Rack Cooling Distribution System with Leak Detection and IT Rack

Abstract

A liquid cooling distribution system can be installed into an information technology (IT) rack to convey and distribute fluid to IT equipment. The liquid cooling system can include a fluid manifold and a container arranged to capture fluid leaking from the fluid manifold. A first fluid sensor can be arranged to detect fluid at a first location in the container. A controller can be configured to, in response to detecting fluid in the container at the first location, reduce the flow of fluid into the fluid manifold and pump fluid out of the fluid manifold. Further remedial actions can be taken based on various detected leak conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to cooling systems for information technology (IT) racks. Specifically, the cooling system can respond to detected leaks. Background Art

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

[0003] Liquid cooling systems transfer and convey liquids between IT racks and chassis, and between chassis and IT equipment mounted on the chassis. Such systems can provide high operating and cooling efficiency for IT equipment. Liquid cooling for high-power density electronics is becoming increasingly popular because air cooling may be thermally inadequate in some environments. Liquid cooling allows for higher packaging density and increased computational load of electronic devices by transferring greater thermal energy from the electronic devices.

[0004] Liquid cooling systems are prone to fluid leaks, which can damage IT equipment. When a leak is detected in an IT rack, it may be necessary to shut down some or all of the equipment in the IT rack in order to prevent damage to the electronics in a timely manner. However, IT equipment may take time to gracefully exit operation, save data or application state, notify parties, or perform other tasks related to a graceful shutdown. Some solutions may immediately shut down the system upon detection of any leak. However, such solutions may require the introduction of separate fluid components to achieve server-level control. Some solutions, even after a leak is detected, are not configured to reduce fluid leaks or reduce the exposure of electronic devices to fluid. In addition, existing cooling solutions can detect leaks in the electronics, but cannot detect leaks from the manifolds of IT racks, or leaks between the chassis and the manifolds. Therefore, a cooling solution that addresses the above problems is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Liquid cooling systems can circulate fluid to and from IT electronics within an IT rack. Leaks within liquid cooling systems can be common within an IT rack due to the fluid passing through or engaging with various pipes, connectors, fittings, adapters, and other components. The fluid can leak at different rates depending on the severity of the leak. In order to facilitate graceful shutdown, protect IT equipment, and maintain the operability of IT equipment for as long as possible, the cooling system can have an architecture and operating strategy as described in the present disclosure to address various scenarios of fluid leakage.

[0006] Aspects of the cooling system of the present disclosure can detect different levels and severities of leaks originating from a fluid distribution manifold of an IT rack, or detect different levels and severities of leaks between a chassis and a manifold that holds IT equipment. The cooling system can respond to such leaks, and / or adjust the response based on the severity or level of the leak. For example, the system can reduce the amount of fluid flowing into the cooling system, which can reduce potential damage to electronic equipment. By not implementing a one-size-fits-all, full-match response to every detected leak, the reliability of the entire system can be improved. Aspects of the cooling system can be flexible and deployable in different system architectures; for example, the system can be deployed with a local pumping system (e.g., a closed system architecture) or a central pumping system (e.g., an open system architecture).

[0007] In some aspects of the present disclosure, a liquid cooling system for an IT rack is described. The cooling system may include a fluid manifold; a container arranged to capture fluid leaking from the fluid manifold; a first fluid sensor arranged to detect fluid at a first location in the container; and a controller configured to reduce the flow of fluid into the fluid manifold in response to detecting fluid in the container at the first location. In this manner, the cooling system can sense leaks and reduce potential damage to IT equipment while buying additional time for IT equipment shutdown. Additionally, as described in other sections, the cooling system may include features for detecting and responding to other leak conditions that may vary in severity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] These aspects are shown by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals denote similar elements. It should be noted that references to "an" or "an" aspect of the present disclosure are not necessarily to the same aspect, and that they mean at least one. In addition, for the sake of brevity and to reduce the total number of drawings, a given drawing may be used to illustrate features of more than one aspect, and not all elements in a drawing may be required for a given aspect.

[0009] Figure 1 A cooling system with a leak sensing container is shown according to some embodiments.

[0010] Figures 2 to 4 Shows an example of a leak sensing container according to some embodiments.

[0011] Figure 5 Shows an exemplary IT rack having a cooling system with an input fluid valve according to some embodiments.

[0012] Figure 6 Shows an exemplary IT rack having a cooling system with an input fluid pump according to some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 7 Shows a flowchart for managing the fluid of a cooling system with leak sensing according to some embodiments. Detailed Description

[0014] Certain aspects of the present disclosure will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. Whenever the shape, relative position, and other aspects of the components described in a given aspect are not explicitly defined, the scope disclosed herein is not limited solely to the parts shown, which are for illustrative purposes only. Additionally, although many details are set forth, it should be understood that certain aspects may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques are not shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this description. Further, unless the meaning is explicitly contrary, all ranges described herein are considered to include the endpoints of each range.

[0015] Reference to "an embodiment" or "embodiments" in the specification means that the specific features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The phrase "in an embodiment" appearing in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0016] Figure 1 Shows a cooling system 100 having a leak sensing container according to some embodiments. The cooling system can be integrated with an IT rack to distribute fluid to and from IT devices.

[0017] The cooling system may include a fluid manifold 102. The fluid manifold may include one or more pipes that supply fluid (e.g., a liquid coolant such as water, propylene glycol, etc.) to IT equipment in an IT rack, which may be referred to as manifold supply lines. The fluid manifold may include one or more pipes that receive fluid from the IT equipment, which may be referred to as manifold return lines. The manifold return lines receive fluid from the IT equipment and return the fluid to an external liquid source. In this way, the manifold can circulate fluid to and from IT equipment in the IT rack. This fluid may be referred to as IT rack level fluid. In some embodiments, the IT rack level fluid may be fluidly isolated from the external fluid but thermally connected to the external fluid (e.g., via a heat exchanger).

[0018] When the fluid circulates through a thermally conductive component (such as a cold plate) that is also thermally connected to the IT equipment, heat energy can be transferred out of the IT equipment. However, as described above, leaks may bounce along the path of the fluid. Specifically, the manifold may have many points of fluid connection to and from the IT equipment. Failures of components, failures of proper mating of connectors, wear and tear, and / or incorrect installation may result in leaks on or near the manifold. It can be understood that failures generally do not cause the escaping fluid to jet outwards from an opening in an explosive manner. Instead, failures tend to manifest as fluid leakage, dripping, and / or traveling on the structure where the fluid leaks (such as the manifold).

[0019] The container 104 may be arranged to capture fluid leaking from the fluid manifold and / or from between the manifold and the chassis. For example, the container may be located at the bottom of the manifold, below the manifold, or directly beneath the manifold. In other examples, one or more conduits or channels may be placed at, below, or directly beneath the manifold to capture the leaking fluid and direct it to the container. The container may be arranged below the supply line and / or return line of the fluid manifold and have one or more openings 105 into which fluid flows when it leaks from the fluid manifold. In some embodiments, the fluid manifold enters the container at least partially through one or more openings in the top region of the container, e.g., as Figure 3 shown. In some embodiments, the manifold may be substantially or completely contained within the container, e.g., as Figure 4 shown. Whether the container directly receives or indirectly receives the leaking fluid, the container may be arranged to capture the leaking fluid from the fluid manifold.

[0020] In Figure 1In the embodiment of the present invention, one or more fluid sensors, such as a first fluid sensor 108, can be arranged to detect fluid at a first position in the container. The position of each sensor can correspond to the level in the container. Therefore, the sensor 108 indicates whether the fluid is at a specific level in the container where the sensor is located. When the fluid reaches the position of the sensor in the container, the fluid sensor can change. The one or more fluid sensors can include optical sensors, capacitive sensors, conductive sensors, diaphragms, suspension devices or other fluid sensing technologies.

[0021] The controller 106 may be configured to reduce the flow of fluid into the fluid manifold in response to fluid being detected in the container. For example, the controller may reduce the force of the pump 109 that pumps fluid into the manifold, and / or reduce the opening of the valve 107 at the input end of the manifold. In some embodiments, in addition to reducing the flow, the controller may also actuate one or more pumps that may be fluidly connected to the return line of the manifold to pump fluid out of the return line of the fluid manifold in response to detecting fluid in the container at the first position, as described in other sections. Thus, the fluid within the cooling system can be slowly drained to allow the IT equipment to shut down gracefully. The controller may initiate a shutdown of any IT electronic equipment by one or more commands and / or by cutting power to any IT electronic device.

[0022] One or more sensors, pumps, or valves may be hardwired to the controller (e.g., via digital or analog I / O), and / or communicate with the controller via wireless communications. Operations, methods, and processes performed by the processing logic of the controller, which may include hardware (e.g., circuits, dedicated logic, etc.), software (e.g., contained on a non-transitory computer-readable medium), or a combination of both. The controller may include a single computing device, or a collection of multiple devices that perform operations distributed among the multiple devices.

[0023] Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 An example of a leak sensing container according to some embodiments is shown. The leak sensing container can be fixed to the manifold or integrated as a component of the manifold. Figure 2In it, the fluid container 200 can be arranged to capture fluid leaking from the IT rack manifold. The manifold can include a manifold supply line 206 that delivers fluid to the IT equipment and a manifold return line 208 that receives fluid from the IT equipment. The container 200 can include one or more sensors, such as a first fluid sensor 202 at a first position in the container and a second fluid sensor 204 arranged at a second position in the container that is higher than the first position. If fluid is detected at the first fluid sensor, the controller can respond by reducing the fluid flow rate into the manifold supply line 206. Additionally, one or more pumps 210 can be arranged on the manifold return line (e.g., in the bottom region of the manifold return line). In response to fluid being detected by the first fluid sensor, the controller can activate one or more pumps 210 that pump the fluid out of the manifold return line. It should be understood that the drawings show schematic representations of various embodiments and do not necessarily represent the detailed geometry, form factor, position, scale, shape, or dimensions of the presented system exactly.

[0024] In response to fluid being detected by the second fluid sensor 204 at the second position, the controller can be configured to determine the time difference between when fluid is detected at the first position and when fluid is detected at the second position in the container. The controller can further reduce the flow rate of the fluid entering the fluid manifold based on the time difference.

[0025] If the time difference is less than a predetermined threshold, the controller can further reduce the flow rate of the fluid entering the fluid manifold and continue to pump the fluid out of the return line 208 of the fluid manifold (e.g., by controlling the pump 210). For example, the controller can adjust the position of the input valve or the pump to further reduce the fluid entering the manifold supply line 206. In some embodiments, the controller can completely stop the flow rate of the fluid entering the manifold supply line. If the time difference is not less than the threshold, the controller can maintain the reduced flow rate of the fluid entering the fluid manifold and still continue to pump the fluid out of the return line of the fluid manifold.

[0026] For example, if the sensor 202 first detects fluid at t1, the controller can initially reduce the fluid flow rate into the tank by reducing the workload of the pump that pumps the fluid into the manifold or by adjusting the position of the valve at the manifold input to make the valve opening smaller. Additionally, the controller can actuate the pump to pump the fluid out of the return line of the manifold. Thus, the controller can slowly reduce the amount of fluid in the cooling system, which can allow the equipment to operate for a longer time and gain time to shut down the equipment moderately.

[0027] If the second fluid sensor detects the leaked fluid after t1 + delta_t seconds (e.g., when delta_t = t2 seconds), and if t2 is greater than a predetermined threshold, the controller may not further reduce the flow rate of the fluid into the manifold because this may be considered a slow leak. However, a warning may be set and a service check may be scheduled. When the first fluid sensor detects a leak, the controller may maintain the previously taken remedial measures, such as maintaining the reduced fluid flow into the manifold and continuing to pump the fluid out of the return line of the manifold.

[0028] However, if only t3 seconds after the first fluid sensor detects the fluid (e.g., where t3 is less than a predetermined threshold), the second fluid sensor detects the leaked fluid at a second location of the container, the controller may further reduce the flow rate of the fluid into the manifold. For example, the controller may completely stop the fluid flow into the fluid manifold by closing the pump and / or closing the valve arranged at the input end of the fluid manifold. The controller may maintain pumping the fluid out of the return line of the manifold, e.g., using pump 210.

[0029] In this way, the controller can adjust the response to the leak based on the severity of the leak. The faster the container is filled (which is indicated when the time difference between the first fluid sensor detecting the leak and the second fluid sensor detecting the leak is small), the more severe the leak. In response to a rapid leak, the controller may further reduce or completely shut off the input of the fluid to the manifold. When each fluid sensor detects the fluid, the controller may store the timestamps and obtain the difference between the timestamps to determine the time difference. The threshold time difference t* may vary according to the positions of the sensors (e.g., the height of each position on the container) and the volume of the container, and may be determined based on tests, simulations, and / or calculations.

[0030] In Figure 3 a cooling system may include a container 300 having one or more leak sensors, such as a first fluid sensor 302, a second fluid sensor 304, and a third fluid sensor 306. The first fluid sensor may be arranged to detect the leaked fluid at a first location in the container. The second fluid sensor may be arranged to detect the leaked fluid at a second location in the container, which is at a level higher than the first location. Similarly, the third fluid sensor may be arranged to detect the fluid at a third location in the container that is higher than the second location.

[0031] Similar to that mentioned in other sections, in response to the first fluid sensor 302 detecting a leak, the controller can reduce the flow of fluid into the manifold and pump the fluid out of the manifold return line. In response to the second fluid sensor 304 detecting fluid at a second location, the controller can determine how fast the leak is based on the time elapsed from when the first fluid sensor detected fluid and when the second fluid sensor detected fluid. If the time difference is below a threshold, the controller considers the leak to be fast and can further restrict (e.g., completely stop) the fluid flowing into the manifold. Otherwise, the controller can maintain the remedial action taken in response to detecting fluid at the first location.

[0032] In response to the third fluid sensor 306 detecting fluid at a third location, the controller can completely stop the fluid from flowing into the fluid manifold (if it has not already been stopped), continue to pump the fluid out of the return line of the fluid manifold, and further pump the fluid out of the supply line of the fluid manifold.

[0033] For example, the pump 310 can be fluidly connected to the manifold return line to extract fluid from the return line. The valve 308 can be in a normally closed position but is controlled to open when fluid is detected at the third location. As a result, the controller uses the same pump 310 to pump the fluid out of the manifold supply line.

[0034] In this way, when the third fluid sensor detects leaking fluid at the third location, the controller takes it as an indication to take drastic responses - pumping fluid out of the manifold supply and return lines while completely stopping the fluid from flowing into the manifold. The fluid in the cooling system is extracted quickly, prioritizing the risk of damaging the IT equipment over providing a graceful shutdown time to the IT equipment. It should be understood that the cooling system can include other arrangements of components to achieve the same purpose of pumping fluid from the manifold. For example, the manifold supply and the manifold return can have separate pumps that can be controlled by the controller, as shown in other embodiments.

[0035] In Figure 4 the cooling system can include a container 400 that has one or more leak sensors, such as a first fluid sensor 402, a second fluid sensor 403, a third fluid sensor 404, a fourth fluid sensor 405, and a fifth fluid sensor 406. In some aspects, the container can include additional fluid sensors. Each fluid sensor can sense leaking fluid at a corresponding location that indicates the level of the leaking fluid collected in the container 400. The lowest location (e.g., the first fluid sensor) can indicate whether there is a leak. If so, the controller can reduce the flow of fluid into the manifold supply line. If not, the controller can allow the fluid to flow into the manifold at a normal rate, e.g., with a default pump force.

[0036] In addition, any detection of leaked fluid in any of the other sensors 403 to 406 can be used as a basis for the controller to determine the rate of leakage. For example, as described in other parts, if sensor 405 detects fluid at its corresponding location, the controller can determine the time difference (e.g., elapsed time) between when sensor 404 detects fluid and when sensor 405 detects fluid. If this time is below a threshold t*, the controller can further reduce the flow rate of fluid into the manifold and maintain pumping of the fluid from the return line of the manifold. Otherwise, the previous remedial action can be maintained.

[0037] In some embodiments, if fluid is sensed at the topmost fluid sensor (e.g., sensor 406), the controller can completely stop the fluid from flowing into the manifold supply and pump out the fluid from both the manifold supply and return.

[0038] In this way, the cooling system can operate using multiple sensors (e.g., three or more). The sensor detecting the lowest position can be used to detect the presence of a leak and take some remedial measures (e.g., reducing the flow rate and pumping the fluid out from the return line of the manifold). The remaining sensors can be used by the controller to determine the rate of leakage. If the rate is high (e.g., t* is below the threshold), then additional measures can be taken, such as further reducing the flow rate of fluid into the manifold or completely stopping the flow. The sensor detecting the highest position can be used by the controller to take the most drastic measures, such as by completely stopping the fluid from flowing into the manifold and pumping the fluid out from the manifold supply and return lines.

[0039] Figure 5 An exemplary IT rack 500 with a cooling system having an input fluid valve 508 is shown according to some embodiments. The central pump 520 can distribute fluid to a cluster of IT racks (e.g., IT rack 500) through a supply line 581. Each IT rack can include a valve 508, which can be controlled by a corresponding controller (e.g., controller 501) of each IT rack. In such an open-loop system with multiple IT rack systems, the controller 501 can reduce or stop the flow rate of fluid into the manifold supply line 530 by controlling the position of the valve 508, thereby restricting the flow of fluid from the supply line 581 to the manifold supply line of the IT rack. The central pump in this configuration can maintain pumping with a constant force regardless of whether a particular IT rack within the cluster has detected a leak. Thus, leak detection and remedial actions can be performed individually for each IT rack without affecting the fluid supply to the remaining IT racks in the cluster.

[0040] The central pump can pump the supply line fluid to multiple IT racks. The supply line fluid can be cooled. Under normal operation, valve 508 can be controlled to be fully open. IT device 512 can be connected to port 532 on the manifold supply line to receive the cooling fluid. The fluid can absorb the thermal energy from the IT device. The IT device can be fluidly connected to port 542 of the manifold return line 540 such that the manifold can collect the heated fluid from each IT device. Fluid ports 532 and 542 can be understood as fluid connectors, such as manual mating drip-free connectors, blind mating drip-free connectors, or other connectors. The IT device can be connected to each fluid port through a corresponding mating connector.

[0041] The manifold return line can be connected to a shared return line 582 that is shared among multiple devices. Although not shown, the return line fluid can be cooled by a cooler, refrigeration, fan, and / or other cooling techniques and then circulated back into the supply line.

[0042] The leak detection container 507 can include one or more sensors, such as fluid sensors 502, 504, and 506. As discussed in other sections, depending on which sensor detects the leak, and / or the time between leak detections, the controller can take different remedial actions to address the level or severity of the detected leak. The controller can pump the fluid out of the return and / or supply lines of the manifold and deposit the fluid into the drain circuit 583. The drain circuit can be shared by other IT racks as a way to deposit the leaked fluid for each of the IT racks in the cluster. The drain circuit can be fluidly separated and isolated from the return line and the supply line, although in some embodiments, the leaked fluid can be reintroduced from the drain circuit into the supply or return line.

[0043] Figure 6An exemplary IT rack 600 with a cooling system having an input fluid pump according to some embodiments is shown. This may be referred to as a closed system architecture. As described above, the controller may monitor the status of sensors in a container that is arranged to capture leaked fluid from the cooling system. In response to different situations, the cooling system may take various remedial measures commensurate with the severity of the leak. In such a closed system arrangement, to control the fluid flow rate to the manifold, the controller 601 may control the input fluid pump 602 to reduce the pump flow rate, which may include completely stopping the fluid flow, as discussed. For example, when a leak is detected (but not when there is no leak), the controller may actuate pump 603 to pump fluid from the manifold return line. If the leak is considered severe (e.g., leaked fluid is detected at the highest position in the container), the controller may actuate pump 604 to further pump fluid from the manifold supply line, thereby reducing the risk to the IT equipment and the risk of container overflow. As described above, instead of using two pumps, pumps and valves may be used to pump fluid from each of the manifold supply line and the manifold return line in a selective manner.

[0044] Figure 7 A flowchart for managing the fluid of a cooling system with leak sensing according to some embodiments is shown. These operations may be performed by a controller of a cooling system installed in an IT rack, as described in other parts.

[0045] At block 701, the controller may monitor the status of a first fluid sensor. The first fluid sensor may have the lowest position in the container and thus may be used as a proxy for determining whether a leak exists. If the controller receives an indication that the first fluid sensor has detected fluid at a first position in the fluid leak container, the controller may proceed to block 702. If no leak is detected, the controller may maintain normal operation, e.g., the flow rate of fluid flowing into the fluid manifold is not reduced. As discussed, the container may be arranged to detect leaks from the manifold and / or leaks from the IT equipment to the manifold.

[0046] At block 702, the controller may reduce the fluid flowing into the manifold in response to the detected leak. Additionally or alternatively, the controller may pump fluid from the manifold return line to extract fluid from the cooling system more quickly.

[0047] At block 703, the controller may receive an indication from a second fluid sensor at a second location above the first location of the first fluid sensor. If the second fluid sensor does not detect fluid, the cooling system may maintain the action taken at block 702. However, if the second fluid sensor does sense a leak, the controller may proceed to block 704. At block 704, the controller may compare the times at which the first and second fluid sensors detected the leak and further reduce the flow rate of fluid into the manifold based on the time difference between when the first fluid sensor detected fluid and when the second fluid sensor detected fluid.

[0048] For example, if the time difference is not less than a threshold time t*, the controller may proceed to block 706. At block 706, the controller may continue to maintain the remedial action taken at block 702.

[0049] However, if the time difference is below the threshold time t*, this may indicate that the leak is rapid, and thus, the system may proceed to block 705. At block 705, the controller may take additional remedial measures, such as further reducing or completely stopping the flow of fluid into the manifold. Other remedial actions taken at block 702, such as pumping fluid from the return line of the manifold, may be maintained. In either case, the controller may proceed to block 707 after maintaining the remedial action at block 706, or take further action at block 705.

[0050] At block 707, the controller may monitor the status of a third fluid sensor arranged to detect fluid at a third location in the container, the third location being above the second location of the second fluid sensor. If the third fluid sensor detects fluid at the third location, the controller may proceed to block 708. At block 708, the controller may take additional measures, such as pumping fluid out of the supply line of the manifold, and maintain previous measures, such as pumping fluid out of the return line of the manifold and stopping the flow of fluid into the manifold. If the third fluid sensor does not detect fluid at the third location, the controller may continue to monitor the status of the third fluid sensor while maintaining the previous remedial measures taken at block 705 or block 706.

[0051] It should be understood that the process may be performed using a container having more than three sensors. For example, blocks 701 and 702 may be performed for the sensor at the lowest location. Similarly, blocks 703, 704, 705, and 706 may be repeated for detecting leaks through any two fluid sensors in the container. Similarly, blocks 707 and 708 may be performed for the highest located fluid sensor.

[0052] It should be understood that some features described and illustrated in the drawings may vary without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the cooling circuit design of the cooling facility is different from that shown in the drawings. Additionally, additional valves or auxiliary units may be added to the cooling system to obtain additional features. Further, different types of valves, such as three-way valves, may be implemented in the cooling system to achieve the same result. In some embodiments, the controller may adjust the opening degree between fully closed (0%) and fully open (100%) of any valve as described herein.

[0053] Some embodiments may include a non-transitory machine-readable medium (such as a microelectronic memory) storing instructions that program one or more data processing components (collectively referred to herein as "processors") to perform the operations described herein. In some embodiments, some of these operations may be performed by specific hardware components including hardwired logic. Alternatively, these operations may be performed by any combination of programmed data processing components and fixed hardwired circuit components.

[0054] In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, various modifications may be made to the embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0055] Although certain aspects have been described and illustrated in the drawings, it should be understood that these aspects are merely illustrative and not a limitation on the broad disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to the specific structures and arrangements shown and described, as various other modifications may occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, this specification is to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive.

[0056] In some aspects, the present disclosure may include language such as "at least one of [Element A] and [Element B]". Such language may refer to one or more elements. For example, "at least one of A and B" may refer to "A", "B", or "A and B". Specifically, "at least one of A and B" may refer to "at least one A and at least one B" or "at least one A or B". In some aspects, the present disclosure may include language such as "[Element A], [Element B], and / or [Element C]". Such language may refer to any one of the elements or any combination thereof. For example, "A, B, and / or C" may refer to "A", "B", "C", "A and B", "A and C", "B and C", or "A, B, and C".

Claims

1. Cooling distribution system, comprising: Fluid manifold A container arranged to capture fluid leaking from the fluid manifold A first fluid sensor arranged to detect the fluid at a first position in the container A second fluid sensor arranged to detect the fluid at a second position in the container above the first position And A controller configured to reduce the flow rate of the fluid into the fluid manifold in response to detecting the fluid in the container at the first position And in response to detecting the fluid at the second position, determine the time difference between when the fluid is detected at the first position and when the fluid is detected at the second position, and further reduce the flow rate of the fluid into the fluid manifold based on the time difference 2. The cooling distribution system according to claim 1, further comprising a drain pump disposed in the return line of the fluid manifold, wherein, The controller is further configured to pump the fluid out of the return line of the fluid manifold in response to detecting the fluid in the container at the first position 3. The cooling distribution system according to claim 1, wherein, If the time difference is less than a threshold, the controller stops the flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold and continues to pump the fluid out of the return line of the fluid manifold 4. The cooling distribution system according to claim 3, wherein, If the time difference is not less than the threshold, the controller maintains the reduced flow rate of the fluid into the fluid manifold and continues to pump the fluid out of the return line of the fluid manifold 5. The cooling distribution system according to claim 1, further comprising a third fluid sensor disposed to detect the fluid at a third position in the container above the second position, and in response to detecting the fluid at the third position, the controller is further configured to stop the fluid from flowing into the fluid manifold, pump the fluid out of the supply line of the fluid manifold, and continue to pump the fluid out of the return line of the fluid manifold.

6. The cooling distribution system according to claim 1, wherein, If the first fluid sensor does not detect the fluid at the first position, the flow rate of the fluid into the fluid manifold is not reduced 7. The cooling distribution system according to claim 1, wherein, The container is arranged below the supply line or the return line of the fluid manifold and has one or more openings into which the fluid flows when the fluid leaks from the fluid manifold 8. The cooling distribution system according to claim 1, wherein, The flow rate of the fluid is adjusted and reduced by reducing the pumping force 9. The cooling distribution system according to claim 1, wherein, The flow rate of the fluid is adjusted and reduced by adjusting the position of the valve 10. Information technology rack, comprising: Fluid manifold A container arranged to capture fluid leaking from the fluid manifold A first fluid sensor arranged to detect the fluid at a first position in the container A second fluid sensor arranged to detect the fluid at a second position in the container above the first position And A controller configured to reduce the flow rate of the fluid into the fluid manifold in response to detecting the fluid in the container at the first position And in response to detecting the fluid at the second position, determine the time difference between when the fluid is detected at the first position and when the fluid is detected at the second position, and further reduce the flow rate of the fluid into the fluid manifold based on the time difference 11. The information technology rack according to claim 10, further comprising a drain pump disposed in the return line of the fluid manifold, wherein, The controller is further configured to pump the fluid out of the return line of the fluid manifold in response to detecting the fluid in the container at the first position 12. The information technology rack according to claim 10, wherein,If the time difference is less than a threshold, the controller stops the flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold and continues to pump the fluid out of the return line of the fluid manifold 13. The information technology rack according to claim 12, wherein, If the time difference is not less than the threshold, the controller maintains the reduced flow rate of the fluid into the fluid manifold and continues to pump the fluid out of the return line of the fluid manifold 14. The information technology rack according to claim 10, further comprising a third fluid sensor arranged to detect the fluid at a third position in the container above the second position, and in response to detecting the fluid at the third position, the controller is further configured to stop the fluid from flowing into the fluid manifold, pump the fluid out of the supply line of the fluid manifold, and continue to pump the fluid out of the return line of the fluid manifold.

15. The information technology rack according to claim 10, wherein, If the first fluid sensor does not detect the fluid at the first position, the flow rate of the fluid flowing into the fluid manifold is not decreased.

16. The information technology rack according to claim 10, wherein, The container is arranged below the supply line or the return line of the fluid manifold and has one or more openings into which the fluid flows when the fluid leaks from the fluid manifold.

17. The information technology rack according to claim 10, wherein, The flow rate of the fluid is decreased by reducing the pump force.

18. The information technology rack according to claim 10, wherein, The flow rate of the fluid is decreased by adjusting the position of the valve.

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