceeding a defined threshold by transitioning the cooling apparatus from the normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 6. The cooling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed to monitor temperature of system coolant output by the at least one cooling unit, and the at least one controller responds to system coolant temperature exceeding the defined threshold by transitioning the cooling apparatus from the normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 7. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling apparatus further comprises a flow monitor for monitoring chilled coolant flow from the source to the at least one cooling unit, the at least one controller responding to a chilled coolant flow below a defined flow threshold by transitioning the cooling apparatus from the normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 8. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the at least one controller automatically transitioning the cooling apparatus from the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger responsive to correction of the failure of the chilled coolant from the source, wherein the at least one controller monitors at least one of a coolant temperature associated with the at least one cooling unit or chilled coolant flow from the source to the at least one cooling unit. 9. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air-to-liquid heat exchanger is disposed at an air outlet side of the electronics rack for cooling air egressing from the electronics rack in the normal mode and for exhausting heat from the at least one electronic subsystem to air egressing from the electronics rack in the failure mode. 10. A cooled electronic system comprising: an electronics rack comprising an air inlet side and an air outlet side for respectively enabling ingress and egress of air through the electronics rack, the electronics rack further comprising at least one electronic subsystem; anda cooling apparatus for facilitating cooling of the electronics rack, the cooling apparatus comprising: at least one cooling unit configured to provide, via a coolant loop, system coolant to the at least one electronic subsystem for facilitating cooling thereof, wherein each cooling unit comprises a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, a first coolant path and a second coolant path, the first coolant path of each cooling unit receiving, in normal operation, chilled coolant from a source and passing at least a portion thereof through the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, and the second coolant path being coupled in fluid communication with the coolant loop, and in normal operation, providing cooled system coolant to the at least one electronic subsystem, and expelling heat in the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger from the system coolant to the chilled coolant in the first coolant path;an air-to-liquid heat exchanger associated with the electronics rack for cooling, in normal operation, at least a portion of air passing through the electronics rack, the air-to-liquid heat exchanger being coupled to the coolant loop to receive system coolant therefrom and exhaust system coolant thereto;multiple isolation valves coupled to the coolant loop to facilitate transitioning of the cooling apparatus between a normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and a failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger; andat least one controller coupled to the multiple isolation valves for automatically transitioning the cooling apparatus from the normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger responsive to a failure of the chilled coolant from the source, wherein in normal-mode, the at least one cooling unit provides cooled system coolant in parallel to the at least one electronic subsystem, for liquid-cooling thereof, and to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger for cooling at least a portion of air passing through the electronics rack, and responsive to detection of the failure, the at least one controller employs the multiple isolation valves to automatically transition the cooling apparatus to the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger for rejecting, via the system coolant, heat from the at least one electronic subsystem to air passing across the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 11. The cooled electronic system of claim 10, wherein the multiple isolation valves comprise a first isolation valve associated with a coolant supply line supplying system coolant to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and a second isolation valve associated with the coolant loop downstream of the at least one electronic subsystem and upstream of a coolant return line coupling in fluid communication the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and the coolant loop. 12. The cooled electronic system of claim 11, further comprising a system coolant shunt line with a first end coupled in fluid communication with the coolant loop downstream of the at least one electronic subsystem and upstream of the second isolation valve, and a second end coupled in fluid communication with the coolant supply line between the first isolation valve and an inlet to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger, wherein in normal-mode, the first isolation valve and the second isolation valve are open, and the third isolation valve is closed so that system coolant flows in parallel through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger, and responsive to detection of a failure, the at least one controller closes the first isolation valve and the second isolation valve, and opens the third isolation valve to transition the cooling apparatus to failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger for rejecting, via the system coolant, heat from the at least one electronic subsystem to air passing across the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 13. The cooled electronic system of claim 10, wherein the cooling apparatus further comprises a temperature sensor for monitoring a coolant temperature associated with the at least one cooling unit, the at least one controller being coupled to the temperature sensor, and responding to the coolant temperature exceeding a defined threshold by transitioning the cooling apparatus from the normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 14. The cooled electronic system of claim 10, wherein the cooling apparatus further comprises a flow monitor for monitoring chilled coolant flow from the source to the at least one cooling unit, the at least one controller responding to a chilled coolant flow below a defined flow threshold by transitioning the cooling apparatus from the normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 15. The cooled electronic system of claim 10, further comprising the at least one controller automatically transitioning the cooling apparatus from the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger responsive to correction of the failure of the chilled coolant from the source, wherein the at least one controller monitors at least one of a coolant temperature associated with the at least one cooling unit or chilled coolant flow from the source to the at least one cooling unit. 16. A method of facilitating cooling of an electronics rack, the method comprising: employing at least one cooling unit configured to provide, via a coolant loop, system coolant to at least one electronic subsystem of the electronics rack for facilitating cooling thereof, wherein each cooling unit comprises a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, a first coolant path and a second coolant path, the first coolant path of each cooling unit receiving, in normal operation, chilled coolant from a source and passing at least a portion thereof through the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, and the second coolant path being coupled in fluid communication with the coolant loop, and providing in normal operation, cooled system coolant to the at least one electronic subsystem, and expelling heat in the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger from the system coolant to the chilled coolant in the first coolant path;utilizing an air-to-liquid heat exchanger associated with the electronics rack for cooling, in normal operation, at least a portion of air passing through the electronics rack, the air-to-liquid heat exchanger being coupled to the coolant loop to receive system coolant therefrom and exhaust system coolant thereto; andemploying multiple isolation valves coupled to the coolant loop to facilitate automatic transitioning of the cooling apparatus by at least one controller thereof, from normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger responsive to a failure of the chilled coolant from the source, wherein in normal-mode, the at least one cooling unit provides cooled system coolant in parallel to the at least one electronic subsystem, for liquid-cooling thereof, and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger for cooling at least a portion of air passing through the electronics rack, and responsive to detection of the failure, the at least one controller employs the multiple isolation valves to automatically transition the cooling apparatus to the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger for rejecting, via the system coolant, heat from the at least one electronic subsystem to air passing across the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the multiple isolation valves comprise a first isolation valve associated with a coolant supply line supplying system coolant to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and a second isolation valve associated with the coolant loop downstream of the at least one electronic subsystem and upstream of a coolant return line coupling in fluid communication the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and the coolant loop. 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising monitoring a coolant temperature associated with the at least one cooling unit, the at least one controller responding to the coolant temperature exceeding a defined threshold by transitioning the cooling apparatus from the normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising monitoring flow of chilled coolant from the source to the at least one cooling unit, and responding to chilled coolant flow below a defined flow threshold, transitioning by the at least one controller the cooling apparatus from the normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. 20. The method of claim 16, further comprising automatically transitioning, by the at least one controller, the cooling apparatus from the failure-mode, serial flow of system coolant from the at least one electronic subsystem to the air-to-liquid heat exchanger to the normal-mode, parallel flow of system coolant through the at least one electronic subsystem and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger responsive to correction of the failure of the chilled coolant from the source, wherein the at least one controller monitors at least one of a coolant temperature associated with the at least one cooling unit or chilled coolant flow from the source to the at least one cooling unit.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (39)
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Campbell, Levi A.; Chu, Richard C.; Ellsworth, Jr., Michael J.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Schmidt, Roger R.; Simons, Robert E., Method of assembling a cooling system for a multi-component electronics system.
Ellsworth, Jr., Michael J.; Krug, Jr., Francis R.; Mullady, Robert K.; Schmidt, Roger R.; Seminaro, Edward J., System and method for facilitating cooling of a liquid-cooled electronics rack.
Campbell, Levi A.; Chu, Richard C.; Ellsworth, Jr., Michael J.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Simons, Robert E., System and method for standby mode cooling of a liquid-cooled electronics rack.
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Campbell, Levi A.; Chu, Richard C.; David, Milnes P.; Ellsworth, Jr., Michael J.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Schmidt, Roger R.; Simons, Robert E., Pump-enhanced, immersion-cooling of electronic component(s).
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