Cooling apparatus and method for controlling the same

• US 20060291994A1
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lim, Hyung Jin, Kim, Dae Woo, Bok, Ki So
• Granted Patent: US 7,641,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/47
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1931 to control the temperature of one space
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/20 with sensing elements having variation of electric or magnetic properties with change of temperature G05D23/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management

Abstract

A cooling apparatus and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The cooling apparatus is adapted to cool a system in which a heat source generating heat is arranged. The cooling apparatus includes an air stream forming unit which cools the heat source to a certain temperature, a sensing unit which includes a supplied-air temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of air supplied into the system, and a discharged-air temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of air discharged out of the system, an altitude detecting unit which detects an altitude of the system, based on the sensed supplied-air temperature and the sensed discharged-air temperature, and a cooling controller which controls the air stream forming unit, based on the detected altitude.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cooling a system in which a heat source generating heat is arranged, comprising:

at least one air stream forming unit which cools the heat source to a certain temperature;

a sensing unit which includes a supplied-air temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of air supplied into the system, and a discharged-air temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of air discharged out of the system;

an altitude detecting unit which detects an altitude of the system, based on the sensed supplied-air temperature and the sensed discharged-air temperature; and

a cooling controller which controls the air stream forming unit, based on the detected altitude.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air stream forming unit comprises:

a cooling fan which rotates to cool the heat source; and

a fan motor which rotates the cooling fan.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the air stream forming unit is arranged between the heat source and the supplied-air temperature or between the heat source and the discharged-air sensor.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one air stream forming unit comprises an air stream forming unit arranged between the heat source and the supplied-air temperature sensor, and an air stream forming unit arranged between the heat source and the discharged-air temperature sensor.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat source, the air stream forming unit, and the sensing unit are arranged in a single duct.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the altitude detecting unit comprises:

a supplied-air temperature detector which detects the supplied-air temperature sensed by the supplied-air temperature sensor;

a discharged-air temperature detector which detects the discharged-air temperature sensed by the discharged-air temperature sensor;

a temperature difference calculator which calculates the detected supplied-air temperature and the detected discharged-air temperature;

a supplied-air temperature decrease detector which detects a decrease in the detected supplied-air temperature; and

an altitude determiner which compares the calculated temperature difference with a reference value predetermined for determination of the altitude.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the altitude determiner determines the altitude based on a detect signal from the temperature decrease detector.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the altitude detecting unit executes the altitude detection after a time, at which a maximal amount of heat is generated from the heat source, passes.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the altitude detected by the altitude detecting unit has an increased value when the difference between the supplied-air temperature and the discharged-air temperature increases.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling controller comprises:

a memory which stores information about rotating speeds of the air stream forming unit depending on altitudes;

a speed determiner which determines a rotating speed of the air stream forming unit corresponding to the detected altitude, using the information stored in the memory; and

a driver which drives the air stream forming unit at the determined rotating speed.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a maximal heat amount generating time detector which detects a time at which a maximal amount of heat is generated from the heat source.

12. A method for controlling a cooling apparatus of a system, in which a heat source, and an air stream forming unit are arranged, the air stream forming unit being included in the cooling apparatus to cool the heat source, comprising the steps of:

detecting a temperature of air supplied into the system and a temperature of air discharged out of the system;

calculating a temperature difference between the detected supplied-air temperature and the detected discharged-air temperature;

determining an altitude of the system, based on the calculated temperature difference;

determining a rotating speed of the air stream forming unit, based on the determined altitude and the detected supplied-air temperature; and

driving the air stream forming unit at the determined rotating speed, to cool the heat source.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps, prior to the step of detecting the supplied-air temperature and the discharged-air temperature, of:

turning on the system;

executing an initialization operation for the system; and

determining whether or not a time, at which a maximal amount of heat is generated from the heat source, has passed.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of executing the initialization operation comprises the steps of:

setting the altitude of the system to an initial value of “

0”

; and

driving the air stream forming unit at a minimal speed.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

driving the air stream forming unit at a predetermined minimal speed when it is determined that the maximal heat amount generating time has not passed; and

detecting the supplied-air temperature and the discharged-air temperature when it is determined that the maximal heat amount generating time has passed.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps, prior to the step of determining the altitude of the system, of:

determining whether or not the calculated temperature difference corresponds to a temperature difference enabling the cooling of the heat source to be normally carried out; and

determining whether or not a decrease in the supplied-air temperature has occurred when it is determined that the calculated temperature difference corresponds to the temperature difference enabling the cooling of the heat source to be normally carried out.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

turning off the system when it is determined that the calculated temperature difference corresponds to the temperature difference enabling the cooling of the heat source to be normally carried out.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

repeatedly executing the step of detecting the supplied-air temperature and the discharged-air temperature when it is determined that a decrease in the supplied-air temperature has occurred.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of determining the altitude of the system is executed after a time, at which a maximal amount of heat is generated from the heat source, has passed.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of determining the altitude of the system comprises the steps of:

comparing the calculated temperature difference with a first reference value and a second reference value which are predetermined for the determination of the altitude; and

determining the altitude of the system based on the results of the comparison.

21. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of determining the rotating speed of the air stream forming unit comprises the steps of:

determining a temperature zone corresponding to the determined altitude and the detected supplied-air temperature, using an altitude-dependent temperature zone table;

determining whether or not the temperature zone, which is currently determined, is different from a previously-determined temperature zone;

determining a rotating speed corresponding to the determined altitude and the currently-determined temperature zone, using an altitude-and-temperature-zone-dependent rotating speed duty ratio table, when the currently-determined temperature zone is different from a previously-determined temperature zone; and

comparing the rotating speed, which is currently determined, with a previously-determined rotating speed, and determining whether the rotating speed has increased or decreased, based on the result of the comparison.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:

repeatedly executing the step of detecting the supplied-air temperature and the discharged-air temperature when it is determined that the currently-determined temperature zone is equal to the previously-determined temperature zone.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

stepwise increasing the rotating speed of the air stream forming unit when it is determined that the rotating speed has increased; and

decreasing the rotating speed of the air stream forming unit in one step when the rotating speed has decreased.

24. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps, prior to the step of driving the air stream forming unit, of:

determining whether or not the system is turned off; and

ending the control of the system when it is determined that the system is turned off.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of:

repeatedly executing the step of detecting the supplied-air temperature and the discharged-air temperature when it is determined that the system is not turned off.