GB2428522A

GB2428522A - Power supply with cooling means

Info

Publication number: GB2428522A
Application number: GB0516725A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chun-Wei Pan
Original assignee: Channel Well Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Channel Well Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-07-22
Filing date: 2005-08-15
Publication date: 2007-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 2025-08-15
Also published as: NL1029970C1; FR2889023B3; DE202005013082U1; US20070017230A1; JP3116870U; GB0516725D0; GB2428522B; FR2889023A3; TWM286410U

Abstract

A power supply for a computer comprises a power supply case 100, a thermoelectric cooling module 120 and a cold side heat dissipation member 130. The thermoelectric cooling module is disposed at an opening 106 on the surface 108 of the case and has a cold side and a hot side (122, 124 Fig 1B). The hot side extends into the power supply case, while the cold side protrudes to the exterior of the case. A hot side heatsink 136 may be provided, located in a heat containment chamber 140, having first and second fans. CPU cooling means may be attached to the cold-side heat dissipation member.

Description

is turned on, the circuit is also active and the lighting device 180

shines to suggest the actuation of the thermoelectric cooling module 120 to users.

When the power supply is installed in an electronic system, outward openings 1 02a and 1 02b face an external environment and the inward opening 104 faces the inside of the system. In a computer system, the installation surface 108 is near a CPU.

Figs. 2A and 2B are block diagrams of a temperature control system and a humidity control system in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The power supply further integrates a temperature control io module 210a and a humidity control module 210b to constitute a temperature control system and a humidity control system. The temperature control module 210a monitors an environment temperature and controls a fan power source 230a; for example, several temperature levels can be established to correspond to different fan speeds for controlling noise from the fan 240a.

In the embodiment, the temperature control module 210a includes a temperature sensor 21 2a for measuring the environment temperature data and a temperature regulator 214a. As shown in Fig. 1 B, the temperature sensor 170b is disposed near or on the hot side heatsink. The temperature sensor 212a transmits the temperature data to the temperature regulator 21 4a, and then the temperature regulator 214a adjusts a supply of power from the fan power source 230a according to the temperature data, such as by raising or lowering current or voltage to control a fan speed of the fan 240a. Specifically, the fan is the first fan 1 50a or the second fan 1 50b in Fig. 1 A. The humidity control module 21 Ob monitors an environment humidity in the system such as a relative humidity. When the relative humidity reaches 100%, dew forms, and higher relative humidity corresponds to higher dew point temperature. Therefore, the humidity control module 210b is adapted for adjusting a supply of power from a thermoelectric cooling module power source 230b. When detecting a humidity higher than a predetermined value, the humidity control module 210b adjusts the thermoelectric cooling module power source 230b to lower an output power of the thermoelectric cooling module 240b so that the temperature in the system is prevented from reaching the dew point temperature.

In the embodiment, the humidity control module 210b includes a humidity sensor 212b and a humidity regulator 21 4b. The humidity sensor 21 2b measures the environment humidity data. Preferably, as shown in Fig. 1 B, a humidity sensor 170a is disposed at a gap 160 formed by the cold side heat dissipation member 130 and the first cover 1 OOa; for example, the humidity sensor 1 70a may be attached on the first cover lOOa or on the cold side heat dissipation member 130, which generally renders a lower temperature by its structural uniqueness.

The humidity regulator 214b receives and utilizes the environment humidity data to adjust the supply of power from the thermoelectric cooling module power source 230b so that the output power of the thermoelectric cooling module 240b can be changed appropriately.

The thermoelectric cooling module power source and the fan power source above may be powered by the power supply unit or by individual power sources, and it can be known and carried out without difficulty by those skilled in the art. Further, in the embodiment, the humidity control module and the temperature control module are integrated into a control circuit board 170 (shown in Fig. 1A).

of the base 402, the connecting part 404 and a portion of the heat dissipation body 406 are coated with heat-insulated leather paint for heat insulation and cold energy dissipation occurring at the end 406a. The cold energy from the cold side 422 is transmitted through the base 402 and the connecting part 404 and eventually to the heat dissipation body 406, which is a way of distributing more cooled system air to the CPU 470 to help cool it.

Fig. 4B is a schematic view of another aspect of the cold side heat dissipation member in Fig. 4A. In accordance with the embodiment in Fig. 4A, another aspect of the cold side heat dissipation member is that the heat dissipation body 406 is coupled with a CPU heatsink 472 for the CPU 470. For example, the end 406a may be inserted in the CPU heatsink 472 so that cold energy is transmitted directly to the CPU heatsink 472 and is utilized efficiently to cool the CPU heatsink 472, which also improves the cooling of the CPU 470. The end 406a is made of heat conductive material and may be wrapped from an is original type of wire for more convenient extension. Copper wires or aluminum wires may be chosen to be wrapped with a heat insulating elastic material, and a part of which are exposed to be inserted in the CPU heatsink 472.

The present invention has the following advantage. The present invention integrates a thermoelectric cooling module into a power supply and provides a function of cooling system air during the operation of a computer system so that the CPU fan draws a low temperature air to cool the CPU. Consequently, heat dissipation efficiency is raised. Through the humidity control system, dewing is prevented to better protect the system.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing

Claims

5. The power supply of claim 3, further comprising a second fan disposed

at the second passage opening.

6. The power supply of claim 3, further comprising a temperature control module connected with a fan power source for detecting a temperature and adjusting a supply of power from the fan power source to control a fan speed.

7. The power supply of claim 1, further comprising a humidity control module connected with a thermoelectric cooling module power source for detecting a humidity and adjusting a supply of power from the thermoelectric cooling module power source to control an output power of the thermoelectric cooling module.

8. The power supply of claim 7, wherein the humidity control module comprises a humidity sensor disposed at a gap formed by the cold side heat dissipation member and the power supply case.

9. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the cold side heat dissipation member comprises a concave structure and a projection.

10. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the cold side heat dissipation member extendedly approaches a CPU.

15. The power supply of claim 13, further comprising: an outward opening on the power supply case; an inward opening on the power supply case; a first fan adjacent to the outward opening; and a heat containment chamber having a first passage opening at which the first fan is disposed and a second passage opening adjacent to the inward opening.

1 6. A computer system, comprising: a chassis; a power supply case disposed inside the chassis and having an installation surface opening; a thermoelectric cooling module disposed at the installation surface opening and having a cold side and a hot side extending to the inside of the power supply case; a cold side heat dissipation member coupled with the cold side and extending out of the power supply case for heat exchanging with a system air; and a CPU fan disposed under the cold side heat dissipation member and drawing the system air to cool a CPU.

17. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising a hot side heatsink coupled with the hot side.

18. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising: an outward opening on the power supply case; an inward opening on the power supply case; a first fan adjacent to the outward opening; and a heat containment chamber having a first passage opening at which the first fan is disposed and a second passage opening adjacent to the inward opening.

19. The computer system of claim 18, further comprising a temperature control module connected with a fan power source, comprising: a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature data; and a temperature regulator receiving the temperature data and adjusting a supply of power from the fan power source according to the temperature data.

20. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising a humidity control module connected with a thermoelectric cooling module power source, comprising: a humidity sensor for detecting a humidity data; and a humidity regulator receiving the humidity data and adjusting a supply of power from the thermoelectric cooling module power source according to the humidity data.

21. A power supply substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1A, 1 B, 4A and 4B.

22. A computer system substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1A, 2B, 3, 4A and 4B.