Cooling system for a computer system

Abstract

A cooling system for a computer system comprises at least one unit such as a central processing unit (CPU) generating thermal energy and a reservoir having an amount of cooling liquid, said cooling liquid intended for accumulating and transferring of thermal energy dissipated from the processing unit to the cooling liquid. The cooling system has a heat exchanging interface for providing thermal contact between the processing unit and the cooling liquid for dissipating heat from the processing unit to the cooling liquid. Different embodiments of the heat exchanging system as well as means for establishing and controlling a flow of cooling liquid and a cooling strategy constitutes the invention of the cooling system.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A cooling system for a computer system processing unit, comprising:
 a reservoir configured to circulate a cooling liquid therethrough, the reservoir including:
 an upper chamber and a lower chamber, wherein the upper chamber and the lower chamber are vertically displaced separate fluid-containing receptacles that are each surrounded by boundary walls, wherein at least one of the boundary walls separate the upper chamber from the lower chamber, 
 one or more passageways connecting the upper chamber and the lower chamber, at least one of the one or more passageways being positioned on the boundary wall that separates the upper chamber from the lower chamber; 
 a heat exchanging interface removably attached to the reservoir to form a boundary wall of the lower chamber, the heat exchanging interface being adapted to provide separable thermal contact between the processing unit and the cooling liquid; 
   a centrifugal pump having a motor arid an impeller, the impeller being positioned within the reservoir; and   a heat exchanger spaced apart and fluidly coupled to the integrated element.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further including a control system, wherein the control system is configured to adjust a speed of the pump. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling system of  claim 2 , wherein the control system is part of an operating system of the computer. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling system of  claim 2 , wherein the control system is configured to measure one of an operating load or an operating temperature of the processing unit and adjust the pump based on the measured value. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to sense a position of the impeller, and select a rotational direction of the impeller. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to determine a required cooling capacity of the cooling system and adjust a rotational speed of the pump based on the required cooling capacity. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling system of  claim 6 , wherein the control system is configured to reduce the rotational speed of the pump if lower cooling capacity is required. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling system of  claim 2 , wherein the control system is configured to adjust a rotational speed of the fan and a rotational speed of the pump to reduce noise and provide a required cooling capacity of the cooling system. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more passageways has a substantially circular shape. 
     
     
         10 . A cooling system for a processing unit positioned on a motherboard of a computer, comprising:
 a reservoir configured to be coupled to the processing unit positioned on the motherboard at a first location, the reservoir being adapted to pass a cooling liquid therethrough, wherein the reservoir includes an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the upper chamber and the lower chamber being separate cooling liquid containing receptacles that are vertically spaced apart and separated by at least a wall, the upper chamber and the lower chamber being connected together by one or more passageways, at least one of the one or more passageways being positioned on the wall, the reservoir further including a heat exchanging interface configured to be placed in separable thermal contact with the processing unit, the heat exchanging interface being attached to the reservoir such that the heat exchanging interface forms a boundary wall of the lower chamber of the reservoir;   a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the reservoir and configured to be positioned at a second location spaced apart from the first location when the reservoir is coupled to the processing unit;   a fan adapted to direct air to the heat exchanger to dissipate heat from the cooling liquid to surrounding atmosphere;   a pump configured to circulate the cooling liquid between the reservoir and the heat exchanger, the pump including a motor having a rotor, a stator, and an impeller, the impeller being positioned in the reservoir; and   a control system configured to adjust a rotation speed of the pump.   
     
     
         11 . The cooling system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is configured to adjust the rotation speed based on a temperature of the processing unit. 
     
     
         12 . The cooling system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is configured to select a rotational direction of the impeller. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is configured to adjust a speed of the fan independent of a speed of the pump.