Patent ID: 8955346
Filing Date: 2015-02-17
Classification: F25B,H05K,Y02B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for facilitating cooling of an electronic component, the apparatus comprising: a coolant-cooled structure, the coolant-cooled structure being in thermal communication with the electronic component; a coolant loop coupled in fluid communication with the coolant-cooled structure for passing a liquid coolant therethrough: a coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger coupled in fluid communication with the coolant-cooled structure via the coolant loop to receive liquid coolant therefrom and provide liquid coolant thereto; a vapor-compression refrigeration loop lacking an adjustable expansion valve and coupled in fluid communication with the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger cooling liquid coolant passing therethrough by dissipating heat from the liquid coolant passing therethrough to refrigerant passing therethrough; and a controllable coolant heater in thermal communication with the coolant loop, the controllable coolant heater selectively heating liquid coolant in the coolant loop based, at least in part, on heat load of the electronic component to ensure that the liquid coolant passing through the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger dissipates at least a specified minimum heat load to refrigerant passing through the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger; an adjustable pump in fluid communication with the coolant loop for pumping coolant through the coolant loop; a controller coupled to control the controllable coolant heater to automatically adjust the heat load applied by the controllable heater to coolant within the coolant loop to ensure that the liquid coolant passing through the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger dissipates at least the specified minimum heat load to the refrigerant passing through the coolant-to-refrigerant heat exchanger, and the controller being coupled to the adjustable pump to automatically adjust pump speed of the adjustable pump, the controller operating to maintain a temperature of the electronic component within a specified temperature range by dynamically increasing pump speed of the adjustable pump responsive to temperature of the electronic component being above a first specified temperature, and by dynamically reducing pump speed of the adjustable pump responsive to temperature of the electronic component being below a second specified temperature; and a compressor coupled in fluid communication with the vapor-compression refrigeration loop, wherein the specified minimum heat load is prespecified to ensure that super-heated vapor refrigerant enters the compressor, thereby allowing the compressor to run at a fixed compressor speed, without cycling on and off during cooling of the electronic component.