Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Testing system – Of mechanical system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-08
2001-06-12
Shah, Kamini (Department: 2857)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Testing system
Of mechanical system
C702S130000, C700S299000, C700S300000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246969
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to cooling systems for computers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for testing cooling systems utilized in computers.
Computer technology has been increasing in complexity, density, speed and processing power for many years. Presently, the power of computers is essentially doubling every eighteen months. A consequence of this trend is that the dissipation of the heat generated by these computers has increasingly become a problem. It is recognized that as the computers' heat load and heat density increases, the cooling becomes increasingly critical to the proper operation of the computers. With the increasing need to cool the computers (to dissipate this heat) various cooling schemes such as passive convection, chilled cooling water and refrigeration have been developed for computers. Moreover, cooling is not just a way of extending the lifetime and reliability of the components of the computer, but is a requirement of proper operation in certain large computer systems, as without proper cooling certain logic operations in these large computer systems will immediately cease to function. Thus, the need for higher capacity and higher reliability cooling systems for computers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to increase the reliability of cooling systems for computers. It is a further object of the present invention to accurately and efficiently test cooling systems for computers. Testing of such cooling systems increases the reliability thereof, which in turn increases the reliability of the computers utilizing these cooling systems.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by the method and apparatus for testing cooling systems for computers of the present invention. In accordance with the present invention a cooling system tester comprises a test frame which supports a plurality of evaporators, associated modular cooling units (units under test) and associated fan or blower assemblies. These modular cooling units may comprise a refrigeration or cooling unit which may also have associated with it a motor drive assembly card which is utilized to control the associated blower assembly and/or a motor drive assembly high output card utilized to control the associated modular cooling unit. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each modular cooling unit is independent in terms of testing, installation and removal of each other modular cooling unit.
The evaporators each comprise evaporative cooling plates which are basically the same as the cooling plates found in the computer system in which the modular cooling units are to be installed. A plurality of heating elements are attached to each of these evaporators to act as a heat load for the corresponding modular cooling unit, i.e., to simulate the heat load of an actual computer. It is desirable that the cooling plates and the heating elements closely emulate the operation of an actual computer system. The heat output of the heating elements are controlled by a computer. The power supplied to the modular cooling units is also regulated (controlled) by the computer.
For each modular cooling unit, a refrigerant line is provided from the outlet of the modular cooling unit to the inlet of the evaporator, with a pressure sensor sensing the pressure of the refrigerant in this line and a solenoid regulating the flow of refrigerant in this line. A refrigerant line is provided from the inlet of the modular cooling unit to the outlet of the evaporator, with a pressure gage unit measuring the pressure of the refrigerant in this line and a solenoid regulating the flow of refrigerant in this line. The solenoids receive command signals from the computer and the pressure sensor provides a sensed signal to the computer.
A program in the computer runs a test on each of the modular cooling units. The program checks for user input and the installation of a modular cooling unit. For each modular cooling unit installed for testing a modular cooling unit control subroutine is executed. The modular cooling unit control subroutine runs a series of test procedures at various speed, power, and timing settings. The duration of the test is selected and/or adjusted to detect defects introduced in the build process of modular cooling units.
The above-discussed and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings.
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Cascio Francis G.
Coq Marc H.
Critelli Ronald D.
Desiano Frank M.
Quinn Terrence A.
Cantor & Colburn LLP
Gonzales Floyd
International Business Machines - Corporation
Pretlow Demetrius
Shah Kamini
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