Refrigeration system for electronic components having environmental isolation

• US 6,497,110 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2001
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Pfister, Dennis M., Byrd, Charles, Davidson, Howard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Esquivel, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones, Melvin
• Application Number:
  US09/941,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20020023453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 622/592, 624/80, 624/81, 624/76, 624/92, 624/97, 621/01, 361/695, 361/700
• US Class Current: 62/259.2
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 17/08 the absorbent or adsorbent being a solid, e.g. salt F25B17/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2333/005 the generator or boiler uses electromagnetic energy in the form of microwaves for desorbing the sorbate from the sorbate/sorbent compound
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 35/04 using a solid as sorbent
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 39/026 specially adapted for sorption type systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/046 Operating intermittently
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/12 Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/427 Cooling by change of state, e.g. use of heat pipes by liquefied gas H01L23/445
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/701 using microwave applicators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/802 for heating fluids methods of heating fluids in conventional microwave ovens H05B6/687
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/808 Microwave heating adapted for vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20309 Evaporators
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20354 Refrigerating circuit comprising a compressor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20363 Refrigerating circuit comprising a sorber
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20536 for racks or cabinets of standardised dimensions, e.g. electronic racks for aircraft or telecommunication equipment

Abstract

To cool heat-emitting electronic components, a compact, non-moving-parts compressor, an evaporator in juxtaposition to the electronic components and a condenser are mounted as a unit, preferably within a vacuum can. A heat exchanger is mounted external to the can but in proximity to the condenser. The foregoing comprise a unit which may be detachably connected to a host pump and heat exchanger. The unit may be removed from the system of which it is a part for upgrade and maintenance. All its components are thermally isolated from the ambient atmosphere to prevent water vapor condensation corrosion.

Claims

1. An evaporator configured to cool an electrical component, wherein the evaporator is arranged proximate the electrical component, and wherein the evaporator comprises a base and a porous block inset into the base.

2. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is further arranged proximate a plurality of electrical components, wherein the evaporator further comprises a plurality of porous blocks in the base, and wherein each of the plurality of porous blocks is positioned opposite one of the plurality of electrical components.

3. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the electrical component and the evaporator are disposed within a cell.

4. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the electrical component is mounted on a board, and wherein the board and the evaporator are disposed within a cell.

5. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the electrical component and the evaporator are disposed within and are supported away from an interior wall of a cell.

6. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the electrical component is mounted on a board, and wherein the board and the evaporator are disposed within and physically supported away from an interior wall of a cell.

7. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the evaporator further comprises a plurality of porous blocks and channels interconnecting the plurality of porous blocks.

8. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the evaporator is further configured to emit gaseous fluid through emission apertures in the porous block.

9. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the porous block is configured to control emission of a gaseous fluid to the electrical component.

10. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the electrical component and the evaporator are disposed within a cell, and wherein the cell is configured to collect gas emitted through apertures in the porous block.

11. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the electrical component and the evaporator are disposed within a cell, and wherein the cell comprises a port configured to allow an input/output conduit from an electronic system to be coupled to the electrical component.

12. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the evaporator comprises a metal.

13. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the porous block comprises a ceramic.

14. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the porous block comprises a metal.

15. The evaporator of claim 1, wherein the porous block comprises a glass.

16. A system configured to cool an electrical component, comprising:

an evaporator arranged proximate to the electrical component, wherein the evaporator comprises a base and a porous block inset into the base;

a gaseous fluid disposed in the evaporator, wherein the porous block is configured to emit the gaseous fluid proximate to the electrical component such that at least a portion of the gaseous fluid is evaporated by absorbing heat emitted from the electrical component; and

a cell, wherein the evaporator and the electrical component are disposed within the cell.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the evaporator further comprises a plurality of porous blocks inset into the base.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the evaporator further comprises a plurality of porous blocks inset into the base, wherein the evaporator is further arranged proximate to a plurality of electrical components, and wherein each of the plurality of porous blocks is positioned opposite one of the plurality of electrical components.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the electrical component is mounted on a board, and wherein the board and the evaporator are physically supported away from an interior wall of the cell.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein a controllable valve is configured to control a flow of the gaseous fluid.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the cell is disposed within a vacuum can, and wherein the vacuum can isolates the cell from the atmosphere.

22. A method for cooling an electrical component, comprising:

transporting a gaseous fluid from an evaporator through a porous block, wherein the evaporator comprises a base, wherein the porous block is inset into the base, wherein the porous block is disposed proximate the electrical component, and wherein at least a portion of the transported gaseous fluid is evaporated by absorbing heat emitted from the electrical component such that evaporation of the gaseous fluid cools the electrical component; and

transporting the evaporated gaseous fluid away from the electrical component.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein transporting the gaseous fluid further comprises emitting the gaseous fluid through emission apertures in the porous block.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising controlling the transportation of the gaseous fluid with the porous block.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising controlling the transportation of the gaseous fluid with an expansion valve.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the evaporator further comprises a plurality of porous blocks inset into the base, wherein the method further comprises transporting the gaseous fluid from the evaporator through the plurality of porous blocks, and wherein each of the plurality of porous blocks is disposed proximate an electrical component such that at least a portion of the transported gaseous fluid is evaporated by absorbing heat emitted from the electrical component.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising transporting the gaseous fluid through channels interconnecting the plurality of porous blocks.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising collecting the gaseous fluid within a cell, wherein the electrical component and the evaporator are disposed within the cell.