IP Library Granted Patent US 10,244,655
Granted Patent B2
US 10,244,655 · App. 15/463,231 · Granted Mar 26, 2019

Two-phase liquid cooled electronics

Inventors: Timothy Joseph Chainer (Putnam Valley, NY); Pritish Ranjan Parida (Fishkill, NY); Mark Delorman Schultz (Ossining, NY)
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
H05K7/20381G06F1/20G06F1/206G06F1/3206H05K7/20136H05K7/20145H05K7/20209H05K7/20309H05K7/20318H05K7/20327H05K7/20509H05K7/20727H05K7/20809H05K7/20836
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,244,655
App. No.
15/463,231
Granted
Mar 26, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques that facilitate two-phase liquid cooling electronics are provided. In one example, a server system comprises a two-phase cooling system and an air moving system. The two-phase cooling system reduces a first temperature of a first electronic component in the server system using a pump that circulates a coolant refrigerant through a two-phase refrigerant loop associated with the first electronic component, where first electronic component satisfies a first defined criterion. The air moving system reduces a second temperature of a second electronic component in the server system using one or more fans associated with the second electronic component, where the second electronic component satisfies a second defined criterion.

Claims (46)

1. A server system, comprising:

a two-phase cooling system comprising a two-phase refrigerant loop that circulates a coolant refrigerant, the two-phase refrigerant loop comprising:

a heat exchanger;

a plurality of two-phase cooling devices;

a condenser;

a pump; and

a plurality of control valves comprising:

a first control valve of the plurality of control valves in the two-phase refrigerant loop and located between a first two-phase cooling device of the plurality of two-phase cooling devices and the heat exchanger;

a second control valve of the plurality of control valves in the two-phase refrigerant loop located between a second two-phase cooling device of the plurality of two-phase cooling devices and the heat exchanger; and

a third control valve of the plurality of control valves located between the heat exchanger and the condenser,

wherein the two-phase cooling system reduces a first temperature of a first electronic component in the server system using the pump that circulates the coolant refrigerant through the first two-phase cooling device associated with the first electronic component, and wherein the first electronic component satisfies a first defined criterion,

wherein the coolant refrigerant flows sequentially through the condenser, the plurality of two-phase cooling devices, the heat exchanger, and returns to the condenser; and

an air moving system that reduces a second temperature of a second electronic component in the server system using fans associated with the second electronic component, wherein the second electronic component satisfies a second defined criterion.

2. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the first two-phase cooling device comprises a two-phase cooling cold plate.

3. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger transfers heat, from air in the server system, to the two-phase cooling system, and wherein the third control valve directly connects the heat exchanger and a condenser.

4. The server system of claim 3 , wherein the heat exchanger is an air-to-liquid heat exchanger.

5. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the condenser condenses, from a vapor phase to a liquid phase, a portion of the coolant refrigerant.

6. The server system of claim 5 , wherein the condenser is an air-cooled condenser.

7. The server system of claim 5 , wherein the condenser is a liquid-cooled condenser.

8. The server system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first sensor that monitors a third temperature associated with an inlet to the server system;

a second sensor that monitors a flow rate of the coolant refrigerant; and

a controller that alters the flow rate of the coolant refrigerant based on the third temperature.

9. The server system of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one of the flow control valves that regulates a flow of the coolant refrigerant associated with the two-phase cooling system;

a sensor that monitors power usage associated with the first electronic component or another electronic component, the another electronic component associated with a second two-phase cooling device of the plurality of two-phase cooling devices; and

a controller that regulates the at least one of the flow control valves based on the power usage.

10. The server system of claim 1 , further comprising a server enclosure that comprises the two-phase cooling system and the air moving system.

11. The server system of claim 1 , wherein the two-phase refrigerant loop associated with the first electronic component improves computational efficiency of the first electronic component by providing cooling of the first electronic component.

12. A system, comprising:

an enclosure comprising:

a two-phase cooling system comprising a two-phase refrigerant loop that circulates a coolant refrigerant, the two-phase refrigerant loop comprising:

a heat exchanger;

a plurality of cooling devices including a first two-phase cooling device and a second two-phase cooling device;

a condenser;

a pump; and

a plurality of control valves,

wherein the two-phase cooling system reduces a first temperature of a first electronic component in the enclosure using the pump that circulates the coolant refrigerant through the first two-phase cooling device associated with the first electronic component, and

wherein the coolant refrigerant flows sequentially through the condenser, the plurality of two-phase cooling devices, the heat exchanger, and returns to the condenser;

an air moving system that reduces a second temperature of a second electronic component in the enclosure using fans associated with the second electronic component; and

first sensors that monitor the two-phase cooling system; and

a controller that regulates the control valves associated with the two-phase cooling system based on first data provided by the first sensors, wherein the controller regulates a first control valve of the control valves to control a first flow from the heat exchanger and regulates other control valves of the control valves to regulate respective flows from the two-phase cooling devices to the heat exchanger.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the enclosure further comprises a second sensor that monitors the air moving system.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller further regulates the control valves based on second data provided by the second sensor.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein each of the first sensors monitor a temperature associated with the two-phase cooling system or a flow rate associated with the two-phase cooling system.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller facilitates improved processing performance of the first electronic component by providing cooling of the first electronic component.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Apr 19, 2018
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
Reel/Frame 045984/0700 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2017
From: CHAINER, TIMOTHY JOSEPH; PARIDA, PRITISH RANJAN; SCHULTZ, MARK DELORMAN
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 041642/0801 →
Continuity (1)
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