Cooling device and method for cooling an equipment component

Abstract

Described is a cooling device for cooling an equipment component with the aid of a cooling agent, as well as a method for cooling an equipment component. In at least one embodiment, the cooling device includes a heat source for transferring thermal energy from the equipment component to the cooling agent and a heat sink for dissipating thermal energy from the cooling agent. The heat source and the heat sink are connected to each other. The cooling agent can be supplied via a forward flow line to the heat source and can flow via a return line away from the heat sink. The cooling device includes a control mechanism and two storage containers or a stratified storage tank for the cooling agent. The control mechanism is connected to the two containers and/or the stratified storage tank, the forward flow line and the return flow line. The control mechanism is embodied such that in a “mixed cooling” mode, cooling agent from the two containers or the stratified storage tank is supplied at a mixing ratio to the forward flow line.

1 . A cooling device for cooling an equipment component with the aid of a cooling agent, said cooling device comprising:
 a heat source to transfer thermal energy from the equipment component to the cooling agent;   a heat sink to dissipate thermal energy from the cooling agent, the heat source and the heat sink being connected, the cooling agent being suppliable to the heat source via a forward flow line and being drainable via a return-flow line from the heat sink;   at least two storage containers or alternatively a stratified layer tank to hold the cooling agent; and   a control mechanism connected to the at least two storage containers or to the stratified layer tank, the forward flow line and the return-flow line and the control mechanism being embodied such that in a “mixed cooling” mode, the cooling agent from the at least two storage containers or from the stratified layer tank is suppliable at a mixing ratio to the forward flow line.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism is embodied such that in the “mixed cooling” mode, the cooling agent is able to flow from the return-flow line into at least one of the at least two storage containers or into the stratified layer tank. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism is embodied such that in a “regeneration” mode, the cooling agent is suppliable from the at least two storage containers or from the stratified layer tank, to the forward flow line. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling device according to  claim 3 , wherein the control mechanism is embodied such that in the “regeneration” mode, the cooling agent is suppliable from the return-flow line to at least one other of the at least two storage containers or to the stratified layer tank. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism is embodied such that in a “loop cooling” mode, the return-flow line is connected to the forward flow line. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism comprises a proportional valve, which is embodied such that cooling agent, from the at least two storage containers or from the stratified layer tank, is mixed together at the mixing ratio. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein a temperature sensor is provided to measure a forward flow temperature of the cooling agent in the forward flow line. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein a temperature sensor is provided to measure a return-flow temperature of the cooling agent in the return flow line. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the equipment component is an inverter. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein a fan is assigned to the heat sink. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling device comprises a pump. 
     
     
         12 . A method for cooling an equipment component with the aid of a cooling agent and a cooling device, the cooling device including a heat source for transferring thermal energy from the equipment component to the cooling agent, and a heat sink for dissipating thermal energy from the cooling agent, the heat source and the heat sink being connected to each other, the cooling agent being suppliable via a forward flow line to the heat source and being drainable via a return flow line from the heat sink, and the cooling device including at least two storage containers or alternatively a stratified storage tank for the cooling agent, and including a control mechanism connected to the at least two storage containers or to the stratified storage tank, the forward flow line and the return flow line, the method comprising:
 supplying, in a “mixed cooling” mode, the cooling agent with the aid of the control mechanism from the at least two containers or from the stratified storage tank, at a mixing ratio, to the forward flow line.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein in the “mixed cooling” mode, the cooling agent flows from the return flow line through the control mechanism into at least one of the two containers or into the stratified storage tank. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein in a “regeneration” mode, the cooling agent, from at least one of the two containers or from the stratified storage tank, is supplied via the control mechanism to the forward flow line. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein in the in the “regeneration” mode, the cooling agent flows from the return flow line via the control mechanism to at least one other of the at least two containers or to the stratified storage tank. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein in a “loop cooling” mode, the return flow line is connected via the control mechanism to the forward flow line. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein for determining the mixing ratio, a measured forward flow temperature of the cooling agent is compared to a desired value. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein on the basis of this comparison, a signal is generated for adjusting or controlling a proportional valve of the control mechanism, so as to obtain the desired mixing ratio. 
     
     
         19 . The cooling device according to  claim 10 , wherein the fan operates with a variable speed. 
     
     
         20 . The cooling device according to  claim 11 , wherein the pump includes a changeable speed. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein in a “regeneration” mode, the cooling agent, from at least one of the two containers or from the stratified storage tank, is supplied via the control mechanism to the forward flow line. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein in the in the “regeneration” mode, the cooling agent flows from the return flow line via the control mechanism to at least one other of the at least one two containers or to the stratified storage tank.