Cooled electronic system

• US 9,392,727 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iceotope Group Limited
• Original Assignee: Iceotope Limited
• Inventors: Chester, Daniel, Hopton, Peter, Bent, Jason, Deakin, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Datskovskiy, Michail V
• Application Number:
  US13/781,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20130208421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.46, 361/679.53, 361/679.54, 361/688, 361/689, 361698-702, 361715-727, 165/80.2, 165/80.4, 165/80.5, 165/104.19, 165/104.26, 165/104.29, 165/104.33, 165/185, 257714-727, 174/15.1, 174/16.3, 622/592
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 63/08 for heating or cooling articles or materials to facilitate packaging
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 7/00 Closing containers or receptacles after filling
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/12 Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/201 Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20 Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20218 using a liquid coolant without phase change in electronic enclosures in cabinets of standardized dimensions H05K7/20536; in server cabinets H05K7/20709; in vehicle electronic casings H05K7/20845; in power control electronics H05K7/2089; in displays H05K7/20954
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20236 by immersion
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20263 Heat dissipaters releasing heat from coolant
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20281 Thermal management, e.g. liquid flow control
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2039 characterised by the heat transfer by conduction from the heat generating element to a dissipating body arrangements for increasing/decreasing heat-transfer, e.g. fins details, F28F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20509 Multiple-component heat spreaders; Multi-component heat-conducting support plates; Multi-component non-closed heat-conducting structures
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20763 Liquid cooling without phase change
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20772 within server blades for removing heat from heat source
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20781 within cabinets for removing heat from server blades
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making

Abstract

A sealable module, cooled electronic system and method are described relating to cooling a heat generating electronic device. The sealable module is adapted to be filled with a first cooling liquid and a heat transfer device having a conduction surface defines a channel for receiving a second cooling liquid. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the conduction surface or housing is shaped in conformity with the shape of the electronic component. Control of the second cooling liquid is also described. Transferring heat between the second cooling liquid and a third cooling liquid features in embodiments. A method of filling a container with a cooling liquid is further detailed.

Claims

1. A cooling apparatus configured to use a liquid coolant for carrying heat removed from an electronic device, the cooling apparatus comprising:

a heat exchanger arrangement, configured to receive the liquid coolant, to transfer heat from a first portion of the liquid coolant to a first heat sink and to transfer heat from a second portion of the liquid coolant to a second heat sink;

wherein the first and second heat sinks are isolated from one another; and

wherein the heat exchanger arrangement is configured to transfer at least some of the heat from the first portion of the liquid coolant to the second heat sink, in the event that the heat exchanger arrangement is unable to transfer heat from the first portion of the liquid coolant to the first heat sink.

2. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a sealable module that defines a volume in which the electronic device and the liquid coolant can be located, such that the liquid coolant can remove heat generated by the electronic device; and

wherein the heat exchanger arrangement comprises;

a first heat exchanger, arranged to receive the first portion of the liquid coolant at a first part of the volume and to transfer heat from the first portion of the liquid coolant to the first heat sink; and

a second heat exchanger, arranged to receive the second portion of the liquid coolant at a second part of the volume and to transfer heat from the second portion of the liquid coolant to the second heat sink.

3. The cooling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sealable module comprises a housing, the first heat exchanger comprising a first conduction surface that cooperates with the housing so as to define at least part of the volume.

4. The cooling apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first heat exchanger further defines a first channel for receiving a first further liquid coolant, the first conduction surface separating the volume and the first channel to allow conduction of heat between the volume and the first channel through the first conduction surface.

12. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a piping system for receiving the liquid coolant, the piping system being arranged to separate the first and second portions of the liquid coolant and to transfer the first and second portions of the liquid coolant to heat exchanger arrangement.

13. The cooling apparatus of claim 12, wherein the heat exchanger arrangement comprises:

a first heat exchanger, arranged to receive the first portion of the liquid coolant and to transfer heat from the first portion of the liquid coolant to the first heat sink; and

a second heat exchanger, arranged to receive the second portion of the liquid coolant and to transfer heat from the second portion of the liquid coolant to the second heat sink.

14. The cooling apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a first coolant pump, arranged to pump the liquid coolant in the piping system; and

a second coolant pump, arranged to pump the second sink coolant, independently from the first coolant pump.

15. The cooling apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first heat sink comprises a first sink coolant and wherein the second heat sink comprises a second sink coolant, the first and second sink coolants being isolated from one another.

16. The cooling apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first and second sink coolants are liquids.

17. The cooling apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a second heat exchanging arrangement, configured to receive the first and second sink coolants and to transfer heat from the first and second sink coolants to a common output heat sink.

18. The cooling system of claim 15, further comprising:

a first outer pump, arranged to pump the first sink coolant; and

a second outer pump, arranged to pump the second sink coolant, independently from the first outer pump.

19. The cooling system of claim 12, further comprising:

a primary stage heat exchanger arrangement, configured to transfer heat generated by the electronic device to the liquid coolant; and

wherein the piping system is arranged to receive the liquid coolant from the primary stage heat exchanger arrangement.

20. The cooling system of claim 19, further comprising:

a plurality of sealable modules, each defining an internal volume in which a respective electronic device is located, each sealable module further comprising a respective primary stage heat exchanger configured to transfer heat generated by the respective electronic device to the liquid coolant, such that the primary stage heat exchanger arrangement comprises the respective primary stage heat exchanger arrangement of each of the plurality of sealable modules.

21. The cooling system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of sealable modules are housed in a cabinet.

22. The cooling system of claim 21, wherein the heat exchanger arrangement is also housed in the cabinet.

5. A cooling apparatus configured to use a liquid coolant for carrying heat removed from an electronic device, the cooling apparatus comprising:

a heat exchanger arrangement, configured to receive the liquid coolant, to transfer heat from a first portion of the liquid coolant to a first heat sink and to transfer heat from a second portion of the liquid coolant to a second heat sink; and

a sealable module that defines a volume in which the electronic device and the liquid coolant can be located, such that the liquid coolant can remove heat generated by the electronic device;

wherein the heat exchanger arrangement comprises;

a first heat exchanger, arranged to receive the first portion of the liquid coolant at a first part of the volume and to transfer heat from the first portion of the liquid coolant to the first heat sink; and

a second heat exchanger, arranged to receive the second portion of the liquid coolant at a second part of the volume and to transfer heat from the second portion of the liquid coolant to the second heat sink;

wherein the sealable module comprises a housing, the first heat exchanger comprising a first conduction surface that cooperates with the housing so as to define at least part of the volume;

wherein the first and second heat sinks are isolated from one another; and

wherein the cooling apparatus further comprises the electronic device and wherein at least a portion of the first conduction surface or housing is shaped in conformity with the shape of the at least one electronic device.

6. The cooling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second heat exchanger comprises a second conduction surface that cooperates with the housing so as to define at least part of the volume.

7. The cooling apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second heat exchanger further defines a second channel for receiving a second further liquid coolant, the second conduction surface separating the volume and the second channel to allow conduction of heat between the volume and the second channel through the second conduction surface.

8. The cooling apparatus of claim 6, further comprising the electronic device and wherein at least a portion of the second conduction surface or housing is shaped in conformity with the shape of the electronic device.

9. The cooling apparatus of claim 6, wherein the housing and the first and second conduction surfaces define the volume.

10. The cooling apparatus of claim 9, further comprising the electronic device having an axis of elongation and wherein the first and second conduction surfaces each have respective axes of elongation that are substantially parallel to the axis of elongation of the electronic device.

11. The cooling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the electronic device comprises a circuit board, defining a substantially planar form.

23. A method of operating a cooling system that uses a liquid coolant for carrying heat removed from an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a first portion of the liquid coolant at a heat exchanger arrangement, so as to transfer heat from the first portion of the liquid coolant to a first heat sink;

receiving a second, separate portion of the liquid coolant at the heat exchanger arrangement, so as to transfer heat from the second portion of the liquid coolant to a second heat sink; and

transferring at least some of the heat from the first portion of the liquid coolant to the second heat sink at the heat exchanger arrangement, in the event that the heat exchanger arrangement is unable to transfer heat from the first portion of the liquid coolant to the first heat sink;

wherein the first and second heat sinks are isolated from one another.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

operating the electronic device in a volume defined by a sealable module, the liquid coolant also being located within the volume, such that the liquid coolant can remove heat generated by the electronic device;

wherein the heat exchanger arrangement comprises;

a first heat exchanger; and

a second heat exchanger; and

wherein the first portion of the liquid coolant is received by the first heat exchanger at a first part of the volume and the second portion of the liquid coolant is received by the second heat exchanger at a second part of the volume.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the heat exchanger arrangement comprises:

a first heat exchanger; and

a second heat exchanger, the method further comprising;

receiving the liquid coolant in a piping system;

separating the first and second portions of the liquid coolant in the piping system;

transferring the first and second portions of the liquid coolant to the first and second heat exchangers respectively using the piping system.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

transferring heat generated by the electronic device to the liquid coolant using a primary stage heat exchanger arrangement; and

wherein the step of receiving the liquid coolant in the piping system comprises receiving the liquid coolant from the primary stage heat exchanger arrangement.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

operating each of a plurality of electronic devices within an internal volume of a respective sealable module;

transferring heat generated by each electronic device to the liquid coolant using a respective primary stage heat exchanger that forms part of the respective sealable module, such that the primary stage heat exchanger arrangement comprises the respective primary stage heat exchanger of each of the plurality of sealable modules.

28. The method of claim 23:

wherein the step of receiving the first portion of the liquid coolant at the heat exchanger arrangement comprises transferring heat received from the first portion of the liquid coolant to a first sink coolant; and

wherein the step of receiving the second portion of the liquid coolant at the heat exchanger arrangement comprises transferring heat received from the second portion of the liquid coolant to a second sink coolant, the first and second sink coolants being isolated from one another.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first and second sink coolants are liquids.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving the first and second sink coolants at a heat exchanging arrangement; and

transferring heat from the first and second sink coolants to a common output heat sink using the heat exchanging arrangement.