Liquid Cooling Unit for Peripheral Devices

Abstract

A cooling unit for delivering liquid cooling to one or more peripheral devices is disclosed. The cooling unit includes one or more first mounting structures that are mounted to the cooling unit, wherein the one or more first mounting structures are movable in a first direction. The cooling unit includes one or more cooling devices mounted to the one or more first mounting structures, wherein each of the one or more cooling devices is coupled to one or more liquid distribution channels to receive cooling liquid for cooling one or more peripheral devices of a server system. The cooling unit includes one or more liquid distribution channels for distributing the cooling liquid within the server system, between the server system and other server systems, and / or between the server system and a liquid distribution system of an electronic rack.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to server and data center cooling. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a liquid cooling unit for a peripheral device. Background Art

[0002] Generally, a computing motherboard includes various interfaces for exchanging data with various components. Such interfaces include Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), which receives a peripheral printed circuit board (PCB). The peripheral PCB (or peripheral device) is generally smaller than the motherboard and may include electronic devices such as a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a cryptographic accelerator, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a high-compute-based IC chip or die, etc. Various standards may be used for peripheral component interconnect, such as PCI, PCI-X, AGP, PCIe (PCI Express), etc. The commonality among these standards is that they are all capable of enabling mutual communication between components mounted on the motherboard and components mounted on the peripheral PCB at different speeds.

[0003] With the increasing modern computing demands, more and more tasks are transferred from the main CPU to other components, including components mounted on the peripheral PCB. Peripheral devices are a common solution for heterogeneous computing. Peripheral devices may include different types of accelerator chips, application specific integrated circuits, etc. As a result, the processing power of the peripheral PCB increases, which increases the demand for energy, thereby increasing heat dissipation, leading to more challenges in thermal management.

[0004] As the workload becomes more and more diverse and the computing architecture becomes more and more heterogeneous, a liquid cooling thermal management solution interoperable with different server system designs and peripheral PCB configurations is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A cooling unit includes: one or more liquid distribution channels to distribute hot liquid to a rack manifold of an electronic rack and to distribute cooling liquid from the rack manifold; one or more first mounting structures, wherein the one or more first mounting structures are mounted to the cooling unit and are movable in a first direction; and one or more cooling devices mounted to the one or more first mounting structures, wherein each of the one or more cooling devices includes a liquid cooling plate connected to one or more peripheral devices of a server system, wherein the liquid cooling plate is coupled to the one or more liquid distribution channels to receive the cooling liquid to cool the one or more peripheral devices and to return the hot liquid to the one or more liquid distribution channels.

[0006] According to some embodiments, each of the one or more liquid distribution channels overlaps with one of the one or more first mounting structures.

[0007] According to some embodiments, the cooling unit further includes one or more second mounting structures that can be mounted to one or more first mounting structures, wherein the one or more first mounting structures are located in a first plane, and the one or more second mounting structures are located in a second plane different from the first plane.

[0008] According to some embodiments, each of the one or more second mounting structures is movable along the length of the one or more first mounting structures, wherein the one or more second mounting structures are mounted perpendicular or parallel to the length of the one or more first mounting structures.

[0009] According to some embodiments, each of the one or more cooling devices can be mounted to one or more first mounting structures or one or more second mounting structures.

[0010] According to some embodiments, each of the one or more peripheral devices is sandwiched between the one or more cooling devices.

[0011] According to some embodiments, the one or more peripheral devices are hot-pluggable peripheral devices, and when the server system is running, the cooling devices connected to the peripheral devices are removable from the server system.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the cooling device includes a first flat portion and a second flat portion, wherein the second flat portion can be folded onto the first flat portion, and the cooling device is folded onto the first mounting structure or the second mounting structure using the first flat portion and the second flat portion to fix the cooling device to the first mounting structure or the second mounting structure.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the first mounting structure or the second mounting structure includes a flexible extension, wherein the peripheral package connected to the second mounting structure can be flexibly extended to a peripheral slot.

[0014] According to some embodiments, one or more liquid distribution channels are connected in parallel or in series to one or more liquid distribution channels of another cooling unit.

[0015] An electronic rack includes: a server chassis; a tray fixed to the server chassis to accommodate one or more peripheral devices, wherein the server chassis can be stacked on the electronic rack in a stacked manner; and a cooling unit according to the above embodiments, which is connected to the server chassis.

[0016] An electronic rack for a data center includes: a rack manifold having a rack liquid supply line to receive a first cooling liquid from a cooling liquid source and a rack liquid return line to return the first heated liquid to the cooling liquid source; a plurality of server chassis arranged in a stacked manner; and a cooling unit according to the above embodiment coupled to the server chassis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in an illustrative, and not a restrictive, manner, in which like reference numerals represent like elements.

[0018] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a server system according to one embodiment.

[0019] Figure 2 is a front view of a cooling unit according to one embodiment.

[0020] Figure 3 is a side view of a cooling unit according to one embodiment.

[0021] Figure 4 is a top view of a cooling unit integrating a plurality of cooling devices in a specific configuration according to one embodiment.

[0022] Figure 5 is a top view of a cooling unit integrating a plurality of cooling devices according to one embodiment, showing a modular design.

[0023] Figure 6 is a top view of a cooling unit integrating a plurality of cooling devices in a specific configuration according to one embodiment.

[0024] Figure 7 is a side view of a cooling unit according to one embodiment, showing a cooling device folded onto a mounting structure.

[0025] Figure 8 is a side view of a cooling unit according to one embodiment, showing a mounting structure having a flexible extension.

[0026] Figure 9 is a top view of a server system according to one embodiment, showing one or more cooling units coupled in a series arrangement.

[0027] Figure 10 is a top view of a server system according to one embodiment, showing one or more cooling units coupled in a parallel arrangement.

[0028] Figure 11 is a top view of a server system according to one embodiment, showing one or more cooling units coupled in a series arrangement.

[0029] Figure 12 is a top view of a server system according to one embodiment, showing one or more cooling units coupled in a particular arrangement.

[0030] Figure 13 is a block diagram showing an electronic rack according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Various embodiments and aspects of the present invention will be described with reference to the details discussed below, and the accompanying drawings will illustrate the various embodiments. The following description and drawings are illustrative of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Many specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments of the present invention. However, in some instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order to provide a concise discussion of embodiments of the present invention.

[0032] References in the specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. The appearances of "in one embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

[0033] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide modular cooling units and server chassis including one or more modular cooling units to support various peripheral arrangements. Each modular cooling unit may include two layers of movable mounting structures for mounting to a liquid / fluid cooling device. The mobility of the two-layer mounting structure accommodates different types of liquid circuit arrangements to distribute cooling liquid to the modular cooling unit. Thus, the server chassis is reconfigurable using one or more modular cooling units to accommodate different server system configurations.

[0034] According to a first aspect, the cooling unit includes one or more liquid distribution channels for distributing hot liquid to a rack manifold of an electronic rack and distributing cooling liquid from the rack manifold of the electronic rack. The cooling unit includes one or more first mounting structures mounted to the cooling unit, wherein the one or more first mounting structures are movable in a first direction. The cooling unit includes one or more cooling devices mounted to the one or more first mounting structures, wherein each of the one or more cooling devices includes a liquid cooling plate coupled to one or more peripheral devices of the server system, wherein the liquid cooling plate is coupled to the one or more liquid distribution channels to receive cooling liquid to cool the one or more peripheral devices and return the hot liquid to the one or more liquid distribution channels.

[0035] In one embodiment, each of one or more liquid distribution channels overlaps with one of one or more first mounting structures. In one embodiment, the cooling unit further includes: one or more second mounting structures that can be mounted onto one or more first mounting structures, wherein the one or more first mounting structures are located in a first plane, and the one or more second mounting structures are located in a second plane different from the first plane.

[0036] In one embodiment, each of one or more second mounting structures is movable along the length of one or more first mounting structures, wherein the one or more second mounting structures are mounted vertically or parallel to the length of the one or more first mounting structures. In one embodiment, each of one or more cooling devices can be mounted onto one or more first mounting structures or one or more second mounting structures.

[0037] In one embodiment, each of one or more peripheral devices is sandwiched between one or more cooling devices. The peripheral device can be part of a server system and can include multiple heterogeneous processors or chips. In one embodiment, one or more peripheral devices are hot-pluggable peripheral devices, and when the server system is running, the cooling devices coupled to the peripheral devices are removable from the server system.

[0038] In one embodiment, the cooling device includes a first flat portion and a second flat portion, wherein the second flat portion can be folded onto the first flat portion, and wherein the cooling device is folded onto the first mounting structure or the second mounting structure using the first and second flat portions to fix the cooling device to the first or second mounting structure.

[0039] In one embodiment, the first or second mounting structure includes a flexible extension, wherein the peripheral package coupled to the second mounting structure is flexibly extendable to a peripheral slot. In one embodiment, one or more liquid distribution channels are coupled in parallel or in series to one or more liquid distribution channels of another cooling unit.

[0040] According to a second aspect, a server chassis includes a tray fixed to the server chassis to accommodate one or more peripheral devices, wherein the server chassis is stackable on an electronic rack in a stacked manner. The server chassis includes a cooling unit coupled to the server chassis. The cooling unit includes one or more liquid distribution channels to distribute hot liquid to a rack manifold of the electronic rack and to distribute cooling liquid from the rack manifold. The cooling unit includes one or more first mounting structures mounted to the cooling unit, wherein the one or more first mounting structures are movable in a first direction. A first cooling unit includes one or more cooling devices mounted to the one or more first mounting structures, wherein each of the one or more cooling devices includes a liquid cooling plate coupled to one or more peripheral devices, wherein the liquid cooling plate is coupled to the one or more liquid distribution channels to receive cooling liquid to cool the one or more peripheral devices (e.g., a PCB of the peripheral device) and to return the hot liquid to the one or more liquid distribution channels.

[0041] According to a third aspect, an electronic rack includes a rack manifold having a rack liquid supply line to receive a first cooling liquid from a cooling liquid source and having a rack liquid return line to return the first hot liquid to the cooling liquid source. The electronic rack includes a plurality of server chassis arranged in a stacked manner. Each server chassis includes a tray fixed to the server chassis to accommodate one or more peripheral devices and includes a cooling unit coupled to the server chassis. The cooling unit includes one or more liquid distribution channels to distribute hot liquid to the rack manifold and to distribute cooling liquid from the rack manifold. The cooling unit includes one or more first mounting structures mounted to the cooling unit, wherein the one or more first mounting structures are movable in a first direction. The cooling unit includes one or more cooling devices mounted to the one or more first mounting structures, wherein each of the one or more cooling devices includes a liquid cooling plate coupled to one or more peripheral devices, wherein the liquid cooling plate is coupled to the one or more liquid distribution channels to receive cooling liquid to cool the one or more peripheral devices and to return the hot liquid to the one or more liquid distribution channels.

[0042] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a server system 100 according to an embodiment. The system 100 may represent a host server or a computing server placed on a shelf of an electronic rack. In one embodiment, the system 100 may be placed in a server chassis that is placed on a shelf of an electronic rack. As Figure 1As shown, system 100 may include a liquid cooling unit (or simply a cooling unit) 101, a cooling device 107, a peripheral device PCB 109, and a main PCB board 103 having one or more peripheral connectors 105. The main PCB board 103 may represent the motherboard of the server system. The server system may be a host server or a computing server. A host server (having one or more CPUs and one or more peripheral cards) is typically connected to a client 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), and thus execute applications to perform specific 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 computing servers (having one or more peripheral cards) managed by the host server. The computing server executes the actual tasks, which may generate heat during operation.

[0043] The server system may include one or more electronic components (e.g., a central processing unit or CPU, peripheral cards, general-purpose / graphics processing unit (GPU), memory, and / or storage devices, etc.). Each electronic component may perform data processing tasks, where the electronic component may include software that is installed in a storage device, loaded into memory, and implemented by one or more processors to perform the data processing tasks. In one embodiment, one or more electronic components may include one or more peripheral devices. In one embodiment, one or more peripheral devices are hot-pluggable peripheral devices, e.g., peripheral devices that can be removed or added while the server system is running.

[0044] Reference Figure 1 , in one embodiment, the cooling unit 101 may be a flat structure that is mainly rectangular, and one or more cooling devices may be assembled to this flat structure. The cooling unit 101 may serve as a cooling liquid distributor for accommodating one or more cooling devices. The cooling unit 101 may include a liquid (or fluid) distribution channel 111 to distribute the cooling liquid to one or more cooling devices 107. The cooling unit 101 may include mounting structures 113 - 115 to be assembled to the cooling device 107. The mounting structures 113 - 115 may position the peripheral packages (e.g., the peripheral device PCB 109 and the cooling device 107) to be connected to the peripheral connectors 105.

[0045] The cooling unit 101 may be fixed to a panel (top panel or side panel) of a server chassis that houses the server system 100. In some embodiments, the cooling unit 101 may be fixed to an electronic rack or the server system 100.

[0046] AsFigure 1 As shown, the cooling unit 101 can fully incorporate a liquid distribution system (e.g., one or more distribution channels 111), which can distribute cooling liquid from an external source (e.g., Figure 13 the rack manifold 1225) to the cooling device 107 and return the hot liquid from the cooling device 107 to the external source.

[0047] Figure 2 is a front view of the cooling units 101A - B according to one embodiment. Figure 3 is Figure 2 a side view of the cooling units 101A - B. As Figure 2-3 shown, the cooling units 101A - 101B can be modular units. For example, the cooling unit 101A can be coupled to the cooling unit 101B for a larger form factor. The coupling link between the cooling unit 101A and the cooling unit 101B can be a male - female coupling mechanism or any other coupling technique. For example, unit 101A has a female side that can slidably mate with the male side of unit 101B. Although two cooling units are shown, any number of cooling units can be coupled together to obtain a cooling unit with a larger form factor.

[0048] Referring to Figure 2-3 , the cooling unit 101A or 101B can include a two - layer mounting structure 113 - 115. In one embodiment, the mounting structure 113 is coupled to the cooling unit 101A or 101B, and the mounting structure 115 is vertically coupled to the mounting structure 113.

[0049] In some embodiments, the mounting structure 113 has mobility in the direction 305, and the mounting structure 115 has mobility in the direction 307. In one embodiment, the mounting structure 113 is located in a first plane and has mobility on the first plane, and the mounting structure 115 is located in a second plane and has mobility on the second plane. Since the mounting structure 113 can be located in a different plane from the mounting structure 115, the mounting structure 113 has mobility independent of the mounting structure 115. This design enables the mounting structure 115 to be directly mounted onto the mounting structure 113, and the mounting structure 113 of the cooling unit can be assembled with the mounting structure 113 of other cooling units to adapt to different usage scenarios, as Figures 9-12 further illustrated.

[0050] In some embodiments, the cooling units 101A-B may include different numbers of mounting structures 113-115. The mobility of the mounting structures 113-115 may provide different mounting positions on the cooling units 101A-B for assembling the cooling device. In some embodiments, the cooling units 101A-B and / or the mounting structures 113-115 may include one or more rails. In such a case, the mounting structures 113-115 may be moved along one or more rails of the cooling units 101A-B and / or the mounting structures 113-115 to a desired position, and a locking mechanism may fix the mounting structures 113-115 in the desired position. Thus, the mobility of the mounting structures 113-115 and the ability to include any number of mounting structures 113-115 allow the cooling units 101A-B to be coupled to the cooling device at any position on the planar axis of the cooling units 101A-B. Although only locks and rails are discussed, other mechanisms may be used to fix the mounting structures 113-115 to the cooling units 101A-B.

[0051] Figure 4 is a top view of a cooling unit 101 integrating multiple cooling devices in a specific configuration according to one embodiment. As Figure 4 shown, the cooling unit 101 includes mounting structures 113-115. The mounting structure 113 is located in a first plane, and the mounting structure 115 is located in a second plane, where the mounting structure 115 is assembled parallel to the mounting structure 113.

[0052] In one embodiment, four cooling devices 107 are attached to the cooling unit 101 through the mounting structure 115. In one embodiment, the mounting structure 115 may be pre-assembled or co-manufactured with the cooling device 107. In one embodiment, the cooling device 107 may include two parts that, when folded onto the mounting structure 115, fix the cooling device to the mounting structure 115. Figure 7 The folding mechanism is further shown in

[0053] Figure 5 is a top view of a cooling unit 101 integrating multiple cooling devices according to one embodiment, showing a modular design. In one embodiment, the cooling unit 101 may be directly coupled to the mounting structure 115. As Figure 5 shown, the cooling device 107 is attached to the cooling unit 101 through the mounting structure 115 without the need for the mounting structure 113.

[0054] In one embodiment, the cooling unit 101 may include a liquid distribution channel 111. The liquid distribution channel 111 may be a separate module attachable to the cooling unit 101 or may be integrated into the cooling unit 101. In one embodiment, the liquid distribution channel 111 may include two distribution loops, a first loop for distributing cooling liquid and a second loop for distributing hot liquid. The liquid distribution channel 111 may include one or more connector ports 507 to establish a connection with the liquid connectors of the cooling device 107.

[0055] In one embodiment, the channel 111 may include liquid port #A505 and liquid port #B503 having male and female connector configurations to support a modular arrangement. For example, port #A505 may include a female connector for hot liquid and a male connector for cooling liquid. Port #B503 may include a male connector for hot liquid and a female connector for cooling liquid. The port #A505 of the cooling unit 101 may be connected to the port #B of another cooling unit. The cooling unit 101 may also be identified by side #a and side #b. Such identification and the male / female connector configuration allow the cooling unit 101 to be coupled to other cooling units in series or in parallel. In some embodiments, the channel 111 may be implemented in different shapes, such as U-shaped, L-shaped, etc. In some embodiments, side #a may be placed on adjacent sides of the cooling unit 101 rather than directly across from side #b. Through different variations in the port positions, the cooling unit 101 may be connected in series or in parallel to other cooling units for intra-system connection (e.g., within a server chassis) or inter-system connection (between server chassis), as Figures 9-12 further illustrated.

[0056] Figure 6 is a top view of a cooling unit integrating multiple cooling devices in a specific configuration according to one embodiment. As Figure 6 shown, the cooling device 107P is assembled to the mounting structure 115. The cooling device 107P may be Figure 5 a variant of the cooling device 107, except that the cooling device 107P is folded along a length adjacent to the liquid connector of the cooling device 107P. This design variant of the cooling device can accommodate different server system configurations. In one embodiment, the liquid distribution channel is positioned along the length of the mounting structure 115 (e.g., overlapping the mounting structure 115). In some embodiments, the cooling device 107P may have different form factors, such as full height full length, full height half length, etc.

[0057] Figure 7 is a side view of the cooling unit 101 according to one embodiment, showing the cooling device folded onto the mounting structure. As Figure 7As shown, the cooling unit 101 includes a partially closed cooling device 107A and a fully open cooling device 107B. The cooling device 107A may include flat portions 701 - 703. Portion 701 and portion 703 may be two separate components, or may be an integrated unit, where portion 701 may be folded onto portion 703. In one embodiment, portion 701 may be folded onto portion 703 with a mounting structure (such as mounting structure 115) clamped between the folded portions. In one embodiment, portion 701 includes a cold plate and a liquid distribution channel to distribute cooling liquid through the cold plate, and portion 703 includes an empty panel.

[0058] Referring Figure 7 , in one embodiment, the cooling unit 101 includes one or more liquid distribution channels 111, where one or more liquid distribution channels 111 are integrated within a structural layer of the cooling unit 101. The channels 111 may include cooling and / or hot liquid circuits / hoses. The channels 111 may include a main connector port 505 to connect to a fluid distribution system, such as a fluid distribution system provided by a rack manifold of an electronic rack, to distribute cooling fluid to the cooling device 107. In one embodiment, the channels 111 include pre-designed ports or liquid connectors 507 to connect to the cooling device 107. As shown, the liquid distribution channels 111 may fully integrate the liquid distribution and management functions within one layer of the cooling unit 101.

[0059] Figure 8 is a side view of a cooling unit according to one embodiment, showing a mounting structure with a flexible extension. As Figure 8 shown, the mounting structure 115 may include a flexible extension 801. In one embodiment, the flexible extension 801 may flexibly extend the mounting structure 115 with 360 - degree freedom, thereby allowing the cooling device mounted to the mounting structure 115 to be repositioned at a predetermined distance. The flexible extension 801 may provide buffering and stress cancellation to the peripheral slot 105, where a peripheral connection is constructed between the peripheral device PCB 109 and the main PCB board 103. In one embodiment, the flexible extension 801 may include a ball - and - socket pivot mechanism, a flexible arm / spring mechanism, or any other flexible extension mechanism.

[0060] As Figure 8 shown, the cooling device 107C is directly aligned with the peripheral device PCB 109 through the mounting structure 115. Through the flexible extension 801 of the mounting structure 115, the cooling device 107D extends to the left and the cooling device 107E extends to the right. The extension may eliminate the stress that may be loaded onto the peripheral slot 105 due to the position of the mounting structure 115 not being perfectly aligned with the peripheral slot 105.

[0061] As described above, the cooling unit 101 is a modular unit that can be arranged in various ways to support different server chassis configurations. Figures 9-12 Some example arrangements are illustrated. Figure 9 and Figure 10 show variants of the cooling unit design that can accommodate different server chassis configurations.

[0062] Figure 9 is a top view of a server system according to one embodiment, showing one or more cooling units coupled in a series arrangement. Figure 9 Shows a server chassis 1203 having eight peripheral devices (or expansion cards), where each peripheral device is assembled to a cooling device 107. Then four cooling devices 107 are assembled to the cooling units 101A - B.

[0063] As Figure 9 shown, the first cooling unit 101A is for assembling the first row of cooling devices 107, and the second cooling unit 101B is for assembling the second row of cooling devices 107. The first cooling unit 101A has a liquid distribution connection portion (e.g., port #A) coupled in series with a liquid distribution connection portion (e.g., port #B) of the second cooling unit 101B. The liquid distribution connection portion (e.g., port #A) of the second cooling unit 101B can be connected to a liquid distribution system outside the server chassis 1203.

[0064] Figure 10 is a top view of a server system according to one embodiment, showing one or more cooling units coupled in a parallel arrangement. Figure 10 Shows two separate cooling units 101A - B, where each cooling unit 101A - B is assembled to four cooling devices 107. As shown, both cooling units 101A - B are connected to a liquid distribution system outside the server chassis 1203 for parallel distribution of liquid to the cooling units 101A - B.

[0065] Figure 11 is a top view of a server system according to one embodiment, showing one or more cooling units coupled in a series arrangement. Figure 11 Shows the cooling units 101A - B connected in series, however the port #B of the cooling unit 101A is located on a side adjacent to the side of the port #A of the cooling unit 101B. The port #A of the cooling unit 101A is connected to a liquid distribution system outside the server chassis 1203.

[0066] Figure 12 is a top view of a server system according to one embodiment, showing one or more cooling units coupled in a particular arrangement. In one embodiment, two cooling units 101A - B are fixed to the server chassis 1203. As Figure 12As shown, the cooling units 101A-B can be implemented on the side panel of the server chassis 1203. For example, the surface of the cooling units 101A-B is parallel to the side panel of the server chassis 1203.

[0067] In this case, each cooling unit 101A-B can include one or more cooling devices 107P, such as the cooling device 107P shown Figure 6 as. In some embodiments, the cooling device 107P has a liquid connector fixed to the cooling unit. It can be seen that the modular design of the cooling unit 101 can be used to implement different system implementation manners and construction manners to support different types of peripheral cards at different positions on the main PCB board.

[0068] Figure 13 is a block diagram showing an electronic rack according to an embodiment. The electronic rack 1200 can represent any electronic rack described in the present application. According to one embodiment, the electronic rack 1200 includes, but is not limited to, a coolant distribution unit (CDU) 1201, a rack management unit (RMU) 1202, and one or more server chassis 1203A-1203E (collectively referred to as the server chassis 1203). The server chassis 1203 can be inserted into a server slot array (e.g., a standard rack) from the front end 1204 or the rear end 1205 of the electronic rack 1200, respectively. It should be noted that although five server chassis 1203A-1203E are shown here, more or fewer server chassis can be held within the electronic rack 1200. It should also be noted that only the specific positions of the CDU 1201, the RMU 1202, and / or the server chassis 1203 are shown for illustrative purposes; other arrangements or configurations of the CDU 1201, the RMU 1202, and / or the server chassis 1203 can also be implemented. In one embodiment, the electronic rack 1200 can be open to the environment or can be partially accommodated in a rack container, as long as the cooling fans can generate an air flow from the front end to the rear end.

[0069] In addition, for at least some of the server chassis 1203, an optional fan module (not shown) is associated with the server chassis. Each fan module includes one or more cooling fans. The fan module can be mounted on the rear end of the server chassis 1203 or on the electronic rack to generate an air flow that flows out from the front end 1204, passes through the air area of the server chassis 1203, and exits at the rear end 1205 of the electronic rack 1200.

[0070] In one embodiment, the CDU 1201 mainly includes a heat exchanger 1211, a liquid pump 1212, a pump controller (not shown), and some other components such as a liquid reservoir, a power supply, a monitoring sensor, etc. The heat exchanger 1211 can be a liquid-liquid heat exchanger. The heat exchanger 1211 includes a first loop having an inlet port and an outlet port, and the inlet port and the outlet port have a first pair of liquid connectors to be connected to the external liquid supply / return lines 1231-1232 to form a main loop. The connectors connected to the external liquid supply / return lines 1231-1232 can be provided or installed on the rear end 1205 of the electronic rack 1200. The liquid supply / return lines 1231-1232 (also referred to as space liquid supply / return lines) can be connected to an external cooling system.

[0071] In addition, the heat exchanger 1211 further includes a second loop having two ports, and the two ports have a second pair of liquid connectors to be connected to the liquid manifold 1225 (also referred to as the rack manifold) to form a secondary loop. The liquid manifold 1225 can include a supply manifold (also referred to as the rack liquid supply line or the rack supply manifold) to supply cooling liquid to the server chassis 1203 and a return manifold (also referred to as the rack liquid return line or the rack return manifold) to return the warmer liquid to the CDU 1201. It should be noted that the CDU 1201 can be any commercially available or customized CDU. Therefore, the details of the CDU 1201 will not be described herein.

[0072] Each server chassis 1203 can include a tray fixed to the server chassis 1203, and the tray is used to accommodate one or more electronic components (such as a central processing unit or CPU, a peripheral card, a general-purpose / graphical processing unit (GPU), a memory, and / or a storage device, etc.). Each electronic component can perform data processing tasks, and the electronic component can include software that is installed in the storage device, loaded into the memory, and implemented by one or more processors to perform data processing tasks. The server chassis 1203 can include a host server (referred to as a host node) and / or one or more computing servers (also referred to as computing nodes, such as a CPU server and a GPU server). The host server (having one or more CPUs) is usually connected to a client through a network (such as the Internet) to receive requests for specific services, such as a storage service (such as a cloud-based storage service, such as backup and / or recovery), so as to execute an application program to complete a specific operation (such as image processing, deep data learning algorithm, 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 computing nodes or computing servers (having one or more GPUs) managed by the host server. The computing server executes the actual tasks, which may generate heat during operation.

[0073] The electronic rack 1200 further includes an optional RMU 1202 and a CDU 1201. The RMU 1202 is configured to provide and manage the power supplied to the server 1203. The RMU 1202 can be connected 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., AC to DC or DC to AC power converters, batteries, transformers, or regulators, etc.) to supply power to the remaining components of the electronic rack 1200.

[0074] In one embodiment, the RMU 1202 includes an optimization module 1221 and a rack management controller (RMC) 1222. The RMC 1222 can include a monitor to monitor the operating states of various components (e.g., computing nodes 1203, CDU 1201, and fan modules) within the electronic rack 1200. Specifically, the monitor receives operating data from various sensors representing the operating environment of the electronic rack 1200. For example, the monitor can receive operating data representing the temperatures of the processor, cooling liquid, and air flow, which can be captured and collected by various temperature sensors. The monitor can also receive data representing the fan power and pump power generated by the fan module and the liquid pump 1212, which can be proportional to their respective speeds. Such operating data is referred to as real-time operating data. It should be noted that the monitor can be implemented as a separate module within the RMU 1202.

[0075] Based on this operating data, the optimization module 1221 performs optimization using a predetermined optimization function or optimization model to derive a set of optimal fan speeds for the fan module and an optimal pump speed for the liquid pump 1212, such that when the operating data related to the cooling fan of the liquid pump 1212 and the fan module is within their respective design specifications, the total power consumption of the liquid pump 1212 and the fan module is minimized. Once the optimal pump speed and optimal fan speed are determined, the RMC 1222 configures the cooling fans of the liquid pump 1212 and the fan module based on the optimal pump speed and fan speed.

[0076] As an example, based on the optimal pump speed, the RMC 1222 communicates with the pump controller of the CDU 1201 to control the speed of the liquid pump 1212, thereby controlling the liquid flow rate of the cooling liquid supplied to the liquid manifold 1225, which is then distributed to at least some of the server chassis 1203. Similarly, based on the optimal fan speed, the RMC 1222 communicates with each fan module to control the speed of each cooling fan of the fan module, thereby controlling the air flow rate of the fan module. It should be noted that each fan module can be individually controlled at 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.

[0077] It should be noted that the shown rack configuration is described only for illustrative purposes; other configurations or arrangements may also be applicable. For example, the CDU1201 can be an optional unit. The cold plates of the server chassis 1203 can be connected to a rack manifold, which can be directly connected to the space manifolds 1231 - 1232 without using the CDU. Although not shown, a power supply unit can be arranged within the electronics rack 1200. The power supply unit can be implemented as a standard chassis identical or similar to the server chassis, where the power supply chassis can be inserted into any standard rack in place of any one of the server chassis 1203. Additionally, the power supply chassis can also include a battery backup unit (BBU) to provide battery power to the server chassis 1203 when the main power supply is unavailable. The BBU can include one or more battery packs, each battery pack including one or more battery cells, and the necessary charge and discharge circuits for charging and discharging the battery cells.

[0078] In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments of the invention. Obviously, various modifications can be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. A cooling unit, comprising: One or more liquid distribution channels for distributing hot liquid to a rack manifold of an electronic rack and distributing cooling liquid from the rack manifold; One or more first mounting structures, wherein one or more first mounting structures are mounted to the cooling unit and are movable in a first direction; And One or more cooling devices mounted to one or more first mounting structures, wherein each of the one or more cooling devices includes a liquid cooling plate connected to one or more peripheral devices of a server system, wherein the liquid cooling plate is coupled to one or more liquid distribution channels to receive cooling liquid to cool one or more peripheral devices and return hot liquid to one or more liquid distribution channels; Wherein the cooling device includes a first flat portion and a second flat portion, wherein the second flat portion is foldable onto the first flat portion, and wherein the cooling device is folded onto the first mounting structure or the second mounting structure using the first flat portion and the second flat portion to fix the cooling device to the first mounting structure or the second mounting structure; Wherein the first mounting structure or the second mounting structure includes a flexible extension, and wherein a peripheral package connected to the second mounting structure is flexibly extendable into a peripheral slot.

2. The cooling unit according to claim 1, wherein each of the one or more liquid distribution channels overlaps with one of the one or more first mounting structures.

3. The cooling unit according to claim 1, further comprising one or more second mounting structures mountable to one or more first mounting structures, wherein the one or more first mounting structures are located in a first plane and the one or more second mounting structures are located in a second plane different from the first plane.

4. The cooling unit according to claim 3, wherein each of the one or more second mounting structures is movable along the length of the one or more first mounting structures, and wherein the one or more second mounting structures are mounted vertically or parallel to the length of the one or more first mounting structures.

5. The cooling unit according to claim 3, wherein each of the one or more cooling devices is mountable to one or more first mounting structures or one or more second mounting structures.

6. The cooling unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of the one or more peripheral devices is sandwiched between the one or more cooling devices.

7. The cooling unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of the one or more peripheral devices is a hot-pluggable peripheral device, and when the server system is running, the cooling device connected to the peripheral device is removable from the server system.

8. The cooling unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the one or more liquid distribution channels are connected in parallel or in series to one or more liquid distribution channels of another cooling unit.

9. An electronic rack, comprising: A server chassis; A tray that is fixed to a server chassis to accommodate one or more peripheral devices, where the server chassis can be stacked on an electronic rack in a stacked manner; and A cooling unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which is coupled to the server chassis.

10. An electronic rack for a data center, comprising: A rack manifold having a rack liquid supply line to receive a first cooling liquid from a cooling liquid source and a rack liquid return line to return the first hot liquid to the cooling liquid source; A plurality of server chassis arranged in a stacked manner; and A cooling unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which is coupled to the server chassis.

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