Cooling of a memory device

#This invention relates to a system for, and a method of, providing cooling of a memory device. In an embodiment, the invention provides rapid memory cooling of a volatile memory device in the event of unexpected power loss.

#Volatile RAM is often used as write cache in storage or processing systems. Although this has technical advantages, there is the significant disadvantage that if there is a loss of power before the data reaches the storage disk, then data can be lost before it has been safely stored. Various schemes to preserve the data are available. One such scheme uses high current battery systems to dump the data to disk, hopefully before the data is lost, or to maintain the contents until normal power is restored. None of these systems is perfect. For example, high current batteries might not be suitable for use in some environments due to the risk of fire, and there is still a risk that data will be lost due to a flat battery.

#According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for providing cooling of a memory device comprising a cooling system arranged to store a coolant, a valve system connected to the output of the cooling system, and a control system connected to the valve system and arranged to open the valve system when power is lost to the control system.

#Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for providing cooling of a memory device,

#FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of a system for providing cooling of a memory device,

#FIG. 1 shows schematically a system for providing cooling of a memory device 10. The system comprises a cooling system 12, which is arranged to store a coolant, a valve system 14, which is connected to the output of the cooling system 12, and a control system 16, which is connected to the valve system 14 and is arranged to open the valve system 14 when power is lost to the control system 16. The purpose of the system shown in FIG. 1 is to provide emergency protection for the memory device 10, which in this example is a volatile memory system 10, which requires power to maintain its storage function.

#The system also comprises a delivery system 18, which is connected to the output of the valve system 14 and is arranged to deliver the coolant from the cooling system 12 to the memory device 10. The delivery system 18 is optional and will depend upon the specific implementation of the overall system. In this example, the delivery system 18 takes the form of a sealed pipe that is in close proximity to the memory device 10 and snakes to and fro over the memory device 10. The cooling system 12 comprises a canister of low boiling point fluid and this is exhausted at the end of the delivery system 18.

#The valve system 14 comprises a pair of valves A and B that are in series. The valve system 14 comprises a valve A that requires power to remain open. The valve B requires power to switch the valve B from open to closed position and vice versa, but the removal of power from the valve B does not change its configuration in any way. The two valves A and B are connected to the control system 16 which operates these two valves. The control system 16 is connected to other (not shown) components, as is the memory system 10. Both the control system 16 and the memory system 10 are powered by external power sources (not shown).