The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 02, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 18, 1998
Karl Hokanson, Coon Rapids, MN (US);
Douglas M. Carlson, Eau Claire, WI (US);
William Berg, Eau Claire, WI (US);
Silicon Graphics, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to an improved system and method for cooling electronic devices. The present system is particularly adapted for cooling computer equipment. The system comprises a sealed enclosure which houses one or more heat generating electronic devices; a blower; and a heat exchanger. The sealed enclosure may be pressurized with a gas medium such as dry nitrogen up to a pressure of approximately two atmospheres. The elevated pressure increases the gas density, effectively increasing the mass flow rate and heat carrying capacity of the gas. The blower is also a constant volume device such that it can move the same volume of gas regardless of density. Accordingly, for a given heat load, the size of the blower may be reduced. Or, alternatively, a given blower can cool a device having a higher heat load. Finally, by pressurizing the enclosure, the present invention eliminates the need to size a forced air cooling system based on high elevation requirements.