Parallel evaporator circuit with balanced flow

Abstract

Provided is a pumped loop system ( 10 ) for cooling a heat-generating components without relying on a maximum heat load, the system including first and second evaporators ( 14 a - 14 n ) in parallel with one another and first and second valves ( 22 a - 22 n ) upstream of the first and second evaporators respectively, wherein the valves ( 22 a - 22 n ) are controllable to vary the flow rate of fluid to the respective evaporator ( 14 a - 14 n ) based on the amount of flow needed to control the respective heat-generating component. By cooling the heat-generating components without relying on the maximum heat load, adequate flow may be provided to an evaporator operating under a high heat low while reduced flow is provided to an evaporator operating under a low head load.

1 . A pumped loop system for cooling heat-generating components including:
 a first branch having a first evaporator for absorbing heat from a first heat-generating component having a variable heat load and a first valve upstream of the first evaporator for variably controlling the flow of fluid to the first branch;   a second branch parallel to the first branch, the second branch having a second evaporator for absorbing heat from a second heat-generating component having a variable heat load and a second valve upstream of the second evaporator for variably controlling the flow of fluid to the second branch;   a pump for pumping fluid to the first and second branches;   a condenser downstream of the first and second branches and upstream of the pump for rejecting the heat absorbed by the fluid in the first and second branches; and   at least one controller configured to control at least one of the first valve and the second valve.   
     
     
         2 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first and second valves are electronic stepper valves.   
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller comprises a first and second controller for controlling the first and second valves, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller comprises a single controller for controlling the first and second valves. 
     
     
         6 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller controls fluid flow through the respective branch based upon an input that is indicative of the amount of flow needed to cool the heat-generating component. 
     
     
         7 . The pumped loop system of  claim 6 , wherein the input is one or more of the following:
 (i) the amount of electrical power being consumed by the heat-generating component;   (ii) the temperature of the heat-generating component;   (iii) the temperature of the heat-generating component as correlated to the amount of electrical power being consumed by the heat-generating component; and/or   (iv) the amount of heat being generated by the heat-generating component.   
     
     
         8 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 1 ,
 further including a sensor downstream of the first evaporator and a sensor downstream of the second evaporator, wherein the sensors sense a characteristic of the fluid flow through the first and second branches respectively and communicate the characteristics to the controller to increase or decrease the fluid flow through the respective branches.   
     
     
         9 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 8 , wherein the characteristic is an amount of vapor in the fluid flow. 
     
     
         10 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 9 , wherein if the amount of vapor is greater than a predetermined amount, the controller controls the valve to open a predetermined amount to allow for more flow through the evaporator and if the amount of vapor is less than a predetermined amount, the controller controls the valve to close a predetermined amount to allow for less flow through the evaporator. 
     
     
         11 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 1 , further including a mechanical pressure differential valve downstream of the pump and upstream of the first and second valves for maintaining a constant pressure upstream of the first valve and the second valve. 
     
     
         12 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 1 , further including an electronic variable control valve downstream of the pump and upstream of the first and second valves for maintaining a constant pressure upstream of the first valve and the second valve. 
     
     
         13 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 12 , further including a pressure sensor upstream of the pump and a pressure sensor downstream of the pump for measuring pressure at an inlet and outlet of the pump respectively, wherein the pressure sensors are operatively coupled to a controller configured to calculate a differential pressure and configured to control the electronic variable control valve to open or close based upon the differential pressure. 
     
     
         14 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 2 , further including an accumulator that receives fluid from the condenser and delivers the fluid to the pump. 
     
     
         15 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 1  in combination with the first and second heat-generating components, wherein the heat-generating component are in contact with the respective evaporators. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method for cooling heat-generating components via a pumped loop system including a first branch having a first evaporator coupled to a first heat-generating component and a first valve upstream of the first evaporator, a second branch parallel to the first branch, the second branch having a second evaporator coupled to a second heat-generating component and a second valve upstream of the second evaporator, a pump upstream of the branches, and a condenser downstream of the branches, the method including:
 pumping fluid from the pump to the first and second branches;   controlling the first and second valves via a controller to vary the flow of fluid to the first and second branches;   absorbing heat from the first and second heat-generating components via the evaporators.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein controlling the first and second valves further includes:
 controlling fluid flow through the first and second valves based upon an input that is indicative of the amount of flow needed to cool the heat-generating component.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the input is one or more of the following:
 (i) the amount of electrical power being consumed by the heat-generating component;   (ii) the temperature of the heat-generating component;   (iii) the temperature of the heat-generating component as correlated to the amount of electrical power being consumed by the heat-generating component; and/or   (iv) the amount of heat being generated by the heat-generating component;   (v) an indication of an amount of vapor in the fluid flow.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein controlling the first and second valves further includes:
 sensing via respective sensors downstream of the first and second valves a characteristic of the fluid flow through the first and second branches; and   communicating the characteristics to the controller to increase or decrease the fluid flow through the respective branches.   
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A pumped loop system for cooling heat-generating components including:
 first and second evaporators in parallel with one another;   first and second valves upstream of the first and second evaporators respectively;   a pump configured to pump fluid to the first and second evaporators;   a condenser downstream of the first and second branches and upstream of the pump, the condenser configured to reject the heat absorbed by the first and second evaporators; and   at least one controller configured control the first valve and the second valve,   wherein the first and second valves are controllable to vary the flow rate of fluid to the respective evaporator based on the heat load at the respective evaporator.   
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The pumped loop system according to  claim 22 , wherein the at least one controller comprises a first and second controller for controlling the first and second valves, respectively. 
     
     
         26 - 30 . (canceled)