Patents Assigned to Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8810266
    Abstract: A micro-spray cooling system beneficial for use in testers of electrically stimulated integrated circuit chips is disclosed. The system includes micro-spray heads disposed about a probe head. The spray heads and probe head are disposed in a sealed manner inside a spray chamber that, during operation, is urged in a sealing manner onto a sealing plate holding the integrated circuit under test. The atomized mist cools the integrated circuit and then condenses on the spray chamber wall. The condensed fluid is pumped out of the chamber and is circulated in a chiller, so as to be re-circulated and injected again into the micro-spray heads. The pressure inside the spray chamber may be controlled to provide a desired boiling point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignees: DCG Systems, Inc., Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Tahir Cader, Charles Lester Tilton, Benjamin Hewett Tolman, George Joseph Wos, Alan Brent Roberts, Thomas Wong, Jonathan D. Frank
  • Patent number: 8076951
    Abstract: A micro-spray cooling system beneficial for use in testers of electrically stimulated integrated circuit chips is disclosed. The system includes micro-spray heads disposed about a probe head. The spray heads and probe head are disposed in a sealed manner inside a spray chamber that, during operation, is urged in a sealing manner onto a sealing plate holding the integrated circuit under test. The atomized mist cools the integrated circuit and then condenses on the spray chamber wall. The condensed fluid is pumped out of the chamber and is circulated in a chiller, so as to be re-circulated and injected again into the micro-spray heads. The pressure inside the spray chamber may be controlled to provide a desired boiling point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignees: DCG Systems, Inc., Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Tahir Cader, Charles Lester Tilton, Benjamin Hewett Tolman, George Joseph Wos, Alan Brent Roberts, Thomas Wong, Jonathan D. Frank
  • Publication number: 20110127014
    Abstract: A globally cooled computer system for providing liquid cooling to a plurality of electrical components. The globally cooled computer system includes an electronics unit having a plurality of electronics components attached to a plurality of cards and a card cage for providing structural support to the cards, a fluid management unit for pressurizing fluid within the electronics unit, a reservoir for collecting fluid from the electronics unit, a tubing system for distributing the fluid between the electronics unit and the fluid management unit, and a pressure equalization system connecting the electronics unit and the reservoir to equalize internal pressures between them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles L. Tilton, Donald E. Tilton, Randall T. Palmer, Tony E. Hyde
  • Patent number: 7717162
    Abstract: A fluid recovery system is adapted for use with a cooling system, such as for use in electronic applications. In one example, an enclosure is configured to contain fluid in both gas and liquid states, wherein the fluid is adapted for use in spray cooling electronic components. A plurality of pick-up ports is defined within the enclosure. In one implementation of the cooling system, an orifice size used in each of the pick-up ports results in withdrawal of fluid from submerged and non-submerged pick-up ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles L. Tilton, Donald Tilton, Thomas D Weir, Randall T. Palmer
  • Patent number: 7679234
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure an apparatus includes a means for converting a first type of electrical power to a second type of electrical power. The apparatus also includes a means for spraying a coolant on the means for converting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles L. Tilton, Bruce A. Smetana, Tom D. Weir
  • Patent number: 7665322
    Abstract: The present invention uses multiple global cooling chambers for providing liquid cooling to a plurality of electronic components. The global cooling chambers utilize a non-electrically conductive fluid which is in direct contact with the components to be cooled. The system provides very effective heat transfer rates, environmental isolation of the electronics components and can be deployed in a wide range of applications. Multiple global cooling chambers allows for the hot swapping of cards during operation of the system. Valves provide the ability to minimize the amount of interaction between the cooling fluid and air outside the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Knight, Charles L. Tilton
  • Publication number: 20100039773
    Abstract: Electronic circuit boards are arranged as respective parallel pairs defining a narrow gap there between. One or more such pairs of boards are supported within a hermitically sealable housing and cooled by way of spraying an atomized liquid coolant from a plurality of nozzles into each narrow gap. Transfer of heat from the circuit boards results in vaporization of at least some of the atomized liquid within the narrow gap. The housing further serves to guide a circulation of vapors out of each narrow gap, back toward the nozzles, and back into each narrow gap. A heat exchanger exhausts heat from the housing and overall system, wherein vapor is condensed back to liquid phase during contact and heat transfer therewith. Condensed liquid is collected and re-pressurized for delivery back to the nozzles such that a sustained cooling operation is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc. (ISR)
    Inventors: Charles L. Tilton, Donald E. Tilton, Randall T. Palmer, William J. Beasley, Douglas W. Miller, Norman O. Alder
  • Patent number: 7650902
    Abstract: A liquid thermal management purging system for efficiently removing the liquid coolant within a liquid thermal management system prior to opening the system for maintenance. The liquid thermal management purging system generally includes a reservoir storing a volume of liquid coolant and a volume of displacement liquid and a thermal management unit in fluid communication with the reservoir. A displacement pump and a drain pump are fluidly connected between the reservoir and the thermal management unit to selectively provide displacement liquid to and remove liquid coolant from the thermal management unit (and vice-versa).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles L. Tilton
  • Patent number: 7643910
    Abstract: A spray chamber valve control system for ensuring that coolant is sufficiently available at the intakes of pumps in a spray cooled environment regardless of the attitude, acceleration or deceleration of a spray chassis. The spray chamber valve control system includes a spray chassis with an interior portion for spray cooling electronic devices, a plurality of valves positioned within the inner corners of the spray chassis, and a control unit in communication with the valves for controlling the operation thereof. The control unit ensures that at least one valve is open at all times. The control unit also provides a recovery routine for when only one valve is open during a valve state change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Gustafson, Bruce Smetana, Jeffery Weiler
  • Publication number: 20090324772
    Abstract: Representative embodiments provide for corresponding fluid atomizer bodies, each generally defining a fluidicly communicative interior cavity. The interior cavity is typically defined by an entry passageway portion, a chamber portion, a plurality of feeder passageways that are tangentially disposed to and fluidly coupled with the chamber portion, and an exit passageway portion fluidly coupled to the chamber portion. In one embodiment, an upper body portion and a lower body portion are bonded together to define a complete fluid atomizer body. Another embodiment provides for producing one or more fluid atomizer bodies by a way of injection molding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc. (ISR)
    Inventors: Charles Tilton, Jeffery Weiler, Vivek Sahai, Harley West
  • Patent number: 7621739
    Abstract: Representative embodiments provide for corresponding fluid atomizer bodies, each generally defining a fluidicly communicative interior cavity. The interior cavity is typically defined by an entry passageway portion, a chamber portion, a plurality of feeder passageways that are tangentially disposed to and fluidly coupled with the chamber portion, and an exit passageway portion fluidly coupled to the chamber portion. In one embodiment, an upper body portion and a lower body portion are bonded together to define a complete fluid atomizer body. Another embodiment provides for producing one or more fluid atomizer bodies by a way of injection molding. A method provides for spraying or sputtering atomized droplets of an electrically non-conductive coolant onto an electrical apparatus using one or more fluid atomizer bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Tilton, Jeffery Weiler, Vivek Sahai, Harley West
  • Patent number: 7602608
    Abstract: Electronic circuit boards are arranged as respective parallel pairs defining a narrow gap there between. One or more such pairs of boards are supported within a hermitically sealable housing and cooled by way of spraying an atomized liquid coolant from a plurality of nozzles into each narrow gap. Transfer of heat from the circuit boards results in vaporization of at least some of the atomized liquid within the narrow gap. The housing further serves to guide a circulation of vapors out of each narrow gap, back toward the nozzles, and back into each narrow gap. A heat exchanger exhausts heat from the housing and overall system, wherein vapor is condensed back to liquid phase during contact and heat transfer therewith. Condensed liquid is collected and re-pressurized for delivery back to the nozzles such that a sustained cooling operation is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles L. Tilton, Donald E. Tilton, William J. Beasley, Douglas W. Miller, Randall T. Palmer
  • Patent number: 7597275
    Abstract: Representative embodiments provide for corresponding fluid atomizer bodies, each generally defining a fluidicly communicative interior cavity. The interior cavity is typically defined by an entry passageway portion, a chamber portion, a plurality of feeder passageways that are tangentially disposed to and fluidly coupled with the chamber portion, and an exit passageway portion fluidly coupled to the chamber portion. In one embodiment, an upper body portion and a lower body portion are bonded together to define a complete fluid atomizer body. Another embodiment provides for producing one or more fluid atomizer bodies by a way of injection molding. A method provides for spraying or sputtering atomized droplets of an electrically non-conductive coolant onto an electrical apparatus using one or more fluid atomizer bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Tilton, Jeffery Weiler, Vivek Sahai, Harley West
  • Patent number: 7508665
    Abstract: A server farm liquid thermal management system that is efficiently maintained. The server farm liquid thermal management system generally includes a coolant reservoir fluidly connected to a plurality of thermal management units. A supply line from the coolant reservoir is fluidly connected to the thermal management units with a plurality of fill valves positioned within the supply line to selectively control flow to the thermal management units. A return line is fluidly connected to the thermal management units with a plurality of drain valves positioned within the return line to selectively control the draining of the thermal management units. A control unit monitors the coolant levels within each of the thermal management units thereby supplying or removing liquid coolant within each to maintain a desired coolant level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Randall T. Palmer
  • Patent number: 7506519
    Abstract: A staggered spray nozzle system for efficiently thermally managing one or more electronic devices. The staggered spray nozzle system includes a first portion and a second portion positioned with the first portion. The first portion includes at least one first orifice for dispensing a first fluid flow towards at least one electronic device. A second portion is positioned within the first portion, wherein the second portion may be slidably positioned or non-movably positioned within the first portion. The second portion includes at least one second orifice for dispensing a second fluid flow towards at least one electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles L. Tilton, Tahir Cader, Nathan G. Muoio
  • Patent number: 7495914
    Abstract: Electronic circuit boards are arranged as respective parallel pairs defining a narrow gap there between. One or more such pairs of boards are supported within a hermitically sealable housing and cooled by way of spraying an atomized liquid coolant from a plurality of nozzles into each narrow gap. Transfer of heat from the circuit boards results in vaporization of at least some of the atomized liquid within the narrow gap. The housing further serves to guide a circulation of vapors out of each narrow gap, back toward the nozzles, and back into each narrow gap. A heat exchanger exhausts heat from the housing and overall system, wherein vapor is condensed back to liquid phase during contact and heat transfer therewith. Condensed liquid is collected and re-pressurized for delivery back to the nozzles such that a sustained cooling operation is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles L. Tilton, Donald E. Tilton, William J. Beasley, Douglas W. Miller, Randall T. Palmer
  • Patent number: 7490478
    Abstract: A dynamic spray system for effectively thermally managing electronic components. The dynamic spray system includes a thermal management system including a spray unit, and a control unit in communication with the thermal management system. The spray unit includes a spray head and an atomizer within the spray head for dispensing a continuous coolant spray having a spray characteristic. The control unit delivers an electrical signal to the spray unit dependent upon feedback data received from the thermal management system, wherein the electrical signal controls the spray unit to adjust the spray characteristic of the continuous coolant spray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles L. Tilton
  • Patent number: 7477513
    Abstract: A dual sided board thermal management system for efficiently thermally managing a printed circuit board having electronic components on opposing sides thereof. The dual sided board thermal management system generally includes a housing surrounding a portion of a printed circuit board, and a plurality of coolant dispensing units within the housing directed towards opposite sides of the printed circuit board to thermally manage electronic components on opposite sides of the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Tahir Cader, Paul A. Knight
  • Patent number: 7475494
    Abstract: A hybrid thermal management system for providing simultaneous spray cooling and dry cooling for a plurality of cards. The hybrid thermal management system includes a chassis having a global spray chamber, a hybrid chamber, a first opening within a rear portion of the chassis extending into the global spray chamber, a second opening within the rear portion of the chassis extending into the hybrid chamber, and a backplane secured and sealed to the rear portion of the chassis. A dry chamber may be attached to the chassis for air cooling electrical components. The cards within the global spray chamber are typically high heat flux components with increased cooling requirements and the cards in the hybrid chamber are comprised of dry/air cooling and zone cooling components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Knight, Carl Axel Ingemar Kabrell
  • Patent number: 7469551
    Abstract: A globally cooled computer system for providing liquid cooling to a plurality of electrical components. The globally cooled computer system includes an electronics unit having a plurality of electronics components attached to a plurality of cards and a card cage for providing structural support to the cards, a fluid management unit for pressurizing fluid within the electronics unit, a reservoir for collecting fluid from the electronics unit, a tubing system for distributing the fluid between the electronics unit and the fluid management unit, and a pressure equalization system connecting the electronics unit and the reservoir to equalize internal pressures between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles L. Tilton, Donald E. Tilton, Randal T. Palmer, Tony E. Hyde