Method and apparatus for cooling heat generating components
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsChandrakant D. Patel, Cullen E. Bash
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Abstract
A device and a system for cooling heat generating electronics is disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention is a system for cooling at least one computer component. The system has a plurality of cold plates which are adapted to transfer heat from a plurality of computer components to a cooling fluid. A supply line supplies the cooling fluid to and from these cold plates. The system also has a housing with one or more racks to support the computer component(s). The racks may also support the cold plates so that the cold plates are in thermal communication with at least one computer component.
Claims22
A system for cooling at least one computer component, said system comprising:
- a plurality of cold plates adapted to transfer heat from a plurality of computer components to a cooling fluid, wherein the cooling fluid flows through respective interiors of the plurality of cold plates;
- a supply line to supply said cooling fluid into, and out from, said plurality of cold plates;
- a heat exchanger adapted to transfer heat from the cooling fluid to a medium, to thereby cool the cooling fluid;
- a chilled medium supply, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to receive chilled medium from the chilled medium supply;
- and
- a controllable valve configured to modulate the supply of medium from the chilled medium supply to thereby vary the transfer of heat from the cooling fluid to the chilled medium.
A system for cooling a plurality of computer components, said system comprising:
- a plurality of means for absorbing heat from the plurality of computer components;
- means for holding the plurality of computer components in thermal attachment with the plurality of means for absorbing heat;
- means for supplying cooling fluid into the plurality of means for absorbing heat, wherein the means for supplying cooling fluid is configured to variably supply cooling fluid into the plurality of means fur absorbing heat;
- means for cooling the cooling fluid, said means for cooling including a chilled medium;
- and
- means for modulating a supply of the chilled medium, wherein the means for modulating is configured to vary the transfer of heat from the cooling fluid to the chilled medium.
A method for cooling at least one computer component, said at least one computer component being thermally attached to a cold plate, said method comprising:
- supplying cooling fluid into the cold plate from a supply line for supplying cooling fluid into a plurality of cold plates;
- varying the amount of cooling fluid supplied into the cold plate based upon at least one detected condition;
- and
- circulating the cooling fluid through the cold plate and out of the cold plate such that heat is absorbed from the at least one computer component into the cooling fluid circulating in the cold plate;
- circulating the cooling fluid through a heat exchanger such that the heat exchanger absorbs heat from the cooling fluid to thereby cool the cooling fluid;
- and
- modulating the operation of the heat exchanger to vary a supply of a medium configured to absorb heat from the cooling fluid to thereby vary a level of heat exchange between the cooling fluid and the heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.