Full server liquid system automatic connection design

Abstract

The chassis can include a sliding liquid dispenser having a blind mating connector. The blind mating connector mates with an IT rack in one direction and with one or more electronic devices in the opposite direction. The liquid dispenser circulates fluid from the electronic devices to the IT rack and from the IT rack to the electronic devices. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to enclosures installed in information technology (IT) racks. In particular, the enclosure can house liquid-cooled IT electronic devices (e.g., servers and / or peripherals), and includes automatic connection blind mate liquid connectors, which reduce the effort required to install the enclosure into an IT rack. Background Art

[0002] Information technology (IT) includes technologies such as computers accessible via the Internet or a local network, which provide storage or access to data, websites, computer programs, algorithms, services, etc. IT devices such as servers and other electronic devices (e.g., peripherals) can be installed in enclosures. These enclosures can then be installed in IT racks. As a way to manage the power and thermal requirements of IT devices, IT racks can be filled with multiple racks.

[0003] Liquid cooling systems transfer and convey liquids between IT racks and enclosures, and between enclosures and IT devices mounted on the enclosures. Such systems can provide high operating and cooling efficiency for IT devices. Liquid cooling for high power density electronic devices is becoming increasingly popular because in some cases air cooling may be thermally insufficient. Therefore, there is a need for a liquid cooling solution for supporting various IT devices, especially within increasing packaged power densities, while addressing the reliability, interoperability, maintainability, and cost of liquid cooling.

[0004] Maintaining the thermal environment required for various IT devices (e.g., servers, power supplies, etc.) is crucial. For high power density racks, the management of thermal requirements can be particularly important and challenging because if not cooled properly, an unacceptable amount of thermal energy can accumulate in a short period of time and cause damage to the system. In addition, the system should be low maintenance and highly reliable.

[0005] Printed circuit boards (PCBs) can be packaged with different system-on-chips (SOICs), such as GPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, chiplets, etc. The density of electronic packaging increases, as well as the workloads performed by IT devices. Therefore, there is a need to enable liquid cooling of these devices to manage the increasing amount of thermal energy generated by these devices.

[0006] The system can be designed to be able to assemble different numbers of peripherals to be designed for different configurations. The liquid cooling system designed for this enclosure should be able to accommodate these changes.

[0007] Blind mating connectors reduce the effort required to mate two connectors. However, the blind mating connectors need to be integrated into the chassis of an IT rack to reduce the risk of damage to IT equipment and ensure proper connection. There is a lack of a mature solution for electronic devices and liquid-based blind mating connectors, such as those used to connect electronic devices and liquid-based blind mating connectors using the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCI-E or PCIe) standard. Thus, the design of a blind mating connection system for a server chassis filled with multiple liquid cooling devices is challenging.

[0008] Flexible hoses can pose maintenance obstacles and increase the risk of entanglement and leakage. In addition, the connectors require manual twisting or turning of the connectors to mate, which increases the total effort required to maintain the system and may increase the risk of improper installation. Thus, there is a need for a chassis that does not include flexible hoses or manual liquid connections. Further, designing a system with flexible hoses takes up additional space within the chassis, which may limit the availability of the cooling solution and its interoperability and usability.

[0009] Another issue is that some electronic devices, such as PCI-E devices, can be used as peripherals, which means that these devices may not be permanently integrated with the motherboard. Thus, there is a need for a modular solution that reduces the effort required to change PCI-E devices to accommodate changing application and / or workload requirements. In addition, some existing server-level liquid cooling solutions are designed to mate with mezzanine connectors. However, due to form factor limitations and differences, these solutions cannot be applied to PCI-E devices.

[0010] Therefore, there is a need for a liquid cooling system design that can address some of the problems described above, such as a chassis for housing liquid-cooled IT equipment. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a chassis for encapsulating electronic devices to be filled on an information technology rack. The chassis includes: a liquid distributor having a first blind mating connector facing a first direction and a second blind mating connector facing away from the first direction, wherein the first blind mating connector is coupled to a rack manifold of an electronic rack to receive a cooling fluid, so as to distribute the cooling fluid to the electronic devices via the second blind mating connector and return the cooling fluid carrying heat generated from the electronic devices to the rack manifold; a sliding channel to which the liquid distributor is mounted such that the liquid distributor slides back and forth along the first direction; and a device frame having mounting slots to accommodate the electronic devices placed thereon, such that when a first force is applied to the first blind mating connector against the first direction, the second blind mating connector slides toward the mounting slots.

[0012] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides an electronic rack, comprising: a rack manifold for receiving a cooling fluid from an external cooling source and returning the cooling fluid to the external cooling source; and a plurality of server chassis arranged in a stack, each server chassis including at least one server, wherein each server chassis includes: a liquid distributor having a first blind mate connector facing a first direction and a second blind mate connector facing away from the first direction, wherein the first blind mate connector is coupled to the rack manifold to receive the cooling fluid, thereby distributing the cooling fluid to the electronic device via the second blind mate connector and returning the cooling fluid carrying heat generated from the electronic device to the rack manifold; a sliding channel to which the liquid distributor is mounted such that the liquid distributor slides back and forth along the first direction; and a device frame having a mounting groove to accommodate an electronic device placed thereon such that when a first force is applied to the first blind mate connector against the first direction, the second blind mate connector slides toward the mounting groove. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Aspects are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements. It should be noted that the "one" or "a" aspect(s) referred to in the present disclosure is not necessarily the same aspect(s), and they mean at least one. Further, for the sake of brevity and to reduce the total number of drawings, a given drawing may be used to illustrate features of more than one aspect, and not all elements in the drawing are necessary for a given aspect.

[0014] Figure 1A and Figure 1B Shows an exemplary chassis with liquid cooling in different views according to some embodiments.

[0015] Figure 2 Shows an exemplary chassis with liquid cooling for a main PCB and peripheral electronics according to some embodiments.

[0016] Figure 3 Shows an exemplary chassis with liquid cooling including multiple rows of electronic devices according to some embodiments.

[0017] Figure 4 Shows an example of a lever mechanism of a chassis according to some embodiments.

[0018] Figure 5 Shows another example of a lever mechanism of a chassis according to some embodiments.

[0019] Figure 6 Shows the installation of a chassis according to some embodiments.

[0020] Figure 7 Shows an example of an IT rack and chassis according to some embodiments. Detailed implementation manners

[0021] Now, several aspects of the present disclosure will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. Whenever the shape, relative position, and other aspects of the components described in a given aspect are not clearly defined, the scope disclosed herein is not limited only to the components shown, which are for illustrative purposes only. In addition, although many details are set forth, it should be understood that some aspects can be practiced without these details. In other cases, well-known circuits, structures, and technologies are not shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification. Moreover, unless the meaning is clearly contrary, all ranges set forth herein are considered to include the endpoints of each range.

[0022] The phrase "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mentioned in the specification means that the specific features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0023] A liquid cooling solution is described in the present disclosure, which includes a blind mating connector connected to the cooling system of an IT rack and liquid cooling for one or more electronic devices. By eliminating the presence of any flexible hoses, this automatic blind mating design enables efficient server-level and device-level operations. In addition, this solution provides a blind mating connection design for the connection between the device and the server chassis, as well as between the server chassis and the rack. The blind mating connector of the chassis can be automatically mated with the rack cooling system and the electronic device by pushing the chassis into the server slot in the IT rack. This can be done without the need to manually twist and turn the connector. It should be understood that in the present disclosure, "liquid" can be "fluid". For example, in some embodiments, the liquid dispenser can be a fluid dispenser, and the coolant can be a liquid, or it can also be a gas or a fluid that is a mixture of liquid and gas.

[0024] The system design of an automatic fluid blind mating system for liquid cooling applications is described. The chassis includes two-stage blind mating connections - the first set of blind mating connectors is connected to the rack-level fluid (e.g., the IT rack manifold), and the second set of blind mating connectors is connected to the electronic device (e.g., the PCI-E device). The blind mating connectors are integrated on the fluid distribution manifold of the IT rack. The efficient and compact liquid distribution system of the chassis and the IT rack minimizes the need for fluid hoses. In addition, multiple devices can be connected to the rack-level or system-level cooling circuit in a modular manner. The chassis design can support different form factors of the devices and protect the electrical connections from the forces that may be generated by the mating of the liquid connections.

[0025] In one aspect, a chassis for encapsulating electronic devices to be populated on an IT rack includes a liquid distributor having a first blind mate connector facing a first direction and a second blind mate connector facing away from the first direction, wherein the first blind mate connector is to be coupled to a rack manifold of the electronic rack to receive a cooling fluid and thereby distribute the cooling fluid to the electronic devices via the second blind mate connector and return the cooling fluid carrying heat generated from the electronic devices to the rack manifold. The chassis further includes a sliding channel of the chassis on which the liquid distributor is mounted such that the liquid distributor slides back and forth along the first direction. The chassis further includes a device frame having a mounting slot to receive an electronic device placed thereon such that when a first force is applied against the first direction to the first blind mate connector, the second blind mate connector slides towards the mounting slot.

[0026] In one embodiment, the chassis further includes: a moving frame fixed to the liquid distributor and sliding back and forth along the first direction due to the corresponding movement of the liquid distributor; and a lever mechanism fixed to the moving frame and providing a second force to the device frame in response to a first force applied against the first direction to the first blind mate connector.

[0027] In one embodiment, the lever mechanism includes a first member fixed to the moving frame, a second member coupled to the first member, and a fulcrum engaging with the second member to pivot the second member in response to the first force to generate the second force. The first blind mate connector and the second blind mate connector are fluidly connected via two or more liquid channels. A first one of the first blind mate connectors is fluidly connected to a first one of the second blind mate connectors to distribute liquid from the first one of the first blind mate connectors to the first one of the second blind mate connectors. A second one of the first blind mate connectors is fluidly connected to a second one of the second blind mate connectors to return liquid from the second one of the second blind mate connectors to the second one of the first blind mate connectors. The chassis can be a hose-free liquid cooling chassis.

[0028] In one embodiment, each of the first blind mate connectors and each of the second blind mate connectors includes a guiding member and a locking member, and the guiding member and the locking member each mate with a corresponding connector by applying a force to the chassis in a first direction. The second blind mate connectors include multiple pairs of second blind mate connectors fluidly connected to the first blind mate connectors, and wherein the equipment frame includes multiple mounting slots for attaching multiple electronic devices. A first group of the multiple pairs of second blind mate connectors and a first portion of the multiple mounting slots form a first row, and a second group of the multiple pairs of second blind mate connectors and a second portion of the multiple mounting slots form a second row behind the first row. The electronic devices are PCI-E devices, and the electronic connectors attached to the chassis mate with the PCI-E devices in a direction perpendicular to the mating direction of the first blind mate connectors and the second blind mate connectors. The sliding channel includes a track, a channel, or a member that slides through the track or the channel.

[0029] In another aspect, the electronic rack includes a rack manifold to receive cooling fluid from an external cooling source and return the cooling fluid to the external cooling source. The electronic rack also includes a stack of server chassis, each server chassis containing one or more servers therein. Each server chassis includes the components as described above.

[0030] Figure 1A and Figure 1B An exemplary chassis with liquid cooling is shown according to some embodiments. The chassis can be filled with one or more liquid-cooled electronic devices (e.g., IT devices) and then mounted on an IT rack.

[0031] Figure 1A A top view of the chassis is shown. The chassis 100 houses one or more electronic devices 120. The electronic devices can be attached to the equipment frame 102 through the device mounting unit 107, which can include one or more attachment components such as brackets, bolts, latches, nuts, clips, or other equivalent mechanical members. The device mounting unit is optional because different mechanisms can be used to directly secure the devices to the equipment frame of the chassis. The equipment frame can form a wall or surface perpendicular to the bottom plate of the chassis. The electronic devices can be mounted between the equipment frame and the liquid distributor 112.

[0032] The liquid distributor 112 serves as a chassis-level manifold for distributing a liquid (e.g., coolant) to and from one or more electronic devices 120. The liquid distributor may have a first blind mate connector 114 that fluidly connects the liquid distributor to an IT rack 140 (e.g., a rack manifold). The first blind mate connector 114 includes a supply connector for receiving cooling fluid from the rack manifold and a return connector for returning the cooling fluid carrying heat generated from a heat-generating component (e.g., a processor) to the rack manifold. The liquid distributor may have a second blind mate connector 110 that fluidly connects the liquid distributor to an electronic device (e.g., a cold plate attached to the electronic device). The first blind mate connector and the second blind mate connector are fluidly connected via two or more liquid channels 113. For example, the first of the first blind mate connectors is fluidly connected to the first of the second blind mate connectors to distribute liquid from the first of the first blind mate connectors to the first of the second blind mate connectors (e.g., to convey fluid from the IT rack to the electronic device). Similarly, the second of the first blind mate connectors is fluidly connected to the second of the second blind mate connectors (e.g., to cycle liquid from the electronic device back to the IT rack). In this way, the liquid distributor enables the cooling fluid to cycle from the electronic device to the IT rack and from the IT rack to the electronic device.

[0033] As Figure 1A and Figure 1B shown, the first blind mate connector may face a first direction (e.g., from the front end of the rack towards the rear end towards the mating connector in the IT rack). In this example, the first direction refers to the direction from the lever mechanism 106 towards the connector 114. The second blind mate connector faces away from the first direction in a second direction (e.g., from the rear end of the rack towards the front end towards the mating connector of the device). In this example, the second direction refers to the direction from the connector 114 towards the lever mechanism 106. The liquid distributor may be mounted to a sliding channel 124 such that the liquid distributor slides back and forth along the first direction (shown as direction “A” in Figure 1B ). For example, the liquid distributor may be fixed to a mount 126 that offsets the liquid distributor from the bottom plate 115 of the chassis. The bottom plate 115 may be understood as a substrate for integrating multiple electronic devices 120 and providing interconnection and communication, management, and security. The liquid distributor mount 126 may be connected to a sliding channel on the server chassis by a sliding mechanism (e.g., rails, channels, and / or a member that slides through the rails or channels). The server chassis may be a rigid frame structure that includes the bottom structure and / or side structure of the chassis, similar to a container. Different sliding mechanisms may be implemented that provide for the forward and backward movement of the liquid distributor along the direction of the slider.

[0034] The device frame 102 includes one or more mounting slots for attaching one or more electronic devices (e.g., processors attached to respective cold plates). The mounting slots can be sandwiched between the device frame and the liquid dispenser. When a force is applied to the first mating connector in a first direction (i.e., in the direction consistent with the mating direction of the connectors), the second mating connector slides towards the mounting slot (and the attached electronic device). In other words, when the chassis is pushed into the server slot of the IT rack, i.e., in this example from the front end on the left hand side to the rear end on the right hand side, this causes the first mating connector (e.g., connector 114) to mate with the connector (e.g., connector 142) of the rack manifold of the IT rack. Additionally, the IT rack pushes the liquid dispenser of the chassis back, causing the liquid dispenser and the second mating connector to slide towards the respective electronic device (e.g., from right to left in this example), which causes the second mating connector (e.g., connectors 110 and 116) to mate with the electronic device (e.g., connector 121). The mating of the connectors can be performed without the need to rotate the connectors. The installation process is further described in other sections.

[0035] In some embodiments, the mating connectors of the chassis have sliding, latching, and / or locking members that latch and / or lock the connectors in place when sufficient and appropriate pressure (in the mating direction of the connectors) is applied to press the connectors together. The connectors can be arranged on the chassis as described such that when the chassis is pushed into the server slot in the IT rack, the first and second connectors mate with the respective connectors in response to the force applied to the chassis.

[0036] In some embodiments, the connectors can have one or more alignment mechanisms (e.g., guiding members such as pins, grooves, slots, etc.) that align the connectors to assist them in mating properly. Thus, based on alignment and sliding / latching, the mating can be performed with minimal effort without the need for a wrench or other tools and by simply pushing the chassis into the rack. In some embodiments, the connectors are drip - free mating connectors to prevent any leakage of fluid.

[0037] In some embodiments, the chassis includes a moving frame (e.g., 104 and 108) that is fixed to the liquid dispenser and transfers force to the device frame 102 through a lever mechanism 106. Due to the corresponding movement of the liquid dispenser, the moving frame can slide back and forth along direction "A". The moving frame 108 can be fixed to the liquid dispenser 112 such that they move in unison. The moving frame can be mechanically coupled to the lever mechanism 106, but the lever mechanism does not slide back and forth in unison with the liquid dispenser. The lever mechanism 106 can be partially fixed to the moving frame. The lever mechanism provides a second force to the device frame in response to a force (e.g., a first force) applied in a first direction against a first blind mate connector. This second force helps to push the electronic device (and the blind mate connector of the electronic device) into the second blind mate connector, thus providing additional mating pressure to help ensure proper mating of the blind mate connectors. This is further described in other sections, such as with respect to Figure 6 . Although shown at the edges of the chassis, the moving frame can also have one or more members located between the devices. However, such embodiments may result in greater space requirements and increased costs. The moving frame can be arranged in length from the liquid dispenser to the device frame. On the chassis, there can be two or more moving frames on both sides of one or more electronic devices.

[0038] The chassis can include an electronic connector 122 that includes one or more pins or sockets for electrically connecting the device to a bus (e.g., a PCI-E bus) and / or other IT devices (e.g., a main PCB). As Figure 1B shown, the electronic connector can mate with the device in a direction "B" that is perpendicular to the mating direction (direction "A") of the first and second blind mate connectors. Based on this arrangement, forces in the mating direction "A" of the fluid connector can damage the electronic connector or the pins in the electronic connector. Therefore, the opposing force generated by the lever mechanism 106 can protect the electronic connector and reduce the risk of damage.

[0039] The moving frame and the device frame can be mounted on the sides of the chassis housing 111. During operation, the moving frame is capable of moving along Figure 1A and Figure 1B the horizontal direction (direction "A"). The device frame is fixed in place, such as fixed to the sides and / or the bottom plate 115 of the chassis housing 111. As described above, one or more devices can attach and fix themselves to the device frame. In this way, one or more devices can be assembled into the chassis at their respective positions.

[0040] Note that, in some embodiments, the chassis does not include hoses for circulating fluid to or from the electronic device. Instead, fluid circulation is performed through a liquid dispenser and a blind mate connector, thereby reducing the clutter and manual labor associated with hoses and increasing the real estate of the electronic device.

[0041] Figure 2 A top view of a system integrated into the chassis 200 is shown. The main printed circuit board (PCB) 202 may include a central processing unit (CPU) 204. The chassis includes locations for mounting a plurality of high-performance liquid cooling devices 206. As an example, the devices may be mounted vertically to the chassis and electrically connected to the main PCB 202 via a PCI-E bus. As described above, the devices may be assembled into a device frame of the chassis. Additionally, as described above, the liquid dispenser is mounted to a sliding channel. In this way, different liquid cooling peripherals can be connected in a modular fashion to support the main PCB. The system is modular, allowing different combinations of devices. Additionally, the blind mate arrangement of the system simplifies the connectivity of the liquid connections, which reduces the amount of manual work required for installing or swapping out the electronic devices.

[0042] As Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown, the chassis may support a plurality of electronic devices. In this way, multiple pairs of second blind mate connectors (chassis-to-device connectors) may be fluidly connected to a first blind mate connector (chassis-to-rack connector) through one or more liquid dispensers. In some embodiments, the multiple devices may be arranged in a row (as Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 2 shown). In some embodiments, the multiple devices may be arranged in two or more rows.

[0043] Figure 3 An exemplary chassis with liquid cooling including multiple rows of electronic devices according to some embodiments is shown. A first liquid dispenser 304 fluidly connects the devices A, B, C, and D in the first row to the IT rack fluid. Similarly, a second liquid dispenser 320 fluidly connects the devices E, F, G, and H in the second row to the IT rack fluid. Pairs of second blind mate connectors (chassis-to-device connectors) are each dedicated to a corresponding electronic device. Each pair is fluidly connected to a first blind mate connector (chassis-to-rack connector 302) through the liquid channels of one or more liquid dispensers (e.g., the first liquid dispenser 304 and the second liquid dispenser 320).

[0044] Multiple devices can occupy multiple mounting slots or sockets on one or more device frames (e.g., the first device frame 303 and the second device frame 310). Thus, each row is formed by a set of multiple pairs of second blind mating connectors, a corresponding set of multiple mounting slots (and / or the devices occupying these slots). The device frames and the corresponding liquid distributors are sandwiched in each row.

[0045] As shown, the second row can be located behind the first row with respect to the direction of the force applied to the chassis. In this way, the devices in each row will mate with the corresponding chassis-to-device connectors in response to a common force such as pushing the chassis into an IT rack. The liquid distributors can each be mounted to a sliding channel such that when the chassis is pushed into the IT rack, each of the liquid distributors slides towards the devices in their respective rows to mate the devices with the liquid distributors. In other words, by pushing the chassis into the IT rack, multiple rows of electronic devices in the chassis can become fluidly connected to the liquid cooling system of the IT rack.

[0046] In addition, each row can include a corresponding lever mechanism, such as the first lever mechanisms 316 and 318 that apply a reaction force to the first device frame 303, and the second set of lever mechanisms 312 and 314 that apply a reaction force to the second device frame 310. As described above, the reaction force can ensure an appropriate mating force for the blind mating connectors and protect the electrical connections of the devices from lateral forces (e.g., shear). The lever mechanisms of different rows can be partially fixed to a common moving frame. For example, as shown, the first lever mechanism 316 (of the first row) and the second set of lever mechanisms 312 (of the second row) can be partially fixed to the moving frame 308. Similarly, both the first lever mechanism 318 (of the first row) and the second set of lever mechanisms 314 (of the second row) can be partially fixed to the moving frame 306. Other arrangements are also possible. For example, the moving frame can be fixed to the first liquid distributor and the second liquid distributor. A second moving frame can be fixed to the second liquid distributor (on the same side as the first moving frame), thereby transferring the force from one row to another row. Thus, different arrangements of the moving frame, liquid distributors, and device frames can be achieved.

[0047] In some embodiments, different rows can have different lengths, as Figure 3 shown. Thus, the chassis can support varying form factors of electronic devices, such as full height full length (FHFL), half height half length (HHHL), full height half length (FHHL), and half height full length (HHFL).

[0048] As regarding Figure 1A , Figure 1B , Figure 2 and Figure 3As discussed, the lever mechanism generates an opposing force on the device frame. This opposing force can help ensure sufficient force to mate the blind mate connectors and stabilize the electronic device during installation.

[0049] Figure 4 and Figure 5 FIG. shows an example of a lever mechanism of a chassis according to some embodiments. Generally, the lever mechanism can include a first member fixed to a moving frame, a second member mechanically coupled (directly or indirectly) to the first member, and a fulcrum that engages the second member to pivot the second member in response to a force (from a liquid dispenser), thereby generating a second force (in the direction towards the liquid dispenser). The fulcrum (or fulcrums) can be fixed to a chassis structure such as a server chassis.

[0050] For example, Figure 4 FIG. shows a first member 401 fixed to a moving frame. The second member 402 is mechanically connected to the first member by a first joint 403. The fulcrum 404 engages the second member to pivot the second member in response to a force A. This force is initially generated by the mating of the first blind mate connector and / or the second blind mate connector with their respective connectors. Then, the force is transmitted to the first member of the lever mechanism through the movement of the sliding liquid dispenser and the moving frame. Then the second member pivots about the fulcrum to generate an opposing force B.

[0051] A third member 406 can be connected to the second member, for example, by a joint 405. The third member that can be fixed to the device frame can apply the force B to the device frame. For example, the device frame can include a contact point 408, such as a flange, an edge, a hook, a wall, or other structural features fixed to the device frame or a part of the device frame. The third member can apply the force "B" at the contact point (opposing force), thereby supporting the moving device by providing a force opposite to the force "A". As described above, this opposing force can help ensure sufficient mating force and reduce the risk of damage to the electrical connectors connected to the device. It should be noted that the second member and the third member can be replaced by a single arm. The single arm can be straight or have a kink therein. A "member" can be an arm, a rod, a link, or other sufficiently rigid structure capable of transmitting force. Thus, the lever mechanism can generate such an opposing force through the rotation of one or more of these members.

[0052] Figure 5Shows another example of a lever mechanism of a chassis according to some embodiments. The lever mechanism includes a first member 502 fixed to a moving frame. Thus, the movement and force "A" of the moving frame are transmitted to the first member. The first member is mechanically coupled to second members 506 and 508. Each of the second members is pivotable about a respective pivot point 504, 505, thereby generating a force "B" in a direction opposite to the force "A". Third members 512 and 510 are mechanically connected to the side of the second members opposite to the position where the first member is coupled to the second members. The third members can move in the direction of the force "B" such that the force "B" is applied to the equipment frame (e.g., at the contact point of the equipment frame, as described with respect to Figure 4 as described). It should be understood that various variations of the lever mechanism can be determined through routine testing and experimentation, and Figure 4 and Figure 5 shown in are merely examples of such mechanisms.

[0053] Figure 6 Shows the installation of a chassis according to some embodiments. First, the chassis is assembled. This includes installing an electronic device into the chassis. The electronic connector of the electronic device mates with the electronic connector attached to the chassis, as described in other parts. In addition, the electronic device is mechanically attached to the chassis through the equipment frame.

[0054] Next, the user can install the chassis onto an IT rack by pushing the chassis into the IT rack at a dedicated slot of the IT rack. In step A, the first blind mate connector on the liquid dispenser mates with the blind mate connector on the IT rack due to the thrust force. The thrust force is in the same direction as the mating direction of the first and second blind mate connectors.

[0055] In step B, due to the thrust force, the IT bracket pushes back the liquid dispenser to generate a force "A" opposite to the thrust force. As described above, the liquid dispenser is installed in the sliding channel.

[0056] Thus, in step C, the liquid dispenser (and the second blind mate connector) is shown sliding towards the electronic device. Thus, the second blind mate connector mates with the connector of the electronic device. The liquid dispenser has a liquid channel that transports fluid from the IT rack to the electronic device and from the electronic device to the IT rack.

[0057] In some embodiments, the device includes a lever mechanism. Thus, in step D, force “A” is transmitted through the moving frame to the lever mechanism. The lever mechanism generates force “B” in response to force “A” (e.g., by rotating or pivoting about a fulcrum), and this force “B” is applied to the device frame to which the device is secured. Thus, the lever mechanism helps ensure that sufficient force is provided to mate the blind mate connectors (by force “B”), and also stabilizes the electronic device against forces generated by pushing the chassis into the IT rack. It should be noted that the same series of steps also apply to chassis with multiple rows (e.g., as shown in Figure 3 ). The same pushing force will cause the blind mate connectors in each row to mate, and the moving frame will transmit the force to the corresponding lever mechanism in each row.

[0058] In addition, protective pins such as a first pin and a second pin as shown in Figure 6 can be located beside the mating of the first blind mate connector and the second blind mate connector to reduce the risk of damage during the mating of the connectors. The first pin can ensure a minimum distance is maintained between the mating connectors of the chassis and the IT rack. Similarly, the second pin can ensure a minimum distance is maintained between the mating connectors of the fluid dispenser and the electronic device. In this way, the integrity of the blind mate connectors can be maintained to prevent warping, cracking, or leakage.

[0059] In this way, the chassis can perform blind mating of the fluid connectors without any additional operations such as twisting or turning of the connectors, or manually connecting individual connections one by one. Once the chassis is properly inserted into the rack, the fluid from the rack is automatically connected to the electronic device without any additional effort.

[0060] The system design can be used in multi - layer systems, or it can be understood that the design can be used in edge systems with different form factors. The fluid distribution manifold can be designed in different ways for different chassis or applications.

[0061] Figure 7FIG. 0 is a block diagram showing an example of an IT rack with an integrated cooling system according to some embodiments. However, it should be understood that different variations can be implemented. The IT rack 900 may include one or more servers, each having one or more processing units attached to the bottom of any of the above-described cooling devices. The IT rack 900 includes, but is not limited to, a cooling system 901, a rack management unit (RMU) 902 (optional), and one or more server blades 903A to 903E (collectively referred to as server blades 903). The cooling system 901 can be any embodiment of the cooling systems described herein. Any of the server blades 903A to 903E can be assembled as a chassis 940 with attached IT devices (e.g., a main PCB, peripherals, PCI-E devices, etc.), as described in other sections. The devices in the chassis are fluidly connected to the liquid system of the IT rack when installed.

[0062] The server blades 903 can be inserted into an array of server slots from the front end 904 or the back end 905 of the IT rack 900, respectively. It should be noted that although only five server blades 903A to 903E are shown here, more or fewer server blades can be maintained within the IT rack 900. It should also be noted that the specific positions of the cooling system 901, the RMU 902, and the server blades 903 are shown only for illustrative purposes; other arrangements or configurations can also be implemented. It should be noted that the IT rack 900 can be open to the environment or partially enclosed by a rack container, as long as the cooling fans can generate an air flow from the front end to the back end.

[0063] In addition, for each of the server blades 903, a fan module is associated with the server blade. In this embodiment, fan modules 931A to 931E (collectively referred to as fan modules 931) are respectively associated with server blades 903A to 903E. Each of the fan modules 931 includes one or more cooling fans. The fan modules 931 can be mounted on the back end of the server blades 903 to generate an air flow that exits from the front end 904, travels through the air space of the server blades 903, and exits at the back end 905 of the IT rack 900.

[0064] The heat exchanger 911 of the cooling system 901 can be coupled to an external liquid supply line 932 / return line 931 to form a main loop. In some embodiments, if the heat exchanger 911 is outside the IT rack, the external fluid supply / return line can be connected to a port of the cooling system 901. The connector connected to the external liquid supply line 932 / return line 931 can be provided or installed on the rear end 905 of the IT rack 900. In some embodiments, the liquid supply line 932 / return line 931 is coupled to a set of room manifolds, and the set of room manifolds is coupled to an external heat removal system or an external cooling loop. The input and output channels of the cooling system can be coupled to the liquid manifold 925 to form a secondary loop, and the secondary loop can include a supply manifold for supplying cooling liquid to the server blades 903 and a return manifold for returning the hotter liquid to the cooling system 901.

[0065] Each of the server blades 903 can include one or more IT components (e.g., a central processing unit or CPU, a graphics processing unit (GPU), memory, and / or a storage device). Each IT component can perform data processing tasks, where the IT component can include software installed in the storage device, loaded into the memory, and executed by one or more processors to perform the data processing tasks. As described above, at least some of these IT components can be attached to the bottom of any of the cooling devices. The server blade 903 can include a host server (referred to as a host node) coupled to one or more computing servers (also referred to as computing nodes, such as CPU servers and GPU servers).

[0066] The host server (with one or more CPUs) typically docks with clients via a network (e.g., the Internet) to receive requests for specific services, such as storage services (e.g., cloud - based storage services, such as backup and / or recovery), execute applications to perform certain operations (e.g., image processing, deep data learning algorithms, or modeling, etc., as part of a software - as - a - service or SaaS platform). In response to the request, the host server assigns tasks to one or more of the performance computing nodes or computing servers (with one or more GPUs) managed by the host server. The performance computing servers perform the actual tasks, which can generate heat during operation.

[0067] The IT rack 900 can also include an optional RMU 902 configured to provide and manage the power supplied to the server blades 903, the fan module 931, and the cooling system 901. The RMU 902 can be coupled to a power supply unit (not shown) to manage the power consumption of the power supply unit. The power supply unit can include necessary circuits (e.g., an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) or DC to DC power converter, a backup battery, a transformer, or a regulator, etc.) to supply power to the remaining components of the IT rack 900.

[0068] In one embodiment, the RMU 902 includes an optimization module 921 and a Rack Management Controller (RMC) 922. The RMC 922 may include a monitor to monitor the operating states of various components within the IT rack 900, such as server blades 903, a cooling system 901, and an optional fan module 931. Specifically, the monitor receives operating data from various sensors representing the operating environment of the IT rack 900. For example, the monitor may receive operating data representing the temperatures of the processor, coolant, and air flow, which can be captured and collected by various temperature sensors. The monitor may also receive data representing the fan power and pump power generated by the fan module 931 and the liquid pump 912, which may be proportional to their respective speeds. This operating data is referred to as real-time operating data. It should be noted that the monitor may be implemented as a separate module within the RMU 902.

[0069] Based on the operating data, the optimization module 921 performs optimization using a predetermined optimization function or optimization model to derive a set of optimal fan speeds for the fan module 931 and an optimal pump speed for the liquid pump 912, such that the total power consumption of the liquid pump 912 and the fan module 931 is minimized, while the operating data associated with the cooling fans of the liquid pump 912 and the fan module 931 is within their respective design specifications. Once the optimal pump speed and the optimal fan speed are determined, the RMC 922 configures the cooling fans of the liquid pump 912 and the fan module 931 based on the optimal pump speed and the optimal fan speed.

[0070] As an example, based on the optimal pump speed, the RMC 922 communicates with the pump controller of the cooling system 901 to control the speed of the liquid pump 912, thereby controlling the liquid flow rate of the cooling liquid supplied to the liquid manifold 925 for distribution to at least some of the server blades 903. Thus, the operating conditions and the corresponding cooling device performance are adjusted. Similarly, based on the optimal fan speed, the RMC 922 communicates with each of the fan modules 931 to control the speed of each cooling fan of the fan module 931, thereby controlling the air flow rate of the fan module 931. It should be noted that each of the fan modules 931 can be individually controlled with its specific optimal fan speed, and different fan modules and / or different cooling fans within the same fan module can have different optimal fan speeds.

[0071] It should be noted that some or all of the IT components in the server blades 903 can be attached to any of the above cooling devices by air cooling using a radiator or by liquid cooling using a cold plate. One server can utilize air cooling, while another server can utilize liquid cooling. Alternatively, one IT component of a server can utilize air cooling, while another IT component of the same server can utilize liquid cooling.

[0072] It should be understood that some features described and illustrated in the drawings may vary without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the cooling circuit design of the cooling device is different from that shown in the drawings. In addition, additional valves or auxiliary units may be added to the cooling system to obtain additional features. Moreover, different types of valves, such as three-way valves, may be implemented in the cooling system to achieve the same result. In some embodiments, the controller may adjust the opening degree between fully closed (0%) and fully open (100%) of any valve as described herein.

[0073] Some embodiments may include a non-transitory machine-readable medium (such as a microelectronic memory) storing instructions that program one or more data processing components (collectively referred to herein as "processors") to perform valve control operations, such as determining in which mode to operate and / or deriving an evaporation rate and / or a condensation rate. In some aspects, the condensation rate is configurable (e.g., stored as a setting in a computer-readable memory). In some embodiments, some of these operations may be performed by specific hardware components including hardwired logic. Alternatively, these operations may be performed by any combination of programmed data processing components and fixed hardwired circuit components.

[0074] In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0075] Although certain aspects have been described and illustrated in the drawings, it should be understood that these aspects are merely illustrative and not a limitation on the broad disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to the specific structures and arrangements shown and described, as various other modifications may occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the present specification is to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0076] In some aspects, the present disclosure may include language such as "at least one of [element A] and [element B]". Such language may refer to one or more of the elements. For example, "at least one of A and B" may refer to "A", "B", or "A and B". Specifically, "at least one of A and B" may refer to "at least one of A and at least one of B" or "at least one of A or B". In some aspects, the present disclosure may include language such as "[element A], [element B], and / or [element C]". Such language may refer to the element or any combination thereof. For example, "A, B, and / or C" may refer to "A", "B", "C", "A and B", "A and C", "B and C", or "A, B, and C".

Claims

1. A chassis for encapsulating an electronic device to be filled on an information technology rack, the chassis comprising: A liquid dispenser having a first blind mating connector facing a first direction and a second blind mating connector facing away from the first direction, wherein the first blind mating connector is coupled to a rack manifold of an electronic rack to receive a cooling fluid, so as to distribute the cooling fluid to the electronic device via the second blind mating connector, and return the cooling fluid carrying heat generated from the electronic device to the rack manifold; A sliding channel to which the liquid dispenser is mounted such that the liquid dispenser slides back and forth along the first direction; and A device frame having a mounting groove to accommodate the electronic device placed thereon, the mounting groove being clamped between the device frame and the liquid dispenser, such that when a first force is applied to the first blind mating connector against the first direction, the second blind mating connector slides towards the mounting groove and the electronic device, so that the second blind mating connector mates with the electronic device; Wherein the first direction is consistent with the mating direction of the first blind mating connector and the connector of the rack manifold of the electronic rack.

2. The chassis according to claim 1, further comprising: A moving frame fixed to the liquid dispenser, the moving frame sliding back and forth along the first direction due to the corresponding movement of the liquid dispenser; And A lever mechanism fixed to the moving frame, the lever mechanism providing a second force to the device frame in response to the first force, the first force being applied to the first blind mating connector against the first direction.

3. The chassis according to claim 2, wherein, The lever mechanism includes a first member fixed to the moving frame, a second member coupled to the first member, and a fulcrum that engages with the second member to pivot the second member in response to the first force to generate the second force.

4. The chassis according to claim 1, wherein The first blind mating connector and the second blind mating connector are fluidly connected via two or more liquid channels, The first of the first blind mating connectors is fluidly connected to the first of the second blind mating connectors to distribute liquid from the first of the first blind mating connectors to the first of the second blind mating connectors, and The second of the first blind mating connectors is fluidly connected to the second of the second blind mating connectors to return liquid from the second of the second blind mating connectors to the second of the first blind mating connectors.

5. The chassis according to claim 1, wherein, The chassis is a hose-free liquid cooling chassis.

6. The chassis according to claim 1, wherein Each of the first blind mating connectors and each of the second blind mating connectors includes a guiding member and a locking member, and the guiding member and the locking member each mate with the corresponding connector by applying a force to the chassis in the first direction.

7. The chassis according to claim 1, wherein, The second blind mating connector includes multiple pairs of second blind mating connectors fluidly connected to the first blind mating connector, and wherein the device frame includes multiple mounting grooves for attaching multiple electronic devices.

8. The chassis according to claim 7, wherein, The first group of the plurality of pairs of second blind mating connectors and the first portion of the plurality of mounting slots form a first row, and the second group of the plurality of pairs of second blind mating connectors and the second portion of the plurality of mounting slots form a second row after the first row.

9. The chassis according to claim 1, wherein, The electronic device is a PCI-E device, and an electronic connector attached to the chassis mates with the PCI-E device in a direction perpendicular to the mating direction of the first blind mating connector and the second blind mating connector.

10. The chassis according to claim 1, wherein, The sliding channel includes a track, a passage, or a member that slides through the track or the passage.

11. An electronic rack, comprising: A rack manifold for receiving a cooling fluid from an external cooling source and returning the cooling fluid to the external cooling source; And A plurality of server chassis arranged in a stack, each server chassis including at least one server, wherein each server chassis includes: A liquid distributor having a first blind mating connector facing a first direction and a second blind mating connector facing away from the first direction, wherein the first blind mating connector is coupled to the rack manifold to receive the cooling fluid, so as to distribute the cooling fluid to an electronic device via the second blind mating connector, and return the cooling fluid carrying heat generated from the electronic device to the rack manifold; A sliding channel to which the liquid distributor is mounted such that the liquid distributor slides back and forth along the first direction; and A device frame having mounting slots for accommodating the electronic device placed thereon, the mounting slots being sandwiched between the device frame and the liquid distributor, such that when a first force is applied to the first blind mating connector against the first direction, the second blind mating connector slides towards the mounting slots and the electronic device, so that the second blind mating connector mates with the electronic device; wherein the first direction is consistent with the mating direction of the first blind mating connector and the connector of the rack manifold of the electronic rack.

12. The electronic rack according to claim 11, wherein, Each server chassis further includes: A moving frame fixed to the liquid distributor, the moving frame sliding back and forth along the first direction due to the corresponding movement of the liquid distributor; and A lever mechanism fixed to the moving frame, the lever mechanism providing a second force to the device frame in response to the first force, the first force being applied to the first blind mating connector against the first direction.

13. The electronic rack according to claim 12, wherein, The lever mechanism includes a first member fixed to the moving frame, a second member coupled to the first member, and a fulcrum that engages with the second member to pivot the second member in response to the first force to generate the second force.

14. The electronic rack according to claim 11, wherein The first blind mating connector and the second blind mating connector are fluidly connected via two or more liquid channels, The first one of the first blind mating connectors is fluidly connected to the first one of the second blind mating connectors to distribute liquid from the first one of the first blind mating connectors to the first one of the second blind mating connectors, and The second fluid in the first blind mating connector is connected to the second in the second blind mating connector to return the liquid from the second in the second blind mating connector to the second in the first blind mating connector.

15. The electronic rack according to claim 11, wherein, The chassis is a hose-free liquid cooling chassis.

16. The electronic rack according to claim 11, wherein, Each of the first blind mating connectors and each of the second blind mating connectors includes a guiding member and a locking member, and the guiding member and the locking member are each engaged with the corresponding connector by applying a force to the chassis in the first direction.

17. The electronic rack according to claim 11, wherein, The second blind mating connector includes multiple pairs of second blind mating connectors fluidly connected to the first blind mating connector, and wherein the device frame includes multiple mounting slots for attaching multiple electronic devices.

18. The electronic rack according to claim 17, wherein, The first group of the multiple pairs of second blind mating connectors and the first part of the multiple mounting slots form a first row, and the second group of the multiple pairs of second blind mating connectors and the second part of the multiple mounting slots form a second row after the first row.

19. The electronic rack according to claim 11, wherein, The electronic device is a PCI-E device, and the electronic connector attached to the chassis is engaged with the PCI-E device in a direction perpendicular to the mating direction of the first blind mating connector and the second blind mating connector.

20. The electronic rack according to claim 11, wherein, The sliding channel includes a track, a channel, or a member that slides through the track or the channel.

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