Connector assemblies, server chassis, and electronics racks

Abstract

A connector assembly, a server chassis, and an electronics rack are provided. The connector assembly may include a plate of a server chassis to be attached to an electronics rack; a connection module; and a movable alignment module having a guide structure and configured to be coupled to the plate through the connection module. The movable alignment module may accommodate one or more fluid blind-mate connectors, the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to be connected to one or more cold plates, the one or more cold plates being thermally coupled to one or more server components of the server chassis. The connection module may enable the movable alignment module to be movable when the guide structure is engaged with a distribution manifold of the electronics rack, so that the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors are aligned and coupled to at least one of the supply line connector or the return line connector of the distribution manifold, thereby forming a fluid connection between the first server chassis and the distribution manifold.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to electronics cooling for servers in a server rack, and more particularly to a connector assembly, a server chassis for an electronics rack, and an electronics rack. Background Art

[0002] Information technology (IT) encompasses technologies such as computers accessible via the internet or local networks, which store or access data, websites, computer programs, algorithms, services, and more. IT equipment, such as servers and other electronic components (e.g., peripherals), can be installed in server chassis. These server chassis can then be installed in server racks, also known as IT racks. Achieving efficient and flexible configuration of IT racks is a challenge. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present disclosure provides a connector assembly, a server chassis of an electronic rack, and an electronic rack.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a connector assembly is provided, comprising: a plate to be attached to a first server chassis among a plurality of server chassis of an electronics rack; a connection module; and a movable alignment module having a guide structure and configured to be coupled to the plate through the connection module, the movable alignment module accommodating one or more fluid blind-mate connectors, the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to be connected to one or more cold plates, the one or more cold plates thermally coupled to one or more server components of the first server chassis, the connection module enabling the movable alignment module to be movable when the guide structure is engaged with a distribution manifold of the electronics rack so as to align and couple the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to at least one of the supply line connector or return line connector of the distribution manifold, thereby forming a fluid connection between the first server chassis and the distribution manifold.

[0005] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a server chassis of an electronics rack is provided, comprising: a container that accommodates one or more server components attached to one or more cold plates; and a connector assembly that is coupled to the container, the connector assembly comprising: a plate that is mounted on the container; a connection module; and a movable alignment module that has a guide structure and is configured to be coupled to the plate through the connection module, the movable alignment module accommodating one or more fluid blind-mate connectors that are to be connected to one or more cold plates that are thermally coupled to the one or more server components, the connection module enabling the movable alignment module to be movable when the guide structure engages with a distribution manifold of the electronics rack so that the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors are aligned and coupled to at least one of the supply line connector or the return line connector of the distribution manifold, thereby forming a fluid connection between the server chassis and the distribution manifold.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an electronics rack is provided, comprising: a distribution manifold; and a plurality of server chassis, each server chassis comprising: a container accommodating one or more server components attached to one or more cold plates, and a connector assembly coupled to the container, the connector assembly comprising: a plate mounted on the container, a connection module, and a movable alignment module, the movable alignment module having a guide structure and configured to be coupled to the plate through the connection module, the movable alignment module accommodating one or more fluid blind-mate connectors, the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to be connected to one or more cold plates, the one or more cold plates being thermally coupled to the one or more server components, the connection module enabling the movable alignment module to be movable when the guide structure is engaged with the distribution manifold of the electronics rack so as to align and couple the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to at least one of the supply line connector or the return line connector of the distribution manifold, thereby forming a fluid connection between the server chassis and the distribution manifold.

[0007] It should be understood that the contents described in this section are not intended to identify the key or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor are they intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become readily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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

[0009] Figure 1 A side view of a connector assembly mounted on a server chassis is shown, according to some embodiments.

[0010] Figure 2A and 2B Shown are side and front views, respectively, of a frame of a distribution manifold according to some embodiments.

[0011] Figure 3 A front view of another example of a frame for a distribution manifold is shown, according to some embodiments.

[0012] Figure 4 An example of a movable alignment module is shown in accordance with some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 5 Another example of a movable alignment module in accordance with some embodiments is shown.

[0014] Figure 6 A side view of an example of a server rack including multiple server chassis and multiple connector assemblies is shown in accordance with some embodiments.

[0015] Figure 7 A side view of another example of a server rack including a plurality of server chassis, a plurality of connector assemblies, and a leakage detection device is shown in accordance with some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Several aspects of the present disclosure will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. As long as the shapes, relative positions, and other aspects of the components described in a given aspect are not clearly defined, the scope disclosed herein is not limited to the portions shown, which are shown for illustrative purposes only. In addition, although many details are set forth, it should be understood that some aspects can be implemented without these details. In other cases, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques are not shown in detail to avoid obscuring the understanding of this description. In addition, unless the meaning is clear to the contrary, all ranges listed herein are deemed to include the endpoints of each range.

[0017] References in the specification to "one embodiment" or "any embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0018] Multiple server chassis can be placed in a server rack, each housing one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs) on which electronic components and integrated circuits are packaged. Server chassis can be used to manage the power supply, cooling requirements, electronic connections, structural support, and other considerations of IT equipment.

[0019] Liquid cooling for high-power density electronic devices is becoming increasingly popular because air cooling may not be thermally sufficient in some cases. Liquid cooling allows for higher electronic device packaging densities and increased computational loads by properly transferring the heat load generated by the electronic devices while providing an appropriate thermal environment.

[0020] A server rack may include multiple server chassis mounted thereon. Some server chassis may have high-density components—multiple servers can be placed into a single server chassis and coexist. Other server racks may have a single server. Therefore, the number and / or location of connectors from one server chassis to another in a server rack may vary based on the type or number of servers housed in the server chassis.

[0021] Server racks can include infrastructure (e.g., rack cooling components) to distribute and manage fluid (e.g., liquid coolant) to and from each server chassis within the server rack. This infrastructure can create a fluid recirculation loop for the server chassis and server racks. However, conventional infrastructure lacks the flexibility to accommodate various server chassis and server rack configurations.

[0022] Liquid cooling systems may require the use of blind-mate fluid connectors to engage different parts of a thermal loop, such as a server chassis cooling component and an electronics rack cooling component. Designing a liquid cooling system is challenging because the successful engagement of the blind-mate fluid connector requires a highly accurate co-design of the server chassis and the electronics rack. In addition, existing solutions may be uneconomical and may only be applicable to dedicated servers. An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a solution that can be used to connect a liquid cooled server chassis and an electronics rack to achieve connector alignment design for the server. Specifically, the connector assembly can have a movable alignment module that helps engage the blind-mate fluid connector to different parts of the thermal loop, such as a server cooling component and a rack cooling component. This solution addresses the challenges of designing and implementing blind-mate connections for liquid cooled server chassis and electronics racks by providing a highly reliable automatic connection for the blind-mate fluid connector between the server chassis and the electronics rack. In this way, the design efficiency of the server chassis and the electronics rack can be improved.

[0023] Embodiments of the present disclosure can address identified issues, such as providing highly accurate designs for both the rack side and the server side; reducing the complexity and difficulty of system and component design; accommodating various configurations of server chassis; accommodating various cooling technologies; providing highly reliable designs; being easy to implement; providing comprehensive protection for connectors; and providing highly reliable rack-level design and implementation.

[0024] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a solution that allows electronics racks to be designed into different configurations, for example, for different liquid cooling technologies and different redundancy schemes. The solution can also be integrated into different server types with minimal modifications. The solution can also be modified for different cooling module types using blind-mate connectors.

[0025] According to one aspect, a connector assembly may include a plate to be attached to a first server chassis of a plurality of server chassis of an electronics rack; a connection module; and a movable alignment module having a guide structure and configured to be coupled to the plate via the connection module. The movable alignment module may accommodate one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to be connected to one or more cold plates thermally coupled to one or more server components of the first server chassis. The connection module may be configured such that the movable alignment module is movable when the guide structure is engaged with a distribution manifold of the electronics rack to align and couple the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to at least one of a supply line connector or a return line connector of the distribution manifold, thereby forming a fluid connection between the first server chassis and the distribution manifold.

[0026] In one embodiment, the connection module includes a first joint portion fixedly coupled to the plate, a second joint portion coupled to the first joint portion via a first guide channel, and a third joint portion fixedly coupled to the movable alignment module, wherein the third joint portion is coupled to the second joint portion via a second guide channel. The second joint portion is capable of swinging relative to the first joint portion via the first guide channel, and the third joint portion is capable of swinging relative to the second joint portion via the second guide channel, so that the movable alignment module can move in multiple directions.

[0027] In one embodiment, a distribution manifold includes a frame including a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of server chassis of the electronics rack, each of the plurality of openings having a supply line connector or a return line connector configured to distribute coolant to a corresponding server chassis.

[0028] When the first server chassis is moved toward a first opening of the plurality of openings, the movable alignment module contacts the first opening, causing the movable alignment module to move relative to the plate to align at least one of the one or more blind-mate fluid connectors with at least one of the supply line connector or the return line connector. When an outer surface of the movable alignment module contacts an edge of the first opening, the edge of the first opening forces the movable alignment module to move due to the shape of the outer surface. The movable alignment module is tapered.

[0029] In one embodiment, the diameter of each of the plurality of openings overlaps at least one of the supply line connector or the return line connector. In one embodiment, the center of each of the plurality of openings is aligned with the center of the supply line connector or the return line connector. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of openings has a varying diameter to accommodate varying guide configurations. In one embodiment, the front portion of the frame is removable.

[0030] In one embodiment, the connector assembly may further include a leakage detection device including a leakage detector provided at a connection surface between the movable alignment module and the board.

[0031] According to another aspect, a server chassis includes a container housing one or more server components (eg, processors) and a connector assembly as described above coupled to the container. According to another aspect, an electronics rack includes a plurality of server chassis, each server chassis including a connection module as described above.

[0032] Figure 1FIG2 shows a side view of an example of a connector assembly 100 that can be attached to a server chassis according to some embodiments. Figure 1 shows a side view of the connector assembly 100, but Figure 1 A rear view of the connection module 106 is shown, comprising three joints and two guide channels (eg beam structures). This is intended to better illustrate the key elements and design.

[0033] refer to Figure 1 Connector assembly 100 may include a plate 102 to be attached to a server chassis 104 of an electronics rack (not shown), such as a container of the server chassis; a connection module 106; and a removable alignment module 108 having a guide structure and configured to be coupled to plate 102 via connection module 106. Removable alignment module 108 may house one or more fluid blind-mate connectors 110 capable of fluidically connecting to one or more cold plates 112, which are thermally coupled to one or more server components 114 of the server chassis. The server components may include processors and / or memory of a computer server. Connection module 106 may be movable so that removable alignment module 108 engages the guide structure with a distribution manifold of the electronics rack to align and couple the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors 110 to at least one of a supply line connector or a return line connector of the distribution manifold, thereby forming a fluid connection between the server chassis 104 and the distribution manifold. Connection module 106 may be configured to connect plate 102 and removable alignment module 108. As shown, the movable alignment module 108 fully contains the fluid blind-mate connector 110, which is configured in a fixed position relative to the movable alignment module.

[0034] In one embodiment, one or more blind-mate fluid connectors 110 may be secured to a fixed structure 120. The fixed structure may be attached to a movable alignment module 108 to secure the one or more blind-mate fluid connectors 110. That is, the blind-mate fluid connectors 110 do not move relative to the movable alignment module 108. However, due to the connection module 106, the blind-mate fluid connectors 110 and the movable alignment module 108 may be moved together relative to a plate 102 mounted on a receptacle of a server chassis for aligning the blind-mate fluid connectors 110 with connectors of a rack fluid distribution manifold, as will be described in further detail below.

[0035] The connector assembly 100 can be configured to connect a server chassis 104 and a distribution manifold of an electronics rack to cool electronics server components 114 located on a circuit board, such as a printed circuit board (PCB) 118. One or more cold plates 112 are thermally coupled to the one or more electronics server components 114, such as an integrated circuit (IC), which can be a surface mount device (SMD) secured to the PCB 118. A flexible hose 122 can be configured to connect the one or more cold plates 112 to the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors 110.

[0036] Figure 2A and 2B A side view and a front view, respectively, of a frame of a distribution manifold 254 are shown, according to some embodiments. The distribution manifold 254 can be mounted at the rear end of an electronics rack and coupled to an external cooling circuit or source. The distribution manifold 254 is configured to receive coolant from the external cooling circuit or source and distribute the coolant to the server chassis of the electronics rack.

[0037] refer to Figure 2A , the distribution manifold 254 may be connected to the server chassis 104 (see Figure 1 ) so that by using the above connector assembly 100 (see Figure 1 ) distributes cooling fluid to cool the electronic server components of the server chassis 104 (see Figure 1 ). Distribution manifold 254 can include supply and return lines. Distribution manifold 254 can include a frame 250 having openings 252. Each opening corresponds to a server chassis. Each opening 252 can have a supply line connector 256 or a return line connector 258. In one embodiment, supply line connector 256 or return line connector 258 can be a fluid blind-mate connector. Frame 250 can be equipped with distribution manifold 254 and can be configured to distribute coolant to the server chassis.

[0038] The distribution manifold 254 can be provided with a supply line connector 256 or a return line connector 258. As shown, each opening 252 can allow other related components to be connected to the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258 on the distribution manifold. Although the frame 250 provides protection for the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258, each opening 252 can expose the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258 to the environment outside the frame 250. In addition, each opening 252 can also serve as a guide structure when receiving the counterpart of the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258 during mating. The frame 250 can completely contain the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258, but not completely contain each opening 252.

[0039] refer to Figure 2BIn one embodiment, the diameter of each opening 252 covers each supply line connector 256 and return line connector 258. Each opening 252 can be configured as a guide channel to guide the fluid blind-mate connector 110 to align with the center of each opening 252 during the mating process. The mating process can refer to the blind-mate fluid connector 110 (see Figure 1 ) is connected to the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258 on the distribution manifold 254 to distribute the coolant fluid to one or more cold plates 112 (see Figure 1 ). In this way, the fluid blind-mate connector 110 and the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258 can be aligned and connected using the connector assembly. For reliability reasons, the fluid blind-mate connector 110 and the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258 are completely contained and covered in the server end and the rack end. Each opening 252 can allow the fluid blind-mate connector 110 and the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258 to engage.

[0040] In one embodiment, each opening 252 has a center 256 that can be aligned with the center of a supply line connector or a return line connector. In one embodiment, each opening 252 can have a varying diameter to accommodate the varying guide structure of the movable alignment module 108. In this way, the varying diameter of each opening 252 can match the varying diameter of the guide structure. Alternatively, the diameter of each opening 252 can be fixed.

[0041] In one embodiment, the frame 250 may enclose the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258. The frame 250 may be configured to ensure that the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258 is well protected and remains functional and in good shape.

[0042] In one embodiment, the front portion of the frame 250 may be removable. In an alternative embodiment, the front portion of the frame 250 may not be removable and may be permanently fixed to the frame 250. The front portion of the frame 250 may contain and cover the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258. Similarly, the fluid blind mate connector 110 is removably aligned with the module 108 (see FIG. Figure 1 ) is fully contained. Each opening 252 can allow engagement of the fluid blind-mate connector 110 and the supply line connector 256 or the return line connector 258. By using each opening 252, a guide panel and an automatic engagement mechanism can be implemented.

[0043] Figure 3 A front view of another example of a frame 350 is shown in accordance with some embodiments. Figure 3, in one embodiment, the diameter of each opening 352 covers the supply line connector 356 and the return line connector 358. As shown, each opening 352 can be configured to circumvent the supply line connector 356 and the return line connector 358. On the server side, the removable alignment module will include a corresponding pair of blind-mate connectors to align with the supply line connector and the return line connector. Note that in order to align the server blind-mate connector (also referred to as the server connector) with the supply line connector and the return line connector (also referred to as the manifold connector), according to one embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the removable alignment module may need to match the shape of the corresponding opening. In this example, the removable alignment module is conical and its cross-sectional shape is circular, and the corresponding opening is also circular. However, other shapes may also be applicable.

[0044] Figure 4 An example of a movable alignment module and a connection module according to some embodiments is shown. Figure 4 In one embodiment, the connection module 406 may include a first joint 422 fixedly coupled to the plate 402, a second joint 424, and a third joint 426 coupled to a movable alignment module, such as the movable alignment modules 408A and 408B. The first joint 422 and the second joint 424 may be connected by a first guide channel 428. The second joint 424 and the third joint 426 may be connected by a second guide channel 430. The first guide channel 428 and the second guide channel 430 may allow the connection module 406 and the movable alignment module 408A or 408B to move freely in the horizontal and vertical directions. The first guide channel 428 and the second guide channel 430 may allow the second joint 424 to slide along the first guide channel 428 and the second guide channel 430.

[0045] The connection module 406 enables the movable alignment modules 408A and 408B to move in all directions within a plane. In this example, the first joint 422 is fixedly attached to the plate 402, and the third joint 426 is fixedly attached to the movable alignment module 408A. The second joint 424 is coupled to the first joint 422 via a guide channel 428 and is coupled to the third joint 426 via a guide channel 430. That is, the second joint 424 is not fixedly attached to the plate 402 or a movable alignment module such as the movable alignment module 408A or 408B. The second joint 424 can move back and forth (e.g., swing or rotate) relative to the first joint 422 via the guide channel 428. Similarly, the third joint 426 can move back and forth relative to the second joint 424 via the guide channel 430. The second engaging portion 424 can move relative to the first engaging portion 422 , while the third engaging portion 426 (along with the movable alignment module attached thereto) can simultaneously move about the second engaging portion 424 .

[0046] For example, the connection module 406 can enable the movable alignment module 408A to move in a horizontal direction 470 (indicated by a dashed arrow). Similarly, the connection module 406 can enable the movable alignment module 408A to move in a diagonal direction 472 (indicated by a dashed arrow). The connection module 406 can enable the movable alignment module 408A to rotate or swing around the first joint 422, the second joint 424, and the third joint 426 (indicated by a dashed arrow). In this way, the movable alignment module 408A can move in various directions during the mating process.

[0047] Still refer to Figure 4 , removable alignment modules 408A and 408B can be used to connect the server chassis to the supply and return lines. As shown, removable alignment module 408A can be used with a connector to connect to the supply line, while removable alignment module 408B can be used with a connector to connect to the return line. For example, removable alignment module 408A can include an opening 432 located at its center that is configured to receive an electronics rack connector so that the electronics rack connector will connect to a blind-mate fluid connector 434. Blind-mate fluid connector 434 can be secured to a fixed structure 436. Removable alignment module 408A can also include a surface structure 438 to ensure proper contact between the surface structure 438 and the opening on the rack frame.

[0048] When the server chassis is placed into the electronics rack, alignment module 408A can first contact the edge of the opening in the rack frame. This contact between alignment module 408A and the edge of the rack opening then creates a reaction force on surface structure 438. Note that the rack opening is fixed. Therefore, connection module 406 can allow surface structure 438 to move slightly relative to plate 402. In this way, blind-mate fluid connector 434 can be guided through the rack frame opening to any location on plate 402.

[0049] When alignment module 408A is fully aligned with the opening in the frame, the blind-mate fluid connector and the supply or return line connector are aligned and connected. Alignment module 408A and the opening in the frame allow for proper mating between the blind-mate fluid connector and the supply or return line connector. In this way, design efficiency can be improved to accommodate a variety of server chassis, electronics racks, cooling modules, rack fluid manifolds, and connectors.

[0050] Figure 5 Another example of a movable alignment module according to some embodiments is shown. Figure 5, the movable alignment module 508 can be configured for full-loop connection. As shown, the movable alignment module 508 can be configured with a connector connected to the supply line 534A and a connector connected to the return line 534B. As described above, the connection module 506 can include a first joint 522 fixedly coupled to the plate 502, a second joint 524, and a third joint 526 coupled to the movable alignment module 508. The first joint 522 and the second joint 524 can be connected by a first guide channel 528. The second joint 524 and the third joint 526 can be connected by a second guide channel 530. The first guide channel 528 and the second guide channel 530 can allow the connection module 506 to move freely in all directions.

[0051] Still refer to Figure 5 The connector assembly may further include a leak detection device comprising a leak detector 560 (sensor or device) disposed near the connection surface between the movable alignment module 508 and the board 502. The connection surface between the movable alignment module 508 and the board 502 is where leakage is most likely to occur, and therefore placing the leak detector at this location would be most advantageous. The leak detector 560 (sensor or device) may be coupled to this location and configured to sense coolant leaks at a location where coolant is supplied to the server chassis.

[0052] Figure 6 FIG2 shows a side view of an example of a server rack according to some embodiments, the server rack including multiple server chassis and multiple connector assemblies. Note that the detailed structure of the connection structure and the movable alignment module described above are not shown in this figure. Figure 6 , the distribution manifold 654 can include a frame 650, which includes openings 652. Each opening 652 can cover a supply line connector 656 or a return line connector 658. In one embodiment, the supply line connector 656 or the return line connector 658 can be a blind-mate fluid connector. The frame 650 can be configured to distribute coolant to the server chassis. The distribution manifold 654 can be equipped with a supply line connector 656 or a return line connector 658. As shown, the server chassis 1604A is placed and the fluid blind-mate connector 610 and the supply line connector 656 can be engaged. Similarly, when the server chassis 1604A is placed, the fluid blind-mate connector 610 and the return line connector 658 can be engaged. As shown, the movable alignment module 608 and the opening 652 are fully aligned, and the blind-mate fluid connector 610 is fully aligned with the supply line connector 656 or the return line connector 658.

[0053] Still refer to Figure 6, the server chassis 2604B is in the process of being placed into its final position. In its current position, the alignment module 608 is not fully aligned with the opening 652 (shown as a dashed rectangle) on the frame. Similarly, the blind-mate fluid connector 610 is not fully aligned with the supply line connector 656 or the return line connector 658 and is disconnected therefrom. The opening 652 slightly guides the alignment module 608 until the alignment module 608 and the opening 652 are fully aligned. In this example, when the outer surface of the alignment module contacts the edge of the opening, the connection module can move the alignment module 608 (along with the blind-mate connector) downward (shown by the downward dashed arrow) until the alignment module 608 is fully aligned with the opening 652. In this way, it can be ensured that the blind-mate fluid connectors on the cooling modules of the server chassis are in the accurate blind-mate position.

[0054] In this example, as the server chassis 604B moves toward the rack manifold of the electronics rack, the outer surface of the alignment module 608 contacts the edge (in this example, the upper edge) of the opening 652. As the server chassis 604B continues to move toward the rack manifold, the edge of the opening 652 forces the alignment module 608 downward, thereby aligning the server blind-mate connector with the rack connector of the rack manifold.

[0055] Figure 7 An example of a server rack including a plurality of server chassis, a plurality of connector assemblies, and a leakage detection device is shown according to some embodiments. Figure 7 , server 3 704C can be a different type of server chassis than server 1 704A or server 2 704B. Server 3 704C can be integrated with a different alignment module 708 and a different frame. Note that the detailed structure of the above-mentioned connection structure and the movable alignment module are not shown in this figure. Figure 7 , the distribution manifold 754 can include a frame 750, which includes openings 752. Each opening 752 can have a supply line connector 756 or a return line connector 758. The frame 750 can be configured to distribute coolant to the server chassis. The distribution manifold 754 can be equipped with a supply line connector 756 or a return line connector 758. As shown, server chassis 1704A is placed and the fluid blind-mate connector 710 and the supply line connector 758 can be engaged. Similarly, when server chassis 2704B is placed, the fluid blind-mate connector 710 and the return line connector 756 can be engaged. As shown, the movable alignment module 708 and the opening 752 are fully aligned, and the blind-mate fluid connector 710 of server 3 704C is fully aligned with the supply line connector 756 or the return line connector 758.

[0056] As shown, the connector assembly may also include a leak detection device comprising a leak detector 760 (sensor or device) positioned near the connection surface between the movable alignment module 708 and the plate 702. This is where leaks are most likely to occur, so placing the leak detector in this location is most advantageous. Leak detector 760 (sensor or device) may be coupled to this location and configured to sense coolant leaks at a location where coolant is supplied to the server chassis. Furthermore, leak detection devices integrated into the alignment module and manifold frame can enhance the reliability of the solution and improve design efficiency.

[0057] In another embodiment, Figure 7 As shown, the connector assembly may further include a leak detection device comprising a leak detector 762 (sensor or device) disposed near the bottom of the distribution manifold 754. The leak detector 762 (sensor or device) may be coupled to the bottom of the distribution manifold 754 and configured to sense coolant leaks at a location where coolant is supplied to the server chassis. In one example, the leak detector 762 may be positioned at the bottom of the distribution manifold 754.

[0058] The present disclosure also relates to an electronics rack including a plurality of server chassis and a connector assembly attached to each of the plurality of server chassis. The present disclosure also relates to a server cooling system including the plurality of electronics racks. Each of the plurality of electronics racks may include a server chassis and a connector assembly connected to each of the plurality of server chassis.

[0059] In addition, although not shown, in some embodiments, the server rack may include various other support components. For example, the server rack may include a cooling distribution unit (CDU) and a rack management unit (RMU). The server chassis may also be referred to as a server blade, which can be inserted into the server slot array from the front or back of the server rack, respectively. The server rack can be open to the environment or partially contained in a rack container. The server rack may include one or more cooling fans that can generate airflow from the front to the back of the server rack. In some embodiments, the server rack may include a cooling fan for each server chassis. The cooling fan may be mounted on each server chassis to generate airflow through the server chassis. In some embodiments, the CDU may include a heat exchanger, a liquid pump, a pump controller, a fluid reservoir, a power supply, and sensors, among other things. The heat exchanger of the CDU may be a liquid-liquid heat exchanger that includes a first circuit having an inlet port and an outlet port, the first circuit having a first pair of liquid connectors coupled to an external liquid supply line / return line to form a main circuit. The liquid supply / return lines can be fluidly connected to a set of room manifolds that can be coupled to an external heat removal system or external cooling loop. Furthermore, the heat exchanger can also include a second loop having two ports, the second loop having a second pair of liquid connectors coupled to the fluid manifold to form a secondary loop that fluidly supplies and returns fluid between the one or more server chassis and the CDU.

[0060] Each server chassis can house one or more servers, which can include one or more components, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), memory, and / or storage devices. Each component can perform data processing tasks, wherein the component can include software that is installed in a storage device, loaded into the memory, and executed by one or more processors to perform the data processing tasks. At least some of these components can be attached to the bottom of any cold plate as described above. The server can include a host server (referred to as a host node) coupled to one or more computing servers (also referred to as computing nodes, such as CPU servers and GPU servers). The host server (having one or more CPUs) typically interacts with clients over a network (e.g., the Internet) to receive requests for specific services, such as storage services (e.g., cloud-based storage services, such as backup and / or recovery), execute applications to perform certain operations (e.g., image processing, deep data learning algorithms or modeling, etc., as part of a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform). In response to the request, the host server assigns the task to one or more performance computing nodes or computing servers (having one or more GPUs) managed by the host server. The performance computing servers perform the actual tasks, which may generate heat during operation.

[0061] The server rack may also include an optional RMU that is configured to provide and manage power to the servers, fan modules, and CDU. The RMU may be coupled to the power supply unit to manage the power consumption of the power supply unit. The power supply unit may include the necessary circuitry (e.g., an alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) power converter, a DC to DC power converter, a backup battery, a transformer or regulator, etc.) to supply power to the remaining components of the server rack.

[0062] Various aspects of the cooling distribution system can be flexibly deployed 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). The described aspects can simultaneously isolate IT equipment from leaking fluid and direct the leaked fluid to a common location for detection, thereby minimizing the impact of fluid leaks and improving overall system reliability.

[0063] Some embodiments may include a non-transitory machine-readable medium (e.g., 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 containing hard-wired logic. Alternatively, these operations may be performed by any combination of programmed data processing components and fixed hard-wired circuit components.

[0064] In the foregoing description, embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will be apparent that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, therefore, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

[0065] Although certain aspects have been described and shown in the drawings, it should be understood that these aspects are merely illustrative and not restrictive of the broad disclosure, and that the disclosure is not limited to the specific configurations and apparatus shown and described, as various other modifications may occur to those skilled in the art. The description is therefore to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive.

[0066] In some aspects, the present disclosure may include statements such as "at least one of [element A] and [element B]." Such statements 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 of A and at least one of B" or "at least one of A or B." In some aspects, the present disclosure may include statements such as "[element A], [element B] and / or [element C]." Such statements may refer to any one element 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. A connector assembly comprising: a plate to be attached to a first server chassis of a plurality of server chassis of an electronics rack; a connecting module comprising: a first connecting portion fixedly coupled to the plate; a second connecting portion coupled to the first connecting portion via a first guide channel; and a third connecting portion fixedly coupled to the movable alignment module, wherein the third connecting portion is coupled to the second connecting portion via a second guide channel; and a movable alignment module having a guide structure and configured to be coupled to the plate via the connection module, the movable alignment module housing one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to be connected to one or more cold plates thermally coupled to one or more server components of the first server chassis, the connection module enabling the movable alignment module to be movable when the guide structure is engaged with a distribution manifold of the electronics rack to align and couple the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to at least one of a supply line connector or a return line connector of the distribution manifold, thereby forming a fluid connection between the first server chassis and the distribution manifold.

2. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein The second engaging portion is capable of swinging relative to the first engaging portion through the first guide channel, and the third engaging portion is capable of swinging relative to the second engaging portion through the second guide channel, so that the movable alignment module is capable of moving in multiple directions.

3. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The distribution manifold comprises: A frame includes a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of server chassis of the electronics rack, each of the plurality of openings having a supply line connector or a return line connector configured to distribute cooling liquid to a corresponding server chassis.

4. The connector assembly according to claim 3, wherein: When the first server chassis moves toward a first opening of the plurality of openings, the movable alignment module contacts the first opening, causing the movable alignment module to move relative to the plate to align at least one of the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors with at least one of the supply line connector or the return line connector.

5. The connector assembly according to claim 4, wherein: When the outer surface of the movable alignment module comes into contact with the edge of the first opening, the edge of the first opening forces the movable alignment module to move due to the shape of the outer surface.

6. The connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein: The movable alignment module is tapered.

7. The connector assembly according to claim 3, wherein: Each of the plurality of openings has a diameter that covers at least one of the supply line connector or the return line connector.

8. The connector assembly according to claim 3, wherein: A center of each of the plurality of openings is aligned with a center of the supply line connector or the return line connector.

9. The connector assembly according to claim 3, wherein: Each of the plurality of openings has a varying diameter to accommodate varying guide structures.

10. The connector assembly according to claim 3, wherein: The frame surrounds the supply line connector or the return line connector.

11. The connector assembly according to claim 3, wherein: The front portion of the frame is detachable.

12. The connector assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising: A leakage detection device includes a leakage detector provided at a connection surface between the movable alignment module and the plate.

13. A server chassis of an electronic rack, comprising: a container housing one or more server components attached to one or more cold plates; as well as a connector assembly coupled to the container, the connector assembly comprising: a plate mounted on the container; a connecting module comprising: a first connecting portion fixedly coupled to the plate; a second connecting portion coupled to the first connecting portion via a first guide channel; and a third connecting portion fixedly coupled to the movable alignment module, wherein the third connecting portion is coupled to the second connecting portion via a second guide channel; and a movable alignment module having a guide structure and configured to be coupled to the plate via the connection module, the movable alignment module housing one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to be connected to one or more cold plates thermally coupled to the one or more server components, the connection module enabling the movable alignment module to be movable when the guide structure is engaged with a distribution manifold of the electronics rack to align and couple the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to at least one of a supply line connector or a return line connector of the distribution manifold, thereby forming a fluid connection between the server chassis and the distribution manifold.

14. The server chassis according to claim 13, wherein: The second engaging portion is capable of swinging relative to the first engaging portion through the first guide channel, and the third engaging portion is capable of swinging relative to the second engaging portion through the second guide channel, so that the movable alignment module is capable of moving in multiple directions.

15. The server chassis according to claim 13, wherein: The distribution manifold comprises: A frame includes a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of server chassis of the electronics rack, each opening having a supply line connector or a return line connector configured to distribute cooling liquid to a corresponding server chassis.

16. The server chassis according to claim 15, wherein: When the server chassis moves toward a first opening of the plurality of openings, the movable alignment module contacts the first opening, causing the movable alignment module to move relative to the plate to align at least one of the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors with at least one of the supply line connector or the return line connector.

17. The server chassis according to claim 16, wherein: When the outer surface of the movable alignment module comes into contact with the edge of the first opening, the edge of the first opening forces the movable alignment module to move due to the shape of the outer surface.

18. An electronic rack comprising: distribution manifolds; as well as Multiple server chassis, each server chassis includes: a container housing one or more server components attached to one or more cold plates, and a connector assembly coupled to the container, the connector assembly comprising: a plate mounted on the container, a connecting module comprising: a first connecting portion fixedly coupled to the plate; a second connecting portion coupled to the first connecting portion via a first guide channel; and a third connecting portion fixedly coupled to the movable alignment module, wherein the third connecting portion is coupled to the second connecting portion via a second guide channel; and a movable alignment module having a guide structure and configured to be coupled to the plate via the connection module, the movable alignment module housing one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to be connected to one or more cold plates thermally coupled to the one or more server components, the connection module enabling the movable alignment module to be movable when the guide structure is engaged with a distribution manifold of the electronics rack to align and couple the one or more fluid blind-mate connectors to at least one of a supply line connector or a return line connector of the distribution manifold, thereby forming a fluid connection between the server chassis and the distribution manifold.

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