Liquid cooling system and its control method, device, and computer-readable storage medium

Abstract

This application provides a liquid cooling system and its control method, apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium. The liquid cooling system control method includes: determining whether there is a risk of freezing of the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop; when it is determined that there is a risk of freezing of the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop, determining the phase state of the cooling medium based on the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump and the startability of the water pump, wherein the phase state of the cooling medium includes a solid phase and a solid-liquid mixed phase; and determining a control strategy for the heating device and the water pump based on the phase state of the cooling medium, so as to melt the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop into a liquid phase, wherein the control strategy includes a solid phase melting control strategy and a solid-liquid mixed phase melting control strategy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of liquid cooling technology, specifically to a liquid cooling system and its control method, apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] A liquid cooling system is a cooling device that uses the circulating flow of a cooling medium to cool the object being cooled. In low-temperature environments or when the cooling medium ratio is incorrect, the cooling medium in a liquid cooling system is prone to freezing, causing the system to fail to start and operate normally. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a liquid cooling system and its control method, apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium. When there is a risk of freezing in the cooling medium, corresponding control strategies can be adopted according to the phase state of the cooling medium to enable the cooling medium to melt quickly and reliably, ensuring that the liquid cooling system can start and operate normally.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a liquid cooling system control method. The liquid cooling system includes a cooling medium circulation loop and a heating device. The cooling medium circulation loop includes a water pump, a heat exchanger, and a cooling end connected by pipes. The heat exchanger is connected to a cold source for heat exchange. The cooling end is used to cool the object being cooled. The heating device is used to heat the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop. The liquid cooling system control method includes: determining whether there is a risk of freezing in the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop; when it is determined that there is a risk of freezing in the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop, determining the phase state of the cooling medium based on the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump and the startability of the water pump, wherein the phase state of the cooling medium includes a solid phase and a solid-liquid mixed phase; determining a control strategy for the heating device and the water pump based on the phase state of the cooling medium, so as to melt the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop into a liquid phase, wherein the control strategy includes a solid phase melting control strategy and a solid-liquid mixed phase melting control strategy.

[0005] In some embodiments, determining the phase state of the cooling medium based on the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump and the startability of the water pump includes: determining whether the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump is greater than a first pressure difference threshold; when the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump is greater than the first pressure difference threshold, determining that the phase state of the cooling medium is a solid-liquid mixture; when the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump is less than or equal to the first pressure difference threshold, determining whether the water pump can be started for a short time; when the water pump can be started for a short time, determining that the phase state of the cooling medium is a solid-liquid mixture; when the water pump cannot be started for a short time, determining that the phase state of the cooling medium is a solid phase.

[0006] In some embodiments, the water pump includes a pump body and a fan coaxially connected; determining whether the water pump can be started for a short time includes: issuing a start command to the water pump and determining whether the fan is rotating; when it is determined that the fan is rotating, determining that the water pump can be started for a short time; when it is determined that the fan cannot rotate, determining that the water pump cannot be started for a short time.

[0007] In some embodiments, determining the control strategy for the heating device and the water pump based on the phase state of the cooling medium includes: when the phase state of the cooling medium is a solid-liquid mixture, determining the control strategy as a solid-liquid mixture dissolution control strategy, the solid-liquid mixture dissolution control strategy including: starting the water pump and prohibiting the starting of the heating device; when the phase state of the cooling medium is a solid phase, determining the control strategy as a solid phase dissolution control strategy, the solid phase dissolution control strategy including: starting the heating device and prohibiting the starting of the water pump.

[0008] In some embodiments, after starting the water pump and prohibiting the heating device from starting, the solid-liquid mixed-phase dissolution control strategy further includes: controlling the water pump to cycle on and off according to a first operating cycle and a first shutdown cycle until the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump is greater than a second pressure difference threshold; when it is determined that the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump is greater than the second pressure difference threshold, controlling the water pump to cycle on and off according to a second operating cycle and a second shutdown cycle until the temperature of the cooling medium is greater than or equal to a first preset temperature, and the second operating cycle is greater than the first operating cycle; when it is determined that the temperature of the cooling medium is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature, controlling the water pump to maintain operation and starting the heating device.

[0009] In some embodiments, after starting the heating device and prohibiting the water pump from starting, the solid phase dissolution control strategy further includes: determining whether the temperature of the cooling medium between the heating device and the water pump is greater than or equal to a second preset temperature; when the temperature of the cooling medium is determined to be greater than or equal to the second preset temperature, determining whether the water pump can be started for a short time; when it is determined that the water pump can be started for a short time, controlling the liquid cooling system to switch from the solid phase dissolution control strategy to the solid-liquid mixed phase dissolution control strategy.

[0010] In some embodiments, after starting the heating device and preventing the water pump from starting, the solid-phase dissolution control strategy further includes: acquiring the temperature of the heating device; determining whether the temperature of the heating device is greater than or equal to the superheat temperature; when the temperature of the heating device is determined to be greater than or equal to the superheat temperature, controlling the heating device to stop heating; determining whether the temperature of the heating device is less than or equal to the restart temperature, the restart temperature being less than the superheat temperature; when the temperature of the heating device is determined to be less than or equal to the restart temperature, controlling the heating device to restart heating.

[0011] In some embodiments, determining whether there is a risk of freezing of the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop includes: obtaining the temperature of the cooling medium; determining whether the temperature of the cooling medium is less than or equal to the freezing point of the cooling medium; determining that there is a risk of freezing of the cooling medium when the temperature of the cooling medium is less than or equal to the freezing point of the cooling medium; and determining that there is no risk of freezing of the cooling medium when the temperature of the cooling medium is greater than the freezing point of the cooling medium.

[0012] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a liquid cooling system control device, comprising: a freezing risk judgment module configured to determine whether there is a freezing risk in the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop; a phase state identification module configured to, when determining that there is a freezing risk in the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop, determine the phase state of the cooling medium based on the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump and the startability of the water pump, wherein the phase state of the cooling medium includes a solid phase and a solid-liquid mixed phase; and a melting control module configured to determine a control strategy for the heating device and the water pump based on the phase state of the cooling medium, so as to melt the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop into a liquid phase, wherein the control strategy includes a solid phase melting control strategy and a solid-liquid mixed phase melting control strategy.

[0013] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a liquid cooling system, comprising: a cooling medium circulation loop, including the water pump, the heat exchanger, and the cooling end, wherein the heat exchanger is connected to a cold source for heat exchange, and the cooling end is used to cool the object being cooled; a heating device for heating the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop; a processor; and a memory storing a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, implements the liquid cooling system control method as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0014] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program being loaded by a processor to execute the steps in the liquid cooling system control method described above.

[0015] The liquid cooling system control method provided in this application first determines whether there is a risk of freezing in the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop. When there is a risk of freezing, the phase state of the cooling medium is accurately determined by comprehensively considering the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump and the startability of the water pump. Then, based on the phase state of the cooling medium, a solid phase melting control strategy or a solid-liquid mixed phase melting control strategy is adopted to make the cooling medium gradually melt from the corresponding phase state and eventually turn into a liquid phase, so as to ensure that the liquid cooling system can start and operate normally. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a liquid cooling system control method provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a flow path diagram of a liquid cooling system provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a partial flowchart of a liquid cooling system control method provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is another partial flowchart of a liquid cooling system control method provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is another partial flowchart of a liquid cooling system control method provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 6 This is another partial flowchart of a liquid cooling system control method provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 7 This is another partial flowchart of a liquid cooling system control method provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 8 This is another partial flowchart of a liquid cooling system control method provided in some embodiments of this application; Figure 9 This is an electrical connection structure diagram of a liquid cooling system provided in some embodiments of this application.

[0018] Explanation of key component symbols: 1-Liquid cooling system, 11-Water pump, 12-Cooling heat exchanger, 13-Cooling end, 20-Heating device, 30-Processor, 40-Memory, 2-Cooling object. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0020] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0021] "A and / or B" includes the following three combinations: A only, B only, and a combination of A and B.

[0022] The use of "applies to" or "configured to" in this application implies open and inclusive language, which does not exclude the applicability to or configuration to devices performing additional tasks or steps. Additionally, the use of "based on" implies openness and inclusivity, because processes, steps, calculations, or other actions "based on" one or more of the stated conditions or values ​​may in practice be based on additional conditions or values ​​beyond those stated.

[0023] In this application, the term "exemplary" is used to mean "used as an example, illustration, or description." Any embodiment described as "exemplary" in this application is not necessarily to be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments. The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this application. Details are set forth in the following description for purposes of explanation. It should be understood that those skilled in the art will recognize that this application can be made without using these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and processes are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the description of this application with unnecessary detail. Therefore, this application is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is consistent with the broadest scope of the principles and features disclosed in this application.

[0024] like Figure 1 As shown, in a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a liquid cooling system control method for controlling a liquid cooling system 1. The liquid cooling system control method includes S10 to S30, which can take corresponding control strategies according to the phase state of the cooling medium when there is a risk of freezing of the cooling medium, so as to make the cooling medium melt quickly and reliably, and ensure that the liquid cooling system 1 can start and operate normally.

[0025] like Figure 2 As shown, the liquid cooling system 1 includes a cooling medium circulation loop and a heating device 20. The cooling medium circulation loop includes a water pump 11, a cooling heat exchanger 12, and a cooling end 13 connected by pipes. The cooling medium can circulate through the cooling heat exchanger 12, the cooling end 13, and the heating device 20 under the drive of the water pump 11. The type of cooling medium can be determined according to actual needs, and can be different types such as ethylene glycol or water (H2O). This embodiment does not limit this. The cooling heat exchanger 12 is connected to a cold source for heat exchange to obtain the required cooling capacity from the cold source. The type of cooling heat exchanger 12 can be determined according to actual needs, and can be, for example, a plate heat exchanger or other types of heat exchangers. This embodiment does not limit this. The type of cold source can be determined according to actual needs, and can be, for example, a refrigeration circulation loop, a semiconductor refrigerator, or a cooling water source. This embodiment does not limit this. The cooling end 13 is used to cool the object 2 to reduce its temperature. The type of cooling end 13 can be determined according to actual needs, and can be different types such as heat exchange straight tube, heat exchange coil, heat exchange fin, etc. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0026] The heating device 20 is used to heat the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop to maintain the cooling medium in a liquid phase or to thaw frozen cooling medium. The type of heating device 20 can be determined according to actual needs, and can be different types such as heating wire or heating tube. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0027] When the object to be cooled 2 needs to be cooled, the cooling medium can flow through the cooling heat exchanger 12 and the cooling end 13 driven by the water pump 11, so as to obtain the required cooling capacity from the cold source at the cooling heat exchanger 12, and then release the cooling capacity at the cooling end 13 to reduce the temperature of the object to be cooled 2.

[0028] S10: Determine whether there is a risk of freezing in the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop.

[0029] S20: When it is determined that there is a risk of freezing of the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop, the phase state of the cooling medium is determined based on the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11 and the startability of the water pump 11.

[0030] The inlet and outlet pressure difference of water pump 11 is the difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure of water pump 11. The inlet and outlet pressures of water pump 11 can be acquired in real time by pressure sensors installed at the inlet and outlet of water pump 11. The inlet and outlet pressure difference of water pump 11 is related to the phase state of the cooling medium, and the phase state of the cooling medium can be determined based on the magnitude of the inlet and outlet pressure difference of water pump 11. In some embodiments, a start command can be issued to water pump 11 to control water pump 11 to attempt to start, and the inlet and outlet pressures of water pump 11 can be detected to calculate and determine the inlet and outlet pressure difference of water pump 11.

[0031] The startability of the water pump 11 refers to the possibility of the water pump 11 starting for a short time, including two states: it can start for a short time and it cannot start for a short time. These two states correspond to different phase states of the cooling medium, and the phase state of the cooling medium can be determined based on whether the water pump 11 can start for a short time.

[0032] The cooling medium can be in two phases: a solid phase and a solid-liquid mixture. When the cooling medium is in a solid phase, it is completely frozen solid, and there are no longer any flowable liquid components in it. When the cooling medium is in a solid-liquid mixture, it is partially frozen solid and partially remains liquid, exhibiting an overall slurry-like or semi-fluid state, similar to shaved ice.

[0033] When it is determined that there is a risk of freezing of the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop, it can be determined that the cooling medium is at least partially frozen, that is, the cooling medium is in a solid phase or a solid-liquid mixture. At this time, the phase state of the cooling medium can be comprehensively judged based on the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump 11 and the startability of the water pump 11, so as to ensure the accuracy of the phase state judgment result.

[0034] S30: Determine the control strategy of heating device 20 and water pump 11 based on the phase state of the cooling medium, so that the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop melts into a liquid phase.

[0035] The control strategies include a solid-phase melting control strategy and a solid-liquid mixed-phase melting control strategy. When the cooling medium is in a solid phase, the control strategy is a solid-phase melting control strategy. The heating device 20 and the water pump 11 can be controlled according to this strategy to gradually melt the solid cooling medium into a solid-liquid mixed phase or a liquid phase. When the cooling medium is in a solid-liquid mixed phase, the control strategy is a solid-liquid mixed-phase melting control strategy. The heating device 20 and the water pump 11 can be controlled according to this strategy to gradually melt the solid-liquid mixed cooling medium into a liquid phase.

[0036] Compared with related technologies, the liquid cooling system control method provided in this application first determines whether there is a risk of freezing in the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop. When there is a risk of freezing, the phase state of the cooling medium is accurately determined by comprehensively considering the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump 11 and the startability of the water pump 11. Then, based on the phase state of the cooling medium, a solid phase melting control strategy or a solid-liquid mixed phase melting control strategy is adopted to make the cooling medium gradually melt from the corresponding phase state and eventually turn into a liquid phase. This can also prevent the water pump 11 from being mistakenly started when the cooling medium is completely frozen, thus avoiding structural damage and ensuring that the liquid cooling system 1 can start and operate normally.

[0037] like Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, S10 may include S11 to S14 to accurately determine whether there is a risk of freezing of the cooling medium.

[0038] S11: Obtain the temperature of the cooling medium. Here, the temperature of the cooling medium can be acquired in real time by a temperature sensor installed in the cooling medium circulation loop.

[0039] S12: Determine whether the temperature of the cooling medium is less than or equal to the freezing point of the cooling medium.

[0040] Here, the freezing point of the cooling medium is an inherent property of the cooling medium; it is the temperature at which the cooling medium transitions from a liquid phase to a solid phase, and can be determined based on the type of cooling medium. In some examples, the cooling medium can be water; since the freezing point of water is 0°C, the freezing point of the cooling medium is also 0°C. In other examples, the cooling medium can be ethylene glycol; since different volume ratios of ethylene glycol have different freezing points, the freezing point of the cooling medium is the freezing point corresponding to the volume ratio of ethylene glycol used; generally, the higher the volume ratio of ethylene glycol in the cooling medium, the lower the freezing point of the cooling medium. For example, if the cooling medium is pure ethylene glycol, then the freezing point of the cooling medium is the freezing point of pure ethylene glycol, which is -12.9°C. As another example, if the volume ratio of ethylene glycol in the cooling medium is 35%, then the freezing point of the cooling medium is the freezing point of that volume ratio of ethylene glycol, which is -20°C. For another example, when the volume ratio of ethylene glycol in the cooling medium is 70%, the freezing point of the cooling medium is the freezing point of ethylene glycol with that volume ratio, which is -68°C. The freezing points for other volume ratios of ethylene glycol can be found according to actual needs, and will not be elaborated here.

[0041] S13: When it is determined that the temperature of the cooling medium is less than or equal to the freezing point of the cooling medium, it is determined that the cooling medium is at risk of freezing.

[0042] S14: When it is determined that the temperature of the cooling medium is greater than the freezing point of the cooling medium, it is determined that there is no risk of freezing of the cooling medium.

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, S20 may include S21 to S25 to accurately define the phase state of the cooling medium.

[0044] S21: Determine whether the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of water pump 11 is greater than the first pressure difference threshold.

[0045] Here, the first differential pressure threshold is a preset threshold used to further determine whether there is localized fluidity in the cooling medium when it is at least partially frozen. It can be determined through experimental testing or simulation calculation based on the water pump 11. The definition of the inlet and outlet differential pressure of the water pump 11 can be found in the foregoing description and will not be repeated here.

[0046] S22: When it is determined that the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11 is greater than the first pressure difference threshold, the phase state of the cooling medium is determined to be a solid-liquid mixture.

[0047] When the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of water pump 11 is determined to be greater than the first pressure difference threshold, it can be determined that a preset pressure difference can be established between the inlet and outlet of water pump 11. Therefore, it can be determined that the cooling medium has at least localized flow between the inlet and outlet of water pump 11. Since it has been determined that the cooling medium in the circulation loop is at risk of freezing (i.e., at least partially frozen), combined with the judgment that the cooling medium has at least localized flow between the inlet and outlet of water pump 11, it can be further determined that the phase of the cooling medium is a solid-liquid mixture.

[0048] S23: When it is determined that the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11 is less than or equal to the first pressure difference threshold, determine whether the water pump 11 can be started for a short time.

[0049] When the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of water pump 11 is determined to be less than or equal to the first pressure difference threshold, it can be determined that a preset pressure difference can be established between the inlet and outlet of water pump 11, thus preliminarily determining that the cooling medium may not have local flow. At this time, it can be further determined whether water pump 11 can be started briefly, so as to further accurately define the phase state of the cooling medium. In some examples, a start command can be issued to water pump 11 to briefly energize water pump 11 to control water pump 11 to attempt to start. For example, a jogging method can be used to control water pump 11 to be energized briefly, so as to observe and determine whether water pump 11 can be started briefly. The jogging method can be achieved by the operator manually pressing the start button of water pump 11 for a short time, or by the control module of liquid cooling system 1 sending a short energizing pulse to water pump 11.

[0050] S24: When it is determined that the water pump 11 can be started for a short time, the phase state of the cooling medium is determined to be a solid-liquid mixture.

[0051] When it is determined that the water pump 11 can be started for a short time, it can be determined that the water pump 11 still has a certain start-up and operation space, and the cooling medium has local flow at least between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11. Therefore, it can be determined that the phase of the cooling medium is a solid-liquid mixture.

[0052] S25: When it is determined that the water pump 11 cannot start for a short time, the phase state of the cooling medium is determined to be solid.

[0053] When it is determined that the water pump 11 cannot start in a short time, it can be determined that the water pump 11 no longer has the space to start and operate, and the cooling medium no longer has local flow between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11. Therefore, it can be determined that the phase of the cooling medium is solid.

[0054] The liquid cooling system control method provided in this application embodiment, by setting S21~S25, firstly, based on the comparison relationship that the inlet and outlet pressure difference of water pump 11 is greater than the first pressure difference threshold, safely determines that the phase state of the cooling medium is a solid-liquid mixture and ensures the safe operation of water pump 11. When the inlet and outlet pressure difference of water pump 11 is less than or equal to the first pressure difference threshold, the water pump 11 is controlled to attempt a short-term start. Then, based on the result of the short-term start attempt, the phase state of the cooling medium is accurately determined to be either a solid-liquid mixture or a solid phase, and the phase state judgment result is relatively accurate.

[0055] In some examples, pump 11 may include a pump body and a fan coaxially connected, enabling the pump body and fan to operate and stop synchronously. For example... Figure 5 As shown, S23 may include S231~S233 to determine whether the water pump 11 can be started for a short time.

[0056] S231: Send a start command to water pump 11 and determine whether the fan is rotating.

[0057] After a start command is sent to water pump 11, water pump 11 is briefly powered on, causing the pump body and fan to attempt to start operating synchronously. At this time, whether the fan is rotating can be observed visually, saving on device costs and reducing detection difficulty by eliminating the need for additional sensors. Alternatively, whether the fan is rotating can also be detected using an angular displacement sensor.

[0058] S232: When the fan is confirmed to be rotating, the water pump 11 is confirmed to be able to start briefly.

[0059] When the fan is confirmed to be rotating, it can be determined that the water pump 11 still has a certain starting and operating space and has actually started operating. Therefore, it can be determined that the water pump 11 can be started for a short time.

[0060] S233: When it is determined that the fan cannot rotate, it is determined that the water pump 11 cannot start for a short time.

[0061] In some embodiments, S30 may include S31 to S32.

[0062] S31: When the phase of the cooling medium is a solid-liquid mixture, the control strategy is determined to be a solid-liquid mixture dissolution control strategy. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the solid-liquid mixed phase dissolution control strategy includes S311.

[0063] S311: Start water pump 11 and prohibit the start of heating device 20.

[0064] When the phase of the cooling medium is determined to be a solid-liquid mixture, it can be determined that there is at least local flow between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11, allowing the water pump 11 at least a short-term start-up operating space. At this time, the water pump 11 can be started, and the mechanical heat generated by the operation of the water pump 11 will dissolve the solid components in the cooling medium into a liquid phase. Since the phase of the cooling medium is a solid-liquid mixture, the flow of the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop is still relatively poor. If the heating device 20 is started, the heat generated by the heating device 20 cannot be quickly dissipated through the flow of the cooling medium, instead causing the temperature of the heating device 20 to rise sharply, potentially leading to overheating damage or burnout. Therefore, it is necessary to prohibit the start-up of the heating device 20 at this time.

[0065] In some examples, after S311, the solid-liquid mixed phase dissolution control strategy may also include S312 to S314.

[0066] S312: Control the water pump 11 to start and stop cyclically according to the first operating cycle and the first shutdown cycle until the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11 is greater than the second pressure difference threshold.

[0067] The first operating cycle is the continuous operating time of pump 11 after each start-up, and the first shutdown cycle is the continuous shutdown time of pump 11 after each shutdown. The value of the first operating cycle can be relatively small, so that pump 11 can be started and operated for a short time, such as by jogging, according to the first operating cycle, to ensure the structural safety of pump 11.

[0068] The second differential pressure threshold is a preset threshold used to determine whether a minimum stable melting cycle can be established within the water pump 11. It can be determined through experimental testing or simulation calculations based on the water pump 11. For example, in the initial stage after entering the solid-liquid mixed-phase melting control strategy, the cooling medium within the water pump 11 may contain completely non-flowing solid components. These solid components may, for example, deposit and adhere to the lowest point of the water pump 11, preventing the establishment of a minimum stable melting cycle within the water pump 11. This limits the water pump 11 to short-term operation during a short first operating cycle, ensuring the structural safety of the water pump 11. Accordingly, the second differential pressure threshold can characterize whether the completely non-flowing solid components within the water pump 11, such as those located at the lowest point, have been completely melted or discharged. After the completely non-flowing solid components within the water pump 11 have been completely melted or discharged, it can be considered that a minimum stable melting cycle can be established within the water pump 11, extending the continuous operating time of the water pump 11 after each start-up, and is sufficient to ensure the operational safety of the water pump 11.

[0069] When implementing the solid-liquid mixed-phase dissolution control strategy, the water pump 11 can be started and operated until the first operating cycle ends and then shut down. During the first shutdown cycle, the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11 can be continuously monitored to ensure it is greater than the second pressure difference threshold. If the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11 is still less than or equal to the second pressure difference threshold when the pump is shut down until the first shutdown cycle ends, the water pump 11 is restarted and then shut down again during the first operating cycle. After the second shutdown, the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11 is continuously monitored to ensure it is greater than the second pressure difference threshold. The water pump 11 is controlled to start and stop in this cyclical manner until the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11 is greater than the second pressure difference threshold, at which point the process enters step S313.

[0070] S313: When it is determined that the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11 is greater than the second pressure difference threshold, the water pump 11 is controlled to start and stop cyclically according to the second operating cycle and the second shutdown cycle until the temperature of the cooling medium is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature.

[0071] The second operating cycle is the continuous operating time of water pump 11 after each start-up, and the second shutdown cycle is the continuous shutdown time of water pump 11 after each shutdown. The second operating cycle is longer than the first operating cycle to extend the continuous operating time of water pump 11 after each start-up, so that water pump 11 can establish a minimum stable dissolution cycle.

[0072] The first preset temperature is a critical temperature used to determine whether the melting degree of the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop has reached a preset melting degree. The preset melting degree is a preset threshold used to determine whether the cooling medium circulation loop can establish a stable cycle. The value of the preset melting degree can be predetermined according to actual needs, for example, it can be taken from 90% to 100%, i.e., different values ​​such as 90%, 92%, 95%, 96%, 98%, or 100%. The first preset temperature can be determined through experimental testing or simulation calculation based on the preset melting degree value, indirectly characterizing whether the cooling medium circulation loop can establish a stable cycle.

[0073] When the inlet and outlet pressure difference of water pump 11 is determined to be greater than the second pressure difference threshold, it can be determined that a minimum stable melting cycle can be established within water pump 11. At this time, water pump 11 can be controlled to start and stop cyclically according to the second operating cycle and the second shutdown cycle, safely and stably extending the continuous running time of water pump 11 after each start-up from the first operating cycle to the second operating cycle, improving the fluidity and flow rate of the cooling medium in the solid-liquid mixed phase along the cooling medium circulation loop, as well as the dissolving ability of water pump 11 on the solid components in the cooling medium, thereby accelerating the melting rate of the cooling medium.

[0074] When executing S313, the water pump 11 can be started and run until the second operating cycle stops. During the second stop cycle, the temperature of the cooling medium can be continuously monitored to ensure it is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature. If the temperature of the cooling medium is still less than the first preset temperature when the second stop cycle begins, the water pump 11 is restarted and then stopped again during the second operating cycle. After the second stop, the temperature of the cooling medium is continuously monitored to ensure it is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature. The water pump 11 is controlled to start and stop in this cyclical manner until the temperature of the cooling medium is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature, at which point the process proceeds to S314.

[0075] S314: When the temperature of the cooling medium is determined to be greater than or equal to the first preset temperature, control the water pump 11 to continue running and start the heating device 20.

[0076] When the temperature of the cooling medium is determined to be greater than or equal to the first preset temperature, it can be determined that the degree of melting of the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop has reached the preset melting degree. The cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop has completely or nearly completely melted into the liquid phase, and a stable circulation can be established in the cooling medium circulation loop. At this time, the water pump 11 can be controlled to maintain operation and the heating device 20 can be started. The heat generated by the heating device 20 is used to further increase the temperature of the cooling medium, so that the temperature of the cooling medium is significantly higher than the freezing point of the cooling medium, preventing the cooling medium from re-freezing, ensuring that the cooling medium can circulate normally and the liquid cooling system 1 can operate normally.

[0077] The liquid cooling system control method provided in this application embodiment, by setting S312~S314, can gradually dissolve the cooling medium in the form of a solid-liquid mixture. First, a shorter first operating cycle is used to control the water pump 11 to start cyclically, ensuring that a minimum stable dissolution cycle can be established within the water pump 11. Then, a second operating cycle is used to extend the continuous operating time of the water pump 11 after each start-up, improving the fluidity and flow speed of the solid-liquid mixture cooling medium along the cooling medium circulation loop, as well as the dissolution ability of the water pump 11 on the solid components in the cooling medium, accelerating the dissolution rate of the cooling medium to quickly establish a stable cycle within the cooling medium circulation loop. Finally, the water pump 11 is controlled to maintain operation and the heating device 20 is started to prevent the cooling medium from re-solidifying, ensuring that the cooling medium can circulate normally and the liquid cooling system 1 can operate normally, making the solid-liquid mixture dissolution control strategy safe and stable.

[0078] S32: When the cooling medium is in a solid phase, the control strategy is determined to be a solid-phase melting control strategy. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the solid-phase melting control strategy includes S321.

[0079] S321: Start the heating device 20 and prohibit the water pump 11 from starting.

[0080] When the phase of the cooling medium is determined to be solid, it can be determined that there is no local flow of the cooling medium between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11, so that the water pump 11 does not have short-term start-up space; if the water pump 11 is forcibly started, it will cause damage to the structure of the water pump 11. At this time, it is necessary to start the heating device 20, and use the heat generated by the heating device 20 to gradually melt the cooling medium from solid phase to solid-liquid mixed phase. For example, after the cooling medium melts from solid phase to solid-liquid mixed phase, since the phase of the cooling medium has changed, the liquid cooling system 1 can be controlled to switch from solid phase melting control strategy to solid-liquid mixed phase melting control strategy, so as to accurately control the melting of the cooling medium phase.

[0081] In some examples, after S321, the solid-phase melting control strategy also includes S322~S324.

[0082] S322: Determine whether the temperature of the cooling medium between the heating device 20 and the water pump 11 is greater than or equal to the second preset temperature.

[0083] Here, the temperature of the cooling medium between the heating device 20 and the water pump 11 can be acquired in real time by a temperature sensor installed between the heating device 20 and the water pump 11. The second preset temperature is a temperature threshold used to determine whether the cooling medium between the heating device 20 and the water pump 11 has local fluidity, and it can be determined by experimental testing or simulation calculation based on the water pump 11.

[0084] S323: When the temperature of the cooling medium is determined to be greater than or equal to the second preset temperature, determine whether the water pump 11 can be started for a short time.

[0085] When the temperature of the cooling medium is determined to be greater than or equal to the second preset temperature, it can be preliminarily determined that the cooling medium between the heating device 20 and the water pump 11 may have local fluidity. At this time, it can be determined whether the water pump 11 can be started for a short time, so as to further accurately determine whether the cooling medium between the heating device 20 and the water pump 11 has local fluidity, and thus accurately define the phase change of the cooling medium. The control method for determining whether the water pump 11 can be started for a short time can be referred to the aforementioned S231~S233, and will not be repeated here.

[0086] S324: When it is determined that the water pump 11 can be started for a short time, the liquid cooling system 1 is controlled to switch from the solid phase melting control strategy to the solid-liquid mixed phase melting control strategy.

[0087] When it is determined that the water pump 11 can be started briefly, it can be determined that the water pump 11 still has a certain start-up and operation space, and the cooling medium has local flow at least between the inlet and outlet of the water pump 11. Therefore, it can be determined that the phase of the cooling medium has changed from solid phase to solid-liquid mixed phase. At this time, the liquid cooling system 1 can be controlled to switch from solid phase melting control strategy to solid-liquid mixed phase melting control strategy to accurately control the melting of the cooling medium phase.

[0088] like Figure 8 As shown, in some examples, after S321, the solid phase melting control strategy may also include S325 to S329 to avoid overheating and damage to the heating device 20.

[0089] S325: Obtain the temperature of the heating device 20. Here, the temperature of the heating device 20 can be acquired in real time by a temperature sensor installed on the heating device 20.

[0090] S326: Determine whether the temperature of the heating device 20 is greater than or equal to the superheat temperature.

[0091] S327: When it is determined that the temperature of the heating device 20 is greater than or equal to the superheat temperature, the heating device 20 is controlled to stop heating.

[0092] When it is determined that the temperature of the heating device 20 is greater than or equal to the overheating temperature, it can be determined that the heat generated by the heating device 20 cannot be effectively dissipated, causing the temperature of the heating device 20 to rise sharply and potentially leading to overheating damage. At this point, it is necessary to control the heating device 20 to stop heating to prevent the heating device 20 from continuing to heat up and causing its own temperature to continue to rise, thereby avoiding the risk of overheating damage to the heating device 20.

[0093] S328: Determine whether the temperature of the heating device 20 is less than or equal to the restart temperature.

[0094] Here, the restart temperature is a preset temperature at which the heating device 20 can be safely restarted, and the restart temperature is lower than the overheating temperature. After the heating device 20 stops heating, its temperature will gradually decrease. During this process, the temperature of the heating device 20 can be continuously monitored to ensure it is below or equal to the restart temperature, so as to control the heating device 20 to restart heating in a timely manner and ensure the heating and melting effect on the cooling medium.

[0095] S329: When it is determined that the temperature of the heating device 20 is less than or equal to the restart temperature, control the heating device 20 to restart heating.

[0096] When it is determined that the temperature of the heating device 20 is less than or equal to the restart temperature, it can be determined that the temperature of the heating device 20 has dropped to a safe range, and the heating device 20 can be controlled to restart heating to continue heating and melting the cooling medium.

[0097] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a liquid cooling system control device, which includes: a freezing risk judgment module configured to determine whether there is a freezing risk in the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop; a phase state recognition module configured to determine the phase state of the cooling medium based on the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump 11 and the startability of the water pump 11 when it is determined that there is a freezing risk in the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop, wherein the phase state of the cooling medium includes a solid phase and a solid-liquid mixed phase; and a melting control module configured to determine the control strategy of the heating device 20 and the water pump 11 based on the phase state of the cooling medium, so as to melt the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop into a liquid phase, wherein the control strategy includes a solid phase melting control strategy and a solid-liquid mixed phase melting control strategy.

[0098] like Figure 2 and Figure 9 As shown, in a third aspect, embodiments of this application provide a liquid cooling system 1, including a cooling medium circulation loop, a heating device 20, a processor 30, and a memory 40. The memory 40 stores a computer program, which, when executed by the processor 30, implements the liquid cooling system control method as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0099] The liquid cooling system 1 includes a cooling medium circulation loop and a heating device 20. The cooling medium circulation loop includes a water pump 11, a heat exchanger 12, and a cooling end 13 connected by pipes. The cooling medium circulates through the heat exchanger 12, the cooling end 13, and the heating device 20 under the drive of the water pump 11. The type of cooling medium can be determined according to actual needs, and can include different types such as ethylene glycol and water (H2O). This embodiment does not limit this. The heat exchanger 12 is connected to a cold source for heat exchange to obtain the required cooling capacity from the cold source. The type of heat exchanger 12 can be determined according to actual needs, and can include, for example, a plate heat exchanger or other types of heat exchangers. This embodiment does not limit this. The type of cold source can be determined according to actual needs, and can include, for example, a refrigeration circulation loop, a semiconductor refrigerator, or a cooling water source. This embodiment does not limit this. The cooling end 13 is used to cool the object 2 to reduce its temperature. The type of cooling end 13 can be determined according to actual needs, and can be different types such as heat exchange straight tube, heat exchange coil, heat exchange fin, etc. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0100] The heating device 20 is used to heat the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop to maintain the cooling medium in a liquid phase or to thaw frozen cooling medium. The type of heating device 20 can be determined according to actual needs, and can be different types such as heating wire or heating tube. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0101] When the object to be cooled 2 needs to be cooled, the cooling medium can flow through the cooling heat exchanger 12 and the cooling end 13 driven by the water pump 11, so as to obtain the required cooling capacity from the cold source at the cooling heat exchanger 12, and then release the cooling capacity at the cooling end 13 to reduce the temperature of the object to be cooled 2.

[0102] The processor 30 is connected to the memory 40 and can perform various actions and processes according to the program stored in the memory 40. Specifically, the processor 30 can be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. The processor 30 can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an off-the-shelf programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components, and can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, and can be based on an x86 architecture or an ARM architecture.

[0103] Memory 40 may be volatile or non-volatile memory, or may include both. Non-volatile memory may be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory may be random access memory (RAM) used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDRSDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous linked dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct memory bus random access memory (DRRAM). It should be noted that memory 40 of the methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0104] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program being loaded by a processor to execute the steps in the control method of any of the above embodiments.

[0105] For example, the aforementioned computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, or magnetic tapes), optical discs (e.g., CDs (Compact Disks), DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks), etc.), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., EPROMs (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), cards, sticks, or key drives, etc.). The various computer-readable storage media described in the embodiments of this application may represent one or more devices and / or other machine-readable storage media for storing information. The term "machine-readable storage medium" may include, but is not limited to, wireless channels and various other media capable of storing, containing, and / or carrying instructions and / or data.

[0106] The above provides a detailed description of a liquid cooling system and its control method, apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium provided in the embodiments of this application. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A control method for a liquid cooling system, characterized in that, The liquid cooling system includes a cooling medium circulation loop and a heating device. The cooling medium circulation loop includes a water pump connected by pipes, a heat exchanger, and a cooling end. The heat exchanger is connected to a cold source for heat exchange. The cooling end is used to cool the object being cooled. The heating device is used to heat the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop. The liquid cooling system control method includes: Determine whether there is a risk of freezing in the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop; When it is determined that there is a risk of freezing of the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop, the phase state of the cooling medium is determined based on the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump and the startability of the water pump. The phase state of the cooling medium includes solid phase and solid-liquid mixed phase. The control strategy for the heating device and the water pump is determined based on the phase state of the cooling medium, so that the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop melts into a liquid phase. The control strategy includes a solid phase melting control strategy and a solid-liquid mixed phase melting control strategy.

2. The liquid cooling system control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The phase state of the cooling medium is determined based on the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump and the startability of the water pump, including: Determine whether the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump is greater than a first pressure difference threshold; When the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump is determined to be greater than the first pressure difference threshold, the phase state of the cooling medium is determined to be a solid-liquid mixture. When the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump is determined to be less than or equal to a first pressure difference threshold, it is determined whether the water pump can be started for a short time. When it is determined that the water pump can be started for a short time, the phase state of the cooling medium is determined to be a solid-liquid mixture. When it is determined that the water pump cannot be started in a short time, the phase state of the cooling medium is determined to be solid.

3. The liquid cooling system control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The water pump includes a pump body and a fan coaxially connected; determining whether the water pump can be started for a short time includes: A start command is sent to the water pump, and it is determined whether the fan is rotating; When it is determined that the fan is rotating, it is determined that the water pump can be started briefly; If it is determined that the fan cannot rotate, it is determined that the water pump cannot start for a short period of time.

4. The liquid cooling system control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control strategy for the heating device and the water pump is determined based on the phase state of the cooling medium, including: When the phase of the cooling medium is a solid-liquid mixture, the control strategy is determined to be the solid-liquid mixture dissolution control strategy, which includes: starting the water pump and prohibiting the starting of the heating device; When the phase of the cooling medium is solid, the control strategy is determined to be a solid phase dissolution control strategy, which includes: starting the heating device and prohibiting the water pump from starting.

5. The liquid cooling system control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, After starting the water pump and disabling the heating device, the solid-liquid mixed-phase dissolution control strategy further includes: The water pump is controlled to start and stop cyclically according to a first operating cycle and a first shutdown cycle until the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump is greater than a second pressure difference threshold. When the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of the water pump is determined to be greater than the second pressure difference threshold, the water pump is controlled to start and stop cyclically according to the second operating cycle and the second shutdown cycle until the temperature of the cooling medium is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature, and the second operating cycle is greater than the first operating cycle. When the temperature of the cooling medium is determined to be greater than or equal to the first preset temperature, the water pump is controlled to continue running and the heating device is started.

6. The liquid cooling system control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, After starting the heating device and disabling the water pump, the solid phase dissolution control strategy further includes: Determine whether the temperature of the cooling medium between the heating device and the water pump is greater than or equal to a second preset temperature; When the temperature of the cooling medium is determined to be greater than or equal to the second preset temperature, it is determined whether the water pump can be started for a short time. When it is determined that the water pump can be started for a short time, the liquid cooling system is controlled to switch from the solid phase melting control strategy to the solid-liquid mixed phase melting control strategy.

7. The liquid cooling system control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, After starting the heating device and disabling the water pump, the solid phase dissolution control strategy further includes: Obtain the temperature of the heating device; Determine whether the temperature of the heating device is greater than or equal to the superheat temperature; When it is determined that the temperature of the heating device is greater than or equal to the superheat temperature, the heating device is controlled to stop heating; Determine whether the temperature of the heating device is less than or equal to the restart temperature, wherein the restart temperature is less than the overheating temperature; When the temperature of the heating device is determined to be less than or equal to the restart temperature, the heating device is controlled to restart heating.

8. A control device for a liquid cooling system, characterized in that, The liquid cooling system includes a cooling medium circulation loop and a heating device. The cooling medium circulation loop includes a water pump connected by pipes, a heat exchanger, and a cooling end. The heat exchanger is connected to a cold source for heat exchange. The cooling end is used to cool the object being cooled. The heating device is used to heat the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop. The liquid cooling system control device includes: The freezing risk assessment module is configured to determine whether there is a freezing risk in the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop; The phase state identification module is configured to determine the phase state of the cooling medium based on the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the water pump and the startability of the water pump when it is determined that there is a risk of freezing of the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop. The phase state of the cooling medium includes solid phase and solid-liquid mixed phase. The melting control module is configured to determine the control strategy of the heating device and the water pump based on the phase state of the cooling medium, so that the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop melts into a liquid phase. The control strategy includes a solid phase melting control strategy and a solid-liquid mixed phase melting control strategy.

9. A liquid cooling system, characterized in that, include: The cooling medium circulation loop includes the water pump, the heat exchanger, and the cooling end. The heat exchanger is connected to a cold source for heat exchange, and the cooling end is used to cool the object being cooled. A heating device for heating the cooling medium in the cooling medium circulation loop; processor; A memory storing a computer program that, when executed by the processor, implements the liquid cooling system control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, It stores a computer program, which is loaded by a processor to execute the steps of the liquid cooling system control method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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