Remedies to prevent cracking in a liquid system

• US 7,201,012 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2003
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vertiv Corporation (Vertiv Holdings Co.)
• Original Assignee: Cooligy Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Munch, Mark, Zeng, Shulin, Corbin, David, Goodson, Kenneth, Kenny, Thomas W., Shook, James Gill
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang; Chen Wen
• Application Number:
  US10/643,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20040148959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 622/592, 624/30, 624/98, 165/85, 165/104.33, 361/687, 361/688, 361/689, 138/27, 138/28
• US Class Current: 62/259.2
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/00 Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/00 Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 19/006 Preventing deposits of ice
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2245/02 hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2250/08 Fluid driving means, e.g. pumps, fans
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

A liquid cooling system utilizing minimal size and volume enclosures, air pockets, compressible objects, and flexible objects is provided to protect against expansion of water-based solutions when frozen. In such a system, pipes, pumps, and heat exchangers are designed to prevent cracking of their enclosures and chambers. Also described are methods of preventing cracking in a liquid cooling system. In all these cases, the system must be designed to tolerate expansion when water is frozen.

Claims

1. An apparatus for preventing cracking of a liquid system, comprising:

at least one heat exchanger;

at least one inlet port extending through a first opening for conveying a fluid to a plurality of channels and passages;

at least one outlet port extending through a second opening for discharging the fluid from the plurality of channels and passages; and

one or more compressible objects coupled to the inlet and outlet ports in an unpressured condition such that the compressible objects reduce a volume of the inlet port and the outlet port and further wherein pressure exerted on the compressible object increases a volume of the inlet port and the outlet port;

wherein, the heat exchanger is configured so that the fluid in the inlet port and the outlet port freezes later than the fluid elsewhere in the heat exchanger, and for freezing to advance towards the one or more compressible objects.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compressible objects accommodate a predetermined level of fluid expansion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the predetermined level of fluid expansion is between 5 to 25 percent.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compressible objects being capable of contracting and expanding between a minimum volume and a maximum volume.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compressible objects being secured within the inlet port and the outlet port.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compressible objects are confined within the inlet port and the outlet port.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compressible objects are made of one of the following:

sponge, foam, air-filled bubbles, or balloons.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the sponge or foam is hydrophobic.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compressible object is encapsulated in a gas or liquid impermeable package.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the package is formed of metallic barrier material or metallized plastic sheet material.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the package has a hydrophilic surface or coating.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the package is formed of plastic material.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plastic material is selected from the group teflon, mylar, PET, PEN, and PVC.

14. An apparatus for preventing cracking of a liquid system, comprising:

an enclosure; and

one or more compressible objects immersed in the enclosure;

wherein, the enclosure is configured to cause a fluid to begin to freeze at one or more locations in the enclosure, and for freezing to advance towards the one or more compressible objects.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the objects accommodate a predetermined level of fluid expansion.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the predetermined level of fluid expansion is between 5 to 25 percent.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the objects having a size and volume proportion to an amount of fluid in the enclosure.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the objects are a hydrophobic foam.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the object are a hydrophobic sponge.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the objects are made of one of the following:

sponge, foam, air-filled bubbles, or balloons.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the objects are encapsulated in a gas or liquid impermeable package.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the package is formed of metallic barrier material or metallized plastic sheet material.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the package is formed of plastic material.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the plastic material is selected from the group teflon, mylar, PET, PEN, and PVC.

25. A method of preventing cracking of a liquid system, the system including one or more pumps and one or more heat exchangers, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an enclosure;

configuring the enclosure to cause a fluid to begin to freeze at one or more locations in the enclosure, and for freezing to advance towards other locations in the enclosure; and

immersing one or more compressible objects in the enclosure at the other locations.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the objects accommodate a predetermined level of fluid expansion.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the predetermined level of fluid expansion is between 5 to 25 percent.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the objects having a size and volume proportion to an amount of fluid in the enclosure.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the objects are a hydrophobic foam.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the objects are a hydrophobic sponge.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the objects are made of one of the following:

sponge, foam, air-filled bubbles, or balloons.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the objects are encapsulated in a gas or liquid impermeable package.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the package is formed of metallic barrier material or metallized plastic sheet material.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the package is formed of plastic material.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the plastic material is selected from the group teflon, mylar, PET, PEN, and PVC.

36. An apparatus for preventing cracking of a liquid system, the system including one or more pumps and one or more heat exchangers, comprising an enclosure, wherein the enclosure being capable of contracting and expanding between a minimum volume condition and a maximum volume condition with fluid expansion during freezing, and further wherein the enclosure is configured to cause a fluid to begin to freeze at one or more locations in the enclosure, and for freezing to advance towards other locations in the enclosure.

37. An apparatus for preventing cracking of a liquid system, comprising:

at least one heat exchanger including a plurality of microchannels;

at least one inlet port extending through a first opening for conveying a fluid to the plurality of microchannels;

at least one outlet port extending through a second opening for discharging the fluid from the plurality of microchannels; and

one or more compressible objects each coupled to at least one of the inlet port and outlet port in an unpressured condition such that the compressible objects reduce a volume of the inlet port and the outlet port and further wherein pressure exerted on the compressible object increases a volume of the inlet port and the outlet port;

wherein, the heat exchanger is configured so that fluid within the plurality of microchannels freezes before fluid within the outlet port and the inlet port.