Cooling abnormality detection system for electronic equipment

• US 5,174,364 A
• Filed: 12/05/1991
• Issued: 12/29/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Mizuno, Tsukasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford, John K.
• Application Number:
  US07/802,694
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 165/11.1, 165/12, 165/13, 165/104.33, 361/385
• US Class Current: 165/301
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/24 the sensing element having a resistance varying with temperature, e.g. a thermistor

Abstract

A cooling abnormality detection system for external electronic equipment includes a protection unit, a flowmeter, a water level gauge, a pump operation detector, an abnormal temperature sensor. The flowmeter detects a decrease in flow rate of the liquid coolant supplied from the electronic equipment. The water level gauge is arranged in the coolant tank to detect a decrease in water level of the liquid coolant. The pump operation detector is arranged in a pump to detect an operation of the pump. The abnormal temperature sensor detects an abnormal temperature of the electronic equipment. The protection unit discriminates a cooling abnormality when an abnormal temperature is detected by the temperature sensor during the operation of the pump and discriminates a cooling abnormality when an abnormality is detected by any one of the flow meter, the warer level gauge, and the abnormal temperature sensor during operation of the pump.

Claims

1. A cooling abnormality detection system for external electronic equipment, including a heat exchanger for performing the heat exchange of a liquid coolant supplied from external electronic equipment, a coolant tank for receiving the coolant and absorbing the expansion thereof, and a protection unit for detecting a cooling abnormality during a detection of a decrease in flow rate of the liquid coolant, said protection unit being arranged to stop the power supply to given electronic equipment when a cooling abnormality of said given electronic equipment is detected, comprising:

flow rate detecting means for detecting a decrease in flow rate of the liquid coolant supplied from said electronic equipment;

liquid level detecting means, arranged in said coolant tank, for detecting any decrease in the level of the liquid coolant;

pump abnormal state detecting means arranged in said pump for detecting an abnormal state of said pump; and

abnormal temperature detecting means for detecting an abnormal temperature of said electronic equipment;

wherein said protection unit identifies a cooling abnormality when an abnormal temperature is detected by said temperature detecting means, with no detection of a decrease in the flow rate of the liquid coolant by said flow rate detecting means, and further identifies a cooling abnormality when an abnormality is detected by any one of said pump abnormal state detecting means, said water level detecting means, and said abnormal temperature detecting means.