Liquid cooling method and device

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a liquid cooling method and device, which relates to the field of cooling technology, to solve the problem of poor thermal environment in the computer room caused by local heat islands in the prior art. Specifically, it includes: a first cavity for cooling, a second cavity for serving as a channel, and a third cavity for storing liquid, the first cavity is connected to the second cavity, and the second cavity is connected to the third cavity; the first cavity includes a number of slots, a number of first outlets, a condenser, and a pressure ejector; the second cavity includes a number of second outlets, a number of third outlets, a number of pressure switches, and a number of liquid supply pipes; each pressure switch is respectively arranged on the corresponding liquid supply pipe; one end of each liquid supply pipe is connected to each first outlet through each second outlet; the other end of each liquid supply pipe is connected to each fourth outlet through each third outlet; the third cavity includes a number of fourth outlets, and each fourth outlet is connected to the other end of each liquid supply pipe.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of cooling technology, and in particular to a liquid cooling method and device. Background Art

[0002] As the number of electronic equipment in the computer room gradually increases, the heat dissipation capacity of the entire computer room becomes worse.

[0003] At present, heat dissipation is usually solved by traditional air-cooled air conditioners. However, traditional air-cooled air conditioners have long air supply paths, large cooling losses, and are prone to cause local heat island phenomena, resulting in a poor overall thermal environment in the computer room. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides a liquid cooling method and device to solve the problem of poor thermal environment in a computer room caused by local heat islands in the prior art.

[0005] In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a liquid cooling device, which includes a first cavity for cooling, a second cavity for serving as a channel, and a third cavity for storing liquid, the first cavity is connected to the second cavity, and the second cavity is connected to the third cavity; the first cavity includes a plurality of slots, a plurality of first outlets, a condenser, and a pressure ejector, the slots are arranged inside the first cavity, the first outlets are arranged in the slots, the first outlets corresponding to each slot are connected to one end of each liquid supply pipe, the slots are used to place electronic equipment immersed in a phase change medium, and the first outlets are used to supply the phase change medium to flow into or out of the first cavity; the condenser is arranged on the upper part of the electronic equipment, and the condenser is used to cool the phase change medium that undergoes phase change; the pressure ejector The ejectors are placed on both sides of the electronic device, and are used to adjust the flow rate of the phase change medium according to the temperature of the electronic device; the second cavity includes a plurality of second outlets, a plurality of third outlets, a plurality of pressure switches and a plurality of liquid supply pipes; each pressure switch is respectively arranged on the liquid supply pipe corresponding thereto; one end of each liquid supply pipe is respectively connected to each first outlet through each second outlet; the other end of each liquid supply pipe is respectively connected to each fourth outlet through each third outlet; the pressure switch is used to control the phase change medium in the second cavity to enter the slot through the liquid supply pipe; the third cavity includes a plurality of fourth outlets, each of which is connected to the other end of each liquid supply pipe, and the fourth outlet is used to supply the phase change medium to flow into or out of the second cavity.

[0007] In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a liquid cooling method, which includes: a controller acquiring pressure data and liquid level data; and determining a state of a pressure switch according to the pressure data and the liquid level data.

[0008] The description of the second aspect in the present disclosure may refer to the detailed description of the first aspect; and the beneficial effects described in the second aspect may refer to the analysis of the beneficial effects of the first aspect, which will not be repeated here.

[0009] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure brings at least the following beneficial effects:

[0010] The present disclosure provides a liquid cooling method and system. When the pressure ejector in the liquid cooling device determines that the temperature of the electronic device exceeds a threshold value, the pressure ejector is started to accelerate the flow of the phase change medium so that the electronic device can quickly dissipate heat. In the process of cooling the electronic device, the phase change medium will be lost. If the controller determines that the monitored pressure data and liquid level data are lower than the preset first threshold value or second threshold value, the pressure switch is controlled to open so that the phase change medium in the second cavity flows into the first cavity through the liquid supply pipe as a supply. The liquid cooling device can effectively solve the heat dissipation problem of the electronic device and ensure the normal working environment of the electronic device. At the same time, the pressure ejector is used to accelerate the flow of the phase change medium that immerses the electronic device, strengthen the heat exchange effect between the phase change medium and the electronic device, ensure the working temperature conditions of the electronic device, and improve the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0011] These and other aspects of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0013] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a liquid cooling device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 3 It is a flow chart of a liquid cooling method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] In the figure, the corresponding relationship between the component names and the figure numbers is as follows:

[0017] 1. First cavity; 11. Slot; 12. First outlet; 13. Condenser; 14. Pressure ejector; 15. Temperature sensor; 16. Liquid level detector; 17. Pressure detector; 18. Power supply base; 2. First cavity; 21. Second outlet; 22. Third outlet; 23. Pressure switch; 24. Liquid supply pipe; 3. Third cavity; 31. Fourth outlet; 4. Fourth cavity; 5. First control unit; 6. Second control unit; 7. Liquid supply main pipe; 8. Liquid return main pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0020] In the description of the present invention, "and / or" is only a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0021] The following is an introduction to the concept of a liquid cooling method and device provided in this embodiment:

[0022] In the prior art, the heat dissipation problem of the computer room is usually solved by traditional air-cooled air conditioners. However, traditional air-cooled air conditioners have long air supply paths and large cold losses, which are prone to cause local heat island phenomena, resulting in a poor overall thermal environment in the computer room. In order to solve the problem of poor overall thermal environment in the computer room caused by local heat island problems. The present disclosure proposes a liquid cooling device, which is a multi-faceted device integrated with a first cavity, a second cavity, and a third cavity. The electronic equipment is arranged in the first cavity, and the first cavity directly cools it, thereby avoiding the problem of poor thermal environment in the computer room caused by local heat islands.

[0023] like Figure 1As shown, it is a structural schematic diagram of a liquid cooling device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, and the liquid cooling device includes: a first cavity 1 for cooling, a second cavity 2 for serving as a channel, and a third cavity 3 for storing liquid, the first cavity 1 is connected to the second cavity 2, and the second cavity 2 is connected to the third cavity 3.

[0024] The first cavity 1 includes a plurality of slots 11, a plurality of first outlets 12, a condenser 13, and a pressure ejector 14. The slots 11 are arranged inside the first cavity 1, and the first outlets 12 are arranged in the slots 11. The first outlets 12 corresponding to each slot 11 are connected to one end of each liquid supply pipe 24. The slots 11 are used to place electronic equipment immersed in the phase change working fluid, and the first outlets 12 are used to supply the phase change working fluid to flow into or out of the first cavity 1.

[0025] The condenser 13 is arranged on the upper part of the electronic device, and the condenser 13 is used to cool down the phase change working medium that undergoes phase change.

[0026] The pressure injectors 14 are placed on both sides of the electronic device and are used to adjust the flow rate of the phase change medium according to the temperature of the electronic device.

[0027] The second cavity 2 includes a plurality of second outlets 21, a plurality of third outlets 22, a plurality of pressure switches 23 and a plurality of liquid supply pipes 24, each pressure switch 23 being respectively arranged on the liquid supply pipe 24 corresponding thereto; one end of each liquid supply pipe 24 being respectively connected to each first outlet 12 through each second outlet 21; the other end of each liquid supply pipe 24 being respectively connected to each fourth outlet 31 through each third outlet 22; the pressure switch 23 is used to control the phase change working medium in the second cavity 2 to enter the slot 11 through the liquid supply pipe 24.

[0028] The third cavity 3 includes a plurality of fourth outlets 31 , each of which is connected to the other end of each liquid supply pipe 24 , and the fourth outlets 31 are used for supplying the phase-change working medium to flow into or out of the second cavity 2 .

[0029] Specifically, according to the size of the space of the first cavity 1, it is evenly divided into a number of slots 11, each slot 11 is used to place electronic equipment, or place other products to be cooled, the depth and width of the slot 11 can be customized according to the size of the electronic equipment, and the slots 11 are independent of each other. At the same time, each slot 11 includes a snap-on sealing plate, which is arranged on the top of the slot 11. Due to its easy disassembly, it is convenient for the later maintenance of the first cavity 1.

[0030] Each slot 11 is filled with a phase change medium, which is used for heat exchange with the electronic device. When the phase change medium encounters the heat emitted by the electronic device, it will undergo a phase change, and after being vaporized, it will contact the condenser 13 placed on the top of the electronic device. The condenser 13 converts the gas into liquid, and then falls back into the slot 11 of the first cavity 1, realizing the internal circulation of the phase change medium. In this process, the phase change medium will be consumed to a certain extent. Exemplarily, the condenser 13 in the present disclosure is a winding condenser 13, which can convert gas or vapor into liquid and transfer the heat in the condenser tube to the air near the condenser tube.

[0031] At the same time, the first cavity 1 also includes a pressure injector 14, which is placed on both sides of the electronic device, or placed inside the first slot 11, or placed on the side of the second cavity 2 close to the electronic device, as long as it is convenient to control the flow rate of the phase change medium. The working principle of the pressure injector 14 is: according to the measured temperature of the electronic device, determine whether to start or shut down the pressure injector 14. The function of the pressure injector 14 is mainly to improve the heat exchange capacity between the phase change medium and the electronic device by increasing the flow rate of the phase change medium. Exemplarily, the electronic device takes a server chip as an example. The maximum temperature of the server chip during normal operation can reach 65°C. When the pressure injector 14 determines that the temperature of the server chip is higher than 65°C, the pressure injector 14 is turned on. When the chip temperature is lower than 65°C, the pressure injector 14 is turned off. When the pressure injector 14 is turned on, the pressure injector 14 can accelerate the disturbance of the phase change medium in the slot 11 and enhance the heat exchange effect between the phase change medium and the electronic heat dissipation device.

[0032] A first outlet 12 is also provided in each slot 11 of the first cavity 1, and a plurality of second outlets 21, a plurality of third outlets 22 and a plurality of liquid supply pipes 24 are provided in the second cavity 2. Each second outlet 21 has a first outlet 12 corresponding thereto, and each third outlet 22 has a fourth outlet 31 corresponding thereto. One end of each liquid supply pipe 24 in the second cavity 2 is connected to the first outlet 12 through the second outlet 21, and the other end of each liquid supply pipe 24 is connected to the fourth outlet 31 of the third cavity 3 through the third outlet 22. Therefore, the phase change working medium in the third cavity 3 can flow from the third cavity 3 into the first cavity 1 through the liquid supply pipe 24 to realize the replenishment of the phase change working medium.

[0033] The second cavity 2 further includes a plurality of pressure switches 23, which are connected to the liquid supply pipe 24, and each pressure switch 23 has a corresponding liquid supply pipe 24. By turning on the pressure switch 23, the phase-change working medium is supplied to the first cavity 1 through the liquid supply pipe 24. By turning off the pressure switch 23, the phase-change working medium is prevented from flowing into the first cavity 1. The working principle of the pressure switch 23 is as follows: the controller determines the values ​​of the pressure data and the liquid level data, and when it is determined that the values ​​of the pressure data and the liquid level data meet the preset conditions, the pressure switch 23 is turned on, otherwise the pressure switch is turned off.

[0034] The third cavity 3 can also be used as a liquid storage tank. When the slot 11 in the first cavity 1 needs maintenance, the phase change medium in the first cavity 1 can be temporarily stored in the third cavity 3 through the liquid supply pipe 24 .

[0035] In some embodiments, the phase change working fluid can be perfluorohexanone, or other coolants can be used, such as heptafluoropropane, R134a or R410a. The coolant has the properties of insulation, non-conductivity, and low boiling point, and the boiling point is usually 30°C-60°C. It is easy to evaporate and change phase when heated. The coolant can quickly transfer the heat emitted by the electronic chip to the energy of the coolant phase change, thereby accelerating the cooling.

[0036] In one implementation, one end of the condenser 13 is connected to the liquid supply main 7 through a first control unit 5, and the other end of the condenser 13 is connected to the liquid return main 8 through a second control unit 6. The first control unit 5 is used to control the phase change working fluid to flow into the condenser 13, and the second control unit 6 is used to control the phase change working fluid to flow out of the condenser 13.

[0037] Specifically, Figure 2 As shown, one end of the condenser 13 is connected to the liquid supply main pipe 7 through the first control unit 5, and the other end of the condenser 13 is connected to the liquid return main pipe 8 through the second control unit 6. Among them, a liquid cooling system can be composed of multiple liquid cooling devices, and each liquid cooling device is connected to the liquid supply main pipe 7 and the liquid return main pipe 8 in the above manner. In this way, the phase change working medium in the liquid supply main pipe 7 is cooled by multiple condensers 13, which can achieve the purpose of rapid cooling and improve the cooling efficiency.

[0038] In one implementation, the first control unit 5 includes a solenoid valve and a filter, the filter is connected to the liquid supply main pipe 7, and the solenoid valve is connected to the filter. The solenoid valve is an industrial device controlled by electromagnetics, which is a basic automation component used to control fluids. It belongs to an actuator and is not limited to hydraulics and pneumatics. It is used in industrial control systems to adjust the direction, flow, speed and other parameters of the medium. The filter is used to filter impurities in the phase change working fluid. The second control unit 6 includes a solenoid valve for controlling the flow direction, speed and other parameters of the phase change working fluid. The first control unit 5 controls the phase change working fluid in the liquid supply main pipe 7 to flow into the condenser 13; the second control unit 6 controls the phase change working fluid in the condenser 13 to flow out of the liquid return main pipe 8.

[0039] In one implementation, the liquid cooling device further includes a fourth cavity 4 for providing a maintenance space, and the fourth cavity 4 is disposed on the upper portion of the first cavity 1 .

[0040] Specifically, Figure 1 As shown, it also includes a fourth cavity 4, which is arranged on the upper part of the first cavity 1 to provide space for later maintenance. At the same time, the fourth cavity 4 also includes a sealing cover plate, which is detachably installed on the fourth cavity 4 to prevent the phase change medium inside the first cavity 1 from volatilizing to the outside when it encounters heat.

[0041] In one implementation, the electronic device further includes a temperature sensor 15 , which is disposed inside the electronic device and is used to measure the operating temperature of the electronic device.

[0042] Specifically, a temperature sensor 15 is provided inside the electronic device for monitoring the temperature change of the electronic device in real time, and the working state of the pressure injector 14 is determined according to the temperature monitoring result of the temperature sensor 15. When the temperature monitoring result exceeds the preset threshold value, the pressure injector 14 will be turned on. After the pressure injector 14 is turned on, the flow rate of the phase change medium will be accelerated, thereby accelerating the entire heat exchange process, thereby quickly reducing the temperature of the electronic device.

[0043] In one implementation, the first cavity 1 further includes a liquid level detector 16 , which is disposed on a side wall of the slot 11 and is used to measure liquid level data of the phase-change working fluid.

[0044] Specifically, the first cavity 1 also includes a liquid level detector 16, which is used to determine the liquid level data of the current phase change medium. When the controller detects that the liquid level data is lower than a certain value, the pressure switch 23 is turned on to allow the phase change medium in the third cavity 3 to flow into the first cavity 1.

[0045] In one implementation, the first cavity 1 further includes a pressure detector 17 , and the liquid level detector 16 is disposed in the tank 11 for measuring pressure data in the tank 11 .

[0046] Specifically, the first cavity 1 also includes a pressure detector 17, which is used to determine the pressure data of the current phase change medium. When the controller detects that the pressure data is lower than a certain value, the pressure switch 23 is turned on to allow the phase change medium in the third cavity 3 to flow into the first cavity 1.

[0047] In one implementation, the first cavity 1 also includes a power supply base 18 and a power supply component. The power supply base 18 is placed on one side of the electronic device. The power supply component and the pressure injector 14 are arranged at the same position. The power supply base 18 is used to power the electronic device, and the power supply component is used to power the power supply base 18 and the pressure injector 14.

[0048] Specifically, the electronic device is powered by the power supply base 18, and the power supply assembly is used to power the power supply base 18 and the pressure injector 14. At the same time, the power supply assembly and the pressure injector 14 are arranged in the same position, which can not only reduce the space occupied by the equipment, but also meet the power supply requirements of the pressure injector 14.

[0049] In one implementation, the liquid cooling device further includes a controller, which is used to obtain pressure data and liquid level data, and determine the state of the pressure switch 23 according to the liquid level data and the pressure data.

[0050] Specifically, the liquid cooling device also includes a controller, which is used to obtain liquid level data detected by the liquid level detector 16 and pressure data detected by the pressure detector 17, and determine whether to turn on or off the pressure switch 23 according to whether the liquid level data and the pressure data exceed preset thresholds.

[0051] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a liquid cooling method according to an exemplary embodiment, for a controller such as Figure 3 As shown, the method may include steps 301 and 302:

[0052] Step 301: The controller obtains pressure data and liquid level data;

[0053] In this step, pressure data measured by the pressure detector and liquid level data measured by the liquid level detector are obtained.

[0054] Step 302: The controller determines the state of the pressure switch 23 according to the pressure data and the liquid level data.

[0055] Further, step 302 is as follows:

[0056] When it is determined that the pressure data is less than the first threshold value, or when the liquid level data is less than the second threshold value, the pressure switch 23 is turned on;

[0057] When it is determined that the pressure data is greater than the first threshold and the liquid level data is greater than the second threshold, the pressure switch 23 is closed.

[0058] The present disclosure provides a liquid cooling method and system. When the pressure ejector 14 in the liquid cooling device determines that the temperature of the electronic device exceeds the threshold, the pressure ejector 14 is started to accelerate the flow of the phase change medium so that the electronic device can quickly dissipate heat. In the process of cooling the electronic device, the phase change medium will be lost. If the controller determines that the monitored pressure data and liquid level data are lower than the preset first threshold or second threshold, the pressure switch 23 is controlled to open so that the phase change medium in the second cavity 2 flows into the first cavity 1 through the liquid supply pipe 24 as a supply. The liquid cooling device can effectively solve the heat dissipation problem of the electronic device and ensure the normal working environment of the electronic device. At the same time, the pressure ejector 14 is used to accelerate the flow of the phase change medium that immerses the electronic device, strengthen the heat exchange effect between the phase change medium and the electronic device, ensure the working temperature conditions of the electronic device, and improve the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0059] In the description of this specification, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0060] The above are only specific embodiments of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily thought of by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A liquid cooling device, characterized in that: include: A first cavity for cooling, a second cavity for serving as a passage, and a third cavity for storing liquid, wherein the first cavity is in communication with the second cavity, and the second cavity is in communication with the third cavity; The first cavity includes a plurality of slots, a plurality of first outlets, a condenser, and a pressure ejector. The slot is arranged inside the first cavity, the first outlet is arranged in the slot, the first outlet corresponding to each slot is connected to one end of each liquid supply pipe, the slot is used to place electronic equipment immersed in the phase change working medium, and the first outlet is used to supply the phase change working medium to flow into or out of the first cavity; The condenser is arranged on the upper part of the electronic device, and the condenser is used to cool down the phase change working medium that undergoes phase change; The pressure ejectors are placed on both sides of the electronic device and are used to adjust the flow rate of the phase change medium according to the temperature of the electronic device; The second cavity includes a plurality of second outlets, a plurality of third outlets, a plurality of pressure switches and a plurality of liquid supply pipes; Each of the pressure switches is respectively arranged on the corresponding liquid supply pipe; one end of each of the liquid supply pipes is respectively connected to each of the first outlets through each of the second outlets; the other end of each of the liquid supply pipes is respectively connected to each of the fourth outlets through each of the third outlets; the pressure switch is used to control the phase change working medium in the second chamber to enter the slot through the liquid supply pipe; The third cavity comprises a plurality of fourth outlets, each of which is connected to the other end of each of the liquid supply pipes, and the fourth outlet is used for allowing the phase-change working medium to flow into or out of the second cavity; It also includes a fourth cavity for providing a maintenance space, wherein the fourth cavity is arranged on the upper part of the first cavity; The electronic device further includes a temperature sensor, which is disposed inside the electronic device and is used to measure the operating temperature of the electronic device.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that One end of the condenser is connected to the liquid supply main pipe through a first control unit, and the other end of the condenser is connected to the liquid return main pipe through a second control unit. The first control unit is used to control the phase change medium to flow into the condenser, and the second control unit is used to control the phase change medium to flow out of the condenser.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The first cavity further comprises a liquid level detector, which is disposed on the side wall of the slot and is used to measure the liquid level data of the phase-change working fluid.

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that The first cavity also includes a pressure detector, and the liquid level detector is placed in the slot and is used to measure pressure data in the slot.

5. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The first cavity also includes a power supply base and a power supply component. The power supply base is placed on one side of the electronic device. The power supply component and the pressure injector are arranged at the same position. The power supply base is used to supply power to the electronic device. The power supply component is used to supply power to the power supply base and the pressure injector.

6. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that It also includes a controller, which is used to obtain the pressure data and the liquid level data, and determine the state of the pressure switch according to the liquid level data and the pressure data.

7. A liquid cooling method, applied to a liquid cooling device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: include: The controller obtains pressure data and liquid level data; The controller determines the state of the pressure switch according to the pressure data and the liquid level data.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The controller determines the state of the pressure switch according to the pressure data and the liquid level data, including: When it is determined that the pressure data is less than a first threshold value, or when the liquid level data is less than a second threshold value, turning on the pressure switch; When it is determined that the pressure data is greater than the first threshold and the liquid level data is greater than the second threshold, the pressure switch is closed.

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