Coolant Coupler Isolation for Automatic Leak Shutdown
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for electronic components fail to effectively manage heat dissipation, leading to overheating, performance degradation, or component failure due to inadequate heat removal, particularly in high-density electronic devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of electro-mechanically actuated flow-path controllers with automatically decouplable couplers and valves that can detect leaks or undesirable conditions to automatically interrupt the flow of coolant, reducing the occupied volume and increasing packing density by retrofitting or enhancing existing valves and couplings for automatic actuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cooling systems are used for high-density electronic devices, then heat dissipation is provided, but the systems fail to effectively manage heat dissipation leading to overheating and component failure
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple isolated zones with individual isolation devices at each fluid coupling point. This segmentation allows targeted isolation of leaking components while maintaining cooling to other components, preventing system-wide failure and improving overall heat dissipation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The isolation devices incorporate automatic detection and actuation mechanisms that autonomously respond to leak conditions without external intervention. The devices self-activate to close fluid couplings when leaks are detected, eliminating the need for manual intervention and ensuring rapid response to prevent component failure.
2Reliability
If manual isolation of leaking components is performed, then system integrity can be maintained, but the process is time-consuming and requires human intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation devices are equipped with automatic leak detection sensors and integrated actuators that autonomously detect leaks and close fluid couplings without human intervention. This self-service capability dramatically reduces response time from manual isolation while maintaining system integrity through rapid automatic containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The isolation devices are pre-positioned at each fluid coupling point with actuators ready for immediate activation. The system prepares isolation capability in advance at all potential leak points, enabling instant response when leaks occur rather than requiring time for manual assessment and intervention.
3Extent of automation
If existing valves and couplings are retrofitted for automatic actuation, then automation extent increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation device merges the valve, fluid coupling, actuator, and leak detection sensor into a single integrated assembly. This consolidation automates leak response while reducing the number of separate components and interconnections, thereby managing device complexity rather than increasing it.
Solution Approach 2:
The isolation device is designed as a universal component that combines multiple functions: fluid coupling, valve control, actuation, and leak detection. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, simplifying the overall system while achieving full automation.
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
This solution effectively isolates affected components from the cooling system to prevent further damage, allowing for efficient heat management and maintaining system integrity by automatically decoupling couplers and valves in response to detected leaks or conditions, thus preventing overheating and enhancing system reliability.
Implementation Method 1
electro-mechanically actuated flow-path controllers, with automatically decouplable couplers and electro-mechanically actuated valves
Implementation Method 2
liquid cooling (e.g., involving liquid coolant, e.g., water, glycol, polyethylene glycol, etc.), to transfer and dissipate heat from electronic components
Implementation Method 3
transporting the heat absorbed by the liquid... to a remote radiator... rejecting the heat... to another medium (e.g., air or facility water passing through the remote radiator)
Data Source
AI summary
An electro-mechanical actuator for a valve can have a collar configured to envelope a portion of a commercially available liquid coupler. The collar can engage a region of the liquid coupler and a bias member can urge the collar to displace a movable member of the liquid coupler and thereby to break a coupling. A dowel can retain the collar against the force applied by the bias member and a tension member can, under threshold tension, retract the dowel, releasing the collar to move under influence of the bias member. Other valves have a gate element coupled with an armature to rotate the gate element under an electromagnetic field. The gate element can define a recess and a retainer can reside in the recess. As the gate element rotates, the retainer can align with a longitudinal segment of the recess and allow the gate element to displace longitudinally.