Patents by Inventor Richard C. Chu

Richard C. Chu 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).

  • Publication number: 20100326628
    Abstract: Vapor condensers and cooling apparatuses are provided herein which facilitate vapor condensation cooling of a coolant employed in cooling an electronic device or electronic subsystem. The vapor condenser includes a thermally conductive base structure having an operational orientation when the condenser is facilitating vapor condensate formation, and a plurality of thermally conductive condenser fins extending from the thermally conductive base structure. The plurality of thermally conductive condenser fins have a varying cross-sectional perimeter along at least a portion of their length. The cross-sectional perimeters of the plurality of thermally conductive condenser fins are configured to increase in a direction of condensate travel when the thermally conductive base structure is in the operational orientation and the vapor condenser is facilitating vapor condensate formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. CAMPBELL, Richard C. CHU, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Madhusudan K. IYENGAR, Robert E. SIMONS
  • Publication number: 20100328889
    Abstract: Cooled electronic modules and methods of fabrication are provided with pump-enhanced, dielectric fluid immersion-cooling of the electronic device. The cooled electronic module includes a substrate supporting an electronic device to be cooled. A cooling apparatus couples to the substrate, and includes a housing configured to at least partially surround and form a sealed compartment about the electronic device. Additionally, the cooling apparatus includes dielectric fluid and one or more pumps disposed within the sealed compartment. The dielectric fluid is in direct contact with the electronic device, and the pump is an impingement-cooling, immersed pump disposed to actively pump dielectric fluid within the sealed compartment towards the electronic device. Multiple condenser fins extend from the housing into the sealed compartment in an upper portion of the sealed compartment, and a liquid-cooled cold plate or an air-cooled heat sink is coupled to the top of the housing for cooling the condenser fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. CAMPBELL, Richard C. CHU, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Madhusudan K. IYENGAR, Robert E. SIMONS
  • Publication number: 20100313590
    Abstract: Liquid-cooled electronics racks and methods of fabrication are provided wherein a liquid-based cooling apparatus facilitates cooling of electronic subsystems when docked within the electronics rack. The cooling apparatus includes a liquid-cooled cooling structure mounted to a front of the rack, and a plurality of heat transfer elements. The cooling structure is a thermally conductive material which has a coolant-carrying channel for facilitating coolant flow through the structure. Each heat transfer element couples to one or more heat-generating components of a respective electronic subsystem, physically contacts the cooling structure when that electronic subsystem is docked within the rack, and provides a thermal transport path from the heat-generating components of the electronic subsystem to the liquid-cooled cooling structure. Advantageously, electronic subsystems may be docked within or undocked from the electronics rack without affecting flow of coolant through the liquid-cooled cooling structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. CAMPBELL, Richard C. CHU, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Madhusudan K. IYENGAR, Robert E. Simons
  • Publication number: 20100306994
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a multi-fluid cooling system is provided for removing heat from one or more electronic devices. The cooling system includes a multi-fluid manifold structure with at least one first fluid inlet orifice and at least one second fluid inlet orifice for concurrently, separately injecting a first fluid and a second fluid onto a surface to be cooled when the cooling system is employed to cool one or more electronic devices, wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are immiscible, and the first fluid has a lower boiling point temperature than the second fluid. When the cooling system is employed to cool one or more electronic devices and the first fluid boils, evolving first fluid vapor condenses in situ by direct contact with the second fluid of higher boiling point temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. CAMPBELL, Richard C. CHU, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Madhusudan K. IYENGAR, Roger R. SCHMIDT, Robert E. SIMONS
  • Patent number: 7841385
    Abstract: A dual-chamber fluid pump is provided for a multi-fluid electronics cooling system and method. The pump has a first fluid path for pumping a first fluid coolant and a second fluid path for pumping a second fluid coolant, with the first fluid path including a first pumping chamber and the second fluid path including a second pumping chamber. The first and second pumping chambers are separated by at least one diaphragm, and an actuator is coupled to the diaphragm for transitioning the diaphragm between a first position and a second position. Transitioning of the diaphragm to the first position pumps first fluid coolant from the first pumping chamber while concurrently drawing second fluid coolant into the second pumping chamber, and transitioning of the diaphragm to the second position pumps second fluid coolant from the second pumping chamber while concurrently drawing first fluid coolant into the first pumping chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Michael J. Ellsworth, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Publication number: 20100296248
    Abstract: A dual-chamber fluid pump is provided for a multi-fluid electronics cooling system and method. The pump has a first fluid path for pumping a first fluid coolant and a second fluid path for pumping a second fluid coolant, with the first fluid path including a first pumping chamber and the second fluid path including a second pumping chamber. The first and second pumping chambers are separated by at least one diaphragm, and an actuator is coupled to the diaphragm for transitioning the diaphragm between a first position and a second position. Transitioning of the diaphragm to the first position pumps first fluid coolant from the first pumping chamber while concurrently drawing second fluid coolant into the second pumping chamber, and transitioning of the diaphragm to the second position pumps second fluid coolant from the second pumping chamber while concurrently drawing first fluid coolant into the first pumping chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. CAMPBELL, Richard C. CHU, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Madhusudan K. IYENGAR, Roger R. SCHMIDT, Robert E. SIMONS
  • Patent number: 7832925
    Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating simulation of heated airflow exhaust of an electronics subsystem, electronics rack or row of electronics racks. The apparatus includes a thermal simulator, which includes an air-moving device and a fluid-to-air heat exchanger. The air-moving device establishes airflow from an air inlet to air outlet side of the thermal simulator tailored to correlate to heated airflow exhaust of the electronics subsystem, rack or row of racks being simulated. The fluid-to-air heat exchanger heats airflow through the thermal simulator, with temperature of airflow exhausting from the simulator being tailored to correlate to temperature of the heated airflow exhaust of the electronics subsystem, rack or row of racks being simulated. The apparatus further includes a fluid distribution apparatus, which includes a fluid distribution unit disposed separate from the fluid simulator and providing hot fluid to the fluid-to-air heat exchanger of the thermal simulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew R. Archibald, Richard C. Chu, Hendrik F. Hamann, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7830664
    Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods are provided for cooling an assembly including a planar support structure supporting multiple electronics components. The cooling apparatus includes: multiple discrete cold plates, each having a coolant inlet, coolant outlet and at least one coolant carrying channel disposed therebetween; and a manifold for distributing coolant to and exhausting coolant from the cold plates. The cooling apparatus also includes multiple flexible hoses connecting the coolant inlets of the cold plates to the manifold, as well as the coolant outlets to the manifold, with each hose segment being disposed between a respective cold plate and the manifold. A biasing mechanism biases the cold plates away from the manifold and towards the electronics components, and at least one fastener secures the manifold to the support structure, compressing the biasing mechanism, and thereby forcing the parallel coupled cold plates towards their respective electronics components to ensure good thermal interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 7830657
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for facilitating cooling of an electronics rack. The apparatus includes a heat exchange assembly mounted to an outlet door cover hingedly affixed to an air outlet side of the rack. The heat exchange assembly includes a support frame, an air-to-liquid heat exchanger, and first and second perforated planar surfaces covering first and second main sides, respectively, of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is supported by the support frame and includes inlet and outlet plenums disposed adjacent to the edge of the outlet door cover hingedly mounted to the rack. Each plenum is in fluid communication with a respective connect coupling, and the heat exchanger further includes multiple horizontally-oriented heat exchange tube sections each having serpentine cooling channel with an inlet and an outlet coupled to the inlet plenum and outlet plenum, respectively. Fins extend from the heat exchange tube sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Vette Corp.
    Inventors: Richard C. Chu, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Donald W. Porter, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Publication number: 20100252234
    Abstract: A method and associated assembly for cooling electronic heat generating components of a computer including dual-in-line memory (DIMM) array(s) is provided. The assembly comprises a cooling component having a plate with a first and a second (reverse) side, thermally coupling to the heat generating components including the DIMM array(s). The first plate side has a coolant conduit connected at one end to a supply manifold via flexible tubing and at another end to a return manifold via another flexible tubing such that when coolant is supplied, the coolant circulates from the supply manifold to the return manifold by passing through said first plate's conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. CAMBELL, Richard C. CHU, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Maurice F. HOLAHAN, Madhusudan K. IYENGAR, Robert E. SIMONS, Rebecca N. WAGNER
  • Patent number: 7791882
    Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for cooling an electronics rack in an energy efficient, dynamic manner. The apparatus includes one or more extraction mechanisms for facilitating cooling of the electronics rack, an enclosure, a heat removal unit, and a control unit. The enclosure has an outer wall, a cover coupled to the outer wall and a central opening sized to surround the electronics rack and the heat extraction mechanism. A liquid coolant loop couples the heat removal unit in fluid communication with the heat extraction mechanism, which removes heat from liquid coolant passing therethrough. The control unit is coupled to the heat removal unit for dynamically adjusting energy consumption of the heat removal unit to limit its energy consumption, while providing a required cooling to the electronics rack employing the liquid coolant passing through the heat extraction mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard C. Chu, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Vinod Kamath, Roger R. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7788941
    Abstract: A cooling system and method are provided which include a facility cooling unit, a cooling tower, and one or more thermal capacitor units. The facility cooling unit, which includes a heat dissipation coolant loop, facilitates thermal energy extraction from a facility, such as a data center, for expelling of the energy to coolant within the heat dissipation coolant loop. The cooling tower is in fluid communication with the coolant loop, and includes a liquid-to-air heat exchanger for expelling thermal energy from coolant of the heat dissipation coolant loop to the surrounding environment. The thermal capacitor unit is in fluid communication with the heat dissipation coolant loop to facilitate efficient thermal energy transfer from coolant with in the coolant loop to the surrounding environment with variation in ambient temperature about the cooling tower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 7787248
    Abstract: A multi-fluid cooling system and methods of fabrication thereof are provided for removing heat from one or more electronic devices. The cooling system includes a multi-fluid manifold structure with at least one first fluid inlet orifice and at least one second fluid inlet orifice for concurrently, separately injecting a first fluid and a second fluid onto a surface to be cooled when the cooling system is employed to cool one or more electronic devices, wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are immiscible, and the first fluid has a lower boiling point temperature than the second fluid. When the cooling system is employed to cool the one or more electronic devices and the first fluid boils, evolving first fluid vapor condenses in situ by direct contact with the second fluid of higher boiling point temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 7762314
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method of fabrication are provided for facilitating removal of heat from an electronic device. The cooling apparatus includes a manifold structure having a plurality of inlet and outlet passageways for injecting coolant onto, and exhausting coolant after impinging on, a surface to be cooled. The coolant inlet and outlet passageways are interleaved in the manifold structure, and coolant is injected and exhausted through a common edge of the manifold. The manifold structure further includes coolant inlet and outlet plenums, with coolant passing through the inlet passageways from the inlet plenum in a first direction and coolant passing through the outlet passageways to the outlet plenum in a second direction, the first and second directions being perpendicular to the surface to be cooled and being opposite directions, and wherein the manifold structure is contained within a rectangular volume defined by a projection of the common edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Publication number: 20100146996
    Abstract: A method and associated system is provided for cooling of a data center. The method includes providing coolant to multiple cooling elements in the data center using a heat pump refrigeration cycle to cool the coolant and provide a high temperature at the condenser. This allows the reclaiming of at least a portion of the heat removed from the refrigeration cycle using a heat engine. The engine is disposed between the refrigeration condenser and the ambient environment or cooling medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Michael J. Ellsworth, JR., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Robert E. Simons
  • Publication number: 20100147490
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooling electronic components housed in a computer rack while performing maintenance operations is provided. The apparatus, in one embodiment, comprises a heat exchange assembly disposed within an outlet door cover of the computer rack, having one or more perforations. One or more air moving device(s) are also disposed on the outlet door and activated by an activator when the door is opened such that the devices when activated force hot air into the heat exchanger. Cool air is then exhausted through a planar containment plate having a plurality of edges. The plate is secured to top of the outlet door along one of its edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Michael J. Ellsworth, JR., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Robert E. Simons
  • Publication number: 20100142150
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method of fabrication are provided for facilitating removal of heat from a heat-generating electronic device. The method of fabrication includes: obtaining a solder material; disposing the solder material on a surface to be cooled; and reflowing and shaping the solder material disposed on the surface to be cooled to configure the solder material as a base with a plurality of fins extending therefrom. In addition to being in situ-configured on the surface to be cooled, the base is simultaneously metallurgically bonded to the surface to be cooled. The solder material, configured as the base with a plurality of fins extending therefrom, is a single, monolithic structure thermally attached to the surface to be cooled via the metallurgical bonding thereof to the surface to be cooled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. CAMPBELL, Richard C. CHU, Michael J. ELLSWORTH, JR., Bruce K. FURMAN, Madhusudan K. IYENGAR, Paul A. LAURO, Roger R. SCHMIDT, Da-Yuan SHIH, Robert E. SIMONS
  • Patent number: 7731079
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method of fabrication are provided for facilitating removal of heat from a heat-generating electronic device. The method of fabrication includes: obtaining a solder material; disposing the solder material on a surface to be cooled; and reflowing and shaping the solder material disposed on the surface to be cooled to configure the solder material as a base with a plurality of fins extending therefrom. In addition to being in situ-configured on the surface to be cooled, the base is simultaneously metallurgically bonded to the surface to be cooled. The solder material, configured as the base with a plurality of fins extending therefrom, is a single, monolithic structure thermally attached to the surface to be cooled via the metallurgical bonding thereof to the surface to be cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Bruce K. Furman, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Paul A. Lauro, Roger R. Schmidt, Da-Yuan Shih, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 7724524
    Abstract: A hybrid immersion cooling apparatus and method is provided for cooling of electronic components housed in a computing environment. The components are divided into primary and secondary heat generating components and are housed in a liquid sealed enclosure. The primary heat generating components are cooled by indirect liquid cooling provided by at least one cold plate having fins. The cold plate is coupled to a first coolant conduit that circulates a first coolant in the enclosure and supplies the cold plate. Immersion cooling is provided for secondary heat generating components through a second coolant that will be disposed inside the enclosure such as to partially submerge the cold plate and the first coolant conduit as well as the heat generating components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Robert E. Simons
  • Publication number: 20100118494
    Abstract: A hybrid immersion cooling apparatus and method is provided for cooling of electronic components housed in a computing environment. The components are divided into primary and secondary heat generating components and are housed in a liquid sealed enclosure. The primary heat generating components are cooled by indirect liquid cooling provided by at least one cold plate having fins. The cold plate is coupled to a first coolant conduit that circulates a first coolant in the enclosure and supplies the cold plate. Immersion cooling is provided for secondary heat generating components through a second coolant that will be disposed inside the enclosure such as to partially submerge the cold plate and the first coolant conduit as well as the heat generating components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Michael J. Ellsworth, JR., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Robert E. Simons