Cooling systems and heat exchangers for cooling computer components

Abstract

Computer systems having heat exchangers for cooling computer components are disclosed herein. The computer systems include a computer cabinet having an air inlet, an air outlet spaced apart from the air inlet, and a plurality of computer module compartments positioned between the air inlet and the air outlet. The air inlet, the air outlet, and the computer module compartments define an air flow path through the computer cabinet. The computer systems also include a heat exchanger positioned between two adjacent computer module compartments. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchange elements canted relative to the air flow path.

1 . A computer system, comprising:
 a computer cabinet having:
 an air inlet; 
 an air outlet spaced apart from the air inlet; and 
 a plurality of computer module compartments positioned between the air inlet and the air outlet, wherein the air inlet, the air outlet, and the computer module compartments define an air flow path through the computer cabinet; and 
   a heat exchanger positioned between two adjacent computer module compartments, the heat exchanger including a plurality of heat exchange elements canted relative to the air flow path.   
   
   
       2 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the heat exchange elements form an angle of from about 10° to about 45° relative to the air flow path. 
   
   
       3 . The computer system of claim I wherein individual heat exchange elements include a plurality of fins between a first end and a second end, and wherein at least one of the passage portions and the plurality of fins are canted relative to the air flow path. 
   
   
       4 . The computer system of  claim 3  wherein the passage portion includes a plurality of internal channels extending between the first end and the second end. 
   
   
       5 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the heat exchange elements include a first heat exchange element and a second heat exchange element, and wherein the first heat exchange element forms a first angle relative to the air flow path and the second heat exchange element forms a second angle relative to the air flow path, the first angle being different than the second angle. 
   
   
       6 . A computer system, comprising:
 a computer cabinet having a plurality of computer module compartments positioned between an air inlet and an air outlet;   a heat exchanger positioned between two adjacent computer module compartments, the heat exchanger including a plurality of heat exchange elements in fluid communication with an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold, wherein the individual heat exchange elements include a plurality of internal channels configured to receive a working fluid from the inlet manifold and transfer the working fluid to the outlet manifold, the individual internal channels having different cross-sectional shapes.   
   
   
       7 . The computer system of  claim 6  wherein the internal channels have different cross-sectional areas. 
   
   
       8 . The computer system of  claim 6  wherein the air inlet, the air outlet, and the computer module compartments define an air flow path through the computer cabinet, and wherein the internal channels have cross-sectional areas that sequentially decrease along the air flow path. 
   
   
       9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . A computer system, comprising:
 a computer cabinet having a plurality of computer module compartments positioned between an air inlet and an air outlet: and   a heat exchanger positioned between two adjacent computer module compartments, the heat exchanger including a plurality of heat exchange elements individually having a passage portion and a plurality of fins extending from the passage portion, wherein the plurality of fins include a first fin portion having a first configuration and a second fin portion having a second configuration different than the first configuration, wherein the air inlet, the air outlet, and the computer module compartments define an air flow path through the computer cabinet, and wherein the first and second fin portions are arranged at least partially along the air flow path.   
   
   
       11 . The computer system of  claim 10  wherein the first fin portion is upstream of the second fin portion along the air flow path. 
   
   
       12 . The computer system of  claim 10  wherein the first fin portion is upstream of the second fin portion along the air flow path, and wherein the second fin portion has a larger number of fins than the first fin portion. 
   
   
       13 . The computer system of  claim 10  wherein the first fin portion is upstream of the second fin portion along the air flow path, and wherein the second fin portion has a higher heat conductance than the first fin portion. 
   
   
       14 . A computer system, comprising:
 a computer cabinet having a plurality of computer module compartments positioned between an air inlet and an air outlet, wherein the air inlet, the air outlet, and the computer module compartments define an air flow path through the computer cabinet; and   a heat exchanger positioned between two adjacent computer module compartments, the heat exchanger including a first flow path and a second flow path in fluid isolation from the first flow path.   
   
   
       15 . The computer system of  claim 14  wherein the first and second flow paths are arranged sequentially along the air flow path. 
   
   
       16 . The computer system of  claim 14  wherein the heat exchanger includes
 an inlet manifold having an inlet divider separating the inlet manifold into a first inlet volume and a second inlet volume;   an outlet manifold having an outlet divider separating the outlet manifold into a first outlet volume and a second outlet volume; and   a plurality of heat exchange elements positioned between the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold, the individual heat exchange elements including a passage portion having a first channel portion and a second channel portion, wherein the first channel portion is in fluid communication with the first inlet volume and the first outlet volume, and wherein the second channel portion is in fluid communication with the second inlet volume and the second outlet volume.   
   
   
       17 . The computer system of  claim 16  wherein the first inlet volume, the first channel portion, and the first outlet volume at least partially define the first flow path, and wherein the second inlet volume, the second channel portion, and the second outlet volume at least partially define the second flow path. 
   
   
       18 . The computer system of  claim 16 , further comprising a first working fluid portion in the first flow path and a second working fluid portion in the second flow path, and wherein the first working fluid portion and the second working fluid portion have different physical characteristics. 
   
   
       19 . The computer system of  claim 18  wherein the first working fluid portion has at least one of a higher flow rate, a higher heat transfer coefficient, a lower boiling point, a higher heat of vaporization than the second working fluid portion. 
   
   
       20 . The computer system of  claim 14  wherein the heat exchanger includes
 a first manifold having a first divider separating the first manifold into a first inlet volume and a first outlet volume;   a second manifold having a second divider separating the second manifold into a second inlet volume and a second outlet volume;   a first heat exchange element in fluid communication with the first inlet volume and the second outlet volume while being isolated from the second inlet volume and the first outlet volume; and   a second heat exchange element in fluid communication with the second inlet volume and the first outlet volume while being isolated from the first inlet volume and the second outlet volume, wherein the first inlet volume, the first heat exchange element, and the second outlet volume at least partially define the first flow path and the second inlet volume, the second heat exchange element, and the first outlet volume at least partially define the second flow path.   
   
   
       21 . The computer system of  claim 20 , further comprising a first working fluid portion in the first flow path and a second working fluid portion in the second flow path, and wherein the first working fluid portion and the second working fluid portion have different flow directions when flowing through the first and second heat exchange elements. 
   
   
       22 . The computer system of  claim 20 , further comprising a first working fluid portion in the first flow path and a second working fluid portion in the second flow path, and wherein computer system further includes a directing means for directing the first working fluid portion to flow through the first heat exchange element in a first direction and the second working fluid portion to flow through the second heat exchange element in a second direction opposite of the first direction. 
   
   
       23 . A method for operating a computer cabinet having a plurality of computer module compartments positioned between an air inlet and an air outlet and a heat exchanger positioned between two adjacent computer module compartments, the method comprising:
 flowing a first working fluid portion along a first flow path of the heat exchanger;   flowing a second working fluid portion in a second flow path of the heat exchanger, the first and second flow paths being in fluid isolation from each other; and   controlling at least one characteristic of at least one of the first and second working fluid portions.   
   
   
       24 . The computer system of  claim 23  wherein controlling at least one characteristic includes controlling a flow rate, a heat transfer coefficient, a boiling point, and/or a heat of vaporization of the first and/or second working fluid portions. 
   
   
       25 . The computer system of  claim 23  wherein controlling at least one characteristic includes flowing the first and second working fluids in generally opposite directions across the heat exchanger.