(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,755,945 B2 Zuili Et Al
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USOO8755945B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,755,945 B2 Zuili et al. (45) Date of Patent: Jun. 17, 2014 (54) EFFICIENT COMPUTER COOLING (56) References Cited METHODS AND APPARATUS U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS (75) Inventors: Patrick Zuili, Boca Raton, FL (US); 2003/0173078 A1* 9/2003 Wellington et al. ...... 166,250.07 Todd Stabinski, Miami, FL (US); Daren 2007/0227170 A1 10/2007 Peng Stabinski, Weston, FL (US); Joe 2009/0248212 A1* 10, 2009 Cowanset al. ............... TOO.282 2009,0272143 A1 11/2009 Lin Arnold, Oakland Park, FL (US) 2010, 0023171 A1 1/2010 Bittner et al. ................. TOO.282 2010.0031681 A1 2/2010 Dolin .............................. 62,225 (73) Assignee: Powerquest LLC, Weston, FL (US) 2010, 0070085 A1 3/2010 Harrod et al. ................. 7OO/276 (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 271 days. KR 102003OO74932 A 9, 2003 KR 102003OO79553. A 10, 2003 (21) Appl. No.: 13/197,704 * cited by examiner (22) Filed: Aug. 3, 2011 Primary Examiner — Mohammad Ali Assistant Examiner — Anthony Whittington (65) Prior Publication Data US 2012/0035773 A1 Feb. 9, 2012 (57) ABSTRACT Methods and apparatus control the temperature of an elec tronic component of a computer. A temperature sensor is read Related U.S. Application Data that measures a temperature of an electronic component of a computer. The speed of a compressor is adjusted based on the (60) Provisional application No. 61/370,759, filed on Aug. read temperature to maintain a pre-defined temperature range 4, 2010, provisional application No. 61/422.999, filed for the electronic component. The compressor compresses a on Dec. 14, 2010, provisional application No. refrigerant. The refrigerant is sent to a condenser that con 61/514,316, filed on Aug. 2, 2011. denses the refrigerant. The refrigerant is sent to a heat exchanger that is thermally coupled to the electronic compo (51) Int. C. nent and that transfers thermal energy from the electronic G05D II/00 (2006.01) component to the refrigerant. Finally, the refrigerant is sent (52) U.S. C. back to the compressor. Solenoid valves can be used to con USPC ................................ 700/282; 60/408; 62/498 trol the flow of refrigerant to heat exchangers for one or more (58) Field of Classification Search additional electronic components. USPC ................................ 700/282; 60/408; 62/498 See application file for complete search history. 8 Claims, 21 Drawing Sheets U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 1 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 ves S U.S. Patent US 8,755,945 B2 :LINT50NITOOO U.S. Patent US 8,755,945 B2 #7“50/-4 U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 5 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 6 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 O g U U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 7 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 : U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 8 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 9 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 s U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 10 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 11 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 &ºxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 12 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 13 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 7-ZELL;X\/\/\\/\/\?72 ^8£,g* &·············································************'% SOILVEIHSO U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 14 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 15 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 16 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 17 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 R : C it. 8. O Q. w e O tezŠ al U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 18 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 19 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 READ A TEMPERATURE SENSOR THAT MEASURES A TEMPERATURE OF AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT OF A COMPUTER 2010 ADJUST THE SPEED OF A COMPRESSORBASED ON THE READ TEMPERATURE O MANTAIN A PRE-DEFINED TEMPERATURE RANGE FOR THE ELECTRONIC COMPONENT 2O2O END 2000 u FIG. 20 U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 20 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 s s U.S. Patent Jun. 17, 2014 Sheet 21 of 21 US 8,755,945 B2 US 8,755,945 B2 1. 2 EFFICIENT COMPUTER COOLING most likely cause short circuit and permanent damage. Sec METHODS AND APPARATUS ond, the water cannot be cooled to temperatures lower than the dew point, or else it will cause condensation on the cool CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED ing blocks and again expose the electronics to water and APPLICATION potential permanent damage. This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Patent Application No. 61/370,759, filed Aug. 4, 2010, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/422,999, filed Dec. 14, The skilled artisan will understand that the drawings, 2010, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/514, 10 described below, are for illustration purposes only. The draw 316, filed Aug. 2, 2011, which are incorporated by reference ings are not intended to limit the scope of the present teach herein in their entireties. ings in any way. FIG. 1 shows the door of a standard rack used to house BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 15 multiple server computers, according to an embodiment of 1. Field of the Invention the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention relate to cooling FIG. 2 shows a configuration of liquid cooling using a systems or refrigeration for computing systems. More par compressor(s) or absorption(s) alone or in combination ticularly, the present invention relate to cooling systems with according to one embodiment of the present invention. a unique structure to deliver cooling effect in highly efficient FIG. 3 shows a configuration of pressurized air cooling way to computing systems. using a compressor(s) or absorption(s) alone or in combina 2. Background Information tion according to one embodiment of the present invention. Personal computers today mainly use fans that blow air FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention, from the outside environment into the computer case and past in which the computer/server motherboard components are the electronic components such as the Central Processing 25 Submerged in a dielectric liquid (such as mineral oil) and Unit (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), and mother sealed in a watertight case using o-rings. board. Often the CPU and GPUs are connected to heat sinks FIG. 5 shows an exemplary metal cooling block that com to absorb the heat from these components; however air is still prises the top of the case of FIG.4, which has cavities within used to remove the heat from the heat sinks. In the commer the block to allow refrigerant to flow through the block and cial arena, most of the Small business don't use any specific 30 cool the block. means to cool down their server room beside their (pre-) FIG. 6 shows a side view of an exemplary CPU cooling existing air conditioning systems, which may provide a fixed block or appendage. (e.g., 77 F) temperature for the room, without any other FIGS. 7A-7B show a bottom view and side view of the method to verify that this temperature is constant. Often the CPU cooling block or appendage. same air conditioning system used for the server room is the 35 exact same one used to cool down the offices nearby, the cost FIGS. 8A-8D show the interior views of the CPU cooling to install a dedicated cooling system just for the servers in a block or appendage. Small business is far too expensive to install and operate. In FIGS. 9A-9C describe another possible cooling device that larger businesses, companies spend a great deal of money on may be incorporated into any of the embodiments of the special infrastructure. Such as large air conditioning units and 40 present invention. architecture, and on energy costs, to properly cool their server FIG. 10 shows an exemplary single compressor design, in computers, without solving the problems encountered by which a computer motherboard, central processing unit existing technology. (CPU), and graphics processing unit (GPU) are enclosed in a With existing technology, it is commonly known that cool Solid watertight case that may be made from metal or plastic. ing computers and servers is a difficult and inefficient task for 45 FIG. 11 shows an exemplary dual compressor design that multiple reasons. The first issue is that current technology includes a separate cooling circuit for the CPU and GPUs. uses air conditioning that cools the entire room in order to FIG. 12 shows another exemplary dual compressor design cool very small processors and electronic components within with two separate cooling circuits, each cooling circuit the computer, resulting in wasted energy. Existing technology includes its own compressor, condenser coil, and circuit also does not change the cooling capacity of the air condi 50 board. tioning based on the load of the computer, further wasting FIG. 13 shows another exemplary single compressor energy. Existing technology uses air to cool the electronic design in which the refrigeration circuit is only connected to components, which is an inefficient method of heat transfer.