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US 7,418,825 B1Granted
IT equipment cooling
AssigneeAmerican Power Conversion Corporation
InventorJohn H. Bean, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for cooling gas heated by passing the gas over heat-producing equipment to cool the equipment comprises a heat exchanger including a first heat transfer mechanism configured to transfer heat from the heated gas to a first coolant, and a first condensing module connected for fluid communication with the heat exchanger and including second and third heat transfer mechanisms, the first condensing module being configured to transfer heat through the second and third heat transfer mechanisms from the first coolant to second and third coolants in the second and third heat transfer mechanisms, respectively.
Claims19
A system for cooling gas heated by heat-producing electronic equipment, the system comprising:
- a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the heated gas to a first coolant;
- a first cooling module connected for fluid communication with the heat exchanger and including a first condenser configured to cool and condense incoming first coolant from vapor to liquid, the first cooling module being configured to transfer heat from the first coolant to a second coolant to cool the first coolant;
- a second cooling module connected for fluid communication with the heat exchanger and including a second condenser configured to cool and condense incoming first coolant from vapor to liquid, the second cooling module being configured to transfer heat from the first coolant to a third coolant to cool the first coolant;
- and
- a condenser-charge controller configured to regulate a first coolant liquid level in the first condenser.
2 more elements
A system for cooling gas heated by passing the gas over heat-producing equipment to cool the equipment, the system comprising:
- a heat exchanger including a heat exchanger heat transfer mechanism configured to transfer heat from the heated gas to a heat exchanger coolant;
- a first condensing module connected for fluid communication with the heat exchanger and including a first heat transfer mechanism, the first condensing module being configured to transfer heat through the first heat transfer mechanism from the heat exchanger coolant to a first coolant in the first heat transfer mechanism;
- a second condensing module connected for fluid communication with the heat exchanger and including a second heat transfer mechanism, the second condensing module being configured to transfer heat through the second heat transfer mechanism from the heat exchanger coolant to a second coolant in the second heat transfer mechanism;
- and
- a processor coupled to the first and second condensing modules and configured to assign a cooling task to each of the condensing modules based upon expected cooling demand for the heat exchanger coolant and cooling capacities providable by at least the first and second condensing modules;
- wherein the processor is configured to assign the first condensing module as a primary module for cooling the heat exchanger coolant, to assign the second condensing module as a lag module for cooling the heat exchanger coolant, if the expected cooling demand exceeds a cooling capacity providable by the first condensing module, and to assign the second condensing module as a redundant module if the cooling capacity of the first condensing module plus the cooling capacity of any lag condensing modules is at least as great as the expected cooling demand, the redundant module being designated for use in cooling a backup refrigerant if the primary module and any lag modules are operational and for cooling the heat exchanger coolant if the primary module or any lag modules are not operational.
3 more elements
A system for cooling gas heated by passing the gas over heat-producing equipment to cool the equipment, the system comprising:
- a heat exchanger including a heat exchanger heat transfer mechanism configured to transfer heat from the heated gas to a heat exchanger coolant;
- a first condensing module connected for fluid communication with the heat exchanger and including a first heat transfer mechanism, the first condensing module being configured to transfer heat through the first heat transfer mechanism from the heat exchanger coolant to a first coolant in the first heat transfer mechanism;
- and
- a second condensing module connected for fluid communication with the heat exchanger and including a second heat transfer mechanism, the second condensing module being configured to transfer heat through the second heat transfer mechanism from the heat exchanger coolant to a second coolant in the second heat transfer mechanism;
- wherein the system is configured to use excess cooling capacity of the second condensing module to produce ice for use in cooling the heat exchanger coolant if the first condensing module is inoperative.
2 more elements
A system for cooling gas heated by passing the gas over heat-producing equipment to cool the equipment, the system comprising:
- a heat exchanger including a heat exchanger heat transfer mechanism configured to transfer heat from the heated gas to a heat exchanger coolant;
- a first condensing module connected for fluid communication with the heat exchanger and including a first heat transfer mechanism, the first condensing module being configured to transfer heat through the first heat transfer mechanism from the heat exchanger coolant to a first coolant in the first heat transfer mechanism;
- a second condensing module connected for fluid communication with the heat exchanger and including a second heat transfer mechanism, the second condensing module being configured to transfer heat through the second heat transfer mechanism from the heat exchanger coolant to a second coolant in the second heat transfer mechanism, wherein the second heat transfer mechanism is further configured to transfer heat through the second heat transfer mechanism from the heat exchanger coolant to a third coolant in the second heat transfer mechanism, wherein the second heat transfer mechanism is further configured to transfer heat through the second heat transfer mechanism from the heat exchanger coolant to a third coolant in the second heat transfer mechanism;
- and
- an ice storage tank connected to the second heat transfer mechanism, wherein the second condensing module includes a battery and a pump that is connected to the battery and the ice storage tank, and wherein the battery is configured to power the pump and the pump is connected and configured to circulate the third coolant between the second heat transfer mechanism and the ice storage tank to cool the third coolant with the ice and to cool the heat exchanger coolant with the third coolant.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.