Liquid cooling anti-leakage design

By designing the cold plates of nanoparticle channels and sensors in the liquid cooling system in the data center, the leakage detection problem of liquid cooling system is solved, and the reliability and maintenance efficiency of the system are improved.

CN115209676BActive Publication Date: 2025-06-27BAIDU USA LLC
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202210070489.4
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2021-04-02
Filing Date
2022-01-21
Publication Date
2025-06-27
Estimated Expiration
2042-01-21

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing liquid cooling systems are difficult to accurately detect and prevent leakage in data centers, resulting in reduced system reliability and increased maintenance costs.

Method used

A cold plate is designed, including an inlet port, an outlet port, a sealed notch, a nanoparticle channel and a cooling area, and the leakage location is detected using the nanoparticle channel and a sensor by adding nanoparticles to the cooling fluid.

Benefits of technology

Accurate detection and prevention of leakage in liquid cooling system is achieved, the reliability and maintenance efficiency of the system are improved, and the cost is reduced.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

A leak prevention system including a cold plate is proposed in the present application. In one embodiment, the cold plate includes: an inlet port for receiving a cooling fluid from an external cooling source; an outlet port for returning the cooling fluid to the external cooling source; a sealing notch integrated with a gasket included in an outer layer of the cold plate; a nanoparticle channel disposed inside the outer layer; the nanoparticle channel being filled with a plurality of nanoparticles; and a cooling region disposed within the nanoparticle channel; the cooling region being configured to receive the cooling fluid from the inlet port to exchange heat generated by an electronic device attached to the cold plate and carried by the cooling fluid, and return the cooling fluid via the outlet port; the plurality of nanoparticles in the cooling fluid being used to detect a leak of the cooling fluid.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present application generally relate to server and data center cooling. More specifically, embodiments of the present application relate to a liquid cooling leak detection and prevention design for a cooling system for cooling electronic devices such as data centers. Background Art

[0002] Cooling is a prominent factor in computer system and data center design. The number of high-performance electronic components such as high-performance processors encapsulated within servers has been steadily increasing, thereby increasing the heat generated and dissipated during normal operation of the servers. If the environment in which the data center is allowed to operate increases in temperature over time, the reliability of the servers used within the data center decreases. Maintaining an appropriate thermal environment is crucial for the normal operation of these servers within the data center, as well as for server performance and lifespan. This requires more effective and efficient cooling solutions, especially in the case of cooling these high-performance servers.

[0003] Maintaining high reliability in liquid cooling is crucial. Therefore, leak prevention is important for scaling this technology in data centers. Additionally, leak prevention not only depends on designing high-quality products, but also requires advanced detection and prevention mechanisms to provide accurate leak detection for all leak scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect of the present application, there is provided a cold plate for providing liquid cooling, the cold plate for providing liquid cooling may include: an inlet port for receiving a cooling fluid from an external cooling source;

[0005] an outlet port for returning the cooling fluid to the external cooling source;

[0006] a sealing notch integrated with a gasket included in an outer layer of the cold plate;

[0007] a nanoparticle channel provided inside the outer layer, wherein the nanoparticle channel is filled with a plurality of nanoparticles; and

[0008] a cooling region provided within the nanoparticle channel, wherein the cooling region is configured to receive the cooling fluid from the inlet port to exchange heat generated by an electronic device attached to the cold plate and carried by the cooling fluid, and return the cooling fluid via the outlet port,

[0009] wherein a plurality of nanoparticles in the cooling fluid are used to detect leakage of the cooling fluid.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present application, there is provided a server chassis, the server chassis may include:

[0011] One or more electronic devices operating as one or more servers; and

[0012] A cold plate coupled to the one or more electronic devices, the cold plate including:

[0013] An inlet port for receiving a cooling fluid from an external cooling source;

[0014] An outlet port for returning the cooling fluid to the external cooling source;

[0015] A sealing notch integrated with a gasket included in an outer layer of the cold plate;

[0016] A nanoparticle channel disposed inside the outer layer, wherein the nanoparticle channel is filled with a plurality of nanoparticles; and

[0017] A cooling region disposed within the nanoparticle channel, wherein the cooling region is configured to receive the cooling fluid from the inlet port to exchange heat generated by an electronic device attached to the cold plate and carried by the cooling fluid, and return the cooling fluid via the outlet port,

[0018] wherein a plurality of nanoparticles in the cooling fluid are used to detect leakage of the cooling fluid.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present application, there is provided an electronic rack of a data center, which may include:

[0020] A plurality of server chassis arranged in a stack, each server chassis including one or more electronic devices operating as one or more servers, each of the electronic devices being attached to a cold plate, each cold plate including:

[0021] An inlet port for receiving a cooling fluid from an external cooling source;

[0022] An outlet port for returning the cooling fluid to the external cooling source;

[0023] A sealing notch integrated with a gasket included in an outer layer of the cold plate;

[0024] A nanoparticle channel disposed inside the outer layer, wherein the nanoparticle channel is filled with a plurality of nanoparticles; and

[0025] A cooling region disposed within the nanoparticle channel, wherein the cooling region is configured to receive the cooling fluid from the inlet port to exchange heat generated by an electronic device attached to the cold plate and carried by the cooling fluid, and return the cooling fluid via the outlet port,

[0026] Among them, a plurality of nanoparticles in the cooling fluid are used to detect leakage of the cooling fluid. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Embodiments of the present application are shown by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements.

[0028] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary liquid cooling anti-leakage design in a cooling unit of a cooling system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0029] Figure 2 A top view of an exemplary liquid cooling anti-leakage design having nanoparticles in a cooling unit of a cooling system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0030] Figures 3A to 3B A top view of another exemplary liquid cooling anti-leakage design having nanoparticles in a cooling unit of a cooling system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0031] Figure 4 An exemplary nanoparticle implementation for a cooling system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0032] Figure 5 An exemplary design of liquid cooling anti-leakage having a nanoparticle implementation in a cooling unit of a cooling module, the cooling module being part of a cooling system, according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0033] Figures 6A to 6B An exemplary liquid cooling anti-leakage function and mechanism for a cooling system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0034] Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary liquid cooling anti-leakage design having nanoparticles in a cooling unit of a cooling system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0035] Figure 8 An exemplary server cooling module according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0036] Figure 9 Another exemplary server cooling module according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0037] Figure 10 A block diagram showing an example of an electronic rack according to an embodiment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The various embodiments and aspects of the present application will be described below with reference to the details discussed below, and the accompanying drawings will illustrate the various embodiments. The following description and the drawings are illustrative of the present application and do not constitute a limitation of the present application. Many specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments of the present application. However, in some cases, well-known or conventional details are not described in order to provide a concise discussion of the embodiments of the present application.

[0039] Reference to "an embodiment" or "embodiments" in the specification means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The phrase "in an embodiment" appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0040] For many reasons, the information technology (IT) hardware industry is a key market: it plays a crucial role in enterprise competitiveness, service quality, and availability, and also plays an important role in the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the infrastructure. IT hardware is closely related to the profits of organizations. IT hardware is one of the core capabilities of Internet giants, cloud computing service providers, and business service users and providers related to high-performance computing and AI computing, who build, operate, compute, store, and manage other IT hardware platforms (such as servers) and infrastructure. Most hyperscale owners are customizing the full stack of these hardware systems. For example, in the rapidly growing cloud computing business, the performance and cost (both capital cost and operating cost) of computing and storage hardware systems, clusters, and infrastructure require service providers to create customized systems that best suit their individual needs. These markets require continuous innovation. Effective system design and operation are beneficial to service providers in many aspects in the long term. The key to achieving this is through the continuous development of more flexible, efficient, interoperable, and cost-effective solutions and architectures.

[0041] In an embodiment, the design proposed in the present disclosure is intended to be applied to liquid cooling solutions for servers and electronic packages (such as processors). For example, in the liquid cooling solution for a server, reliability is always a challenge. In an embodiment, since liquid cooling requires the fluid to flow close to the electronic device (such as a processor) inside the chassis, any liquid leakage may cause a series of damages to the entire system and the electronic device. Therefore, leak prevention is crucial for the reliability of the liquid cooling solution, enabling the large-scale deployment of the liquid cooling solution. The present application provides an innovative design for liquid cooling leak detection to prevent damage caused by liquid leakage.

[0042] In an embodiment, the requirement for a leakage detection system for server liquid cooling is that the system needs to accurately identify the actual leakage location in a leakage event. In other words, in server liquid cooling applications, this is a critical requirement because the detection system needs to identify which server or even which chip causes the leakage. For example, in a data center, there are many liquid-cooled servers connected in a cooling loop, allowing for possible leakage in any server or location along the loop. In an embodiment, the design of the liquid cooling anti-leakage mechanism enables the server liquid cooling leakage detection system to more accurately identify the leakage location, such that the system can provide the precise leakage location in any leakage event. Additionally, in an embodiment, by implementing sensors in different ways, the proposed design can be used to vary the leakage detection accuracy at scales ranging from the device level, server cooling module level, rack level, and above. For example, the coverage of a single sensor is based on its location. In an embodiment, a single sensor can be used to cover an entire server or rack.

[0043] The cost of leakage detection is also a challenging issue. Not only is the cost of the detection system hardware high, but the cost of the corresponding sensors and control systems is also high. If the leakage detection system utilizes a large portion of the cooling hardware cost budget, then the solution may not be successfully deployed in actual products. This is also one of the main obstacles to the deployment of liquid cooling on a large scale and the corresponding ecosystem development.

[0044] Additionally, high scalability and interoperability are key features of the leakage detection solution because the solution may need to be used with different liquid cooling components used in server cooling modules. The design concepts and enabling technologies proposed in this application can be used in a variety of scenarios.

[0045] The most important feature of a leakage detection system or solution for mission-critical equipment is the ability to detect and precisely locate potential leaks and identify potential leakage locations before the leak occurs. This is the problem that this application aims to solve.

[0046] This application presents a novel solution for designing and developing a leakage detection solution for liquid-cooled servers or mission-critical equipment. The solution enables preventive leakage detection, thus capturing leaks before any actual damage occurs. The solution also identifies the locations of these potential leaks at small and large scales.

[0047] In one embodiment, this application introduces a nanoparticle-based leakage detection scheme. This scheme does not affect the performance and reliability of the system. For example, once an internal leak is detected, e.g., by detecting the presence of nanoparticles in the cooling fluid, the unit causing the leak can be easily identified and replaced. However, at the same time, the detection medium can still remain operational throughout the system.

[0048] In an embodiment, the cooling system includes a cold plate, which includes an inlet port, an outlet port, a sealing notch, a nanoparticle channel, and a cooling region. In an embodiment, the inlet port will receive a cooling fluid from an external cooling source. The outlet port will return the cooling fluid to the external cooling source. For example, the sealing notch is combined with a gasket included in the outer layer of the cold plate. In an embodiment, the nanoparticle channel is disposed inside the outer layer. For example, the nanoparticle channel is filled with a plurality of nanoparticles. In an embodiment, the cooling region is disposed within the nanoparticle channel. For example, the cooling region will receive the cooling fluid from the inlet port to exchange heat generated by an electronic device attached to the cold plate and carried by the fluid, and return the cooling fluid via the outlet port. For example, a plurality of nanoparticles in the cooling fluid are used to detect a leak of the cooling fluid.

[0049] In an embodiment, the cold plate includes a capsule layer for accommodating a plurality of nanoparticles soluble in the cooling fluid. In an embodiment, the plurality of nanoparticles with the capsule layer can be dissolved into the cooling fluid. In an embodiment, the plurality of nanoparticles are integrated onto a barb and hose assembly. In an embodiment, the cold plate includes a nanoparticle sensor that is used in the discharge side of a loop coupled to the outlet port to detect the plurality of nanoparticles in the cooling fluid.

[0050] In an embodiment, due to one or more conditions, the cooling fluid flows into the nanoparticle channel through a leakage path. In an embodiment, the one or more conditions include product design, manufacturing errors, improper integration, improper operation, or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, the plurality of nanoparticles are exposed to the cooling fluid flowing through the leakage path into the nanoparticle channel. In an embodiment, when the entire system is still operating and there is no leakage outside the cold plate into one or more electronic devices, the plurality of nanoparticles flow together with the cooling fluid present in the supply side of the loop coupled to the outlet port.

[0051] This application introduces a leakage detection design and solution for server liquid cooling. In an embodiment, nanoparticles such as copper nanoparticles are used in the design, and the nanoparticles are used to detect leakage. For example, in an embodiment, the nanoparticles are encapsulated in capsules, and the capsules are integrated with the nanoparticles into a cooling module, a cooling component, or any other possible leakage location. In an embodiment, dedicated channels are formed in a cold plate for assembling the nanoparticles. In an embodiment, there is another sealing structure for preventing leakage and causing damage to electronic devices. In an embodiment, the nanoparticles will dissolve into the cooling fluid, and then the downstream fluid will contain the nanoparticles. For example, once the fluid carrying the nanoparticles flows through a nanoparticle sensor, the fluid triggers the corresponding sensor. In an embodiment, an additional sealing layer is used to protect the fluid still contained within the component, such that leakage is prevented and identified before it contacts any electronic devices.

[0052] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an exemplary liquid cooling leak prevention design 100 in a cooling unit of a cooling system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. For example, Figure 1 The leakage detection design 100 in a commonly used cold plate 101 is shown. In particular, Figure 1 is a side view of the cold plate 101. In an embodiment, the leakage detection and prevention design 101 is implemented in the middle of two frames (i.e., the upper frame 103 and the lower frame 105) forming the cold plate, because the only possible leakage may occur between the two contact layers (103, 105). In an embodiment, inside is a channel (e.g., 115) for implementing nanoparticles (e.g., 117). In an embodiment, the detection channel 115 is a dedicated notch filled with nanoparticles 117. For example, in addition to the nanoparticle layer, there are also sealing notches (e.g., 109, 113) or different sealing structures 107 combined with sealing gaskets (e.g., 111, 119). The key design is to use nanoparticle channels closer to the fluid region, which will be discussed in more detail. It should be noted that in Figure 1 the cooling region through which the fluid flows is not shown. The sealing gaskets (e.g., 111, 119) can be different to accommodate different sealing notch (e.g., 109, 113) designs.

[0053] Figure 2 A top view of an exemplary liquid cooling leak prevention design 250 with nanoparticles in a cooling unit of a cooling system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. For example, Figure 2A top view of a solution for a cold plate cover is shown, taking the frame 251 as an example. It can be seen that, according to the embodiment, nanoparticles 259 are assembled or added into the dedicated channels 265. In the embodiment, the outer layer includes a sealing notch 261 in which a gasket 263 is integrated. For example, when leakage occurs between two frames 103, 105 (e.g., if the two layers do not properly contact each other), the fluid will first flow into the nanoparticle channels 265.

[0054] In the embodiment, since the detection is designed to act on this layer, the leakage can be identified before the fluid leakage. That is to say, the gasket 263 provides additional protection. In the embodiment, it may not be very necessary to add a sealing layer. However, the sealing layer does provide enhanced reliability. It should be noted that the sealing notch (e.g., 261) and the gasket (e.g., 263) can be customized according to the manufacturing process, complexity, and cost.

[0055] In the embodiment, since the cooling region 257 (e.g., the microchannel water fin region) is separated from the nanoparticle channels 265, the fluid will not contact any particles (e.g., 259) or the nanoparticle channels 265.

[0056] Figures 3A to 3B A top view of other exemplary liquid cooling anti-leakage design mechanisms having nanoparticles (e.g., 301, 309, 313) in the cooling units (e.g., 300, 350) of the cooling system according to the embodiments of the present application is shown. For example, Figures 3A to 3B Some advanced features achieved by the nanoparticles proposed in the present application are shown. In the embodiment, as Figure 3A and Figure 3B shown, the nanoparticle channels (e.g., 305) are pre-designed channels on the cooling hardware.

[0057] In the embodiment, nanoparticles (e.g., 301, 309, 313) are added into the capsule layers (e.g., 303, 307, 315) covered by one or more sealing layers (e.g., 305, 317, 319, 321) outside the capsule layers (e.g., 303, 307, 315). In the embodiment, the material of the capsule layers (e.g., 303, 307, 315) for accommodating the particles (e.g., 301, 309, 313) is easily soluble in the liquid. If there is a leakage, the nanoparticles will leak into the circulating cooling fluid, where the nanoparticles can be detected by a sensor, or alternatively, the nanoparticles can be visually observed by an operator or a user.

[0058] In an embodiment, the design (e.g., 300, 350) is to ensure that the detection system can accurately contain nanoparticles (e.g., 301, 309, 313) before operation. In an embodiment, another feature (e.g., the nanoparticle unit) can be designed as a standard module and partially implemented in a dedicated channel.

[0059] Figure 4 An exemplary nanoparticle implementation of a cooling system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. For example, Figure 4 Another design 400 for leak detection using nanoparticle implementation is shown. In an embodiment, the nanoparticles 403 are integrated onto the barb 405 and the hose structure 401. In an embodiment, the sensor 407 (e.g., the copper nanoparticle 403 detection sensor 407) is used on the supply side of a loop connected to the hose structure 407 through the sensor wire 409. In an embodiment, according to the leak detection design downstream of 400, the sensor wire 409 and the sensor 407 can be implanted at any position. If there is a leak, the sensor 407 can detect the presence of nanoparticles in the cooling fluid.

[0060] Figure 5 An exemplary design 500 of liquid cooling anti-leakage with nanoparticle implementation in the cooling unit of a cooling module according to an embodiment of the present application is shown as part of the cooling system. In particular, Figure 5 A complete set of cooling unit leak detection designs is shown. For example, the detector / substance (e.g., 505, 509) is integrated at different positions, and these positions are possible leak positions. Additionally, in an embodiment, these nanoparticles (e.g., 505, 509) are separated from the fluid region 511, which means that these nanoparticles are only immersed in the liquid when the fluid flows to an area where they are not designed (e.g., leakage). In an embodiment, the sensor 501 is added to the fluid discharge position of the entire unit, and the fluid discharge position is the outlet 507 shown in the figure. For example, 503 shows the fluid flow direction.

[0061] Figures 6A to 6B An example function and mechanism of liquid cooling anti-leakage for a cooling system according to an embodiment of the present application are shown. For example, Figures 6A to 6B The actual sequences 600, 650 of the leak detection system in a leak event are shown. In an embodiment, during the first leak stage ( Figure 6A ), since the microchannel fin area 605 should be completely separated from the nanoparticle channel 603, when the fluid flows into the area 601, the internal leak in the first stage starts / occurs.

[0062] In an embodiment, during the second leak stage ( Figure 6A ), the fluid passes through the leak path (e.g.,Figure 8 flows into the nanoparticle channel 603 through the leakage path 809). For example, the leakage path may be caused by product design, manufacturing errors, improper integration, or during operation, triggered under different pressures and thermal cycles, etc.

[0063] In an embodiment, during the third leakage stage ( Figure 6A ), the particles in the nanoparticle channel 603 are exposed to the fluid. For example, the nanoparticles (e.g., copper nanoparticles) in the nanoparticle channel 603 are exposed to the fluid because these particles are covered by a capsule layer that is easily soluble in the liquid.

[0064] In an embodiment, during the fourth leakage stage ( Figure 6B ), the particles flow along the fluid flow direction together with the fluid and appear at the outlet 607. In an embodiment, the sensor in the outlet 607 can detect these particles, thereby identifying the internal leakage 601 and the location of the internal leakage while the entire device is still operating and there is no external leakage from the cold plate to the electronic device.

[0065] Figure 7 An exemplary design 700 of liquid cooling anti-leakage with nanoparticle implementation in a cooling unit of a cooling system according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. For example, Figure 7 An operational design of a cold plate is shown as an example. In an embodiment, the particles 701 from the nanoparticle channel 709 are mixed into the fluid region 703, and the first position where the particles exit the device (e.g., the outlet 707) is integrated with the sensor 705.

[0066] Figure 8 An exemplary server cooling module 800 according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. For example, Figure 8 A server-side implementation is shown. In an embodiment, the server has a plurality of integrated cold plates (e.g., 805a - 805h) and manifolds (e.g., 807a, 807b). In an embodiment, the sensor-M 801 is used for the entire server cooling module 809, and separate sensors (e.g., 803a, 803h) are used downstream of each cold plate (e.g., 805a - 805h). It should be noted that the nanoparticles are integrated in each individual cold plate (e.g., 805a - 805h) and manifold (e.g., 807a, 807b). In an embodiment, during a leakage event, based on the sequence of the detection signals of the sensors (e.g., 803a, 803h), the detailed location (e.g., 805a, 805h) can be identified. Additionally, the server system redundancy design 800 can provide greater flexibility in this redundancy design and sensor accuracy selection.

[0067] Figure 9Shows another exemplary server cooling module 900 according to an embodiment of the present application. For example, Figure 9 Shows the use of a rack-level design and two systems (i.e., 915, 917). In an embodiment, the systems (e.g., 915, 917) are connected to rack-level manifolds (e.g., 901, 903) for supply 905 and return 907. In an embodiment, the rack-level can also be integrated with sensors (e.g., sensor-R 909, 911, 913, 919). In an embodiment, in addition to the advantages and functions discussed in the above paragraphs, the sensors can be integrated into any layer or system location to better detect potential leak locations for better analysis of potential leaks. In an embodiment, the implementation of the sensor locations (e.g., 909, 911, 913, 919) can also be related to the workloads and applications deployed on the system and the workload dispatching, migration methods, and requirements, especially in any leakage situation.

[0068] It should be noted that the integration of nanoparticles can vary depending on the device in terms of hardware design. For example, other types of nanoparticles can be used. In an embodiment, although all types require the material to be compatible with all other wetting materials on the loop; nevertheless, for ease of implementation, the nanoparticle module can be encapsulated in different ways.

[0069] Figure 8 and Figure 9 Shows a plurality of sensors (e.g., 801, 803a, 803h, 909, 911, 913, 919) installed according to an embodiment. For example, the sensors (e.g., 803a, 803h, 909, 911, 913, 919) can be designed and positioned in different ways in the cooling module or cooling system to provide different levels of detection accuracy, such as using only one sensor downstream of the server cooling module to cover the entire server instead of using a separate sensor for each in the cold plate. In other words, in an embodiment, the cooling system does not need to precisely identify which cold plate is leaking internally because the server-level accuracy is sufficient. Alternatively, more sensors can be deployed at different locations to provide more refined leak detection. For example, a system with more sensors can detect at the cold plate level. The system can detect which one of the cold plates is causing the leak.

[0070] Figure 10 Is a block diagram showing an electronic rack according to an embodiment. The electronic rack 200 can represent any electronic rack described throughout the present application. For example, the rack 200 can Figure 9 The electronic rack in is shown as part of a liquid cooling leak prevention design with nanoparticle implementation in the cooling unit of a cooling system, the cooling system including key features of control communication and rack-level leak detection according to an embodiment of the present application. Refer toFigure 10 , according to an embodiment, the electronic rack 200 includes, but is not limited to, a CDU 201, a rack management unit (RMU) 202, and one or more server chassis 203A - 203E (collectively referred to as server chassis 203). The server chassis 203 can be inserted into an array of server slots (e.g., standard racks) from the front end 204 or the rear end 205 of the electronic rack 200 respectively. Note that although five server chassis 203A - 203E are shown here, more or fewer server chassis can be held within the electronic rack 200. It should also be noted that the specific positions of the CDU 201, the RMU 202, and / or the server chassis 203 are shown for illustrative purposes only; other arrangements or configurations of the CDU 201, the RMU 202, and / or the server chassis 203 can also be implemented. In an embodiment, the electronic rack 200 can be open to the environment or partially housed by a rack container, as long as the cooling fans can generate an air flow from the front end to the rear end.

[0071] Additionally, for at least some of the server chassis 203, optional fan modules (not shown) are associated with the server chassis. Each of the fan modules includes one or more cooling fans. The fan modules can be mounted on the rear end of the server chassis 203 or on the electronic rack to generate an air flow that exits from the front end 204, travels through the air space of the server chassis 203, and exits at the rear end 205 of the electronic rack 200.

[0072] In one embodiment, the CDU 201 mainly includes a heat exchanger 211, a liquid pump 212, and a pump controller (not shown), as well as some other components, such as a reservoir, a power supply, monitoring sensors, etc. The heat exchanger 211 can be a liquid - to - liquid heat exchanger. The heat exchanger 211 includes a first circuit having an inlet port and an outlet port, and the inlet port and the outlet port have a first pair of liquid connectors that are coupled to an external liquid supply line / return line 131 - 132 to form a main circuit. The connectors coupled to the external liquid supply line / return line 131 - 132 can be set or installed on the rear end 205 of the electronic rack 200. The liquid supply line / return line 131 - 132, also referred to as the room liquid supply / return line, can be coupled to the cooling system 120 as described above.

[0073] In addition, the heat exchanger 211 further includes a second circuit having two ports, the two ports having a second pair of liquid connectors that are coupled to a liquid manifold 225 (also referred to as a rack manifold) to form the second circuit, and the second circuit may include a supply manifold (also referred to as a rack liquid supply line or a rack supply manifold) and a return manifold (also referred to as a rack liquid return line or a rack return manifold), the supply manifold supplying cooling liquid to the server chassis 203 and the return manifold returning the warmer liquid to the CDU 201.

[0074] Each of the server chassis 203 may include one or more IT components (e.g., a central processing unit or CPU, a general-purpose / graphics processing unit (GPU), memory, and / or a storage device). The server chassis 203 may include a host server (referred to as a host node) coupled to one or more compute servers (also referred to as compute nodes, such as CPU servers and GPU servers).

[0075] The electronic rack 200 further includes an optional RMU 202 configured to provide and manage power supplied to the servers 203 and the CDU 201. The RMU 202 may be coupled to a power supply unit (not shown) to manage the power consumption of the power supply unit.

[0076] In an embodiment, the RMU 202 includes an optimization module 221 and a rack management controller (RMC) 222. The RMC 222 may include a monitor to monitor the operating states of various components within the electronic rack 200, such as the compute nodes 203, the CDU 201, and the fan module. The monitor may also receive data representing the fan power and the pump power generated by the fan module 231 and the liquid pump 212, and this data may be proportional to their respective speeds. Such operating data is referred to as real-time operating data. Note that the monitor may be implemented as a separate module within the RMU 202.

[0077] Note that the rack configuration shown and described is for illustrative purposes only; Figure 10 other configurations or arrangements may also be applied. For example, the CDU 201 may be an optional unit. The cold plates of the server chassis 203 may be coupled to a rack manifold that may be directly coupled to the room manifolds 131 - 132 without using the CDU.

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

Claims

1. A cold plate for providing liquid cooling, comprising: An inlet port for receiving a cooling fluid from an external cooling source; An outlet port for returning the cooling fluid to the external cooling source; A sealing notch integrated with a gasket included in an outer layer of the cold plate; A nanoparticle channel disposed inside the outer layer, wherein the nanoparticle channel is filled with a plurality of nanoparticles; and A cooling region disposed within and separated from the nanoparticle channel, wherein the cooling region is configured to receive the cooling fluid from the inlet port to exchange heat generated by an electronic device attached to the cold plate and carried by the cooling fluid, and return the cooling fluid via the outlet port, Wherein the plurality of nanoparticles are configured to detect leakage of the cooling fluid.

2. The cold plate according to claim 1, further comprising a capsule layer for accommodating the plurality of nanoparticles soluble in the cooling fluid.

3. The cold plate according to claim 2, wherein, The plurality of nanoparticles having the capsule layer are capable of dissolving in the cooling fluid.

4. The cold plate according to claim 1, wherein The plurality of nanoparticles are integrated with barbs and hose components.

5. The cold plate according to claim 1, further comprising a nanoparticle sensor used in a circuit coupled to the outlet port of the cold plate to detect the plurality of nanoparticles in the cooling fluid.

6. The cold plate according to claim 5, wherein, The nanoparticle sensor is located downstream in the fluid flow direction.

7. The cold plate according to claim 1, wherein, The sealing notch and the gasket are set based on one or more properties.

8. The cold plate according to claim 1, wherein, The nanoparticles comprise copper nanoparticles.

9. The cold plate according to claim 1, wherein The plurality of nanoparticles are exposed to the cooling fluid flowing through a leakage path to the nanoparticle channel.

10. The cold plate according to claim 9, wherein, When the entire system is still operating and there is no leakage outside the cold plate into one or more electronic devices, the plurality of nanoparticles flow together with the cooling fluid present on the downstream side / discharge side of the circuit coupled to the outlet port.

11. A server chassis, comprising: One or more electronic devices operating as one or more servers; And A cold plate coupled to the one or more electronic devices, the cold plate comprising: An inlet port for receiving a cooling fluid from an external cooling source; An outlet port for returning the cooling fluid to the external cooling source; A sealing notch integrated with a gasket included in an outer layer of the cold plate; A nanoparticle channel disposed inside the outer layer, wherein the nanoparticle channel is filled with a plurality of nanoparticles; and A cooling region disposed within and separated from the nanoparticle channel, wherein the cooling region is configured to receive the cooling fluid from the inlet port to exchange heat generated by an electronic device attached to the cold plate and carried by the cooling fluid, and return the cooling fluid via the outlet port, Wherein the plurality of nanoparticles are configured to detect leakage of the cooling fluid.

12. The server chassis according to claim 11, wherein, The cold plate further comprises a capsule layer for accommodating the plurality of nanoparticles soluble in the cooling fluid.

13. The server chassis according to claim 12, wherein, The plurality of nanoparticles having the capsule layer are capable of dissolving in the cooling fluid.

14. The server chassis according to claim 11, wherein, The plurality of nanoparticles are integrated with barbs and hose components.

15. The server chassis according to claim 11, wherein, The cold plate further includes one or more nanoparticle sensors that are used in a loop coupled to the outlet port of the cold plate to detect the plurality of nanoparticles in the cooling fluid.

16. The server chassis according to claim 15, wherein, The one or more nanoparticle sensors are disposed at one or more locations based on one or more leak detection coverage areas.

17. The server chassis according to claim 11, wherein, The seal notch and the gasket are set based on one or more attributes.

18. The server chassis according to claim 11, wherein, The nanoparticles include copper nanoparticles.

19. The server chassis according to claim 11, wherein, The plurality of nanoparticles are exposed to the cooling fluid flowing through the leak path to the nanoparticle channel.

20. An electronic rack for a data center, comprising: a plurality of server chassis arranged in a stack, each server chassis including one or more electronic devices operating as one or more servers, each of the electronic devices being attached to a cold plate, each cold plate including: an inlet port for receiving cooling fluid from an external cooling source; an outlet port for returning the cooling fluid to the external cooling source; a seal notch integrated with a gasket included in an outer layer of the cold plate; a nanoparticle channel disposed inside the outer layer, wherein the nanoparticle channel is filled with a plurality of nanoparticles; and a cooling region disposed within and separated from the nanoparticle channel, wherein the cooling region is configured to receive the cooling fluid from the inlet port to exchange heat generated by the electronic devices attached to the cold plate and carried by the cooling fluid, and to return the cooling fluid via the outlet port, wherein the plurality of nanoparticles are configured to detect leaks in the cooling fluid.

Citation Information

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