Cooling of a memory device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9804643-B2
Application number	US-201514929372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2015
Priority date	Dec 17, 2012
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A system for providing cooling of a memory device comprises a cooling system arranged to store a coolant, a valve system connected to the output of the cooling system, and a control system connected to the valve system and arranged to open the valve system when power is lost to the control system. The system further comprises a delivery system connected to the output of the valve system and arranged to deliver the coolant to the memory device and the cooling system comprises a canister of low boiling point fluid.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for preserving digital data stored in a volatile memory device, the method comprising:
storing a standby coolant in a coolant storage container;
retaining the standby coolant in the coolant storage container with a valve system connected to the output of the coolant storage container, the standby coolant being retained in the coolant storage container while power is suppled to the volatile memory device;
responsive to a loss of power to the volatile memory device, preserving data stored in the volatile memory device by automatically opening the valve system to release the standby coolant from the coolant storage container to cool the volatile memory device, the standby coolant reducing the temperature of the volatile memory device substantially below an operating temperature thereof to preserve data stored therein.

2. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising delivering the standby coolant to the memory device via a delivery system connected to the output of the valve system.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coolant storage container comprises a canister of low boiling point fluid.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the valve system comprises a valve that requires power to remain open.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the valve system comprises a pair of valves in series including a first valve for arming standby cooling operation and a second valve for releasing the standby coolant from the coolant storage container upon loss of power, the second valve requiring power to remain open.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising capturing the standby coolant after output from the coolant storage container using a compressor.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said volatile memory device is a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM).

8. A method for preserving digital data stored in a volatile memory device, the method comprising:
storing a standby coolant for the volatile memory device in a coolant reservoir of a standby cooling system, the standby coolant remaining stored in the coolant reservoir while power is suppled to the volatile memory device;
responsive to a loss of power to the volatile memory device, activating the standby cooling system with an automated control system to release the standby coolant, wherein upon release of the standby coolant, the standby coolant lowers the temperature of the volatile memory device sufficiently to prevent loss of volatile data stored therein.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the control system comprises a pair of valves in series including a first valve for arming the standby cooling system and a second valve for releasing the standby coolant from the coolant reservoir upon loss of power, the second valve requiring power to remain open.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Gilbert David A
• Varley Patrick

Classifications

• H10W40/00

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

• H10W40/47 Primary

  by flowing liquids, e.g. forced water cooling · CPC title

• H10W40/40 Primary

  involving heat exchange by flowing fluids · CPC title

• G06F2200/201

  Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid · CPC title

• G06F1/20 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title