Cooling system and corresponding methods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cryogenic refrigeration systems used in quantum computing data centers face inefficiencies and reliability issues due to equipment failures and power outages, especially as the cooling demands increase with larger systems, and existing solutions like multiple cryocoolers are inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Integrate a hydrogen liquefying system with a helium cooling system, sharing heat exchangers and a phase separator to enhance efficiency and reliability, allowing for continuous operation by utilizing hydrogen as an energy carrier and incorporating a fuel cell system for emergency power generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If multiple cryocoolers are used to meet increased cooling demands, then cooling capacity is improved, but system complexity and inefficiency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a hydrogen liquefaction system and a helium cooling system into a single integrated cryogenic system. The hydrogen subsystem provides both liquefaction capability and cooling function, eliminating the need for separate multiple cryocoolers. This merging approach increases cooling capacity while reducing overall system complexity through shared infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrogen subsystem serves multiple functions: it acts as both a hydrogen liquefaction unit and a cryogenic cooling system for the quantum computing data center. This multi-functionality allows the system to meet increased cooling demands without adding dedicated cooling equipment, thereby improving power capacity without proportionally increasing device complexity.
2Temperature
If cryogenic refrigeration systems are used, then cooling performance is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to equipment failures and power outages
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a fuel cell subsystem that can generate electricity during power outages, providing beforehand cushioning against reliability issues. The fuel cell is prepared in advance and can immediately take over power generation when the main power supply fails, ensuring continuous operation of the cryogenic cooling system and preventing equipment failures due to power loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase changes of hydrogen (gas to liquid) and helium (gas to liquid/supercritical) to achieve cryogenic cooling. These parameter changes enable the system to maintain reliable cooling performance at extremely low temperatures required for quantum computing, while the integrated design with fuel cell backup ensures continuous operation despite external power disruptions.
3Reliability
If hydrogen liquefaction system is integrated with helium cooling system, then efficiency and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the hydrogen liquefaction system and helium cooling system by sharing common infrastructure including heat exchangers, phase separators, and piping. This merging reduces the overall device complexity compared to having completely separate systems, while achieving improved efficiency and reliability through synergistic operation of both subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated system uses universal components that serve both hydrogen and helium subsystems. For example, heat exchangers are designed to handle both hydrogen and helium streams, and phase separators can separate both gases. This multi-functionality reduces the number of dedicated components needed, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving reliability improvements.
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 integrated system provides efficient and reliable cryogenic cooling, reducing production losses during load transients and enabling continuous operation of data centers by leveraging synergies between hydrogen and helium cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
The hydrogen liquefying subsystem and the helium cooling subsystem, together, comprise a plurality of heat exchangers
Implementation Method 2
The helium cooling subsystem is configured to receive gaseous helium and provide, downstream, liquefied or supercritical helium
Implementation Method 3
The hydrogen liquefying subsystem and the helium cooling subsystem, together, comprise a plurality of heat exchangers and a phase separator
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for cooling system (300) for providing liquefied helium (I), the cooling system comprising: a hydrogen liquefying subsystem (301) and a helium cooling subsystem (302), wherein the hydrogen liquefying subsystem is configured to receive gaseous hydrogen (a) and, downstream, provide liquefied hydrogen (b), wherein the helium cooling subsystem is configured to receive gaseous helium (k) and provide, downstream, liquefied or supercritical helium (I), the hydrogen liquefying subsystem (301) and the helium cooling subsystem (302, 402), together, comprising a plurality of heat exchangers (111-116, 211-217, 314b, 317) and a phase separator (320), wherein a first group of the plurality of the heat exchangers and the phase separator are assigned to the hydrogen cooling subsystem, wherein a second group of the plurality of the heat exchangers is assigned to the helium cooling subsystem, wherein one or more shared heat exchangers (317) of the plurality of heat exchangers are comprised in both the first group of heat exchangers and the second group of heat exchangers, and wherein the cooling system (300) is configured to provide the liquefied or supercritical helium (I), preferably for cooling a target system (240).