Patent ID: 7088585
Filing Date: 2006-08-08
Classification: H05K

Abstract:
1. A cooling system comprising: at least two modular cooling units (MCUs), each MCU being capable of providing system coolant to multiple electronics subsystems to be cooled; wherein each MCU of the at least two MCUs comprises a heat exchanger, a first cooling loop with at least one control valve, and a second cooling loop, and wherein when an MCU of the at least two MCUs is operational, the first cooling loop receives chilled facility coolant from a source and passes at least a portion thereof through the heat exchanger, the portion being controlled by the at least one control valve, and the second cooling loop provides cooled system coolant to the multiple electronics subsystems, and expels heat in the heat exchanger from the multiple electronics subsystems to the chilled facility coolant in the first cooling loop, wherein the at least one control valve allows regulation of facility coolant flow through the heat exchanger, thereby allowing control of a desired temperature of system coolant in the second cooling loop for cooling the multiple electronics subsystems; and wherein when the cooling system is operational, only one MCU of the at least two MCUs is operating to provide system coolant to the multiple electronic subsystems, with at least one other MCU of the at least two MCUs being in a standby mode, and wherein the cooling system further comprises couplings associated with the at least two MCUs which allow each MCU to be removed while another MCU of the at least two MCUs is operational and providing system coolant to the multiple electronics subsystems, and each MCU further comprises a system coolant expansion tank in communication with the second cooling loop, and wherein the system coolant expansion tanks of the at least two MCUs are connected in fluid communication to ensure that sufficient system coolant remains in the system coolant expansion tank of an operating MCU.