Cooling liquid flow control method and system for immersion liquid cooling system

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for controlling the flow rate of coolant in an immersion liquid cooling system, and relates to the technical field of liquid supply in a liquid cooling system. The method comprises: obtaining temperature data of each cooling module in the immersion liquid cooling system, the temperature data comprising temperature values ​​and temperature change trends; judging whether there is a cooling module whose temperature reaches a warning threshold; judging, for a cooling module whose temperature reaches a warning threshold, whether the liquid supply branch where it is located can meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module; if so, adjusting the flow rate of coolant in the liquid supply branch where it is located according to the cooling demand; if not, switching the cooling module to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand, and adjusting the flow rate of coolant in the switched liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand. Based on the actual status of different cooling modules, the liquid supply branch distribution can be dynamically switched, and the coolant flow rate can be adjusted, so that the cooling efficiency of the entire system is improved, and the dynamic temperature changes of different loads can be more accurately responded to.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of liquid supply of a liquid cooling system, and in particular to a cooling liquid flow control method and system for an immersion liquid cooling system. Background Art

[0002] Immersion cooling is a highly efficient electronic equipment cooling technology used in data centers, high-performance computing (HPC) systems, and other high-density computing environments. This system dissipates heat by immersing heat-generating electronic components directly in a specially designed insulating cooling liquid.

[0003] In single-phase immersion liquid cooling, electronic components are fully or partially immersed in a non-conductive coolant with excellent thermal conductivity. When the electronic components are working, the heat generated is transferred to the surrounding coolant, which remains in liquid form and is pumped to an external heat exchanger for cooling. Therefore, coolant flow control is a key factor in ensuring the effective operation of the immersion liquid cooling system. The correct flow rate can ensure that the electronic components in the system are properly cooled while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption.

[0004] Liquid cooling systems are often equipped with corresponding control systems, which use monitoring devices such as temperature sensors, pressure sensors, and flow meters to collect data, and feed this information back to the control system to adjust the coolant flow based on the control logic set by the user, such as a PID controller. However, existing flow adjustment strategies are usually relatively simple, using methods such as dynamic compensation to make fine adjustments based on temperature changes. Although they can achieve temperature control in response to different load conditions to a certain extent, they cannot effectively exert the performance of the entire liquid cooling system.

[0005] Therefore, how to provide a more efficient and accurate coolant flow control method is a problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the invention

[0006] In order to improve the above problems, the present invention provides a cooling liquid flow control method and system for an immersion liquid cooling system.

[0007] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a method for controlling the flow rate of cooling liquid in an immersion liquid cooling system is provided, the method comprising:

[0008] Acquire temperature data of each cooling module in the immersion liquid cooling system, wherein the temperature data includes temperature values ​​and temperature change trends;

[0009] Determine whether there is a cooling module whose temperature reaches the warning threshold;

[0010] For the cooling module whose temperature reaches the warning threshold, determine whether the liquid supply branch where it is located can meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module;

[0011] If yes, adjusting the coolant flow rate of the liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand;

[0012] If not, the cooling module is switched to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand, and the cooling liquid flow of the switched liquid supply branch is adjusted according to the cooling demand.

[0013] Optionally, the step of determining, for a cooling module whose temperature reaches a warning threshold, whether the liquid supply branch in which the cooling module is located can meet the cooling demand of a heat source in the cooling module specifically includes:

[0014] Calculate the required heat absorption to keep the heat source in the cooling module within the operating temperature range;

[0015] Calculate the maximum heat exchange that the liquid supply branch where the cooling module is located can provide for the cooling module in the current state;

[0016] If the required heat absorption is greater than the maximum heat exchange, it is considered that it cannot be met. If the required heat absorption is less than or equal to the maximum heat exchange, it is considered that it can be met.

[0017] Optionally, the step of adjusting the coolant flow rate of the liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand specifically includes:

[0018] Calculate the heat exchange gap according to the required heat absorption and the current coolant flow rate of the liquid supply branch;

[0019] The coolant flow rate of the liquid supply branch is increased according to the heat exchange gap.

[0020] Optionally, the step of switching the cooling module to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand specifically includes:

[0021] Obtaining current usage of the liquid supply branches incorporated into all cooling modules supporting temperatures reaching a warning threshold;

[0022] Find a liquid supply branch that can provide the cooling module with a maximum heat exchange greater than or equal to the required heat absorption in the current state;

[0023] Switch the cooling module to the found liquid supply branch.

[0024] Optionally, the step of switching the cooling module to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand further includes:

[0025] If multiple liquid supply branches are found, the cooling module is switched to the liquid supply branch that provides the largest maximum heat exchange capacity.

[0026] Optionally, the step of switching the cooling module to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand further includes:

[0027] If a single liquid supply branch that can provide the cooling module with a maximum heat exchange greater than or equal to the required heat absorption cannot be found in the current state, the sum of the available maximum heat exchange of the current liquid supply branch and other liquid supply branches is accumulated and calculated in descending order of the available maximum heat exchange until it is greater than or equal to the required heat absorption;

[0028] While maintaining the current liquid supply branch, the cooling module is synchronously merged into other liquid supply branches participating in the calculation.

[0029] Optionally, the step of adjusting the coolant flow rate of the switched liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand specifically includes:

[0030] Each liquid supply branch adjusts the corresponding coolant flow rate according to the proportion of the maximum available heat exchange capacity involved in the calculation.

[0031] Optionally, the method comprises:

[0032] When the temperature of the cooling module does not reach the warning threshold, determining whether the cooling module is simultaneously incorporated into multiple liquid supply branches;

[0033] Calculate whether there is a liquid supply branch among the multiple liquid supply branches that are incorporated that can independently meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module;

[0034] Switch the cooling module to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand alone.

[0035] Optionally, the step of determining whether there is a cooling module whose temperature reaches a warning threshold specifically includes:

[0036] When the temperature variation trend is continuously rising and the temperature value reaches the temperature threshold, it is determined that the temperature of the cooling module reaches the warning threshold.

[0037] A second aspect of an embodiment of the present invention provides a cooling liquid flow control system for an immersion liquid cooling system, comprising:

[0038] A data acquisition unit, used to acquire temperature data of each cooling module in the immersion liquid cooling system, wherein the temperature data includes temperature values ​​and temperature change trends;

[0039] A temperature judgment unit, used to judge whether there is a cooling module whose temperature reaches a warning threshold;

[0040] A demand judgment unit is used to judge, for a cooling module whose temperature reaches a warning threshold, whether the liquid supply branch where the cooling module is located can meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module;

[0041] A flow control unit is used to adjust the coolant flow of the liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand if yes; if no, switch the cooling module to the liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand, and adjust the coolant flow of the switched liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand.

[0042] In summary, the present invention provides a coolant flow control method and system for an immersion liquid cooling system, which can dynamically switch the liquid supply branch distribution of the cooling module based on the actual status of different cooling modules in the liquid cooling system, and adjust the coolant flow rate at the same time, so that the cooling efficiency of the entire system is improved while being able to more accurately respond to the dynamic temperature changes of different loads. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments are briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0044] Figure 1 A method flow chart of a method for controlling the flow rate of cooling liquid in an immersion liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 2 It is a functional module block diagram of a coolant flow control system of an immersion liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Reference numerals:

[0047] Data acquisition unit 110; temperature judgment unit 120; demand judgment unit 130; flow control unit 140. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] In single-phase immersion liquid cooling, electronic components are fully or partially immersed in a non-conductive coolant with excellent thermal conductivity. When the electronic components are working, the heat generated is transferred to the surrounding coolant, which remains in liquid form and is pumped to an external heat exchanger for cooling. Therefore, coolant flow control is a key factor in ensuring the effective operation of the immersion liquid cooling system. The correct flow rate can ensure that the electronic components in the system are properly cooled while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption.

[0049] Liquid cooling systems are often equipped with corresponding control systems, which use monitoring devices such as temperature sensors, pressure sensors, and flow meters to collect data, and feed this information back to the control system to adjust the coolant flow based on the control logic set by the user, such as a PID controller. However, existing flow adjustment strategies are usually relatively simple, using methods such as dynamic compensation to make fine adjustments based on temperature changes. Although they can achieve temperature control in response to different load conditions to a certain extent, they cannot effectively exert the performance of the entire liquid cooling system.

[0050] Therefore, how to provide a more efficient and accurate coolant flow control method is a problem that needs to be solved urgently.

[0051] In view of this, the designers of the present invention have designed a cooling liquid flow control method and system for an immersion liquid cooling system.

[0052] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Generally, the components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0053] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention claimed for protection, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0054] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters denote similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, further definition and explanation thereof is not required in subsequent drawings.

[0055] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the invented product is usually placed when in use, which is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish the description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0056] In the description of the present invention, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "set", "install", "connect", and "connect" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0057] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments of the present invention and the features in the embodiments may be combined with each other.

[0058] The cooling liquid flow control method of the immersion liquid cooling system provided in this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0059] In an immersion liquid cooling system, there are usually multiple cooling modules (or heat exchange units, heat exchange nodes, etc.), each cooling module corresponds to a heat source that needs to be cooled. These heat sources (or loads) are some electronic components in data centers or high-performance computing systems that generate more heat. Immersion liquid cooling systems usually use a cooling liquid circulation path that meets the requirements to connect multiple cooling modules.

[0060] In actual use, based on the different structures of data centers or high-performance computing systems, or different design requirements of immersion liquid cooling systems, there are several different connection methods for multiple cooling modules, including series connection, parallel connection and mixed connection.

[0061] Among them, in the series connection mode, the coolant flows through each cooling module in turn. After the coolant flows out of the first cooling module, it directly enters the next cooling module, and so on, until it is finally cooled by the heat exchanger. The advantages of the series connection are simple structure and low cost, and the disadvantages are obvious temperature gradient, and the downstream cooling module may receive coolant at a higher temperature; the failure of one device will affect the entire system. In the parallel connection mode, the coolant branches from the main supply pipe to each cooling module, and then converges to the main return pipe. Each cooling module has an independent supply branch, that is, an independent inlet and outlet path. The advantage of the parallel connection mode is that each device can obtain the coolant at the same temperature, which helps to achieve a more uniform heat dissipation effect; even if one device fails or is blocked, other devices can still work normally and will not affect the operation of the entire system; the flow rate can be adjusted according to the actual heat dissipation needs of each device, providing more refined control. The disadvantage is that the system structure is more complicated, which leads to higher costs and increased design difficulty, and a complex control system is required to optimize the flow distribution.

[0062] Hybrid connection is a further optimization based on the parallel connection method. For multiple parallel liquid supply branches, the structural design is not completely isolated from each other, but through the corresponding channel and valve design, the parallel liquid supply branches can be connected when needed, and the connected multiple liquid supply branches can be connected in series. In this way, the immersion liquid cooling system can switch between parallel and series according to actual usage needs, and can even be partially connected in series and partially in parallel, thereby improving the overall cooling efficiency of the system while saving energy.

[0063] The coolant flow control method of the immersion liquid cooling system provided in the embodiment of the present invention is mainly applied to the immersion liquid cooling system adopting the hybrid connection mode, and the method will be described in detail below.

[0064] See also Figure 1 The present embodiment provides a method for controlling the flow rate of cooling liquid in an immersion liquid cooling system, the method comprising:

[0065] Step S101, obtaining temperature data of each cooling module in the immersion liquid cooling system; the temperature data includes temperature values ​​and temperature change trends.

[0066] The temperature data is collected by the temperature sensor set in the cooling module. Usually, the temperature sensor is set at the outlet of each cooling module to collect the temperature of the coolant after the heat exchange is completed to judge the working state of the cooling module.

[0067] As a preferred manner, temperature sensors may be provided at both the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet of the cooling module, and the working state of the cooling module may be determined by the temperature difference between the two.

[0068] When collecting temperature data, in addition to obtaining the temperature value to determine whether the temperature is too high, it is also necessary to obtain the temperature change trend within a certain period of time to facilitate a more accurate understanding of the working status of the cooling module.

[0069] Step S102, determining whether there is a cooling module whose temperature reaches a warning threshold.

[0070] The status of each cooling module is determined by the collected temperature data, and the warning threshold is set to a value lower than the operating temperature range of the heat source in the cooling module. Through such a setting, the reservation can be made in advance before the temperature exceeds the operating temperature range, and corresponding countermeasures can be taken.

[0071] For cooling modules whose temperature reaches the warning threshold, it means that the current coolant flow cannot meet the cooling demand of the heat source. At this time, it is necessary to adjust the coolant flow or trigger the adjustment of the liquid supply branch.

[0072] Specifically, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, step S102 specifically includes:

[0073] When the temperature variation trend is continuously rising and the temperature value reaches the temperature threshold, it is determined that the temperature of the cooling module reaches the warning threshold.

[0074] In the existing technology, some liquid cooling systems use temperature feedback to control the coolant flow rate, that is, when a temperature rise or drop is detected, the coolant flow rate is increased or decreased accordingly, thereby achieving temperature uniformity control.

[0075] The coolant flow control method proposed in the embodiment of the present invention is further optimized on the basis of the above-mentioned coolant flow control based on temperature feedback, and can respond to more sudden temperature changes. Therefore, when making an early warning judgment, it is necessary to consider two factors comprehensively. One is the specific value of the temperature, which needs to reach the temperature threshold, and the temperature change trend is a continuous increase. When both conditions are met, the subsequent corresponding response actions can be triggered.

[0076] It should be noted that the warning thresholds of different cooling modules may be set differently based on the different operating temperature ranges of the heat sources.

[0077] Step S103, for the cooling module whose temperature reaches the warning threshold, determine whether the liquid supply branch where it is located can meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module. If yes, execute step S104, if not, execute step S105.

[0078] In actual use, due to the differences in the structural design of different liquid supply branches and cooling modules, the heat exchange capacity of different cooling modules may also be different. Therefore, after the early warning is triggered, the first thing to judge is whether the liquid supply branch where the cooling module is currently located can provide a coolant flow that can meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module. That is, whether the current liquid supply branch can meet the cooling demand of the cooling module when the coolant flow is adjusted to the maximum. If so, it can be handled by adjusting the coolant flow without adjusting the liquid supply branch. If not, it means that even if the coolant flow of the liquid supply branch is adjusted to the maximum, it cannot meet the cooling demand. At this time, it is necessary to change the position of the cooling module in the entire liquid supply cycle, and the cooling demand of the cooling module is met by a liquid supply branch that can provide a larger coolant flow.

[0079] Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module accordingly after the warning is triggered. Specifically, as a preferred method of the embodiment of the present invention, step S103 specifically includes:

[0080] Calculate the required heat absorption to keep the heat source in the cooling module within the operating temperature range;

[0081] Calculate the maximum heat exchange that the liquid supply branch where the cooling module is located can provide for the cooling module in the current state;

[0082] If the required heat absorption is greater than the maximum heat exchange, it is considered that it cannot be met. If the required heat absorption is less than or equal to the maximum heat exchange, it is considered that it can be met.

[0083] Among them, the required heat absorption calculation is based on the heat source's heating power and the volume or contact area of ​​the heat source. The calculation of the heat exchange is determined based on the physical properties of the coolant (including specific heat capacity, density, thermal conductivity), mass flow rate, and the design of the heat exchanger in the cooling module (heat exchange area or heat exchange coefficient). The maximum heat exchange that the liquid supply branch can provide for the cooling module in the current state must also consider the current use state of the liquid supply branch, such as whether there are other cooling modules in series in the liquid supply branch. If not, the total heat exchange can be used as the maximum heat exchange that can be provided for the cooling module in the current state. If so, the heat exchange consumed by other cooling modules in series must be subtracted from the total heat exchange as the maximum heat exchange that can be provided for the cooling module in the current state.

[0084] After calculating the maximum heat exchange amount that can be provided to the cooling module in the current state, it is compared with the required heat absorption to determine whether the current liquid supply branch can meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module.

[0085] After the judgment is made, different coolant flow control actions are performed according to different judgment results, and the following is a specific description of each case.

[0086] Step S104, adjusting the coolant flow rate of the liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand.

[0087] In this case, the problem can be solved by adjusting the coolant flow without adjusting the liquid supply branch. Therefore, the operation is relatively direct, that is, the coolant flow is increased accordingly.

[0088] Specifically, as a preferred method of an embodiment of the present invention, step S104 specifically includes:

[0089] Calculate the heat exchange gap according to the required heat absorption and the current coolant flow rate of the liquid supply branch;

[0090] The coolant flow rate of the liquid supply branch is increased according to the heat exchange gap.

[0091] Step S105, switching the cooling module to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand, and adjusting the cooling liquid flow of the switched liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand.

[0092] In this case, it is necessary to change the position of the cooling module in the entire liquid supply cycle, so that the cooling demand of the cooling module can be met by a liquid supply branch that can provide a larger coolant flow rate. It is necessary to first find a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand of the cooling module, and then merge the cooling module into the liquid supply branch.

[0093] Specifically, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, step S105 specifically includes:

[0094] Obtaining current usage of the liquid supply branches incorporated into all cooling modules supporting temperatures reaching a warning threshold;

[0095] Find a liquid supply branch that can provide the cooling module with a maximum heat exchange greater than or equal to the required heat absorption in the current state;

[0096] Switch the cooling module to the found liquid supply branch.

[0097] It should be noted that, according to the structural setting of the liquid cooling system, the cooling module of a certain liquid supply branch cannot be connected to any other liquid supply branch through the valve operation between the liquid supply branches. This action is limited to the liquid supply branches that are connected by pipes to each other and support connection mode switching. Therefore, it is necessary to first determine which liquid supply branches support the incorporation of the current cooling module based on the connection structure of the system. On this basis, it is necessary to determine which of these liquid supply branches can provide a maximum heat exchange greater than or equal to the required heat absorption of the cooling module in the current state. The judgment and calculation process here is the same as that in step S103, and will not be repeated here. After the calculation is completed, the liquid supply branches that can support switching in the current state can be screened out. At this time, the corresponding valve operation action is performed to switch the cooling module from the existing liquid supply branch to the found liquid supply branch.

[0098] After the switch is completed, the coolant flow in the new supply branch is calculated according to the required heat absorption amount, and the coolant configuration input is performed.

[0099] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, if there are multiple liquid supply branches found, the cooling module is switched to the liquid supply branch that provides the largest maximum heat exchange capacity. In this way, the temperature uniformity of the entire system can be further ensured.

[0100] Then in actual use, considering that different liquid supply branches correspond to their own cooling modules, it may happen that there is no liquid supply branch that can support the cooling needs of the cooling module when the temperature reaches the warning threshold. At this time, multiple liquid supply branches are required to cooperate with each other to provide heat exchange that meets the required heat absorption.

[0101] Specifically, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, step S105 further includes:

[0102] If a single liquid supply branch that can provide the cooling module with a maximum heat exchange greater than or equal to the required heat absorption cannot be found in the current state, the sum of the available maximum heat exchange of the current liquid supply branch and other liquid supply branches is accumulated and calculated in descending order of the available maximum heat exchange until it is greater than or equal to the required heat absorption;

[0103] While maintaining the current liquid supply branch, the cooling module is synchronously merged into other liquid supply branches participating in the calculation.

[0104] In this case, when switching the liquid supply branch, the cooling module is not removed from the original liquid supply branch and then enters the new liquid supply branch, but multiple liquid supply branches simultaneously output the cooling liquid flow to the cooling module.

[0105] At this time, the specific calculation method for configuring the coolant flow rate of each liquid supply branch is as follows. As a preferred method of the embodiment of the present invention, step S105 further specifically includes:

[0106] Each liquid supply branch adjusts the corresponding coolant flow rate according to the proportion of the maximum available heat exchange capacity involved in the calculation.

[0107] The coolant flow rate is proportional to the maximum available heat exchange capacity. Each liquid supply branch can calculate the coolant flow rate that needs to be output according to the proportion of the maximum available heat exchange capacity involved in the calculation.

[0108] As time goes by, the cooling demand of the cooling module and the maximum available heat exchange capacity of each liquid supply branch also change dynamically. For cooling modules whose cooling demand has decreased, they can be readjusted so that the system operates in a relatively simple connection mode. Specifically, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method also includes:

[0109] When the temperature of the cooling module does not reach the warning threshold, determining whether the cooling module is simultaneously incorporated into multiple liquid supply branches;

[0110] Calculate whether there is a liquid supply branch among the multiple liquid supply branches that are incorporated that can independently meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module;

[0111] Switch the cooling module to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand alone.

[0112] That is, when the cooling demand of a cooling module has decreased, it can find a separate liquid supply branch that can meet its cooling demand and then switch it to the liquid supply branch. Minimize the number of cooling modules connected in series in the liquid supply system to improve the temperature uniformity and system safety of the entire system.

[0113] The coolant flow control method of the immersion liquid cooling system provided by the present invention is described in detail below through a specific case.

[0114] For example, in an immersion liquid cooling system, the liquid supply cycle includes five liquid supply branches, ABCDE. Under normal conditions, liquid supply branch A includes two cooling modules a1 and a2 connected in series, liquid supply branch B includes two cooling modules b1 and b2 connected in series, liquid supply branch C includes two cooling modules c1 and c2 connected in series, liquid supply branch D includes two cooling modules d1 and d2 connected in series, and liquid supply branch E includes two cooling modules e1 and e2 connected in series.

[0115] During use, it is detected that the temperature of a1 reaches the warning threshold. At this time, it is first calculated whether the liquid supply branch A can meet the cooling demand of a1. If it can, A is controlled to increase the coolant flow. If not, it is judged and searched. According to the system structure, both the liquid supply branch B and the liquid supply branch E can support the switching of the cooling module a1. The maximum heat exchange that the liquid supply branch B and the liquid supply branch E can provide for a1 in the current state.

[0116] If the judgment result is that the liquid supply branch B does not support and the liquid supply branch E supports. At this time, a1 is switched from the liquid supply branch A to the liquid supply branch E. After the switch, the liquid supply branch A only includes the cooling module a2, and the liquid supply branch E includes e1, e2, and a1. The liquid supply branch E increases the coolant flow to meet the cooling demand of a1.

[0117] If the judgment result is that neither the liquid supply branch B nor the liquid supply branch E supports it separately, but the available maximum heat exchange of the liquid supply branch B plus that of the liquid supply branch A can meet the cooling demand of a1. At this time, a1 is merged into the liquid supply branch B, while retaining the position of a1 in the liquid supply branch A. After switching, the liquid supply branch A includes cooling modules a1 and a2, and the liquid supply branch B includes 3 cooling modules b1, b2, and a1. The liquid supply branch B increases the coolant flow rate according to the proportion of the available maximum heat exchange rate involved in the calculation to meet the cooling demand of a1. After a period of time, the cooling demand of a1 decreases. At this time, it is judged that the liquid supply branch A can meet the cooling demand of a1 alone, and then a1 is switched back to the liquid supply branch A. After switching again, the liquid supply branch A includes cooling modules a1 and a2, and the liquid supply branch B includes 2 cooling modules b1 and b2.

[0118] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, considering that the use of equipment in data centers, high-performance computing systems and other high-density computing environments has a certain periodicity, when executing the above-mentioned coolant flow control method for the immersion liquid cooling system, each time the liquid supply branch is switched, the surrounding environmental data and time information can be collected. After accumulating a certain amount of data, the corresponding periodic behavior can be extracted through the relevant algorithms of big data as a support for subsequent more intelligent adjustments. In the subsequent execution of this method, in addition to obtaining the temperature data of each cooling module, the surrounding environmental data and time information can also be obtained to match the data of the periodic behavior previously recorded and saved. When the data similarity meets the requirements, the same liquid supply branch switching action can be performed before, without waiting until the temperature of the cooling module reaches the warning threshold, thereby achieving more efficient control and further improving the accuracy of coolant flow control in the entire system.

[0119] To sum up, the coolant flow control method of the immersion liquid cooling system provided by the present invention can dynamically switch the liquid supply branch distribution and adjust the coolant flow based on the actual status of different cooling modules, so that the cooling efficiency of the entire system is improved and can more accurately respond to the dynamic temperature changes of different loads.

[0120] like Figure 2 As shown, the cooling liquid flow control system of the immersion liquid cooling system provided by the present invention comprises:

[0121] A data acquisition unit 110, for acquiring temperature data of each cooling module in the immersion liquid cooling system, wherein the temperature data includes a temperature value and a temperature change trend;

[0122] A temperature determination unit 120 is used to determine whether there is a cooling module whose temperature reaches a warning threshold;

[0123] The demand determination unit 130 is used to determine, for a cooling module whose temperature reaches a warning threshold, whether the liquid supply branch where the cooling module is located can meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module;

[0124] The flow control unit 140 is used to adjust the coolant flow of the liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand if yes; if not, switch the cooling module to the liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand, and adjust the coolant flow of the switched liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand.

[0125] The cooling liquid flow control system of the immersion liquid cooling system provided in the embodiment of the present invention is used to implement the cooling liquid flow control method of the immersion liquid cooling system, so the specific implementation method is the same as the above method and will not be repeated here.

[0126] In summary, the present invention provides a coolant flow control method and system for an immersion liquid cooling system, which can dynamically switch the liquid supply branch distribution of the cooling module based on the actual status of different cooling modules in the liquid cooling system, and adjust the coolant flow rate at the same time, so that the cooling efficiency of the entire system is improved while being able to more accurately respond to the dynamic temperature changes of different loads.

[0127] In several embodiments disclosed in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can also be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, functions and operations of the devices, methods and computer program products according to multiple embodiments of the present application. In this regard, each box in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, a program segment or a part of the code, and a module, a program segment or a part of the code contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical functions. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in a different order from the order marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two consecutive boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram and / or flowchart, and the combination of boxes in the block diagram and / or flowchart can be implemented with a dedicated hardware-based system that performs a specified function or action, or can be implemented with a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0128] In addition, the functional modules in the various embodiments of the present application may be integrated together to form an independent part, or each module may exist separately, or two or more modules may be integrated to form an independent part.

[0129] If the functions are implemented in the form of software function modules and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application can be essentially or partly embodied in the form of a software product that contributes to the prior art. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including several instructions to enable a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the methods described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: various media that can store program codes, such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the flow rate of cooling liquid in an immersion liquid cooling system, characterized in that: The method comprises: Acquire temperature data of each cooling module in the immersion liquid cooling system, wherein the temperature data includes temperature values ​​and temperature change trends; Determine whether there is a cooling module whose temperature reaches the warning threshold; For the cooling module whose temperature reaches the warning threshold, determine whether the liquid supply branch where it is located can meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module; If yes, adjusting the coolant flow rate of the liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand; If not, switching the cooling module to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand, and adjusting the cooling liquid flow of the switched liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand; The step of determining, for a cooling module whose temperature reaches the warning threshold, whether the liquid supply branch in which the cooling module is located can meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module specifically includes: Calculate the required heat absorption to keep the heat source in the cooling module within the operating temperature range; Calculate the maximum heat exchange that the liquid supply branch where the cooling module is located can provide for the cooling module in the current state; If the required heat absorption is greater than the maximum heat exchange, it is considered that it cannot be met; if the required heat absorption is less than or equal to the maximum heat exchange, it is considered that it can be met; The step of switching the cooling module to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand specifically includes: Obtaining current usage of the liquid supply branches incorporated into all cooling modules supporting temperatures reaching a warning threshold; Find a liquid supply branch that can provide the cooling module with a maximum heat exchange greater than or equal to the required heat absorption in the current state; Switch the cooling module to the found liquid supply branch; If a single liquid supply branch that can provide the cooling module with a maximum heat exchange greater than or equal to the required heat absorption cannot be found in the current state, the sum of the available maximum heat exchange of the current liquid supply branch and other liquid supply branches is accumulated and calculated in descending order of the available maximum heat exchange until it is greater than or equal to the required heat absorption; While maintaining the current liquid supply branch, the cooling module is synchronously merged into other liquid supply branches participating in the calculation; The step of adjusting the coolant flow rate of the switched liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand specifically includes: Each liquid supply branch adjusts the corresponding coolant flow rate according to the proportion of the maximum available heat exchange capacity involved in the calculation.

2. The cooling liquid flow control method of the immersion liquid cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step of adjusting the coolant flow rate of the liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand specifically includes: Calculate the heat exchange gap according to the required heat absorption and the current coolant flow rate of the liquid supply branch; The coolant flow rate of the liquid supply branch is increased according to the heat exchange gap.

3. The cooling liquid flow control method of the immersion liquid cooling system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The step of switching the cooling module to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand specifically includes: If multiple liquid supply branches are found, the cooling module is switched to the liquid supply branch that provides the largest maximum heat exchange capacity.

4. The method for controlling the flow rate of cooling liquid in an immersion liquid cooling system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the temperature of the cooling module does not reach the warning threshold, determining whether the cooling module is simultaneously incorporated into multiple liquid supply branches; Calculate whether there is a liquid supply branch among the multiple liquid supply branches that are incorporated that can independently meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module; The cooling module is switched to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand alone.

5. The method for controlling the coolant flow rate of an immersion liquid cooling system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The step of determining whether there is a cooling module whose temperature reaches the warning threshold specifically includes: When the temperature variation trend is continuously rising and the temperature value reaches the temperature threshold, it is determined that the temperature of the cooling module reaches the warning threshold.

6. A coolant flow control system for an immersion liquid cooling system, characterized in that: include: A data acquisition unit, used to acquire temperature data of each cooling module in the immersion liquid cooling system, wherein the temperature data includes temperature values ​​and temperature change trends; A temperature judgment unit, used to judge whether there is a cooling module whose temperature reaches a warning threshold; A demand judgment unit is used to judge, for a cooling module whose temperature reaches a warning threshold, whether the liquid supply branch where the cooling module is located can meet the cooling demand of the heat source in the cooling module; A flow control unit, for adjusting the coolant flow of the liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand if yes; if no, switching the cooling module to a liquid supply branch that can meet the cooling demand, and adjusting the coolant flow of the switched liquid supply branch according to the cooling demand; The demand judgment unit is specifically used for: Calculate the required heat absorption to keep the heat source in the cooling module within the operating temperature range; Calculate the maximum heat exchange that the liquid supply branch where the cooling module is located can provide for the cooling module in the current state; If the required heat absorption is greater than the maximum heat exchange, it is considered that it cannot be met; if the required heat absorption is less than or equal to the maximum heat exchange, it is considered that it can be met; The flow control unit is specifically used for: Obtaining current usage of the liquid supply branches incorporated into all cooling modules supporting temperatures reaching a warning threshold; Find a liquid supply branch that can provide the cooling module with a maximum heat exchange greater than or equal to the required heat absorption in the current state; Switch the cooling module to the found liquid supply branch; If a single liquid supply branch that can provide the cooling module with a maximum heat exchange greater than or equal to the required heat absorption cannot be found in the current state, the sum of the available maximum heat exchange of the current liquid supply branch and other liquid supply branches is accumulated and calculated in descending order of the available maximum heat exchange until it is greater than or equal to the required heat absorption; While maintaining the current liquid supply branch, the cooling module is synchronously merged into other liquid supply branches participating in the calculation; Each liquid supply branch adjusts the corresponding coolant flow rate according to the proportion of the maximum available heat exchange capacity involved in the calculation.

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