Two-Phase Immersion Cooling with Stratification-Based Gas Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Two-phase cooling systems using hazardous fluids lose coolant to the environment and are interfered with by non-condensable gases, leading to inefficiency and environmental harm.
Innovation Solution
A system with a two-phase liquid immersion tank, stratification chamber, and condenser chamber that separates and removes non-condensable gases based on density differences, ensuring efficient coolant retention and heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If two-phase cooling systems use hazardous fluids for efficient heat transfer, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but environmental harm and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the principle of converting harm into benefit by using the density difference between hazardous coolant vapor and non-condensable gases to separate them. The system captures the harmful coolant vapor that would otherwise be released into the environment and condenses it back into liquid form, while allowing lighter non-condensable gases to be vented. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining the heat transfer efficiency of hazardous fluids while eliminating their environmental harm through a separation and recovery mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements discarding and recovering by separating the coolant vapor from non-condensable gases, venting the non-condensable gases to the environment, and condensing the coolant vapor back into liquid form for reuse. This process recovers the hazardous coolant that would otherwise be lost, maintaining heat transfer efficiency while preventing environmental release of harmful substances.
2Use of energy by moving object
If two-phase cooling systems operate continuously, then heat transfer efficiency is maintained, but coolant loss to environment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuous recovery mechanism where coolant vapor is separated from non-condensable gases and condensed back into liquid form. This closed-loop system ensures that coolant is not lost to the environment during continuous operation, maintaining heat transfer efficiency while preventing substance loss through systematic recovery and reuse.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes continuity of useful action by creating a closed-loop coolant recovery system that operates continuously alongside the cooling process. The separation and condensation mechanisms run continuously to capture and return coolant vapor, ensuring uninterrupted heat transfer efficiency while eliminating coolant loss through ongoing recovery operations.
3Device complexity
If non-condensable gases are present in the cooling system, then system simplicity is maintained, but heat transfer efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies taking out (extraction) by removing non-condensable gases from the cooling system through a separation chamber. The system extracts these interfering gases from the coolant vapor mixture and vents them to the environment, eliminating the barrier to heat transfer while maintaining relatively simple system architecture through passive separation based on density differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary separation chamber that facilitates the removal of non-condensable gases without complex active components. This intermediary structure allows density-based separation to occur passively, improving heat transfer efficiency by removing gas interference while adding minimal complexity to the overall system.
4Use of energy by moving object
If coolant is vented to remove non-condensable gases, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but coolant loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies taking out (extraction) by selectively removing only non-condensable gases from the vapor mixture through density-based separation, while retaining and condensing the coolant vapor. This selective extraction improves heat transfer efficiency by eliminating gas interference while preventing coolant loss through subsequent condensation and recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements discarding and recovering by venting only the non-condensable gases to the environment while condensing and recovering the coolant vapor back into liquid form. This selective recovery process improves heat transfer efficiency by removing interfering gases while preventing coolant substance loss through systematic capture and reuse.
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 system maintains coolant within the system, preventing environmental release and enhancing heat transfer efficiency by minimizing gas interference.
Implementation Method 1
A system with a two-phase liquid immersion tank, stratification chamber, and condenser chamber that separates and removes non-condensable gases based on density differences
Implementation Method 2
a condenser chamber fluidly coupled to a lower region of the stratification chamber and configured to receive the gas phase of the coolant and cause the gas phase of the coolant to change phase back into the liquid phase of the coolant
Implementation Method 3
Heat from the components can boil liquid phase coolant into gas phase coolant (hence the term 'two-phase cooling')
Data Source
AI summary
The discussion relates to cooling computing devices and specifically to managing two-phase cooling. One example can include a two-phase liquid immersion tank containing heat generating components and a liquid phase of a coolant having a boiling point within an operating temperature range of the heat generating components. The example can also include a stratification chamber fluidly coupled to the liquid immersion tank and configured to at least partially separate a gas phase of the coolant from other gases. The example can further include a condenser chamber fluidly coupled to the stratification chamber and configured to receive the gas phase of the coolant and cause the gas phase of the coolant to phase change back into the liquid phase of the coolant.