Patent Publication Number: US-2009223653-A1

Title: Method for Operating a Heat Dissipation System Background of the Invention

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 97107549, filed Mar. 4, 2008, which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention is related to a heat dissipation system and, more particularly, to a heat dissipation system which can generate forced convection. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional heat dissipation system often includes a device which can generate forced convection to increase heat dissipation efficiency. For example, the heat dissipation system can include heat dissipation fins and a fan, and can increase heat dissipation efficiency by the forced convection generated by the fan. Therefore, the fan plays an important role in heat dissipation system. Once the fan stops working, the heat dissipation system cannot take away a great quantity of heat from the system. The minor result is the poor operation of the components, and the serious result is the burning out of the components. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, an objective of the invention is to provide a heat dissipation system operating method. 
     To achieve the above objectives, a heat dissipation system operating method is provided. The heat dissipation system operating method is applied to a heat dissipation system including a first active heat dissipation device and a second active heat dissipation device. The method includes the steps of: starting the first active heat dissipation device to dissipate heat of a heat source; after the first active heat dissipation device operates for a first predetermined period of time, starting the second active heat dissipation device to dissipate the heat of the heat source; and stopping operation of the first active heat dissipation device. 
     By starting and stopping a fluid driving device alternately, the heat dissipation system operating method according to the invention makes forced heat convection exist any time in the heat dissipation system and also prolongs life of the fluid driving device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing steps of a method for operating a heat dissipation system according to one preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram showing an air-cooling active heat dissipation device according to one preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram showing a liquid-cooling active heat dissipation device according to one preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a structural diagram showing a mixed active heat dissipation device combining air-cooling and liquid-cooling according to one preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETALED DESCRPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram showing steps of a method for operating a heat dissipation system according to one preferred embodiment of the invention. By starting and stopping multiple active heat dissipation devices continuously and alternately, the heat dissipation system operating method  50  makes forced heat convection exist any time in the heat dissipation system. After the active heat dissipation device (A) operates for a predetermined period of time (steps  52  and  54 ), the active heat dissipation device (B) starts to operate (step  56 ). After the heat dissipation system confirms the normal start and the normal operation of the active heat dissipation device (B) starts (step  64 ), the active heat dissipation device (A) stops operating (step  57 ). Next, after the active heat dissipation device (B) operates for a predetermined period of time (step  58 ), the active heat dissipation device (A) starts to operate (step 60 ). After the heat dissipation system confirms the normal start and the normal operation of the active heat dissipation device (A) (step  66 ), the active heat dissipation device (B) stops operating (step  62 ). The active heat dissipation device (A) and the active heat dissipation device (B) are started and stopped continuously and alternately, such that forced heat convection exists any time in the heat dissipation system and lives of the active heat dissipation device (A) and the active heat dissipation device (B) are prolonged. Operating time of the active heat dissipation device (A) and the active heat dissipation device (B) can be the same or be different. In the above embodiment, the heat dissipation system includes two active heat dissipation devices, but it is obvious that three or more than three active heat dissipation devices can also be implemented according to the above method. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram showing an air-cooling active heat dissipation device according to one preferred embodiment of the invention. The air-cooling active heat dissipation device  100  includes a heat dissipation fin  104  and two fans  106   a  and  106   b.  The heat dissipation fin  104  is pasted on a heat source  102 , to accelerate dissipating speed of heat generated thereof. The fans  106   a  and  106   b  are disposed in an air inlet  108   a  (on the housing wall  110   a ) and an air outlet  108   b  (on the housing wall  110   b ) respectively. The fan  106   a  blows air towards the heat dissipation fin  104  through the air inlet  108   a,  and the fan  106   b  exhausts the air out of the system through the air outlet  108   b.  By operation of either the fan  106   a  or the fan  106   b,  the air can be drawn in through the air inlet  108   a,  introduced towards the heat dissipation fin  104 , and hotter air can be exhausted through the air outlet  108   b.  The above heat dissipation system operating method  50  can be applied to the air-cooling active heat dissipation device  100  (for example, the active heat dissipation device (A) is the fan  106   a,  and the active heat dissipation device (B) is the fan  106   b ), and the fans  106   a  and  106   b  are started and stopped continuously and alternately according to the principle of the heat dissipation system operating method  50 . 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram showing a liquid-cooling active heat dissipation device according to one preferred embodiment of the invention. The liquid-cooling active heat dissipation device  200  includes a cooler  224 , an inlet pipe  220   a,  an outlet pipe  220   b,  a heat dissipation plate  205 , and two driving groups. The heat dissipation plate  205  is pasted on a heat source  202  to accelerate dissipating speed of heat generated thereof. The two driving groups drive cooling media to circulate in the inlet pipe  220   a  and the outlet pipe  220   b.  When passing through the heat dissipation plate  205 , the cooling media absorb the heat of the heat dissipation plate  205 . When the cooling media pass through the cooler  224 , the heat taken from the heat dissipation plate  205  by the cooling media is dissipated. The driving groups include bumps and side flowing pipes. When the pump (P 1  or P 2 ) stops working, the cooling media can not circulate through the pump (P 1  or P 2 ) and will detour round the side flowing pipe ( 222   a  or  222   b ). The above heat dissipation system operating method  50  also can be applied to the liquid-cooling active heat dissipation device  200  (for example, the active heat dissipation device (A) is the pump P 1 , and the active heat dissipation device (B) is the pump P 2 ), and the pumps P 1  and P 2  are started and stopped continuously and alternately according to the principle of the heat dissipation system operating method  50 . 
       FIG. 4  is a structural diagram showing a mixed active heat dissipation device combining air-cooling and liquid-cooling according to one preferred embodiment of the invention. The active heat dissipation device  300  is a mixed active heat dissipation device combining air-cooling and liquid-cooling, and includes a heat dissipation plate  305  pasted on a heat source  302  to accelerate dissipating speed of heat generated thereof. The heat dissipation plate  305  can transmit the heat to a heat dissipation fin  304 , and forced convection (such as airflow along direction  330 ) generated by the fans  306   a  and  306   b  can further accelerate the dissipating speed of heat. Simultaneously, the heat dissipation plate  305  also includes winded pipes (refer to the heat dissipation plate  205  in  FIG. 3 ) for taking the heat away by the circulated cooling media. The cooling media can be introduced into the heat dissipation plate  305  by an inlet pipe  320   a  and derived from the heat dissipation plate  305  by an outlet pipe  320   b.  After passing through a cooler  324 , the heat taken by the cooling media from the heat dissipation plate  305  is dissipated herein. Driving groups include pumps and side flowing pipes. When the pump (P 1  or P 2 ) stops working, the cooling media can not circulate through the pump (P 1  or P 2 ) and will detour round the side flowing pipe ( 322   a  or  322   b ). The above heat dissipation system operating method  50  also can be applied to the active heat dissipation device  300  The air-cooling active heat dissipation device and the liquid-cooling active heat dissipation device are started and stopped alternately according to the principle of the heat dissipation system operating method  50 . When the air-cooling active heat dissipation device drives gas to flow, the fans  306   a  and  306   b  are started and stopped alternately according to the principle of the heat dissipation system operating method  50 . When the liquid-cooling active heat dissipation device drives the cooling media to flow, the pumps P 1  and P 2  also are started and stopped alternately according to the principle of the heat dissipation system operating method  50 . 
     By starting and stopping a fluid driving device alternately, the heat dissipation system operating method according to the invention makes forced heat convection exist any time in the heat dissipation system and also prolongs life of the fluid driving device. 
     Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope of the invention. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments described above.