Cooling System For High Density Heat Loads

Abstract

A pumped refrigerant cooling system having multiple pumping units for providing working fluid to a load to enable cooling of a space via the load. The pumped refrigerant cooling system operates the pumping units at less than capacity. When a pumping unit is deactivated, the output of the remaining pumping units is increased to maintain fluid flow.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing redundant cooling in a cooling system comprising:
 providing a plurality of cooling modules, the plurality of cooling modules cooperating to pump cooling fluid to at least one thermal load, wherein the cooling modules operating at variable speeds;   increasing a speed of one of the plurality of cooling modules when another of the plurality of cooling modules experiences a decrease in speed; and   decreasing the speed of the one of the plurality of cooling modules when another of the plurality of cooling modules experiences an increase in speed.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising monitoring the plurality of cooling modules to detect a fault condition, and increasing the speed of the one of the plurality of cooling modules with the other of the plurality of cooling modules indicates the fault condition. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising continuing to monitor the other of the plurality of cooling modules following indication of the fault condition to determine when the other of the plurality of cooling modules is no longer indicating the fault condition. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein when the other of the plurality of cooling modules no longer indicates the fault condition, the plurality of cooling modules return to operating at respective normal speeds. 
     
     
         5 . A method for providing redundant cooling in a cooling system comprising:
 providing a first cooling module, the first cooling module providing cooling fluid to thermal load, wherein the first cooling module operates at variable speeds, the first cooling module having a first normal operating speed, the first normal operating speed being less than a full speed;   providing a second cooling module, the second cooling module providing cooling fluid to the thermal load, wherein the second cooling module operates at variable speeds, the second cooling module having a second normal operating speed, the second normal operating speed being less than full speed;   increasing a speed of one of the first cooling module or second cooling module when the other of the first cooling module or second cooling module is operating at less than its respective normal operating speed; and   decreasing the speed of the one of first cooling module or second cooling module when the other of the first cooling module or second cooling module experiences an increase in speed.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising monitoring the first cooling module and the second cooling module to detect a fault condition. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising continuing to monitor the first cooling module and the second cooling module after detecting the fault condition and returning the first cooling module and the second cooling module to the respective first normal operating speed and second normal operating speed when the fault condition is no longer detected.