Use of energy harvested by adaptive cooling and energy harvesting arrangements for information technology
View Patent ↗Arrangements for the use of energy harvested by adaptive cooling and energy harvesting arrangements for use in information technology and other heat-producing equipment are disclosed. The arrangements provide for cooling and energy harvesting subsystems, each of which can operate in isolation and can be interconnected with additional subsystems in peer and hierarchical relationships. Each subsystem comprises at least one thermoelectric device capable of acting as a thermoelectric cooler and as a thermoelectric generator, a control system, and electronics controlled to selectively configure the thermoelectric device in at least in a thermoelectric cooler operating mode and in a thermoelectric generation operating mode. The thermoelectric device can incorporate quantum-process and quantum-well materials for higher heat transfer and thermoelectric generation efficiencies. The arrangement is configured so that the harvested energy is used for a function by the article of heat-producing equipment, including charging a backup battery, or for cooling operations.
1. A system for use of energy harvested by adaptive cooling and energy harvesting arrangements in at least information technology, the system comprising:
a subsystem for providing controlled cooling and energy harvesting functions within an associated article of heat-producing equipment, the subsystem comprising:
at least one thermoelectric device capable of acting as a thermoelectric cooler and as a thermoelectric generator;
a control system receiving at least one input signal and providing a control output;
electronics controlled by the control output and connected to the thermoelectric device, the electronics selectively configuring the thermoelectric device in at least a thermoelectric cooler operating mode and a thermoelectric generation operating mode, and
at least one control interface for providing information transfer between the control system and at least one other associated subsystem,
wherein the system is configured so that the thermoelectric device operating in thermoelectric generator mode provides harvested energy in the form of electricity, and
wherein the system is configured so that the harvested energy is used for a function by the article of heat-producing equipment.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to use the harvested energy to charge a backup battery.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to use the harvested energy to supplement local power to at least one integrated circuit chip.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric device comprises quantum-process thermoelectric material.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric device comprises quantum-well thermoelectric material.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric device is in thermal contact with an integrated circuit chip.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric device is in thermal contact with a circulating cooling fluid arrangement, the circulating cooling fluid arrangement in thermal contact with at least one integrated circuit chip.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric device is in thermal contact with a heat pipe arrangement, the heat pipe arrangement in thermal contact with at least one integrated circuit chip.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric device is positioned between heat transfer arrangements between the subsystem and an additional subsystem within a cooling hierarchy.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subsystem and the additional subsystem provide coordinated cooling and energy harvesting functions.
11. A system for the use of energy harvested by adaptive cooling and energy harvesting arrangements for use in at least information technology, the system comprising:
a subsystem for providing controlled cooling and energy harvesting functions within an associated article of heat-producing equipment, the subsystem comprising:
at least one thermoelectric device capable of acting as a thermoelectric cooler and as a thermoelectric generator;
a control system receiving at least one input signal and providing a control output;
electronics controlled by the control output and connected to the thermoelectric device, the electronics selectively configuring the thermoelectric device in at least a thermoelectric cooler operating mode and a thermoelectric generation operating mode, and
at least one control interface for providing information transfer between the control system and at least one other associated subsystem,
wherein the system is configured so that the thermoelectric device operating in thermoelectric generator mode provides harvested energy in the form of electricity, and
wherein the system is configured so that the harvested energy is used for a cooling function.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system is configured to use the harvested energy to provide power for heat transfer operations.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein harvested energy is configured to operate a cooling fan.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric device comprises quantum-process thermoelectric material.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric device comprises quantum-well thermoelectric material.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric device is in thermal contact with an integrated circuit chip.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric device is in thermal contact with a circulating cooling fluid arrangement, the circulating cooling fluid arrangement in thermal contact with at least one integrated circuit chip.
18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one thermoelectric device is in thermal contact with a heat pipe arrangement, the heat pipe arrangement in thermal contact with at least one integrated circuit chip.
19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the thermoelectric device is positioned between heat transfer arrangements between the subsystem and an additional subsystem within a cooling hierarchy.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the subsystem and the additional subsystem provide coordinated cooling and energy harvesting functions.