Patent Application
20090072980
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an alarm device and a water-cooling heat dissipation alarm system; in particular, to an alarm device and an alarm system which determines the quantity of fluid flow in the water-cooling heat dissipation system by using a frequency signal generated by the pump.
2. Description of Related Art
Due to the increasing demand for processing speed in current information equipment, the industry has developed many sophisticated, high frequency, high speed chip sets which inevitably generate additional heat. For this phenomenon, general heat dissipation modules are gradually insufficient and thus water-cooling heat dissipation system are sometimes applied.
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As a result, a general alarm device is usually provided in the pipe of the water-cooling heat dissipation system in order to directly contact with the water flow in the pipe and to detect the flow amount or flow speed. However, such an alarm device needs to be connected to the system pipe or container, thus potentially increasing the assembly cost and the possibility of water leakage at the connecting points.
Furthermore, an alarm device is provided, which utilities light emitters and light receivers installed in the pipe of the water-cooling heat dissipation system for detecting water flows; when no water flows through the pipe, the light receiver receives an abnormal signal to trigger alarm; whereas such the alarm device might be erroneously enable to issue false alarm actions simply because of some small water flow in the pipe.
Regarding to the aforementioned issues, the water-cooling heat dissipation alarm system according to the present invention uses an alarm device to retrieve a frequency signal outputted by a circulation pump in the system, and determines the condition of the water flow in the system based on the retrieved frequency signal, and then further performs alarm operations in accordance with the determined condition in order to generate a precise system abnormality alarm.
The alarm device according to the present invention generates alarm operations based on the frequency signal outputted by the water-cooling heat dissipation system, in which the alarm device comprises a frequency-voltage converter, a first comparator, a first driver, a water shortage alarm device, a second comparator, a second driver and a pump failure alarm device.
Herein the frequency-voltage converter is connected to the water-cooling heat dissipation system to receive the frequency signal, and outputs a voltage signal. The first comparator is connected to the frequency-voltage converter for comparing the outputted voltage signal with a first reference voltage so as to output a first control signal. The first driver is connected to the first comparator, controlled by the first control signal to output a first driving signal. The water shortage alarm device is connected to the first driver, driven by the first driving signal to perform alarm operations. The second comparator is connected to the frequency-voltage converter, comparing the voltage signal with a second reference voltage to output a second control signal. The second driver is connected to a second comparator, controlled by the second control signal to output a second driving signal. The pump failure alarm device is connected to the second driver, controlled by the second driving signal to perform alarm operations.
The water-cooling heat dissipation system according to the present invention comprises a water-cooling heat dissipation system and an above-said alarm device. Herein the water-cooling heat dissipation system is mutually connected by the pipe with a water block, a heat exchanger, a water tank and a circulation pump, in which the circulation pump outputs a frequency signal being in proportional to the rotation speed of the circulation pump. The alarm device is installed in the circulation pump, which receives the frequency signal outputted by the circulation pump and determines the water flow condition and the circulation pump action in the system based on the frequency signal, and then performs alarm operations based on the determined condition so as to generate a precise system abnormality alarm.
The alarm device according to the present invention can precisely determine the conditions in the water flow and operations of the circulation pump based on the frequency signal outputted by the circulation pump. Herein, when (1) the volume of the water flow decreases, the rotation speed of the circulation pump accelerates to generate a frequency signal output of high frequency; (2) when water flow is normal, the rotation speed of the circulation pump is normal as well, thus generating normal frequency signal output; additionally, (3) when the circulation pump fails, no rotation speed exists in the circulation pump, thus stopping the output of the frequency signal.
In this way, the alarm device according to the present invention can be installed on the signal lines of a general circulation pump for receiving the frequency signal outputted by the circulation pump and performing alarm operations in accordance with the frequency signal. Therefore the present invention can save extra connection assembly cost, and eliminate the possibility of water leakage at connecting locations. Meanwhile, according to the determined condition, it can appreciate the conditions in the water flow and the operations of the circulation pump so as to further provide precise system abnormality alarm.
In order to further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the present invention, references are made to the following Detailed Descriptions and append drawings with regards to the present invention; however, the appended drawings are simply for the purposes of reference and illustration, rather than being used as limiting the present invention thereto.
To enable the officers/members in the Patent Review Committee better understanding the inventive characteristics and technical contents of the present application, references are made to the following Detailed Descriptions and append drawings with regards to the present invention; however, the appended drawings are simply for the purposes of reference and illustration, rather than being used as limiting the present invention thereto.
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The water-cooling heat dissipation system 20 employs the operation of the circulation pump 202 to cause the low temperature fluid F1 to flow from the water tank 204 into the water block 208 through the pipe, and the water block 208 is in close proximity of the heat source 3 (e.g. CPU) to perform heat exchange. After the heat exchange, the high temperature fluid F2 flows from the water block 208 through the pipe and into the heat exchanger 206 for heat exchange. After the heat exchange, the constant temperature or low temperature fluid F3, through the pipe, flows from the heat exchanger 206 into the water tank 204, thus forming the circulated water-cooling heat dissipation. Herein the circulation pump 202 outputs a frequency signal FG, and the outputted frequency signal FG is proportional to the rotation speed in the circulation pump 202. When the fluid quantity decreases, the circulation pump 202 accelerates; at this moment the frequency signal FG has high frequency. When the fluid flow is normal, the circulation pump 202 normally rotates and the frequency signal FG has normal frequency. Furthermore, in case the circulation pump 202 fails, rotation speed in the circulation pump 202 is zero, it stops outputting the frequency signal FG.
The alarm device 22 comprises a determining circuit 222 and an alarm generator 224. The determining circuit 222 is connected to the circulation pump 202 to receive the frequency signal FG from the circulation pump 202, and determines the conditions in the fluid flow and the operations of the circulation pump 202 based on the frequency signal FG. The alarm generator 224 is connected to the determining circuit 222 to perform alarm operations based on the determination signal SR from the determining circuit 222, so as to provide precise system abnormality alarm.
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The second comparator 2226 is connected to the frequency-voltage converter 2222, comparing the voltage signal VT with a second reference voltage Vth2 to output a second control signal C2. The second driver 2227 is connected to the second comparator 2226 and the pump failure alarm device 2244, and controlled by the second control signal C2 to send the second control signal C2 to the pump failure alarm device 2244, so as to drive the pump failure alarm device 2244 for alarm operations.
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During time 0˜t1, no water flow passes through the circulation pump 202, so the circulation pump 202 generates high speed rotation whose rotation speed is approximately 4000 rpm. At this moment, the circulation pump 202 sends a frequency signal FG of high frequency, and such a frequency signal FG of high frequency is proportional to the rotation speed in the circulation pump 202. Additionally, the frequency voltage converter 2222 converts the frequency signal FG of high frequency into a higher voltage signal VT output, which higher voltage signal VT output is greater than the first reference voltage Vth1; as a result, the first comparator 2224 issues an Enable first control signal C1. In conjunction with
During t1˜t2, normal amount of water flow passes through the circulation pump 202; hence the circulation pump 202 presents normal rotation speed which is about 2500 rpm. At this moment, the circulation pump 202 sends a frequency signal FG of normal frequency. Besides, the frequency voltage converter 2222 converts frequency signal FG of normal frequency into a normal voltage signal VT output, which normal voltage signal VT output is smaller than the first reference voltage Vth1 but greater than a second reference voltage Vth2; therefore, the first comparator 2224 and the second comparator 2226 respectively transfer Disable first control signal C1 and second control signal C2. Since the first comparator 2224 and the second comparator 2226 both output Disable signals, neither the first driver 2225 nor the second driver 2227 will be driven, and accordingly the water shortage alarm device 2242 and the pump failure alarm device 2244 do not perform alarm operations, indicating the circulation pump 202 is operating under normal condition.
During time t2˜t3, failure occurs in the circulation pump 202, thus the circulation pump 202 stops operating. At this moment, the circulation pump 202 stops send the frequency signal FG. Also, the frequency voltage converter 2222 issues a voltage signal VT output of zero level, which voltage signal VT output of zero level is smaller than the second reference voltage Vth2; as a result the second comparator 2226 sends an Enable second control signal C2. In conjunction with
In summary, the alarm device according to the present invention can precisely determine the conditions in the water flow and the operations of the circulation pump based on the frequency signal outputted by the circulation pump, and generate alarm operations. Herein (1) when the volume of the water flow decreases, the rotation speed of the circulation pump accelerates to further generate a frequency signal output of high frequency, causing the alarm device to operate; (2) when water flow is normal, the rotation speed of the circulation pump is normal as well, thus generating normal frequency signal output and the alarm device stopping alarm operations based on the normal frequency signal; additionally, (3) when the circulation pump fails, no rotation speed exists in the circulation pump, thus stopping the output of the frequency signal, and at this moment the alarm device generating alarm based on the stopped frequency signal.
As such, the alarm device according to the present invention can be connected to signal lines of a general circulation pump for receiving the frequency signal outputted by the circulation pump, and perform alarm operations based the frequency signal. Therefore, the present invention can eliminate the need for extra connection assembly cost and problems of water leakage and erroneous actions found in conventional alarm devices.
The aforementioned descriptions set out merely the preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the characteristics thereof are by no means limited thereto. All changes or modifications that any skilled ones in the art can conveniently consider in the field of the present invention are deemed to be encompassed by the scope of the present invention defined by the subsequent claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96215537 | Sep 2007 | TW | national |
