Cooling system

• US 8,783,333 B1
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Bowman, John K., Keefe, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosati, Brandon M
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHERMERHORN, JON
• Application Number:
  US12/638,673
• Time in Patent Office: 1,680 Days
• Field of Search: 165/10, 165 802- 805, 165/104.21, 165/104.26, 165/104.33, 165/185, 361/700, 361/705, 361/707, 361/708
• US Class Current: 165/104.21
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0275 Arrangements for coupling heat-pipes together or with other structures, e.g. with base blocks; Heat pipe cores
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/201 Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/1413 by fluid cooling

Abstract

A cooling system includes an evaporator assembly configured to thermally contact one or more memory modules and absorb thermal energy from the one or more memory modules. A condenser assembly is thermally coupled to the evaporative assembly and configured to receive and dissipate at least a portion of the thermal energy absorbed by the evaporative assembly.

Claims

1. A cooling system comprising:

an evaporator assembly configured to thermally contact a plurality of memory modules and absorb thermal energy from the plurality of memory modules; and

a condenser assembly thermally coupled to the evaporator assembly via a plurality of tubing assemblies, wherein at least a portion of each of the plurality of tubing assemblies is located between adjacent memory modules, wherein the condenser assembly is configured to receive and dissipate at least a portion of the thermal energy absorbed by the evaporator assembly, and wherein each of the plurality of tubing assemblies include a plurality of thermally-conductive deflectable members spaced apart from one another, wherein the plurality of thermally-conductive deflectable members partially encase each of the plurality of tubing assemblies and conform to a shape of each of the plurality of tubing assemblies, wherein the plurality of thermally-conductive deflectable members separate the plurality of memory modules from directly contacting the plurality of tubing assemblies.

2. The cooling system of claim 1 wherein the cooling system is a heatpipe cooling system.

3. The cooling system of claim 1 further comprising a cooling fluid configured to be at least partially evaporated within the evaporator assembly and at least partially condensed within the condenser assembly.

4. The cooling system of claim 3 wherein the cooling fluid is chosen from the group consisting of water, ethanol, acetone, sodium, and mercury.

5. The cooling system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of thermally-conductive deflectable members are configured to contact a surface of the plurality of memory modules.

6. The cooling system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of memory modules includes an inline memory module.

7. A cooling system comprising:

an evaporator assembly configured to thermally contact a plurality of heat-producing devices and absorb thermal energy from the plurality of heat-producing devices; and

a condenser assembly thermally coupled to the evaporator assembly via a plurality of tubing assemblies, wherein at least a portion of each of the plurality of tubing assemblies is located between adjacent heat-producing devices, wherein the condenser assembly is configured to receive and dissipate at least a portion of the thermal energy absorbed by the evaporator assembly;

wherein each of the plurality of tubing assemblies is partially encased in a plurality of thermally-conductive deflectable members spaced apart from one another, wherein the plurality of thermally-conductive deflectable members conform to a shape of each of the plurality of tubing assemblies;

wherein the plurality of thermally-conductive deflectable members separate the plurality of heat-producing devices from directly contacting the plurality of tubing assemblies.

8. The cooling system of claim 7 wherein the cooling system is a heatpipe cooling system.

9. The cooling system of claim 7 further comprising a cooling fluid configured to be at least partially evaporated within the evaporator assembly and at least partially condensed within the condenser assembly.

10. The cooling system of claim 7 wherein the cooling fluid is chosen from the group consisting of water, ethanol, acetone, sodium, and mercury.

11. The cooling system of claim 7 wherein at least one of the plurality of heat-producing devices is chosen from the group consisting of:

a memory module, a processor assembly, an integrated circuit assembly, an electro-mechanical storage device, and a solid state storage device.

12. The cooling system of claim 11 wherein the memory module is an inline memory module.

18. The cooling system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of thermally-conductive deflectable members contact a surface of the plurality of heat-producing devices.

13. A cooling system comprising:

an evaporator assembly configured to thermally contact a plurality of memory modules and absorb thermal energy from the plurality of memory modules;

a condenser assembly thermally coupled to the evaporator assembly and configured to receive and dissipate at least a portion of the thermal energy absorbed by the evaporator assembly; and

a plurality of tubing assemblies configured to thermally couple the evaporator assembly with the condenser assembly, wherein at least a portion of each of the plurality of tubing assemblies is located between adjacent memory modules;

wherein each of the plurality of tubing assemblies include a plurality of thermally-conductive deflectable members spaced apart from one another configured to partially encase each of the plurality of tubing assemblies, wherein the plurality of thermally-conductive deflectable members conform to a shape of each of the plurality of tubing assemblies, wherein the plurality of thermally-conductive deflectable members contact a surface of the one or more memory modules;

wherein the plurality of thermally-conductive deflectable members separate the plurality of memory modules from directly contacting the plurality of tubing assemblies.

14. The cooling system of claim 13 wherein the cooling system is a heatpipe cooling system.

15. The cooling system of claim 13 further comprising a cooling fluid configured to be at least partially evaporated within the evaporator assembly and at least partially condensed within the condenser assembly.

16. The cooling system of claim 13 wherein the cooling fluid is chosen from the group consisting of water, ethanol, acetone, sodium, and mercury.

17. The cooling system of claim 13 wherein at least one of the plurality of memory modules is an inline memory module.