Liquid supplementing tool for cooling system

Abstract

The application discloses a cooling system liquid supplement tool, which is suitable for supplementing cooling liquid for a cooling system by a cooling liquid tank. The cooling system liquid supplement tool comprises a liquid supplement pump, a pipeline set, a sub-pump and a current controller. The liquid supplement pump has a liquid inlet. The pipeline set comprises a first pipeline and a second pipeline. The first pipeline is suitable for connecting the liquid inlet of the liquid supplement pump and the cooling liquid tank. The second pipeline is suitable for connecting the first pipeline and the cooling liquid tank. The sub-pump is arranged in the second pipeline and is suitable for driving the fluid in the second pipeline to flow. The current controller is electrically connected with the sub-pump and is used for providing operating power for the sub-pump and controlling the operating time of the sub-pump. The application can automatically supplement the cooling liquid without human intervention or additional controller intervention. In addition, most of the air in the pipeline set can be discharged before entering the inside of the cooling system, so that the subsequent pumping and flowing efficiency of the cooling liquid is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a device for conveying fluid, and more particularly to a fluid replenishment fixture for replenishing coolant to a cooling system. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of computing performance of electronic devices, cooling distribution units (CDUs) have been widely used in data centers to quickly reduce the heat generated by electronic operating devices, thereby improving equipment operating efficiency and extending lifespan.

[0003] Generally, after a period of operation, a Cooling Duty Cycle (CDU) needs to be replenished with coolant periodically to maintain its performance. This process usually involves connecting a coolant pump inside the CDU to a coolant reservoir on the outside via a hose. The coolant pump allows coolant from the reservoir to be added to the CDU through the hose, thus maintaining the CDU's normal operation.

[0004] However, in actual operation, a problem often occurs: although the replenishment pump can actuate liquids and gases, in the initial stage of starting the replenishment pump, the replenishment pump often runs dry due to a large amount of air in the hose, which cannot effectively draw in coolant, and may even cause the replenishment pump to overheat and be damaged.

[0005] To address this issue, the current practice is typically to manually purge the air from the hose. This can be done by filling another container with coolant and pouring it into the hose from one end until coolant overflows from both ends of the hose within the coolant reservoir. Then, the first end of the hose is connected to the coolant pump. Alternatively, the hose can be placed in a larger container, laid horizontally and fully submerged in coolant to expel air. The hose, now filled with coolant, is then connected to both ends of the coolant pump and the coolant reservoir, respectively. Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, the aforementioned method of manually removing air from the hoses is not only cumbersome and time-consuming, but also makes it difficult to avoid coolant splashing onto the ground or around the machine. Besides requiring subsequent cleaning, this can also cause short circuits in electronic equipment or accidents such as slipping. Furthermore, the small amount of air remaining in the hoses still requires the coolant pump to run continuously for a period of time before being introduced into the CDU and then expelled to the outside via the vent valve at the top of the CDU. This still negatively impacts the efficiency of coolant suction and flow.

[0007] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the inventor, feeling that it was not perfect, devoted himself to researching and overcoming these shortcomings, and thus developed a cooling system replenishment fixture that can automatically replenish coolant without human intervention or additional controllers. Furthermore, most of the air in the piping assembly can be expelled before entering the cooling system, improving the efficiency of subsequent coolant suction and flow.

[0008] To achieve the above and other objectives, the present invention provides a cooling system replenishment fixture, suitable for replenishing the cooling system with coolant from a coolant tank. The cooling system replenishment fixture includes: a replenishment pump having a liquid inlet; a pipeline assembly including a first pipeline and a second pipeline, the first pipeline being adapted to connect the liquid inlet of the replenishment pump to the coolant tank, and the second pipeline being adapted to connect the first pipeline to the coolant tank; an auxiliary pump disposed in the second pipeline, adapted to drive the fluid flow within the second pipeline; and a current controller electrically connected to the auxiliary pump for providing operating power to the auxiliary pump and controlling the operating time of the auxiliary pump.

[0009] Optionally, the current controller can be a relay.

[0010] Optionally, the current controller can be a time relay or a time delay relay.

[0011] Optionally, the above-described cooling system replenishment fixture may also include another current controller electrically connected to the replenishment pump, so that the replenishment pump can be started and stopped by the other current controller.

[0012] Optionally, the replenishment pump may further include a three-way connector with three connection ports, which are respectively connected to the inlet section, the first pipeline, and the second pipeline.

[0013] Optionally, the pipeline assembly may further include a third pipeline, one end of which is connected to a liquid outlet of the replenishing pump, and the other end of which is adapted to be connected to the interior of the cooling system. The replenishing pump may further include a check valve, which may be connected to the liquid outlet and one end of the third pipeline, or may be located between the two ends of the third pipeline.

[0014] Optionally, the auxiliary pump has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and the second pipeline may include a first section and a second section. One end of the first section of the second pipeline may be connected to the fluid inlet, and the other end is adapted to be connected to the coolant tank. The second section of the second pipeline may be connected to the fluid outlet and the first pipeline.

[0015] Optionally, the above-mentioned cooling system replenishment fixture may also include a housing, and the replenishment pump, the auxiliary pump and the current controller may all be housed within the housing.

[0016] Optionally, the replenishing pump or the auxiliary pump can be a diaphragm pump, a pneumatic pump, a self-priming pump, or a vortex pump.

[0017] Therefore, the coolant replenishment fixture of the present invention can achieve automatic coolant replenishment, eliminating the need for manual air removal from the piping assembly, thus improving the efficiency and convenience of coolant replenishment, and preventing coolant splashing onto the ground or around the machine. Furthermore, most of the air in the piping assembly can be expelled into the coolant tank before being introduced into the cooling system, improving the efficiency of subsequent coolant suction and flow. In particular, the coolant replenishment fixture of the present invention uses a current controller to provide operating power to the auxiliary pump, so different capacity current controllers can be selected to meet different auxiliary pump operating time requirements without manual intervention or additional controllers. This not only provides excellent ease of use but also effectively reduces equipment costs and complexity, and offers high control stability with very few malfunctions, reducing maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings required in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover of the outer shell is not shown.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a partially enlarged three-dimensional schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the outer shell is not shown.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a simplified structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the arrow indicates the direction of coolant flow when the auxiliary pump is operating.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a simplified structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the arrow indicates the direction of coolant flow when the replenishment pump is operating.

[0023] Figure Labels

[0024] 1. Fluid replenishment pump

[0025] 11 Liquid Inlet Section

[0026] 12 Discharge part

[0027] 13 T-connector

[0028] 131 connector

[0029] 14 Check valve

[0030] 2 Piping Assembly

[0031] 21 First Pipeline

[0032] 22 Second Pipeline

[0033] 221 First paragraph

[0034] 222 Second paragraph

[0035] 23 Third Pipeline

[0036] 3 auxiliary pump

[0037] 31 Fluid inlet

[0038] 32 Fluid outlet

[0039] 4 Current Controller

[0040] 5. Outer shell

[0041] T Coolant tank Detailed Implementation

[0042] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will further illustrate the liquid replenishment fixture for the cooling system of the present invention.

[0043] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 This is a preferred embodiment of the liquid replenishment fixture for the cooling system of the present invention. The liquid replenishment fixture for the cooling system includes a liquid replenishment pump 1, a piping assembly 2, an auxiliary pump 3, and a current controller 4. The piping assembly 2 connects the liquid replenishment pump 1 and the auxiliary pump 3, and the piping assembly 2 is adapted to connect to a coolant tank (not shown in the figure); the current controller 4 is electrically connected to the auxiliary pump 3.

[0044] The replenishment pump 1 has an inlet section 11 and an outlet section 12. When the replenishment pump 1 is in operation, it can drive fluid from the inlet section 11 into the replenishment pump 1 and discharge it from the outlet section 12. In one embodiment of the present invention, the replenishment pump 1 can be a type of pump such as a diaphragm pump, an air-operated pump, a self-priming pump, a vortex pump, or a positive displacement pump, and the replenishment pump 1 can be adapted to drive the flow of gas, liquid, or a mixture thereof. Among these, a diaphragm pump is preferred because it is not easily burned out or damaged even when operating under conditions where no liquid is drawn and gas is pumped for a long time.

[0045] The pipeline assembly 2 includes a first pipeline 21 and a second pipeline 22. The first pipeline 21 is adapted to connect the inlet section 11 of the replenishment pump 1 to the coolant tank, and the second pipeline 22 is adapted to connect the first pipeline 21 to the coolant tank.

[0046] The auxiliary pump 3 is disposed in the second pipeline 22 and is adapted to drive the fluid flow within the second pipeline 22. In one embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary pump 3 has a fluid inlet 31 and a fluid outlet 32, and the second pipeline 22 may include a first section 221 and a second section 222. One end of the first section 221 of the second pipeline 22 is connected to the fluid inlet 31 of the auxiliary pump 3, and the other end is adapted to be connected to the coolant tank; the second section 222 of the second pipeline 22 connects the fluid outlet 32 ​​of the auxiliary pump 3 and the first pipeline 21. Furthermore, the auxiliary pump 3 may be the same as or a different type of pump as the replenishment pump 1, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0047] The current controller 4 is electrically connected to the auxiliary pump 3 to provide operating power to the auxiliary pump 3 and control the operating time of the auxiliary pump 3. The current controller 4 may be, for example, a relay.

[0048] The coolant replenishment fixture of this embodiment can be used to replenish coolant to a cooling system (e.g., but not limited to a CDU). Please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 3To replenish coolant, the current controller 4 first supplies operating power to the auxiliary pump 3, causing it to start operating and drive the fluid flow in the second pipe 22. At this time, the auxiliary pump 3 draws coolant into the coolant tank T and allows it to flow through the second pipe 22 into the first pipe 21, before flowing back into the coolant tank T. After this cycle is completed at least once, most of the air in the first pipe 21 is introduced into the coolant tank T, filling the first pipe 21 with coolant or leaving only a small amount of air.

[0049] Please refer to the following for further information. Figure 1 and Figure 4 After the auxiliary pump 3 has been operating for a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds), the current controller 4 stops supplying operating power to the auxiliary pump 3, causing the auxiliary pump 3 to stop operating; then the replenishment pump 1 is started, which ensures that the replenishment pump 1 can smoothly draw coolant from the coolant tank T through the first pipeline 21 and input it into the cooling system, so as to smoothly complete the replenishment of coolant.

[0050] Accordingly, the coolant replenishment fixture of this embodiment can achieve the effect of automatic coolant replenishment. It not only eliminates the need for operators to manually remove air from the pipe assembly 2, thus improving the efficiency and convenience of coolant replenishment, but also prevents coolant from splashing onto the ground or around the machine. Furthermore, most of the air in the pipe assembly 2 can be introduced into the coolant tank and discharged before being introduced into the cooling system, improving the efficiency of subsequent coolant suction and flow.

[0051] In particular, the fluid replenishment fixture of this embodiment provides the operating power of the auxiliary pump 3 with the current controller 4. Therefore, different operating time requirements of the auxiliary pump 3 can be met by selecting a current controller 4 with different capacities, without the need for human intervention or additional controller intervention. It is not only convenient to use, but also effectively reduces equipment cost and complexity. Moreover, the control stability is quite high, and failures rarely occur, which can reduce maintenance costs.

[0052] In addition to the embodiments described above, in one embodiment of the present invention, the current controller 4 may be, for example, a time relay or a delay relay. Thus, this embodiment can control the switching state of the circuit according to a set time delay, adjusting the delay time as needed. That is, the current controller 4 effectively controls the operating time of the auxiliary pump 3, and after the auxiliary pump 3 stops, controls the start of the replenishment pump 1 according to a preset time. In other words, the operation of the auxiliary pump 3 is controlled by an adjustable relay, allowing the operating time to be set as needed without the need for an additional controller, reducing equipment costs and simplifying control settings.

[0053] It is worth noting that the operation of the replenishment pump 1 typically requires a control system to start and stop it. In one embodiment of the present invention, the replenishment fixture may further include another current controller 4, which is electrically connected to the replenishment pump 1, allowing the start and stop of the replenishment pump 1 to be controlled by the other current controller 4. Thus, after the auxiliary pump 3 stops operating, the replenishment pump 1 can be automatically started by the other current controller 4; and the operating time of the replenishment pump 1 and the auxiliary pump 3 can be set according to different needs. Alternatively, in other possible embodiments, other types of controllers (such as PLC or MCU) may be used to control the operation of the replenishment pump 1.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 2 In addition to the above embodiments, in one embodiment of the present invention, the replenishing pump 1 may further include a three-way connector 13, which has three connection ports 131, respectively connecting the liquid inlet 11, the first pipeline 21, and the second pipeline 22. Thus, the replenishing fixture of this embodiment not only improves the convenience and efficiency of assembling the pipeline assembly 2 through the three-way connector 13, but also allows the second pipeline 22 to connect to the first pipeline 21 as close as possible to the replenishing pump 1, thereby increasing the amount of air that can be expelled from the first pipeline 21 during the operation of the auxiliary pump 3, further reducing the amount of residual air in the first pipeline 21, and ensuring that the first pipeline 21 is almost completely filled with coolant.

[0055] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the pipeline assembly 2 further includes a third pipeline 23, one end of which is connected to the outlet section 12 of the replenishing pump 1, and the other end is adapted to connect to the interior of the cooling system. The replenishing pump 1 may also include a check valve 14, which connects the outlet section 12 and one end of the third pipeline 23, or is disposed between the two ends of the third pipeline 23. In this way, the check valve 14 can ensure that the coolant can only flow into the interior of the cooling system and will not flow back to the replenishing pump 1.

[0056] On the other hand, please refer to... Figure 1 The fluid replenishment fixture of this embodiment may also include a housing 5. The fluid replenishment pump 1, the auxiliary pump 3, and the current controller 4 can be integrated into the housing 5 for sale and installation. The housing 5 also provides protection for these components, preventing damage during transportation or installation, and facilitates the installation of the control circuitry within the housing 5, achieving dust and moisture protection. Furthermore, this invention does not limit the form of the housing 5 and is not limited to what is shown in the drawings of this embodiment.

[0057] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A coolant replenishment fixture for a cooling system, suitable for replenishing coolant to the cooling system from a coolant tank, characterized in that, include: A replenishing pump with an inlet section; A piping assembly, including a first piping and a second piping, wherein the first piping is adapted to connect the inlet of the replenishment pump to the coolant tank, and the second piping is adapted to connect the first piping to the coolant tank; A secondary pump, located in the second pipeline, is adapted to drive the fluid flow within the second pipeline; and A current controller, electrically connected to the auxiliary pump, is used to provide operating power to the auxiliary pump and control the operating time of the auxiliary pump.

2. The liquid replenishment fixture for the cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The current controller is a relay.

3. The liquid replenishment fixture for the cooling system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The current controller is a time relay or a time delay relay.

4. The liquid replenishment fixture for the cooling system according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes another current controller electrically connected to the replenishment pump so that the replenishment pump can be started and stopped by the other current controller.

5. The liquid replenishment fixture for the cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The replenishment pump also includes a three-way connector with three connection ports, which are respectively connected to the inlet section, the first pipeline, and the second pipeline.

6. The liquid replenishment fixture for the cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pipeline assembly also includes a third pipeline, one end of which is connected to a liquid outlet of the replenishing pump, and the other end is adapted to be connected to the interior of the cooling system. The replenishing pump also includes a check valve, which is connected to the liquid outlet and one end of the third pipeline, or is located between the two ends of the third pipeline.

7. The liquid replenishment fixture for the cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The auxiliary pump has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The second pipeline includes a first section and a second section. One end of the first section of the second pipeline is connected to the fluid inlet, and the other end is adapted to connect to the coolant tank. The second section of the second pipeline connects the fluid outlet and the first pipeline.

8. The liquid replenishment fixture for the cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a housing, in which the replenishment pump, the auxiliary pump and the current controller are all housed.

9. The liquid replenishment fixture for the cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The replenishing pump or the auxiliary pump is a diaphragm pump, a pneumatic pump, a self-priming pump, or a vortex pump.

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