Remedies to prevent cracking in a liquid system

• US 7,278,549 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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:
  US11/111,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20050183444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 138/27, 138/28, 138/32, 92/89, 92/90, 92/91, 92/92, 92/93, 921/03.R, 417/472, 417/474, 417/481, 220/720, 220/721
• US Class Current: 220/721
• 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 pump, comprising:

a pump housing having at least one inlet chamber and at least one outlet chamber; and

one or more compressible objects immersed in the inlet chamber and in the outlet chamber of the pump, wherein at least one of the one or more compressible objects is positioned farthest away from a location where liquid begins to freeze in the pump housing; and

a thermally conductive material coupled to the location where liquid begins to freeze thereby providing a thermal path for removing heat from the location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the 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 objects having a size and volume proportion to an amount of fluid in the chambers.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the objects are a hydrophobic foam.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the objects are a hydrophobic sponge.

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

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

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the objects are encapsulated in a gas or liquid impermeable package.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the package is formed of metallic barrier material or metallized plastic sheet material.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the package is formed of plastic material.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plastic material is selected from the group consisting of teflon, mylar, PET, PEN, and PVC.

12. A method of preventing cracking of a pump, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a pump housing having at least one inlet chamber and at least one outlet chamber; and

immersing one or more compressible objects in the inlet chamber and in the outlet chamber of the pump, wherein at least one of the one or more compressible objects is positioned farthest away from a location where liquid begins to freeze in the pump housing; and

coupling a thermally conductive material to the location where liquid begins to freeze thereby providing a thermal path for removing heat from the location.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the objects accommodate a predetermined level of fluid expansion.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the expansion occurs upon change of phase of an enclosed material from liquid to solid.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined level of fluid expansion is between 5 to 25 percent.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the objects having a size and volume proportion to an amount of fluid in the chambers.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the objects are a hydrophobic foam.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the objects are a hydrophobic sponge.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the objects are made of one of the following:

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

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the objects are encapsulated in a gas or liquid impermeable package.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the package is formed of metallic barrier material or metallized plastic sheet material.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the package is formed of plastic material.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the plastic material is selected from the group consisting of teflon, mylar, PET, PEN, and PVC.