Flow-path controllers and related systems

• US 10,365,667 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2016
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CoolIT Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: CoolIT Systems Inc.
• Inventors: Lyon, Geoff Sean, Holden, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Vincent H
• Application Number:
  US15/354,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20170068258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/201 Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid

Abstract

An observed operational state can include an operational state of one or more system devices. A sensor can emit, in response to a detected observable condition reflective of a given operational state, a simulated signal reflective of a different operational state as a proxy for the detected condition. A controller receiving such a proxy signal can, at least partially responsively to the proxy signal, issue a command corresponding to the given operational state. An electro-mechanical actuator can be selectively activatable responsive to the command.

Claims

1. A liquid-based heat transfer system, comprising:

a fluid coupler having a first member and a second member matingly engageable and disengageable with each other, wherein the fluid coupler is configured to convey fluid when the first and second members are matingly engaged with each other and to prevent fluid conveyance when the first and second members are disengaged from each other;

a retainer configured to mechanically retain a mating engagement between the first member of the fluid coupler and the second member of the fluid coupler;

a communication circuit configured to receive an indication of a detected presence or absence of a working fluid externally of the liquid-based heat-transfer system;

a processor and a memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to activate an electro-mechanical actuator mechanically coupled to the retainer to release the retainer to decouple the mechanically matingly engaged members of the fluid coupler, responsive to receiving the indication of a detected presence of the working fluid.

2. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a liquid detection sensor configured to detect a presence of the working fluid, simulate a square wave output signal responsive to the detected presence of the working fluid, and emit the simulated output signal;

wherein the memory comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to receive the simulated signal and to infer the presence of the working fluid from the simulated signal.

3. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to claim 2, wherein the memory comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to emit a command signal responsive to the inferred presence of the working fluid and the electro-mechanical actuator is selectively activatable responsively to the command signal.

4. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to claim 2, wherein the simulated square wave output signal comprises a simulated tachometer signal of a pump or a fan, indicative of a rotational speed parameter.

5. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to claim 2, wherein the simulated square wave output signal comprises a simulated reproduction of a waveform emitted by a properly or an improperly operating, or a failed, fan or pump.

6. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to claim 2, wherein the presence of the working fluid comprises one or more of an indicia of fluid level, an indicia of pressure, an indicia of electrical current, and an indicia of a presence or absence of moisture.

7. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to claim 2, wherein the liquid detection sensor is configured to detect the presence of the working fluid based on a presence or absence of a working fluid externally of the liquid-based heat-transfer system.

8. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to claim 7, wherein the sensor comprises an electrical circuit configured to emit the simulated signal responsive to the detected presence of the working fluid externally of the liquid-based heat transfer system.

9. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to claim 2, wherein the square-wave output signal is a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal.

10. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to claim 2, wherein the electro-mechanical actuator is configured to close a valve to isolate a branch of a fluid circuit.

11. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect a presence or an absence of the working fluid externally of the liquid-based heat-transfer system and configured to emit a signal responsive to the sensed presence of the working fluid to the processor as the indication of the detected presence of the working fluid.

12. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to 11, the sensor configured to emit a signal in the sensed absence of the working fluid that comprises a simulated tachometer signal of the type emitted by an operable fan or pump.

13. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the first member of the fluid coupler has a shank, and the second member has a bore to matingly receive the shank, and wherein the retainer is configured, in a first position, to apply a retention force to the bore to matingly engage the shank to the bore, and, in a second position longitudinally displaced from the first position, to release the retention force causing the shank to decouple and remove from the bore.

14. A liquid-based heat transfer system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a heat-transfer element configured to cool a heat dissipating component; and

a fluid circuit fluidically coupled to the heat-transfer element by the fluid coupler;

wherein decoupling the fluid coupler decouples the heat-transfer element from the fluid circuit.

15. A rack-mountable server system, comprising:

a branch of a fluid circuit configured to convey a liquid from an inlet to the branch to an outlet from the branch, wherein the inlet is fluidly couplable with a liquid supply by a first decouplable fluid coupler and the outlet is fluidly couplable with a liquid collector by a second decouplable fluid coupler, each decouplable fluid coupler comprising a first member and a second member;

a retainer configured to mechanically retain a mating engagement between a first member of one of the decouplable fluid couplers to the second member of the one of the decouplable fluid couplers;

a sensor configured to detect a presence of the working fluid externally of the branch; and

an electro-mechanical actuator configured to release the retainer to decouple the mechanically matingly engaged first and second members of the one of the decouplable fluid couplers responsive to a detected presence of the working fluid externally of the branch.

16. A rack-mountable server system according to claim 15, further comprising:

an electrical circuit operatively coupled to the sensor and being configured to emit a signal responsive to a detected presence of the liquid externally of the conduit, wherein the electro-mechanical actuator is actuatable responsive to the signal.

17. A rack-mountable server system according to claim 15, further comprising a linkage coupling the electromechanical actuator to the retainer.

18. A rack-mountable server system according to claim 15, further comprising a server rack and a plurality of independently operable servers received in the rack, wherein the liquid supply comprises a distribution manifold and the liquid collector comprises a collection manifold, wherein the branch of the fluid circuit comprises a branch of a heat-transfer system corresponding to a first server and wherein the electro-mechanical actuator corresponds to the first server, wherein each other server has a corresponding branch of the heat-transfer system having an inlet fluidly coupled to the distribution manifold and an outlet fluidly coupled to the collection manifold.

19. A rack-mountable server system according to claim 18, comprising:

a corresponding branch of the heat transfer system of a second server of the plurality of servers;

a second retainer configured to mechanically retain a mating engagement between a first member of one of the decouplable fluid couplers of the corresponding branch to the second member of the one of the decouplable fluid couplers of the corresponding branch; and

a second electro-mechanical actuator corresponding to the second server.

20. A rack-mountable server system according to claim 19, further comprising a plurality of valves, wherein each valve is positioned adjacent a corresponding one of the branch inlets, wherein each valve is selectively activatable by the corresponding electro-mechanical actuator.

21. A rack-mountable server system according to claim 20, further comprising a plurality of check valves, wherein each check valve is positioned adjacent a corresponding one of the branch outlets and configured to prevent a backflow of a working fluid from the collection manifold into the respective branch of the heat-transfer system.

22. A rack-mountable server system according to claim 18, wherein the inlet to each branch of the heat-transfer system comprises the first member of one of the decoupleable fluid couplers and wherein the distribution manifold comprises the corresponding second member of the one of the decoupleable fluid couplers, wherein the respective electro-mechanical actuator is configured to decouple the respective matingly engaged first member and second member from each other.

23. A rack-mountable server system according to claim 15, further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the sensor comprises a sensitive region operatively coupled to the printed circuit board at a position adjacent a component susceptible to wetting by the liquid if a leak of the liquid from the branch occurs.

24. A rack-mountable server system according to claim 15, wherein the decouplable fluid coupler comprises a valve disposed in the first member or the second member configured to open when the first member and the second member are matingly engaged and to close when the first member and the second member are decoupled from one another.