Hybrid air / liquid cooling unit

Abstract

The invention relates to a hybrid air / liquid cooling unit. The cooling system may include a refrigerant circuit. The cooling system may include an air cooling circuit in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, the air cooling circuit including at least one first heat exchanger. The cooling system may include a liquid cooling circuit in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, the liquid cooling circuit including at least one second heat exchanger and at least one pump. The cooling system may include a valve assembly configured to selectively flow refrigerant to at least one of the air cooling circuit and the liquid cooling circuit. The cooling system may include a controller communicatively coupled to the valve assembly, the controller including one or more processors configured to control selective flow of refrigerant to the at least one first heat exchanger or the at least one second heat exchanger.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 568,297, filed on March 21, 2024, and entitled “HYBRID AIR / LIQUID COOLING UNIT,” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 757,025, filed on February 11, 2025, and entitled “HYBRID AIR / LIQUID COOLING SYSTEM WITH INTERNAL TEMPERATURE CONTROL,” both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a cooling system for an electronic device, and more particularly, to a cooling system for an electronic device capable of using both air cooling technology and liquid cooling technology. Background Art

[0004] The telecommunications and computing industries rely on cooling systems to keep temperature-sensitive equipment (eg, servers, computers) operating within rated or normal ambient conditions.

[0005] While the earliest cooling systems were based on heat exchangers that relied on airflow, newer systems often utilize liquid cooling systems for heat transfer. Many companies are looking to upgrade traditional air cooling systems with liquid cooling. However, transitioning from air to liquid cooling systems currently requires purchasing and installing separate cooling infrastructure, which can be expensive, time-consuming, and require changes to building infrastructure. Therefore, it would be beneficial to have a system that enables the switching of cooling systems from air to liquid cooling without the aforementioned expense and time investment. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In one or more embodiments, a cooling system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the cooling system includes: a refrigerant circuit; an air cooling circuit in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, the air cooling circuit including at least one first heat exchanger; a liquid cooling circuit in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, the liquid cooling circuit including at least one second heat exchanger and at least one pump; a valve assembly configured to selectively flow refrigerant to at least one of the air cooling circuit and the liquid cooling circuit; and a controller communicatively coupled to the valve assembly, the controller including one or more processors configured to control the flow of refrigerant selectively to the at least one first heat exchanger, the at least one second heat exchanger, or both the at least one first heat exchanger and the at least one second heat exchanger.

[0007] In one or more embodiments, a liquid cooling subsystem for a conventional air cooling system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the conventional air cooling system includes a first heat exchanger, and the liquid cooling subsystem includes: a second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a liquid to a refrigerant; and a valve assembly configured to control the flow of the refrigerant to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

[0008] In one or more embodiments, a method for controlling a hybrid air / liquid cooling unit is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes providing a cabinet defining an interior space, a refrigerant circuit contained in the interior space, an air cooling circuit contained in the interior space and in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, a liquid cooling circuit contained in the interior space and in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, and a valve assembly contained in the interior space and configured to selectively enable refrigerant to flow to at least one of the air cooling circuit and the liquid cooling circuit, the air cooling circuit including at least one first heat exchanger and the liquid cooling circuit including at least one second heat exchanger and at least one pump; providing a controller communicatively coupled to the valve assembly, the controller including one or more processors; closing one or more first heat exchanger valves of the valve assembly, wherein closing the one or more first heat exchanger valves prevents refrigerant from flowing through the first heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger includes an evaporator coil; and opening one or more second heat exchanger valves of the valve assembly, wherein opening the one or more second heat exchanger valves enables refrigerant to flow through the second heat exchanger, wherein the second heat exchanger includes a brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE).

[0009] According to another embodiment, disclosed herein is a cooling system comprising: a refrigerant circuit; an air cooling circuit in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, the air cooling circuit comprising at least one first heat exchanger and at least one fan configured to flow air through the at least one first heat exchanger; a liquid cooling circuit in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, the liquid cooling circuit comprising at least one second heat exchanger and at least one pump; a valve assembly configured to selectively flow refrigerant to at least one of the air cooling circuit and the liquid cooling circuit; and a controller communicatively coupled to the valve assembly and the at least one fan. In an embodiment, the controller comprises one or more processors configured to: operate the cooling system in a first operating mode in which the air cooling circuit operates and the liquid cooling circuit does not operate; and operate the cooling system in a second operating mode in which the air cooling circuit does not operate, the liquid cooling circuit operates, and the at least one fan selectively operates to cool at least a portion of the cooling system.

[0010] According to another embodiment, disclosed herein is a hybrid air / liquid cooling unit comprising: a cabinet defining an interior space; a refrigerant circuit contained within the interior space; an air cooling circuit contained within the interior space and in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, the air cooling circuit comprising at least one first heat exchanger and at least one fan configured to flow air through the at least one first heat exchanger; a liquid cooling circuit contained within the interior space and in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, the liquid cooling circuit comprising at least one second heat exchanger and at least one pump; a valve assembly contained within the interior space and configured to selectively flow refrigerant to at least one of the air cooling circuit and the liquid cooling circuit; and a controller communicatively coupled to the valve assembly and the at least one fan, the controller comprising one or more processors. In an embodiment, the controller is configured to: operate the hybrid air / liquid cooling unit in a first operating mode in which the air cooling circuit is operated and the liquid cooling circuit is not operated; and operate the hybrid air / liquid cooling unit in a second operating mode in which the air cooling circuit is not operated, the liquid cooling circuit is operated, and the at least one fan is selectively operated to exhaust air from the interior space.

[0011] According to another embodiment, disclosed herein is a method for controlling a hybrid air / liquid cooling unit, the method comprising providing: a cabinet defining an interior space; a refrigerant circuit contained within the interior space; an air cooling circuit contained within the interior space and in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, the air cooling circuit comprising at least one first heat exchanger and at least one fan configured to flow air through the at least one first heat exchanger; a liquid cooling circuit contained within the interior space and in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, the liquid cooling circuit comprising at least one second heat exchanger and at least one pump; and a valve assembly contained within the interior space and configured to selectively flow refrigerant to at least one of the air cooling circuit and the liquid cooling circuit. The method further comprises providing a controller communicatively coupled to the valve assembly and the at least one fan, the controller comprising one or more processors. In an embodiment, the method includes: operating, by a controller, the hybrid air / liquid cooling unit in a first operating mode, in which the air cooling circuit is operated and the liquid cooling circuit is not operated; and operating, by the controller, the hybrid air / liquid cooling unit in a second operating mode, in which the air cooling circuit is not operated, the liquid cooling circuit is operated, and at least one fan is selectively operated to exhaust air from the interior space.

[0012] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and do not necessarily limit the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate the subject matter of the present disclosure. Figure 1 It is used to explain the principle of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals in different instances in the description and the drawings may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments or examples ("examples") of the present disclosure are disclosed in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale. Generally, unless otherwise specified in the claims, the operations of the disclosed processes may be performed in any order.

[0014] Figure 1 Shown is a block diagram depicting a cooling system for hybrid cooling of electronic devices in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 2 A block diagram depicting a cooling system including a controller for hybrid cooling of electronic devices according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0016] Figure 3Shown is a block diagram depicting a cooling system for hybrid cooling of electronic devices in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 4 A simplified schematic diagram of a cooling system for hybrid cooling of electronic equipment including a brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE) according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0018] Figure 5 A simplified schematic diagram of a cooling system for hybrid cooling of electronic equipment is shown, operating in a manner where 100% cooling is performed via an air-cooled heat exchanger, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 6 A simplified schematic diagram of a cooling system for hybrid cooling of electronic equipment is shown, operating in a manner where 100% of the cooling is performed via a liquid-cooled heat exchanger, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 7 A simplified schematic diagram of a cooling system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown, the cooling system operating in a manner to perform cooling equally between one or more first and second heat exchangers.

[0021] Figure 8 A simplified schematic diagram of a cooling system including a cooling circuit group according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 9A A diagram is shown depicting a side view of dimensions for housing a cooling system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 9B A process flow diagram depicting a method for switching a cooling system from cooling an electronic device via a first heat exchanger to cooling the electronic device via a second heat exchanger is shown, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 10A is a schematic diagram of a cooling system implemented as a hybrid air-liquid cooling unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 10B is a schematic diagram of a hybrid air / liquid cooling unit showing air flow through the unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0026] Figure 11is a flow chart illustrating a method for managing internal temperature in a hybrid air / liquid cooling unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Before describing one or more embodiments of the present disclosure in detail, it should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the details of the construction and arrangement of the parts or steps or methods set forth in the following description or shown in the accompanying drawings in their application. In the following detailed description of the embodiments, many specific details may be set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art who benefit from the present disclosure that the embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other cases, well-known features may not be described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the present disclosure.

[0028] As used herein, a letter following a reference number is intended to refer to an embodiment of a feature or element that may be similar to, but not necessarily identical to, a previously described element or feature having the same reference number (e.g., 1, 1a, 1b). Such shorthand notation is used for convenience only and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure in any way unless expressly stated to the contrary.

[0029] In addition, unless expressly stated otherwise, "or" refers to an inclusive or, not an exclusive or. For example, any of the following satisfies condition A or B: A is true (or exists) and B is false (or does not exist), A is false (or does not exist) and B is true (or exists), and both A and B are true (or exist).

[0030] In addition, "a" or "an" may be used to describe elements and components of the embodiments disclosed herein. This is done merely for convenience, and "a" and "an" are intended to include "one" or "at least one", and the singular also includes the plural unless otherwise apparent.

[0031] Finally, as used herein, any reference to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment disclosed herein. The appearances of the phrase "in an embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, and an embodiment may include one or more of the features expressly described or inherently present herein, or any combination or subcombination of two or more such features, as well as any other features not necessarily expressly described or inherently present in this disclosure.

[0032] Disclosed is a hybrid air / liquid cooling system. The hybrid air / liquid cooling system operates using two types of heat exchangers: a first heat exchanger configured as an evaporator coil typically used in air cooling systems; and a second heat exchanger for liquid cooling, such as a brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE). The hybrid air / liquid cooling system is designed to provide cooling that is 100% air cooling, 100% liquid cooling, or a mix of air cooling and liquid cooling (e.g., 50% air cooling, 50% liquid cooling). The hybrid air / liquid cooling system can be initially constructed as a complete hybrid cooling system, or constructed sequentially by installing liquid cooling components (e.g., a liquid cooling subsystem) and integrating the liquid cooling components with a conventional air cooling system. Because the liquid cooling aspect of the hybrid air / liquid cooling system can be added to a conventional air cooling system, the hybrid air / liquid cooling system provides operators with the flexibility to gradually and precisely convert their cooling system from air cooling to liquid cooling without the need to purchase and install a separate liquid cooling unit, thereby facilitating a seamless transition from air cooling to liquid cooling.

[0033] Also disclosed is a hybrid air / liquid cooling system implemented as a unit housing a cooling circuit, and a method for managing air temperature within the unit using internal fan control. In an embodiment, the hybrid air / liquid cooling unit includes a first heat exchanger (e.g., an evaporator coil) associated with the air cooling circuit and a second heat exchanger (e.g., a brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE)) associated with the liquid cooling circuit. The hybrid air / liquid cooling unit can be operated to provide 100% air cooling, 100% liquid cooling, or a mixture of air and liquid cooling. When the liquid cooling circuit is operated to provide liquid cooling, an internal fan / blower associated with the air cooling circuit can be cycled on and off as needed to exhaust hot air from within the unit, thereby maintaining the internal air temperature and avoiding the need for dedicated cabinet exhaust fans and corresponding ventilation.

[0034] In an embodiment, Figure 1 As shown in , a block diagram of a cooling system 100 for hybrid cooling of electronic equipment (e.g., a server or server farm / data center) is provided. The cooling system 100 may include one or more compressors 104 configured to pressurize a refrigerant (e.g., a gas refrigerant) within the cooling system 100. Pressurizing the refrigerant raises the temperature of the refrigerant to a temperature above the ambient temperature of the air outside the cooling system 100. The cooling system 100 can use any type of refrigerant, including but not limited to R22, R410A, R407C, R744, R134a, R1234yf, R290, R600a, R718. In some embodiments, the cooling system may include R454B refrigerant.

[0035] In an embodiment, the cooling system 100 includes one or more cooling circuits 102 (e.g., a refrigerant circuit) that includes one or more condensers 108 comprising one or more condenser coils. The one or more condensers 108 transfer heat from the refrigerant to the external environment (e.g., outside the cooling system 100). For example, air (e.g., ambient temperature air) can be blown across the condenser coils by a fan. Heat is then transferred from the refrigerant (e.g., a vapor refrigerant) to the air in the external environment. This causes the refrigerant to condense into a liquid. The cooler refrigerant then returns to the evaporator coils to recover heat. As used herein, a component of the cooling system 100 is also a component of the one or more cooling circuits 102 because the cooling system 100 includes one or more cooling circuits 102.

[0036] In an embodiment, the cooling system 100 includes a first heat exchanger 112 configured to transfer heat from ambient air to a refrigerant. For example, the first heat exchanger 112 may include the evaporator coils described above. During use, heated air is blown across one or more evaporator coils of the first heat exchanger 112, causing the refrigerant to evaporate into vapor / gas. This heat transfer cools the air, which is then returned to the electronic equipment for cooling.

[0037] In an embodiment, the cooling system 100 includes a set of one or more valves 116 (e.g., expansion valves). The one or more valves 116 help control the flow of refrigerant selectively through the first heat exchanger 112 and the second heat exchanger 120 to the one or more compressors 104. The one or more valves 116 control one or more characteristics of the refrigerant, such as controlling the percentage of refrigerant that flows as a liquid or as a gas / vapor, and ensuring that the refrigerant is in gas / vapor form before returning to the compressor 104, as liquid is incompressible and may damage the one or more compressors 104.

[0038] In an embodiment, the cooling system 100 includes a second heat exchanger 120. The second heat exchanger 120 is configured to transfer heat from a secondary liquid (e.g., liquid from a secondary cooling system) to a refrigerant. For example, the second heat exchanger 120 can transfer heat from a secondary fluid (e.g., typically water or propylene glycol) to a refrigerant. The second heat exchanger 120 may include, but is not limited to, a brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE). When the secondary fluid passes through the plates of the BPHE, the BPHE uses conduction and convection to transfer heat without the need for a blower or fan. Within one or more cooling circuits 102, the first heat exchanger 112 and the second heat exchanger 120 use the same refrigerant (e.g., a portion of the refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger 112 will also flow through the second heat exchanger 120). In an embodiment, the cooling system 100 provides direct-to-chip liquid cooling via the second heat exchanger 120.

[0039] In an embodiment, the cooling system 100 includes a controller 200 configured to control one or more processes within the cooling system 100, such as Figure 2 . For example, the controller 200 can control the action of one or more valves 116 of the system. The controller 200 can control other aspects or components of the cooling system 100, including, but not limited to, one or more compressors 104 and one or more fans / blowers operating within the cooling system 100. The controller 200 can include one or more processors 204 and a memory 208 that facilitate the controller 200 controlling one or more functions of the cooling system 100. In embodiments, as described herein, the one or more processors 204 are configured to receive instructions (e.g., from the memory 208 or from an operator input via a user interface) for opening or closing one or more valves 116 of the valve group. In embodiments, as described herein, the one or more processors 204 are configured to send signals to the one or more valves 116 of the valve group based on the instructions.

[0040] In embodiments, the controller 200 can control other aspects or components of the cooling system 100, such as one or more compressors 104 and one or more fans / blowers operating within the cooling system 100, as discussed in detail below. In embodiments, the controller 200 includes one or more processors 204 and memory 208 that facilitate the controller 200 controlling one or more functions of the cooling system 100. In embodiments, as described herein, the one or more processors 204 are configured to receive instructions (e.g., from the memory 208 or from operator input via a user interface) for opening or closing one or more valves 116 and operating one or more fans / blowers. In embodiments, as described herein, the one or more processors 204 are configured to send signals to the one or more valves 116 and one or more fans / blowers based on the instructions.

[0041] In an embodiment, Figure 3 As shown in FIG, according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, a liquid cooling subsystem 300 (e.g., a liquid cooling loop) is disclosed. In an embodiment, the liquid cooling subsystem 300 includes a second heat exchanger 120 (e.g., a BPHE). The liquid cooling subsystem 300 may also include one or more valves 116 in a valve block. In an embodiment, the liquid cooling subsystem 300 is added to or integrated with another cooling system to form a hybrid cooling system 100. For example, the liquid cooling subsystem 300 may be added to or integrated with a conventional air cooling system 304 (e.g., an air cooling loop). For example, the liquid cooling subsystem 300 may be added to or integrated with an air cooling subsystem (e.g., a DP400 cooling system manufactured by Vertiv) that includes a first heat exchanger 112 and other components to create a hybrid cooling system 100. Thus, the cooling system 100 of the present application may include the liquid cooling subsystem 300 integrated into a pre-existing air cooling subsystem, or may include both the liquid cooling subsystem and a new or pre-existing air cooling subsystem.

[0042] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 4 A detailed schematic diagram of the cooling system 100 is shown in FIG. Figure 8The cooling system 100 includes a cooling distribution unit (e.g., CDU 400) and / or is in fluid communication with the cooling distribution unit. The CDU 400 receives subcooled (chilled) secondary fluid from the second heat exchanger 120 and circulates the subcooled secondary fluid or subcooled tertiary fluid (e.g., water or propylene glycol) that exchanges heat with the secondary fluid via the CDU 400 to the electronic equipment 404 (e.g., servers). The electronic equipment 404 heats the secondary fluid or tertiary fluid, and the heat from these fluids is transferred back to the second heat exchanger 120 via the circulation. In embodiments, the secondary fluid may also be circulated directly between the second heat exchanger 120 and the electronic equipment 404 (e.g., the CDU 400 is optional).

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown in FIG, the cooling system 100 may include a valve 116a that controls the flow of refrigerant to the first heat exchanger 112 and a valve 116b that controls the flow of refrigerant to the second heat exchanger 120. The cooling system 100 may also include one or more pumps 408a to 408c. For example, the cooling system 100 may include a pump 408a that facilitates the circulation of the refrigerant. In another example, the cooling system 100 may include one or more pumps 408b to 408c configured to circulate the secondary fluid through the second heat exchanger 120, the electronic devices 404 (e.g., to computer chips within a server), and / or the CDU 400. The cooling system 100 may also include one or more check valves 412a to 412b configured to prevent backflow of the refrigerant. The one or more pumps 408a to 408c and the one or more check valves 412a to 412b may be part of a supplemental heating system that increases the efficiency of the system 100. For example, one or more pumps 408a and check valves 412a to 412b can facilitate circulation of the refrigerant without using one or more compressors 104. For example, when the outside temperature is below the saturation temperature of the refrigerant, the system 100 can rely on one or more pumps 408a and check valves 412a to 412b to circulate the refrigerant without a compressor, thereby reducing the power consumed to circulate the refrigerant. Because this aspect of cooling supplements the cooling mediated by the compressor, the one or more pumps 408a and the one or more check valves 412a to 412b can be optional.

[0044] In an embodiment, a portion of the cooling system 100 is physically located within a server environment 420 (e.g., the location of servers or other electronic devices 404 (a data center)). For example, the CDU and the cooled electronic devices 404 can be located within the server environment 420. In another example, the CDU, the electronic devices 404, and the second heat exchanger 120 can be located within the server environment. In another example, the electronic devices 404 are within the server environment 420.

[0045] Figures 5 to 7 A more detailed schematic diagram of the cooling system 100 is shown operating under different conditions. Figures 5 to 7 A cooling system 100 is shown having one or more compressors 104a-104b, one or more condensers 108a-108b (e.g., multiple condenser coils), one or more first heat exchangers 112a-112b (e.g., multiple evaporator coils), and multiple valves 116a-116d (e.g., first heat exchanger valves 116a-116b and second heat exchanger valves 116c-116d). The cooling system 100 can include any number of compressors 104, condensers 108, one or more first heat exchangers 112a-112b, and second heat exchangers 120. The cooling system 100 can include multiple primary refrigerant circulation loops 500a-500b. The system can also include one or more secondary cooling loops 502. For example, one or more cooling loops 102 of the cooling system 100 can include two secondary cooling loops 502 or be in fluid communication with two secondary cooling loops 502.

[0046] Figure 5 A cooling system 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown operating in a 100% cooling mode via air-cooled one or more first heat exchangers 112a-112b. In this configuration, the first heat exchanger valves 116a-116b are open (e.g., as indicated by white valve icons) while the second heat exchanger valves 116c-116d are closed (e.g., as indicated by black valve icons), thereby enabling refrigerant to circulate through the one or more first heat exchangers 112a-112b and preventing refrigerant from circulating through the second heat exchanger 120. Figures 5 to 7 In the diagram, regions of circulation are indicated by arrows, while regions of no flow are indicated by "x".

[0047] Figure 6The cooling system 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown operating in a 100% cooling mode with the liquid-cooled second heat exchanger 120 performing the cooling. In this configuration, the first heat exchanger valves 116a to 116b are closed, while the second heat exchanger valves 116c to 116d are open, thereby enabling the refrigerant to circulate through the second heat exchanger 120 and preventing the refrigerant from circulating through one or more first heat exchangers 112a to 112b. The areas of circulation are indicated by arrows, while the areas of no flow are indicated by "x".

[0048] Figure 7 A cooling system 100, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, is shown, operating in a manner that distributes cooling approximately equally between one or more first heat exchangers 112a-112b and a liquid-cooled second heat exchanger 120. In this configuration, one of the first heat exchanger valves 116a is closed and another first heat exchanger valve 116b is open, while one of the second heat exchanger valves 116c is closed and another second heat exchanger valve 116d is open, thereby enabling the refrigerant to be cooled using both air and liquid cooling techniques. The cooling system 100 can be configured to allow any percentage of cooling to be performed by one or more first heat exchangers 112 or the second heat exchanger 120. For example, the ratio of the percentage of cooling between the one or more first heat exchangers 112 and the second heat exchanger 120 can be 50% (air): 50% (liquid). Switching of the valves 116a-116d can be performed manually or via the controller 200.

[0049] In an embodiment, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the cooling system 100 includes one or more cooling circuits 102a to 102c, such as Figure 8 . The cooling system 100 can have any number of cooling circuits 102a to 102c, including but not limited to one cooling circuit 102, two cooling circuits 102, three cooling circuits 102, ten cooling circuits 102, 30 cooling circuits 102, or 100 or more cooling circuits 102. For example, the cooling system 100 can include up to 32 cooling circuits 102. The cooling circuits 102a to 102c can be in fluid communication with any number of CDUs 400 or electronic devices 404 (e.g., servers) and can be organized in parallel with a group of CDUs 400 or electronic devices 404. For example, a group of CDUs 400 and / or electronic devices 404 can have up to 32 cooling circuits in parallel.

[0050] In an embodiment, the one or more processors 204 are configured to receive instructions (e.g., opening and closing instructions) specific to each set of valves 116 of one or more cooling circuits 102. The one or more processors 204 can also be configured to transmit signals to the valves 116 based on the instructions for each of the cooling circuits. For example, for a cooling system 100 having ten cooling circuits 102, the one or more processors 204 of the controller 200 can be instructed and executed by the cooling system 100 to operate the valves 116 so that three of the cooling circuits 102 operate with 100% air cooling and seven of the cooling circuits 102 operate with 100% liquid cooling. In this way, the ratio of cooling between the one or more first heat exchangers 112 and the second heat exchangers 120 for the entire system 100 can be adjusted based on the opening and closing of the valves 116 within each cooling circuit 102.

[0051] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 9A Dimensions for accommodating the cooling system 100 are shown in FIG. The coordinated cooling of the refrigerant by the first heat exchanger 112 and the second heat exchanger 120 allows cooled air and / or cooled liquid to enter the electronic equipment 404 (with or without the CDU 400). The air can be circulated by one or more fans / blowers 904. The air heated by the electronic equipment 404 then rises into a plenum 908 and can be circulated back to the first heat exchanger 112 for another round of cooling. The cooling system 100 can be designed to accommodate one or more dimensions. For example, the cooling system 100 can be configured to have the same or similar width or height as the DP400 cooling system described above.

[0052] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure and as Figure 9B As shown in FIG, a method 950 for switching the cooling system 100 from cooling the electronic device 404 via the first heat exchanger 112 to cooling the electronic device 404 via the second heat exchanger 120 is disclosed. One or more steps of the method 950 may be performed manually or via one or more processors 204. The method 950 is performed in Figures 5 and 6 Further shown in .

[0053] In an embodiment, the method 950 includes step 960 of closing one or more first heat exchanger valves 116a-116b, wherein closing the one or more first heat exchanger valves 116a-116b prevents refrigerant from flowing through the first heat exchanger 112, wherein the first heat exchanger 112 includes an evaporator coil. In an embodiment, the method 950 includes step 970 of opening one or more second heat exchanger valves 116c-116d, wherein opening the one or more second heat exchanger valves 116c-116d enables refrigerant to flow through the second heat exchanger 120, wherein the second heat exchanger 120 includes a brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE).

[0054] In an embodiment, the method 950 also includes changing the amount of refrigerant (e.g., charge) in the cooling system 100. Regardless of whether one or more cooling circuits 102 are operated in an air-cooled or liquid-cooled manner, the amount of refrigerant in the system will vary. This is because the amount of refrigerant in the first heat exchanger 112 (e.g., evaporator coil) may be greater than the charge in the second heat exchanger 120 (e.g., BPHE). Additionally, refrigerant migrates, and depending on when the unit is shut down for the changeover, refrigerant may migrate and reside in the first heat exchanger 112. This may require a technician to extract refrigerant from one or more cooling circuits 102 and then recharge the cooling system 100 to the newly calculated amount. This issue can be addressed by having a receiver that can accommodate the additional refrigerant charge.

[0055] Figure 10AFIG2 is a schematic diagram of a cooling system 100 implemented as a hybrid air / liquid unit 1000. In embodiments, the hybrid air / liquid unit 1000 can be self-contained and positioned relative to electronic equipment housed in a data center. In embodiments, the hybrid air / liquid unit 1000 includes one or more cabinets 1002 defining an interior space for containing system components. For example, a condenser 108 can be located in a first portion of the unit 1000, electrical components can be located in a main electrical cabinet 106 of the unit 1000, a compressor can be located in a compressor compartment 1010 of the unit 1000, one or more first heat exchangers 112 can be located in another portion of the unit 1000, one or more second heat exchangers 120 can be located in yet another portion of the unit 1000, and a pump 408 associated with the liquid cooling circuit can be located adjacent to the one or more second heat exchangers 120. In embodiments, one or more of the interior spaces can be confined spaces. In an embodiment, one or more fans 1004 (e.g., blowers) are provided within the unit and associated with the air cooling circuit. In use, as discussed below, the one or more fans 1004 operate to circulate air through the unit 1000 and pass the air through the one or more first heat exchangers 112.

[0056] Figure 10B 10. The air flow through the hybrid air / liquid unit 1000 is shown via the action of one or more fans 1004. In an embodiment, when the one or more fans 1004 are energized, hot air is drawn in through the upper portion of the unit. The hot air drawn into the unit by the one or more fans 1004 is directed through one or more first heat exchangers 112 associated with the air cooling circuit, whereby the heat is absorbed by the refrigerant, and the resulting cool air is directed out through another portion of the unit (e.g., the lower portion of the unit) toward the electronic equipment. When the cooling system 100 is operated in a first operating mode for air cooling, the one or more fans are energized and can run continuously to circulate air through the unit 1000 as shown.

[0057] In a conventional hybrid system operating in liquid cooling mode, one or more fans 1004 associated with the air cooling circuit would typically be turned off. According to the present disclosure, when operating the cooling system 100 in a second operating mode for liquid cooling, one or more fans 1004 associated with the air cooling circuit can be cycled on and off as needed to exhaust hot air from the unit. More specifically, when operating in the second operating mode in which the air cooling circuit is not operating, liquid cooling is achieved via a second heat exchanger 120 associated with the liquid cooling circuit. When the liquid cooling circuit is operating, one or more pumps 408 associated with the liquid cooling circuit are energized to circulate the liquid medium to the electronic equipment and / or CDU 400. When the pumps are energized, the electric motors associated with the pumps generate heat. Due to the placement of the pumps 408 and motors within the unit 1000, and in some cases within a confined space, the heat generated by the electric motors causes the air temperature within the unit to increase. Over time, heat can accumulate within the unit, reaching temperatures that could damage system components (e.g., electrical components housed within the unit 1000). In such cases, it may be necessary to “flush” hot air from inside the unit 1000 to maintain an acceptable air temperature within the unit 1000 .

[0058] In an embodiment, the unit 1000 may include one or more temperature sensors 1008 configured to sense the temperature of the air within the unit 1000. The one or more temperature sensors 1008 may be positioned in predetermined areas within the unit 1000, such as near the pump 408, the one or more first heat exchangers 112, the one or more fans 1004, electronic components, etc. In use, the one or more temperature sensors 1008 output internal temperature data to the controller 200, whereupon the temperature data is received by the controller 200 and used to cycle the one or more fans 1004 on and off as needed to exhaust the hot air within the unit 1000.

[0059] Figure 11 A temperature control scheme / method 1100 for managing unit temperature is shown. In step 1102, the controller 200 is configured to determine, based on data received from one or more temperature sensors 1008, whether the internal air temperature in the unit exceeds a predefined threshold air temperature when the cooling system 100 is operating in a second operating mode corresponding to liquid cooling. In step 1104, if the internal air temperature is determined to be below the predefined threshold temperature, the second operating mode is maintained without power being supplied to one or more fans 1004 associated with the air cooling circuit. In step 1106, if the internal air temperature is determined to be above the threshold temperature, the one or more fans 1004 are energized for a predetermined period of time (e.g., ten minutes) to exhaust air within the unit 1000.

[0060] In an embodiment, one or more fans 1004 within the unit may be of a type having sensitive contacts that are easily damaged by repeated cycles of opening and closing and short duration operation. Therefore, the time period during which one or more fans 1004 are energized may be a continuous number of minutes to ensure that the hot air within the unit has been exhausted and the air temperature has returned to a safe operating temperature. For example, the predefined time period may be 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, etc. In an embodiment, in the case of one or more fans 1004 with variable speed, one or more fans 1004 may be operated at a low speed or minimum speed during a second operating mode corresponding to liquid cooling, so that a minimum volume of hot air is directed toward the electronic equipment to be cooled by the liquid cooling circuit. In other words, considering that the hot air is exhausted through an outlet corresponding to the air cooling circuit, it is preferred that the airflow volume be minimized during the unit cooling operating mode.

[0061] Continuing with method 1100, in step 1108, controller 200 determines, based on one or more sensors 1008, whether the air temperature within unit 1000 has dropped below a predefined threshold temperature, and in some embodiments, a predetermined amount below the predefined threshold temperature. In step 1108, a temperature determination can be made while one or more fans 1004 are operating, for example, near the end of a predefined time period (e.g., at the 8th or 9th minute in the case of a 10-minute time period). In step 1110, if it is determined that the air temperature within unit 1000 has dropped below the predefined temperature threshold, one or more fans 1004 can be de-energized at the end of the predefined time period. In step 1112, if it is determined that the air temperature within unit 1000 has not sufficiently dropped below the predefined threshold temperature, then one or more fans 1004 can continue to operate continuously for another predefined time period to avoid having to de-energize and then re-energize one or more fans 1004 twice.

[0062] The one or more processors 204 may be implemented as any suitable processor, such as at least one general-purpose processor, at least one central processing unit (CPU), at least one image processor, at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), at least one field programmable gate array (FPGA), and / or at least one special-purpose processor, configured to execute instructions for performing (e.g., collectively if more than one processor performs) any or all of the operations disclosed herein.

[0063] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the art has advanced to the point where there is little distinction between hardware and software implementations of various aspects of a system; the use of hardware or software is typically (but not always, as in certain contexts the choice between hardware and software may become important) a design choice that represents a cost versus efficiency trade-off. Those skilled in the art will understand that there are a variety of vehicles (e.g., hardware, software, and / or firmware) by which the processes and / or systems and / or other techniques described herein may be implemented, and that the preferred vehicle will vary with the context in which the processes and / or systems and / or other techniques are deployed. For example, if an implementer determines that speed and accuracy are of primary importance, the implementer may select primarily hardware and / or firmware vehicles; alternatively, if flexibility is of primary importance, the implementer may select primarily software implementations; or, again alternatively, the implementer may select some combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware. Thus, there are several possible carriers through which the processes and / or apparatus and / or other techniques described herein may be implemented, with no one carrier being inherently superior to another, as any carrier to be utilized is a choice dependent on the context in which the carrier will be deployed and the specific concerns of the implementer (e.g., speed, flexibility, or predictability), any of which concerns may vary.

[0064] The foregoing detailed description has been described using block diagrams, flow charts and / or examples to illustrate various embodiments of the device and / or process. To the extent that such block diagrams, flow charts and / or examples include one or more functions and / or operations, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that each function and / or operation within such block diagrams, flow charts or examples can be implemented individually and / or collectively by various hardware, software, firmware or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, several portions of the subject matter described herein can be implemented via application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs) or other integrated formats. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in whole or in part in an integrated circuit as one or more computer programs running on one or more computers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), as firmware, or in fact as any combination thereof, and that designing circuits and / or writing code for software and / or firmware will be entirely within the skill of those skilled in the art based on the present disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein can be distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that the illustrative embodiments of the subject matter described herein apply regardless of the particular type of signal-bearing medium used to actually perform the distribution. Examples of signal-bearing media include, but are not limited to, the following: recordable media such as floppy disks, hard drives, compact disks (CDs), digital video disks (DVDs), digital tapes, computer memories, and the like; and transmission media such as digital and / or analog communication media (e.g., fiber optic cables, waveguides, wired communication links, wireless communication links, and the like).

[0065] In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize that the various aspects described herein, which may be implemented individually and / or collectively by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof, may be viewed as consisting of various types of “circuitry.” Thus, as used herein, “circuitry” includes, but is not limited to, circuitry having at least one discrete circuit, circuitry having at least one integrated circuit, circuitry having at least one application-specific integrated circuit, circuitry forming a general-purpose computing device configured by a computer program (e.g., a general-purpose computer configured by a computer program that at least partially performs the processes and / or apparatus described herein or a microprocessor configured by a computer program that at least partially performs the processes and / or apparatus described herein), circuitry forming a storage device (e.g., in the form of random access memory), and / or circuitry forming a communication device (e.g., a modem, a communications switch, or an optoelectronic device). Those skilled in the art will recognize that the subject matter described herein may be implemented in an analog or digital manner, or some combination thereof.

[0066] Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is common in the art to describe devices and / or processes in the manner set forth herein, and thereafter to integrate such described devices and / or processes into data processing systems using engineering practices. That is, at least a portion of the devices and / or processes described herein can be integrated into data processing systems via a reasonable amount of experimentation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that a typical data processing system typically includes one or more of the following: a system unit housing, a video display device, memory such as volatile and non-volatile memory, a processor such as a microprocessor and a digital signal processor, a computing entity such as an operating system, a driver, a graphical user interface, and an application program, one or more interactive devices such as a touchpad or screen, and / or a control system including feedback loops and control motors (e.g., feedback for sensing position and / or velocity; control motors for moving and / or adjusting components and / or quantities). A typical data processing system can be implemented using any suitable commercially available components (e.g., those typically found in data computing / communication and / or network computing / communication systems).

[0067] As used throughout this document and as understood by those skilled in the art, “at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium” or “memory 208” may refer to at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., at least one computer-readable medium implemented as hardware; for example, at least one non-transitory processor-readable medium, at least one memory (e.g., at least one non-volatile memory, at least one volatile memory, or a combination thereof; for example, at least one random access memory, at least one flash memory, at least one read-only memory (ROM) (e.g., at least one electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM))), at least one on-processor memory (e.g., at least one on-processor cache, at least one on-processor buffer, at least one on-processor flash memory, at least one on-processor EEPROM, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof), at least one storage device (e.g., at least one hard drive, at least one tape drive, at least one solid-state drive, at least one flash drive, at least one readable and / or writable disk of at least one optical drive configured to read from and / or write to at least one readable and / or writable disk, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof).

[0068] The subject matter described herein sometimes illustrates different components contained within or connected to different other components. It should be understood that the architecture depicted in this manner is merely exemplary, and in fact many other architectures that implement the same functionality can be implemented. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components that implement the same functionality is effectively "associated" so as to implement the desired functionality. Therefore, any two components that are combined herein to implement a specific functionality can be considered to be "associated" with each other so as to implement the desired functionality, regardless of the architecture or intermediate components. Similarly, any two components that are so associated can also be considered to be "operably connected" or "operably coupled" to each other to implement the desired functionality, and any two components that can be so associated can also be considered to be "capable of being operably coupled" to each other to implement the desired functionality. Specific examples that can be operably coupled include, but are not limited to, components that can be physically matched and / or physically interacted and / or components that can wirelessly interact and / or wirelessly interact and / or components that can logically interact and / or components that can logically interact.

[0069] While particular aspects of the subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, based on the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the subject matter described herein and its broader aspects, and, therefore, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it should be understood that the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cooling system comprising: Refrigerant circuit; an air cooling circuit in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, the air cooling circuit comprising at least one first heat exchanger; a liquid cooling circuit in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, the liquid cooling circuit comprising at least one second heat exchanger and at least one pump; a valve assembly configured to selectively flow refrigerant to at least one of the air cooling circuit and the liquid cooling circuit; as well as a controller communicatively coupled to the valve assembly, the controller comprising one or more processors configured to control the flow of the refrigerant selectively to the at least one first heat exchanger, the at least one second heat exchanger, or both the at least one first heat exchanger and the at least one second heat exchanger.

2. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein: The second heat exchanger comprises a brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE).

3. The cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one cooling distribution unit in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger, wherein The pump is configured to circulate a secondary fluid between the second heat exchanger and the cooling distribution unit.

4. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein: The second heat exchanger is configured to provide direct-to-chip liquid cooling.

5. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein: The air cooling circuit includes at least one fan communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to flow air through the at least one first heat exchanger.

6. The cooling system according to claim 5, wherein: The one or more processors are further configured to: operating the cooling system in a first operating mode in which the air cooling circuit is in operation and the liquid cooling circuit is inoperable; and The cooling system is operated in a second operating mode in which the air cooling circuit is not operated, the liquid cooling circuit is operated, and the at least one fan is selectively operated to cool at least a portion of the cooling system.

7. The cooling system according to claim 6, further comprising: at least one cabinet containing at least a portion of each of the refrigerant circuit, the air cooling circuit, the liquid cooling circuit, and the valve assembly; as well as at least one temperature sensor disposed in the at least one cabinet, the at least one temperature sensor being configured to sense an internal air temperature in the at least one cabinet; The controller is communicatively coupled to the at least one temperature sensor and is further configured to: When the cooling system operates in the second operating mode, the at least one fan is energized when an internal air temperature in the at least one cabinet exceeds a predefined threshold air temperature.

8. The cooling system according to claim 7, wherein: The at least one fan is powered on for a predefined period of time.

9. The cooling system according to claim 8, wherein: The controller is further configured to: determining, based on the at least one temperature sensor, whether an internal air temperature in the at least one cabinet has dropped below the predefined threshold air temperature when the at least one fan is powered on for the predefined period of time; de-energizing the at least one fan if it is determined that the internal air temperature in the at least one cabinet has dropped below the predefined threshold air temperature; as well as If it is determined that the internal air temperature in the at least one cabinet has not dropped below the predefined threshold air temperature, the at least one fan is maintained energized for another continuous predefined time period.

10. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one first heat exchanger includes an evaporator coil.

11. A liquid cooling subsystem for a conventional air cooling system, the conventional air cooling system comprising a first heat exchanger, the liquid cooling subsystem comprising: a second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the liquid to the refrigerant; as well as A valve block is configured to control the flow of the refrigerant to the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

12. The liquid cooling subsystem of claim 11, wherein: The first heat exchanger includes an evaporator coil.

13. The liquid cooling subsystem of claim 11, wherein: The second heat exchanger comprises a brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE).

14. The liquid cooling subsystem of claim 11, further comprising at least one cooling distribution unit in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger.

15. The liquid cooling subsystem of claim 14, further comprising a pump configured to circulate secondary fluid between the second heat exchanger and the cooling distribution unit.

16. The liquid cooling subsystem of claim 11 , further comprising one or more processors, the one or more processors being configured to: receiving a command to open or close one or more valves in the valve bank; and A signal is sent to the one or more valves in the valve group based on the command.

17. The liquid cooling subsystem of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of cooling circuits, wherein: The one or more processors are further configured to receive instructions specific to each valve group of each cooling circuit of the plurality of cooling circuits.

18. The liquid cooling subsystem of claim 11, wherein: The second heat exchanger is configured to provide direct-to-chip liquid cooling.

19. A method for controlling a hybrid air / liquid cooling unit, the method comprising: providing a cabinet defining an interior space, a refrigerant circuit contained in the interior space, an air cooling circuit contained in the interior space and in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, a liquid cooling circuit contained in the interior space and in fluid communication with the refrigerant circuit, and a valve assembly contained in the interior space and configured to selectively flow refrigerant to at least one of the air cooling circuit and the liquid cooling circuit, the air cooling circuit including at least one first heat exchanger, the liquid cooling circuit including at least one second heat exchanger and at least one pump; providing a controller communicatively coupled to the valve assembly, the controller comprising one or more processors; closing one or more first heat exchanger valves of the valve assembly, wherein closing the one or more first heat exchanger valves prevents refrigerant from flowing through the first heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger includes an evaporator coil; and One or more second heat exchanger valves of the valve assembly are opened, wherein opening the one or more second heat exchanger valves enables refrigerant to flow through the second heat exchanger, wherein the second heat exchanger comprises a brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE).

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein The air cooling circuit includes at least one fan communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the fan is configured to flow air through the at least one first heat exchanger.

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