Liquid cooling control system and control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses a liquid cooling control system and a control method thereof. The liquid cooling control system includes a liquid storage tank, a first liquid pipeline, a second liquid pipeline, a radiator, a first circulation motor, an electric fan, a first temperature sensor and a control device.. The radiator has a heat dissipation pipe. The first temperature sensor is disposed in the heat dissipation pipe, senses the liquid temperature inside the heat dissipation pipe and generates a first temperature sensing signal. The first temperature sensor transmits the first temperature sensing signal to a control device. The control device controls the rotational speed of the electric fan according to the first temperature sensing signal, thereby performing air cooling of the heat sink with different intensities through the electric fan. The present invention has the advantages of high stability and high heat exchange efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a cooling control system and method, and more particularly to a liquid cooling control system and control method for an information processing device. Prior Technology

[0002] With the rapid advancement of technology, the demand for high-speed computing is increasing. General information processing equipment, such as servers, generates a significant amount of heat during operation. Overheating can lead to slower performance or system crashes. Therefore, efficient heat dissipation is crucial. Conventional servers typically use airflow for cooling; however, when server rack temperatures rise rapidly, traditional air cooling becomes inadequate. Liquid cooling systems utilize liquid as a heat exchange medium. Because liquids have significantly higher thermal conductivity than air, this technology is considered a mainstream approach for high-power system cooling. However, when thermal load, ambient temperature, or cooling system conditions change suddenly, the slow response of liquids prevents them from quickly reaching the set thermal equilibrium point, leading to overheating. This can affect component lifespan and, in severe cases, trigger over-temperature protection, causing the entire system to shut down.

[0003] In view of the lack of prior art, the inventor of this case has devoted himself to research and finally completed the liquid cooling control system and its control method to overcome the lack of prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a liquid cooling control system and its control method, which can promptly sense and improve the system's response speed and prevent the system from overheating.

[0005] Another objective of this invention is to provide a liquid cooling control system and its control method, which has inner and outer loops and has the advantages of high stability and high heat exchange efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a liquid cooling control system connected to an external cooling device. The liquid cooling control system includes: a storage tank, a first liquid pipeline, a second liquid pipeline, a radiator, and a circulation motor. The storage tank stores a coolant; the first liquid pipeline connects to the external cooling device and provides coolant; the second liquid pipeline receives coolant returned from the external cooling device; the radiator has an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end connects to the second liquid pipeline and guides the returned coolant into the heat dissipation pipeline inside the radiator, and the outlet end discharges the cooled coolant, the outlet end extending into the heat dissipation pipeline connecting to the storage tank; the first circulation motor connects to the storage tank and can drive the liquid in the storage tank to flow to the first liquid pipeline; an electric fan; a first temperature sensor disposed in the heat dissipation pipeline to sense the temperature of the coolant in the heat dissipation pipeline and generate a first temperature sensing signal; and a control device; wherein the first temperature sensor transmits the first temperature sensing signal to the control device, and the control device controls the speed of the electric fan based on the first temperature sensing signal.

[0007] In some embodiments, the control device includes a first PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control module, which calculates the fan speed based on the first temperature sensing signal and the sensor target temperature.

[0008] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling control system further includes a second temperature sensor disposed within the first liquid pipeline to sense the temperature of the coolant within the first liquid pipeline and generate a second temperature sensing signal.

[0009] In some embodiments, the control device further includes a second PID control module, which calculates the sensor target temperature based on the second temperature sensing signal and the target water supply temperature.

[0010] In some embodiments, a first check valve is provided between the first circulating motor and the first liquid pipeline to prevent coolant backflow.

[0011] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention further provides a liquid cooling control method for controlling a liquid cooling system. This control system is connected to an external cooling device. The liquid cooling system includes a storage tank, a first liquid pipeline, a second liquid pipeline, a radiator, a first circulating motor, and an electric fan. The storage tank stores coolant. The first liquid pipeline connects to the external cooling device and provides coolant. The second liquid pipeline receives coolant returning from the external cooling device. The radiator has an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end connects to the second liquid pipeline and guides the returning coolant into the heat dissipation pipeline inside the radiator, and the outlet end leads to dissipation. The cooled liquid, after being heated, has a heat dissipation pipe extending from its outlet end to connect to the liquid storage tank. The first circulation motor is connected to the liquid storage tank and can drive the liquid in the liquid storage tank to flow to the first liquid pipe. The liquid cooling control method includes the following steps: sensing the temperature of the coolant in the heat dissipation pipe through a first temperature sensor and generating a first temperature sensing signal; inputting the first temperature sensing signal and a sensor target temperature into a first PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control module; and the first PID control module calculating the speed of the electric fan based on the first temperature sensing signal and the sensor target temperature.

[0012] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling control method further includes: sensing the temperature of the coolant in the first liquid pipeline by using a second temperature sensor and generating a second temperature sensing signal.

[0013] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling control method further includes: inputting the second temperature sensing signal and a target temperature of a water supply temperature sensor into a second PID control module; the second PID control module calculates the set of judgments based on the second temperature sensing signal and the target temperature of the water supply and outputs a target temperature of the cooling temperature sensor.

[0014] This invention provides a liquid cooling control system and its control method. A first temperature sensor is installed inside the heat dissipation pipes of the radiator. The first temperature sensor transmits a first temperature sensing signal to a control device, which controls the speed of an electric fan based on the first temperature sensing signal. This invention can promptly sense the temperature of the coolant inside the heat dissipation pipes and adjust the speed of the electric fan located outside the radiator accordingly. The electric fan provides air cooling of the radiator at different intensities. This allows for timely sensing and improvement of the system's response speed, preventing overheating. Furthermore, this invention provides a liquid cooling control system and its control method that has inner and outer loops, offering advantages such as high stability and high heat exchange efficiency.

[0015] To further understand the features and technical content of the present invention, various embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments are only used as examples and do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the liquid cooling control system of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the control device of the present invention. Figure 3 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the liquid cooling control method of the present invention. Implementation

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the liquid cooling control system of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the present invention is a liquid cooling control system 1, which is connected to an external cooling device (not shown). The liquid cooling control system 1 includes: a liquid storage tank 10, a first liquid pipeline 20, a second liquid pipeline 30, a radiator 40, a first circulation motor 50, an electric fan 60, a first temperature sensor 80, and a control device 90. The reservoir 10 is used to store coolant, which may be, for example, pure water, etc., but is not limited thereto. The first liquid line 20 is connected to an external cooling device (not shown) and provides coolant. It should be noted that the external cooling device may be, for example, a water-cooled plate or water-cooling head installed on an external server, to remove the heat dissipated by the internal components of the external server for cooling. The second liquid line 30 receives the coolant returned from the external cooling device. The radiator 40 has an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end is connected to the second liquid line 30 and introduces the returned coolant into the heat dissipation pipe 42 inside the radiator 40, and the outlet end discharges the cooled coolant. It should be noted that the radiator of this invention... The heat dissipation pipe 42 extending from the outlet end of 40 is connected to the liquid storage tank 10; the first circulation motor 50 is connected to the liquid storage tank 10 and can drive the liquid in the liquid storage tank 10 to flow to the first liquid pipe 20 to complete an internal circulation; wherein the heat dissipation pipe 42 is provided with a first temperature sensor 80 to sense the temperature of the coolant in the heat dissipation pipe 42 and generate a first temperature sensing signal. The first temperature sensor 80 transmits the first temperature sensing signal to the control device 90. The control device 90 controls the speed of the electric fan 60 according to the first temperature sensing signal, so that the electric fan 60 can perform air cooling of the radiator 40 with different intensities, sense and adjust the temperature in time, improve the system response speed, and avoid the system overheating.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, in some embodiments, a first check valve 70 is provided between the first circulating motor 50 and the first liquid pipeline 20 to prevent coolant backflow. In this invention, a second circulating motor 52 may also be provided in parallel with the first circulating motor 50 as needed. The second circulating motor 52 is connected to the liquid storage tank 10 and can drive the liquid in the liquid storage tank 10 to flow to the first liquid pipeline 20. Similarly, a second check valve 72 may be provided between the second circulating motor 52 and the first liquid pipeline 20 to prevent coolant backflow. It should be noted that the embodiments of this invention are not limited to this. Multiple circulating motors and multiple corresponding check valves may be provided in parallel to improve the overall circulation efficiency of the system.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, in some embodiments, a second temperature sensor 82 is provided on the first liquid line 20 to sense the coolant temperature at the first liquid line 20; a return water temperature sensor 84 is provided on the second liquid line 30 to sense the coolant temperature at the second liquid line 30; the exterior of the radiator 40 may be, for example, heat dissipation fins, but is not limited thereto. The radiator 40 may include a housing, internal heat dissipation pipes, etc., and multiple radiators 40 may be used together, each equipped with multiple heat dissipation fins, etc. It should be noted that the return water temperature sensor 84 can sense the fluid temperature returning to the second liquid line 30 of this system. The return liquid at the second liquid line 30 may be liquid supplied by a device (e.g., a heat-generating server) for liquid cooling, and the temperature displayed by the return water temperature sensor 84 is usually higher than the temperature displayed by the second temperature sensor 82.

[0020] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the control device of the present invention. Please also refer to Figure 1. As shown in the figure, in some embodiments, the control device 90 includes a first PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control module 910, which can calculate the speed of the electric fan based on the first temperature sensing signal T1 and the sensor target temperature 88. The liquid cooling control system 1 also includes a second temperature sensor 82, which is disposed in the first liquid pipeline 20 to sense the temperature of the coolant in the first liquid pipeline 20 and generate a second temperature sensing signal T2. The control device 90 further includes a second PID control module 920. The second PID control module 920 calculates a sensor target temperature 88 based on the second temperature sensing signal T2 and the target water supply temperature 86. The obtained sensor target temperature 88 is then fed into the first PID control module 910 of the liquid cooling control system 1. The first PID control module 910 receives the sensor target temperature 88 and the first temperature sensing signal T1 and calculates the rotational speed of the electric fan 60. Specifically, the second PID control module 920 can calculate the sensor target temperature 88 based on the second temperature sensing signal T2 and the target water supply temperature 86, wherein the target water supply temperature 86 can be determined by the second PID control module 920. In some embodiments, the target water supply temperature 86 can also be set by the user or operator of the liquid cooling control system 1. The difference between the target water supply temperature 86 and the second temperature sensing signal T2 can be input into the second PID control module 920. The first PID control module 910 can calculate the rotational speed of the electric fan 60 based on the first temperature sensing signal T1 sensed by the first temperature sensor 80 and the sensor target temperature 88. The heat dissipation of the liquid cooling control system 1 is adjusted by controlling the rotational speed of the electric fan 60, and the electric fan 60 blows air toward the radiator 40. The first temperature sensor 80 used in this invention can react or measure the effect of the change in the rotational speed of the electric fan 60 on the liquid temperature more quickly. Since this control method calculates and adjusts the sensor target temperature 88, the temperature at the outlet of the first liquid pipeline 20 (sensed by the second temperature sensor 82) of the liquid cooling control system 1 is not over-adjusted.

[0021] Figure 3 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the liquid cooling control method of the present invention. Please refer to Figures 1 and 2 simultaneously. As shown in the figures, the present invention provides a liquid cooling control method for controlling a liquid cooling system. The liquid cooling system is connected to an external cooling device (not shown). The liquid cooling system includes a storage tank 10, a first liquid pipeline 20, a second liquid pipeline 30, a radiator 40, a first circulation motor 50, and an electric fan 60. The storage tank 10 is used to store coolant. The first liquid pipeline 20 is connected to the external cooling device and provides coolant. The second liquid pipeline 30 receives coolant returned from the external cooling device. The radiator 40 has an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end is connected to the second liquid pipeline 30 and introduces the returned coolant into the heat dissipation pipeline 42 inside the radiator 40. The outlet end discharges the cooled coolant. A heat dissipation pipe 42 extends from the outlet and connects to the liquid storage tank 10. A first circulation motor 50 connects to the liquid storage tank 10 and can drive the liquid in the liquid storage tank 10 to flow to the first liquid pipe 20. The liquid cooling control method includes the following steps: sensing the temperature of the coolant in the heat dissipation pipe through a first temperature sensor and generating a first temperature sensing signal (step S1); inputting the first temperature sensing signal and a sensor target temperature into a first PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control module (step S2); the first PID control module calculates the speed of the electric fan based on the first temperature sensing signal and the sensor target temperature (step S3).

[0022] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 simultaneously. In one embodiment, step S1 mainly involves the first temperature sensor 80 sensing the temperature of the coolant in the heat dissipation pipe 42 and generating a first temperature sensing signal T1. Furthermore, the liquid cooling control method of the present invention senses the temperature of the coolant in the first liquid pipe 20 through the second temperature sensor 82 and generates a second temperature sensing signal T2; the second temperature sensing signal T2 and the target water supply temperature 86 are input into the second PID control module 920; the second PID control module 920 calculates the sensor target temperature 88 based on the second temperature sensing signal T2 and the target water supply temperature 86.

[0023] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 simultaneously. In one embodiment, the sensor target temperature 88, obtained by the second PID control module 920 based on the second temperature sensing signal T2 and the water supply target temperature 86, is fed into the first PID control module 910 of the liquid cooling control system 1. The first PID control module 910 receives the sensor target temperature 88 and the first temperature sensing signal T1, and then calculates the rotational speed of the air-cooled fan 60. A detailed description has been provided above and will not be repeated here.

[0024] It should be noted that the first temperature sensor 80 of this invention is not limited in its installation location. In other words, it can be installed in the heat dissipation pipe 42 inside the heat sink 40 or in the heat dissipation pipe 42 outside the heat sink 40.

[0025] In summary, this invention provides a liquid cooling control system and its control method. In the liquid cooling control system, a first temperature sensor is installed within the heat dissipation pipes of the radiator to promptly sense the temperature of the coolant within the pipes. A control device then adjusts the speed of an electric fan located outside the radiator in a timely manner, allowing the fan to perform air cooling of the radiator at different intensities. This system can promptly sense and improve the system's response speed, preventing overheating. Furthermore, the liquid cooling control method provided by this invention has two control loops: an inner loop and an outer loop. The inner loop can provide a faster temperature control response than the outer loop, exhibiting advantages such as high stability and high heat exchange efficiency.

[0026] The content disclosed above is only a preferred and feasible embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the patent application of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent technical changes made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings are included in the scope of the patent application of the present invention.

[0027] 1: Liquid cooling control system 10: Liquid Storage Tank 20: First liquid pipeline 30: Second liquid pipeline 40: Radiator 42: Heat dissipation piping 50: First cycle motor 52: Second cycle motor 60: Electric Fan 70: First check valve 72: Second check valve 80: First temperature sensor 82: Second temperature sensor 84: Return water temperature sensor 86: Target water supply temperature 88: Sensor target temperature 90: Control device 910: First PID control module 920: Second PID control module S1~S3: Steps T1: First temperature sensing signal T2: Second temperature sensing signal

Claims

1. A liquid cooling control system, connected to an external cooling device, the liquid cooling control system comprising: A reservoir for storing a coolant; A first liquid line connects to the external cooling device and provides coolant; A second liquid line receives coolant returned from the external cooling device; a radiator has an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end being connected to the second liquid line and guiding the returned coolant into the heat dissipation pipe inside the radiator, and the outlet end discharging the cooled coolant, the outlet end extending with the heat dissipation pipe connecting to the liquid reservoir; a first circulation motor connected to the liquid reservoir and capable of driving the liquid in the liquid reservoir to flow to the first liquid line; an electric fan; a first temperature sensor disposed in the heat dissipation pipe, sensing the temperature of the coolant in the heat dissipation pipe and generating a first temperature sensing signal; and a control device; wherein the first temperature sensor transmits the first temperature sensing signal to the control device, and the control device controls the speed of the electric fan according to the first temperature sensing signal.

2. The liquid cooling control system as described in claim 1, wherein the control device includes a first PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control module that calculates the fan speed based on the first temperature sensing signal and a sensor target temperature.

3. The liquid cooling control system as described in claim 2 further includes a second temperature sensor disposed in the first liquid pipeline to sense the temperature of the coolant in the first liquid pipeline and generate a second temperature sensing signal.

4. The liquid cooling control system as described in claim 3, wherein the control device further includes a second PID control module for calculating the sensor target temperature based on the second temperature sensing signal and a water supply target temperature.

5. The liquid cooling control system as described in claim 1, wherein a first check valve is provided between the first circulating motor and the first liquid line to prevent coolant backflow.

6. The liquid cooling control system as described in claim 1, wherein a return water temperature sensor is provided on the second liquid line to sense the coolant temperature at the second liquid line.

7. The liquid cooling control system as described in claim 1, wherein the radiator has heat dissipation fins.

8. The liquid cooling control system as described in claim 1 further includes a second circulating motor, which is connected in parallel with the first circulating motor, and the second circulating motor is connected to the liquid storage tank and can drive the liquid in the liquid storage tank to flow to the first liquid pipeline.

9. The liquid cooling control system as described in claim 8, wherein a first check valve is provided between the first circulating motor and the first liquid line to prevent coolant backflow, and a second check valve is provided between the second circulating motor and the first liquid line to prevent coolant backflow.

10. A liquid cooling control method for controlling a liquid cooling system connected to an external cooling device, the liquid cooling system including a storage tank, a first liquid pipeline, a second liquid pipeline, a radiator, a first circulation motor, and an electric fan, the storage tank for storing coolant, the first liquid pipeline connected to the external cooling device and supplying coolant, the second liquid pipeline receiving coolant returned from the external cooling device, the radiator having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end connected to the second liquid pipeline and introducing the returned coolant into a heat dissipation pipeline inside the radiator, and discharging the cooled coolant from the outlet end, the outlet end extending into the heat dissipation pipeline connected to the storage tank, the first circulation motor connected to the storage tank and capable of driving the liquid in the storage tank to flow to the first liquid pipeline, the liquid cooling control method including the following steps: sensing the temperature of the coolant in the heat dissipation pipeline through a first temperature sensor and generating a first temperature sensing signal; The first temperature sensing signal and a sensor target temperature are input into a first PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control module; and the first PID control module calculates the fan speed based on the first temperature sensing signal and the sensor target temperature.

11. The liquid cooling control method as described in claim 10, wherein the liquid cooling control method further comprises: The temperature of the coolant in the first liquid pipeline is sensed by a second temperature sensor, and a second temperature sensing signal is generated.

12. The liquid cooling control method as described in claim 11, wherein the liquid cooling control method further comprises: The second temperature sensing signal and a target water supply temperature are input into a second PID control module; The second PID control module calculates the target temperature of the sensor based on the second temperature sensing signal and the target water supply temperature.

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