# US 12,007,182 B2 · Flow rate abnormality detection device, cooling system, flow rate abnormality detection method and program

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- Number: US 12,007,182 B2
- Document ID: US12007182B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/491,209
- Filed: 2018-03-02
- Published: 2020-02-27
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-06
- Assignees: NEC Platforms, Ltd.
- Applicants: NEC Platforms, Ltd.
- Inventors: Yasuhito Nakamura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007182B2

## CPC

- F28F 27/00: Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus (control arrangements in general G05)
- H05K 7/20781: {within cabinets for removing heat from server blades}
- G06F 1/20: Cooling means
- H05K 7/20: Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
- H05K 7/20272: {Accessories for moving fluid, for expanding fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid, for removing gas or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds}
- H05K 7/20281: {Thermal management, e.g. liquid flow control}
- G01F 1/00: Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow (measuring a proportion of the volume flow G01F5/00)
- G06F 2200/201: Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME

## Abstract

A flow rate abnormality detection device includes: a number determination unit that determines a number of devices to be cooled; a threshold value setting unit that sets a threshold value based on the number of devices to be cooled; and an abnormality determination unit that determines that there is an abnormality when a total flow rate of refrigerant supplied to the devices to be cooled is less than the threshold value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A flow rate abnormality detection device comprising:
a memory configured to store instructions;
a processor configured to execute the instructions to determine a number of devices to be cooled;
a flow rate detector configured to output a first signal of a first current value proportional to a total flow rate of refrigerant supplied to the devices to be cooled; and
a circuit configured to output a second signal of a second current value for determining whether the total flow rate is abnormal, based on the number of devices to be cooled,
wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to determine that the total flow rate is abnormal when a magnitude of the first current value is smaller than a magnitude of the second current value,
wherein the circuit is configured to multiply a refrigerant flow rate per device to be cooled by the number of the devices to be cooled to calculate a threshold value,
and wherein the refrigerant flow rate per device to be cooled is a predetermined constant, and the second signal indicates the threshold value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The flow rate abnormality detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a flow switch which is provided in a flow path to each of the devices to be cooled and is configured to detect whether a refrigerant flow has a rate equal to or more than a predetermined flow rate, and
wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to count a number of flow switches that have detected a refrigerant flow rate equal to or more than the predetermined flow rate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A cooling system comprising the flow rate abnormality detection device according to claim 1.

### Claim 4

A flow rate abnormality detection method comprising:
determining a number of devices to be cooled;
outputting, by a flow rate detector, a first signal of a first current value proportional to a total flow rate of refrigerant supplied to the devices to be cooled;
outputting, by a circuit, a second signal of a second current value for determining whether the total flow rate is abnormal, based on the number of devices to be cooled;
determining that the total flow rate is abnormal when a magnitude of the first current value is smaller than a magnitude of the second current value; and
multiplying, by the circuit, a refrigerant flow rate per device to be cooled by the number of the devices to be cooled to calculate a threshold value,
wherein the refrigerant flow rate per device to be cooled is a predetermined constant, and the second signal indicates the threshold value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The flow rate abnormality detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a flow rate sensor that is provided in a main pipe through which the refrigerant supplied to the devices to be cooled flows and is configured to detect the total flow rate of the refrigerant supplied to the devices to be cooled.