Patents by Inventor James J. Steffes
James J. Steffes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Apparatus and method for adjusting coolant flow resistance through liquid-cooled electronics rack(s)
Patent number: 9655282Abstract: A method is presented for adjusting coolant flow resistance through one or more liquid-cooled electronics racks. Flow restrictors are employed in association with multiple heat exchange tube sections of a heat exchange assembly, or in association with a plurality of coolant supply lines or coolant return lines feeding multiple heat exchange assemblies. Flow restrictors associated with respective heat exchange tube sections (or respective heat exchange assemblies) are disposed at the coolant channel inlet or coolant channel outlet of the tube sections (or of the heat exchange assemblies). These flow restrictors tailor coolant flow resistance through the heat exchange tube sections or through the heat exchange assemblies to enhance overall heat transfer within the tube sections or across heat exchange assemblies by tailoring coolant flow.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2014Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Wayne A. Barringer, David P. Graybill, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, James J. Steffes, Gerard V. Weber, Jr. -
Patent number: 9386727Abstract: Flow restrictors are employed in association with multiple heat exchange tube sections of a heat exchange assembly, or in association with multiple coolant supply lines or coolant return lines feeding multiple heat exchange assemblies. Flow restrictors associated with respective heat exchange tube sections (or respective heat exchange assemblies) are disposed at the coolant channel inlet or coolant channel outlet of the tube sections (or of the heat exchange assemblies). These flow restrictors tailor coolant flow resistance through the heat exchange tube sections or through the heat exchange assemblies to control overall heat transfer within the tube sections or across heat exchange assemblies. In one embodiment, the flow restrictors tailor a coolant flow distribution differential across multiple heat exchange tube sections or across multiple heat exchange assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Wayne A. Barringer, David P. Graybill, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, James J. Steffes, Gerard V. Weber, Jr.
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Patent number: 8920567Abstract: A post metal chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) cleaning process for advanced interconnect technology is provided. The process, which follows CMP, combines an acidic clean and a basic clean in sequence. The process can achieve a more than 60% reduction in CMP defects, such as polish residues, foreign materials, slurry abrasives, scratches, and hollow metal, relative to an all-basic clean process. The process also eliminates the circular ring defects that occur intermittently during roller brush cleans within a roller brush clean module.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2013Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Vamsi Devarapalli, Colin J. Goyette, Michael R. Kennett, Mahmoud Khojasteh, Qinghuang Lin, James J. Steffes, Adam D. Ticknor, Wei-tsu Tseng
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Publication number: 20140256133Abstract: A post metal chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) cleaning process for advanced interconnect technology is provided. The process, which follows CMP, combines an acidic clean and a basic clean in sequence. The process can achieve a more than 60% reduction in CMP defects, such as polish residues, foreign materials, slurry abrasives, scratches, and hollow metal, relative to an all-basic clean process. The process also eliminates the circular ring defects that occur intermittently during roller brush cleans within a roller brush clean module.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2013Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Vamsi Devarapalli, Colin J. Goyette, Michael R. Kennett, Mahmoud Khojasteh, Qinghuang Lin, James J. Steffes, Adam D. Ticknor, Wei-tsu Tseng
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APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING COOLANT FLOW RESISTANCE THROUGH LIQUID-COOLED ELECTRONICS RACK(S)
Publication number: 20140231061Abstract: A method is presented for adjusting coolant flow resistance through one or more liquid-cooled electronics racks. Flow restrictors are employed in association with multiple heat exchange tube sections of a heat exchange assembly, or in association with a plurality of coolant supply lines or coolant return lines feeding multiple heat exchange assemblies. Flow restrictors associated with respective heat exchange tube sections (or respective heat exchange assemblies) are disposed at the coolant channel inlet or coolant channel outlet of the tube sections (or of the heat exchange assemblies). These flow restrictors tailor coolant flow resistance through the heat exchange tube sections or through the heat exchange assemblies to enhance overall heat transfer within the tube sections or across heat exchange assemblies by tailoring coolant flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2014Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Wayne A. BARRINGER, David P. GRAYBILL, Madhusudan K. IYENGAR, Roger R. SCHMIDT, James J. STEFFES, Gerard V. WEBER, JR. -
Publication number: 20120201005Abstract: A method is presented for adjusting coolant flow resistance through one or more liquid-cooled electronics racks. Flow restrictors are employed in association with multiple heat exchange tube sections of a heat exchange assembly, or in association with a plurality of coolant supply lines or coolant return lines feeding multiple heat exchange assemblies. Flow restrictors associated with respective heat exchange tube sections (or respective heat exchange assemblies) are disposed at the coolant channel inlet or coolant channel outlet of the tube sections (or of the heat exchange assemblies). These flow restrictors tailor coolant flow resistance through the heat exchange tube sections or through the heat exchange assemblies to enhance overall heat transfer within the tube sections or across heat exchange assemblies by tailoring coolant flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2012Publication date: August 9, 2012Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Wayne A. BARRINGER, David P. GRAYBILL, Madhusudan K. IYENGAR, Roger R. SCHMIDT, James J. STEFFES, Gerard V. WEBER, JR.
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Patent number: 8077462Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method are provided which include an air-to-liquid heat exchanger and system coolant inlet and outlet plenums mounted to an electronics rack door along an edge of the door remote from the edge hingedly mounted to the rack. The plenums are in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and respectively include an inlet and outlet. Coolant supply and return hoses are disposed above the electronics rack and couple the inlet plenum to a coolant supply header and the outlet plenum to a coolant return header. The hoses are sufficiently long and flexible to open or close the door. A stress relief structure is attached to the top of the door and clamps the supply and return hoses in fixed relation to relieve stress on connect couplings at the ends of the hoses to the plenum inlet and outlet during opening or closing of the door.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2009Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Wayne A. Barringer, David P. Graybill, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, James J. Steffes, Gerard V. Weber, Jr.
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APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING COOLANT FLOW RESISTANCE THROUGH LIQUID-COOLED ELECTRONICS RACK(S)
Publication number: 20110056675Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are presented for adjusting coolant flow resistance through one or more liquid-cooled electronics racks. Flow restrictors are employed in association with multiple heat exchange tube sections of a heat exchange assembly, or in association with a plurality of coolant supply lines or coolant return lines feeding multiple heat exchange assemblies. Flow restrictors associated with respective heat exchange tube sections (or respective heat exchange assemblies) are disposed at the coolant channel inlet or coolant channel outlet of the tube sections (or of the heat exchange assemblies). These flow restrictors tailor coolant flow resistance through the heat exchange tube sections or through the heat exchange assemblies to enhance overall heat transfer within the tube sections or across heat exchange assemblies by tailoring coolant flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2009Publication date: March 10, 2011Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Wayne A. Barringer, David P. Graybill, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, James J. Steffes, Gerard V. Weber, JR. -
Publication number: 20110051372Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method are provided which include an air-to-liquid heat exchanger and system coolant inlet and outlet plenums mounted to an electronics rack door along an edge of the door remote from the edge hingedly mounted to the rack. The plenums are in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and respectively include an inlet and outlet. Coolant supply and return hoses are disposed above the electronics rack and couple the inlet plenum to a coolant supply header and the outlet plenum to a coolant return header. The hoses are sufficiently long and flexible to open or close the door. A stress relief structure is attached to the top of the door and clamps the supply and return hoses in fixed relation to relieve stress on connect couplings at the ends of the hoses to the plenum inlet and outlet during opening or closing of the door.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2009Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Wayne A. BARRINGER, David P. GRAYBILL, Madhusudan K. IYENGAR, Roger R. SCHMIDT, James J. STEFFES, Gerard V. WEBER, Jr.