Cooling High Power Dissipating Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chips Using Refrigerant

High power dissipating artificial intelligence (AI) chips require significant cooling to operate at maximum performance. Current trends regarding the integration of AI, as well as the power/cooling demands of high-performing server systems pose an immense thermal challenge for cooling. The use of refrigerants as a direct-to-chip cooling method is investigated as a potential cooling solution for cooling AI chips. Using a vapor compression refrigeration system (VCRS), the coolant temperature will be sub-ambient thereby increasing the total cooling capacity. Coupled with the implementation of a direct-to-chip boiler, using refrigerants to cool AI server systems can materialize as a potential solution for current AI server cooling demands. In this study, a comparison of 8 different refrigerants: R-134a, R-153a, R-717, R-508B, R-22, R-12, R-410a, and R-1234yf is analyzed for optimal performance. A control theoretical VCRS model is created to assess variable refrigerants under the same operational conditions. From this model, the coefficient of performance (COP), required mass flow rate of refrigerant, work required by the compressor, and overall heat transfer coefficient is determined for all 8 refrigerants. Lastly, a comprehensive analysis is provided to determine the most optimal refrigerants for cooling applications. R-717, commonly known as Ammonia, was found to have the highest COP value thus proving to be the optimal refrigerant for cooling AI chips and high-performing server applications.

Effect of Refrigerant on the Performance of a C3/MRC Liquefaction Process

The Mixed Refrigerant(MR)component is an important factor influencing the performances of natural gas lique-faction processes.However,there is a lack of systematic research about the utilization of propane pre-cooled(C3/MRC).In this paper,this mixed refrigerant cycle liquefaction process is simulated using the HYSYS software and the main influential parameters involved in the process are varied to analyze their influence on the liquefaction rate and power consumption.The results show that an effective way for lowering the power consumption of the compressor consists of reducing the flow through the compressor through optimization of the percentage of mixed refrigerant.The power consumption of the compressor in the hybrid refrigeration process is affected by both flow and pressure ratios.Its specific power consumption can be reduced by increasing the flow and decreasing the pressure ratio at the same time.The increase in refrigerant pressure at the high-pressure end can significantly mitigate the energy loss of the heat exchanger and compressor.

Development of 400-μW cryogen-free dilution refrigerators for quantum experiments

We have successfully developed cryogen-free dilution refrigerators with medium cooling power that can be applied to quantum experiments. Breakthroughs have been made in some key technologies and components of heat switches and dilution units. Our prototype has been running continuously and stably for more than 100 hours below 10 m K, with a minimum temperature of 7.6 m K and a cooling power of 450 μW at 100 m K. At the same time, we have also made progress in the application of dilution refrigerators, such as quantum computing, low-temperature detector, and magnet integration. These indicators and test results indicate good prospects for application in physics, astronomy, and quantum information.

A Review on Technologies for the Use of CO2 as a Working Fluid in Refrigeration and Power Cycles

The use of carbon dioxide as a working fluid has been the subject of extensive studies in recent years, particularly in the field of refrigeration where it is at the heart of research to replace CFC and HCFC. Its thermodynamic properties make it a fluid of choice in the efficient use of energy at low and medium temperatures in engine cycles. However, the performance of transcritical CO2 cycles weakens under high temperature and pressure conditions, especially in refrigeration systems;On the other hand, this disadvantage becomes rather interesting in engine cycles where CO2 can be used as an alternative to the organic working fluid in small and medium-sized electrical systems for low quality or waste heat sources. In order to improve the performance of systems operating with CO2 in the field of refrigeration and electricity production, research has made it possible to develop several concepts, of which this article deals with a review of the state of the art, followed by analyzes in-depth and critical of the various developments to the most recent modifications in these fields. Detailed discussions on the performance and technical characteristics of the different evolutions are also highlighted as well as the factors affecting the overall performance of the systems studied. Finally, perspectives on the future development of the use of CO2 in these different cycles are presented.

Effect of surface microstructure of aluminum coating on corrosion properties of magnetic refrigerant gadolinium

AI coatings with different microstructures were prepared on the surface of Gd using the magnetron sputtering technique to improve its corrosion resistance. The corrosion behaviors for the pure Gd and Gd with Al coating in distilled water were studied using the mass loss and electrochemical performance. As a result, pure Gd without coating shows a certain amount of surface cracks under water flow conditions, whereas the polygonal Al coating decreases the path of the corrosive medium to body due to the existence of eroding pits structure. Compared with the polygonal structure Al coating and pure Gd, the lamellar structure of Al coating exhibits a higher electrochemical protection performance （e.g., a lower corrosion current and higher self-corrosion potential） and no occurrence of pitting corrosion. Due to an effective physical shield, the formation of the lamellar structure protected the inner Gd part from being corroded, and prolonged the duration of cathodic protection.

Comprehensive approach to predicting the circulation composition of zeotropic refrigerants

The problem of composition shift in zeotropic fluid circulation, which is encountered in modern air conditioning and refrigeration systems, is studied. It reveals that the composition shift phenomena is contributed by fractionation related to four mechanisms. This paper concentrates on the modeling of component fractionation in heat exchangers. Element approach is employed, and the amount of each component holdup is calculated element by element with a proper void fraction model. The circulation concentration is determined from the refrigerant differential holdup in heat exchangers. Simulations are carried out to prove the validity. The results can improve the reliability and efficiency in zeotropic refrigerant applications.

APPLICATION POSSIBILITY OF BINARY NONAZEOTROPIC REFRIGERANT IN JET REFRIGERATION *

This paper analyzes the possibility of applying binary nonazeotropic refrigerants in the jet refrigeration cycle. The thermodynamic cycle performance of two kinds of working pairs (R30/R142b, R30/R124) are calculated using the EOS of PR equation of state, and the results are discussed. The theoretical calculations indicate that refrigerating quality can be improved if the binary mixtures evaporate just in the low temperature region. The character of the rejecter to compress two phase medium supports the possibility of this kind of cycle.

Design and application of refrigerant recoveryand fillingcontrol system based on MSP430

The control scheme of multifunctional refrigerant recovery and filling control system for air conditioning system is presented in this paper.The scheme of hardware circuit based on micro controller unit （MCU） MSP430 uses high-precision weighing sensor and high performance amplifier.The software program uses median average filtering algorithm.The device can recycle discarded refrigerant after purification and quantitative filling refrigerant.Meanwhile,the apparatus has the functions of recovery,filling,pressing,vaccumizing,refueling,etc.The system is proved to be of low cost,good stability and high practical value.

Application of water loop variable refrigerant flow air-conditioning system in large-scale buildings in northern China

A water loop variable refrigerant flow（WLVRF）air-conditioning system is designed to be applied in large-scale buildings in northern China.The system is energy saving and it is an integrated system consisting of a variable refrigerant flow（VRF）air-conditioning unit,a water loop and an air source heat pump.The water loop transports energy among different regions in the buildings instead of refrigerant pipes,decreasing the scale of the VRF air-conditioning unit and improving the performance.Previous models for refrigerants and building loads are cited in this investigation.Mathematical models of major equipment and other elements of the system are established using the lumped parameter method based on the DATAFIT software and the MATLAB software.The performance of the WLVRF system is simulated.The initial investments and the running costs are calculated based on the results of market research.Finally,a contrast is carried out between the WLVRF system and the traditional VRF system.The results show that the WLVRF system has a better working condition and lower running costs than the traditional VRF system.

Mixed refrigerant composition shift due to throttle valves opening in auto cascade refrigeration system

Auto cascade refrigeration(ACR) cycle with phase separators is widely used in the cryogenic system. The composition of mixed refrigerant has a great effect on the performance of the system. Based on the assumption of infinite volume of phase separator, ACR system with one phase separator is simulated in this paper. The variation of refrigerant composition under different valves opening is obtained. A related experimental system is set up to verify the variation. The result shows that when the valve opening connected to the evaporator increases or the valve opening under the phase separator decreases, the low-boiling component concentration of the working mixture passing through the compressor and condenser increases, while the high-boiling component concentration decreases. Furthermore, the variations of condensation pressure and evaporation pressure under different valves opening are also observed. This paper is helpful to deepen the understanding of ACR system.

A New Experimental Rig of Testing Flow Boiling Heat Transfer of Refrigerantand Lubricant Mixture

This paper proposed a new experimental rig of testing flow boiling heat transfer of refrigerant and lubricant oil mixture. The quantity of oil in the test section can be controlled and regulated conveniently and accurately by connecting separate lubricant oil circuit with test section in parallel. It was built up by retrofitting a multiple air-conditioner and installing three oil-separators in serials at the compressor outlet. And so the lubricant oil in the discharged refrigerant gas of compressor can be removed completely.The refrigerant flow rate through test section can be bypassed by the by-path circuit of indoor unit.This experimental rig has advantages such as on-line and continuous oil injection, short time of obtaining stability, flexible operation, simple control, which lead to high efficiency in the research of flow boiling heat transfer of refrigerant and lubricant oil mixture.

Magnetic entropy change of Ce6Ni2Si3-type and large refrigerant capacity GdCoSiGe compound＊

Magnetic entropy change （△SM） and refrigerant capacity （RC） of Ce6Ni2Si3-type Gd6Co1.67Si2.5Geo.5 compounds have been investigated. The Gd6Col.67Si2.5Geo.5 undergoes a reversible second-order phase transition at the Curie temperature Tc = 296 K. The high saturation magnetization leads to a large ASM and the maximal value of △SM is found to be 5.9 J/kg. K around TC for a field change of 0-5 T. A broad distribution of the △SM peak is observed and the full width at half maximum of the △SM peak is about 101 K under a magnetic field of 5 T. The large RC is found around TC and its value is 424 J/kg.

Study on Application of Mixed-Refrigerant Refrigeration in Ethylene Plant

This paper focuses on the mixed-refrigerant refrigeration process flows which are applied in the cryogenic separation section of ethylene plant. Based on a 120 kt/a ethylene plant which employs a sequence separation process flow and lowpressure demethanization system, the energy consumption of three refrigeration process flows（typical cascade refrigeration, binary refrigeration and tertiary refrigeration） was calculated by means of the ASPEN PLUS simulation software. An optimized mixed-refrigerant composition which achieved the minimum energy consumption of refrigeration systems was found out and the exergy loss was analyzed and compared. Results indicated that the energy consumption of typical cascade refrigeration and binary refrigeration systems was almost equal and that of tertiary refrigeration system was higher than the other two systems. Based on the current situation of production, the suggestions on production optimization and refrigeration process flow selection were put forward.

Experimental Performance of Moderate and High Temperature Heat Pump Charged with Refrigerant Mixture BY-3

Theoretical and experimental analysis of a new refrigerant mixture BY-3 was conducted based on a single-stage vapor compression refrigeration system. The water-water heat pump system used BY-3 to produce hot water when the low temperature was 20 ℃. The following results were obtained: the highest temperature at the condenser outlet reached about 85 ℃; when the difference between the water temperatures at the condenser outlet and the evaporator inlet was less than 40 ℃, the coefficient of performance (COP) was larger than 4; when the difference reached 55 ℃, the COP still kept 3; the discharge temperature of BY-3 was lower than 100 ℃, and the refrigerant vapor pressure kept lower than 1.8 MPa. When the water temperature at the condenser outlet reached over 85 ℃, nearly a 5 ℃ superheating temperature was maintained.

Optimization of FX-70 refrigerant evaporative heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics inside the corrugated tubes using multi-objective genetic algorithm

In this study,the heat transfer optimization(evaporation)and the specification of the FX-70 zeotropic refrigerant flow inside a corrugated pipe have been investigated.Despite the low HTC(HTC),this type of refrigerant is highly applicable in low or medium temperature engineering systems during the evaporation process.To eliminate this defect,high turbulence and proper mixing are required.Therefore,using heat transfer(HT)augmentation methods will be necessary and effective.In order to find the most favorable operating conditions that lead to the optimum combination of pressure drop(PD)and HTC,empirical data,neural networks,and genetic algorithms(GA)for multi-objective(MO)(NSGA II)are used.To investigate the mentioned cases,the geometric parameters of corrugated pipes,vapor quality,and mass velocity of refrigerant were studied.The results showed that with vapor quality higher than 0.8 and corrugation depth and pitch of 1.5 and 7 mm,respectively,we would achieve the desired optimum design.

Harmful and Needless Emission of Refrigerant and Countermeasures

Refrigerants used in refrigerators are an important source of ozone depleting substances released into the atmosphere, and can have a significantly negative effect on the hole in the ozone layer. But most emission of refrigerants is man-made, unrea-sonable and needless. Since in most emission cases the refrigerants are contained in the refrigerators, we can retrieve them by some technique that changes the 'manual emission' into manual retriev-ing. To promote the retrieval action and diminish the pollution, society can use economic, administrative and technical counter-measures, which can create a 'good-cycle' both 'harnessing pollu-tion and earning income simultaneously', reinforce the motive of retrieving, and retrieve most proportion of refrigerants used by all refrigerators. This 'good-cycle' method can be easily promoted, and also a valuable way to promote other forms of environmental protection. The three countermeasures have almost no social cost, even no cost at all.

Table-like shape magnetocaloric effect and large refrigerant capacity in dual-phase HoNi/HoNi2 composite

Nowadays,magnetic cooling(MC) technology by using the magnetocaloric effect(MCE) has attracted extensive research interest for its promising practical applications.A constant large/giant MCE covers wide refrigeration temperatures(denote as table-like shape) is beneficial for obtaining high efficiency performance for MC.In this paper,the HoNi/HoNi2 composite was successfully synthesized by arc-melting method and proved to be composed of HoNi and HoNi2 crystalline phases with weight ratios of 52.4 wt.% and 47.6 wt.%,respectively.The maximum magnetic entropy change(-ΔSMmax)is 18.23 J/(kg·K),and the refrigerant capacity values RC1,RC2,and RC3 are 867.9 J/kg,676.4 J/kg,and 467.8 J/kg with ΔH=0-70 kOe,respectively.The table-like shape MCE and large refrigerant capacity values make the composite attractive for cryogenic MC using the Ericsson cycle.

Numerical Investigations on Supercritical Heat Transfer Characteristics of Environmental Friendly Refrigerants

The heat transfer of supercritical fluids is a vastly growing field, specifically to find suitable alternatives to replace conventional R134a, which can be beneficial for climate change. Most of the experimental and numerical investigations have been conducted to explore supercritical water, carbon dioxide and R134a as heat transfer working fluids. Hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) and refrigerants blends have been considered the most environment-friendly refrigerants to replace Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Hydrochlorofluoro-carbons (HCFCs) and Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Their main advantage of zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and comparatively lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) have attracted growing amount of attention to mitigate environmental issues. This work adopts the computational method and takes the environmentally friendly refrigerants to investigate the heat transfer characteristics under widely used shear-stress transport (SST) model. A comprehensive comparison was performed at reduced pressure of 1.10 for supercritical fluids R515A, R1234ze(E) and R134a. The peaks of heat transfer coefficient occurred in the vicinity of pseudo critical temperature for all of these considered fluids;however, R134a resulted in higher heat transfer coefficient, Reynolds number and Prandtl number in comparison with R515A and R1234ze(E). The higher heat transfer coefficient of supercritical fluid R134a is owing to its thermophysical properties and the specific heat plays crucial role in the heat transfer of supercritical fluids. Owing to environmental issues, R515A can be a considerable replacement of R134a. R1234ze(E) is also promising alternative to R134a;however, safety issues should thoroughly concern its mild flammable characteristics.

ENTROPY CHARACTERISTICS OF MAGNETIC REFRIGERANTS

Mathematical models for predicting magnetic entropy,lattice entropy and electron entropy of magnetic refrigerants are carried out from the molecular field appoximation,the Debye model and the electron energy level theory respectively of quantum mechanics.Using theabove models the temperature and magnetic field dependences of the calculated magnetic entropy,lattice entropy,electron entropy and the total entropy of gadolinium,which is a typical magnetic refrigerant near room temperature,are obtained.The Influences of kinds of entropy on the performance of magnetic refrigeration are discussed,and some general rules for selecting magnetic refrlyerants are drawn to hely the develoyment of highly economic magnetic refrigerators.

OPTIMIZATION OF THE COMPOSITIONS FOR CFC ALTERNATIVE MIXTURE REFRIGERANTS

In this work,eight commonly used and recently developed cubic EOSs have beenextensively tested for the calculation of thermodynamic properties,including vapor pressure,vaporand liquid densities and heat of vaporization for 26 pure CFCs and their alternatives.The modifiedDu-Guo EOS is recommended for the vapor-liquid equilibria calculations of mixtures for its goodaccuracy.A method for the development of the optimized mixture compositions of CFC alternativeshas been proposed by using minimization of deviations between the vapor pressures of CFC and thealternative mixtures of interest.As examples,two binary mixtures R22-R142b and R22-R152a,and aternary R22-R142b-R152a have been tested.The results show that the vapor pressure of R12 can bewell duplicated by a mixture refrigerant with the optimized composition.On the other hand,thedeviations between the heat of vaporization are somewhat apparent within 10 percent.Moreover,allthe mixtures discussed here are of the characteristics of being near azeotropic。