Cooling system with pressure regulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10638648-B2
Application number	US-201615140541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2016
Priority date	Apr 28, 2016
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

Provided are systems and methods for cooling a power converter. For example, there is provided a controller programmed to control a heat transport rate between a coolant disposed in a cooling system and a power converter coupled thereto by regulating a pressure of the coolant in the cooling system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for cooling a power converter, comprising:
a fan coupled to a condenser located at a first end of the system, the condenser being coupled in series to an evaporator via a first conduit through which a coolant flows, the coolant being in vapor form;
the evaporator coupled to a second conduit through which the coolant flows, the coolant being in liquid form, the second conduit coupling the evaporator to an accumulator located at a second end of the system;
the accumulator coupled to a pressure relief port configured to adjust a pressure of the coolant in system; and
a controller operatively coupled to the pressure relief port and configured to control the pressure relief port;
wherein, the controller is programmed to control a heat transport rate between the coolant and the power converter by regulating the pressure of the coolant.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to regulate the pressure according to a closed control loop.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to (i) receive signals from at least one sensor disposed in the system and (ii) regulate the pressure based on the signals.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to control at least one of a volumetric expansion and a volumetric contraction of the coolant in vapor phase.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to control a flow of an inert vapor into the system.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the inert vapor includes at least one of helium and argon.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to regulate the pressure until a predetermined heat transport rate is achieved.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to regulate the pressure until a predetermined thermal resistance is achieved.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to regulate an absolute pressure of the coolant.

Assignees

• Ge Energy Power Conversion Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Wagoner Robert Gregory
• Sutherland Steven Wade
• Zeng Winston Lei
• Chan Mark Aaron

Classifications

• H05K7/20936

  Liquid coolant with phase change · CPC title

• H05K7/20318

  Condensers · CPC title

• H05K7/20945 Primary

  Thermal management, e.g. inverter temperature control · CPC title

• G05D23/20 Primary

  with sensing elements having variation of electric or magnetic properties with change of temperature (G05D23/13 takes precedence) · CPC title