Dual magnetically coupled rotor heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9976812-B2
Application number	US-201514796041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2015
Priority date	Dec 3, 2010
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus for cooling an electrical heat source is disclosed. A heat exchanger has two principal sub-assemblies. A closed-loop fluid flow is provided through a second sub-assembly, disposed next to a heat source. An open-loop fluid flow is provided though a first sub-assembly in communication with a second sub-assembly. Each of the first and second sub-assemblies has a rotational element. The fluid flow entering the first sub-assembly rotates the first rotational element, and magnetic communication between the rotational elements causes movement of the second rotational element, thereby achieving fluid movement within the second sub-assembly. Operationally, the closed-loop sub-assembly removes heat from the heat source and transfers it to the open-loop sub-assembly for subsequent heat transfer in a downstream fluid flow.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a first rotational element housed within a first chamber and having a first magnet;
a second rotational element housed within a second chamber and having a second magnet;
the first magnet in magnetic communication with the second magnet;
the first chamber in communication with a fluid channel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are co-planar to the fluid channel;
a heat source positioned proximal to the second chamber;
the heat source to control entry of a first viscous fluid into the first chamber via the inlet with a first flow, and the fluid inlet to direct the first flow to rotate the first rotational element; and
a magnetic property to communicate with the second magnet of the second chamber in response to the rotation of the first rotational element and to rotate the second rotational element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising rotation of the second rotational element to create a fluid flow with a second fluid in the second chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising rotation of the second fluid to remove heat from the heat source.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising said second chamber in thermal communication with said first chamber, and said second chamber to transfer heat removed from the heat source to the first viscous fluid in the first chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising the first viscous fluid subject to the heat transfer to exit the first chamber via the fluid outlet.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the fluid flow is controlled as a function of a monitored temperature of the heat source and a threshold temperature.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the threshold temperature is fixed.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the threshold temperature is variable.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the fluid flow activates in response to the monitored temperature exceeding the threshold temperature.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the fluid flow de-activates in response to the monitored temperature falling below the threshold temperature.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first rotational element further comprises a first blade housed within the first chamber and the first magnet embedded in the first blade.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second rotational element further comprises a second blade housed within the second chamber and the second magnet embedded in the second blade.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the viscous fluid is a liquid.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an axis of rotation of the first rotational element is perpendicular to the fluid channel.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet and fluid outlet are co-planar to a rotation of the first rotation element.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid channel confines the fluid flow to the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.

17. An apparatus comprising:
a first rotational element housed within a first chamber, the first chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the first rotational element having a first hub and at least two first blades radially positioned in communication with the first hub, at least one of the first blades having an embedded first magnet;
a second rotational element housed within a second chamber, the second rotational element having a second hub and at least two second blades radially positioned in communication with the second hub, and at least one of the second blades having an embedded second magnet;
a heat source positioned adjacent to and in communication with the second chamber;
the first magnet in magnetic communication with the second magnet;
the heat source to control entry of a first viscous fluid into the first chamber via the inlet with a first flow, and the first flow to rotate the first rotational element; and
a magnetic property to communicate with the second magnet in response to the rotation of the first rotational element and to rotate the second rotational element.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a fluid channel in communication with the first chamber, the channel comprising the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, wherein the inlet and the outlet are co-planar to a rotation of the first rotational element, and wherein the fluid channel confines the first fluid flow to the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the viscous fluid is a liquid.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first rotational element is an impeller.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Holahan Maurice F
• Kline Eric V
• Krystek Paul N
• Rasmussen Michael R
• Sinha Arvind K
• Zins Stephen M

Classifications

• H10W40/47

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

• F04D29/586

  specially adapted for liquid pumps · CPC title

• F04D13/024

  a magnetic coupling · CPC title

• F28F2250/08

  Fluid driving means, e.g. pumps, fans · CPC title

• F28D15/00 Primary

  Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls {; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies (F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence)} · CPC title