Method and apparatus for preventing cracking in a liquid cooling system

Abstract

An apparatus for preventing cracking of a liquid system includes an enclosure and one or more compressible objects immersed in the enclosure. According to the present invention, the enclosure is configured to cause a fluid to begin to freeze at a location in the enclosure, and for freezing to advance towards the one or more compressible objects.

1 . An apparatus for preventing cracking of a liquid system, comprising:
 a. an enclosure configured to have multiple zones of different freeze susceptibilities and to cause freezing to begin in a high freeze susceptibility zone and for a freeze front to advance from the high freeze susceptibility zone toward a low freeze susceptibility zone through one or more zones of progressively decreasing freeze susceptibility; and   b. a compressible object immersed in a zone of lower freeze susceptibility than the high freeze susceptibility zone.   
   
   
       2 . An apparatus for preventing cracking of a liquid system, comprising:
 a. an enclosure configured to have multiple zones of different surface area to volume ratios and to cause freezing to begin in a high surface area to volume ratio zone and for a freeze front to advance from the high surface area to volume ratio zone toward a low surface area to volume ratio zone; and   b. a pressure relief area in the enclosure located in a zone other than the high surface area to volume ratio zone.   
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the pressure relief area is a compressible object. 
   
   
       4 . A freeze-tolerant heat exchanger, comprising:
 a. a micro-structured heat exchange region having a first freeze susceptibility;   b. a manifold region configured to have a second freeze susceptibility so that fluid within the manifold region freezes later than fluid within the micro-structured heat exchange region; and   c. a fluid input region including a compressible object and configured to have a third freeze susceptibility so that fluid within the fluid input region freezes later than fluid within the manifold region;   
     wherein the heat exchanger is configured so that a freeze front advances from the micro-structured heat exchange region towards the compressible object. 
   
   
       5 . The freeze-tolerant heat exchanger of  claim 4 , wherein the micro-structured region comprises one or more of the following: microchannels, microporous foam, and pseudo-foam. 
   
   
       6 . A method of preventing cracking of a liquid system, the system including a pump and a heat exchanger, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. configuring the system to have multiple zones of different surface area to volume ratios and to cause freezing to begin in a high surface area to volume ratio zone and to advance towards a low surface area to volume ratio zone;   b. providing an enclosure fluidly coupled to the system at a zone other than the high surface area to volume ratio zone; and   c. placing a compressible object in the enclosure.