Control of system coolant to facilitate two-phase heat transfer in a multi-evaporator cooling system
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25B-005/02
F25D-017/02
F28D-015/02
출원번호
US-0556031
(2009-09-09)
등록번호
US-8322154
(2012-12-04)
발명자
/ 주소
Campbell, Levi A.
Chu, Richard C.
Ellsworth, Jr., Michael J.
Iyengar, Madhusudan K.
Simons, Robert E.
출원인 / 주소
International Business Machines Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Jung, Esq., Dennis
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
15인용 특허 :
30
초록▼
A cooling system and method are provided for facilitating two-phase heat transfer from an electronics system including a plurality of electronic devices to be cooled. The cooling system includes a plurality of evaporators coupled to the electronic devices, and a coolant loop for passing system coola
A cooling system and method are provided for facilitating two-phase heat transfer from an electronics system including a plurality of electronic devices to be cooled. The cooling system includes a plurality of evaporators coupled to the electronic devices, and a coolant loop for passing system coolant through the evaporators. The coolant loop includes a plurality of coolant branches coupled in parallel, with each coolant branch being coupled in fluid communication with a respective evaporator. The cooling system further includes a control unit for maintaining pressure of system coolant at a system coolant supply side of the coolant branches within a specific pressure range at or above saturation pressure of the system coolant for a given desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the evaporators to facilitate two-phase heat transfer in the plurality of evaporators from the electronic devices to the system coolant at the given desired saturation temperature.
대표청구항▼
1. A cooling system comprising: a plurality of evaporators configured to couple to a plurality of electronic devices to be cooled;a coolant loop for passing system coolant through the plurality of evaporators, the coolant loop comprising a plurality of coolant branches coupled in parallel, each cool
1. A cooling system comprising: a plurality of evaporators configured to couple to a plurality of electronic devices to be cooled;a coolant loop for passing system coolant through the plurality of evaporators, the coolant loop comprising a plurality of coolant branches coupled in parallel, each coolant branch being coupled in fluid communication with a respective evaporator of the plurality of evaporators; anda control unit for maintaining pressure of system coolant at a system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches within a specific pressure range at or above saturation pressure of the system coolant for a desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the plurality of evaporators to facilitate two-phase heat transfer in the plurality of evaporators from the plurality of electronic devices to the system coolant at the desired saturation temperature. 2. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of flow control valves, each flow control valve being in fluid communication with an associated coolant branch of the plurality of coolant branches of the coolant loop and facilitating control unit adjustment of system coolant flow through the respective evaporator in fluid communication with the associated coolant branch based on at least one of a sensed temperature associated with the electronic device coupled to the respective evaporator or a sensed pressure of system coolant within the respective evaporator. 3. The cooling system of claim 2, wherein the control unit comprises a controller coupled to control each flow control valve of the plurality of flow control valves based on the at least one of the respective sensed temperature or the respective sensed pressure to maintain the respective sensed temperature within a specified range of operational temperatures for the electronic device associated with the respective evaporator or the sensed pressure within the respective evaporator within a specified range of operational pressures for the desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the evaporator. 4. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein the controller controls each flow control valve of the plurality of flow control valves based on the respective sensed temperature, and wherein the controller increases the amount of system coolant flow through a flow control valve of the plurality of flow control valves when the sensed temperature associated with the electronic device coupled to the respective evaporator exceeds an upper temperature threshold, and decreases the amount of system coolant through the flow control valve when the sensed temperature associated with the electronic device is below a lower temperature threshold. 5. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein the controller controls each flow control valve of the plurality of flow control valves employing the sensed pressure within the respective evaporator, the controlling comprising increasing the amount of system coolant flow through a flow control valve of the plurality of flow control valves when the sensed pressure in the respective evaporator exceeds an upper pressure threshold, and decreasing the amount of system coolant through the flow control valve when the sensed temperature in the respective evaporator is below a lower pressure threshold. 6. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein when operational, the controller adjusts at least two flow control valves of the plurality of flow control valves to establish different amounts of system coolant flow through at least two coolant branches of the plurality of coolant branches based on, for each coolant branch of the at least two coolant branches, the respective sensed temperature or the respective sensed pressure, to maintain the respective sensed temperature at or below the desired maximum operational temperature of the electronic device associated with the respective evaporator or the sensed pressure within the respective evaporator at or above saturation pressure of the system coolant for the desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the evaporator. 7. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a pressure control unit for facilitating maintaining pressure of system coolant within the coolant loop at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches within the specific pressure range at or above the saturation pressure of the system coolant for the desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the plurality of evaporators, the pressure control unit comprising: a pressure vessel comprising system coolant;a pressurizing mechanism associated with the pressure vessel;a coolant line coupling system coolant in the pressure vessel in fluid communication with the coolant loop of the cooling system at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches; anda regulator mechanism coupled to the pressurizing mechanism to facilitate maintaining system coolant within the coolant loop at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches at or above the saturation pressure of the system coolant for the desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the plurality of evaporators. 8. The cooling system of claim 7, wherein the pressurizing mechanism comprises a piston disposed within the pressure vessel, and wherein the regulator mechanism comprises a stepper motor coupled to the piston for adjusting position of the piston within the pressure vessel and thus pressure of system coolant within the pressure vessel, and wherein the pressure control unit further comprises: a pressure sensor for sensing pressure of system coolant within one of the pressure vessel or the coolant loop; anda controller coupled to the pressure sensor and to the stepper motor, wherein the controller controls positioning of the piston within the pressure vessel via the stepper motor to maintain pressure of system coolant within the pressure vessel, and hence within the coolant loop at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches, equal to or above the saturation pressure of the system coolant for the desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the plurality of evaporators. 9. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprises a controller for controlling temperature of system coolant at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches, and wherein the cooling system further comprises: a temperature sensor for sensing temperature of system coolant within the coolant loop;a condenser coupled in fluid communication with a system coolant return side of the plurality of coolant branches, the condenser comprising a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger for cooling system coolant within the coolant loop; anda flow control valve associated with one of a facility coolant supply line or a facility coolant return line coupled to the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger for adjusting flow of facility coolant through the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, and thus, cooling of system coolant passing through the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger of the condenser dependent on a temperature of system coolant within the coolant loop sensed by the temperature sensor. 10. The cooling system of claim 9, wherein the control unit controls pressure and temperature of system coolant at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches so that system coolant into the plurality of evaporators is a saturated liquid or a sub-saturation-cooled liquid relative to the desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the plurality of evaporators. 11. The cooling system of claim 9, wherein the controller increases the amount of facility coolant through the flow control valve associated with the one of the facility coolant supply line or the facility coolant return line when the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is above an upper temperature threshold, and reduces the amount of system coolant through the flow control valve associated with the one of the facility coolant supply line or the facility coolant return line when the temperature of system coolant sensed by the temperature sensor is below a lower temperature threshold. 12. A cooled electronic system comprising: a plurality of electronic devices capable of generating differing amounts of heat dependent on the operational states thereof,a cooling system for cooling the plurality of electronic devices, the cooling system comprising: a plurality of evaporators coupled to the plurality of electronic devices;a coolant loop coupled to pass system coolant through the plurality of evaporators, the coolant loop comprising a plurality of coolant branches coupled in parallel, each coolant branch being coupled in fluid communication with a respective evaporator of the plurality of evaporators; anda control unit for maintaining pressure of system coolant at a system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches within a specific pressure range at or above saturation pressure of the system coolant for a desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the plurality of evaporators to facilitate two-phase heat transfer in the plurality of evaporators from the plurality of electronic devices to the system coolant at the desired saturation temperature. 13. The cooled electronic system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of flow control valves, each flow control valve being in fluid communication with an associated coolant branch of the plurality of coolant branches of the coolant loop and facilitating control unit adjustment of system coolant flow through the respective evaporator in fluid communication with the associated coolant branch based on at least one of a sensed temperature associated with the electronic device coupled to the respective evaporator or a sensed pressure of system coolant within the respective evaporator. 14. The cooled electronic system of claim 13, wherein the control unit comprises a controller coupled to control each flow control valve of the plurality of flow control valves based on the at least one of the respective sensed temperature or the respective sensed pressure to maintain the respective sensed temperature within a specified range of operational temperatures for the electronic device associated with the respective evaporator or the sensed pressure within the respective evaporator within a specified range of operational pressures for the desired saturation pressure of system coolant into the respective evaporator, and wherein the controller adjusts at least two flow control valves of the plurality of flow control valves to establish different amounts of system coolant flow through at least two coolant branches of the respective plurality of coolant branches based on, for each coolant branch of the at least two coolant branches, the respective sensed temperature or the respective sensed pressure. 15. The cooled electronic system of claim 12, wherein the control unit comprises a pressure control unit for facilitating maintaining pressure of system coolant within the coolant loop at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches at or above the saturation pressure of the system coolant for the desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the plurality of evaporators, the pressure control unit comprising: a pressure vessel comprising system coolant;a pressurizing mechanism associated with the pressure vessel;a coolant line coupling system coolant in the pressure vessel in fluid communication with the coolant loop of the cooling system at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches; anda regulator mechanism coupled to the pressurizing mechanism to facilitate maintaining system coolant within the coolant loop at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches at or above the saturation pressure of the system coolant for the desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the plurality of evaporators. 16. The cooled electronic system of claim 15, wherein the pressurizing mechanism comprises a piston disposed within the pressure vessel, and wherein the regulator mechanism comprises a stepper motor coupled to the piston for adjusting position of the piston within the pressure vessel and thus pressure of system coolant within the pressure vessel, and wherein the pressure control unit further comprises: a pressure sensor for sensing pressure of system coolant within one of the pressure vessel or the coolant loop; anda controller coupled to the pressure sensor and to the stepper motor, wherein the controller controls positioning of the piston within the pressure vessel via the stepper motor to maintain pressure of system coolant within the pressure vessel, and hence within the coolant loop at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches, equal to or above the saturation pressure of the system coolant for the desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the plurality of evaporators. 17. The cooled electronic system of claim 12, wherein the control unit further comprises a controller for controlling temperature of system coolant at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches, and wherein the cooling system further comprises: a temperature sensor for sensing temperature of system coolant within the coolant loop;a condenser coupled in fluid communication with a system coolant return side of the plurality of coolant branches, the condenser comprising a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger for cooling system coolant within the coolant loop; anda flow control valve associated with one of a facility coolant supply line or a facility coolant return line coupled to the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger for adjusting flow of facility coolant through the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, and thus, cooling of system coolant passing through the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger of the condenser dependent on a temperature of system coolant within the coolant loop sensed by the temperature sensor. 18. The cooled electronic system of claim 17, wherein the control unit controls pressure and temperature of system coolant at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches so that system coolant into the plurality of evaporators is a saturated liquid or a sub-saturation-cooled liquid relative to the desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the plurality of evaporators. 19. A method of facilitating two-phase heat transfer in a coolant loop of a cooling system, the method comprising: coupling a plurality of evaporators to a plurality of electronic devices to be cooled and passing system coolant through the plurality of evaporators in parallel employing a coolant loop, the coolant loop comprising a plurality of coolant branches coupled in parallel, each coolant branch being coupled in fluid communication with a respective evaporator of the plurality of evaporators; andregulating pressure of system coolant at a system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches to maintain pressure of system coolant at the system coolant supply side of the plurality of coolant branches within a specific pressure range at or above saturation pressure of the system coolant for a desired saturation temperature of system coolant into the plurality of evaporators to facilitate two-phase heat transfer in the plurality of evaporators from the plurality of electronic devices to the system coolant at the desired saturation temperature. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising individually controlling flow of system coolant through the plurality of coolant branches of the coolant loop, the individually controlling comprising individually adjusting system coolant flow through the respective evaporator in fluid communication with an associated coolant branch of the plurality of coolant branches based on at least one of a sensed temperature associated with the electronic device coupled to the evaporator or a sensed pressure of system coolant within the evaporator.
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