Cooling system with automated seasonal freeze protection

• US 9,351,431 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Campbell, Levi A., Chu, Richard C., David, Milnes P., Ellsworth, Michael J. Jr., Iyengar, Madhusudan K., Simons, Robert E., Singh, Prabjit, Zhang, Jing
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman, Marc
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUSSELL, DEVON L
• Application Number:
  US13/649,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20140102672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 165/153, 202/185.5, 202/185.6, 202/185.1, 203/87
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2265/14 for preventing damage by freezing, e.g. for accommodating volume expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control

Abstract

An automated multi-fluid cooling system and method are provided for cooling an electronic component(s). The cooling system includes a coolant loop, a coolant tank, multiple valves, and a controller. The coolant loop is at least partially exposed to outdoor ambient air temperature(s) during normal operation, and the coolant tank includes first and second reservoirs containing first and second fluids, respectively. The first fluid freezes at a lower temperature than the second, the second fluid has superior cooling properties compared with the first, and the two fluids are soluble. The multiple valves are controllable to selectively couple the first or second fluid into the coolant in the coolant loop, wherein the coolant includes at least the second fluid. The controller automatically controls the valves to vary first fluid concentration level in the coolant loop based on historical, current, or anticipated outdoor air ambient temperature(s) for a time of year.

Claims

1. A chiller-less cooling system for a data center, the cooling system comprising:

a coolant loop to circulate coolant and facilitate cooling at least one electronic component of the data center, at least a portion of the coolant loop exposed to outdoor ambient air temperature(s) during normal operation;

at least one coolant tank coupled to the coolant loop and comprising a first reservoir containing at least partially a first fluid and a second reservoir containing at least partially a second fluid, the first fluid freezing at a lower temperature than the second fluid, the second fluid having superior cooling properties compared with the first fluid, and the first fluid and the second fluid being soluble fluids, the coolant within the coolant loop comprising at least the second fluid;

multiple valves to selectively couple in fluid communication the at least one coolant tank to the coolant loop, the multiple valves comprising;

a coolant diverter valve in the coolant loop and coupling the coolant loop to the first reservoir via a first reservoir inlet line;

a first reservoir outlet valve associated with a first reservoir outlet line coupling the first reservoir directly to the coolant loop; and

a second reservoir outlet valve associated with a second reservoir outlet line coupling the second reservoir directly to the coolant loop; and

a controller to automatically control the multiple valves and vary the concentration level of the first fluid in the coolant within the coolant loop based, at least in part, on at least one of historical, current, or anticipated outdoor ambient air temperature(s) for a time of year, the controller automatically varying the concentration level of the first fluid in the coolant within the coolant loop by;

automatically controlling the coolant diverter valve to controllably redirect a fractional amount of the coolant in the coolant loop into the first reservoir via the first reservoir inlet line; and

increasing the concentration of the first fluid in the coolant by automatically controlling the first reservoir outlet valve to direct the first fluid in the first reservoir into the coolant loop as the coolant is redirected into the first reservoir;

or

decreasing the concentration of the first fluid in the coolant by automatically controlling the second reservoir outlet valve to direct the second fluid in the second reservoir into the coolant loop as the coolant is redirected into the first reservoir;

wherein the controller further initiates fractional distillation of the coolant within the first reservoir to facilitate separating the first fluid into the first reservoir and the second fluid into the second reservoir, the fractional distillation resulting in boiling of the second fluid in the first reservoir, wherein second fluid vapor rises within the first reservoir, and passes via a vapor passageway between the first reservoir and the second reservoir into the second reservoir, leaving a higher concentration of the first fluid in the first reservoir.

2. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to automatically vary the concentration level of the first fluid in the coolant loop for the time of year by balancing inhibiting freezing of the coolant within the coolant loop with heat transfer capability of the coolant within the coolant loop.

3. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the second reservoir further comprises a second fluid vapor condenser for condensing the second fluid vapor within the second reservoir.

4. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein the first reservoir further comprises a first fluid vapor condenser for condensing any first coolant vapor within the first reservoir resulting from the fractional distillation of the fluid while allowing the second fluid vapor to pass via the vapor passageway from the first reservoir into the second reservoir, wherein the first fluid vapor condenses at a higher temperature than the second fluid vapor, and the first fluid vapor condenser in the first reservoir is at a higher temperature than the second fluid vapor condenser in the second reservoir, the higher temperature of the first fluid vapor condenser being above a condensation temperature of the second fluid.

5. The cooling system of claim 4, wherein the cooling system further comprises a supplemental coolant loop with a supplemental liquid-to-air heat exchanger and a pump coupled in fluid communication therewith, the supplemental coolant loop being coupled to the first fluid vapor condenser in the first reservoir and facilitating cooling of the first fluid vapor condenser, and thereby condensing of the first fluid vapor within the first reservoir, wherein a supplemental coolant within the supplemental coolant loop is maintained at a temperature above a temperature at which the second fluid vapor condenses.

6. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the controller automatically controls the multiple valves to decrease the concentration level of the first fluid in the coolant within the coolant loop by diverting at least a portion of the coolant within the secondary coolant loop into the first reservoir of the at least one coolant tank while directing the second fluid in the second reservoir into the secondary coolant loop.

7. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein the controller controls the multiple valves to also divert a portion of the coolant within the coolant loop through the second fluid vapor condenser to facilitate condensing of the second fluid vapor within the second reservoir.

8. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein the first reservoir further comprises a first fluid vapor condenser for condensing any first fluid vapor within the first reservoir resulting from the fractional distillation of the coolant while allowing the second fluid vapor to pass via the vapor passageway from the first reservoir into the second reservoir, wherein the first fluid vapor condenses at a higher temperature than the second fluid vapor, and the first fluid vapor condenser in the first reservoir is at a higher temperature than the second fluid vapor condenser in the second reservoir, the higher temperature of the first fluid vapor condenser being above a condensation temperature of the second fluid.

9. The cooling system of claim 8, wherein the cooling system further comprises a supplemental coolant loop with a supplemental liquid-to-air heat exchanger and a pump coupled in fluid communication therewith, the supplemental coolant loop being coupled to the first fluid vapor condenser in the first reservoir and facilitating cooling of the first fluid vapor condenser, and thereby condensing of the first fluid vapor within the first reservoir, wherein a supplemental coolant within the supplemental coolant loop is maintained at a temperature above a temperature at which the second fluid vapor condenses.

10. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a first fluid concentration level sensor associated with the coolant loop, wherein the controller automatically closes one or more of the multiple valves to isolate the at least one coolant tank from the coolant loop upon reaching a desired concentration level of the first fluid within the coolant in the coolant loop for the time of year.

11. A data center comprising:

at least one electronics rack comprising at least one electronic component to be cooled; and

a chiller-less cooling system facilitating cooling of the at least one electronic component, the cooling system comprising;

a coolant loop to circulate coolant and facilitate cooling at the at least one electronics rack, at least a portion of the coolant loop exposed to outdoor ambient air temperature(s);

at least one coolant tank coupled to the coolant loop and comprising a first reservoir containing at least partially a first fluid and a second reservoir containing at least partially a second fluid, the first fluid freezing at a lower temperature than the second fluid, the second fluid having superior cooling properties compared with the first fluid, and the first fluid and the second fluid being soluble fluids, the coolant within the coolant loop comprising at least the second fluid;

multiple valves to selectively couple in fluid communication the at least one coolant tank and the coolant loop, the multiple valves comprising;

a coolant diverter valve in the coolant loop and coupling the coolant loop to the first reservoir via a first reservoir inlet line;

a first reservoir outlet valve associated with a first reservoir outlet line coupling the first reservoir directly to the coolant loop; and

a second reservoir outlet valve associated with a second reservoir outlet line coupling the second reservoir directly to the coolant loop; and

a controller to automatically control the multiple valves and vary the concentration level of the first fluid in the coolant within the coolant loop based on at least one of historical, current, or anticipated outdoor ambient air temperature(s) for a time of year, the controller automatically varying the concentration level of the first fluid in the coolant within the coolant loop by;

automatically controlling the coolant diverter valve to controllably redirect a fractional amount of the coolant in the coolant loop into the first reservoir via the first reservoir inlet line; and

commensurate with the redirecting of the fractional amount of the coolant, at least one of;

increasing the concentration of the first fluid in the coolant by automatically controlling the first reservoir outlet valve to direct the first fluid in the first reservoir into the coolant loop as the coolant is redirected into the first reservoir;

or

decreasing the concentration of the first fluid in the coolant by automatically controlling the second reservoir outlet valve to direct the second fluid in the second reservoir into the coolant loop as the coolant is redirected into the first reservoir; and

wherein the controller further initiates fractional distillation of the coolant within the first reservoir to facilitate separating the first fluid into the first reservoir and the second fluid into the second reservoir, the fractional distillation resulting in boiling of the second fluid in the first reservoir, wherein second fluid vapor rises within the first reservoir, and passes via a vapor passageway between the first reservoir and the second reservoir into the second reservoir, leaving a higher concentration of the first fluid in the first reservoir.

12. The cooled electronic system of claim 11, wherein the second reservoir further comprises a second fluid vapor condenser for condensing the second fluid vapor within the second reservoir.

13. The cooled electronic system of claim 12, wherein the first reservoir further comprises a first fluid vapor condenser for condensing any first fluid vapor within the first reservoir resulting from the fractional distillation of the coolant in the first reservoir while allowing the second fluid vapor to pass via the vapor passageway from the first reservoir into the second reservoir, wherein the first fluid vapor condenses at a higher temperature than the second fluid vapor, and the first fluid vapor condenser in the first reservoir is at a higher temperature than the second fluid vapor condenser in the second reservoir, the higher temperature of the first fluid vapor condenser being above a condensation temperature of the second fluid.

14. The cooled electronic system of claim 11, wherein the cooling system further comprises a first fluid concentration level sensor associated with the coolant loop, and wherein the controller automatically closes one or more of the multiple valves to isolate the at least one coolant tank from the coolant loop upon reaching a desired concentration level of the first fluid in the coolant within the coolant loop for the time of year, and wherein the controller is configured to vary the concentration level of the first fluid in the coolant within the coolant loop for different times of year by balancing inhibiting freezing of coolant within the coolant loop with heat transfer capability of the coolant within the coolant loop.