Immersion cooled enclosure with insulating lining
By using an immersion cooling enclosure with an insulated well design in the data center and utilizing a sealed system formed by an insulating liner and cover, the problems of low air cooling efficiency and complex welded stainless steel design are solved, achieving efficient and economical cooling effects while reducing cost and complexity.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202080038059.3
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2019-05-23
- Filing Date
- 2020-03-31
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-03
- Estimated Expiration
- 2040-03-31
AI Technical Summary
Existing air cooling technology is inefficient and slow to respond in data center servers, limiting the density and space utilization of heat-generating components. In addition, the welded stainless steel immersion cooling enclosure is costly and complex to deploy.
The immersion cooling housing adopts an insulated well design, covers the well with an insulating liner such as HDPP or HDPE material, combines the cover and the filter layer to form a sealed immersion cooling system, avoiding leakage of dielectric coolant and condensing steam through the circulation system.
It reduces engineering and construction costs, simplifies the manufacturing process, improves cooling efficiency, reduces the risk of dielectric coolant leakage, and enhances the flexibility and economy of the system.
Smart Images

Figure CN113875325B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Background Art
[0001] Large computing facilities (such as data centers) typically include distributed computing systems that are housed in large buildings, containers, or other suitable enclosures. Distributed computing systems can contain thousands to millions of servers interconnected by routers, switches, bridges, and other network devices. A single server can host a virtual machine, container, virtual switch, virtual router, or other type of virtualized device. Such virtualized devices can be used to execute applications or perform other functions to provide cloud computing services to users. Summary of the Invention
[0002] This Summary is provided to briefly introduce a collection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0003] Servers in data centers typically include one or more central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), solid-state drives (SSDs), memory chips, and other components mounted on printed circuit boards to form a "server." The CPUs, GPUs, and other components of a server generate significant amounts of heat during operation. If not adequately dissipated, this heat can damage and / or degrade the performance of various components on the server.
[0004] Various techniques have been developed to dissipate the heat generated by server components using air cooling. For example, one technique involves placing fans in the server enclosure (e.g., at the top or bottom of the cabinet) to force cool air from outside the server enclosure into contact with heat-generating components on the server to remove heat from the server enclosure. In another example, an intercooler (e.g., a cooling coil) can be positioned between server sections in the server enclosure. The intercooler can remove heat from the server group in the server enclosure and generally maintains the cooled air inside the server enclosure within a specific temperature range.
[0005] However, the aforementioned air cooling technology has some disadvantages. First, air cooling may be thermodynamically inefficient compared to liquid cooling. The heat transfer coefficient of conduction and / or convection using air and the specific heat of air as a heat transfer medium can be an order of magnitude lower than that using water, ethylene glycol, or other suitable types of liquids. Therefore, due to the limitations on heat dissipation, the density of heat-generating components (e.g., CPUs and GPUs) on the server motherboard may be limited. In addition, the air cooling response control adjustments and / or load changes may have a long lag time. For example, when the temperature of the server casing exceeds a threshold, an additional cooling air flow can be introduced into the server casing to reduce the temperature. However, due to the slow heat transfer rate of cooling air, the temperature inside the server casing may remain above the threshold for a long time.
[0006] Immersion cooling technology can address at least some of the shortcomings of air cooling described above. Immersion cooling generally refers to a cooling technology in which components of a server (such as a CPU, GPU, SSD, memory, and / or other electronic components) are immersed in a heat-conducting dielectric liquid (referred to herein as a "dielectric coolant"). Example dielectric coolants can include mineral oil or synthetic chemicals. Such dielectric coolants can have a dielectric constant similar to that of ambient air. For example, the dielectric constant of a dielectric coolant (Electronic Liquid FC-3284) provided by 3M is 1.86, while the dielectric constant of ambient air at 25°C is approximately 1.0.
[0007] In some embodiments, during operation, the dielectric coolant can remove heat from the heat-generating components by causing the liquid dielectric coolant to undergo a phase change (via boiling dielectric coolant to become dielectric vapor) to produce both a liquid phase and a vapor phase of the dielectric coolant within the server housing. The dielectric vapor can then be cooled and condensed back into liquid form by a circulation system (the circulation system employs a liquid pump, a heat exchanger, a dry cooler, etc.) to discharge the heat from the dielectric coolant into the surrounding environment. In other embodiments, the dielectric coolant can remain single-phase during operation. Due to the high heat transfer coefficient and specific heat properties of the dielectric coolant used, the density of the heat-generating components in the server housing can be increased. A higher density of CPUs, GPUs, etc. can result in a smaller footprint for data centers, racks, server cabinets, or other suitable types of computing facilities. The high heat transfer coefficient of the dielectric coolant used can also allow for rapid cooling of server components in the server housing.
[0008] One example design of an immersion cooling enclosure includes an elongated container (e.g., a 10-foot long container, which is often referred to as a "tank") for housing multiple servers mounted vertically in the tank. The tank is typically made of welded stainless steel sheets (in a straight shape). However, this design of an immersion cooling enclosure can have high engineering, manufacturing, and construction costs. For example, the stainless steel sheets can be expensive to purchase and expensive to machine. Welding the stainless steel sheets together requires special skills and is labor intensive. Additionally, once welded, the tank typically requires consistency testing (e.g., using helium) to determine if there are any leaks in the welds or pressure testing. After testing, the tank is typically mounted on a support structure for the facility. Therefore, deploying an immersion cooling enclosure with this design can take a long time and can be expensive.
[0009] Several embodiments of the disclosed technology can address at least some of the shortcomings of welded stainless steel designs by implementing an insulated well design for an immersion cooling enclosure. In certain embodiments, the immersion cooling enclosure can include a well, pit, hole, or other suitable type of recess (referred to herein as a "well" for illustrative purposes) formed in concrete, earth, brick, or other suitable type of base material and lined with an insulating lining. In one example, the well can be formed by excavating a portion of the ground (e.g., earth) at a facility to form a linear pit, and then pouring concrete to line the excavated portion of the ground to form a concrete well. In other examples, the well can be formed by placing one or more precast concrete blocks on the ground of the facility to form a linear well. In another example, the well can be formed by surrounding a portion of the ground with earth, concrete, or other suitable material to form an above-ground well. In further examples, the well can be formed in other suitable ways.
[0010] Without wishing to be bound by theory, the inventors have recognized that dielectric coolants typically have a small molecular size and, therefore, can typically permeate through concrete and soil. Therefore, to at least reduce or prevent leakage of dielectric coolant from a well through concrete or soil, several embodiments of the disclosed technology involve lining the well with an insulating liner that is impermeable to the dielectric coolant. In one embodiment, the insulating liner can include a single insulating layer of high-density polypropylene (HDPP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), or other suitable types of impermeable polymeric materials.
[0011] In other embodiments, the insulating lining may also include multiple layers arranged in a stacked, interwoven, or other suitable manner. For example, the insulating lining may include an insulating layer (e.g., HDPP or HDPE) sandwiched between a protective layer facing the dielectric coolant and a sealing layer opposite the protective layer. The protective layer may include one or more protective materials configured to protect the insulating layer from perforations, scratches, or other suitable types of mechanical damage caused by, for example, contact with the server during installation or maintenance. Examples of suitable protective materials may include nylon, Kevlar, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, silk, carbon fiber, or a combination of at least some of the foregoing protective materials. The sealing layer may include one or more sealing materials configured to automatically seal the insulating layer in the event of a perforation formed in the insulating layer. Examples of suitable sealing materials may include bulletproof gelatin, a multi-layer rubber coating, or other suitable sealant that can automatically expand and / or contract to seal the perforation.
[0012] In another embodiment, the insulating liner may further include a perfusion layer that is configured to be removed, thereby allowing any leaked dielectric coolant to be detected through the insulating layer. For example, the perfusion layer may include a base having a plurality of ribs or other suitable types of protrusions extending from the base. Adjacent pairs of ribs may then form a plurality of channels that are fluidically connected to a vacuum source. Thus, when the perfusion layer is positioned behind and / or attached to the insulating layer, any leaked dielectric coolant can be removed from behind the insulating layer, regardless of whether there are intermediate layers (multiple). By monitoring the output from the perfusion layer, color-changing paint, sensors, or other suitable detectors can be used to detect dielectric coolant leaks in the well. In other examples, the perfusion layer may further include a top portion opposite the base portion, with a plurality of ribs extending between the top portion and the base portion. In another example, the perfusion layer may be a built-in layer located at the insulating layer, sealing layer, or other suitable layer of the insulating liner.
[0013] In some embodiments, the insulating liner can be formed by extrusion and fastened to the inner surface of the well using adhesives, mechanical fasteners, or other suitable fasteners. In other embodiments, one or more of a protective layer, an insulating layer, a sealing layer, or other suitable type of layer can be sprayed or otherwise formed directly onto the inner surface of the well or onto a previous layer of the insulating liner. In yet another embodiment, the insulating liner can be formed by vacuum forming, friction welding, sonic welding, or other suitable techniques.
[0014] The immersion cooling enclosure may further include a cover, lid, top, or other suitable closure member (referred to herein for brevity as a "cover") configured to engage and seal the well using one or more O-rings, gaskets, or other suitable sealing devices. The cover may include various components configured to facilitate immersion cooling operations in the well. For example, the cover may include a condenser (e.g., a cooling coil) configured to condense dielectric vapor in a vapor space in the well. The cover may further include suitable conduits, lines, piping, etc. to provide cooling fluid (e.g., cooling water) to the condenser and power / signals to the servers. In other examples, the cover may further include pressure sensors, temperature sensors, sight glasses, or other suitable components configured to facilitate monitoring, control, or other suitable operations of the immersion cooling enclosure.
[0015] In another example, the cover may further include a filter layer that is permeable to air but impermeable to dielectric vapor. Example materials suitable for the filter layer include activated carbon. The filter layer may be located between the steam space in the well and the steam outlet leading to the external environment. Therefore, air can be extracted from / introduced into the steam space of the well to control the pressure in the well without losing a large amount of dielectric vapor. The extracted air may also be further condensed to recycle any dielectric coolant still present and returned to the collection container and / or the well by, for example, a circulating pump. In yet another example, multiple filter layers and / or condensers may be arranged between the steam space and the steam outlet in a sequential, staggered or other suitable manner.
[0016] During installation, a bracket or other suitable type of support equipment can be placed in the well. The bracket can also include a protective layer at the surface that contacts the well or is close to the well. One or more servers can be placed in the bracket. The well is then covered and sealed with a cover. A dielectric coolant is then introduced into the well to completely immerse the servers carried on the bracket. During operation, the CPU, GPU, and other suitable components on the server generate heat. The dielectric coolant can form dielectric vapor through phase change via boiling to absorb the generated heat. The dielectric vapor rises in the well to contact a condenser at the cover or a condenser attached to the cover. The cooling fluid circulating in the condenser then removes heat from the dielectric vapor and condenses the dielectric vapor into liquid form. The condensed dielectric vapor is then returned to the well by gravity or a pump.
[0017] Compared to welded stainless steel plates, several embodiments of the disclosed immersion cooling shell can have lower capital costs and manufacturing complexity. Unlike welded water tanks, the sealing of an immersion cooling shell according to the disclosed technology does not rely on welds between stainless steel plates. Instead, sealing is achieved through the insulating liner. Because the insulating liner is not a structural component, the engineering and construction of the immersion cooling shell is much simpler than that of a welded stainless steel water tank. As a result, engineering, manufacturing, construction, and other suitable types of capital costs can be significantly reduced compared to using a welded stainless steel water tank as an immersion cooling shell. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a computing facility having an immersion-cooled enclosure with an insulation well design configured in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
[0019] Figures 2A to 2C is applicable to embodiments of the disclosed technology Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional view of the insulating lining of an immersion cooled enclosure.
[0020] Figure 3 is applicable to additional embodiments according to the disclosed technology Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional view of the cover of the immersion cooling housing.
[0021] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating deployment according to an embodiment of the disclosed technology Figure 1 Flowchart of an example process for designing an immersion-cooled enclosure with insulation wells. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Certain embodiments of computing facilities, systems, devices, components, modules, and processes for immersion cooling enclosures for insulating well designs are described below. The following description includes specific details of the components to provide a thorough understanding of certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. It will also be understood by those skilled in the relevant art that the disclosed technology may have additional embodiments or may be used without the following references. Figures 1 to 4 The described embodiments are practiced without the use of several details.
[0023] As used herein, the term "immersion server enclosure" generally refers to an enclosure that is configured to house a server, server, or other suitable type of computing device that is immersed in a dielectric coolant inside the enclosure during operation of the server. A "dielectric coolant" generally refers to a dielectric liquid that conducts heat. Example dielectric coolants may include mineral oil or synthetic chemicals. Such a dielectric coolant may have a dielectric constant that is generally similar to that of ambient air (e.g., within 100%). For example, a dielectric coolant (Electronic Liquid FC-3284) provided by 3M has a dielectric constant of 1.86, while ambient air at 25°C has a dielectric constant of approximately 1.0. In some embodiments, the dielectric coolant may have a sufficiently low boiling point to absorb heat from operating electronic components (e.g., CPU, GPU, etc.) through phase change. For example, an Electronic Liquid FC-3284 provided by 3M has a boiling point of 50°C at 1 atmosphere of pressure.
[0024] Immersion cooling of servers has many advantages over air cooling. For example, immersion cooling can be thermodynamically more efficient due to a higher heat transfer coefficient. However, current designs of immersion cooling enclosures may not be suitable for quick and cost-effective deployment. For example, one design of an immersion cooling enclosure includes welding stainless steel plates into an elongated container or "water tank." However, this design of an immersion cooling enclosure may have high engineering, manufacturing, and construction costs. For example, the procurement cost and machining cost of the stainless steel plates are both high. Welding the stainless steel plates together requires special skills and is labor intensive. In addition, once welded, the water tank typically requires consistency testing (e.g., using helium) to determine if there are any leaks in the welds or pressure testing. After testing, the water tank is typically mounted on a support structure t in the facility. Therefore, deploying an immersion cooling enclosure with this design may take a long time and may cost a lot of money.
[0025] Several embodiments of the disclosed technology can address at least some of the shortcomings of welded stainless steel designs by implementing an insulated well design for an immersion cooling enclosure. In certain embodiments, the immersion cooling enclosure can include a well formed from concrete, earth, brick, or other suitable type of base material and lined with an insulating liner. The insulating liner can include an insulating layer configured to prevent dielectric coolant from permeating through the insulating layer and leaking from the immersion cooling enclosure. Example materials suitable for the insulating layer can include high density polypropylene (HDPP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), or other suitable types of non-permeable polymeric materials. Thus, the insulating liner can be used to prevent loss of dielectric coolant from the immersion cooling enclosure rather than as a structural member of the well. As a result, the capital cost of deploying the immersion cooling enclosure can be reduced compared to using a welded stainless steel water tank as the immersion cooling enclosure, as described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4 Describe in more detail.
[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a computing facility 100 having an immersion cooled enclosure with an insulation well design configured in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosed technology. Figure 1 As shown, computing facility 100 may include an immersion cooling enclosure 102 in which racks 101 are mounted to carry a server or servers (referred to herein as "servers 103" for simplicity). Each of servers 103 may include one or more heat generating components 105, such as CPUs, GPUs, etc. Computing facility 100 may also include a circulation pump 114 and a cooling tower 116, which are operatively coupled to the immersion cooling enclosure via inlet and outlet manifolds 112b. Although for illustrative purposes, the immersion cooling enclosure 102 may be configured as follows: Figure 1 Only one immersion cooling enclosure 102 is shown, but in other embodiments, the computing facility 100 may include multiple immersion cooling enclosures 102 (not shown) arranged in parallel and coupled to the same inlet and outlet manifolds 112a and 112b, and / or other suitable components.
[0027] The circulation pump 114 can be configured to receive cooling fluid from the immersion cooling shell 102 via the outlet manifold 112b and forward the received cooling fluid to the cooling tower 116. The cooling tower 116 can then remove heat from the cooling fluid and provide the cooling fluid to the immersion cooling shell 102 via the inlet manifold 112a. The circulation pump 114 can include a centrifugal pump, a piston pump, or other suitable type of pump. Although Figure 1 , but in other embodiments, the computing facility 100 may include additional and / or different components. For example, the computing facility 100 may include a chiller, one or more heat exchangers (not shown), and / or other suitable mechanical components.
[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, the immersion cooling shell 102 may include a well 104 formed in a base material (e.g., concrete or earth). The formed well may include an inner surface formed by a first surface 104a at a first height, a second surface 104b at a second height lower than the first height, and a side surface 104c extending between the first and second surfaces 104a and 104b. Figure 1 In the example shown, the side surface 104c extends generally perpendicularly between the first and second surfaces 104a and 104b. In other examples, one or more side surfaces 104c may be angled relative to the first and / or second surfaces 104a and 104b.
[0029] In one embodiment, well 104 may be formed by excavating a portion of the ground (e.g., soil) in computing facility 100 to form a linear shape and suitable dimensions, and then pouring concrete to line the excavated portion of the ground to form concrete well 104. In other embodiments, well 104 may be formed by placing one or more precast concrete blocks on the ground in computing facility 100 to form a linear well. In another example, well 104 may be formed by surrounding a portion of the ground with soil, concrete, or other suitable material to form an above-ground well. In still other examples, well 104 may be formed in other suitable ways.
[0030] The insulating liner 106 may be in contact with and attached to the inner surface of the well 104 by adhesive, mechanical fasteners, or other suitable means. The insulating liner 106 may include at least an insulating layer 126 (e.g., Figure 2A ), the insulating layer 126 is impermeable to the dielectric coolant 120, thereby preventing or at least reducing the rate at which the dielectric coolant 120 leaks through the base material of the well. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the inventors have recognized that the dielectric coolant 120 generally has a small molecular size and therefore can generally permeate through concrete and soil. Therefore, in order to at least reduce or prevent leakage of the dielectric coolant 120 from the well 104 through the concrete or soil, several embodiments of the disclosed technology involve lining the well 104 with an insulating liner 106 that is impermeable to the dielectric coolant 120. In one embodiment, the insulating liner 106 may include a single insulating layer 126 of high density polypropylene (HDPP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), or other suitable type of non-permeable polymer material. In other embodiments, the insulating liner 106 may also include multiple layers that are arranged in a stacked, interwoven, or other suitable manner. In another embodiment, one or more layers in the insulating liner may also include one or more fluid channels 136 (in Figure 2B ), which is configured to trap and / or capture any dielectric coolant 120 escaping from the well 104. Figures 2A to 2C An example of such a multi-layer insulation liner 106 is described in more detail.
[0031] The immersion cooling housing 102 may also include a cover 108 configured to mate with and seal the well 104 using one or more O-rings, gaskets, or other suitable sealing devices (not shown). Figure 1As shown, the cover 108 may include a plate-like structure that contacts and is secured to the first surface 104a of the well 104. Thus, the cover 108, the second surface 104b of the well 104, and the side surface 104c of the well 104 enclose an interior space configured to accommodate the dielectric coolant 120. In the illustrated example, the interior space includes a liquid space 122a and a vapor space 122b. In other examples, the interior space may be substantially filled with the dielectric coolant 120, with no or almost no vapor space 122b.
[0032] In certain embodiments, the cover 108 can be constructed of concrete, metal, or a metal alloy as a substrate for supporting various components configured to facilitate immersion cooling operations in the well 104. For example, the cover 108 can include a condenser 110 (e.g., a cooling coil) that is in thermal communication with the vapor space 122b and configured to condense vapor of the dielectric coolant 120 in the vapor space 122 of the well 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the condenser 110 is shown attached to the side of the cover 108 facing the well 104. In other embodiments, the condenser 110 can also be embedded in the cover 108 or have other suitable configurations. The cover 108 can also include suitable conduits, lines, pipes, etc. to provide cooling fluid (e.g., cooling water) to the condenser 110 and power / signals to the servers 103. In other embodiments, the cover 108 may also include pressure sensors, temperature sensors, sight glasses, or other suitable components (not shown) configured to facilitate monitoring, control, or other suitable operation of the immersion cooling enclosure 102 .
[0033] In operation, the heat-generating components 105 of the servers 103 within the immersion cooling enclosure 102 can consume power from a power source (not shown, such as the electrical grid) to execute appropriate instructions to provide the desired computing services. The dielectric coolant 120 can absorb heat generated by the components 105 during operation and dissipate the absorbed heat into the cooling fluid flowing through the condenser 110. In certain embodiments, the dielectric coolant 120 absorbs the heat generated by the servers 103 through a phase change (i.e., a portion of the dielectric coolant 120 evaporates into vapor and evaporates into the vapor space 122). The evaporated vapor can then be condensed into a liquid by the cooling fluid flowing through the condenser 110 via the inlet manifold 112a and returned to the well 104 via gravity (as shown by the dashed arrows) or a pump. In other embodiments, the dielectric coolant 110 can absorb heat without a phase change. The circulating pump 114 then forwards the heated cooling fluid from the outlet manifold 112b to the cooling tower 116 to dissipate the heat to a heat sink (e.g., the atmosphere). The cooling fluid then circulates back to the immersion cooling enclosure 102 via the inlet manifold 112a.
[0034] Thus, several embodiments of the immersion cooling shell 102 can have lower costs and manufacturing complexity than welded stainless steel plates. Unlike welded water tanks, the sealing of the immersion cooling shell 102 according to the disclosed technology does not rely on welds between stainless steel plates. Instead, the seal is achieved through the insulating liner 106. Because the insulating liner 106 is not a structural component, the engineering and construction of the immersion cooling shell can be much simpler than that of a welded stainless steel water tank. Consequently, the engineering, manufacturing, construction, and other suitable types of capital costs for the immersion cooling shell 102 can be significantly reduced compared to using a welded stainless steel water tank as the immersion cooling shell.
[0035] Figures 2A to 2C is applicable to embodiments of the disclosed technology Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional view of the insulating liner 106 of the immersion cooling shell 102. Figure 2A As shown, the example insulating liner 106 may include a protective layer 124 at a first side 106a in contact with the dielectric coolant 120; an insulating layer 126; a sealing layer 128; and a priming layer 130 in contact with the base material at the inner surface of the wells 104 arranged in a stacked formation at a second side. In some embodiments, Figure 2A The various layers shown in FIG can be formed by extrusion. In other embodiments, the various layers can be sprayed or otherwise formed directly onto the inner surface of the well 104 or the previous layer of the insulating liner 106. Even in Figures 2A to 2C Specific layers and the arrangement of these layers are shown in FIG, but in some embodiments, one or more of the protective layer 124, the sealing layer 128, or the priming layer 130 may be omitted.
[0036] The protective layer can be configured to at least reduce the effects of physical damage (e.g., scratches, or other suitable types of mechanical damage) on the insulating layer 126. For example, the protective layer 124 can include one or more protective materials configured to protect the insulating layer 126 from contact with the server 103 and / or the rack 101 (e.g., during installation or maintenance). Figure 1 Examples of suitable protective materials may include nylon, Kevlar, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, silk, carbon fiber, or a combination of at least some of the foregoing protective materials.
[0037] The sealing layer 128 may include one or more sealing materials that are configured to automatically seal the insulating layer 126 in the event of a puncture in the insulating layer 126. Examples of suitable sealing materials may include ballistic gelatin, multiple layers of rubber coating, or other suitable sealants that can automatically expand and / or contract to seal the puncture. Figure 2AThe middle sealing layer 128 is shown between the insulating layer 126 and the potting layer 130, but in other embodiments, the sealing layer 128 can also be separated from the insulating layer, for example, by an intermediate layer (not shown). In another embodiment, the sealing layer 128 can have other suitable configurations or be omitted from the insulating liner 106.
[0038] The priming layer 130 can be configured to remove, and thereby allow for detection of, any leakage of dielectric coolant 120 through the insulating layer 126 (as indicated by the dashed arrows). Figure 2B and Figure 2C As shown, the priming layer 130 may include a base 132 having a plurality of ribs or other suitable types of protrusions extending therefrom (referred to herein as "ribs 134" for simplicity). Adjacent pairs of the plurality of ribs 134 may then form a plurality of channels 136 (referred to herein as "channels 136" for illustration purposes). Figure 2C The plurality of channels 136 are in fluid communication with a vacuum source (not shown). Thus, when the priming layer 130 is positioned behind and / or attached to the insulating layer 126 ( Figure 2A 132 ), with or without the intermediate layer(s), any leaked dielectric coolant 120 can be removed from behind the insulating layer 126. By monitoring the output from the priming layer 130, leak detection of the dielectric coolant 120 from the well 104 can be achieved using color-changing paint, sensors, or other suitable detectors. In other examples, the priming layer 130 can also include a top portion (not shown) opposite the base 132, such that a plurality of ribs 134 extend between the top portion and the base 132. In other examples, the priming layer 130 can be a built-in layer at the insulating layer 126, the sealing layer 128, or other suitable layer of the insulating liner 106.
[0039] Figure 3 is applicable to additional embodiments according to the disclosed technology Figure 1 Schematic cross-sectional view of the cover 108 of the immersion cooling housing 102. Figure 3As shown, the cover 108 may include a top portion 108a opposite a bottom portion 108b that partially surrounds a portion of the steam space 122 in the well 104. The cover 108 may also include one or more filter layers extending between the top portion 108a and the bottom portion 108b in the steam space 122. An example material suitable for the filter layer includes activated carbon. In the illustrated example, the cover 108 includes first and second filter layers 140 and 140' arranged in sequence. The first filter layer 140 is located in the steam space 122, while the second filter layer 140' is located at the steam outlet 108c of the cover 108. The secondary condenser 110' is located between the first and second filter layers 140 and 140'. In other examples, the cover 108 may include one, three, four, or any other suitable number of filter layers (with or without an intermediate secondary condenser 110').
[0040] like Figure 3 As shown, during operation, the dielectric coolant 120 can at least partially boil and escape into the vapor space 122 of the well 104 as a vapor of the dielectric coolant 120 (as indicated by arrow 150a). The vapor then contacts the condenser 110 (as indicated by arrow 150b). A cooling fluid (not shown) flowing through the condenser 110 can then remove heat from the vapor and condense the vapor into a liquid, which is then returned to the well 104 by gravity (as indicated by arrow 150c) or a pump.
[0041] During the aforementioned operation, air containing dielectric coolant 120 vapor may contact the filter layer. The filter layer may then allow air to pass through the filter layer without allowing, or at least reducing, the permeation of dielectric coolant 120 vapor through the filter layer. The air, with at least a reduced amount of dielectric coolant 120 vapor, may then contact the secondary condenser 110', which condenses any remaining dielectric coolant 120 in the air and returns it to the well 104. The air then passes through the secondary condenser 110' and is extracted from the vapor space 122 of the well 104 via the second filter layer 140'. In this way, air can be extracted from / introduced into the vapor space 122 of the well 104 to control the pressure in the well 104 without losing a significant amount of dielectric coolant 120. The extracted air may also be further condensed to recover any remaining dielectric coolant 120 and returned to a collection container (not shown) and / or the well 104 via, for example, a circulation pump (not shown). In yet another example, multiple filter layers and / or condensers 110 may be arranged between the vapor space 122 and the vapor outlet 108c in a sequential, staggered, or other suitable manner.
[0042] Figure 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the disclosed technology deployed Figure 1Flowchart of an example process 200 for designing an immersion cooled enclosure with an insulation well. Figure 4 As shown, process 200 may include: at stage 202, forming a well. Figure 1 An example technique for forming a well is described. Process 200 may then include, at stage 204, installing an insulating liner in the formed well. Figures 1 to 2C As discussed in more detail, the insulating liner may include at least one insulating layer configured to prevent leakage of dielectric coolant through the formed holes. Process 200 may then include, at stage 206, loading the servers and / or racks supporting the servers into the well. For example, the racks or other suitable types of support equipment may be placed within the well and in contact with the insulating liner in the well. The racks may also include a protective layer at surfaces that contact or are proximate to the insulating liner. Process 200 may then include, at stage 208, covering the well with a cover and sealing the well from the outside, and filling the well with dielectric coolant to completely submerge the servers carried on the racks.
[0043] As described above, it should be understood that, for illustrative purposes, specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein, but various modifications may be made without departing from the present disclosure. In addition, many elements of one embodiment may be combined with other embodiments to supplement or replace elements of other embodiments. Therefore, the present technology is not limited by the appended claims.
Claims
1. An insulating well immersion cooling enclosure comprising: a well formed in the substrate material, the well having: a first surface at a first height; a second surface located at a second height lower than the first height; and a side surface extending between the first surface and the second surface; a cover member in contact with and secured to the first surface of the well, the cover member, the second surface of the well, and the side surface of the well enclosing an interior space, the interior space being configured to include a dielectric coolant that submerges one or more computing devices within the interior space; as well as an insulating liner positioned on the second surface and the side surface of the well, the insulating liner having: a first side in contact with the dielectric coolant; and a second side in contact with the base material at the second surface and the side surface of the well, wherein the insulating liner includes an insulating layer composed of a polymer material impermeable to the dielectric coolant, thereby preventing the dielectric coolant from flowing through the insulating liner to the base material.
2. The insulated well immersion cooling enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the insulating liner comprises: A protective layer is located between the insulating layer and the dielectric coolant, wherein the protective layer is made of one or more of the following: nylon, Kevlar, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, silk or carbon fiber.
3. The insulated well immersion cooling enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the insulating liner comprises: a protective layer positioned between the insulating layer and the dielectric coolant, the protective layer being composed of one or more of: nylon, Kevlar, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, silk, or carbon fiber; and A sealing layer is located between the insulating layer and the base material of the well, the sealing layer being composed of one or more of the following: ballistic gelatin or multiple layers of rubber.
4. The insulated well immersion cooling enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the insulating liner comprises: A priming layer is positioned between the insulating layer and a base material of the well, the priming layer including one or more channels in fluid communication with a vacuum source configured to remove any dielectric coolant flowing through the insulating layer.
5. The insulated well immersion cooling enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the insulating liner comprises: a priming layer positioned between the insulating layer and a base material of the well, the priming layer comprising a base having a plurality of protrusions extending toward the insulating layer, wherein adjacent pairs of the protrusions form a plurality of channels, the plurality of channels being in fluid communication with a vacuum source configured to remove any dielectric coolant that passes through the insulating layer.
6. The insulated well immersion cooling enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises: A condenser is in thermal communication with the interior space, the condenser being configured to remove heat from the dielectric coolant vapor, thereby condensing the dielectric coolant vapor into a liquid that is returned to the interior space via gravity or a pump.
7. The insulated well immersion cooling enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises: a condenser in thermal communication with the interior space, the condenser configured to remove heat from the dielectric coolant vapor to condense the dielectric coolant vapor into a liquid that is returned to the interior space via gravity or a pump; a steam outlet for the interior space of the immersion cooling shell; as well as A filter layer is located between the steam outlet and the condenser, and is configured to allow air to pass through but not allow the steam of the dielectric coolant to pass through.
8. The insulated well immersion cooling enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises: a steam outlet for the interior space of the immersion cooling shell; First condenser; a second condenser positioned between the first condenser and the vapor outlet, the first condenser and the second condenser both being in thermal communication with the interior space and configured to remove heat from the vapor of the dielectric coolant, thereby condensing the vapor of the dielectric coolant into a liquid that is returned to the interior space of the immersion cooling enclosure by gravity or a pump; as well as A filter layer is located between the first condenser and the second condenser, the filter layer being configured to allow air to pass through but not allow the vapor of the dielectric coolant to pass through, and the filter layer being made of carbon.
9. The insulated well immersion cooling enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises: a steam outlet for the interior space of the immersion cooling shell; First condenser; a second condenser positioned between the first condenser and the vapor outlet, the first condenser and the second condenser both being in thermal communication with the interior space and configured to remove heat from the vapor of the dielectric coolant, thereby condensing the vapor of the dielectric coolant into a liquid that is returned to the interior space of the immersion cooling enclosure by gravity or a pump; as well as a first filter layer, located between the first condenser and the second condenser; as well as The second filter layer is located at the steam outlet. The first filter layer and the second filter layer are configured to allow air to pass through but not allow the steam of the dielectric coolant to pass through. The filter layer is made of carbon.
10. A computing facility comprising: A plurality of immersion cooling enclosures, each comprising: a well formed in a substrate material, the well having: a first surface located at a first height; a second surface located at a second height lower than the first height; and a side surface extending between the first surface and the second surface; a cover member in contact with and secured to the first surface of the well, the cover member, the second surface of the well, and the side surface of the well enclosing an interior space, the interior space being configured to contain a dielectric coolant, the cover including a condenser in thermal communication with the interior space; and an insulating liner positioned on the second surface and the side surface of the well, the insulating liner having: a first side in contact with the dielectric coolant; and a second side in contact with the base material at the second surface and the side surface of the well, wherein the insulating liner includes an insulating layer composed of a polymer material impermeable to the dielectric coolant, thereby preventing the dielectric coolant from flowing through the insulating liner to the base material; one or more servers, in a single immersion cooling enclosure, the one or more servers immersed in the dielectric coolant in the respective immersion cooling enclosure; and A manifold is operably coupled to the condensers of a plurality of the immersion cooling shells, the manifold being coupled to a cooling liquid source.
11. The computing facility of claim 10, wherein the insulating lining comprises: an insulating layer composed of a polymer material impermeable to the dielectric coolant; and A protective layer is located between the insulating layer and the dielectric coolant, wherein the protective layer is made of one or more of the following: nylon, Kevlar, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, silk or carbon fiber.
12. The computing facility of claim 10, wherein the insulating lining comprises: an insulating layer composed of a polymer material impermeable to the dielectric coolant; a protective layer positioned between the insulating layer and the dielectric coolant, the protective layer being composed of one or more of: nylon, Kevlar, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, silk, or carbon fiber; and A sealing layer is located between the insulating layer and the base material of the well, the sealing layer being composed of one or more of the following: ballistic gelatin or multiple layers of rubber.
13. The computing facility of claim 10, wherein the insulating lining comprises: a protective layer, located between the insulating layer and the dielectric coolant, the protective layer being composed of one or more of the following: nylon, Kevlar, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, silk, or carbon fiber; a sealing layer positioned between the insulating layer and the base material of the well, the sealing layer being composed of one or more of the following: ballistic gelatin or multiple layers of rubber; as well as A priming layer is positioned between the insulating layer and a base material of the well, the priming layer including one or more channels in fluid communication with a vacuum source configured to remove any dielectric coolant flowing through the insulating layer.
14. The computing facility of claim 10, wherein the insulating lining comprises: a protective layer, located between the insulating layer and the dielectric coolant, the protective layer being composed of one or more of the following: nylon, Kevlar, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, silk, or carbon fiber; a sealing layer positioned between the insulating layer and the base material of the well, the sealing layer being composed of one or more of the following: ballistic gelatin or multiple layers of rubber; as well as a priming layer positioned between the insulating layer and a base material of the well, the priming layer comprising a base having a plurality of protrusions extending toward the insulating layer, wherein adjacent pairs of the protrusions form a plurality of channels, the plurality of channels being in fluid communication with a vacuum source configured to remove any dielectric coolant that passes through the insulating layer.
15. The computing facility of claim 10, wherein the covers of the immersion cooling enclosure each comprise: a steam outlet for the interior space of the immersion cooling shell; as well as A filter layer is located between the steam outlet and the condenser, and is configured to allow air to pass through but not allow the steam of the dielectric coolant to pass through.
16. A method of forming an immersion cooling enclosure for housing a server, the method comprising: forming a well in a substrate material, the well having: a first surface located at a first height; a second surface located at a second height lower than the first height; and a side surface extending between the first surface and the second surface; placing an insulating liner on the second surface and the side surface of the well, the insulating liner having a first side and a second side, the second side being opposite the first side and in contact with the base material at the second surface and the side surface of the well; positioning one or more servers in the well, the one or more servers separated from the base material of the well by the insulating liner; sealing the one or more servers in the formed well using a cover, wherein the cover contacts the first surface of the well, and the cover, the second surface of the well, and the side surface of the well enclose an interior space; as well as The interior space formed by the cover, the second surface of the well, and the side surface of the well is filled with a dielectric coolant so that the one or more servers are immersed in the dielectric coolant, and the insulating liner includes an insulating layer composed of a polymer material that is impermeable to the dielectric coolant.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein placing the insulating liner comprises: securing the insulating liner to the second surface and the side surface of the well via adhesive and mechanical fasteners; or Placing the insulating lining comprises: The insulating material of the insulating liner is sprayed onto the second surface and the side surface of the well.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein placing the insulating liner comprises: The insulating liner is secured to the second surface and the side surface of the well via adhesive or mechanical fasteners, the insulating liner comprising one or more of: a protective layer, located between the insulating layer and the dielectric coolant, the protective layer being composed of one or more of the following: nylon, Kevlar, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, silk, or carbon fiber; a sealing layer positioned between the insulating layer and the base material of the well, the sealing layer being composed of one or more of: ballistic gelatin or multiple layers of rubber; or an irrigation layer positioned between the insulating layer and a base material of the well, the irrigation layer comprising one or more channels in fluid communication with a vacuum source configured to remove any dielectric coolant flowing through the insulating layer; or Placing the insulating lining comprises: The insulating layer and one or more layers of corresponding materials of the following are sprayed onto the second surface and the side surface of the well or the previous layer: the protective layer, the sealing layer, or the priming layer.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Environmentally sequestered spent fuel pool
CN107077899A