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EP-4736589-A1 - COOLING SYSTEM FOR THE LIQUID IMMERSION COOLING OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS

EP4736589A1EP 4736589 A1EP4736589 A1EP 4736589A1EP-4736589-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling system (1) for the liquid immersion cooling of electronic components, comprising - a vessel (3), which can be filled in the interior with two-phase heat-transfer fluid, in the liquid phase of which electronic components can be immersed, wherein the vessel (3) has a gas space above the surface of the liquid heat-transfer fluid, - a heat exchanger device in the gas space of the vessel (3) for forming liquid heat-transfer fluid, - at least one condenser unit (7), wherein the condenser unit (7) is in contact with the gas space of the vessel (3) by means of at least one fluid inlet opening (71) and at least one fluid outlet opening (72) for the mass transfer of gaseous medium to the condenser unit (7) or liquid medium from the condenser unit (7) and the condenser unit (7) has an outlet (79) via which a residual gas phase can be discharged, wherein - the condenser unit (7) has, downstream of the at least one fluid inlet opening (71) in the direction of flow (S), a tube bundle (73) with heat exchanger tubes (731), extending parallel to one another in their axial direction, in an enclosing housing (74), as a result of which a flow channel (75) is formed in the housing (74), - the tube bundle (73) is arranged in the housing (74) such that gaseous medium flows in the flow channel (75) along the axial direction of the heat exchanger tubes (731).

Inventors

  • GOTTERBARM, ACHIM
  • Obst, Verena
  • GAIBLER, Harald
  • HOFMANN, PHILIPP
  • SCHEUSS, MICHAEL

Assignees

  • Wieland-Werke AG

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240529

Claims (13)

  1. 1 . Cooling system (1) for liquid immersion cooling of electronic components (2), comprising - a container (3) which can be filled with a two-phase heat transfer fluid (4) in the liquid phase of which electronic components (2) can be immersed, the container (3) having a gas space (5) above the surface (41) of the liquid heat transfer fluid (4), - a heat exchanger device (6) in the gas space (5) of the container (3) for forming liquid heat transfer fluid (4), - at least one condenser unit (7), wherein the condenser unit (7) is in contact with the gas space (5) of the container (3) by means of at least one fluid inlet opening (71) and at least one fluid outlet opening (72) for the exchange of gaseous medium to the condenser unit (7) or liquid medium from the condenser unit (7) and the Condenser unit (7) has an outlet (79) through which a residual gas phase can be discharged, characterized in that - that the condenser unit (7) has a tube bundle (73) with heat exchanger tubes (731) running parallel to one another in the axial direction in an enclosing housing (74) downstream of the at least one fluid inlet opening (71) in the flow direction (S), whereby in a flow channel (75) is formed in the housing (74), - that the tube bundle (73) is arranged in the housing (74) such that gaseous medium flows in the flow channel (75) along the axial direction of the heat exchanger tubes (731).
  2. 2. Cooling system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the flow channel (75) varies in its passage cross section (D) for the fluid in the flow direction (S).
  3. 3. Cooling system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flow channel (75) has a plurality of chambers (76) which are connected by connecting channels (77) with a smaller passage cross-section (D).
  4. 4. Cooling system (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that in the flow channel (75) the tube bundle (73) with the heat exchanger tubes (731) are guided through the chambers (76) and through the connecting channels (77).
  5. 5. Cooling system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that guide structures (78) for the gaseous fluid are arranged.
  6. 6. Cooling system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the condenser unit (7) is arranged inside or outside the container (3).
  7. 7. Cooling system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a condenser unit (7) arranged within the container (3) is arranged above or next to the heat exchanger device (6) in the gas space (5) of the container (3).
  8. 8. Cooling system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a collecting container (9) is arranged downstream of the outlet (79) of the condenser unit (7), via which the residual gas phase can be discharged.
  9. 9. Cooling system (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that a drying unit (8) for separating water vapor from the gas phase is arranged between the outlet (79) and the collecting container (9).
  10. 10. Cooling system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a vacuum pump (10) is arranged downstream of the outlet (79), via which the residual gas phase can be discharged.
  11. 11. Cooling system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the heat exchanger device (6) and the condenser unit (7) have a common supply unit for a first single-phase heat transfer medium for cooling.
  12. 12. Cooling system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the condenser unit (7) has a second supply unit for a second single-phase heat transfer medium for cooling.
  13. 13. Cooling system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the condenser unit (7) is designed such that it can be operated for cooling at a lower temperature of the single-phase heat transfer medium than the heat exchanger device (6).

Description

Description Cooling system for liquid immersion cooling of electronic components The invention relates to a cooling system for liquid immersion cooling of electronic components according to the preamble of claim 1. Liquid immersion cooling systems, such as two-phase immersion cooling systems, are an efficient cooling solution for electronic components that generate a lot of heat during operation. When the components are immersed in a two-phase heat transfer fluid, which preferably has a low boiling point, the heat generated by the electronic component can evaporate the surrounding liquid heat transfer fluid, thereby removing heat from the electronic component. A condenser device liquefies the gaseous heat transfer fluid, which is then returned to the reservoir for cooling. A two-phase immersion cooling system with a cooling basin is known from the publication US 10 512 192 B2. A condensation chamber, in which the gaseous fluid produced during the cooling process is condensed, is connected to the liquid fluid in the cooling basin. A vapor diversion structure is arranged above the heat-generating electronic components, which are located within the cooling medium in the cooling basin. The vaporized fluid is guided into the condensation chamber for liquefaction by means of the vapor diversion structure. The condensation chamber is located within the cooling basin. From the publication US 10 966 349 B1, a two-phase immersion cooling system with an immersion tank and a primary condenser for gaseous heat transfer fluid is known. The primary condenser is in thermal connection with the internal volume of the immersion tank. The immersion cooling system also includes a vapor management system that is connected on the flow side to the head space of the immersion tank. The vapor management system makes it possible to effectively manage periods of high vapor production by removing fluid vapor and other gases from the head space of the immersion tank, condensing the vapor to liquid and returning the liquid to the immersion tank. Furthermore, a cooling system for computer components is known from the document US 10 477 726 B1. A pressure-controlled container contains a heat-conducting, dielectric heat transfer fluid in liquid and gaseous phases, which has a boiling point of less than 80°C at atmospheric pressure. Computer components are arranged in the container, which are at least partially immersed in the liquid phase of the heat transfer fluid. The dielectric gas phase fluid evaporated by the heat generated by the computer components is condensed into dielectric liquid phase fluid by means of a condenser. The internal pressure in the interior of the pressure-controlled container is reduced to as low as 650 hPa. By controlling the pressure in the container at which the system operates, the user can influence the temperature at which the dielectric fluid evaporates. This can achieve increased cooling performance. The operation of a computer system within a pressure-controlled vessel at an operating pressure that deviates from the ambient pressure usually requires a structural adaptation of the system as a whole. From the publication US 2021 / 0 153 392 A1 a cooling system with a Container known that uses two-phase heat transfer fluid as coolant can be filled, in the liquid phase of which electronic components can be immersed. The container has a gas space above the surface of the liquid heat transfer fluid. A separate external condenser device is arranged above the container, which is configured to condense the vapor phase of the heat transfer fluid and return it as a liquid coolant to the container with the electronic components. For this purpose, the system comprises return and supply lines that are connected to both the condenser device and the container to form a heat exchange loop. The system also includes a collecting vessel, which is arranged on the supply line and is configured to collect the condensed, liquid heat transfer fluid before the coolant is supplied to the container. This accumulator also provides reserve cooling capacity for the cooling system. From the publication EP 3 453235 B1, a cooling system for immersion cooling of electronic components is known, with a pressure-tight tank, configured to hold heat transfer fluid in liquid form, into which the electronic equipment is immersed. In addition, a vapor space is present above a surface of the liquid heat transfer fluid. A condenser is arranged outside the pressure-tight tank, wherein the condenser has an inlet which is connected to the vapor space by a riser pipe and is configured to receive heat transfer fluid vapor. In addition, the condenser has a tightly sealable vapor outlet for residual gases and a condensate outlet with a condensate return line to the tank. The condensate return line is designed such that condensed heat transfer fluid can flow back from the condensate outlet to the tank through it. Additional condenser tubes for liquefying ga