Cooling apparatus for a computer system

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling apparatus for a computer system and a method for cooling at least one heat producing component of a computer system. The cooling apparatus for the computer system features an evaporator ( 2 ) for a working medium, which can be thermally coupled to the at least one heat producing component of the computer system. In this connection, the cooling apparatus is constructed as a heat engine or as an absorption refrigerator in order to carry out a thermodynamic cycle.

1 . A cooling apparatus for a computer system, comprising an evaporator for a working medium, wherein the evaporator can be thermally coupled to at least one heat producing component of the computer system and the cooling apparatus is a heat engine. 
     
     
         2 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat engine comprises a steam turbine. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a generator is coupled to the steam turbine for generating electricity. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the working medium comprises organic components and has a low boiling temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the working medium comprises a mixture of ammonia and water. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein a separator is provided downstream of the evaporator to separate a vapor phase and a liquid phase of the working medium, and the cooling apparatus is arranged such that the vapor phase is supplied to a steam turbine and, after expansion in the steam turbine, is again merged with the liquid phase. 
     
     
         7 . A cooling apparatus for a computer system, comprising an evaporator for a working medium, wherein the evaporator can be thermally coupled to the at least one heat producing component of the computer system and the cooling apparatus is an absorption refrigerator. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising an additional evaporator that is thermally coupled to a cooling circuit of an air conditioning system. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the working medium comprises a mixture of ammonia and water. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the working medium contains lithium bromide. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the evaporator is directly connected to the at least one heat producing component through a contact surface. 
     
     
         12 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the evaporator is connected to the at least one heat producing component through a heat conducting element. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the heat conducting element comprises a heat pipe. 
     
     
         14 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the evaporator is connected to the at least one heat producing component through a heat transporting arrangement. 
     
     
         15 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the heat transporting arrangement comprises at least a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger coupled thereto, wherein the at least one first heat exchanger is directly connected to the at least one heat producing component, and the second heat exchanger is thermally connected to the evaporator. 
     
     
         16 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the evaporator is directly connected to the at least one heat producing component through a contact surface. 
     
     
         17 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the evaporator is connected to the at least one heat producing component through a heat conducting element. 
     
     
         18 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the heat conducting element comprises a heat pipe. 
     
     
         19 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the evaporator is connected to the at least one heat producing component through a heat transporting arrangement. 
     
     
         20 . The cooling apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the heat transporting arrangement comprises at least a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger coupled thereto, wherein the at least one first heat exchanger is connected directly to the at least one heat producing component, and the second heat exchanger is thermally connected to the evaporator. 
     
     
         21 . A method for cooling at least one heat producing component of a computer system, wherein
 a working medium is at least partially evaporated in an evaporator by the heat produced, and   a vapor phase, arising during evaporation of the working medium, is expanded in a steam turbine to produce an output of mechanical power.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the output from the steam turbine is used to drive a generator for generating electricity. 
     
     
         23 . A method for cooling at least one heat producing component of a computer system, wherein
 a working medium is partially evaporated in an evaporator by the generated heat,   a vapor phase of the working medium arising during the partial evaporation is cooled and condensed, and   the condensed working medium is evaporated in an additional evaporator while absorbing evaporation heat.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the evaporation heat is removed and used to air condition the surrounding air.