System and method for electronic chassis and rack mounted electronics with an integrated subambient cooling system

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a cooling system for a heat-generating structure that is disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure comprises a fluid coolant and three structures. The first structure allows the heat generating structure to removably couple to the cooling system. The second structure reduces a pressure of the fluid coolant to a subambient pressure at which the fluid coolant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure. The third structure directs a flow of the fluid coolant in the form of a liquid at the subambient pressure in a manner causing the fluid coolant to be brought into thermal communication with the heat-generating structure where heat from the heat-generating structure causes the fluid coolant in the form of the liquid to boil and vaporize so that the fluid coolant absorbs heat from the heat-generating structure as the fluid coolant changes state.

1 . A cooling system for a heat-generating structure disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure, the cooling system comprising: 
 a fluid coolant;    a structure which reduces a pressure of the fluid coolant to a subambient pressure at which the fluid coolant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure.    a channel in thermal communication with the heat generating structure, the channel comprising a plurality of passages, the channel having an inlet port and an exit port, the inlet port operable to receive fluid coolant into the channel substantially in the form of a liquid, and the exit port operable to dispense of fluid coolant out of the channel substantially in the form of a vapor;    a structure which directs a flow of the fluid coolant in the form of a liquid into the channel through the inlet port, heat from the heat-generating structure causing the fluid coolant in the form of a liquid to boil and vaporize in the channel so that the fluid coolant absorbs heat from the heat-generating structure as the fluid coolant changes state; and    a vapor passage in fluid communication with the exit port, each of the plurality of passages in fluid communication with the vapor passage, the fluid communication between the plurality of passages and the vapor passage inhibiting blockage of the exit port when the channel is subjected to adverse orientations.    
   
   
       2 . A cooling system for a heat-generating structure disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure, the cooling system comprising: 
 a fluid coolant;    a structure which allows the heat generating structure to removably couple to the cooling system;    a structure which reduces a pressure of the fluid coolant to a subambient pressure at which the fluid coolant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure; and    a structure which directs a flow of the fluid coolant in the form of a liquid at the subambient pressure in a manner causing the fluid coolant to be brought into thermal communication with the heat-generating structure, the heat from the heat-generating structure causing the fluid coolant in the form of the liquid to boil and vaporize so that the fluid coolant absorbs heat from the heat-generating structure as the fluid coolant changes state.    
   
   
       3 . The cooling system of  claim 2 , wherein 
 the heat generating structure is disposed within a chassis, and    the chassis is operable to removably couple to the cooling system.    
   
   
       4 . The cooling system of  claim 3 , wherein 
 at least one fluid channel is disposed within the chassis, and    the at least one fluid channel is a portion of the structure which directs the flow of the fluid coolant to bring the fluid coolant into thermal communication with the heat generating structure.    
   
   
       5 . The cooling system of  claim 3 , wherein 
 the structure which directs a flow of the fluid coolant includes a fluid manifold operable to direct the fluid coolant to a plurality of chassis,    each of the plurality of chassis contains a heat generating structure, and    each of the plurality of chassis is operable to removably couple to the cooling system.    
   
   
       6 . The cooling system of  claim 5 , wherein 
 the cooling system is integrated into a rack operable to hold the plurality of chassis, and    the cooling system is a closed system.    
   
   
       7 . The cooling system of  claim 5 , wherein 
 at least one fluid channel is disposed within at least some of plurality of chassis, and    the at least one fluid channel of the at least some of the plurality of chassis being a portion of the structure which directs the flow of the fluid coolant to bring the fluid coolant into thermal communication with the heat generating structure.    
   
   
       8 . The cooling system of  claim 7 , wherein; 
 the at least one fluid channel of the at least some of the plurality of channels include an inlet port and an exit port, the inlet port and the exit port operable to fluidly couple to the fluid manifold.    
   
   
       9 . The cooling system of  claim 8 , wherein; 
 the cooling system includes an air removal system operable to remove air that leaks into the cooling system.    
   
   
       10 . A cooling system for a heat-generating structure, the cooling system comprising: 
 a fluid coolant;    a channel in thermal communication with the heat generating structure, the channel having an inlet port and an exit port, the inlet port operable to receive fluid coolant into the channel substantially in the form of a liquid, and the exit port operable to dispense of fluid coolant out of the channel substantially in the form of a vapor;    a structure which directs a flow of the fluid coolant in the form of a liquid into the channel through the inlet port, heat from the heat-generating structure causing the fluid coolant in the form of a liquid to boil and vaporize in the channel so that the fluid coolant absorbs heat from the heat-generating structure as the fluid coolant changes state; and    a structure within the channel which inhibits blockage of the exit port when the channel is subjected to adverse orientations.    
   
   
       11 . The cooling system of  claim 10 , wherein the structure which inhibits blockage of the exit port includes: 
 a vapor passage in fluid communication with the exit port, the vapor passage including at least two fluid, one of the fluid passageway in selective fluid communication with the channel; and    a device operable to selectively close the one of the fluid passageways when the channel is subjected to adverse orientations.    
   
   
       12 . The cooling system of  claim 11 , wherein the device operable to selectively close the one of the fluid passageways is a check ball, which rolls on to a balls seat to selectively close the one of the fluid passageways.  
   
   
       13 . The cooling system of  claim 11 , wherein the heat-generating structure is disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure, the cooling system further comprising: 
 a structure which reduces a pressure of the fluid coolant to a subambient pressure at which the fluid coolant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure.    
   
   
       14 . The cooling system of  claim 10 , wherein the channel comprises a plurality of passages and the structure which inhibits blockage of the exit port includes: 
 a vapor passage in fluid communication with the exit port, each of the plurality of passages in fluid communication with the vapor passage.    
   
   
       15 . A method for cooling a heat-generating structure disposed in an environment having an ambient pressure, the method comprising: 
 providing a fluid coolant;    removably coupling the heat-generating structure to at least a portion of the cooling system;    reducing a pressure of the fluid coolant to a subambient pressure at which the fluid coolant has a boiling temperature less than a temperature of the heat-generating structure; and    bringing the fluid coolant into thermal communication with the heat-generating structure, so that the fluid coolant absorbs heat from the heat-generating structure.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein 
 the heat generating structure is disposed within a chassis, and    removably coupling the heat-generating structure to at least a portion of the cooling system includes    removably coupling the chassis to the cooling system.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one fluid channel is disposed within the chassis, the method further comprising: 
 transporting the fluid coolant fluid to the at least one fluid channel to bring the fluid coolant into thermal communication with the heat-generating structure.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 transporting, through a fluid manifold, the fluid coolant to a plurality of chassis, each of the plurality of chassis containing a heat generating structure, and each of the plurality of chassis operable to removably couple to the cooling system.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein at least one fluid channel is disposed within at least some of the plurality of chassis, further comprising: 
 transporting the fluid coolant fluid to the at least one fluid channel of the at least some of plurality of chassis to bring the fluid coolant into thermal communication with the heat-generating structure.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one fluid channel of the at least some of the plurality of channels include an inlet port and an exit port, further comprising: 
 fluidly coupling the inlet port and the exit port of at least one of the fluid channels of the at least some of the plurality of chassis to the fluid manifold.