JPH04335598A - cooling system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a structure in which the abnormal pressure of a coolant inside a pipe is made to escape without being withsood by individual constituent components themselves such as a pipe and the like regarding a cooling system, especially regarding a cooling system which cools a module provided with a heat-generating component in an electronic apparatus using a highly heat- generating element or an LSI by means of a liquid coolant supplied from a tank. CONSTITUTION:The following are installed: a tank 2 which stores a liquid coolant; a pressure release valve 6 which is installed on a pipe 4 connecting said tank 2 to a module 11 provided with a heat-generating component and which absorbs the abnormal pressure of a coolant 3 inside said pipe 4; and a pressure release route 8 which connects said pressure release valve 6 to said tank 2. The abnormal pressure exerted inside the pipe 4 is made to escape from a main loop in a cooling system 1.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a cooling system.
In particular, the present invention relates to a cooling system that cools a module having a heat generating component in an electronic device using a high heat generating element or an LSI using a liquid cooling method using a liquid refrigerant supplied from a tank.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the field of application of the present invention, in which a cooling system 40 includes a tank 4 that stores water and an inert refrigerant (hereinafter referred to as refrigerant) such as fluorocarbon.
1, a predetermined amount of refrigerant is discharged by driving the pump 42, and on the way, the refrigerant is supplied via a heat exchanger 43 to a module 44 to be cooled which is equipped with a heat generating component such as an LSI, and the heat generated by the refrigerant is exchanged with the refrigerant. The system was such that the heat inside the module 44 was removed by the exchange and returned to the tank 41. Note that the tank 41, the pump 42, the heat exchanger 43, and the module 44 are connected by piping 45, respectively.

However, abnormal pressure may be applied to the inside of the pipe 45 through which the refrigerant passes due to clogging with dust or the like or due to the amount discharged by the pump 42.

[0004] Therefore, from the viewpoint of reliability of the cooling system 40, countermeasures against abnormal pressure within the pipe 45 are required.

[0005]

[Prior Art] Conventionally, as a measure against the abnormal pressure applied inside the piping, the pressure resistance of the piping parts and modules that make up the cooling system is increased by five times or more, for example, by increasing the wall pressure. was being carried out.

[0006] To explain with a specific example, if the maximum discharge amount of the pump is 5 kgf/cm2, it is designed to withstand a pressure of 25 kgf/cm2, which is five times that amount. In other words, conventionally it was not something that released the pressure,
It was constructed to withstand.

[0007]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the past, the wall thickness of each component constituting the cooling system was increased, resulting in a complicated structure and poor manufacturability.

[0008] Furthermore, there are problems in that the weight of parts increases, handling becomes complicated, and costs increase. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a structure that allows the abnormal pressure of the refrigerant in the pipes to escape without having to withstand the abnormal pressure of the refrigerant in the pipes or the like by themselves.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The above object is to provide a cooling system in which a module 11 having a heating element is cooled by a liquid refrigerant 3, in which a tank 2 for storing the refrigerant 3 is provided.
, a pressure release valve 6 provided on the pipe 4 connecting the tank 2 and the module 11 and absorbing abnormal pressure of the refrigerant 3 in the pipe 4; and a pressure release valve 6 and the tank 2. This can be achieved by a cooling system characterized in that it has a pressure relief channel 8 connecting the .

0010

[Function] That is, in the present invention, by providing the pressure relief valve 6, abnormal refrigerant pressure due to clogging due to dirt or the like in the piping 4 or the discharge amount of the pump 5 is removed from the tank 2 via the pressure relief path 8. It can be an open type that allows the air to escape.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pressure relief valve and piping.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the operation of the present invention. Figure 1
In FIGS. 3 to 3, the same reference numerals indicate the same objects.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cooling system 1 of this embodiment is composed of the following components.
is a tank that stores a predetermined amount of water and an inert refrigerant such as fluorocarbon, which serve as the refrigerant 3.

[0015] Numeral 4 is a pipe that connects each component. Reference numeral 5 denotes a pump that forcibly discharges a predetermined amount of refrigerant 3 from the tank 2 by its action.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a pressure release valve which, when abnormally high pressure is applied inside the pipe 4 due to clogging in the pipe 4 or variations in the discharge amount of the pump 5,
In order to release the pressure, a predetermined amount of refrigerant 3 is released from the main route of the cooling system 1 to the tank 2 via the pressure release path 8 so as to reduce the pressure inside the pipe 4.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a pressure sensor, which monitors and stops the drive of the pump 5 if the pressure is abnormally high even if the pressure is abnormal and the pressure release valve 6 operates.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a heat exchanger that lowers the temperature of the refrigerant 3 to a predetermined temperature using, for example, an air cooling method.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a flow rate sensor, and the amount of refrigerant 3 discharged from the pump 5 varies depending on the frequency at which the pump 5 is driven. Since this variation has an adverse effect on cooling the module 11 under constant conditions, the flow rate of the refrigerant 3 is limited in order to always supply a constant amount of the refrigerant 3 to the module 11.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a module on which heat generating components such as LSI are mounted. Reference numeral 12 denotes a pump control unit that controls the drive of the pump 5. When an abnormal signal 7a is notified from the pressure sensor 7, the drive of the pump 5 is immediately stopped by a stop signal 12a, and the system is stopped by a signal 12b. It performs control to bring it down.

The structure of the pressure release valve 6 will be explained using FIG. 2. A hole 4a is pre-drilled in the pipe 4 to which the pressure release valve 6 is attached.

On the other hand, a body 6a has an inner diameter A that is the same as the outer diameter A' of the pipe 4, and a hole 6b is similarly bored in a portion corresponding to the hole 4a on the pipe 4, and the hole 6b is A cylindrical block mounting portion 6d is provided perpendicularly to the perforated body 6a and has a female thread 6c formed on its inner periphery.

On the other hand, a block 6e is provided on its outer periphery with a male thread 6f that engages with a female thread 6c formed on the block mounting portion 6d. A hole 6g is bored on the piping 4 side of this block 6e, and a groove 6i is formed on the opposite side for rotating the block 6e itself so that the main block 6e fits into the block mounting portion 6d. Furthermore, a tapped hole 6h for attaching the plate spring 6j with a screw 6k is formed at the edge where the hole 6g is bored.

The leaf spring 6j has a spring pressure such that it opens when the pressure inside the pipe 4 is abnormal, and closes the hole 4a when the pressure inside the pipe 4 is normal. screw 6
The other side is a surface 6m that partially bends the mounting allowance 6l and closes the hole 4a provided on the pipe 4 side of the block mounting portion 6d. A shield packing 6n is attached to this surface 6m for sealing performance.

The operation of the pressure release valve 6 will be explained using FIG. The same figure (a) particularly shows a state in which the pressure inside the pipe 4 is not abnormal, and the refrigerant 3 in the pipe 4 is pumped by the spring pressure of the plate spring 6j because the pressure inside the pipe 4 is not abnormal. Since the hole 4a on 4 is closed,
The refrigerant 3 flowing inside the pipe 4 is configured to flow only in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure.

On the other hand, FIG. 6(b) shows a state in which abnormal pressure is applied to the inside of the pipe 4 due to clogging with dust, etc., and as a result of the abnormal pressure inside the pipe 4, the spring of the leaf spring 6j is The pressure is overcome by the water pressure of the refrigerant 3, and the leaf spring 6j is pushed up into the space 6o of the block attachment part 6e, and the hole 4a on the pipe 4 is pushed up.
A predetermined amount of refrigerant 3 is discharged from. That is, the pressure inside the pipe 4 can be maintained at a level that does not affect the module 11 by the amount of the refrigerant 3 discharged. In this case, the refrigerant 3 flows through two routes, one through the pipe 4 and the other through the pressure relief valve 6 to the pressure relief path 8 as shown by the arrows in the figure.

In order to prevent the refrigerant 3 from breaking and scattering due to pressure release, it is desirable that the connection position of the tank 2 is always located higher than the refrigerant 3.

Although this embodiment has been described as having one tank and one cooling loop, it goes without saying that one tank may have a plurality of cooling loops.

[0029]

As explained above, according to the present invention, the withstand voltage of the parts can be kept low, so the structure of the parts can be simplified and the manufacturability can be improved.

[0030] In addition, there are other effects such as lower cost, improved reliability, ease of handling, and because the pressure test requires low pressure, equipment can be reduced and safety can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a pressure relief valve and piping.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing fields of application.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 cooling system,
2 tank, 3 refrigerant,
4 Piping, 5 Pump,
6 pressure release valve, 7 pressure sensor,
8 pressure release path, 9 heat exchanger, 11 module, 12
pump control section,

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cooling system that cools a module (11) having a heating element with a liquid refrigerant (3), comprising: a tank (2) storing the refrigerant (3); the tank (2) and the module; (11) and the refrigerant (
3) A cooling device characterized by having a pressure relief valve (6) that absorbs the abnormal pressure, and a pressure relief path (8) that connects the pressure relief valve (6) and the tank (2). system.