Distributed water cooling system

Abstract

Distributed water cooling device, characterized in that comprising: Cooling unit, which includes the following: - several cooling series components, each located at different installation positions on the housing body for electronic devices; - several cooling fans attached to the multiple cooling row arrangements; - a heat exchanger unit for exchanging heat with a heat source; and - a drive unit to propel the fluid flow; - wherein the cooling unit, the heat exchange unit and the drive unit are coupled and connected via connecting pipes to form a connecting path.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority over the Chinese patent application filed by Beijing Xinquansheng Technology Co., Ltd. with the Chinese Patent Office on April 29, 2022, under application number 202210465306.9 and the invention name “DISTRIBUTED WATER COOLING DEVICE”. The entire contents of the application are incorporated herein by reference. Technical field

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of cooling for electronic devices and in particular to a distributed water cooling device. State of the art

[0003] With the development of electronic information technology, the computing power of desktop PCs is constantly increasing. Consequently, the heat generated by the CPU, GPU, and other system components is also increasing, thus raising the demands on the cooling performance of the computer system.

[0004] Among the various cooling solutions for core components such as the CPU or GPU in desktop PCs, water cooling radiators offer the best cooling performance. They typically consist of a water pump unit, a heat exchanger unit, a collector unit including a fan, and connecting water lines. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the prior art cooling circuit comprises a cooling unit 1, a heat exchanger unit 2, a drive unit 3, and connecting pipes 4. The cooling unit 1 further comprises a U-shaped water path cooling assembly 101, a water inlet chamber 1011, a water outlet chamber 1012, a diverting water chamber 1013, a water inlet 1014, a water outlet 1015, etc.

[0005] The state-of-the-art cooling process is as follows: The water pump in the drive unit 3 drives the water to flow through the heat exchanger unit 2 to exchange heat, and then the hot water flows out. The high-temperature water flows through the connecting pipe 4 to the water inlet chamber 1014 in the upper half of the water cooler outlet. The water flow in the water inlet chamber 1014 flows through several diverting water paths (high-frequency pipes) 1016 in the upper half of the water cooler to the diverting water chamber 1013. After the water flow has collected, it rotates 180° and flows through several flow paths (high-frequency pipes) in the lower half of the water cooler outlet to the water outlet chamber 1015, and then returns the water via the connecting pipe 4 to the pump head to exchange heat with the heat source again. As in Fig. 2 shown.

[0006] Foldable cooling strips are welded between the outer surfaces of several high-frequency pipe flow paths of the cooling unit. The air convection provided by the fan gradually reduces the water temperature along the direction of the water flow.

[0007] Current state-of-the-art cooling methods have the following problems: First, current water-cooled coolers typically have only a single water outlet, and their cooling capacity is limited by the outlet's specifications. Generally, the larger the outlet, the greater the cooling capacity. However, due to case size and installation constraints, the largest current outlet specification is 120 x 480 mm, which accommodates four 120-inch fans. With the gradual increase in CPU heat dissipation, the water outlet's cooling capacity has become one of the main bottlenecks in water-cooling systems.

[0008] Secondly, the cooling efficiency of the water outflow is low according to the state of the art. The specific analysis is as follows: The existing cooler is designed as a U-shaped water cooling system component with a U-shaped flow path. After the hot water flows through the upper part of the manifold from the water inlet chamber to the diverting water chamber, it must turn back 180° in the diverting water chamber and then flow through the lower part of the manifold to the water outlet chamber. During this process, the water flow resistance is very high, and numerous eddies form in the diverting water chamber, which significantly consume the power output of the water pump and impair the overall flow of the system.

[0009] Furthermore, the water temperature in the U-shaped water cooling system gradually decreases as it flows into the cooler. In this configuration, each cooling fan must cover 50% of the warm water flow path and 50% of the cold water flow path. As we all know, the greater the temperature difference between the object being cooled and the ambient temperature, the better the heat dissipation effect. If the temperature difference between the object being cooled and the ambient air temperature is small, the fan does not function as effectively. From the analysis above, it is evident that in current technology, half of each cooling fan installed on the water cooler corresponds to the relatively high temperature difference, and the other half to the relatively low temperature difference.This ultimately leads to suboptimal fan efficiency.

[0010] In view of the reasons mentioned above, it is necessary to propose a new heat dissipation idea in order to solve the aforementioned problems of the existing technology.

[0011] The information disclosed in this “Background” section is intended only to improve the understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be interpreted as an admission or in any way implied that the information represents prior art already known to the person skilled in the art. Content of the present utility model

[0012] The object of the present invention is to provide a distributed water cooling device that can be connected in series or parallel or in a combination of series and parallel in order to create a larger effective heat dissipation area under the existing housing capacities and installation conditions of the water cooling cooler.

[0013] To solve the aforementioned problems, the invention provides a distributed water cooling device comprising a cooling unit, a heat exchange unit, and a drive unit; wherein the cooling unit comprises multiple cooling array components and multiple cooling fans; wherein the multiple cooling array components are each arranged at different installation positions on the housing body for electronic devices; wherein the multiple cooling fans are attached to multiple cooling array components; wherein the heat exchange unit is configured to exchange heat with the heat source, and the drive unit is configured to drive the fluid flow; wherein the cooling unit, the heat exchange unit, and the drive unit are coupled and connected via connecting pipes to form a connecting path.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the cooling series component comprises a continuous one-way water path cooling series component, and the continuous one-way water path cooling series component comprises a water inlet chamber, a water outlet chamber, and multiple branch water paths, wherein the water inlet chamber and the water outlet chamber are arranged opposite each other at both ends of the multiple branch water paths, and the multiple branch water paths are arranged parallel and extend longitudinally, wherein the outer wall of the branch water path has corrugated cooling elements connected and fastened in series, wherein the water inlet chamber is equipped with a water inlet and the water outlet chamber is equipped with a water outlet, and the fluid flows sequentially through the water inlet, the water inlet chamber, the multiple branch water paths, and the water outlet chamber to form a one-way communication path.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the cooling series component also includes a U-shaped water path cooling series component, wherein the water inlet chamber and the water outlet chamber are both arranged at the same end of the U-shaped water path cooling series component, wherein the water inlet chamber and the water outlet chamber are two independent chambers and are connected at the other end to the same diverting water chamber via several diverting water paths, and the several branch water paths are arranged in parallel and extend longitudinally, wherein the outer wall of the branch water path has corrugated cooling elements which are connected and fastened in series, wherein the water inlet chamber, the several branch water paths and the water outlet chamber, and the water outlet pass through to form a one-way communication path.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the multiple cooling series components are connected one after the other via a connecting pipe to the water outlet of one of the cooling series components and the water inlet of another of the cooling series components to form a serial connection path.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the cooling series components are connected in parallel to form a parallel connecting water path, and the parallel connecting water path comprises a main water path and a secondary water path; wherein the fluid in the main water path is divided to form several water distribution paths, and the several water distribution paths, after each flowing into the water inlets of several cooling series components, flow out of the respective water outlets and rejoin to form the main water path.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, at least two of the multiple cooling series components are connected in parallel and then connected in series with at least one other of the cooling series components.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, at least two of the multiple cooling series components are connected in parallel and then connected in series with at least one other of the cooling series components.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the drive unit and the heat exchange unit are integrated in one body to form an integrated heat exchange drive unit, or the drive unit and the heat exchange unit are arranged separately and independently of each other to form a separate heat exchange drive unit, wherein the separate heat exchange drive unit comprises one or more heat exchange units and drive units.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the heat exchange units are connected in parallel to form a parallel connecting water path, and the parallel connecting water path comprises a main water path and a secondary water path; wherein the fluid in the main water path is divided to form several water distribution paths, and the several water distribution paths, after each opening into the water inlets of several heat exchange units, flow out of the respective water outlets and rejoin to form the main water path.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the one or more drive units are connected to a parallel heat exchange unit.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the multiple cooling fans can be set to different nominal speeds according to the water path positions of different cooling units.

[0024] Compared to existing technology, the decentralized water cooling heat dissipation device of the present invention has the following advantageous effects: Firstly, multiple sets of water cooling series can be connected in series or parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel, to create a larger effective heat dissipation area given the existing limited case capacity and installation conditions for water cooling coolers.

[0025] Secondly, in the distributed water cooling device according to the present invention, a one-way water path cooling series component is used for a single chiller in a group of several chillers. That is, the water inlet chamber and the water outlet chamber are each arranged at both ends of the manifold, so that the water-cooling fluid in the water-cooled outlet manifold flows in one direction. This avoids eddy currents caused by the short-distance rotation of the U-shaped water path cooling series component in the prior art, reduces the system impedance, and improves the water flow efficiency.

[0026] Third, the cooling water temperatures within the area covered by a cooling fan are similar because the water flow in the one-way cooling system is unidirectional. Therefore, the cooling fan's heat dissipation efficiency can also be improved. Consequently, the fan speed in the cooling system can be adjusted according to the position of the respective cold fluid in the flow path. That is, the fan on the water cooling system closer to the high-temperature water flowing out of the cooling unit after heat exchange can be set to a higher speed, while the fan located near the rear of the water cooling system can be set to a lower speed. This can result in lower energy consumption and reduced noise while simultaneously improving the system's heat dissipation. Brief description of the characters Fig. Figure 1 is a schematic structural representation of a cooling unit according to a prior art embodiment; Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic structural representation of a water-cooled cooling component according to an embodiment of the prior art; Fig. Figure 3 is a schematic structural representation of a distributed water cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 4 is a schematic structural representation of a housing with a distributed water cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 5 is a schematic structural representation of a one-way water path cooling series component according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 6 is a schematic structural representation of a combination of several disposable water path cooling series components according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 7 is a schematic structural representation of a series-connected water path according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 8 is a schematic structural representation of a further series-connected water path according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 9 is a schematic structural representation of a parallel connecting waterway according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 10 is a schematic structural representation of a serial-parallel connecting waterways according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 11 is a schematic structural representation of a water path with multiple heat sources according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference symbol list

[0027] 1 Cooling unit, 101 Cooling series component, 1011 Water inlet chamber, 1012 Water outlet chamber, 1013 Diverting water chamber, 1014 Water inlet, 1015 Water outlet, 1016 Branch water path, 1017 Shaft heat sink, 1018 One-way water path cooling series component, 1019 U-shaped water path cooling series component, 102 Cooling fan, 2 Heat exchanger unit, 3 Drive unit, 4 Connecting pipe, 5 Separate heat exchanger drive unit, 6 Integrated heat exchanger drive unit, 10 Cooling unit group. Detailed descriptions

[0028] The specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, it is understood that the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited by the specific embodiments.

[0029] Unless expressly stated otherwise, the term "comprises" or its variations such as "includes" or "consists of" etc. throughout the specification and in the claims shall be understood as including specified elements or components and not excluding other elements or components.

[0030] As in the Fig. Figures 3 to 6 illustrate a distributed water cooling device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprising a cooling unit 1 and an integrated heat exchange drive unit 6. The cooling unit 1 comprises multiple cooling array components 101 and multiple cooling fans 102. The multiple cooling array components 101 are each arranged at different installation positions on the housing body for electronic devices. The multiple cooling fans 102 are attached to the multiple cooling array assemblies 101. The cooling array component 101 may, among other things, be an integrated cooling array heat exchange drive unit 6, which comprises a heat exchange unit 2 and a drive unit 3. The heat exchange unit 2 serves to exchange heat with the heat source, and the drive unit 3 serves to drive the fluid flow.The heat exchange unit 2 can be a cold head that exchanges heat with a heat source, but is not limited to this. The drive unit 3 is, for example, a water pump, but is not limited to this. The cooling unit 1, the heat exchange unit 2, and the drive unit 3 are coupled and connected via connecting pipes 4 to form a connecting path.

[0031] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, a cooling unit 1 is arranged on the top or front of the housing. The cooling unit 1 comprises a cooling array component 101 and a cooling fan 102, which is permanently installed on the cooling array component. The integrated heat exchanger drive unit 6 is in direct contact with the motherboard CPU for heat exchange and is connected to the two cooling array components 101 via the connecting tubes 4. The cooling array components are distributed on the top and front of the housing and can also be placed on the left, right panel, etc.

[0032] As in the Fig. 5 and Fig. As shown in Figure 6, the cooling series component 101 in some embodiments comprises a continuous one-way water path cooling series component 1018, wherein the continuous one-way water path cooling series component 1018 comprises a water inlet chamber 1011, a water outlet chamber 1012 and several branch water paths 1016, wherein the outer wall of the branch water path 1016 has wave cooling elements 1017 which are connected and fastened in series, wherein the water inlet chamber 1011 and the water outlet chamber 1012 are arranged opposite each other at both ends of the several branch water paths 1016, wherein the water inlet chamber 1011 is equipped with a water inlet 1014 and the water outlet chamber 1012 with a water outlet 1015.

[0033] In some embodiments, the outer wall of the branch water path 1016 has wave-shaped cooling elements 1017, which are connected and fastened in series. The diverting water path 1016 has a hollow chamber. Several branch water channels 1016 extend longitudinally and are in contact with the water outlet chamber 1012 and the water inlet chamber 1011 for coupling and communication. The fluid flows through the water inlet 1014, the water inlet chamber 1011, several branch water paths 1016, the water outlet chamber 1012, and the water outlet 1015 in one direction.

[0034] In some embodiments, the cooling series component 101 of this embodiment can also be used in combination with the prior art U-shaped water path cooling series component 1019 and the one-way water path cooling series component 1018 to adapt it to integration into different installation locations and different heat dissipation requirements.

[0035] In some embodiments, the water inlet chamber 1011 and the water outlet chamber 1012 of the U-shaped water path cooling series component 1019 are both arranged at the same end of the U-shaped water path cooling series component 1019, wherein the water inlet chamber 1011 and the water outlet chamber 1012 are two independent chambers and are connected at the other end to the same diverting water chamber via several diverting water paths. The fluid flows through the U-shaped water connection path, which consists successively of a water inlet 1014, a water inlet chamber 1015, several branch water paths 1016, a diverting water chamber 1013, a water outlet chamber 1012, and a water outlet 1015. The several branch water paths 1016 are arranged parallel and extend longitudinally. The outer walls of the branch waterways 1016 have wave cooling elements 1017, which are connected and fastened one after the other.

[0036] As in the Fig. 7 and Fig. As shown in Figure 8, in some embodiments the cooling series components 101 are connected one after the other via a connecting pipe 4 to the water outlet 1015 of one of the cooling series components 101 and the water inlet 1014 of another of the cooling series components 101 in order to form a serial connection path. The embodiment in Fig. 8 is a serial connection path consisting of two one-way water path cooling series components 1018, a U-shaped water path cooling series component 1019 and a separate heat exchange drive unit 5.

[0037] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 9, in some embodiments the cooling series components 101 are connected in parallel to form a parallel connecting water path, wherein the parallel connecting water path comprises a main water path and a secondary water path, wherein the fluid in the main water path is divided to form several water distribution paths, and the several water distribution paths, after each opening into the water inlets 1014 of several cooling series components 101, flow out of the respective water outlets 1015 and merge again to form the main water path.

[0038] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger unit 2 and the drive unit 3 are subdivided, according to the different arrangements, into: an integrated heat exchanger drive unit 6 and a separate heat exchanger drive unit 5. The integrated heat exchanger drive unit 6 integrates the drive unit 3 and the heat exchanger unit 2 in a single body. The separate heat exchanger drive unit 5 is independent of the drive unit 3 and the heat exchanger unit 2. The separate heat exchanger drive unit 5 comprises one or more heat exchanger units 2, and the drive unit 3 of the separate heat exchanger drive unit 5 comprises one or more water pumps.

[0039] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 10, in some embodiments at least two of the multiple cooling series components 101 are connected in parallel and then connected in series with at least one other cooling series component 101. In this embodiment, the specifications of the cooling series components 101 can be the same or different. For example, but not limited to, two 120 x 480 mm continuous cooling series components 1018 are connected in parallel and then connected in series with a 280 x 140 mm continuous cooling series component 1018 and connected to the heat exchange unit 2 and the drive unit 3.

[0040] In some embodiments, at least two of the multiple cooling series components 101 are connected in series and then in parallel with at least one other cooling series component 101 (not shown). In some embodiments, the heat exchange units 2 are connected in parallel to form a parallel connecting water path, and the parallel connecting water path comprises a main water path and a secondary water path, wherein the fluid in the main water path is divided to form multiple water distribution paths, and the multiple water distribution paths, after each opening into the water inlets 1014 of multiple heat exchange units 2, flow out of the respective water outlets 1015 and rejoin to form the main water path.

[0041] As in Fig.As shown in Figure 11, in some embodiments one or more water pumps are connected to the parallel heat exchange unit 2 and then to the cooling unit group 10. The cooling unit group 10 can be a series-connected water path consisting of several cooling series components 101, a parallel water path, or a combination of series and parallel water paths. The cooling unit group 101 can also be a combination of several specifications or a combination of a one-way water path cooling series component 1018 and a U-shaped water path cooling series component 1019. The present invention is not limited to these.

[0042] In some embodiments, several integrated heat exchange drive units 5 or separate heat exchange drive units 6 can be arranged in parallel and then connected to the cooling unit.

[0043] In some embodiments, the multiple cooling fans 102 can be set to different nominal speeds according to the water path positions of different cooling units 1. That is, the fan on the water cooling row located closer to the high-temperature water flowing out of the cooling unit after heat exchange can be defined as having a higher speed, while the fan attached to the water cooling row near the rear can be set to a lower speed.

[0044] In summary, the distributed water cooling device of the present invention has the following advantages: Firstly, multiple sets of water cooling series can be connected in series or parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel, to create a larger effective heat dissipation area given the existing limited case capacity and installation conditions for water cooling coolers.

[0045] Secondly, in the distributed water cooling device according to the present invention, a one-way water path cooling series component is used for a single chiller in a group of several chillers. That is, the water inlet chamber and the water outlet chamber are each arranged at both ends of the manifold, so that the water-cooling fluid in the water-cooled outlet manifold flows in one direction. This avoids eddy currents caused by the short-distance rotation of the U-shaped water path cooling series component in the prior art, reduces the system impedance, and improves the water flow efficiency.

[0046] Third, the cooling water temperatures within the area covered by a cooling fan are similar because the water flow in the one-way cooling system is unidirectional. Therefore, the cooling fan's heat dissipation efficiency can also be improved. Consequently, the fan speed in the cooling system can be adjusted according to the position of the respective cold fluid in the flow path. That is, the fan on the water cooling system closer to the high-temperature water flowing out of the cooling unit after heat exchange can be set to a higher speed, while the fan located near the rear of the water cooling system can be set to a lower speed. This can result in lower energy consumption and reduced noise while simultaneously improving the system's heat dissipation.

[0047] The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been provided for illustrative purposes. These descriptions are not intended to limit the invention to the exact form disclosed, and obviously, in light of the above teachings, many modifications and variations are possible. The exemplary embodiments have been selected and described to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, thereby enabling other persons skilled in the art to create and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the invention and to select and modify different applications. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims and their equivalents. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited non-patent literature

[0000] Beijing Xinquansheng Technology Co., Ltd. on April 29, 2022

[0001]

Claims

[1] Distributed water cooling device, characterized by that comprehensively: Cooling unit comprising: - several cooling series components, each arranged at different installation positions of the electronic equipment enclosure body; - a plurality of cooling fans attached to the plurality of cooling row assemblies; - a heat exchange unit for exchanging heat with a heat source; and - a drive unit for driving the liquid flow; - wherein the cooling unit, the heat exchange unit and the drive unit are coupled and connected via connecting pipes to form a connecting path. [2] Distributed water cooling device according to claim 1, characterized byin that the cooling series component comprises a continuous one-way waterway cooling series component, and the continuous one-way waterway cooling series component comprises a water inlet chamber, a water outlet chamber, and a plurality of branch waterways, wherein the water inlet chamber and the water outlet chamber are respectively arranged opposite each other at both ends of the plurality of branch waterways, and the plurality of branch waterways are arranged in parallel and extend longitudinally, wherein the outer wall of the branch waterway has corrugated heat sinks connected and fixed in series, wherein the water inlet chamber is provided with a water inlet and the water outlet chamber is provided with a water outlet, and the fluid sequentially flows through the water inlet, the water inlet chamber, the plurality of branch waterways, and the water outlet chamber, and the water outlet passes through the water outlet to form a one-way communication path. [3] Distributed water cooling device according to claim 1, characterized by in that the cooling series component also comprises a U-shaped waterway cooling series component, wherein the water inlet chamber and the water outlet chamber are both arranged at the same end of the U-shaped waterway cooling series component, wherein the water inlet chamber and the water outlet chamber are two independent chambers and are connected to the same diverting water chamber at the other end via a plurality of bypass waterways, and the plurality of branch waterways are arranged in parallel and extend longitudinally, wherein the outer wall of the branch waterway has corrugated heat sinks connected and fixed in series, wherein the water inlet chamber, the plurality of branch waterways and the water outlet chamber flows through, and the water outlet passes through to form a one-way communication path. [4] Distributed water cooling device according to claim 1, characterized bythat the plurality of cooling series components are connected one after the other via a connecting pipe to the water outlet of one of the cooling series components and the water inlet of another of the cooling series components to form a serial connection path. [5] Distributed water cooling device according to claim 1, characterized by that the cooling series components are connected in parallel to form a parallel connecting waterway, and the parallel connecting waterway comprises a main waterway and a secondary waterway; - the fluid in the main water path is divided to form a plurality of water distribution paths, and the plurality of water distribution paths, after each flowing into the water inlets of a plurality of cooling series components, flow out of the respective water outlets and rejoin to form the main water path. [6] Distributed water cooling device according to claim 1, characterized bythat at least two of the plurality of cooling series components are connected in parallel and then connected in series with at least one other of the cooling series components. [7] Distributed water cooling device according to claim 1, characterized by that at least two of the plurality of cooling series components are connected in parallel and then connected in series with at least one other of the cooling series components. [8] Distributed water cooling device according to claim 1, characterized by that the drive unit and the heat exchange unit are integrated in one body to form an integrated heat exchange drive unit, the drive unit and the heat exchange unit are arranged separately and independently of each other to form a separate heat exchange drive unit, wherein the separate heat exchange drive unit comprises one or more heat exchange units and drive units. [9] Distributed water cooling device according to claim 8, characterized by that the heat exchange units are connected in parallel to form a parallel connecting waterway, and the parallel connecting waterway comprises a main waterway and a secondary waterway; - the fluid in the main water path is divided to form a plurality of water distribution paths, and the plurality of water distribution paths, after each flowing into the water inlets of a plurality of heat exchange units, flow out of the respective water outlets and rejoin to form the main water path. [10] Distributed water cooling device according to claim 9, characterized by that the one or more drive units are connected to the parallel heat exchange unit. [11] Distributed water cooling device according to claim 1, characterized bythat the multiple cooling fans can be set to different rated speeds according to the waterway positions of different cooling units.

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