Cooled electronic system

1. A cooling apparatus configured to carry heat removed from an electronic device, the cooling apparatus comprising:

a first-stage heat exchanger arrangement comprising:

a first volume for receiving an electronic device and a first liquid coolant;

a first heat sink in direct physical contact with the first volume;

a second heat sink in direct physical contact with the first volume and not in direct physical contact with the first heat sink;

a first channel in direct physical contact with the first heat sink for receiving a second liquid coolant; and

a second channel in direct physical contact with the second heat sink for receiving a third liquid coolant;

wherein the first volume is not in fluid communication with the first channel or the second channel;

wherein the first-stage heat exchanger is configured to:

receive the first liquid coolant,

transfer heat from the first liquid coolant to the first heat sink, which is configured to transfer heat to the second liquid coolant, and

transfer heat from the first liquid coolant to the second heat sink, which is configured to transfer heat to the third liquid coolant; and

a second-stage heat exchanger arrangement comprising:

a first liquid flow circuit configured to receive a mixture of the second liquid coolant and the third liquid coolant; and

a second liquid flow circuit that is not in fluid communication with the first liquid flow circuit;

wherein the second-stage heat exchanger arrangement is configured to transfer heat from the mixture of the second and third liquid coolants to a liquid in the second liquid flow circuit.

2. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first-stage heat exchanger arrangement, in the event that the first-stage heat exchanger arrangement is unable to transfer heat from the first liquid coolant to the first heat sink, is configured to transfer the heat to the second heat sink.

3. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a sealable module that defines the first volume and the first liquid coolant.

4. The cooling apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the sealable module comprises a housing, and the first heat exchanger comprises a first conduction surface that cooperates with the housing so as to define at least part of the volume.

5. The cooling apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first heat exchanger further defines the first channel for receiving the second liquid coolant, the first conduction surface separating the first volume and the first channel to allow conduction of heat between the volume and the first channel through the first conduction surface.

6. The cooling apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising the electronic component and wherein at least a portion of the first conduction surface or housing is shaped in conformity with the shape of the at least one electronic component.

7. The cooling apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first-stage heat exchanger comprises a second conduction surface that cooperates with the housing so as to define at least part of the volume.

8. The cooling apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second conduction surface separates the volume and the second channel to allow conduction of heat between the volume and the second channel through the second conduction surface.

9. The cooling apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising the electronic device and wherein at least a portion of the second conduction surface or housing is shaped in conformity with the shape of the electronic device.

10. The cooling apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the housing and the first and second conduction surfaces define the volume.

11. The cooling apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising the electronic device having an axis of elongation and wherein the first and second conduction surfaces each have respective axes of elongation that are substantially parallel to the axis of elongation of the electronic device.

12. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises a circuit board, defining a substantially planar form.

13. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a piping system for receiving the first liquid coolant, the piping system being arranged to separate the first liquid coolant into first and second portions to transfer the first and second portions of the first liquid coolant to the first-stage heat exchanger arrangement.

14. The cooling apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first-stage heat exchanger arrangement comprises:

a first heat exchanger, arranged to receive a first portion of the first liquid coolant and to transfer heat from the first portion of the first liquid coolant to the first heat sink; and

a second heat exchanger, arranged to receive a second portion of the first liquid coolant and to transfer heat from the second portion of the first liquid coolant to the second heat sink.

15. The cooling apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:

a first coolant pump, arranged to pump the first portion of the first liquid coolant in the piping system; and

a second coolant pump, arranged to pump the second portion of the first liquid coolant, independently from the first coolant pump.

16. The cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first outer pump, arranged to pump the second liquid coolant; and

a second outer pump, arranged to pump the third liquid coolant, independently from the first outer pump.

17. The cooling system of claim 13 , further comprising:

a zero-stage heat exchanger arrangement, configured to transfer heat generated by the electronic device to the first liquid coolant; and

wherein the piping system is arranged to receive the first liquid coolant from the zero-stage heat exchanger arrangement.

18. The cooling system of claim 17 , further comprising:

a plurality of sealable modules, each defining an internal volume in which a respective electronic device is located, each sealable module further comprising a respective zero-stage heat exchanger configured to transfer heat generated by the respective electronic device to the first liquid coolant, such that the zero-stage heat exchanger arrangement comprises the respective zero-stage heat exchanger of each of the plurality of sealable modules.

19. The cooling system of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of sealable modules are housed in a cabinet.

20. The cooling system of claim 19 , wherein the heat exchanger arrangement is also housed in the cabinet.

21. A method of operating a cooling system, comprising:

receiving a first liquid coolant at a first-stage heat exchanger arrangement, so as to transfer heat from the first liquid coolant to a first heat sink and to a second heat sink, wherein the first and second heat sinks are distinct from one another and transfer heat to a second liquid coolant and a third liquid coolant, respectively; and

receiving the second and third liquid coolants at a second-stage heat exchanging arrangement; and

transferring heat from the second and third liquid coolants to a common output heat sink using the second-stage heat exchanging arrangement.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

operating the electronic device in a volume defined by a sealable module, the first liquid coolant also being located within the volume, such that the first liquid coolant can remove heat generated by the electronic device;

wherein a first portion of the first liquid coolant is received by a first heat exchanger at a first part of the volume and a second portion of the first liquid coolant is received by a second heat exchanger at a second part of the volume.

23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

receiving the first liquid coolant in a piping system;

separating first and second portions of the first liquid coolant in the piping system;

transferring the first and second portions of the first liquid coolant to first and second heat exchangers respectively using the piping system.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

transferring heat generated by the electronic device to the first liquid coolant using a zero-stage heat exchanger arrangement; and

wherein the step of receiving the first liquid coolant in the piping system comprises receiving the first liquid coolant from the zero-stage heat exchanger arrangement.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:

operating each of a plurality of electronic devices within an internal volume of a respective sealable module;

transferring heat generated by each electronic device to the first liquid coolant using a respective zero-stage heat exchanger that forms part of the respective sealable module, such that the zero-stage heat exchanger arrangement comprises the respective zero-stage heat exchanger of each of the plurality of sealable modules.

26. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first heat sink and the second heat sink is a cold plate.

27. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a header tank configured to regulate pressure of the second cooling liquid.

28. The method of claim 21 , further comprising, in the event that the first-stage heat exchanger arrangement is unable to transfer heat from the first liquid coolant to the first heat sink:

transferring at least some of the heat from the first liquid coolant to the second heat sink at the first-stage heat exchanger arrangement.