Patent ID: 8514575
Filing Date: 2013-08-20
Classification: F28D,H05K

Abstract:
1. A cooling apparatus for facilitating cooling of an electronic system comprising at least one electronic component, the cooling apparatus comprising: at least one cooling unit providing, via a coolant loop, system coolant to cool the at least one electronic component, wherein each cooling unit of the at least one cooling unit comprises a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, a first coolant path and a second coolant path, the first coolant path of each cooling unit of the at least one cooling unit receiving, in a primary, liquid-cooling mode, facility coolant from a source and passing at least a portion thereof through the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger, and the second coolant path being coupled in fluid communication with the coolant loop, and providing system coolant to cool the at least one electronic component, and in primary, liquid-cooling mode, expelling heat in the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger from system coolant in the second coolant path to facility coolant in the first coolant path; at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger cooling, in primary, liquid-cooling mode, air exhausting from the electronic system, the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger being coupled to the coolant loop to receive system coolant therefrom and exhaust system coolant thereto, wherein the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is coupled to the coolant loop downstream of cooling the at least one electronic component, and in a secondary, air-cooling mode, the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger facilitates cooling the at least one electronic component; a controller to transition the cooling apparatus between the primary, liquid-cooling mode and the secondary, air-cooling mode, wherein in primary, liquid-cooling mode, the at least one cooling unit provides cooled system coolant to cool the at least one electronic component, and provides system coolant to the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger to cool the air exhausting from the electronic system, and in secondary, air-cooling mode, system coolant flows from cooling the at least one electronic component to the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger for rejecting, via the system coolant, heat from the at least one electronic component to air passing across the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger; and wherein the electronic systern comprises an air inlet side and an air outlet side for respectively enabling ingress and egress of external air through the electronic system, the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger being disposed adjacent to the air outlet side of the electronic system and cooling, in the primary, liquid cooling mode, the air exhausting from the electronic system at the air outlet side.