Two-phase cooling with ambient cooled condensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016278239-A1
Application number	US-201514664148-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 20, 2015
Priority date	Mar 20, 2015
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for cooling a computer system includes a primary cooling loop. The primary cooling loop includes an evaporator configured to cool at least a component of the computer system, an ambient cooled condenser connected to the evaporator, a first pump to provide a coolant flow within the cooling loop, a pressure regulator configured to maintain a selected pressure in the primary cooling loop, and a controller responsive to changes in outdoor ambient conditions and an amount of heat dissipated by the computer system and configured to dynamically adjust the pump and pressure regulator in response thereto.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for cooling a computer system, comprising:
a primary cooling loop that includes
an evaporator configured to cool at least a component of the computer system;
an ambient cooled condenser connected to the evaporator;
a first pump to provide a coolant flow within the cooling loop;
a pressure regulator configured to maintain a selected pressure in the primary cooling loop; and
a controller responsive to changes in outdoor ambient conditions and an amount of heat dissipated by the computer system and configured to dynamically adjust the pump and pressure regulator in response thereto.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising
a pressure monitor configured to monitor the flow rate of the coolant in the liquid coolant loop, wherein the first pump is connected to the computer system component and condenser.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature monitor configured to monitor the outdoor ambient temperature and the coolant in the liquid coolant loop.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein outdoor ambient conditions include outdoor ambient temperature, and pressure of the liquid coolant is regulated based on a temperature delta above the outdoor ambient temperature.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the evaporator cools high heat density components of the computer system by evaporation of the liquid coolant into a vaporized coolant.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a secondary coolant loop,
wherein the ambient cooled condenser transfers heat released by condensation of the vaporized coolant to a secondary coolant in the secondary coolant loop, said secondary coolant loop comprising a cooler that exchanges heat with an ambient external environment and a second pump to generate a coolant flow between the ambient cooled condenser and the condenser.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller controls one or both of the first pump and the second pump.

8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the cooler is one of a wet cooler and a dry cooler.

9 . The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a third coolant loop connected to the second coolant loop, said third coolant loop including an auxiliary system that uses heat being transferred by the secondary coolant loop.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the auxiliary system is one of a heat recovery system, a geothermal system, or a building chiller.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein low heat density components of the computer system are used to preheat the liquid coolant.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Chainer Timothy J
• David Milnes P
• Parida Pritish R

Classifications

• H10W40/73

  for cooling by change of state · CPC title

• H10W40/00

  Arrangements for thermal protection or thermal control (integrated devices comprising arrangements for thermal protection H10D89/60) · CPC title

• G06F1/206

  comprising thermal management · CPC title

• G06F2200/201

  Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid · CPC title

• H05K7/20354 Primary

  Refrigerating circuit comprising a compressor · CPC title