Vapor-compression refrigeration apparatus with refrgierant bypass and controlled heat load

Abstract

Apparatus and method are provided for cooling an electronic component. The apparatus includes a refrigerant evaporator in thermal communication with the component(s) to be cooled, and a refrigerant loop coupled in fluid communication with the evaporator for facilitating flow of refrigerant through the evaporator. The apparatus further includes a compressor in fluid communication with the refrigerant loop, a refrigerant bypass pipe coupled to the refrigerant loop in parallel fluid communication with the evaporator, and a control valve for controlling refrigerant flow through the evaporator. The control valve is controlled to maintain temperature of the component(s) within a specified temperature range. The apparatus further includes a controllable refrigerant heater associated with the refrigerant bypass pipe for providing an adjustable heat load on refrigerant in the bypass pipe to ensure that refrigerant entering the compressor is in a superheated thermodynamic state.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]The present invention relates to heat transfer mechanisms, and more particularly, to cooling apparatuses, liquid-cooled electronics racks and methods of fabrication thereof for removing heat generated by one or more electronic components of the electronics rack.[0002]The power dissipation of integrated circuit chips, and the modules containing the chips, continues to increase in order to achieve increases in processor performance. This trend poses a cooling challenge at both the module and system levels. Increased airflow rates are needed to effectively cool higher power modules and to limit the temperature of the air that is exhausted into the computer center.[0003]In many large server applications, processors along with their associated electronics (e.g., memory, disk drives, power supplies, etc.) are packaged in removable drawer configurations stacked within a rack or frame. In other cases, the electronics may be in fixed locations within the rack or frame. Typica...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004]In one aspect, the shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision of an apparatus for facilitating cooling of an electronic component. The apparatus includes: a refrigerant evaporator, a refrigerant loop, a compressor, a refrigerant bypass pipe, a control valve and a controllable refrigerant heater. The refrigerant evaporator is in thermal communication with the electronic component, and includes at least one channel therein for accommodating flow of refrigerant therethrough. The refrigerant loop is coupled in fluid communication with the at least one channel of the refrigerant evaporator to facilitate flow of refrigerant through the evaporator, and the compressor is coupled in fluid communication with the refrigerant loop. The refrigerant bypass pipe is coupled to the refrigerant loop in parallel fluid communication with the refrigerant evaporator, and the control valve controls refrigerant flow through the at least one channel of the evaporator. The control valve facilitates maintaining temperature of the electronic component within a specified temperature range, and the controllable refrigerant heater is disposed to heat refrigerant passing through the refrigerant loop to ensure that refrigerant in the refrigerant loop entering the compressor is in a superheated thermodynamic state.

[0005]In another aspect, a cooled electronic system is provided which includes an electronic component, and an apparatus for facilitating cooling of the electronic component. The apparatus includes: a refrigerant evaporator, a refrigerant loop, a compressor, a refrigerant bypass pipe, a control valve and a controllable refrigerant heater. The refrigerant evaporator is in thermal communication with the electronic component, and includes at least one channel therein for accommodating flow of refrigerant through the evaporator. The refrigerant loop is coupled in fluid communication with the at least one channel of the refrigerant evaporator to facilitate flow of refrigerant through the evaporator and the compressor is coupled in fluid communication with the refrigerant loop. The refrigerant bypass pipe is coupled to the refrigerant loop in parallel fluid communication with the refrigerant evaporator, and the control valve controls refrigerant flow through the at least one channel of the evaporator. The control valve facilitates maintaining temperature of the electronic component within a specified temperature range, and the controllable refrigerant heater is controlled to heat refrigerant passing through the refrigerant loop to ensure that refrigerant in the refrigerant loop entering the compressor is in a superheated thermodynamic state.

[0006]In a further aspect, a method of facilitating cooling of an electronic component is provided. The method includes: coupling in thermal communication a refrigerant evaporator to the electronic component, the refrigerant evaporator comprising at least one channel therein for accommodating flow of refrigerant therethrough; providing a refrigerant loop in fluid communication with the at least one channel of the refrigerant evaporator for facilitating flow of refrigerant therethrough; coupling a compressor in fluid communication with the refrigerant loop; providing a refrigerant bypass pipe coupled to the refrigerant loop in parallel fluid communication with the refrigerant evaporator; providing a control valve for controlling refrigerant flow through the at least one channel of the refrigerant evaporator, the control valve being controlled to maintain temperature of the electronic component within a specified temperature range; and associating a controllable refrigerant heater in thermal communication with refrigerant in the refrigerant loop, the controllable refrigerant heater being controlled to selectively heat refrigerant in the refrigerant loop to ensure that refrigerant entering the compressor is in a superheated thermodynamic state.

Problems solved by technology

This trend poses a cooling challenge at both the module and system levels.

However, this approach is becoming problematic at the rack level in the context of a data center.

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