Redundant Thermal Management with Phase Change and Single-Phase Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronics cooling systems lack redundancy and complexity, making them unreliable for high-power density applications and requiring sophisticated architectures to ensure continuous thermal management.
Innovation Solution
A redundant cooling system incorporating a phase change cooling system as the primary method, supplemented by an auxiliary single phase cooling system and a thermoelectric cooling (TEC) device, with independent flow paths and temperature sensors to manage heat dissipation across multiple servers, allowing for flexible and reliable thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single cooling system is used, then the system architecture is simple, but the reliability is low and cannot handle cooling module failure
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into functionally independent modules: a primary phase change cooling system and a secondary single-phase cooling system. Each module can operate independently, allowing the system to maintain reliability through redundancy while keeping individual module complexity manageable. The phase change system handles high heat loads during normal operation, while the single-phase system provides backup cooling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase change (liquid to vapor transition) in the primary cooling system to achieve high efficiency heat dissipation under normal conditions. When cooling failure is detected, the system transitions to using the secondary single-phase cooling system, changing the operational parameters and cooling mechanism to maintain reliability without requiring a completely different architecture.
2Reliability
If a redundant cooling system is implemented, then the reliability improves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates temperature sensors and control logic that automatically detect cooling failures and switch between the phase change and single-phase cooling systems without requiring complex external control mechanisms. This self-service capability reduces the overall system complexity while maintaining the reliability benefits of redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The redundant single-phase cooling system is designed as a pre-positioned backup that is ready to activate immediately upon detection of phase change system failure. This beforehand preparation ensures reliability through redundancy while minimizing the complexity of real-time control, as the backup system is already configured and ready to engage.
3Productivity
If phase change cooling is used, then the cooling efficiency is high, but the system requires precise temperature control and complex infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the high-efficiency phase change cooling system with a simpler single-phase cooling system into a hybrid architecture. The phase change system provides superior cooling efficiency for high heat loads, while the integrated single-phase system handles lower heat loads and provides backup capability, reducing the need for complex temperature control infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The single-phase cooling system acts as an intermediary between the phase change cooling system and the environment. It provides a simplified cooling path that can operate independently or in conjunction with the phase change system, reducing the infrastructure complexity required for precise temperature control while maintaining high cooling efficiency when needed.
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 provides high reliability, reduced dependency on system control, ease of installation, and compatibility with various cooling fluids, ensuring efficient heat dissipation even in high-power density environments by activating redundant cooling systems when temperature thresholds are exceeded.
Implementation Method 1
a phase change cooling device in thermal communication with the processor, and in fluid communication with a condenser
Implementation Method 2
a thermoelectric cooling (TEC) device packaged on top of the phase change system
Implementation Method 3
an auxiliary single phase cooling system in addition to the phase change system
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal management system includes a cooling unit, a condenser, and a processor. The processor is located within a server, and the system also includes a phase change cooling device in thermal communication with the processor, and in fluid communication with the condenser. The system also includes a single phase cooling device in thermal communication with the phase change cooling device, and in fluid communication with the liquid cooling unit. The system also includes a temperature sensor in thermal communication with the single phase cooling device, and a fluid pump to move fluid between the liquid cooling unit and the single phase cooling device. A TEC device may also be implemented between the phase change cooling device and the single phase cooling device.