Liquid storage compensation device and two-stage circulation liquid cooling system thereof

Abstract

This invention discloses a liquid storage compensation device and its two-stage circulating liquid cooling system, relating to the field of liquid cooling heat dissipation technology. It includes a heat dissipation assembly comprising a housing body, heat sinks disposed within or connected to the housing body, at least one cooling fan, and a protective shell cooperating with the cooling fan; a liquid storage compensation tank; a first pipeline and a second pipeline communicating with the heat dissipation assembly and the liquid storage compensation tank; the liquid storage compensation tank being provided with a mounting plate for fixing the liquid storage compensation tank to a chassis, cabinet, or support structure; and a control plate disposed on the heat sinks, the control plate having a connection port and a diversion port, the connection port communicating with at least one of the first or second pipelines, and the diversion port diverting coolant entering through the connection port to multiple flow paths on the heat sinks.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of liquid cooling technology, specifically to a liquid storage compensation device and its two-stage circulating liquid cooling system. Background Technology

[0002] As the integration and power consumption of high-performance computing devices, servers, graphics processing units, and power electronic modules continue to increase, traditional heat dissipation methods relying on natural convection or forced air cooling are gradually becoming insufficient to meet the heat dissipation requirements under high heat flux density conditions. Liquid cooling technology, due to its advantages such as high heat transfer efficiency, low thermal resistance, and adaptability to high power density, is increasingly being applied to various electronic devices.

[0003] Existing liquid cooling systems typically include a coolant circulation loop, a radiator, and a power unit to drive the coolant circulation. During actual operation, the coolant expands and contracts with changes in ambient temperature or equipment load, causing fluctuations in system pressure. Without an effective fluid volume compensation structure, large pressure fluctuations within the system can easily occur, leading to problems such as pipe leaks, loose connections, or unstable coolant circulation.

[0004] Furthermore, in some existing liquid cooling devices, the distribution method of the coolant after entering the heat dissipation structure is relatively simple, resulting in uneven flow of the coolant within the heat sink. This can easily lead to localized insufficient flow or heat exchange dead zones, affecting overall heat dissipation efficiency. At the same time, some systems have limited ability to monitor and regulate parameters such as coolant temperature, flow rate, pressure, and level, making it difficult to effectively control the system according to different operating conditions. They also lack reliable protection strategies under high load operation or abnormal conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a liquid storage compensation device and its two-stage circulating liquid cooling system to solve the problems of uniform distribution of coolant, effective compensation for changes in liquid volume, and intelligent adjustment of system operating status while ensuring a compact structure and convenient assembly.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a liquid storage compensation device and its two-stage circulating liquid cooling system, including a heat dissipation component, wherein the heat dissipation component includes a housing body, a heat dissipation fin disposed in or connected to the housing body, at least one heat dissipation fan, and a protective shell cooperating with the heat dissipation fan;

[0007] Liquid compensation tank; a first pipeline and a second pipeline connected to the heat dissipation component and the liquid compensation tank; the liquid compensation tank is provided with a mounting plate, which is used to fix the liquid compensation tank to the chassis, cabinet or support structure.

[0008] A control plate is disposed on the heat sink. The control plate has a connection port and a diversion port. The connection port is connected to at least one of the first pipe or the second pipe. The diversion port is used to divert the coolant entering through the connection port to multiple flow paths of the heat sink.

[0009] The first pipeline and the second pipeline serve as the coolant supply pipeline and return pipeline, respectively, so that the coolant forms a circulation loop between the heat dissipation components and the coolant compensation tank, and the coolant compensation tank compensates for changes in the coolant volume in the circulation loop.

[0010] Furthermore, the outer shell body is connected to the liquid storage compensation tank via a connector, which is used to achieve sealed communication between the first pipeline and the second pipeline and the liquid storage compensation tank.

[0011] Furthermore, the control plate is a strip-shaped plate structure and spans across one or both sides of the heat sink, and the diversion port is a plurality of spaced liquid outlet holes, so that the coolant forms multiple parallel flows along the length or thickness direction of the heat sink.

[0012] Furthermore, the control plate also includes an adjustment structure for adjusting the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the connection port and the diversion port. The adjustment structure is any one or any combination of a rotatable throttling element, a sliding baffle, an elastic valve plate, or a replaceable throttling element, so as to achieve the control of the diversion ratio or flow rate.

[0013] Furthermore, both the first and second pipelines are flexible pipelines and are arranged across the top or side of the outer casing to reduce the bending radius and facilitate assembly.

[0014] Furthermore, the liquid storage compensation tank is equipped with an elastic diaphragm to form a liquid chamber and an air chamber. The air chamber is used to provide elastic compensation pressure, thereby compensating for changes in the amount of liquid due to thermal expansion and contraction in the circulation loop.

[0015] Furthermore, it also includes a controller and temperature sensors, pressure sensors, flow sensors and level sensors electrically connected to the controller. The controller is used to adjust the speed of the cooling fan and the adjustment structure of the control plate according to the collected parameters.

[0016] Furthermore, a two-stage circulating liquid cooling system according to any of the above-mentioned methods is capable of performing the following steps:

[0017] S1. Obtain system operating parameters, including at least one of the following: coolant temperature, temperature difference ΔT between inlet and outlet of heat dissipation component, system pressure, coolant flow rate, and / or liquid level in the liquid storage tank;

[0018] S2. Determine the target heat dissipation capacity based on the operating parameters and generate a control quantity, wherein the control quantity includes at least one of the target speed of the cooling fan and the target flow state of the control board;

[0019] S3. Execution control: Adjust the cooling fan to the target speed, and / or adjust the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the connection port and the flow divider at the control board to change the flow rate or flow ratio of the coolant;

[0020] S4. Based on the changes in the liquid level in the liquid compensation tank and / or the changes in the system pressure, perform liquid volume compensation and stabilization control to keep the system pressure and flow rate within the preset working range;

[0021] S5. Repeat S1 to S4, or enter the protection strategy when an abnormal operating condition is detected.

[0022] Furthermore, the abnormal operating conditions include: pressure exceeding the limit, flow rate below the threshold, liquid level below the threshold, abnormal increase in temperature difference ΔT, and / or temperature exceeding the upper limit; under abnormal operating conditions, the protection strategies include reducing the heat source load command, increasing the cooling fan speed to a safe value, increasing the flow cross-sectional area, issuing an alarm, and / or stopping the circulation.

[0023] Furthermore, step S2 also includes: switching between at least two control modes based on the heat load level, the control modes including a high load mode and a silent energy-saving mode;

[0024] In high-load mode, increase flow rate and fan speed and make the splitter outlets evenly distributed;

[0025] In silent energy-saving mode, the fan speed is reduced and the flow distribution port is made non-uniform to reduce system pressure loss and noise.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the liquid storage compensation device and its two-stage circulating liquid cooling system provided by the present invention have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0027] 1. Improve system operational stability: By setting up a liquid compensation tank and installing an elastic diaphragm inside the liquid compensation tank to form a liquid chamber and a gas chamber, automatic compensation is achieved for changes in liquid volume caused by thermal expansion and contraction of the coolant, effectively mitigating system pressure fluctuations and reducing the risk of pipeline leakage and cavitation.

[0028] 2. Improve the uniformity of coolant distribution: By setting a control plate with connection port and flow branch port on the heat sink, the coolant entering the heat sink can form multiple parallel flows, reducing the phenomenon of insufficient local flow and improving the overall heat exchange efficiency of the heat sink.

[0029] 3. Enhanced flexibility in heat dissipation adjustment: The adjustable flow structure of the control board allows for adjustment of the coolant flow rate or distribution ratio according to different operating conditions, enabling the system to maintain superior heat dissipation performance and energy consumption levels under both high and low load conditions.

[0030] 4. Enhance system intelligence and safety: By setting temperature, pressure, flow and liquid level sensors, and with the controller adjusting the cooling fan speed and flow status in conjunction, the system can monitor and control its operating status in real time and dynamically. When abnormal operating conditions are detected, protection strategies can be executed in a timely manner to reduce the risk of system failure.

[0031] 5. Compact structure and convenient installation and maintenance: The liquid storage compensation tank is fixed by the mounting plate, and the pipeline adopts a flexible layout, which facilitates the overall installation and maintenance of the system, and also helps to adapt to different equipment or space conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a first-view structural schematic diagram of the liquid storage compensation device and its two-stage circulating liquid cooling system provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a second-view structural schematic diagram of the liquid storage compensation device and its two-stage circulating liquid cooling system provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of components such as heat sinks and control boards provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of the liquid storage compensation tank is provided for an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the operation process steps provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0038] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0039] 1. Outer shell; 2. Cooling fan; 3. Protective shell; 4. First pipeline; 5. Connector; 6. Liquid reservoir; 7. Mounting plate; 8. Second pipeline; 9. Control plate; 10. Connection port; 11. Diversion port; 12. Heat sink; 13. Elastic diaphragm. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] As attached Figure 1 To be continued Figure 5 As shown: This embodiment provides a liquid storage compensation device and its two-stage circulating liquid cooling system, including a heat dissipation assembly, a liquid storage compensation tank 6, and a first pipeline 4 and a second pipeline 8 connected to both; the structure of the heat dissipation assembly;

[0042] The heat dissipation assembly includes a housing body 1, a cooling fan 2, a protective shell 3, and heat sink 12. The heat sink 12 is disposed within or connected to the housing body 1, and is used for heat exchange with the coolant and with the outside air. The cooling fan 2 is disposed on one side of the heat sink 12, and is used to generate airflow to improve the convective heat transfer efficiency of the heat sink 12. The protective shell 3 is configured in conjunction with the cooling fan 2, and is used to protect the fan impeller and guide the airflow.

[0043] The coolant reservoir 6 is used to store a certain amount of coolant and compensate for changes in the coolant volume in the circulation loop. The coolant reservoir 6 is equipped with a mounting plate 7, which is used to fix the coolant reservoir 6 to the chassis, cabinet, or supporting structure, thereby improving assembly stability and facilitating maintenance.

[0044] Piping and Connections: The first pipe 4 and the second pipe 8 serve as the supply and return pipes, respectively, enabling the coolant to form a circulation loop between the heat dissipation components and the coolant reservoir 6. Preferably, both the first pipe 4 and the second pipe 8 are flexible pipes and are arranged above or to the side of the outer casing 1 to reduce the bending radius, reduce pipe stress, and facilitate assembly. The outer casing 1 and the coolant reservoir 6 are connected by a connector 5, which is used to achieve a sealed connection between the first pipe 4, the second pipe 8, and the coolant reservoir 6, thereby reducing the risk of leakage.

[0045] Control panel and shunt structure; such as Figure 3 As shown, a control plate 9 is provided on the heat sink 12. The control plate 9 has a connection port 10 and a diversion port 11. The connection port 10 is connected to at least one of the first pipe 4 or the second pipe 8, allowing coolant to enter the control plate 9. The diversion port 11 consists of multiple spaced outlet holes, used to divert the coolant entering through the connection port 10 to multiple flow paths on the heat sink 12, so that the coolant forms multiple parallel flows inside the heat sink 12, thereby improving the uniformity of fluid distribution.

[0046] Preferably, the control plate 9 is a strip plate structure and spans across one or both sides of the heat sink 12, so that the diversion port 11 can supply liquid to multiple areas along the length or thickness direction of the heat sink 12.

[0047] Preferably, in some embodiments, the control plate 9 further includes an adjustment structure for adjusting the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the connection port 10 and the diversion port 11. This adjustment structure can be any one or any combination of a screw-on throttling element, a sliding baffle, an elastic valve, or a replaceable throttling element, to achieve control over the diversion ratio or flow rate, thereby optimizing flow distribution under different heat loads or different noise requirements.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an elastic diaphragm 13 is provided inside the liquid storage compensation tank 6 to divide the tank into a liquid chamber and an air chamber. The liquid chamber is connected to the first pipeline 4 and / or the second pipeline 8 for coolant to enter and exit; the air chamber is used to provide elastic compensation pressure. When the system temperature rises and causes the coolant to expand, excess coolant enters the liquid chamber and pushes the elastic diaphragm 13 to deform towards the air chamber, achieving liquid absorption and pressure buffering; when the system temperature drops and causes the coolant to contract, the elastic diaphragm 13 rebounds under the pressure of the air chamber, replenishing coolant to the circuit, thereby reducing circuit pressure and flow fluctuations and improving operational stability.

[0049] Furthermore, this embodiment further includes a controller and a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, and a level sensor electrically connected to the controller;

[0050] Temperature sensors are used to detect coolant temperature and / or temperature at critical locations of heat dissipation components; pressure sensors are used to detect system pressure; flow sensors are used to detect coolant flow rate; level sensors are used to detect the level of the liquid in the liquid compensation tank 6; and controllers are used to adjust the speed of the cooling fan 2 according to the collected parameters and to regulate the adjustment structure of the control board 9 so that the system can obtain the target heat dissipation capacity under different loads and trigger protection strategies when parameters are abnormal.

[0051] Preferably, this embodiment provides a two-stage circulating liquid cooling system for the above-mentioned liquid storage compensation device, capable of performing the following steps:

[0052] S1. Obtain system operating parameters, including at least one of the following: coolant temperature, temperature difference ΔT between inlet and outlet of heat dissipation component, system pressure, coolant flow rate, and / or liquid level in liquid compensation tank 6;

[0053] S2. Determine the target heat dissipation capacity based on the operating parameters and generate control quantities. The control quantities include at least one of the target speed of the cooling fan 2 and the target flow state of the control board 9.

[0054] S3, Execution control: Adjust the cooling fan 2 to the target speed, and / or adjust the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the connection port 10 and the diversion port 11 at the control board 9 to change the flow rate or diversion ratio of the coolant;

[0055] S4. Based on the changes in the liquid level of the liquid compensation tank 6 and / or the changes in the system pressure, perform liquid volume compensation and stabilization control to keep the system pressure and flow rate within the preset working range;

[0056] S5. Repeat S1 to S4, or enter the protection strategy when an abnormal operating condition is detected.

[0057] Abnormal operating conditions and protection strategies

[0058] Abnormal operating conditions include: pressure exceeding limits, flow rate below the threshold, liquid level below the threshold, abnormal increase in temperature difference ΔT and / or temperature exceeding the upper limit; under abnormal operating conditions, protection strategies may include: reducing heat source load command, increasing cooling fan speed 2 to a safe value, increasing flow cross-sectional area, issuing alarms and / or stopping circulation, in order to reduce system risk.

[0059] The mode switching step S2 also includes switching between at least two control modes based on the thermal load level, including a high load mode and a silent energy-saving mode.

[0060] In high-load mode, increase flow rate and fan speed and make the flow distribution port 11 evenly distributed to enhance heat dissipation capacity;

[0061] In silent energy-saving mode, the fan speed is reduced and the flow distribution port 11 is in a non-uniform state to reduce system pressure loss and noise.

[0062] In this embodiment, the coolant temperature parameters are as follows:

[0063] Normal operating temperature range for coolant: 20℃~60℃; High temperature alarm threshold for coolant: ≥65℃; High temperature protection threshold for coolant: ≥70℃;

[0064] Temperature difference ΔT between inlet and outlet of heat dissipation component:

[0065] Normal operating temperature difference range: 3℃~10℃; abnormal temperature difference judgment threshold: ΔT ≥15℃, judged as a condition of reduced heat dissipation efficiency;

[0066] System pressure parameters:

[0067] Normal operating pressure range: 0.05 MPa~0.3 MPa; Over-pressure alarm threshold: ≥0.35 MPa; Pressure protection threshold: ≥0.4 MPa;

[0068] Coolant flow rate parameters: Normal flow rate range: 0.5 L / min~3.0 L / min; when the flow rate is below 0.3 L / min, it is judged as insufficient flow condition;

[0069] Liquid level parameters for the liquid replenishment tank: Normal liquid level range: 30% to 80% of the effective volume of liquid replenishment tank 6; Low liquid level alarm threshold: ≤20%; High liquid level alarm threshold: ≥90%;

[0070] Flow state parameters of the control plate;

[0071] In high-load mode: the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the diversion port 11 is 80% to 100% of the design maximum value, so that the coolant is evenly distributed to the heat sink 12; in silent and energy-saving mode: the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the diversion port 11 is 40% to 70% of the design maximum value, and the coolant is preferentially supplied to some flow channels according to the temperature difference ΔT.

[0072] During system operation, the coolant, driven by an external device such as a pump, is delivered to the heat dissipation assembly through the first pipe 4 and enters the control plate 9 via the connection port 10. The control plate 9 distributes the coolant to multiple flow paths of the heat sink 12 through its distribution port 11, causing the coolant to flow in multiple parallel paths inside the heat sink 12, thereby increasing the heat exchange area between the coolant and the heat sink 12 and improving heat dissipation uniformity and efficiency.

[0073] While exchanging heat with the coolant, the heat sink 12 drives airflow through the cooling fan 2, further transferring heat to the outside air via convection. After completing the heat exchange, the coolant flows back to the liquid compensation tank 6 through the second pipe 8, where the liquid level is adjusted and buffered before re-entering the circulation loop.

[0074] When the system temperature rises or the heat load increases, the coolant volume expands accordingly. The expanded coolant enters the liquid chamber of the liquid compensation tank 6 and pushes the elastic diaphragm 13 to deform elastically towards the air chamber, thereby absorbing excess liquid and relieving the increase in system pressure. When the system temperature decreases or the heat load decreases, the elastic diaphragm 13 rebounds under the pressure of the air chamber, replenishing the coolant back into the circulation loop, thereby preventing pressure fluctuations or cavitation caused by insufficient liquid in the system.

[0075] Meanwhile, the system collects operating parameters in real time through temperature sensors, pressure sensors, flow sensors, and liquid level sensors, and sends the collected parameters to the controller. The controller dynamically adjusts the speed of the cooling fan 2 and the flow state of the control plate 9 based on parameters such as coolant temperature, temperature difference ΔT between the inlet and outlet of the heat dissipation component, system pressure, coolant flow rate, and liquid level in the liquid compensation tank 6, so that the system can maintain stable and efficient operation under different operating conditions.

[0076] When conditions such as excessive pressure, abnormal flow, abnormal liquid level, or abnormally increased temperature difference ΔT are detected, the controller executes corresponding protection strategies, including increasing the speed of cooling fan 2, increasing the flow cross-sectional area, reducing the heat source load command, issuing an alarm, or stopping the cycle, to improve the safety and reliability of system operation.

[0077] The foregoing has only described certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention by way of illustration. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art can modify the described embodiments in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing drawings and descriptions are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A reservoir compensation device, characterized by, include: The heat dissipation assembly includes a housing body (1), a heat sink (12) disposed inside or connected to the housing body (1), at least one cooling fan (2), and a protective shell (3) cooperating with the cooling fan (2). Liquid storage compensation tank (6); a first pipeline (4) and a second pipeline (8) connected to the heat dissipation component and the liquid storage compensation tank (6); the liquid storage compensation tank (6) is provided with a mounting plate (7), which is used to fix the liquid storage compensation tank (6) to the chassis, cabinet or support structure; A control plate (9) is disposed on the heat sink (12). The control plate (9) has a connection port (10) and a diversion port (11). The connection port (10) is connected to at least one of the first pipe (4) or the second pipe (8). The diversion port (11) is used to divert the coolant entering through the connection port (10) to multiple flow paths of the heat sink (12). The first pipeline (4) and the second pipeline (8) serve as the supply pipeline and return pipeline of the coolant, respectively, so that the coolant forms a circulation loop between the heat dissipation component and the liquid compensation tank (6), and the liquid compensation tank (6) compensates for the change in liquid volume in the circulation loop.

2. The liquid storage compensation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer shell (1) is connected to the liquid storage compensation tank (6) via a connector (5), which is used to achieve a sealed connection between the first pipeline (4) and the second pipeline (8) and the liquid storage compensation tank (6).

3. The liquid storage compensation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control plate (9) is a strip plate structure and spans one or both sides of the heat sink (12). The diversion port (11) is a plurality of spaced liquid outlet holes, so that the coolant forms multiple parallel flows along the length or thickness direction of the heat sink (12).

4. The liquid storage compensation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control plate (9) also includes an adjustment structure for adjusting the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the connection port (10) and the diversion port (11). The adjustment structure is any one or any combination of a rotatable throttling element, a sliding baffle, an elastic valve plate or a replaceable throttling element, so as to achieve the control of the diversion ratio or flow rate.

5. The liquid storage compensation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first pipe (4) and the second pipe (8) are flexible pipes and are arranged above or to the side of the outer shell body (1) to reduce the bending radius and facilitate assembly.

6. The liquid storage compensation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid storage compensation tank (6) is provided with an elastic diaphragm (13) to form a liquid chamber and an air chamber. The air chamber is used to provide elastic compensation pressure to compensate for the changes in the amount of liquid due to thermal expansion and contraction in the circulation loop.

7. The liquid storage compensation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a controller and temperature sensors, pressure sensors, flow sensors and liquid level sensors electrically connected to the controller. The controller is used to adjust the speed of the cooling fan (2) and the adjustment structure of the control plate (9) according to the collected parameters.

8. A two-stage circulating liquid cooling system for any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The following steps can be performed: S1. Obtain system operating parameters, including at least one of the following: coolant temperature, temperature difference ΔT between inlet and outlet of heat dissipation component, system pressure, coolant flow rate and / or liquid level in liquid compensation tank (6); S2. Determine the target heat dissipation capacity based on the operating parameters and generate a control quantity, wherein the control quantity includes at least one of the target speed of the cooling fan (2) and the target flow state of the control plate (9); S3, Execution control: Adjust the cooling fan (2) to the target speed, and / or adjust the effective flow cross-sectional area of ​​the connection port (10) and the diversion port (11) at the control plate (9) to change the flow rate or diversion ratio of the coolant; S4. Based on the changes in the liquid level of the liquid compensation tank (6) and / or the changes in the system pressure, perform liquid volume compensation and stabilization control to keep the system pressure and flow rate within the preset working range; S5. Repeat S1 to S4, or enter the protection strategy when an abnormal operating condition is detected.

9. The two-stage circulating liquid cooling system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The abnormal operating conditions include: pressure exceeding the limit, flow rate below the threshold, liquid level below the threshold, abnormal increase in temperature difference ΔT and / or temperature exceeding the upper limit; under abnormal operating conditions, the protection strategies include reducing the heat source load command, increasing the speed of the cooling fan (2) to a safe value, increasing the flow cross-sectional area, issuing an alarm and / or stopping the cycle.

10. The two-stage circulating liquid cooling system according to claim 8, wherein step S2 further comprises: The system switches between at least two control modes based on the heat load level, including a high load mode and a silent energy-saving mode. In high-load mode, increase flow rate and fan speed and make the splitter (11) evenly distributed; In silent energy-saving mode, the fan speed is reduced and the shunt port (11) is in a non-uniform distribution state to reduce system pressure loss and noise.

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