Magnetically Levitated Cooling Pump With Particle Filtration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling units for supercomputers face issues with seal and bearing failure due to wear and cavitation, leading to coolant leakage and particle contamination, which can cause overheating and damage to semiconductor chips.
Innovation Solution
A magnetically driven and levitated centrifugal pump with a particle filter, where the pump's impeller is rotated contactlessly using electromagnets and a stator, and a cylindrical perforated filter with a mesh removes particles that could block or damage heat sinks, preventing frictional wear and maintaining coolant quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional centrifugal pump with seal and bearing is used, then the pump can effectively pump coolant fluid, but the seal and bearing may fail due to wear or cavitation, causing coolant leakage and particle contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical seal and bearing system with a magnetic coupling system. The drive shaft is magnetically coupled to the impeller through a non-magnetic barrier, eliminating mechanical contact between the drive mechanism and the impeller. This substitution of mechanical transmission with magnetic field interaction resolves the contradiction by preventing seal and bearing failure while maintaining effective coolant pumping.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a non-magnetic barrier as an intermediary between the drive shaft and the impeller. This barrier allows magnetic field transmission while preventing direct mechanical contact, thus acting as a mediator that transmits rotational force without the harmful mechanical wear and sealing issues. The intermediary resolves the contradiction by enabling power transmission while eliminating the failure points of conventional seals and bearings.
2Productivity
If particles are present in the coolant fluid, then the coolant can flow through the circuit, but particles may block or damage the fine ridging or microfins or microchannels of the heat sinks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a filter in the coolant circuit that removes particles before they can reach and damage the heat sinks. This preliminary action of filtration prevents the harmful effect of particle blockage and damage while maintaining continuous coolant flow. The filter is positioned upstream of the heat sinks to intercept particles before they cause harm.
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 solution enhances the reliability and efficiency of the cooling system by reducing friction, preventing coolant leakage, and ensuring effective heat transfer, while maintaining the cleanliness of the coolant, thus protecting the semiconductor chips and improving the overall cooling performance.
Implementation Method 1
a stator outside the housing and provided with at least one electromagnet operable to act on the said at least one magnet to rotate the impeller
Implementation Method 2
a rotor constituted by a magnetically driven impeller which is provided with at least one magnet
Implementation Method 3
the impeller is magnetically contactlessly driven and is magnetically levitated so that it is not in contact with any of the walls of the housing
Implementation Method 4
a heat exchanger which serves to cool the coolant fluid which is thus pumped along the pathway
Implementation Method 5
a centrifugal pump which serves to pump a coolant fluid along the pathway
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1a
Figure 2
AI summary
A cooling unit (10) comprising a coolant fluid pathway in which there is (a) a centrifugal pump (29) which serves to pump coolant fluid along the pathway when the unit (10) is in use, and (b) a heat exchanger (16) which serves to cool the coolant fluid which is thus pumped along the pathway. The pump (29) has a rotor constituted by a magnetically contactlessly driven impeller (72) which is provided with at last one magnet (74) and which is enclosed within a housing (70), and a stator (76) outside the housing (70) and provided with at least one electromagnet (78, 80) operable to act on the said at least one magnet (74) to rotate the impeller (72) .