Multi-level redundant cooling system for continuous cooling of an electronic system(s)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9313930-B2
Application number	US-201313745939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2013
Priority date	Jan 21, 2013
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

A cooling system is provided to remove heat generated by one or more electronic systems. The cooling system includes a coolant-based cooling apparatus, redundant pumping units, redundant backup blowers, and multiple separate controllers. The cooling apparatus includes one or more heat exchange assemblies discharging heat from coolant of the cooling apparatus, and the redundant pumping units, which are coupled in parallel fluid communication, separately facilitate pumping of the coolant. The redundant backup blowers are disposed to provide, when activated, backup airflow across the electronic system(s). The multiple controllers control operation of the redundant pumping units and redundant backup blowers based, at least in part, on one or more sensed parameters. The redundant backup blowers are activated responsive to the sensed parameter(s) exceeding a set threshold to provide backup cooling to the electronic system(s) in the event of degraded performance of the cooling apparatus or the redundant pumping units.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling system comprising:
a coolant-based cooling apparatus configured to assist in removal of heat generated by one or more electronic systems of an electronic rack, the coolant-based cooling apparatus being disposed within the electronics rack and comprising at least one heat exchange assembly to discharge heat from coolant of the coolant-based cooling apparatus to an ambient airflow passing across the at least one heat exchange assembly, the ambient airflow discharging from the electronics rack in a first region of an air exhaust side of the electronics rack;
redundant pumping units to facilitate pumping of the coolant through the coolant-based cooling apparatus and thereby assist in removal of heat generated by the one or more electronic systems, and discharge of the heat via the at least one heat exchange assembly, wherein the redundant pumping units are coupled to the coolant-based cooling apparatus in parallel fluid communication to separately provide pumping of the coolant through the coolant-based cooling apparatus;
at least one primary air-moving device to provide a primary airflow across the one or more electronic systems to cool the one or more electronic systems, the coolant-based cooling apparatus assisting in cooling the one or more electronic systems in combination with the primary airflow provided by the at least one primary air-moving device, the primary airflow being distinct from the ambient airflow across the at least one heat exchange assembly of the coolant-based cooling apparatus, and the primary airflow discharging from the electronics rack in a second region of the air exhaust side of the electronics rack, the second region being different from the first region;
redundant auxiliary blowers to provide, when active, an auxiliary airflow across the one or more electronic systems to provide, at least in part, auxiliary airflow cooling thereof, the redundant auxiliary blowers being distinct from the at least one primary moving device, and the auxiliary airflow provided by the redundant auxiliary blowers passing differently across the one or more electronic systems than the primary airflow provided by the at least one primary air-moving device, and the auxiliary airflow discharging from the electronics rack in a third region of the air exhaust side of the electronics rack, the third region being different from the first region and the second region; and
multiple separate controllers, the multiple separate controllers controlling operation of the redundant pumping units and the redundant auxiliary blowers based, at least in part, on one or more sensed parameters, wherein at least one controller of the multiple separate controllers activates the redundant auxiliary blowers responsive to the one or more sensed parameters exceeding a set threshold, the redundant auxiliary blowers being controllable to provide, at least in part, the auxiliary airflow cooling to the one or more electronic systems in combination with cooling by the coolant-based cooling apparatus and the primary airflow.

2. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple separate controllers comprise redundant pumping unit controllers, each pumping unit controller of the redundant pumping, unit controllers being associated with and controlling operation of a respective pumping unit of the redundant pumping units, and wherein the multiple separate controllers further comprise redundant auxiliary blower controllers, each auxiliary blower controller of the redundant auxiliary blower controllers being associated with and controlling operation of a respective auxiliary blower of the redundant auxiliary blowers, and wherein the cooling system remains operational, notwithstanding failure of any two of the redundant pumping units, the redundant pumping unit controllers, the redundant auxiliary blowers, and the redundant auxiliary blower controllers.

3. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the redundant auxiliary blowers are disposed above the one or more electronic systems, and wherein the cooling system further comprises auxiliary airflow ducting which facilitates directing the auxiliary airflow across the one or more electronic systems when the redundant auxiliary blowers are active.

4. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the multiple separate controllers comprise at least one pumping unit controller controlling operation of the redundant pumping units, at least one auxiliary blower controller controlling operation of the redundant auxiliary blowers, and at least one power supply controller controlling operation of redundant power supplies powering the one or more electronic systems, wherein the at least one pumping unit controller, the at least one auxiliary blower controller, and the at least one power supply controller operate independently to respectively control operation of the redundant pumping units, the redundant auxiliary blowers, and the redundant power supplies.

5. The cooling system of claim 4 , further comprising redundant fans disposed to provide an airflow across the at least one heat exchange assembly, and wherein the multiple separate controllers comprise at least one fan controller controlling operation of the redundant fans, the at least one fan controller operating independently of the at least one pumping unit controller, the at least one auxiliary blower controller, and the at least one power supply controller to control operation of the redundant fans.

6. The cooling system of claim 4 , wherein the multiple separate controllers comprise redundant pumping unit controllers, redundant auxiliary blower controllers, and redundant power supply controllers, each controller of the redundant pumping unit controllers, auxiliary blower controllers, and power supply controllers, operating independently to control operation of its respective pumping unit, auxiliary blower, or power supply.

7. The cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one power supply providing power to the one or more electronic systems, and wherein the multiple separate controllers comprise at least one power supply controller, the at least one power supply controller facilitating, powering, via the at least one power supply, the one or more electronic systems at a specified frequency and voltage when a control temperature is below a lower temperature threshold, and turning off the at least one power supply when the control temperature exceeds an upper temperature threshold, the control temperature being one sensed parameter of the one or more sensed parameters, and the at least one power supply controller further degrading, at least in part, frequency and voltage of power supplied by the at least one power supply to the one or more electronic systems with progression of the control temperature from the lower temperature threshold to the upper temperature threshold.

8. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensed parameters comprise at least one monitored control temperature, and wherein the multiple separate controllers comprise at least one auxiliary blower controller controlling operation of the redundant auxiliary blowers, the at least one auxiliary blower controller automatically adjusting speed of the redundant auxiliary blowers with temperature changes to the at least one monitored control temperature above a lower temperature threshold, and below the lower temperature threshold, the at least one auxiliary blower controller automatically turning off the redundant auxiliary blowers.

9. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensed parameters comprise at least one monitored control temperature, and wherein the multiple separate controllers comprise at least one pumping unit controller, the at least one pumping un

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Goth Gary F
• Krug Jr Francis R
• Mullady Robert K
• Low Kevin P
• Vandeventer Allan C
• Zoodsma Randy J

Classifications

• H05K7/20718

  Forced ventilation of a gaseous coolant (in closed loop H05K7/20754) · CPC title

• H05K7/20763

  Liquid cooling without phase change · CPC title

• H05K7/20836 Primary

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

• H05K7/2079

  within rooms for removing heat from cabinets · CPC title

• F28F27/02

  for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels ({static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026}; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12) · CPC title