Liquid cooling during testing
View Patent ↗A system includes electronics for testing a device, a reservoir to store coolant, where the reservoir includes a bellows that is compressible, a pump system to move coolant out of the reservoir to cool the electronics, and means to compress the bellows and thereby pressurize the coolant stored in the reservoir so that the coolant remains substantially flush with an interface to the pump system.
1. An apparatus for testing a device, the apparatus comprising:
a structure that is rotatable during testing;
electronics, connected to the structure, for use in testing the device;
the structure comprising:
a cooling system, connected to the structure, for cooling the electronics using liquid, the cooling system comprising:
a reservoir for storing the liquid; and
a pump system comprising an interface to the reservoir for transferring liquid out of the reservoir to cool the electronics;
wherein the liquid is pressurized to remain at the interface during rotation.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
mechanics to pressurize the liquid in the reservoir.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid remains substantially flush with the interface during rotation of the structure.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is compressible; and
wherein the mechanics comprises a spring that is arranged to push against the reservoir to compress the reservoir.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the mechanics comprise multiple springs arranged to push against the reservoir to compress the reservoir.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is compressible; and
wherein the mechanics comprises an enclosure that substantially surrounds the reservoir, the enclosure comprising an inlet to receive gas so that an interior of the enclosure is pressurized at least to a point where the reservoir compresses.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mechanics comprises a piston to move within the reservoir.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the mechanics further comprise a sealing ring around at least part of the piston and between the piston and an inner wall of the reservoir.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the sealing ring comprises rubber.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pump system comprises only one pump.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pump system comprises multiple pumps.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the multiple pumps are connected in series between the reservoir and the electronics.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cooling system further comprises:
a heat exchanger for removing heat from the liquid.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the reservoir comprises a bellows that is compressible and the liquid comprises coolant; and
wherein the apparatus further comprises a spring to compress the bellows and thereby pressurize the coolant stored in the reservoir so that the coolant remains substantially flush with an interface to the pump system.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the spring is a first spring and the apparatus further comprises a second spring and first and second mounts on which the first and second springs are held, the first and second mounts each comprising a head; and
wherein the first spring is on the first mount between a head of the first mount and the bellows, and the second spring is on the second mount between a head of the second mount and the bellows.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the electronics, the reservoir, the pump system, and the spring are contained within the structure to rotate during testing of the device.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the reservoir comprises a bellows that is compressible and the liquid comprises coolant; and
wherein the apparatus further comprises an enclosure that substantially surrounds the pump system, the enclosure comprising an opening to receive gas so that an interior of the enclosure is pressurized at least to a point where the bellows compresses;
wherein compression of the bellows pressurizes the coolant stored in the reservoir so that the coolant remains substantially flush with an interface to the pump system.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the enclosure forms a chamber that is substantially gas-tight.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the electronics, the reservoir, the pump system, and the enclosure are connected to the structure to rotate during testing of the device.
20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises coolant; and
wherein the apparatus further comprises a piston to move within the reservoir to pressurize the coolant in the reservoir so that the coolant in the reservoir remains substantially flush with an interface to the pump system.
21. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
pressurizing means for pressurizing the liquid in the reservoir
wherein the reservoir comprises a bellows that is compressible and the liquid comprises coolant; and
wherein the pressurizing means comprises means to compress the bellows and thereby pressurize the coolant stored in the reservoir so that the coolant remains substantially flush with an interface to the pump system.
22. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir comprises:
a tank; and
a bladder inside the tank for storing the liquid;
wherein the bladder is configured to keep the liquid substantially flush with the interface regardless of an orientation of the structure during rotation.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the liquid is vacuum stored in the bladder.
24. An apparatus for testing a device, the apparatus comprising:
a structure that is rotatable during testing;
electronics, connected to the structure, for use in testing the device;
the structure comprising:
a cooling system, connected to the structure, for cooling the electronics using liquid, the cooling system comprising:
a tank;
a bladder inside the tank for storing the liquid, the bladder and the tank together comprising a reservoir; an
a pump system comprising an interface to the reservoir for transferring liquid out of the reservoir to cool the electronics; and
wherein the bladder is configured to keep the liquid substantially flush with the interface regardless of an orientation of the structure during rotation.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the liquid is vacuum stored in the bladder.
26. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the liquid comprises coolant and wherein the bladder comprises a material that the coolant does not degrade.
27. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the bladder is configured to contract as liquid is extracted therefrom so that the liquid remains substantially flush with the interface regardless of an orientation of the structure during rotation.
28. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the pump system comprises only one pump.
29. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the pump system comprises multiple pumps.
30. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the multiple pumps are connected in series between the reservoir and the electronics.
31. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the cooling system further comprises:
a heat exchanger for removing heat from the liquid.