Cooling fluid flow regulation distribution system and method
View Patent ↗The disclosure provides systems and methods for regulating and distributing cooling fluid through a plurality of heat sinks, such as cold plates, using a flow regulator, which sets the total flow rate, in combination with one or more individual orifices that allow further flow distribution as required by individual cold plates, despite flow variations upstream of the orifices. An orifice can be coupled to an orifice holder, which includes a body to support the orifice, and which may be coupled (directly or indirectly) to an inlet of the cold plate. Alternative manners of coupling orifices in the fluid flow besides an orifice holder can be employed. Generally, the flow regulator(s) is coupled with a plurality of orifices and conduits through which the cooling fluid flows. Related system components can be assembled as a module for installation into a cooling system that includes other system components such as a pump, compressor or other pressure sources for the cooling fluid.
1. A system for regulating and distributing cooling fluid flow through a plurality of heat sinks in thermal communication with one or more electronic devices, the system comprising:
a system pressure source;
a flow regulator fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the system pressure source;
a distribution header fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the flow regulator;
a first cooling fluid line fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the distribution header;
a second cooling fluid line fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the distribution header;
a first fixed orifice fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the first cooling fluid line; and
a second fixed orifice fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the second cooling fluid line;
a first heat sink fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the first fixed orifice; and
a second heat sink fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the second fixed orifice,
wherein the fixed orifices include nonadjustable openings there through that are sized so that a first flow rate through the first heat sink and a second flow rate through the second heat sink are uniform with respect to each other regardless of the temperature of the one or more electronic devices; and
wherein the system further comprises more than one flow regulator downstream of the system pressure source and at least two orifices downstream of each flow regulator.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fixed orifices are sized so that a pressure drop across each of the fixed orifices is less than an available system pressure differential at a desired flow rate.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fixed orifices are sized so that a pressure drop across each of the fixed orifices is at least 1% greater than a sum of all flow path pressure drop variations.
4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a return line coupled downstream of the heat sinks.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system pressure source comprises a compressor or pump.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a rack having one or more supporting surfaces for the one or more electronic devices.
7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
wherein the rack is configured to house the one or more electronic devices; and
one or more electronic devices coupled to the rack.
8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the first cooling fluid line's supply end being coupled to the distribution header; and
the second cooling fluid line's supply end being coupled to the distribution header;
wherein the first fixed orifice is fluidicly coupled downstream of the first cooling fluid line's supply end and the second fixed orifice is fluidicly coupled downstream of the second cooling fluid line's supply end.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising wherein at least one of the nonadjustable openings is sized differently from its corresponding cooling fluid line.
10. A method of regulating and distributing cooling fluid flowing through a plurality of flow regulators, a plurality of fixed orifices having nonadjustable openings there through, and a plurality of heat sinks in thermal communication with one or more electronic devices, the method comprising:
flowing the cooling fluid through the plurality of flow regulators to the plurality of fixed orifices having nonadjustable openings there through, the plurality of fixed orifices including at least two orifices downstream of each of the plurality of flow regulators;
reducing a flow pressure through the plurality of orifices;
flowing the reduced pressure cooling fluid through the heat sinks for cooling the heat sinks and absorbing heat from the one or more electronic devices; and
selecting a size of each of the orifices so that a first flow rate through a first heat sink and a second flow rate through a second heat sink are uniform with respect to each other regardless of the temperature of the one or more electronic devices.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising creating, at a desired flow rate, a pressure drop across each of the fixed orifices that is less than an available system pressure differential using a pressure source to provide the cooling fluid.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising creating a pressure drop across each of the fixed orifices that is at least 1% greater than a sum of all flow path pressure drop variations.
13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising creating a pressure drop across each of the fixed orifices that is at least 1% greater than a sum of all flow path pressure drop variations in each of flow paths for the fixed orifices that include the heat sinks fluidicly coupled to the fixed orifices.
14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising flowing the cooling fluid back to the system pressure source.
15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising pressurizing the cooling fluid with a pressure source.
16. A system for regulating and distributing cooling fluid flow through a plurality of heat sinks coupled to one or more electronic devices, the system comprising:
a system pressure source;
a first flow regulator fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the system pressure source;
a second flow regulator fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the system pressure source, the second flow regulator being configured in parallel with the first flow regulator;
a first distribution header fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the first flow regulator;
a second distribution header fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the second flow regulator;
a first cooling fluid line fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the first distribution header;
a second cooling fluid line fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the first distribution header;
a third cooling fluid line fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the second distribution header;
a fourth cooling fluid line fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the second distribution header;
a first fixed orifice fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the first cooling fluid line; and
a second fixed orifice fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the second cooling fluid line;
a third fixed orifice fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the third cooling fluid line; and
a fourth fixed orifice fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the fourth cooling fluid line; and
a first heat sink fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the first fixed orifice; and
a second heat sink fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the second fixed orifice,
a third heat sink fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the third fixed orifice; and
a fourth heat sink fluidicly coupled to, and downstream of, the fourth fixed orifice;
wherein the fixed orifices include nonadjustable openings there through that are sized so that a first flow rate through the first heat sink is uniform with respect to a second flow rate through the second heat sink and a third flow rate through the third heat sink is uniform with respect to a fourth flow rate through the fourth heat sink regardless of the temperature of the one or more electronic devices, accounting for pressure drops across the flow regulators, distribution headers, cooling fluid lines, orifices, and heat sinks at the flow rates.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the fixed orifices are sized so that a pressure drop across each of the fixed orifices is at least 1% greater than a sum of all flow path pressure drop variations.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the fixed orifices are sized so that a pressure drop across each of the fixed orifices is at least 5% greater than a sum of all flow path pressure drop variations.
19. The system of claim 16 , wherein each of the fixed orifices are sized so that the first flow rate through the first heat sink equals the second flow rate through the second heat sink and the third flow rate through the third heat sink equals the fourth flow rate through the fourth heat sink.