JPH04314357A - Cooling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To continue the operation of an electronic device in the case where lowering of an output of a cooling power supply is temporary. CONSTITUTION:Once output power is lowered owing to abnormality of a cooling power supply 14, a driving circuit 15b interrupts operation of a cooling unit 13. At this time, a microprocessor 17a does not output a cooling device interruption signal 17a3 to a microprocessor 11d in a power supply control part 11c but outputs the same signal to the microprocessor 11d upon elapse of sufficient time for causing temperature rise to a level where performance of a heating part 11a is deteriorated.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooling device, and more particularly to a cooling device for cooling an electronic device that generates a large amount of heat.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of cooling device, one shown in FIG. 3 is known.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an electronic device, which includes a heat generating section 1a that consumes power and generates heat, a heat generating section power source 1b that supplies power to the heat generating section 1a, and a heat generating section power source 1b.
and a power supply control section 1c that controls the supply of power to the heat generating section 1a.

On the other hand, 2 is a cooling device, and a pump 3 supplies liquid refrigerant to the heat generating section 1a through a pipe 3a.
a cooling unit 3 consisting of a heat exhauster 3c for discharging the heat of the liquid refrigerant sent back from the heat generating section 1a via the piping 3a, and a tank 3d for accommodating the liquid refrigerant from which the heat has been released via the heat exhauster 3c. and a cooling power source 4 that supplies driving power to the pump 3b and heat exhauster 3c in the cooling unit 3, and a cooling power source 4 that supplies power to the cooling unit 3 in response to a cooling request. a heat exhauster control unit 5 that supplies the power and, if the same power is not sufficient to drive the cooling unit 3, determines that cooling is not possible and stops supplying the power; a monitoring power source 6; and a monitoring power source 6; When the power source control section 1c is supplied with operating power from the power source 6 and controls the heat generating section power source 1b to supply power to the heat generating section 1a, the heat dissipator control section 5 is supplied with the cooling power. The power source 4 is controlled to supply power to the cooling unit 3, and when the heat exhaust device control section 5 determines that cooling is not possible, the power source control section 1c supplies power to the heat generating section 1a. The cooling device control section 7 controls the cooling device so as not to supply the cooling device.

In such a configuration, when the power supply control unit 1c controls the heat generation unit power supply 1b to supply power to the heat generation unit 1a, the cooling device control unit 7 controls the heat exhaust unit control unit 5 to supply power to the heat generation unit 1a. Power is supplied from the power source 4 to the pump 3b and heat exhauster 3c, and the cooling unit 3 is operated to cool down the heat generating section 1.
Let a cool down.

On the other hand, when the power supplied by the cooling power source 4 is no longer sufficient to drive the cooling unit 3, the heat sink control section 5 stops supplying the same power to the cooling unit 3, and The device control section 7 controls the power supply control section 1c so as not to supply power from the heat generation section power supply 1b to the heat generation section 1a. Therefore, the electronic device 1 becomes inoperable.

[0007]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional cooling device described above, even if the output power of the cooling power supply temporarily decreases and then returns to the original output, the operation of the cooling unit and the electronic There was a problem that the operation of the device would stop.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cooling device that can continue the operation of an electronic device even if the output of a cooling power source is temporarily reduced.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 provides a heating element that generates heat when electric power is supplied, and a power supply section that supplies electric power to the heating element. , a cooling device that is connected to an electronic device and has a power supply control unit that controls the supply of power to the heating element by the power supply unit to cool the heating element, using a liquid refrigerant when driving power is supplied. a cooling means that cools the heating element by cooling the heating element; a cooling power supply that supplies driving power to the cooling means; and a power supply monitor that detects whether or not there is an abnormality in the supply of power that the cooling power supply supplies to the cooling means. and a means connected to the power supply control unit for cooling the heating element by the cooling means when the power supply control unit controls the power supply unit to supply power to the heating element, and monitoring the power supply. When the means detects an abnormality in the supply of power, the cooling means stops cooling the heating element, and when the stop period is longer than a predetermined period, the means controls the power supply control section to cause the power supply section to stop cooling the heating element. The heating element is configured to include a cooling control means for stopping the supply of electric power to the heating element.

0010

[Operation] In the invention according to claim 1 configured as described above, when the power supply control unit in the electronic device controls the power supply unit to supply power to the heating element, the cooling control means is controlled from the cooling power supply. The heating element is cooled by a cooling means supplied with driving power. In addition, in parallel with this, the power supply monitoring means detects whether or not there is an abnormality in the supply of power from the cooling power supply to the cooling means, and when the power supply monitoring means detects an abnormality in the supply of power, the cooling control means stops the cooling of the heating element by the cooling means, and when the stopping period exceeds a predetermined period, controls the power supply control unit to stop the power supply from supplying power to the heating element.

That is, the cooling control means stops the operation of the electronic device when an abnormality in the power supply by the cooling power source occurs and the abnormality in power supply continues for a certain period of time or more.

0012

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 11 is an electronic device, 12 is a cooling device, and the electronic device 11 includes a heat generating section 11a that consumes power and generates heat, and a heat generating section power source 11b that supplies power to the heat generating section 11a. and a power supply control unit 11 that controls the supply of power to the heat generating unit 11a by the heat generating unit power supply 11b.
It is equipped with c.

On the other hand, in the cooling device 12, 13 is a cooling unit, and the cooling unit 13 includes a pump 13b which supplies liquid refrigerant to the heat generating part 11a through a pipe 13a, and a pump 13b which supplies liquid refrigerant from the heat generating part 11a to the heat generating part 11a through a pipe 13a. It includes a heat exhauster 13c that releases the heat of the liquid refrigerant that is sent back, and a tank 13d that accommodates the liquid refrigerant that has released the heat through the heat exhauster 13c.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a cooling power supply that supplies driving power to the pump 13b and heat exhauster 13c in the cooling unit 13, and 15 supplies power supplied from the cooling power supply 14 in response to a cooling request. This is an operation control section that controls whether or not the cooling unit 13 is supplied with the water.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a monitoring power supply, and 17 is supplied with operating power from the monitoring power supply 16 to operate the power supply control unit 11.
When c controls the heat generating unit power supply 11b to supply power to the heat generating unit 11a, the operation control unit 15
From the cooling power supply 14 to the cooling unit 13
This is a cooling device control unit that controls the supply of electric power to the cooling unit 13 and, if the electric power is not sufficient to drive the cooling unit 13, determines that cooling is not possible and stops the supply of the electric power.

FIG. 2 is a more detailed block diagram of the operation control section, cooling device control section, and power supply control section.

In the figure, the operation control unit 15 includes a microprocessor 15a and a drive circuit 15b, and the drive circuit 15b receives a heat exhaust device operation request signal a1 and a pump operation request signal a2 from the microprocessor 15a, and When the drive circuit activation signal a3 is input, the pump 1
3b and the heat exhauster 13c are activated.

On the other hand, the microprocessor 15a is connected to the microprocessor 17a in the cooling device control section 17, and when the drive circuit operation request signal 17a1 is input from the microprocessor 17a, it outputs the drive circuit operation signal a3 and also outputs the drive circuit operation signal a3. When the heat generating unit power status signal 17a2 is input from the processor 17a, the heat sink operation request signal a1 and the pump operation request signal a2 are outputted, and the drive circuit status signal 15a4 indicating the operation status of the drive circuit 15b is outputted. The same microprocessor 17a
Output to.

The cooling device control unit 17 includes a voltage monitoring circuit 17b connected to the cooling power supply 14 together with the microprocessor 17a, and the voltage monitoring circuit 17b monitors the output voltage of the cooling power supply 14 to detect abnormalities. When this occurs, a power supply abnormality detection signal 17b1 is output to the microprocessor 17a.

When the cooling device is inoperable, the microprocessor 17a sends a cooling device stop signal 17a3 requesting the power source control portion 11c not to supply power from the heating portion power source 11b to the heating portion 11a. Part 11c
When the microprocessor 11d causes the heat generating unit power source 11b to supply power to the heat generating unit 11a, the microprocessor 11d outputs a heat generating unit power status signal 11d1 to the microprocessor 17a.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above configuration will be explained. When the power supply control section 11c in the electronic device 11 causes the heat generation section power supply 11b to supply power to the heat generation section 11a, the microprocessor 11d in the power supply control section 11c causes the microprocessor 17a in the cooling device control section 17 to supply power to the heat generation section 11a. The microprocessor 17a outputs a power status signal 11d1, and the microprocessor 17a outputs a drive circuit operation request signal 17a1 and a heat generating unit power status signal 17a2 to the microprocessor 15a in the operation control section 15. Therefore, the microprocessor 15a outputs a heat exhaust device operation request signal a1 and a pump operation request signal a2 to the drive circuit 15b, and also outputs a drive circuit operation signal a3.
The drive circuit 15b operates the pump 13b and the heat exhaust device 13c in the cooling unit 13.

[0023] As a result, the heat generating part 11a in the electronic device 11 operates, and the cooling unit 13 in the cooling device 12 operates to cool the heat generating part 11a.

However, suppose that an abnormality occurs in the cooling power supply 14 and its output power decreases. Then, voltage monitoring circuit 1
7b outputs a power supply abnormality detection signal 17b1 to the microprocessor 17a, and in response, the microprocessor 17a stops outputting the drive circuit operation request signal 17a1. When the drive circuit operation request signal 17a1 is no longer output, the microprocessor 15 in the operation control section 15
a stops outputting the drive circuit activation signal a3 to the drive circuit 15b, and the drive circuit 15b stops the operation of the cooling unit 13. However, at this point, the microprocessor 17a does not output the cooling device stop signal 17a3 to the microprocessor 11d in the power supply control section 11c.

When the operation of the cooling unit 13 stops, the temperature of the heat generating part 11a starts to rise, but the time required for the temperature to rise to a temperature at which the performance of the heat generating part 11a deteriorates is measured in advance.
The microprocessor 17a generates a cooling device stop signal 17a3 after the same amount of time has elapsed since the power supply abnormality detection signal was input.
is output to the microprocessor 11d.

[0026] If the cooling power supply 14 returns to the normal state before the same time elapses, the power supply abnormality detection signal 17b
1 is no longer output, and the microprocessor 17a outputs the drive circuit operation request signal 17a1 again without outputting the cooling device stop signal 17a3 to stop the cooling unit 1.
3 also starts operating.

[0027]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the present invention, the operation of the electronic device is stopped when the output of the cooling power source continues for a predetermined time or more, so that the output of the cooling power source is temporarily reduced. In some cases, a cooling device can be provided that allows the electronic device to continue operating.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a cooling device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a more detailed block diagram of an operation control section, a cooling device control section, and a power supply control section.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional cooling device.

[Explanation of symbols]

11...Electronic device 11a... Heat generating part 11b...Heating part power supply 11c...Power control unit 12...Cooling device 13...Cooling unit 14…Cooling power supply 15...Operation control section 15a...Microprocessor 15b...drive circuit 16...Monitoring power supply 17...Cooling device control section 17a...Microprocessor 17b...voltage monitoring circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: A heating element that generates heat when electric power is supplied, a power supply unit that supplies power to the heating element, and a power supply control unit that controls the supply of power to the heating element by the power supply unit. A cooling device that is connected to an electronic device to cool the heating element, the cooling device cooling the heating element using a liquid refrigerant when driving power is supplied; A cooling power supply,
a power supply monitoring means for detecting whether or not there is an abnormality in the supply of power from the cooling power supply to the cooling means; When controlling the supply of electric power, the cooling means cools the heating element, and when the power supply monitoring means detects an abnormality in the supply of electric power, the cooling of the heating element by the cooling means is stopped, and A cooling device comprising: cooling control means that controls the power supply control section to stop supplying power to the heating element from the power supply section when the stop period exceeds a predetermined period.