Backup Cooling Reservoir With Phase-Change Accumulators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for industries like telecommunications and medical facilities face challenges in providing uninterrupted cooling, especially during power failures, as they require precise temperature control and continuous operation to maintain equipment integrity.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system comprising a main cooling unit, a back-up cooling unit with self-contained cooling accumulators, and a secondary chilling unit that can switch between charging and release phases to provide a heat sink, utilizing phase-change materials and a modular design to conserve back-up power and extend cooling duration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a main cooling unit is used for precise temperature control, then cooling precision is improved, but the system stops operating during power failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-chilling a liquid coolant in an insulated container before power failure occurs. The coolant is cooled during normal operation and stored in the insulated container, ready to provide cooling when the main cooling unit stops due to power failure. This prepares the cooling capacity in advance to ensure continuous temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase change of the coolant as a parameter change mechanism. The coolant transitions from liquid to solid state (freezing) to store thermal energy, and then from solid to liquid (melting) to release cooling capacity during power failure. This phase change enables the coolant to act as a thermal energy storage medium, maintaining temperature control precision during uninterrupted operation.
2Reliability
If a back-up power system is added to maintain cooling during power failure, then continuous operation reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the thermal energy storage function from the main cooling unit and implements it separately using phase-change material in an insulated container. This separation allows the back-up cooling mechanism to operate independently without modifying the main cooling unit's complex control systems, thereby improving reliability while minimizing additional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase-change material in the insulated container provides self-service cooling during power failure without requiring external power input or complex control mechanisms. The melting process automatically releases stored thermal energy to maintain cooling, eliminating the need for additional motors, sensors, or control electronics that would increase system complexity.
3Duration of action of moving object
If phase-change materials are used as heat sink, then cooling duration is extended, but the back-up power source size can be smaller
Solution Approach 1:
The patent directly applies phase transitions of the coolant to extend cooling duration. The coolant freezes during charging phase to store thermal energy, then melts during discharge phase to provide cooling. This phase change mechanism allows the system to maintain cooling for extended periods using a small back-up power source that only needs to operate during the charging phase, rather than requiring a large power source for continuous operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system ensures continuous cooling operations by using phase-change materials to act as a heat sink during power failures, conserving back-up power and allowing for longer uninterrupted cooling, even with a smaller back-up power source, and can be adapted for various cooling needs and locations.
Implementation Method 1
using phase-change materials to act as a heat sink during power failures
Implementation Method 2
the plurality of small-sized cooling accumulators provide a heat sink to cool the cooling fluid for the main cooling unit
Implementation Method 3
a main cooling unit and a main chilling unit in fluid communication with a heat exchanger, the main chilling unit being configured to cool a liquid coolant for use with the heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed a cooling system. The cooling system comprises a main cooling unit and a main chilling unit in fluid communication with a heat exchanger, the main chilling unit being configured to cool a liquid coolant for use with the heat exchanger. The cooling system further comprises a back-up cooling unit that includes a cooling reservoir including a plurality of small-sized self-contained cooling accumulators; a secondary chilling unit configured to cool the plurality of small-sized cooling accumulators, during a charging phase; a valve configured to selectively couple the cooling reservoir to the main cooling unit during a release phase so that the plurality of small-sized cooling accumulators provide a heat sink to cool the cooling fluid for the main cooling unit.