Adaptive flow for thermal cooling of devices
First Claim
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1. A method for cooling an electronic device having first and second flow paths for transmitting a coolant, the first flow path including an inlet vent and an outlet vent, the method comprising:
- assessing a merit of impelling the coolant along the first flow path relative to impelling the coolant along the second flow path, including computing a lower relative merit when a buoyancy of the coolant opposes a flow of the coolant along the first flow path;
when the relative merit is above a threshold, impelling the coolant along the first flow path; and
when the relative merit is below the threshold, impelling the coolant along the second flow path.
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Abstract
A method for cooling an electronic device having first and second flow paths for transmitting a coolant. The method includes assessing a merit of impelling the coolant along the first flow path relative to impelling the coolant along the second flow path. When the relative merit is above a threshold, coolant is impelled along the first flow path. When the relative merit is below the threshold, coolant is impelled along the second flow path.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for cooling an electronic device having first and second flow paths for transmitting a coolant, the first flow path including an inlet vent and an outlet vent, the method comprising:
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assessing a merit of impelling the coolant along the first flow path relative to impelling the coolant along the second flow path, including computing a lower relative merit when a buoyancy of the coolant opposes a flow of the coolant along the first flow path; when the relative merit is above a threshold, impelling the coolant along the first flow path; and when the relative merit is below the threshold, impelling the coolant along the second flow path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for cooling an electronic device having a sensor and first and second flow paths for transmitting a coolant, the first flow path including a first inlet vent and a first outlet vent, the second flow path including a second inlet vent and a second outlet vent, the method comprising:
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receiving an output of the sensor that distinguishes an orientation of the device; correlating the orientation of the device to a merit of impelling the coolant along the first flow path relative to impelling the coolant along the second flow path; when the relative merit is above a threshold, impelling the coolant along the first flow path; and when the relative merit is below the threshold, impelling the coolant along the second flow path. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electronic device comprising:
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first and second flow paths for transmitting a coolant, the first flow path including an inlet vent for admitting the coolant and an outlet vent for discharging the coolant; one or more flow controllers coupled fluidically in the first and second flow paths; a sensor furnishing an output; a communications link to a network, through which one or more of a local ambient condition and a proximity to an obstacle is discoverable based on the output of the sensor; and an electronic control system operatively coupled to the sensor and to the one or more flow controllers and configured; to assess a merit of impelling the coolant along the first flow path relative to impelling the coolant along the second flow path based on the output of the sensor; to cause the one or more flow controllers to impel the coolant along the first flow path when the relative merit is above a threshold; and to cause the one or more flow controllers to impel the coolant along the second flow path when the relative merit is below the threshold. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification