Immersion Cooling System, Data Center, and Modular Cooling System

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system for designing and developing immersion cooling in a data center. The system includes: an information technology (IT) tank that houses computing devices immersed in a two-phase coolant; an aisle in which the immersion tank is disposed, the aisle capturing a first vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant escaping from the immersion tank; a condenser that converts the first vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant escaping from the immersion tank into a first liquid portion of the two-phase coolant; a second condenser that captures and condenses a second portion of the vapor; and a liquid distributor that manages the cooling fluid and the coolant fluid for the IT tank and the two condensers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present application generally relate to data center cooling. More specifically, embodiments of the present application relate to a multiphase cooling system. 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. Maintaining an appropriate thermal environment requires more effective and efficient cooling solutions, especially in the case of cooling these high-performance servers. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to one aspect of the present application, there is provided a submersion cooling system, which may include: a submersion tank adapted to accommodate computing devices, the computing devices being at least partially submerged in a two-phase coolant contained in the submersion tank;

[0004] an aisle in which the submersion tank is disposed, the aisle being adapted to capture a first evaporated portion of the two-phase coolant evaporated from the submersion tank;

[0005] a first condenser adapted to convert the first evaporated portion of the two-phase coolant evaporated from the submersion tank into a first liquid portion of the two-phase coolant; and

[0006] a liquid distributor adapted to manage the amount of the two-phase coolant in the submersion tank.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present application, there is provided a data center, which may include:

[0008] a set of computing devices; and

[0009] a submersion cooling system, including:

[0010] a submersion tank, the set of computing devices being at least partially submerged in a two-phase coolant contained in the submersion tank;

[0011] an aisle in which the submersion tank is disposed, the aisle being adapted to capture a first evaporated portion of the two-phase coolant evaporated from the submersion tank;

[0012] a first condenser adapted to convert the first evaporated portion of the two-phase coolant evaporated from the submersion tank into a first liquid portion of the two-phase coolant; and

[0013] A liquid dispenser adapted to manage the amount of the two-phase coolant in the immersion tank.

[0014] According to yet another aspect of the present application, there is provided a modular cooling system, which may include:

[0015] A first module, including:

[0016] An immersion tank adapted to accommodate:

[0017] A computing device at least partially immersed in the two-phase coolant contained in the immersion tank;

[0018] A first condenser that converts a first vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant in the immersion tank into a first liquid portion of the two-phase coolant; and

[0019] An aisle in which the immersion tank is provided, the aisle being adapted to capture a second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant escaping from the immersion tank;

[0020] A second module, including:

[0021] A second condenser adapted to convert a second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant into a second liquid portion of the two-phase coolant; and

[0022] A liquid dispenser adapted to manage the amount of the two-phase coolant in the immersion tank. Description of the Drawings

[0023] Embodiments of the present application are shown in the drawings in an illustrative manner and not in a limiting manner, and like reference numerals denote like elements in the drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a system according to one embodiment.

[0025] Figure 2A is a diagram showing an IT tank according to one embodiment.

[0026] Figure 2B is a first cross-sectional view showing an IT tank according to one embodiment.

[0027] Figure 2C is a second cross-sectional view showing an IT tank according to one embodiment.

[0028] Figure 3A is a diagram showing an immersion tank aisle according to one embodiment.

[0029] Figure 3B is a side view showing an immersion tank aisle according to one embodiment.

[0030] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing a secondary condenser module according to one embodiment.

[0031] Figure 5A is showing according to one embodiment Figure 1 a first arrangement of a system.

[0032] Figure 5B is showing according to one embodiment Figure 1 a second arrangement of a system.

[0033] Figure 5C is showing according to one embodiment Figure 1 a third arrangement of a system.

[0034] Figure 5D is showing according to one embodiment Figure 1 a fourth configuration of a system.

[0035] Figure 5E is showing according to one embodiment Figure 1 a fifth arrangement of a system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] 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.

[0037] Reference to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" 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 one embodiment" appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0038] Generally, the embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to methods and systems for managing the thermal state (e.g., temperature) of devices. The operation of devices can depend on their thermal state. For example, an elevated temperature of a device may prevent the successful operation of the device, may reduce the operating life of the device, or may cause other undesirable results.

[0039] A system according to one embodiment uses a multiphase loop (e.g., a two-phase cooling loop) to manage the thermal state of a device. The multiphase loop can distribute a two-phase coolant (e.g., a coolant that undergoes at least one phase transition while circulating through the multiphase loop) to an Internet technology (IT) tank in which the device is disposed. The device can be partially or fully submerged in the two-phase coolant (e.g., a material that does not impair the electrical function of the device due to other changes in short circuit or resistance in the device submerged in the material).

[0040] When the devices generate a heat load (e.g., through their operation), the heat load can be transferred to the two-phase coolant. Transferring the heat load out of the devices can cool or otherwise reduce the temperature of the devices, thereby resulting in thermal regulation of the devices. The transferred heat load can cause partial evaporation of the two-phase coolant, which transfers the heat load out of the liquid portion of the evaporated coolant, thereby maintaining the thermal state of the device (e.g., within a desired temperature range).

[0041] However, since the evaporated portion of the two-phase coolant is gaseous, the evaporated portion of the two-phase coolant may be lost to the surrounding environment (e.g., through an incomplete seal, an open lid, etc.). To prevent or limit the loss of the two-phase coolant to the surrounding environment, in one embodiment, the system includes a submersion tank aisle in which the IT tank is disposed. The submersion tank aisle can capture the evaporated two-phase coolant that escapes from the IT tank. Note that throughout the application, the IT tank and the submersion tank are interchangeable terms.

[0042] The captured evaporated two-phase coolant can be processed back into a liquid two-phase coolant. The liquid two-phase coolant can be used to refill or otherwise maintain the fill level of the two-phase coolant in the IT tank.

[0043] In one aspect, the embodiments disclosed herein provide a system, a computer-readable medium, and a computer-implemented method for thermal management of a device. The system includes: an IT tank that houses a computing device submerged in a two-phase coolant; an aisle in which the IT tank is disposed, the aisle capturing a first evaporated portion of the two-phase coolant that escapes from the IT tank; a condenser that converts the first evaporated portion of the two-phase coolant that escapes from the IT tank into a first liquid portion of the two-phase coolant; and a liquid dispenser that uses the liquid portion of the two-phase coolant to manage the amount of the two-phase coolant in the IT tank.

[0044] In one aspect, the embodiments disclosed herein provide a modular system. The modules of the modular system can include different components, enabling a cooling system to be formed using the modules. The first module can include the IT tank and the aisle. The second aisle can include the condenser. The liquid dispenser can be part of any of these modules or can be part of a separate module.

[0045] As described above, the system according to the embodiment can reduce or prevent the loss of two-phase coolant used in a multiphase thermal management system. Accordingly, the multiphase thermal management system (e.g., a cooling system) according to the embodiments disclosed herein has a lower operating cost, is less likely to fail (e.g., due to a lack of two-phase coolant), can reduce the contamination of the two-phase coolant in the system's surroundings, and / or can provide other benefits.

[0046] In addition, even when the container in which the two-phase coolant is disposed is not sealed, the multiphase thermal management system can be highly efficient and resilient by preventing the loss of the two-phase coolant. The multiphase thermal management system can: (i) have a simple architecture, which makes it less costly to implement compared to other architectures; (ii) allow for dynamic changes in system operation and flexibly adapt to changes in use cases; (iii) be modular and containerized to provide flexibility in deployment and use case applications; (iv) be applicable to multiple use case scenarios simultaneously; and (v) have high flexibility with respect to the type of device, device size, and device configuration to be thermally managed by the system.

[0047] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a system according to an embodiment of the present application. In Figure 1 and the subsequent figures, multiple flows of coolant and vapor are shown. These flows can be unidirectional (shown using lines that terminate with an arrow at only one end) or bidirectional (shown using lines that have arrows terminating at both ends). In some figures, the flow of the two-phase coolant 103 is shown with long dashed lines, and the flow of the cooling fluid 104 is shown with short dashed lines. These flows can be part of a single-phase or multiphase loop. A single-phase loop can be a loop in which the state of the flowing material remains in a single state (e.g., liquid state). A multiphase loop can be a loop in which the state of the flowing material undergoes a phase change between at least two states (e.g., between liquid and gas, and between gas and liquid).

[0048] The two-phase coolant 103 can be used as part of a multiphase loop. The two-phase coolant 103 can be adapted to: (i) be disposed in direct contact with the device without negatively affecting the device, and (ii) evaporate at a temperature that maintains the device at a desired thermal state (e.g., the temperature range in which the device is designed to operate). The cooling fluid 104 can be used as part of a single-phase loop. The cooling fluid may not be suitable for being placed in direct contact with the device or evaporating in the single-phase loop. Instead, the cooling fluid 104 can be adapted to remain in the liquid phase when the single-phase loop is operating.

[0049] The two-phase coolant 103 and the cooling fluid 104 can include dissolved gases, impurities, suspended materials, and / or be implemented using a mixture of multiple materials without departing from the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0050] Referring to Figure 1 ,Figure 1 The system can facilitate the thermal management of any number of devices (none, one, two, many, etc.). To facilitate the thermal management of the devices, the system can utilize various types of coolants (i.e., two-phase coolants and cooling fluids). The coolants can be used to transfer the heat load from the devices to manage the respective thermal states of the devices. At least one of the coolants can be used as part of a multiphase loop, where one coolant undergoes a change from a liquid phase to a vapor phase and a change from a vapor phase to a liquid phase when passing through the multiphase loop. When a coolant turns into a vapor, it may become more difficult to keep it within the loop. If the one coolant is not kept within the multiphase loop, the multiphase loop may fail (i.e., not be able to transfer and dissipate the heat load from the devices), a supplementary supply of the one coolant may be required, which increases the operating cost of the multiphase loop, and / or the one coolant that is not kept within the multiphase loop may contaminate or otherwise have an undesirable impact on the surrounding environment close to the multiphase loop.

[0051] To facilitate the thermal management of the devices, the system includes, but is not limited to, three regions 100, 101, 102. Each region can perform similar and / or different functions to manage the heat of the devices.

[0052] In one embodiment, the first region 100 provides heat load transfer services to the devices. The heat load transfer services can include one or more of the following: (i) transferring the heat load from the devices to the two-phase coolant 103 in which the devices are disposed; (ii) capturing the two-phase coolant vapor 105 generated due to the heat load transferred to the two-phase coolant 103; (iii) converting the two-phase coolant vapor 105 into the two-phase coolant 103 by transferring the heat load from the two-phase coolant vapor 105 to the cooling fluid 104; (iv) transporting the two-phase coolant vapor 105 to the second region 101, where the second region 101 can convert the two-phase coolant vapor 105 into the two-phase coolant 103; (v) maintaining the level of the two-phase coolant 103 in which the devices are disposed; and (vi) enabling physical access to the devices while restricting or preventing the two-phase coolant vapor 105 from escaping into the surrounding environment. By doing so, the first region 100 can facilitate the thermal management of the devices in a way that restricts or prevents the loss of the two-phase coolant from the multiphase loop that can be used to transfer the heat load from the devices.

[0053] To provide the heat load transfer services, the first region 100 includes, but is not limited to, a submersion tank aisle 110, an IT tank 130, a device space 132, and a condenser 134.

[0054] The IT can 130 can be a physical enclosure in which equipment to be thermally managed is disposed. The IT can 130 can be implemented using a can or other structure that includes an equipment space 132 in which the equipment can be disposed. The equipment space 132 can be an interior region of the IT can 130 in which the equipment can be disposed and immersed in a two-phase coolant.

[0055] The equipment disposed in the IT can 130 can include any type and number of equipment. The equipment can include computing equipment that is part of a data center. The computing equipment can provide any type and number of computer-implemented services. While providing these services, the computing equipment can generate heat that needs to be dissipated to manage the thermal state of the computing equipment. The computing equipment can include any number and type of hardware components that generate heat during operation, including but not limited to processors, memory modules, storage devices, and communication devices.

[0056] The IT can 130 can be part of a multiphase loop. As part of the multiphase loop, the IT can 130 can be hydraulically connected to a liquid distributor 170 (discussed in more detail below).

[0057] When the equipment is disposed in the equipment space 132 and immersed in the two-phase coolant 103, the heat load generated by the equipment can be transferred to the two-phase coolant 103. Transferring the heat load to the two-phase coolant 103 can: (i) manage the thermal state of the equipment by keeping the temperature of the equipment within a range; and (ii) cause a portion of the two-phase coolant 103 to undergo a phase change from liquid to gas, thereby generating two-phase coolant vapor 105.

[0058] When the IT can 130 is sealed (e.g., to prevent gas exchange with the surrounding environment), the two-phase coolant vapor 105 can generally be trapped within the IT can 130 (although some portion of the two-phase coolant vapor 105 can escape from the IT can 130). A condenser 134 disposed within the IT can 130 can transfer the heat load from the two-phase coolant vapor 103 to a cooling fluid 104, thereby causing the vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant to undergo a second phase change from gas back to liquid.

[0059] The cooling fluid 104 can be part of a single-phase loop that transfers the heat load transferred to the cooling fluid to a cooler 180. The cooler 180 can be part of the single-phase loop and can dissipate the heat load transferred to the cooling fluid 104 by the condenser 134 and / or a secondary condenser module 150 (discussed in more detail below).

[0060] The condenser 134 may be implemented using, but not limited to, a heat exchanger and / or a condenser. The cooling fluid 104 may circulate through the condenser 134 to maintain its temperature (e.g., when exposed to the two-phase coolant vapor 105) within a range that causes the heat load transferred to the two-phase coolant vapor (in the IT tank 130) to be deposited into the cooling fluid 104 or otherwise transferred to the cooling fluid 104. By doing so, the two-phase coolant vapor in the IT tank 130 may be condensed into the two-phase coolant 103, thereby replenishing the two-phase coolant 103 disposed in the equipment space 132 (e.g., maintaining a level of two-phase coolant 103 in which the equipment is partially and / or completely immersed).

[0061] When the IT tank 130 is not sealed (e.g., to allow human access to equipment located on the IT tank 130), the two-phase coolant vapor 105 (in whole or in part) may escape the IT tank 130. If lost to the surrounding environment outside the multiphase loop, then Figure 1 The performance of the system may be impaired (e.g., limiting its ability to manage the thermal load of the equipment, increasing the operating cost of the system, etc.). For additional details on IT tank 130, please refer to Figure 2A , Figure 2B and Figure 2C .

[0062] To prevent or limit the loss of the two-phase coolant vapor 105, the IT tanks 130 may be disposed in the submerged tank aisle 110. The submerged tank aisle 110 may be implemented using physical equipment that may generally allow any number of IT tanks 130 to be disposed therein.

[0063] The submerged tank corridor 110 can: (i) enable physical access to the IT tank 130 and the equipment disposed therein; (ii) capture the two-phase coolant vapor 105 escaping from the IT tank 13 (and / or other types of equipment disposed within the submerged tank corridor 110); and (iii) convey the captured two-phase coolant vapor 105 to the secondary condenser module 150. By doing so, the loss of the two-phase coolant 103 from the multi-phase loop can be limited (e.g., partially or completely).

[0064] As part of the multiphase loop, the immersion tank passage 110 can be pneumatically connected to the secondary condenser module 150. This pneumatic connection enables the two-phase coolant vapor 105 captured by the immersion tank passage 110 to be transferred to the secondary condenser module 150. For additional details about the immersion tank passage 110, see Figure 3A and Figure 3B .

[0065] In one embodiment, the second region 101 provides two-phase coolant vapor 105 management services. The two-phase coolant vapor management services may include one or more of the following: (i) transferring the heat load from the two-phase coolant vapor 105 to the cooling fluid 104 to condense the two-phase coolant vapor 105 into a two-phase coolant 103; (ii) transferring the cooling fluid 104 to a cooler 180 in which the heat load has been transferred to the cooling fluid 104; and (iii) transferring the two-phase coolant 103 to a liquid distributor 170. By doing so, the second region 101 can produce a liquid form of the two-phase coolant 103, which can be used to manage the thermal state of the device by converting the two-phase coolant vapor 105 escaping from the IT tank 130 into the two-phase coolant 103. Thus, the two-phase coolant 103 that has evaporated can be (partially or completely) prevented from Figure 1 being lost from the system to the surrounding environment (e.g., the surrounding environment can be a building or other environment that can house computing devices).

[0066] To provide two-phase coolant vapor management services, the second region 101 includes, but is not limited to, a secondary condenser module 150. The secondary condenser module 150 can process the two-phase coolant vapor 105 obtained from the immersion tank aisle 110 and / or other devices (e.g., other immersion tank aisles). The secondary condenser module 150 can process the two-phase coolant vapor 105 by condensing the two-phase coolant vapor 105 into the two-phase coolant 103 by transferring the heat load entrained in the two-phase coolant vapor 105 to the cooling fluid 104. The condensed two-phase coolant 103 can be transferred to the liquid distributor 170. The cooling fluid 104 to which the heat load has been transferred can be conveyed to the cooler 180 through the liquid distributor 170 for dissipation purposes.

[0067] The secondary condenser module 150 can be implemented using one or more physical devices, such as heat exchangers, condensers, and flow controllers (e.g., pumps). For other details regarding the secondary condenser module 150, please refer to Figure 4 .

[0068] In one embodiment, the third region 103 provides coolant management services. The coolant management services may include one or more of the following: (i) managing the flow (e.g., flow rate) of the two-phase coolant 103 and the cooling fluid 104 within the three regions (e.g., 100, 101, 102) to manage the heat load; and (ii) managing the level of the two-phase coolant within the IT tank (e.g., removing the two-phase coolant to enable access to the devices disposed within the IT tank, ensuring that the desired portions of the devices are immersed in the two-phase coolant 103 to maintain the temperature of the cooling fluid 104 and the two-phase coolant 103, etc.). By doing so, the third region 103 can increase the likelihood of using the two-phase coolant for thermal management of the devices disposed in the IT tank.

[0069] To provide coolant management services, the third region 102 includes, but is not limited to, a liquid dispenser 170, a two-phase coolant supply section 172, and a cooling liquid supply section 174.

[0070] The liquid dispenser 170 can maintain the operation of single-phase and multi-phase circuits. To this end, the liquid dispenser 170 can: (i) circulate the cooling fluid 104 and the two-phase coolant 103 to the condenser 134 / secondary condenser module 150 and the IT tank 130, respectively; (ii) obtain the two-phase coolant 103 from the secondary condenser module 150 and / or the two-phase coolant supply section 172; and (iii) circulate the cooling fluid 104 to the cooler 180 to dissipate the heat load from the equipment disposed in the IT tank 130, the heat load being transferred to the cooling fluid (e.g., through the condenser 134 and / or the secondary condenser module 150).

[0071] The liquid dispenser 170 can be implemented using any number of physical devices, including but not limited to pipes for transferring coolant from one location to another, manifolds for distributing coolant, flow controllers (e.g., pumps, sensors, etc.) for managing the rate and direction of flow, sensors for identifying various levels of coolant Figure 1 at various locations within the system, storage tanks for storing reserves of coolant, and the like.

[0072] The two-phase coolant supply section 172 and the cooling liquid supply section 174 can store the two-phase coolant and the cooling liquid, respectively. The two-phase coolant supply section 172 and the cooling liquid supply section 174 can each be implemented using tanks containing the respective fluids (any amount of each fluid can be stored in the respective tank). Each supply section can be coupled to the liquid dispenser 170.

[0073] The cooler 180 can dissipate the heat load in the cooling fluid 104 to the surrounding environment. By doing so, the thermal state of the two-phase coolant 103 and / or the cooling fluid 104 can be managed (e.g., maintained within respective ranges). The cooler 180 can be implemented using any type of device that performs any cooling method without departing from the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0074] The thermal management coordinator 190 can manage Figure 1 the operation of any component of

[0075] In addition, the thermal management coordinator 190 can enable physical access to the devices disposed within the IT tank by managing the level of the two-phase coolant within the IT tank. For example, when the thermal management coordinator 190 determines that a person desires access to a device, the thermal management coordinator 190 can lower or change the level of the two-phase coolant within the IT tank in which the device is disposed. Once the thermal management coordinator 190 determines that access to the device is no longer needed, the thermal management coordinator 190 can return the level of the two-phase coolant within the IT tank to a different level for maintaining the thermal state of the devices disposed within the IT tank.

[0076] Similarly, the thermal management coordinator 190 can modify (e.g., increase, change direction, etc.) the rate of the air flow before and / or proximate to the IT tank when unsealed to preferentially direct escaping two-phase coolant vapor towards the secondary condenser module. When the IT tank is sealed, the thermal management coordinator 190 can modify (e.g., decrease, change direction, etc.) the air flow proximate to the IT tank to reduce energy consumption. To this end, the thermal management coordinator 190 can manage the operation of the ventilation unit, the vapor management system, and / or other devices that may include flow controllers that can be used to modify the air flow.

[0077] The thermal management coordinator 190 can be implemented using a computing device. The computing device can use a processor to execute computer instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and the processor performs the functions of the thermal management coordinator discussed throughout this application.

[0078] Figure 1 Any components of can be connected to each other via one or more wired and / or wireless networks (including, for example, the Internet). The components can communicate with each other via any number and type of communication schemes / protocols (e.g., a predetermined method of exchanging a sequence of bits in a form interpretable as identifying information included in the sequence of bits), and can be managed using any number and type of command and control schemes (e.g., messaging, publish-subscribe, leader-follower, etc., which can be used to cause Figure 1 any component of to perform an action).

[0079] In one embodiment, the single-phase loop includes a condenser 134, a secondary condenser module 150, a liquid distributor 170, and a cooler 180. Without departing from the embodiments disclosed herein, the single-phase loop can include additional devices.

[0080] In one embodiment, the multi-phase loop includes a submersion tank aisle 110, an IT tank 130, a secondary condenser module 150, and a liquid distributor 170. Without departing from the embodiments disclosed herein, the multi-phase loop can include additional devices.

[0081] In one embodiment, regions 100, 101, 102 (and / or devices disposed at the regions) are implemented as units, modules, or other types of physical constructs that can be effectively integrated with each other to form Figure 1 the system shown and / or include Figure 1 a larger system of the system. For example, any one of regions 100, 101, 102 can be implemented as a module adapted to be effectively connected to each other to form a single-phase cooling loop and a multi-phase cooling loop for a thermal management device. The module can include quick-release fluid connectors and / or gas connectors disposed at corresponding positions on the module to enable quick establishment of the single-phase loop and the multi-phase loop. For other details regarding the interaction between the module and regions 100, 101, 102, see Figures 5A to 5E .

[0082] Although Figure 1 shows a system including a limited number of specific components, the system according to one or more embodiments can include fewer, additional, and / or different components.

[0083] Figure 2A is a diagram showing an IT tank 130 according to one embodiment. The IT tank 130 can include a housing 136 that defines an internal region, and a device space 132 and a condenser 134 (shown in dashed lines in Figure 2A to indicate that it is disposed within the housing 136) are disposed in the internal region. Devices can be disposed in the device space 132 and can be immersed in a two-phase coolant for thermal management purposes. Generally, the condenser 134 can be disposed towards the upper part of the internal region (e.g., above the device space 132) such that the vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant in the device space 132 is naturally guided towards the condenser 134 via convection.

[0084] A cover 138 can be disposed on the side of the housing. Generally, when the cover 138 is closed, the housing 136 can be sealed (not completely sealed, some vapor can still escape when the cover is closed), and when the cover 138 is open, it is unsealed. When unsealed, the vaporized two-phase coolant can escape through the cover 138 into the surrounding environment.

[0085] The two-phase coolant port 142 may be provided on the housing 136. The two-phase coolant port 142 may allow the addition of two-phase coolant to the interior of the housing 136, the removal of two-phase coolant from the interior of the housing 136, and / or the circulation of two-phase coolant through the interior of the housing 136, without allowing the two-phase coolant and / or the vaporized two-phase coolant to escape through the two-phase coolant port 142. Although shown as being located on the side, the two-phase coolant port 142 may be located at other positions without departing from the embodiments disclosed herein. For example, a first two-phase coolant port (e.g., a fill port) of the two-phase coolant ports may be provided on the top of the housing 136, while a second two-phase coolant port (e.g., a discharge port from which the two-phase coolant is discharged) of the two-phase coolant ports may be provided on the lower part of the housing 136.

[0086] The coolant fluid port 144 may be provided on the housing 136. The coolant fluid port 144 may allow the addition of coolant fluid to the condenser 134, the removal of coolant fluid from the condenser 134, and / or the circulation of coolant fluid through the condenser 134, without allowing the two-phase coolant and / or the vaporized two-phase coolant to escape through the coolant fluid port 144. Similar to the two-phase coolant port, the coolant liquid port 144 may be provided at other positions without deviating from the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0087] The housing 136 may generally have a shape such as a rectangular box, a cylindrical tube, or other shapes that allow the IT can 130 to provide its function. The shape may include any number of faces including the exemplary face 140. The housing 136 and other components of the IT can 130 may be formed of any number of materials, such as metals, plastics, rubbers, and / or other materials capable of enabling the IT can 130 to provide its function.

[0088] Although shown in Figure 2A as including a limited number of specific components, the IT can according to one or more embodiments may include fewer, additional, and / or different components.

[0089] Turning to Figure 2B Figure 2B FIG. shows a first cross-sectional view of the IT can in a sealed configuration as viewed toward the exemplary face 140 according to one embodiment.

[0090] As Figure 2B shown, the lid 138 is closed. When the lid 138 is closed, the heat load from the device (not shown) immersed in the two-phase coolant 103 is transferred (e.g., via conduction, convection, etc.) to the two-phase coolant 103, thereby maintaining the thermal state of the device during operation (e.g., performing a function that generates heat as a byproduct or direct result of the function being performed).

[0091] A portion of the two-phase coolant 103 evaporates due to the heat load transferred, resulting in the generation of two-phase coolant vapor 146. Since the IT tank 130 is in a sealed configuration, the two-phase coolant 146 is trapped within the IT tank 130. The condenser 134 processes the two-phase coolant vapor 146 to obtain the condensed two-phase coolant vapor 148, and the condensed two-phase coolant vapor 148 can be returned to the two-phase coolant 103.

[0092] The condenser 134 condenses the two-phase coolant vapor 146 by transferring the heat load from the two-phase coolant vapor 146 to the cooling fluid 104, using the cooling fluid 104 (circulating through the condenser 134). Through the circulation of the cooling fluid 104 within the condenser 134, the heat load transferred to the cooling fluid 104 is transferred out of the IT tank 130, thereby thermally managing the components disposed within the IT tank 130, including any equipment immersed in the two-phase coolant 103.

[0093] Go to Figure 2C , Figure 2C shows a second cross-sectional view of the IT tank in an unsealed configuration according to one embodiment of the example face 140 towards Figure 2A .

[0094] As Figure 2C shown, the lid 138 is open. The lid 138 can be opened to physically access, for example, one or more devices disposed inside the housing 136. For example, if the device being thermally managed starts to malfunction, needs to be upgraded (e.g., adding / removing hardware), or requires physical access for other reasons, it may be necessary to open the lid 138 to achieve physical access to the device.

[0095] When the lid 138 is open, the heat load from the device (not shown) immersed in the two-phase coolant 103 is transferred to (e.g., by conduction, convection, etc.) the two-phase coolant 103, thereby maintaining the thermal state of the device while it is operating (e.g., performing a function that generates heat as a byproduct or direct result of the function being performed).

[0096] A portion of the two-phase coolant 103 evaporates due to the generation of two-phase coolant vapor 146 and / or the presence of the transferred heat load (or has already evaporated due to the previous operation of the device disposed within the IT tank 130). Since the IT tank 130 is in an unsealed configuration (or even in a sealed configuration but at a lower rate), at least a portion of the two-phase coolant 146 escapes from the IT tank 130 along with the escape of the two-phase coolant vapor 148 (even when the condenser 134 is operating, the condenser 134 may not be operating and / or is present in all embodiments disclosed herein). When the lid 138 is open, the generation of the evaporating two-phase coolant and / or the evaporating two-phase coolant can continue to escape from the lid 138.

[0097] As will be discussed in more detail below, the escaping two-phase coolant vapor 148 can be captured by the immersion tank aisle, thereby limiting and / or preventing loss of the two-phase coolant.

[0098] Figure 3A FIG. is a diagram showing an immersion tank aisle 110 according to one embodiment. The IT tank 130 may include a housing 112 that defines an interior 120 in which one or more IT tanks 130 may be disposed (shown in dashed lines in Figure 3A to indicate that it is disposed within the housing 136).

[0099] The housing 112 may generally seal the interior 120 from the surrounding environment around the housing 112. Thus, the escaping two-phase coolant vapor can be trapped within the interior 120. The vapor port 116 may enable the two-phase coolant vapor trapped within the interior 120 to be conveyed out of the immersion tank aisle 110. The vapor port 116 may allow the trapped two-phase coolant vapor to be transferred to a secondary condenser module for processing the returned two-phase coolant in liquid form. The vapor port 116 may be a hole in a side (e.g., top, side) of the housing 112.

[0100] A door 114 may be provided on the housing 112 and allow physical access to the interior 120. The door 114 may be implemented as, for example, a door or other structure that reversibly seals the interior 120. One or more sensors (not shown) may be used to monitor the state (e.g., open, closed) of the door 114. The state of the door 114 may be used to determine how to operate the vent hole 122.

[0101] The housing 112 may generally have a shape such as a rectangular box or other shape that allows the immersion tank aisle 110 to provide its function. The shape may include any number of faces, including the access face 124. The door 114 may be provided on the access face 124. The housing 112 and other components of the immersion tank aisle 110 may be formed of any number of materials, such as metal, plastic, rubber, and / or other materials capable of enabling the immersion tank aisle 110 to provide its function.

[0102] When the housing 112 is sealed, the temperature of the interior 120 will increase. The vent hole 122 may manage the thermal state of the interior 120 by directing an air flow into the interior 120. To this end, the vent hole 122 may include any number of flow controllers (e.g., fans, baffles, etc.) that can be used to generate a desired air flow. The vent hole 122 may be pneumatically connected to a ventilation system of the structure in which the immersion tank aisle 110 is disposed.

[0103] Although shown in Figure 3A as including a limited number of specific components, an immersion tank aisle according to one or more embodiments may include fewer, additional, and / or different components.

[0104] Go to Figure 3B , Figure 3B shows a cross-sectional view of the immersion tank aisle 110 as viewed towards the access surface 124 according to one embodiment.

[0105] As Figure 3B shown, the lid 138 can be provided on the side of the IT tank 130 where it is disposed inside 120. A person who needs to physically access the equipment disposed in the IT tank 130 can open the door 114 to access the interior 120. Once inside the interior 120, the person can open the IT tank 130 to access the equipment disposed in the IT tank 130. However, doing so may cause two-phase coolant vapor to escape, as discussed with respect to Figure 2C discussed.

[0106] Once the secondary condenser module 150 receives the escaping two-phase coolant vapor 148, two-phase coolant 103 is generated (e.g., by condensing the vapor), and the two-phase coolant 103 is directed to the liquid distributor 170. The liquid distributor 170 can then use the two-phase coolant 103 (or other portions of the two-phase coolant obtained from other portions of the escaping two-phase coolant vapor) to manage the fill level of the two-phase coolant within the IT tank 130.

[0107] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the secondary condenser module 150 according to one embodiment. The secondary condenser module 150 can include a condenser 158 disposed inside 156. The interior 156 can be accessed through the vapor port 152. The escaping two-phase coolant vapor 148 can be introduced into the interior 156 through the vapor port 152. Otherwise, the interior 156 can be sealed from the surrounding environment.

[0108] The condenser 158 can use the cooling fluid 104 to condense the escaping two-phase coolant vapor 148 into two-phase coolant 103. When circulated through the condenser 158, the heat load in the escaping two-phase coolant vapor 148 can be transferred to the cooling liquid 104. Thus, the heat load can be removed from the secondary condenser module 150. As previously described, the heat load transferred to the cooling fluid 104 can be dissipated by the Figure 1 shown cooler 180.

[0109] The two-phase coolant 103 obtained by the condenser 158 can be directed out of the secondary condenser module 150 via the condensed two-phase coolant port 154 and towards the liquid distributor 170 ( Figure 4 not shown in).

[0110] Go to Figures 5A to 5E , which illustrate embodiments in which the various components shown in Figures 1 to 4 are modularized and connected to each other to form a single-phase loop and a multi-phase loop.

[0111] Figure 5A A diagram showing a first arrangement of modular components according to one embodiment. As shown, the secondary condenser module 150 is directly attached to the immersion tank aisle 110 (e.g., the configuration of the secondary condenser module 150 dedicated to the immersion tank aisle 110 compared to other configurations shown in subsequent diagrams). When the evaporated two-phase coolant escapes from the IT tank 130, the evaporated two-phase coolant is directly transferred to the secondary condenser module 150 for processing via the vapor port 152. The evaporated two-phase coolant can be processed to obtain the two-phase coolant 103, and then the two-phase coolant 103 can be used to refill any IT tank (e.g., the IT tank from which the two-phase coolant vapor escapes or a different IT tank).

[0112] The liquid dispenser 170 is separate from the secondary condenser module 150 and the immersion tank aisle 110. In this configuration, if there is an additional access port (not shown) provided on the housing of the immersion tank aisle 110 (e.g., between the liquid dispenser 170 and the IT tank 130), the IT tank 130 can be accessed from both sides.

[0113] Figure 5B A diagram showing a second arrangement of modular components according to one embodiment. As shown, this arrangement is similar to Figure 5A the arrangement shown. However, the liquid dispenser 170 is provided inside the immersion tank aisle 110, where the secondary condenser module 150 is provided on top of the immersion tank aisle 110. In this configuration, since a smaller number of interconnections between the modular components required to operate the single-phase loop and the multi-phase loop need to be established, the deployment complexity of the components can be reduced.

[0114] Figure 5C A diagram showing a third arrangement of modular components according to one embodiment. In this diagram, the liquid dispenser 170 is shared by two immersion tank aisles 100A, 100B and secondary condenser modules 150A, 150B. This arrangement can reduce the number of modular units required to operate the single-phase loop and the multi-phase loop. For example, the liquid dispenser 170 can receive the two-phase coolant from the two immersion tank aisles 100A loop 100B and manage the fluid levels of the two-phase coolant in the IT tanks in the two immersion tank aisles 100A loop 100B.

[0115] Figure 5DA diagram showing a fourth arrangement of modular components according to one embodiment. In this diagram, the liquid dispenser 170 and the secondary condenser module 150 are shared by two immersion tank aisles 100A and 100B. The secondary condenser module 150 can receive the escaping two-phase coolant vapor from the two immersion tank aisles, condense the escaping two-phase coolant vapor into a two-phase coolant, and supply the two-phase coolant to the liquid dispenser 170. In turn, the liquid dispenser can distribute portions of the two-phase coolant (e.g., obtained using the two-phase coolant vapor discharged from either of the immersion tank aisles) to the IT tanks of each of the immersion tank aisles 110A, 100B. Thus, either of the IT tanks can receive the two-phase coolant that has been previously used by the same IT tank or other IT tanks (and / or other IT tanks, not shown here).

[0116] Figure 5E A diagram showing a fifth arrangement of modular components according to one embodiment. In this diagram, the liquid dispenser 170 is generally elevated to allow a person to physically access the inlets 520 provided on multiple faces of the immersion tank aisle 110. By doing so, a person can physically access either side of the IT tank 130 via the corresponding inlets 620 (e.g., doors, openings, etc.). In this way, physical access to the equipment provided in the IT tank 130 can be improved.

[0117] Figures 5A to 5E Any of them can represent a modular unit in a data center environment. Different and / or similar modular units can be repeated in a distributed computing environment, in which the computing devices provided in the modular units provide desired computer-implemented services.

[0118] 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 can 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. Thus, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. An immersion cooling system, comprising: An immersion tank adapted to accommodate computing devices, with at least a portion of the computing devices immersed in a two-phase coolant contained in the immersion tank; An aisle in which the immersion tank is disposed, the aisle being adapted to capture a second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant escaping from the immersion tank; A first condenser adapted to convert a first vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant vaporized from the immersion tank into a first liquid portion of the two-phase coolant; A second condenser disposed outside the immersion tank and adapted to convert a second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant escaping from the immersion tank into a second liquid portion of the two-phase coolant; And A liquid distributor adapted to manage the amount of the two-phase coolant in the immersion tank and further adapted to circulate cooling liquid to the first condenser and the second condenser; Wherein the aisle includes a housing, an interior defined by the housing, and a vapor port, wherein the housing seals the interior, the second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant escaping from the immersion tank is trapped within the interior, and the vapor port enables the second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant trapped within the interior to be conveyed out of the aisle.

2. The immersion cooling system according to claim 1, wherein The cooling liquid is distributed by the liquid distributor to the first condenser and the second condenser to condense the vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant into a liquid portion of the two-phase coolant.

3. The immersion cooling system according to claim 1, wherein, The second condenser is adapted to direct the second liquid portion of the two-phase coolant to the liquid distributor.

4. The immersion cooling system according to claim 1, wherein, The second condenser is disposed above the aisle and receives the second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant rising from the immersion tank.

5. The immersion cooling system according to claim 1, wherein The liquid distributor is coupled to an external cooling fluid source and a two-phase coolant source.

6. A data center, comprising: A set of computing devices; And An immersion cooling system, comprising: An immersion tank, with at least a portion of the set of computing devices immersed in a two-phase coolant contained in the immersion tank; An aisle in which the immersion tank is disposed, the aisle being adapted to capture a second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant escaping from the immersion tank; A first condenser adapted to convert a first vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant vaporized from the immersion tank into a first liquid portion of the two-phase coolant; A second condenser disposed outside the immersion tank and adapted to convert a second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant escaping from the immersion tank into a second liquid portion of the two-phase coolant; and A liquid distributor adapted to manage the amount of the two-phase coolant in the immersion tank and further adapted to circulate cooling liquid to the first condenser and the second condenser; Wherein the aisle includes a housing, an interior defined by the housing, and a vapor port, wherein the housing seals the interior, the second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant escaping from the immersion tank is trapped within the interior, and the vapor port enables the second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant trapped within the interior to be conveyed out of the aisle.

7. The data center according to claim 6, wherein, The liquid distributor is also adapted to distribute a cooling liquid to the first condenser and the second condenser to condense the vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant into the liquid portion of the two-phase coolant.

8. The data center according to claim 6, wherein, The second condenser is adapted to direct the second liquid portion of the two-phase coolant to the liquid distributor.

9. The data center according to claim 6, wherein, The second condenser is disposed above the aisle and receives the second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant rising from the immersion tank.

10. The data center according to claim 6, wherein, The liquid distributor is coupled to an external cooling fluid source and a two-phase coolant source.

11. A modular cooling system, comprising: A first module, comprising: An immersion tank adapted to contain: Computing equipment at least partially immersed in a two-phase coolant contained in the immersion tank; A first condenser that converts a first vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant in the immersion tank into a first liquid portion of the two-phase coolant; and An aisle in which the immersion tank is disposed, the aisle being adapted to capture a second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant escaping from the immersion tank; A second module, comprising: A second condenser adapted to convert a second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant into a second liquid portion of the two-phase coolant; and A liquid distributor adapted to manage the amount of the two-phase coolant in the immersion tank and further adapted to circulate a cooling liquid to the first condenser and the second condenser; Wherein the aisle includes a housing, an interior defined by the housing, and a vapor port, wherein the housing seals the interior, the second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant escaping from the immersion tank is trapped within the interior, and the vapor port enables the second vaporized portion of the two-phase coolant trapped within the interior to be conveyed out of the aisle and transferred to the second condenser.

12. The modular cooling system according to claim 11, wherein, The second module is disposed above the first module.

13. The modular cooling system according to claim 11, wherein, The liquid distributor is part of the first module.

14. The modular cooling system according to claim 11, wherein, The first module includes two access portions for accessing and servicing the immersion tank disposed on opposite sides of the aisle.

15. The modular cooling system according to claim 11, wherein, The liquid distributor is shared by the first module and the second module.

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