A 5G communication tower with an active liquid cooling system

Abstract

The application relates to the field of communication equipment, and particularly discloses a 5G communication tower with an active liquid cooling system, which comprises a tower body, a power supply system and a control system, the top of the tower body is provided with an AAU, and the active liquid cooling system is further included, the active liquid cooling system comprises a cold piece for heat exchange with the AAU, an active heat exchanger for recovering the high-temperature cooling liquid flowing out of the cold piece, and a circulating pump for providing power for the circulation of the cooling liquid, the liquid outlet of the cold piece passes through the active heat exchanger and is connected with the inlet of the circulating pump through a backflow pipe, and the liquid inlet of the cold piece is communicated with the outlet of the circulating pump through a liquid inlet pipe. Through the above technical scheme, the heat in the AAU can be taken away, the cooling liquid after being heated can be cooled again by the active heat exchanger and then sent into the cold piece, so that the normal work of the AAU can be ensured, and the power of the active heat exchanger can be controlled by the control system, so as to adapt to different external environments.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The application relates to the field of communication equipment, in particular to a 5G communication tower with an active liquid cooling system. BACKGROUND

[0002] The equipment of the 5G communication tower is mainly divided into AAU and BBU two parts. Since the power of the AUU antenna on the 5G tower is much larger than that of the ARU of the 4G, the heat generated by the AUU antenna during operation is also much larger than that generated by the 4G ARU during operation.

[0003] With the continuous improvement of the power of the AAU chip, the passive heat dissipation mode using heat dissipation fins has been difficult to meet the heat dissipation requirements. According to feedback, the AAU hung outdoors will cause intermittent interruption of 5G signals due to insufficient heat dissipation in hot weather. Studies have shown that poor heat dissipation will affect the normal operation of internal electronic components, and the reliability of hardware will decrease by 50% for every 10℃ increase in temperature.

[0004] The cooling mode of the existing 5G base station AAU (active antenna unit) is basically natural air cooling, and currently some use water tanks, liquid cooling plates, water pumps and water pipes for heat dissipation. The liquid cooling plate is in contact with the AAU, and the cooling liquid circulation is completed by the water pump, but this way has great limitations. First of all, a water tank needs to be set up, increasing the cost. Since the water temperature rises after heat exchange with the AAU, the water in the water tank cannot be cooled in time, and the water needs to be replaced every certain period of time to ensure that the water temperature in the water tank is within a suitable temperature.

[0005] Therefore, a 5G communication tower with an active liquid cooling system is developed. SUMMARY

[0006] In order to improve the heat dissipation problem, the application provides a 5G communication tower with an active liquid cooling system.

[0007] The 5G communication tower with an active liquid cooling system provided by the application adopts the following technical scheme:

[0008] A 5G communication tower with an active liquid cooling system, comprising a tower body, a power supply system and a control system, the tower body top position is installed with AAU, further comprising an active liquid cooling system, the active liquid cooling system comprises a cold part for heat exchange with the AAU, an active heat exchanger for recovering the high-temperature cooling liquid flowing out of the cold part, a circulating pump for providing power for the cooling liquid circulation, the outlet of the cold part passes through the active heat exchanger and connects the inlet of the circulating pump through the backflow pipe, and the inlet of the cold part is communicated with the outlet of the circulating pump through the liquid inlet pipe.

[0009] By adopting the technical scheme, the heat in the AAU is taken away, and the cooling liquid after being heated is cooled again by the active heat exchanger and then sent into the cold part, so that the normal work of the AAU is ensured, and the power of the active heat exchanger can be controlled by the control system to adapt to different external environments.

[0010] Optionally, the active heat exchanger comprises at least one of a water cooling tower, a radiator, an evaporator, a condenser, a dry cooler, a plate heat exchanger and a semiconductor refrigerator.

[0011] By adopting the technical scheme, the active heat exchanger can be one of the above or a combination of two or more.

[0012] Optionally, the active heat exchanger is installed at the bottom of the tower body, the hot end and the cold end of the active heat exchanger are arranged in an up-down manner, the hot end is located above the cold end, the side wall of the tower body is provided with an air inlet, and a heat insulation layer is arranged outside the liquid inlet pipe.

[0013] By adopting the technical scheme, after the refrigerant in the active heat exchanger exchanges heat with the high-temperature cooling liquid, the high-temperature cooling liquid is cooled again and sent into the cold part, the temperature of the refrigerant is raised, the heat of the refrigerant is dissipated to the air through the pipeline to form a hot end, the air is heated and quickly flows upward, the external air enters through the air inlet to form a chimney effect, the air flow is accelerated, and the air flow drives the heat on the reflux pipe to reduce the temperature of the cooling liquid in the reflux pipe.

[0014] Optionally, the wall thickness of the position where the air inlet is arranged is greater than the wall thickness of the position where the air inlet is not arranged, and the air inlets are at least partially staggered in the height direction of the tower body.

[0015] By adopting the technical scheme, since the air inlet is arranged, the strength of the tower body is reduced, so the wall thickness of the tower body is increased at the position where the air inlet is arranged to ensure the safety of the tower body; in addition, the air inlets are at least partially staggered in the height direction of the tower body, so that the opening area is small on the same annular surface, and the strength of the tower body is also ensured.

[0016] Optionally, the air inlets are arranged in an upwardly inclined manner from outside to inside.

[0017] By adopting the technical scheme, the air inlets arranged in an inclined manner have a certain guiding effect, so that the air enters and quickly flows upward.

[0018] Optionally, the power supply system comprises a solar storage battery and an external power supply part, the solar storage battery comprises a solar panel and a storage battery and an inverter, the solar panel is electrically connected with the storage battery, the inverter is connected with the storage battery and an electric load, and the solar panel is installed at the top of the tower body and is higher than the AAU and at least blocks part of the AAU in the downward visual angle.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solutions and employing diverse power supply methods (mains power + battery), the stable operation of the communication tower can be ensured on the one hand, and solar energy can be utilized to reduce energy consumption on the other. Furthermore, the solar panels shade the AAU, reducing the amount of heat absorbed by the AAU through sunlight.

[0020] Optionally, the reflux pipe has at least a spiral structure inside the tower body, and heat dissipation fins are fixed on the spirally distributed portion. The heat dissipation fins are fixed to the inner wall of the tower body and extend along the height direction of the tower body. The liquid inlet pipe passes through the space between two of the heat dissipation fins and abuts against the heat dissipation fins.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, the return pipe is set in a spiral distribution, which has two functions. On the one hand, due to the extended path, more heat can be transferred to the heat dissipation fins, and the heat on the heat dissipation fins can be quickly carried away when the air flows upward. On the other hand, since the heat dissipation fins are connected to the inner wall of the tower, the return pipe is installed stably and is not easy to shake inside. In addition, the liquid inlet pipe passes between two heat dissipation fins and abuts against the heat dissipation fins, which also has the function of stabilizing the liquid inlet pipe.

[0022] Optionally, an air inlet is provided on the tower body at the position corresponding to the spiral structure, and the air inlet is staggered from the return pipe, heat dissipation fins, and liquid inlet pipe.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, the air inlet is designed to accelerate airflow. The air inlet is staggered from the heat dissipation fins, return pipe, and liquid inlet pipe to avoid interference.

[0024] Optionally, a spray system is also provided above the hot end of the tower body, with the spray system located above the air inlet.

[0025] By adopting the above technical solution, the spray system is generally not turned on. Only when the temperature sensor detects that the temperature at the hot end is too high, the control system controls the spray system to work. The main function of the spray system is to control the temperature at the hot end to avoid the temperature at the hot end becoming too high, which would cause the air entering from the air inlet to be heated too high, resulting in poor heat exchange with the return pipe.

[0026] Optionally, a fan is also installed on the top of the tower.

[0027] By adopting the above technical solution, the fan configuration further accelerates the airflow inside the tower.

[0028] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0029] 1. By setting up active heat sinks and cooling components, the AAU can be ensured to operate at a suitable temperature;

[0030] 2. By adjusting the position of the active radiator and setting up air inlets, the airflow inside the tower is accelerated, further improving the cooling rate of the coolant;

[0031] 3. By setting the return pipe section in a spiral distribution and installing heat dissipation fins, the cooling effect of the coolant is further improved;

[0032] 4. By setting up a spray system, the temperature of the hot end is controlled to avoid the hot end from becoming too hot, which would cause the air entering from the air inlet to be heated too high, resulting in poor heat exchange with the return pipe; 5. By changing the angle of the air inlet, the airflow is further accelerated. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the connection between the spiral structure and the heat dissipation fins;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the spiral structure, heat dissipation fins, and the inner wall of the tower.

[0036] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the bottom of the tower, mainly showing the semiconductor cooling chip and the spray system;

[0037] Figure 5 Structural diagram of the upper part of the tower.

[0038] Reference numerals: 1. Tower body; 2. AAU; 3. Box body; 4. Circulating pump; 5. Active heat exchanger; 6. Liquid cooling plate; 7. Return pipe; 8. Liquid inlet pipe; 9. Semiconductor cooling chip; 10. Heat exchange zone; 11. Battery; 12. Solar panel; 13. Insulation layer; 14. Air inlet; 15. Spiral structure; 16. Heat dissipation fins; 17. Air inlet hole; 18. Annular pipe; 19. Nozzle; 20. Fan; 21. Mounting bracket. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1-5 This application will be described in further detail.

[0040] This application discloses a 5G communication tower with an active liquid cooling system, including a tower body 1, a power supply system and a control system, and an active liquid cooling system. A mounting bracket 21 is fixed at the top of the tower body 1, and AAU2s are indirectly mounted on the mounting bracket 21. Generally, two or more AAU2s are installed; in this embodiment, three are installed. The tower body 1 has an internal hollow structure, generally composed of multiple steel pipe sections connected by flanges or welding. A heat insulation layer can be formed on the outer surface of the tower body 1, which can be achieved by coating with reflective material, riveting aluminum foil, or forming a heat insulation layer on the outside of the tower body 1 using polyurethane foam. A box 3 is fixed at the bottom of the tower body 1. This box 3 is buried in the soil to ensure the stability of the communication tower, and the equipment can be installed inside the box 3. The upper surface of the box 3 is flush with the ground and has an openable cover for equipment maintenance. The box 3 is generally made of stainless steel, and the box 3 is connected to the tower body 1 by bolts and nuts. The bolts pass upwards from inside the stainless steel box 3, through the bottom flange of the tower body 1, and are connected to the nuts. Furthermore, the nut can be welded on later, making it safer.

[0041] The active liquid cooling system includes a cooling component that exchanges heat with the AAU2, an active heat exchanger 5 for restoring the high-temperature coolant flowing out of the cooling component to cool, and a circulating pump 4 that powers the coolant circulation. The outlet of the cooling component passes through the active heat exchanger 5 via a return pipe 7 and is connected to the inlet of the circulating pump 4. The inlet of the cooling component is connected to the outlet of the circulating pump 4 via an inlet pipe 8. The inlet pipe 8 and the return pipe 7 can be fixed to the mounting bracket 21 by clamps, or the mounting bracket can be made into a hollow structure with the inlet pipe 8 and the return pipe 7 installed inside.

[0042] The cooling component can be a liquid-cooled plate 6 or a liquid-cooled box. In this design, liquid-cooled plate 6 is used, and it is attached to AAU2. When it is a liquid-cooled box, there are two methods: one is that AAU2 is directly immersed in the liquid-cooled box, and the other is that AAU2 is installed in the liquid-cooled box, and a spray system is arranged on the top of the liquid-cooled box to dissipate heat from AAU2 through spraying. The coolant can be water or fluorinated liquid. In this design, liquid-cooled plate 6 is fixed on mounting bracket 21, and AAU2 is attached to liquid-cooled plate 6. AAU2 and liquid-cooled plate 6 are generally connected by bolts and nuts. Connecting ears are provided on the edge of liquid-cooled plate 6 and the edge of the outer shell of AAU2. Through holes are opened on the connecting ears. Bolts pass through the through holes of the connecting ears on liquid-cooled plate 6 and AAU2 and are connected to nuts.

[0043] An active heat exchanger is installed at the bottom of the tower body 1. The hot end and cold end of the active heat exchanger 5 are arranged vertically, with the hot end located above the cold end. The active heat exchanger 5 includes at least one of the following: a water-cooled tower, a radiator, an evaporator, a condenser, a dry cooler, a plate heat exchanger, and a semiconductor refrigerator. Specifically, the cold end and hot end refer to two states: low temperature (low temperature before exchanging heat with the high-temperature coolant) and high temperature (temperature rises after exchanging heat with the high-temperature coolant). The low-temperature state is called the cold end, and the high-temperature state is called the hot end.

[0044] This solution employs a thermoelectric cooler, which includes a thermoelectric cooling chip 9. The chip 9 bulges upwards from its edge towards the center, forming an inverted V-shaped structure in cross-section. An insulating layer 13 is provided between the thermoelectric cooling chip 9 and the inner wall of the tower body 1. The insulating layer 13 and the thermoelectric cooling chip 9 are pre-processed into a single unit. The insulating layer 13 is typically made of HDPE, PP, or UPE. The insulating layer 13 and the thermoelectric cooling chip 9 are connected using injection molding. The thermoelectric cooling chip 9 is then fixed by bonding the insulating layer 13 to the inner wall of the tower body 1. The thermoelectric cooling chip 9 is connected to the power system. The V-shaped structure increases the heat exchange area of ​​the thermoelectric cooler, and the upward-bulging structure guides the air entering from the air inlet 14, allowing the air to flow upwards quickly. It is important to note that because both the upper and lower surfaces of the thermoelectric cooling chip 9 are covered with ceramic, it provides insulation and prevents water ingress.

[0045] When the thermoelectric cooler 9 is energized, its upper surface is hot and its lower surface is cold. The return pipe 7 passes through the insulation layer 13 and then bends back and forth below the lower surface of the thermoelectric cooler 9 to form a heat exchange zone 10, ultimately connecting to the inlet of the circulation pump 4, which is located below the thermoelectric cooler 9. The return pipe 7 is made of steel, and the portion of the thermoelectric cooler 9 and the return pipe 7 located in the heat exchange zone 10 are in close contact. The inlet pipe 8 can be made of insulating materials such as PVC. Using steel for the return pipe 7 results in higher heat transfer and heat exchange efficiency. A heat insulation layer is installed on the outside of the inlet pipe 8 to prevent heat from the return pipe 7 from being transferred to the inlet pipe 8. Specific materials can include polyurethane, fiberglass, asbestos, rock wool, aerogel felt, vacuum plates, etc. When installed in a communication tower, the inlet pipe 8 is located in the north.

[0046] The power system includes a solar battery 11 and an external mains power supply. The solar battery 11 includes a solar panel 12, a battery 11, and an inverter. The solar panel 12 is electrically connected to the battery 11, and the inverter is connected to the battery 11 and the electrical load. The solar panel 12 can also be directly connected to the electrical load. Both the battery 11 and the inverter can be installed inside the enclosure 3, or on the tower 1. If installed on the tower 1, a separate installation box needs to be installed outside the tower 1, as installation inside the tower 1 would affect airflow. Generally, mains power is the primary power source. If local sunlight conditions are good and the solar panel 12 can generate sufficient power, it can be used as the primary power source. Specifically, using either mains power or the battery 11, controlled by the control system, when the battery 11's charge is less than 50%, it is mainly powered by mains power; when the charge is above 50% but below 80%, it can supply power along with the mains power; and when the charge is above 80%, it can supply power independently. The solar panel 12 is installed on top of the tower 1, above AAU2, and at least partially blocks AAU2 from a top-down view. In this embodiment, the solar panel 12 is umbrella-shaped and fixedly connected to the outer wall of the tower 1. Furthermore, in this embodiment, it can completely block AAU2 from a top-down view, thus reducing the amount of heat absorbed by AAU2 through sunlight.

[0047] The side wall of the tower body 1 is provided with air inlets 14, which are inclined upwards from the outside to the inside. Multiple air inlets 14 are provided, and they are at least partially staggered along the height direction of the tower body 1. This can be understood as the height of each air inlet 14 on the tower body 1 being inconsistent, and their position along the circumference of the tower body 1 also being inconsistent. Generally, the distance between two adjacent air inlets 14 along the circumference of the tower body 1 is the same. Furthermore, the wall thickness at the location where the air inlets 14 are located is greater than the wall thickness at the location where the air inlets 14 are not located; generally, the wall thickness at the location where the air inlets 14 are located is twice the wall thickness at the location where the air inlets 14 are not located, to ensure that the tower body 1 has sufficient strength.

[0048] To further enhance the cooling effect of the coolant in the return pipe 7, a portion of the return pipe 7 is designed as a spiral structure 15, which extends the return path and prolongs the heat dissipation time. On the other hand, heat dissipation fins 16 are fixed inside the tower body 1. These fins are evenly distributed along the circumference of the tower body 1, with one end welded to the inner wall of the tower body 1 and the other end positioned close to the axis of the tower body 1. Air inlets 17 are provided in the tower body 1 at positions corresponding to the spiral structure 15, and these inlets are staggered from the return pipe 7, heat dissipation fins 16, and liquid inlet pipe 8. The air inlets 17 are located between two adjacent heat dissipation fins 16, but not between all adjacent fins; instead, a set of air inlets 17 is provided every two heat dissipation fins 16 to ensure the strength of the tower body 1. Of course, the fixing of the heat dissipation fins 16 to the inner wall of the tower body 1 also provides some reinforcement.

[0049] A sprinkler system is installed above the hot end of tower body 1, above air inlet 14. A temperature sensor is installed at the hot end, and the temperature sensor is electrically connected to the control system. The sprinkler system includes a ring pipe 18 and sprinkler heads 19. The ring pipe 18 is fixed to the inner wall of tower body 1 by a connecting block, and the ring pipe 18 is connected to a water pipe via a water pipe connector. A solenoid valve is installed at the connector and is electrically connected to the control system. The sprinkler heads 19 are connected below the ring pipe 18 and are evenly distributed along the circumference of the ring pipe 18. Alternatively, the communication tower itself can be equipped with a water tank and water pump for water supply. If the above method is required, the water tank and water pump are generally installed inside the housing 3.

[0050] To further accelerate air circulation, a fan 20 is also installed at the top of the tower body 1. The fan 20 is electrically connected to the control system and power system. In general, the fan 20 is not required. However, it can be installed if the local temperature is high.

[0051] The implementation principle of a 5G communication tower with an active liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of this application is as follows: Coolant enters the liquid cooling plate 6, where it exchanges heat with the AAU2, removing heat from the AAU2. The coolant then flows down through the return pipe 7, passing through the heat dissipation fins 16 and the return pipe 7 itself, transferring some heat to the air. The remaining heat is removed by the active radiator when passing through the active heat exchanger 5, and then re-enters the liquid cooling plate 6 through the return pump and the inlet pipe 8, achieving a complete cycle. It should be noted that since there are three AAU2s, both the return pipe 7 and the inlet pipe 8 branch into three branches at the top, corresponding to the three AAU2s. The air inlet 14, fan 20, and air vent 17 serve auxiliary functions, primarily to accelerate airflow inside the tower body 1. The spray system mainly controls the temperature at the hot end, preventing excessively high temperatures that would affect the heat dissipation effect of the air inside the tower body 1.

[0052] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or a specific orientational structure and operation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, "first" and "second" are only for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more.

[0053] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0054] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A 5G communication tower with an active liquid cooling system, comprising a tower body, a power supply system and a control system, an AAU is installed at the top of the tower body, characterized in that: The active liquid cooling system comprises a cold part in heat exchange with the AAU, an active heat exchanger for recovering the high-temperature cooling liquid flowing out of the cold part, a circulating pump for powering the circulation of the cooling liquid, an outlet of the cold part passing through the active heat exchanger and connecting the inlet of the circulating pump through a return pipe, and an inlet of the cold part communicating with the outlet of the circulating pump through a liquid inlet pipe.

2. The 5G communication tower with a proactive liquid cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The active heat exchanger comprises at least one of a water cooling tower, a radiator, an evaporator, a condenser, a dry cooler, a plate heat exchanger and a semiconductor refrigerator.

3. The 5G communication tower with a proactive liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein: The active heat exchanger is installed at the bottom of the tower body, the hot end and the cold end of the active heat exchanger are arranged in an up-down manner, the hot end is located above the cold end, the side wall of the tower body is provided with an air inlet, and the liquid inlet pipe is provided with a heat insulation layer.

4. The 5G communication tower with a proactive liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein: The wall thickness of the position where the air inlet is arranged is greater than that of the position where the air inlet is not arranged, and the air inlets are at least partially staggered along the height direction of the tower body.

5. The 5G communication tower with a proactive liquid cooling system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The air inlets are arranged in an upwardly inclined manner from outside to inside.

6. The 5G communication tower with a proactive liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein: The power supply system comprises a solar storage battery and an external power supply part, wherein the solar storage battery comprises a solar panel and a storage battery, and an inverter, the solar panel is electrically connected with the storage battery, the inverter is connected with the storage battery and an electric load, the solar panel is installed at the top of the tower body and is higher than the AAU and at least partially shields the AAU in the downward visual angle.

7. The 5G communication tower with a proactive liquid cooling system of claim 3, wherein: The tower body is further provided with a spraying system above the hot end, and the spraying system is located above the air inlet.

8. The 5G communication tower with a proactive liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein: The tower body is further provided with a fan at the top.

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