Compact refrigeration system and power supply unit including dynamic insulation

• US 20060101837A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
• Original Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
• Inventors: Manole, Dan M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/259.200
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 5/02 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 5/04 arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20936 Liquid coolant with phase change

Abstract

A refrigeration system for use in cooling electronic equipment includes a closed vapor circuit having operably disposed therein, in serial order, a fluid pumping device, a first heat exchanger, a flow regulator and a second heat exchanger. A converter is operably couplable to a power supply and is operably coupled to at least one refrigeration system component. The at least one refrigeration system component is operably coupled to the closed vapor compression circuit. The converter supplies power to the at least one refrigeration system component. The converter further supplies DC power to the electronic equipment being cooled by the refrigeration system.

Claims

1. A refrigeration system for use in cooling electronic equipment, said system comprising:

a closed vapor circuit having operably disposed therein, in serial order, a fluid pumping device, a first heat exchanger, a flow regulator and a second heat exchanger;

a converter operably couplable to a power supply and operably coupled to at least one refrigeration system component, said at least one refrigeration system component operably coupled to said closed vapor circuit wherein said converter supplies power to said at least one refrigeration system component; and

wherein said converter further supplies DC power to the electronic equipment being cooled by said refrigeration system.

2. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein said fluid pumping device is driven by an electric motor and said at least one refrigeration system component comprises said electric motor.

3. The refrigeration system of claim 1 further comprising a housing wherein said circuit and said converter are disposed inside said housing and the electronic equipment is disposed outside said housing.

4. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein said fluid pumping device has a variable rate of displacement and said refrigeration system further comprises:

a sensing device for measuring the DC power supplied to the electronic equipment; and

a processing device in communication with said sensing device and operably coupled to said fluid pumping device wherein said processing device controls the rate of displacement of said fluid pumping device as a function of variables including measurements obtained from said sensing device.

5. The refrigeration system of claim 4 further comprising a housing wherein said circuit, said converter, said sensing device and said processing device are disposed inside said housing and the electronic equipment is disposed outside said housing.

6. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein said first heat exchanger includes a fan motor having a variable operating speed and said refrigeration system further comprises:

a sensing device for measuring the DC power supplied to the electronic equipment; and

a processing device in communication with said sensing device and operably coupled to said fan motor wherein said processing device controls the operating speed of said fan motor as a function of variables including measurements obtained from said sensing device.

7. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein said fluid pumping device comprises a compressor, and said flow regulator comprises an expansion device.

8. The refrigeration system of claim 1 wherein said power supply comprises an AC power supply, and said converter supplies DC power to said at least one refrigeration system component.

9. The refrigeration system of claim 1 further comprising a heat spreader thermally interconnecting said second heat exchanger and the electronic equipment.

10. The refrigeration system of claim 9 wherein said second heat exchanger includes at least one thermal exchange feature, said heat spreader thermally interconnecting said at least one thermal exchange feature and the electronic equipment.

11. A method of cooling electronic equipment, said method comprising the steps of:

measuring an amount of power used by the electronic equipment;

varying operation of a refrigeration system based upon the measured amount of power; and

using said refrigeration system to cool the electronic equipment.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said refrigeration system includes a power supply, said method further comprising using said power supply to provide the power used by the electronic equipment.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the measuring step is performed within said refrigeration system.

14. The method of claim 11 comprising the further steps of:

identifying a cyclical pattern in the measured amount of power used by the electronic equipment; and

varying operation of said refrigeration system based upon the identified cyclical pattern.

15. The method of claim 14 comprising the further step of anticipating that the identified cyclical pattern will repeat, and wherein the operation of said refrigeration system is varied based upon the anticipating step.

16. The method of claim 11 comprising the further steps of:

identifying a cyclical pattern in the measured amount of power used by the electronic equipment;

storing cooling effect in a cooling effect storage device; and

selectively using said cooling effect from said cooling effect storage device to cool the electronic equipment based upon the identified cyclical pattern.

17. The method of claim 11 comprising the further steps of:

storing cooling effect in a cooling effect storage device; and

selectively using said cooling effect from said cooling effect storage device to cool the electronic equipment based upon the measured amount of power.

18. A compact refrigeration system comprising:

a closed vapor compression circuit having operably disposed therein, in serial order, a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion device and a second heat exchanger;

said first heat exchanger removing thermal energy from a working fluid circulating through said vapor compression circuit and said second heat exchanger adding thermal energy to the working fluid circulating through said vapor compression circuit;

said first and second heat exchangers being disposed within a common structure, said structure defining at least one airflow passageway separating said first heat exchanger from said second heat exchanger; and

an air moving device generating an airflow through said at least one airflow passageway wherein said airflow defines a layer of moving air that enters and exits said structure at a substantially common temperature whereby said layer of moving air provides an insulating layer between said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said air moving device generates a second airflow directed onto said first heat exchanger.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein said second heat exchanger includes two surfaces facing an interior of said structure, the airflow moving across both of said surfaces.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said surfaces are oriented substantially perpendicular to one another.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein said at least one airflow passageway is defined by at least one high density heat exchange surface.

23. A method of operating a refrigeration system comprising:

providing a closed vapor compression circuit having operably disposed therein, in serial order, a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion device and a second heat exchanger;

removing thermal energy from a working fluid circulating through said vapor compression circuit by use of said first heat exchanger;

adding thermal energy to the working fluid circulating through said vapor compression circuit by use of said second heat exchanger;

generating an airflow between said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger such that said airflow provides a thermally insulating layer between said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger; and

directing a portion of the airflow onto said first heat exchanger.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the airflow has a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, the first portion being directed onto said first heat exchanger, said method comprising the further steps of:

directing the second portion onto electronics of the refrigeration system; and

directing the third portion along a length of said second heat exchanger.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the second portion of the airflow remains at a substantially constant temperature until being directed onto the electronics.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the electronics includes a power supply, said method comprising the further steps of:

cooling a device by use of the refrigeration system; and

providing power to both the refrigeration system and the cooled device by use of said power supply.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the portion of the airflow is directed in a direction substantially opposite to a direction of heat conduction from said first heat exchanger to said second heat exchanger.