Cooling structure, method and rack system for cooling electronic devices

Abstract

A cooling system and method for cooling an electronic device are disclosed. A cooling structure and a rack system for cooling an electronic device are also disclosed. The electronic device includes a heat generating component. The cooling structure includes an immersion housing containing a dielectric cooling liquid, the electronic device being at least partially immersed in the dielectric cooling liquid such that the dielectric cooling liquid, in use, collects at least a first portion of thermal energy generated by the heat generating component, a photovoltaic device being proximate the immersion housing and configured to at least partially convert a second portion of the thermal energy generated by the heat generating component into electrical energy, the second portion having been dissipated from the dielectric cooling liquid through the immersion housing.

Description

[0001] Cross-referencing This application claims priority to European application No. 23305320.6, filed on March 9, 2023, entitled “COOLING ARRANGEMENT IMPLEMENTING APHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICE”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This technology relates to a cooling system for cooling electronic components. Specifically, a cooling structure for implementing a photovoltaic device is disclosed. Background Technology

[0003] Electronic equipment, such as servers, storage devices, and hard drives, is typically grouped into racks. Large data centers and other large computing facilities can include thousands of racks, supporting thousands or even tens of thousands of servers.

[0004] Racks, including those with equipment mounted on their backplanes, consume significant amounts of power and generate substantial heat. Cooling is crucial in such racks. Some electronic devices, such as processors, generate considerable heat and can malfunction within seconds without adequate cooling.

[0005] Various cooling measures have been implemented to address the heat generated by electronic components. One such measure provides an immersion cooling configuration in which the heat-generating electronic components of the electronic component are immersed in a container that is at least partially filled with a non-conductive cooling fluid, such as an oil-based dielectric coolant. In this way, effective thermal contact and heat transfer are achieved between the heat-generating electronic components and the cooling dielectric coolant.

[0006] However, it has been observed that even with a cooling system, some heat may still be released into the rack environment. Therefore, a more sustainable cooling structure may be required.

[0007] The topics discussed in the Background section should not be assumed to be prior art simply because they are mentioned there. Similarly, it should not be assumed that the problems mentioned in or related to the topics in the Background section were previously recognized in the prior art. The topics in the Background section merely represent different approaches. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This technology was developed based on the developer's understanding of the shortcomings associated with existing technologies.

[0009] In particular, these disadvantages may include (1) deficiencies in optimizing heat absorption; and / or (2) significant power consumption of the cooling system.

[0010] In one aspect, various embodiments of the present technology provide a cooling structure for cooling an electronic device including a heat-generating component. The cooling structure includes: an immersion housing containing a dielectric cooling liquid, the electronic device being at least partially immersed in the dielectric cooling liquid such that the dielectric cooling liquid collects at least a first portion of the heat energy generated by the heat-generating component during use; and a photovoltaic device located near the immersion housing and configured to at least partially convert a second portion of the heat energy generated by the heat-generating component into electrical energy, the second portion having been dissipated from the dielectric cooling liquid through the immersion housing.

[0011] In some non-limiting embodiments, the photovoltaic device includes a heat collection surface oriented toward the immersion housing.

[0012] In some non-limiting embodiments, the shape of the heat harvesting surface matches at least a portion of the outer side of the immersion housing.

[0013] In some non-limiting embodiments, the heat harvesting surface is a flat surface extending parallel to the side of the immersion housing.

[0014] In some non-limiting embodiments, the immersion housing is made of a metallic material.

[0015] In some non-limiting embodiments, the immersion housing is made of aluminum.

[0016] In some non-limiting embodiments, the photovoltaic device is positioned near the upper portion of the immersion housing.

[0017] In some non-limiting embodiments, the photovoltaic device is also configured to transmit electrical energy to an energy storage device.

[0018] In some non-limiting embodiments, the photovoltaic device is also configured to transmit electrical energy to an electronic device.

[0019] In some non-limiting embodiments, the photovoltaic device is also configured to transmit electrical energy to another electrical device.

[0020] In some non-limiting embodiments, the electronic device is a server.

[0021] In some non-limiting embodiments, the immersion housing is installed in a rack within the data center, and the photovoltaic devices are configured to be installed in the rack.

[0022] In the second aspect, this technology provides a rack system that includes multiple cooling structures.

[0023] In a third aspect, the present technology provides a method for cooling an electronic device including a heat-generating component. The method includes: inserting the electronic device at least partially into an immersion housing containing a dielectric coolant, such that the dielectric coolant collects at least a first portion of the heat energy generated by the heat-generating component during use; and disposing a photovoltaic device near the immersion housing, and configuring the photovoltaic device to at least partially convert a second portion of the heat energy generated by the heat-generating component into electrical energy, the second portion being dissipated from the dielectric coolant through the immersion housing.

[0024] In some non-limiting embodiments, placing the photovoltaic device near the immersion housing includes orienting the heat collection surface of the photovoltaic device toward the immersion housing.

[0025] In some non-limiting embodiments, the shape of the heat harvesting surface matches at least a portion of the outer side of the immersion housing.

[0026] In some non-limiting embodiments, the heat harvesting surface is a flat surface extending parallel to the side of the immersion housing.

[0027] In some non-limiting embodiments, the immersion housing is made of a metallic material.

[0028] In some non-limiting embodiments, the immersion housing is made of aluminum.

[0029] In some non-limiting embodiments, placing the photovoltaic device near the immersion housing includes placing it near the upper portion of the immersion housing.

[0030] In some non-limiting embodiments, the method also includes storing electrical energy in an energy storage device.

[0031] In some non-limiting embodiments, the method also includes transmitting electrical energy to an electronic device.

[0032] In some non-limiting embodiments, the method also includes transmitting electrical energy to another electrical device.

[0033] In some non-limiting embodiments, the electronic device is a server.

[0034] In some non-limiting embodiments, the immersion housing is installed in a rack system of the data center, and the photovoltaic device is configured to be installed in the rack system.

[0035] Each embodiment of this technology has at least one of the above-described objectives and / or aspects, but not necessarily all of them. It should be understood that some aspects of this technology arising from attempts to achieve the above objectives may not satisfy those objectives and / or may satisfy other objectives not specifically described herein.

[0036] Additional and / or alternative features, aspects, and advantages of embodiments of the present technology will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. Attached Figure Description

[0037] To better understand the present technology and other aspects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following description used in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 A perspective view of a rack system for housing multiple electronic components is shown; Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 Another perspective view of the rack system; Figure 3 A three-dimensional view of the electronic components is shown; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a cooling structure for an electronic component according to some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology is shown; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a cooling structure for multiple electronic components according to some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology is shown; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a cooling structure for an electronic component according to some other non-limiting embodiments of the present technology is shown; Figure 7 This illustrates some embodiments of the present technology for use with respect to... Figure 3 A flowchart of the operation of a method for cooling electronic components in electronic devices; and Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a cooling structure for multiple electronic components according to some other non-limiting embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0038] It should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly stated herein, the accompanying figures are not drawn to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The examples and conditional language cited herein are primarily intended to help readers understand the principles of this technology, rather than to limit the scope of this technology to such specific examples and conditions. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can design various structures that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of this technology.

[0040] Furthermore, to aid understanding, the following description illustrates a relatively simplified implementation of this technology. Those skilled in the art will understand that various implementations of this technology may involve greater complexity.

[0041] In some cases, useful examples that are considered modifications to the present technology may also be illustrated. This is done merely to aid understanding and, again, is not intended to limit the scope of the present technology or to define its boundaries. These modifications are not an exhaustive list, and those skilled in the art can make other modifications while still remaining within the scope of the present technology. Furthermore, the absence of examples of modifications should not be construed as impossibility of making modifications and / or as describing the only way to implement that element of the present technology.

[0042] Furthermore, all statements herein describing the principles, aspects, and implementations of the technology, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to cover their structural and functional equivalents, whether they are currently known or will be developed in the future. Therefore, for example, those skilled in the art will understand that any block diagram herein represents a conceptual view of an illustrative system embodying the principles of the technology.

[0043] In the context of this specification, unless otherwise expressly stated, computer system may mean, but is not limited to, “electronic device,” “operating system,” “system,” “computer-based system,” “controller unit,” “monitoring device,” “control device,” and / or any combination thereof suitable for the present and relevant task.

[0044] In the context of this specification, unless otherwise expressly stated, the terms "computer-readable medium" and "memory" are intended to include media of any nature and kind, with non-limiting examples including RAM, ROM, disks (CD-ROM, DVD, floppy disk, hard disk, etc.), USB keys, flash memory cards, solid-state drives, and tape drives. Still within the context of this specification, "a" computer-readable medium and "the" computer-readable medium should not be construed as the same computer-readable medium. Rather, "a" computer-readable medium and "the" computer-readable medium may also be construed as a first computer-readable medium and a second computer-readable medium, where appropriate.

[0045] In the context of this specification, unless otherwise expressly stated, the words “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., are used as adjectives only to distinguish one another from the other, and not to describe any particular relationship between the nouns they represent.

[0046] With this foundational knowledge in mind, we will now consider some non-restrictive examples to illustrate various implementations of different aspects of this technology. Figure 1A perspective view of a rack system 100 for accommodating multiple rack-mount assemblies 104 is shown. As shown, the rack system 100 may include a rack frame 102, rack-mount assemblies 104, a liquid cooling inlet conduit 106, and a liquid cooling outlet conduit 108. As described more fully below, the rack-mount assemblies 104 may be vertically oriented relative to the rack frame 102, similar to books on a library shelf. This arrangement provides the ability to mount a large number of such rack-mount assemblies 104 within the rack frame 102, compared to conventional arrangements, particularly those of immersion-cooled rack-mount assemblies.

[0047] Figure 2 Another perspective view of the rack system 100 is shown. As shown, the rack system 100 may also include a power distribution unit 110 and a liquid coolant inlet / outlet connector 114. It should be noted that the rack system 100 may include other components such as heat exchangers, cables, pumps, etc.; however, for clarity, these components have been omitted. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The middle part is omitted. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the rack frame 102 may include shelves 103 to accommodate one or more rack mounting assemblies 104. As described above, one or more rack mounting assemblies 104 may be arranged vertically relative to the shelves 103. In some embodiments, guide members (not shown) may be used on the shelves 103 to guide the rack mounting assemblies 104 into place during racking and unracking, and to provide appropriate spacing between the rack mounting assemblies 104 for racking and unracking.

[0048] Photovoltaic device 450 ( Figure 4 The photovoltaic device 450 is also disposed within the rack frame 102 and interspersed among the rack mounting assemblies 104. In use, the photovoltaic device 450 can collect a portion of the heat energy generated in the rack mounting assembly 104 and convert the collected heat energy into electrical energy. The photovoltaic device 450 will be described in more detail below.

[0049] Figure 3 A perspective view of a rack-mount assembly 104 is shown. As shown, the rack-mount assembly 104 includes a removable frame or "plate" 118 for an electronic device 120, and an immersion housing 116. The plate 118 holds the electronic components 125 of the electronic device 120 and can be immersed in the immersion housing 116. Although the immersion housing 116, plate 118, and electronic components 125 are shown as separate components, those skilled in the art will understand that in some embodiments, two or more of these components can be combined. For example, the electronic components 125 can be directly attached to the plate 118 and / or the immersion housing 116. In embodiments, the immersion housing 116 is made of a metallic material, such as, but not limited to, aluminum.

[0050] It is anticipated that the electronic device 120 can generate a significant amount of heat. For example, but not limited to, the electronic device 120 may be a server. Therefore, the rack system 100 may utilize a cooling system to cool the electronic device 120 to prevent damage to it. In an embodiment, the cooling system may be a hybrid cooling system comprising an immersion cooling system and a channel-guided cooling system.

[0051] As used herein, an immersion cooling system is a cooling system in which an electronic device is in direct contact with a non-conductive (dielectric) cooling liquid, which either flows through at least a portion of the electronic device or is immersed therein. For example, in rack-mount assembly 104, an immersion housing 116 can contain a dielectric cooling liquid ( Figure 3 (Not shown in the image). Furthermore, the plate 118, including the electronic component 125, can be at least partially immersed in the immersion-cooled housing 116. In some embodiments, the dielectric coolant and plate 118 can be inserted into the immersion housing 116 via an opening 124 located at the top of the immersion housing 116. In some embodiments, the opening 124 can remain at least partially open during operation of the electronic device 120, thereby providing a non-sealed configuration for the immersion housing 116. This non-sealed configuration can be more easily manufactured and maintained as a sealed configuration, but may not be suitable for, for example, two-phase systems where the immersion coolant may boil during operation of the electronic device 120.

[0052] In some embodiments, the immersion housing 116 may also include structures or means for cooling the dielectric coolant. For example, convection-initiating structures, such as serpentine convection coils (not shown) that maintain the flow of the coolant (e.g., water), may be used to cool the dielectric coolant by natural convection. Alternatively or additionally, a pump (not shown) may be used to circulate the dielectric coolant within the immersion housing 116 or via an external cooling system (not shown). In some embodiments, a two-phase system in which the gaseous dielectric coolant is cooled by condensation may be used. Generally, any technique or combination thereof for cooling the dielectric coolant may be used without departing from the principles disclosed herein.

[0053] In the same or other embodiments, a channel-guided cooling system may also be provided to cool the heat-generating components of the electronic device 120 (i.e., electronic components 125) using one or more liquid cooling units, which may also be referred to as a “cold plate” or “water block” (although the liquid circulating through the “water block” can be any of a variety of known heat transfer liquids, not just water). Examples of heat-generating components that can be cooled using such a heat transfer device include, but are not limited to, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), neural processing units (NPUs), tensor processing units (TPUs), power supply circuits, and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), including, for example, ASICs configured for high-speed cryptocurrency mining.

[0054] like Figure 4 As shown, this disclosure describes a cooling structure 400 for cooling an electronic device 120. In this embodiment, the cooling structure 400 includes a photovoltaic device 450 and an immersion housing 116 therein receiving a heat transfer liquid and the electronic device 120.

[0055] In use, the photovoltaic device 450 is positioned at a distance close to the immersion housing 116 and converts at least a portion of the heat energy emitted through the immersion housing 116 into electrical energy. For example, but not limited to, the heat collection surface 452 of the photovoltaic device 450 can be based on the dimensions of the immersion housing 116. The range of the heat collection surface 452 can be between a few square millimeters and a few square centimeters. More specifically, the photovoltaic device 450 is a thermophotovoltaic device, which generates electricity by collecting infrared wavelengths associated with the heat energy emitted through the immersion housing 116 and subsequently converting the infrared wavelengths into electron-hole pairs within a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) medium 456. These electron-hole pairs can be conducted to leads within the photovoltaic device 450 to generate an electric current. The TPV medium can be made of, for example, Ge, GaSb, GaAsInSb, or any suitable semiconductor material. The photovoltaic conversion wavelength range of the TPV medium 456 is adapted to the infrared wavelengths emitted by the immersion housing 116. In use, the photovoltaic device 450 can be fixedly attached to the rack frame 102 (e.g., connected to a mounting structure mounted on the rack frame 102).

[0056] In this embodiment, the heat collection surface 452 is oriented toward the immersion housing 116 and the rear surface 454 to receive heat intake from the immersion housing 116. The current generated by the photovoltaic device 450 can also be directed to an electrical load 500 connected to the heat collection surface 452 and the rear surface 454. The electrical load 500 can be, for example, but not limited to, an energy storage device (e.g., a battery) or any other electrical device. For example, the electrical energy generated by the photovoltaic device 450 can be used to power one or more fans and / or pumps of the immersion cooling system disclosed herein, installed in the data center of the hosting rack system 100.

[0057] In some embodiments, the shape of the heat harvesting surface 452 matches at least a portion of the outer side of the immersion housing 116. For example, the heat harvesting surface 452 may be a flat surface and parallel to... Figure 4 The immersion housing 116 shown extends to the side. As another example, the heat collection surface 452 may have a curved shape to match the curved shape of the immersion housing 116. Figure 4 In the illustrative embodiment, the outer surface of the immersion housing 116 is planar.

[0058] In some implementations and such Figure 5 As shown, the photovoltaic device 450 can be disposed near the upper portion 105 of the immersion housing 116. Considering that the distribution of heat energy dissipated through the immersion housing 116 can provide a greater amount of dissipated heat energy at the upper portion 105 compared to the lower portion of the immersion housing 116, this can increase the conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic device 450.

[0059] By using immersion cooling in conjunction with the photovoltaic device 450 to cool the electronic device 120, the operating temperature of the dielectric coolant may be higher than the ambient air temperature due to its high heat capacity. This increases the amount of dissipated heat energy that can be collected. Using the immersion cooling system and corresponding dielectric coolant disclosed herein, thermal radiation can be more concentrated on the walls of the immersion housing 116, thereby making the collection by the photovoltaic device 450 more efficient.

[0060] like Figure 5 As shown, each immersion housing 116 and therefore each rack-mount assembly 104 can be associated with a corresponding photovoltaic device 450 for collecting a portion of the heat energy from the photovoltaic device 450. Consequently, the photovoltaic device 450 can participate in collecting the heat energy generated by the electronic device 120 and dissipated through the corresponding immersion housing 116, thus reducing the temperature near the electronic device 120. More broadly, the cooling structure 400 can cool the electronic device 120 through the aforementioned immersion cooling and by collecting the heat energy dissipated by the photovoltaic device 450.

[0061] In some implementations, several photovoltaic devices 450 may cooperate to deliver electrical energy to the same electrical load 500, such as Figure 5 As shown. In some other embodiments, each photovoltaic device 450 can supply electrical energy to a single corresponding electrical load 500. In the same or other embodiments, the electrical energy generated by the photovoltaic device 450 can be directed to the electronic device 120 (i.e., electronic component 122) of the rack-mounted assembly 104 that has collected thermal energy from the photovoltaic device 450, such as Figure 6 As shown.

[0062] In summary, the cooling structure 400 can provide sustainable cooling to the electronic device 120 by reusing the heat dissipated through the immersion housing in the form of available electrical energy.

[0063] Although the photovoltaic device 450 is located on the longitudinal side of the electronic device 120, it is contemplated that the photovoltaic device 450 can be disposed on any side of the electronic device 120 (e.g., front or rear). For example, Figure 8 An embodiment is shown in which the photovoltaic device 450 is disposed above a plurality of corresponding electronic devices 120, facing the top side of the electronic devices 120. The size of the photovoltaic device 450 can be adjusted so that a single photovoltaic device 450 can be disposed above a corresponding single electronic device 120.

[0064] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a method 700 for cooling an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 120) according to some embodiments of the present technology, the electronic device including heat-generating components (e.g., electronic component 122). Some steps or parts of the steps in the flowchart may be omitted or their order changed.

[0065] Method 700 begins at operation 710 by at least partially inserting an electronic device into an immersion housing containing a dielectric coolant, such that the dielectric coolant collects, during use, heat generated by heat-generating components from at least a first portion of the electronic device. The electronic device may be, for example, but not limited to, a server. In some embodiments, the immersion housing may be made of a metallic material such as aluminum.

[0066] In some implementations, the immersion housing can be installed in a rack system of a data center, such as rack system 100, in which the photovoltaic device is installed.

[0067] The method concludes at operation 720 by placing a photovoltaic device, such as photovoltaic device 450, near the immersion housing. In use, the photovoltaic device converts at least a second portion of the heat energy generated by the heat-generating components into electrical energy, which has been dissipated from the dielectric cooling liquid through the immersion housing. In some embodiments, the photovoltaic device may be oriented such that the heat collection surface of the photovoltaic device is oriented towards the immersion housing.

[0068] In some implementations, the photovoltaic device is positioned near the upper portion of the immersion housing. This can help increase the conversion rate of the electrical energy generated by the photovoltaic device relative to the received thermal energy.

[0069] In the same or other embodiments, the shape of the heat-collecting surface matches at least a portion of the outer side of the immersion housing. This can help improve the conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic device. For example, the heat-collecting surface may be a plane extending parallel to the side of the immersion housing. As another example, the heat-collecting surface may be a flat surface extending parallel to the side of the immersion housing.

[0070] In some embodiments, method 700 further includes storing electrical energy in an energy storage device, transmitting electrical energy to an electrical device disposed in the immersion enclosure, and / or transmitting electrical energy to another electrical device. In embodiments where the immersion enclosure is installed in a rack system of a data center, the other electrical device may be one or more fans of the data center.

[0071] While the above implementation has been described and illustrated with reference to specific operations performed in a particular order, it should be understood that these steps can be combined, subdivided, or reordered without departing from the present technology. At least some steps can be performed in parallel or sequentially. Therefore, the order and grouping of steps are not limitations of this technology.

[0072] It should be clearly understood that not all technical effects mentioned herein need to be shared in every implementation of this technology.

[0073] Terms and Conditions [Clause 1] A cooling structure for cooling an electronic device, the electronic device including heat-generating components, the cooling structure comprising: An immersion housing containing a dielectric cooling liquid, the electronic device being at least partially immersed in the dielectric cooling liquid such that the dielectric cooling liquid collects at least a first portion of the heat generated by the heat-generating component during use; and A photovoltaic device located near the immersion housing and configured to convert at least a second portion of the thermal energy generated by the heat-generating component into electrical energy, the second portion of which has been dissipated from the dielectric cooling liquid through the immersion housing.

[0074] [Clause 2] The cooling structure according to Clause 1, wherein the photovoltaic device includes a heat collection surface oriented toward the immersion housing.

[0075] [Clause 3] The cooling structure according to Clause 2, wherein the shape of the heat collection surface matches at least a portion of the outer side of the immersion housing.

[0076] [Clause 4] The cooling structure according to Clause 2 or 3, wherein the heat collection surface is a flat surface extending parallel to the side of the immersion housing.

[0077] [Clause 5] The cooling structure according to any one of Clauses 1 to 4, wherein the immersion housing is made of a metallic material.

[0078] [Clause 6] The cooling structure according to Clause 5, wherein the immersion housing is made of aluminum.

[0079] [Clause 7] A cooling structure according to any one of Clauses 1 to 6, wherein the photovoltaic device is disposed near the upper portion of the immersion housing.

[0080] [Clause 8] The cooling structure according to any one of Clauses 1 to 7, wherein the photovoltaic device is further configured to transmit electrical energy to an energy storage device.

[0081] [Clause 9] The cooling structure according to any one of Clauses 1 to 7, wherein the photovoltaic device is further configured to transmit electrical energy to the electronic device.

[0082] [Clause 10] The cooling structure according to any one of Clauses 1 to 7, wherein the photovoltaic device is further configured to transmit electrical energy to another electrical device.

[0083] [Clause 11] The cooling structure according to any one of Clauses 1 to 10, wherein the electronic device is a server.

[0084] [Clause 12] A cooling structure according to any one of Clauses 1 to 9, wherein the immersion housing is mounted in a rack in a data center and the photovoltaic device is configured to be mounted in the rack.

[0085] [Clause 13] A rack system comprising a plurality of cooling structures according to any one of Clauses 1 to 12.

[0086] [Clause 14] A method for cooling an electronic device, the electronic device including a heat-generating component, the method comprising: The electronic device is at least partially inserted into an immersion housing containing dielectric cooling liquid, such that the dielectric cooling liquid collects at least a first portion of the heat energy generated by the heat-generating components during use; and The photovoltaic device is placed near the immersion housing and configured to convert at least a second portion of the heat energy generated by the heat-generating component into electrical energy, the second portion being dissipated from the dielectric cooling liquid through the immersion housing.

[0087] [Clause 15] The method according to Clause 14, wherein placing the photovoltaic device near the immersion housing comprises: orienting the heat collection surface of the photovoltaic device toward the immersion housing.

[0088] [Clause 16] The method according to Clause 15, wherein the shape of the heat collection surface matches at least a portion of the outer side of the immersion housing.

[0089] [Clause 17] The method according to Clause 15 or 16, wherein the heat collection surface is a flat surface extending parallel to the side of the immersion housing.

[0090] [Clause 18] The method according to any one of Clauses 15 to 17, wherein the immersion housing is made of a metallic material.

[0091] [Clause 19] The method according to Clause 18, wherein the immersion housing is made of aluminum.

[0092] [Clause 20] The method according to any one of Clauses 15 to 17, wherein placing the photovoltaic device near the immersion housing includes: placing it near the upper portion of the immersion housing.

[0093] [Clause 21] The method according to any one of Clauses 15 to 20 further includes storing electrical energy in an energy storage device.

[0094] [Clause 22] The method described under any one of Clauses 15 to 20 further includes transmitting electrical energy to an electronic device.

[0095] [Clause 23] The method described under any one of Clauses 15 to 20 further includes transmitting electrical energy to another electrical device.

[0096] [Clause 24] The method according to any one of Clauses 15 to 22, wherein the electronic device is a server.

[0097] [Clause 25] The method according to any one of Clauses 15 to 24, wherein the immersion housing is mounted in a rack system of a data center, and the photovoltaic device is configured to be mounted in the rack system.

[0098] Modifications and improvements to the above embodiments of this technology will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The foregoing description is intended to be exemplary and not restrictive. Therefore, the scope of this technology is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cooling structure (400) for cooling an electronic device (120), the electronic device (120) including a heat-generating component (125), the cooling structure (400) comprising: An immersion housing (116) containing a dielectric cooling liquid, wherein the electronic device (120) is adapted to be at least partially immersed in the dielectric cooling liquid, such that the dielectric cooling liquid is adapted to collect at least a first portion of the heat energy generated by the heat-generating component (125) in use; as well as Its features are, A photovoltaic device (450) located near the immersion housing (116) and including a heat collection surface (452) oriented toward the immersion housing (116), the photovoltaic device (450) being configured to convert at least a second portion of the heat generated by the heat generating component (125) into electrical energy, the second portion having been dissipated from the dielectric cooling liquid through the immersion housing (116).

2. The cooling structure (400) according to claim 1, wherein, The shape of the heat collection surface (452) matches at least a portion of the outer side of the immersion housing (116).

3. The cooling structure (400) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The immersion housing (116) is made of metal.

4. The cooling structure (400) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The photovoltaic device (450) is located near the upper part of the immersion housing (116).

5. The cooling structure (400) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The photovoltaic device (450) is also configured to transmit the electrical energy to an energy storage device.

6. The cooling structure (400) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The photovoltaic device (450) is also configured to transmit the electrical energy to the electronic device.

7. A rack system (100) comprising a plurality of cooling structures (400) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A method for cooling an electronic device (120), the electronic device (120) including a heat-generating component (125), the method comprising: The electronic device (120) is at least partially inserted into an immersion housing (116) containing a dielectric cooling liquid, such that the dielectric cooling liquid collects at least a first portion of the heat generated by the heat-generating component (125) during use; and Its features are, A photovoltaic device (450) is disposed near the immersion housing (116) and the heat collection surface (452) of the photovoltaic device is oriented toward the immersion housing (116), and the photovoltaic device is configured to convert at least a second portion of the heat generated by the heat generating component (125) into electrical energy, the second portion of which has been dissipated from the dielectric cooling liquid through the immersion housing (116).

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The shape of the heat collection surface (452) matches at least a portion of the outer side of the immersion housing (116).

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, The immersion housing (116) is made of metal.

11. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, Placing the photovoltaic device (450) near the immersion housing (116) includes placing the photovoltaic device near the upper portion of the immersion housing (116).

12. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, The method also includes storing the electrical energy in an energy storage device.

13. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, The method also includes transmitting the electrical energy to the electronic device.

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