Liquid Cooling Arrangement for Electrical Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-powered electrical devices, such as frequency converters, require effective liquid cooling, but existing systems face issues with high pressure losses, expensive pumps, risk of liquid leaks, and complex valve configurations due to long piping structures, which increase costs and maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
A compact liquid cooling arrangement with a pump and liquid container in a single enclosure, featuring short piping and adjustable pump speed via frequency converter control, minimizing pressure losses and eliminating the need for device-specific valves, allowing for efficient cooling and easy maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a common pumping station with long piping is used to cool multiple enclosures, then cooling coverage is improved, but pressure loss increases and pump cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cooling network into autonomous segments, with each enclosure having its own circulation pump and cooling loop. This segmentation eliminates long common piping and associated pressure losses while maintaining comprehensive cooling coverage across multiple enclosures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a centralized horizontal cooling architecture to a distributed vertical architecture by placing the pump and heat exchanger within the same enclosure. This dimensional reorganization eliminates the need for long inter-enclosure piping while preserving cooling effectiveness.
2Productivity
If high pressure piping is used to ensure sufficient cooling flow, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but risk of liquid leaks increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each enclosure's cooling system is self-contained with local pump control, allowing the system to maintain adequate cooling flow without requiring high pressure. The localized architecture enables each unit to serve itself, eliminating the need for high-pressure common piping that would increase leak risk.
3Ease of repair
If device-specific valves are installed for servicing, then ease of maintenance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the valve components from the cooling circuit, replacing them with quick-disconnect coupling mechanisms. This allows devices to be detached for servicing without requiring complex valve operations or draining the entire system, simplifying both the device structure and maintenance procedures.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If bypass flow with 3-way valve is arranged for cold liquid protection, then protection from condensation is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic pump speed control via frequency converter to adjust cooling flow in real-time based on liquid temperature and device thermal conditions. This dynamic adjustment replaces static bypass valve arrangements, eliminating condensation risks without requiring complex 3-way valve configurations.
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 reduces the risk of leaks, lowers maintenance costs, and enables efficient cooling with low-powered pumps, making the system more cost-effective and reliable, while allowing for flexible operation and protection from corrosive effects.
Implementation Method 1
transferring the heat caused by the dissipation power produced in the components by the aid of a liquid flow to outside the device
Implementation Method 2
A large pressure loss results with economic cross-sectional areas of piping, which loss the pump must, of course, be able to overcome
Implementation Method 3
adjustable pump speed via frequency converter control
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Arrangement for cooling, with liquid, one or more electrical devices or structural units of an electrical device that is/are in at least one installation enclosure, which arrangement comprises main channeling (32, 33) comprising two channels, for distributing the liquid to the electrical devices (22) to be cooled or to the structural units of the electrical devices, a liquid container (30), which is connected to one of the main channels (33) directly and to the other main channel (32) via a suction channel (28) a pump and a heat exchanger (24), and also a shut-off valve (34). The liquid container is disposed below the electrical devices to be cooled or their structural elements, and the amount of liquid to be contained in the arrangement is configured to be such the ends of both the suction channel (28) and the return channel (33) that are inside the liquid container (30) are always situated below the liquid surface (29).