Active control for two-phase cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10231359-B2
Application number	US-201514748074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2015
Priority date	Mar 3, 2015
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

Methods and devices for active control for two-phase cooling include a cooling volume that has cavities and active coolant flow controls in the cavities configured to adjust coolant flow through the cavities. A reservoir in fluid communication with the cavities and there is a two-phase coolant in the reservoir and cavities. The two-phase coolant has a phase transition temperature between an ambient temperature and an expected device temperature. A coolant sensor is configured to determine a coolant phase condition in the cavities. A control module is configured to adjust the active coolant flow controls in response to the determined coolant phase condition.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for coolant control, comprising
measuring a coolant state of matter in a heat sink in a heat-generating device by measuring a capacitance of coolant in the heat sink and by determining a vapor quality and void fraction based on the capacitance, wherein the coolant has a phase transition temperature between an ambient temperature and an expected temperature of the heat-generating device;
comparing the coolant state of matter to a threshold to determine whether coolant flow should be adjusted; and
adjusting coolant flow through the heat sink in accordance with the determination, comprising increasing coolant flow when the determined vapor quality and void fraction indicate a dry-out condition.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting coolant flow comprises adjusting a pump.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting coolant flow comprises actuating one or more blocking structures in the heat sink.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting coolant flow is performed further in accordance with a predicted workload power map.

5. A method for coolant control, comprising
measuring a coolant state of matter in a heat sink in a heat-generating device, wherein the coolant has a phase transition temperature between an ambient temperature and an expected temperature of the heat-generating device, comprising:
measuring a capacitance of coolant in the heat sink; and
determining a vapor quality and void fraction based on the capacitance;

comparing the coolant state of matter to a threshold to determine whether coolant flow should be adjusted; and
adjusting one or more blocking structures in the heat sink to change the coolant flow through a cavity of the heat sink in accordance with the determination, comprising increasing coolant flow when the determined vapor quality and void fraction indicate a dry-out condition.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Chainer Timothy J
• Parida Pritish R
• Silberman Joel A

Classifications

• H05K7/20809

  within server blades for removing heat from heat source · CPC title

• H05K7/20327

  Accessories for moving fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds · CPC title

• H05K7/20336

  Heat pipes, e.g. wicks or capillary pumps · CPC title

• F28D15/025

  having non-capillary condensate return means · CPC title

• H05K7/20381 Primary

  Thermal management, e.g. evaporation control · CPC title