IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0939535
(2010-11-04)
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등록번호 |
US-8783052
(2014-07-22)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Campbell, Levi A.
- Chu, Richard C.
- Ellsworth, Jr., Michael J.
- Iyengar, Madhusudan K.
- Simons, Robert E.
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출원인 / 주소 |
- International Business Machines Corporation
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
50 |
초록
▼
Apparatus and method are provided for cooling an electronic component(s). The apparatus includes a coolant-cooled structure in thermal communication with the component(s) to be cooled, and a coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger in fluid communication with the coolant-cooled structure via a coolant
Apparatus and method are provided for cooling an electronic component(s). The apparatus includes a coolant-cooled structure in thermal communication with the component(s) to be cooled, and a coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger in fluid communication with the coolant-cooled structure via a coolant loop. A thermal buffer unit is coupled in fluid communication with the coolant loop, and a refrigerant loop is coupled in fluid communication with the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger dissipates heat from coolant in the coolant loop to refrigerant in the refrigerant loop. A compressor is coupled in fluid communication with the refrigerant loop and is maintained ON responsive to heat load of the component(s) exceeding a heat load threshold, and is cycled ON and OFF responsive to heat load of the component(s) being below the threshold. The thermal storage unit dampens swings in coolant temperature within the coolant loop during cycling ON and OFF of the compressor.
대표청구항
▼
1. An apparatus for facilitating cooling of an electronic component, the apparatus comprising: a liquid-cooled cold plate, the liquid-cooled cold plate being in thermal communication with the electronic component via a thermal conduction path from the electronic component to the liquid-cooled cold p
1. An apparatus for facilitating cooling of an electronic component, the apparatus comprising: a liquid-cooled cold plate, the liquid-cooled cold plate being in thermal communication with the electronic component via a thermal conduction path from the electronic component to the liquid-cooled cold plate;a coolant loop coupled in fluid communication with the liquid-cooled cold plate to facilitate the flow of coolant therethrough;a thermal buffer unit coupled in fluid communication with the coolant loop upstream of the liquid-cooled cold plate, and disposed separate from the liquid-cooled cold plate, wherein coolant within the coolant loop is capable of flowing through the thermal buffer unit;a coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger coupled in fluid communication with the liquid-cooled cold plate via the coolant loop to receive coolant therefrom and provide coolant thereto, the thermal buffer unit being disposed between the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger and the liquid-cooled cold plate;a vapor-compression refrigeration loop coupled in fluid communication with the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger cooling coolant passing therethrough from the coolant loop by dissipating heat from the coolant passing therethrough to refrigerant passing therethrough from the vapor-compression refrigeration loop;a compressor coupled in fluid communication with the vapor-compression refrigeration loop, wherein in a first state the compressor is maintained ON responsive to heat load of the electronic component exceeding a heat load threshold, and in a second state is cycled ON and OFF responsive to heat load of the electronic component being below the heat load threshold, the thermal buffer unit coupled in fluid communication with the coolant loop dampening in the second state swings in temperature of coolant within the coolant loop during cycling ON and OFF of the compressor in fluid communication with the vapor-compression refrigeration loop;a bypass line coupled to a coolant loop line in parallel, with the thermal buffer unit;a controllable bypass valve in fluid communication with the bypass line; anda controller configured to automatically control the controllable bypass valve to provide selective coolant bypass of the thermal buffer unit and thereby control an amount of coolant in the coolant loop passing through the thermal buffer unit, to facilitate maintaining temperature of coolant within the coolant loop downstream of the thermal buffer unit within a defined temperature range, the controller controlling the controllable bypass valve to, in part, control coolant flow through the bypass line, and thus through the thermal buffer unit, and in so doing, control a rate of thermal energy release from the thermal buffer unit. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the first state of operation the compressor runs at a fixed compressor speed while maintained ON responsive to heat load of the electronic component exceeding the heat load threshold. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controllable coolant heater disposed in thermal communication with the coolant loop downstream of the liquid-cooled cold plate between the liquid-cooled cold plate and the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, the controllable coolant heater applying a variable auxiliary heat load to coolant in the coolant loop responsive to heat load of the electronic component and the thermal buffer unit together being below the heat load threshold to ensure that coolant passing through the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger dissipates at least a minimum heat load to refrigerant passing through the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, the minimum heat load being prespecified to ensure that superheated refrigerant enters the compressor, allowing the compressor to run at a fixed compressor speed when in the first state. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a fixed expansion orifice in fluid communication with the vapor-compression refrigeration loop for expanding refrigerant passing therethrough. 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controllable coolant heater is maintained OFF responsive to heat load of the electronic component exceeding the heat load threshold, to facilitate the cycling ON and OFF of the compressor in the second state while ensuring cooling of the electronic component. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal buffer unit is coupled in fluid communication with the coolant loop between the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger and the liquid-cooled cold plate. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal buffer unit comprises a plurality of heat exchange structures with thermal storage material contained therein, wherein coolant passing through the thermal buffer unit physically contacts the plurality of heat exchange structures. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of heat exchange structures comprises a plurality of thermally conductive tube structures, and the thermal storage material encapsulated therein comprises a phase change material. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the thermal buffer unit further comprises a plurality of thermally conductive fins extending from and interconnecting the plurality of thermally conductive tube structures. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal buffer unit comprises a plurality of heat exchange structures and a plurality of thermally conductive folded fin arrays interleaved in a stack, and a thermal storage material disposed within the plurality of heat exchange structures, and wherein coolant flowing through the thermal buffer unit flows through the plurality of thermally conductive folded fin arrays, which facilitate heat transfer between the coolant and the thermal storage material within the plurality of heat exchange structures. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermal buffer unit comprises a plurality of coolant flow channels and a plurality of heat exchange structures interleaved in a stack, the plurality of heat exchange structures comprising a thermal storage material contained therein. 12. A cooled electronic system comprising: an electronic rack comprising an electronic component to be cooled; andan apparatus for facilitating cooling of the electronic component, the apparatus comprising:a liquid-cooled cold plate, the liquid-cooled cold plate being in thermal communication with the electronic component via a thermal conduction path from the electronic component to the liquid-cooled cold plate;a coolant loop coupled in fluid communication with the liquid-cooled cold plate to facilitate the flow of coolant therethrough;a thermal buffer unit coupled in fluid communication with the coolant loop upstream of the liquid-cooled cold plate, and disposed separate from the liquid-cooled cold plate, wherein coolant within the coolant loop is capable of flowing through the thermal buffer unit;a coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger coupled in fluid communication with the liquid-cooled cold plate via the coolant loop to receive coolant therefrom and provide coolant thereto the thermal buffer unit being disposed between the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger and the liquid-cooled cold plate;a vapor-compression refrigeration loop coupled in fluid communication with the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger cooling coolant passing therethrough from the coolant loop by dissipating heat from the coolant passing therethrough to refrigerant passing therethrough from the vapor-compression refrigeration loop;a compressor coupled in fluid communication with the vapor-compression refrigeration loop, wherein in a first state the compressor is maintained ON responsive to heat load of the electronic component exceeding a heat load threshold, and in a second state is cycled ON and OFF responsive to heat load of the electronic component being below the heat load threshold, the thermal buffer unit coupled in fluid communication with the coolant loop dampening in the second state swings in temperature of coolant within the coolant loop during cycling ON and OFF of the compressor in fluid communication with the vapor-compression refrigeration loop;a bypass line coupled to a coolant loop line in parallel, with the thermal buffer unit;a controllable bypass valve in fluid communication with the bypass line; anda controller configured to automatically control the controllable bypass valve to provide selective coolant bypass of the thermal buffer unit and thereby control an amount of coolant in the coolant loop passing through the thermal buffer unit, to facilitate maintaining temperature of coolant within the coolant loop downstream of the thermal buffer unit within a defined temperature range, the controller controlling the controllable bypass valve to, in part, control coolant flow through the bypass line, and thus through the thermal buffer unit, and in so doing, control a rate of thermal energy release from the thermal buffer unit. 13. The cooled electronic system of claim 12, wherein in the first state of operation the compressor runs at a fixed compressor speed while maintained ON responsive to heat load of the electronic component exceeding the heat load threshold. 14. The cooled electronic system of claim 12, wherein the apparatus further comprises a controllable coolant heater disposed in thermal communication with the coolant loop downstream of the liquid-cooled cold plate between the liquid-cooled cold plate and the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, the controllable coolant heater applying a variable auxiliary heat load to coolant in the coolant loop responsive to heat load of the electronic component and the thermal buffer unit together being below the heat load threshold to ensure that coolant passing through the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger dissipates at least a minimum heat load to refrigerant passing through the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, the minimum heat load being prespecified to ensure that superheated refrigerant enters the compressor, allowing the compressor to run at the fixed compressor speed. 15. The cooled electronic system of claim 14, wherein the apparatus further comprises a fixed expansion orifice in fluid communication with the vapor-compression refrigeration loop for expanding refrigerant passing therethrough. 16. The cooled electronic system of claim 14, wherein the controllable coolant heater is maintained OFF responsive to heat load of the electronic component exceeding the heat load threshold, to facilitate the cycling ON and OFF of the compressor in the second state while ensuring cooling of the electronic component. 17. The cooled electronic system of claim 12, wherein the thermal buffer unit comprises a plurality of heat exchange structures with thermal storage material contained therein, wherein coolant passing through the thermal buffer unit physically contacts the plurality of heat exchange structures. 18. The cooled electronic system of claim 12, wherein the thermal buffer unit comprises a plurality of coolant flow channels and a plurality of heat exchange structures interleaved in a stack, the plurality of heat exchange structures comprising a thermal storage material contained therein. 19. A method of facilitating cooling of an electronic component, the method comprising: coupling in thermal communication a liquid-cooled cold plate to the electronic component, the liquid-cooled cold plate being in thermal communication with the electronic component via a thermal conduction path from the electronic component to the liquid-cooled cold plate;coupling a coolant loop in fluid communication with the liquid-cooled cold plate to facilitate the flow of coolant therethrough;coupling a thermal buffer unit in fluid communication with the coolant loop upstream of the liquid-cooled cold plate, and disposed separate from the liquid-cooled cold plate, wherein coolant within the coolant loop is capable of flowing through the thermal buffer unit;providing a coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger coupled in fluid communication with the liquid-cooled cold plate via the coolant loop to receive coolant therefrom and provide coolant thereto, the thermal buffer unit being disposed between the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger and the liquid-cooled cold plate;providing a vapor-compression refrigeration loop coupled in fluid communication with the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger cooling the coolant passing therethrough from the coolant loop by dissipating heat from the coolant passing therethrough to refrigerant passing therethrough from the vapor-compression refrigeration loop;providing a compressor coupled in fluid communication with the vapor-compression refrigeration loop;providing a controller controlling operation of the compressor, the controller maintaining the compressor ON in a first state responsive to heat load of the electronic component exceeding a heat load threshold, and cycling the compressor ON and OFF in a second state responsive to heat load of the electronic component being below the heat load threshold, the thermal buffer unit coupled in fluid communication with the coolant loop dampening in the second state swings in temperature of coolant within the coolant loop during cycling ON and OFF of the compressor in fluid communication with the vapor-compression refrigeration loop;providing a bypass line coupled to a coolant loop line in parallel, with the thermal buffer unit;providing a controllable bypass valve in fluid communication with the bypass line; andproviding a controller configured to automatically control the controllable bypass valve to provide selective coolant bypass of the thermal buffer unit and thereby control an amount of coolant in the coolant loop passing through the thermal buffer unit, to facilitate maintaining temperature of coolant within the coolant loop downstream of the thermal buffer unit within a defined temperature range, the controller controlling the controllable bypass valve to, in part, control coolant flow through the bypass line, and thus through the thermal buffer unit, and in so doing, control a rate of thermal energy release from the thermal buffer unit.
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