System and method for attaching cartridge cooling system

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a high density liquid cooling system including a cabinet having side panels on opposite sides of the cabinet. The heat exchanger is mounted within the cabinet and positioned at an inclined angle relative to the side plates. The heat exchanger is fluidly positioned in the liquid cooling circuit and includes a fluid inlet for receiving a fluid of the liquid cooling circuit. A fan assembly is mounted at the front of the cabinet and includes a plurality of fans configured to generate an airflow on a surface of the heat exchanger. A pump unit within the cabinet includes a control unit and a first pump for directing fluid flow of the liquid cooling circuit. The control unit includes first and second removable controllers, and the control unit is electrically connected with the first pump and the at least one fan.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 338,311 filed on May 4, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0003] A cooling system may be provided for electrical components of a data center. In some cases, equipment in a data center may be cooled in a variety of ways, including through a liquid cooling system, an air cooling system, or a combination thereof. Electrical equipment within a data center may be mounted in racks and may include pipes and manifolds for receiving liquid coolant pumped through a liquid cooling loop. The liquid coolant may be delivered to components of the electrical equipment to provide heat transfer from the components to the liquid cooling loop. Summary of the invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present invention may provide an improved cooling system. Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for a high-density liquid cooling system, including a cabinet having side panels on opposite sides of the cabinet. A heat exchanger may be located within the cabinet, the heat exchanger being placed at an oblique angle relative to the side panels. The heat exchanger may be arranged along a liquid cooling loop fluid, and may include a fluid inlet for receiving liquid of the liquid cooling loop. A fan assembly may be mounted at the front of the cabinet, the fan assembly including a plurality of fans, the plurality of fans being configured to generate airflow on a surface of the heat exchanger. A pumping unit may be disposed within the cabinet, the pumping unit including a control unit and a first pump for directing a fluid flow of the liquid cooling loop. The control unit may include a detachable first controller and a detachable second controller, the control unit being in electronic communication with the first pump and at least one of the plurality of fans.

[0005] In some embodiments, the in-row liquid cooling system includes a liquid to air heat exchanger, a pumping unit, a fan, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The liquid to air heat exchanger may be arranged along a liquid cooling loop, the liquid to air heat exchanger including a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet. The pumping unit may include a liquid pump configured to generate a fluid flow in a liquid coolant in the liquid cooling loop. The fan may be configured to generate an airflow on a surface of the liquid to air heat exchanger. The first sensor may be configured to measure a first value of a first parameter of the liquid coolant. The second sensor may be configured to measure a second value of a second parameter of the liquid coolant. The controller may be in electrical communication with each of the liquid pump, the fan, the first sensor, and the second sensor. The controller includes a processor configured to: receive a first value from the first sensor; receive a second value from the second sensor; output a signal to the liquid pump to change the speed of the liquid pump based on a comparison of the first value with a target value of the first parameter; and output a signal to the fan to change the speed of the fan based on a comparison of the second value with the target value of the second parameter.

[0006] In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing and operating a cooling system may be provided. The method may include providing a housing having side panels on opposite sides of the housing. An air-to-liquid heat exchanger may be mounted in the housing, the air-to-liquid heat exchanger being mounted at an oblique angle relative to the side panels. A replaceable pump unit may be mounted in the housing, the replaceable pump unit comprising at least two pump boxes and a control unit comprising two removable control modules. A fan assembly may be mounted at the front of the housing, the fan assembly comprising a plurality of removable fans. The air-to-liquid heat exchanger may be fluidly connected to at least one of the at least two pump boxes. A first replaceable control module of the two removable control modules may be electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of fans and at least one pump. In response to a signal from the first replaceable control module, the at least one fan may be used to adjust the airflow of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. In response to a signal from the first replaceable control module, the at least one pump may be used to adjust the flow of fluid through the air-to-liquid heat exchanger.

[0007] In some embodiments, the devices or systems disclosed herein may be used, manufactured, installed, etc. using methods for implementing various aspects of the present invention. Therefore, any description herein of specific features, functions, or intended uses of devices or systems is generally intended to include methods of using these devices for their intended uses, methods of otherwise implementing these functions, methods of manufacturing related components of such devices or systems (or the devices or systems as a whole), and methods of installing disclosed (or otherwise known) components to support these uses or functions. Similarly, unless otherwise specified or limited, discussions herein of methods of manufacturing or using specific devices or systems, including methods of installing devices or systems, are intended to inherently include disclosure of the utilization features and implementation functions of these devices or systems as embodiments of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The accompanying drawings, together with the specification, constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and together with the specification, explain the principles of the embodiments of the present invention:

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a coolant distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0010] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a liquid-to-air cooling unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0011] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 a rear left perspective view of the liquid to air cooling unit shown;

[0012] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A front view of the liquid to air cooling unit is shown;

[0013] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 Front right view of liquid to air cooling unit shown with side panels of unit removed;

[0014] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 A rear left perspective view of a liquid to air cooling unit is shown with the side panels of the unit removed.

[0015] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid-to-air cooling unit showing the angle of inclination of a liquid-to-air heat exchanger within the unit relative to a side wall of the unit;

[0016] Figure 8 yes Figure 2 a top cross-sectional view of the liquid-to-air cooling unit, illustrating the tilt angle of the liquid-to-air heat exchanger within the unit relative to the side walls of the unit;

[0017] Fig. 9 yes Figure 2 a cross-sectional view of the liquid-to-air cooling unit showing the mounting brackets securing the heat exchanger to the unit;

[0018] Fig.10 yes Figure 2 a partial view of the components of the liquid-to-air cooling unit, showing the piping elements at the top of the unit;

[0019] Fig.11 yes Figure 2 a partial view of the components of the liquid-to-air cooling unit, showing the piping elements at the bottom of the unit;

[0020] Fig.12 yes Figure 2 A partial front right view of the liquid to air cooling unit shown showing the pump unit mounted in the bottom slot of the unit;

[0021] Fig.13 yes Figure 2 An isometric view of the manifold of the liquid to air cooling unit is shown;

[0022] Fig.14 and Fig.15 yes Figure 2 An isometric view of the filter assembly of the liquid-to-air cooling unit shown;

[0023] Fig.16 is a rear isometric view of an expansion tank of a liquid-to-air cooling unit according to some embodiments;

[0024] Fig.17 and Fig.18 yes Figure 2 An isometric view of a heat exchanger used in a liquid to air cooling unit shown;

[0025] Fig.19 and Fig. 20 yes Figure 2 An isometric view of a fan unit used in a liquid-to-air cooling unit shown;

[0026] Fig.21 According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 An isometric view of the control unit of the pump unit of the liquid to air cooling unit is shown;

[0027] Fig. 22 According to some embodiments of the present invention Figure 2 An isometric view of a power supply unit showing a liquid to air cooling unit;

[0028] Fig.23 is a front right isometric view of a power supply unit for a liquid to air cooling unit;

[0029] Fig.24is a front right isometric view of an environmental monitoring platform according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Fig.25 is a system schematic diagram of a high-density liquid cooling unit according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0031] Fig.26 is a system schematic diagram of a high-density liquid cooling unit according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0032] Fig. 27 and Fig.28 is a schematic diagram of a feedback control system of a high-density liquid cooling system;

[0033] Figures 29A-29C is a system schematic diagram showing a controller and an interface board for controlling high-density liquid cooling system components;

[0034] Figure 30A-1 to Figure 30B-2 is a list of sensors that may be used in a liquid to air cooling unit according to some embodiments;

[0035] Fig.31 is a schematic diagram of a control system for a liquid to air cooling unit according to some embodiments;

[0036] Fig.32 is a schematic diagram of a controller according to some embodiments that may be used as a controller for a liquid to air cooling unit; and

[0037] Fig.33 is a flow chart showing an example control process for a liquid to air cooling unit, according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Before explaining any embodiment of the present invention in detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited in application to the structural details and component arrangements described in the following description. The present invention may have other embodiments and may be practiced or implemented in various ways. In addition, it should be understood that the words and terms used herein are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered as limiting. "Including," "including," or "having" and their variations used herein are intended to cover the items listed thereafter and their equivalents as well as additional items. Unless otherwise specified or limited, "mounting," "connecting," "supporting," and "connecting" and their variations are widely used to cover direct and indirect mounting, connection, support, and connection. In addition, "connecting" and "connecting" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections or connections.

[0039] In addition, as used herein, unless otherwise limited or restricted, "or" represents a non-exclusive list of components or operations that can exist in any variety of combinations, rather than an exclusive list that exists only as alternatives to each other. For example, a list of "A, B, or C" represents the following options: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; and A, B, and C. Accordingly, the term "or" as used herein represents an exclusive alternative only when it is preceded by an exclusive term, such as "any one," "one of," "only one of," or "exactly one of." For example, a list of "one of A, B, or C" represents the following options: A, but not B and C; B, but not A and C; and C, but not A and B. A list of elements that begins with "one or more" (and variations thereof) and includes "or" to separate the listed elements represents any one or more of the listed elements, or all of them. For example, the phrases "one or more of A, B, or C" and "at least one of A, B, or C" represent the following options: one or more A; one or more B; one or more C; one or more A and one or more B; one or more B and one or more C; one or more A and one or more C; and one or more A, one or more B, and one or more C. Similarly, a list beginning with "plurality" (and variations thereof) and including "or" to separate the listed elements represents the option of multiple instances of any or all of the listed elements. For example, the phrases "plurality of A, B, or C" and "two or more of A, B, or C" represent the following options: A and B; B and C; A and C; and A, B, and C.

[0040] In certain embodiments, the devices or systems disclosed herein may be utilized, manufactured, installed, etc. using methods embodying aspects of the present invention. Thus, any description herein of specific features, functions, or intended uses of a device or system is generally intended to include methods of using such devices to achieve the intended uses, methods of implementing such functions, methods of manufacturing related components of such devices or systems (or the device or system as a whole), and methods of installing disclosed (or known) components to support such uses or functions. Similarly, unless otherwise indicated or limited, any discussion herein of any method of manufacturing or using a particular device or system, including installing the device or system, is intended to inherently include features used and functions implemented by such device or system as embodiments of the present invention.

[0041] In certain embodiments, aspects of the present invention, including computerized implementations of methods according to the present invention, can be implemented as systems, methods, devices, or articles of manufacture by using standard programming or engineering techniques to generate software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof to control a processor device (e.g., a serial or parallel general-purpose or dedicated processor chip, a single-core or multi-core chip, a microprocessor, a field programmable gate array, a control unit, various combinations of arithmetic logic units and processor registers, etc.), a computer (e.g., a processor device operatively connected to a memory), or other electronic operating controller to implement the aspects described in detail herein. Thus, for example, embodiments of the present invention can be implemented as a set of instructions, embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, so that a processor device can implement these instructions based on reading instructions from the computer-readable medium. Certain embodiments of the present invention may include (or use) a control device, such as an automation device, a dedicated or general-purpose computer including various computer hardware, software, firmware, etc., consistent with the content discussed below. As a specific example, the control device may include a processor, a microcontroller, a field programmable gate array, a programmable logic controller, logic gates, etc., as well as other typical components known in the art for implementing appropriate functions (e.g., memory, communication system, power supply, user interface and other inputs, etc.). In certain embodiments, the control device may include a centralized hub controller that receives, processes, and (re)transmits control signals and other data from other distributed control devices (e.g., engine controllers, implementation controllers, drive controllers, etc.) to the other distributed control devices, including as part of a hub and spoke architecture or otherwise.

[0042] As used herein, the term "article of manufacture" is intended to encompass a computer program accessed from any computer-readable device, carrier (e.g., non-transitory signal), or medium (e.g., non-transitory medium). For example, computer-readable media may include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic strips, etc.), optical disks (e.g., compact disks (CDs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), etc.), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., cards, sticks, etc.). In addition, it should be understood that carrier waves may be used to transmit computer-readable electronic data, such as data used to send and receive e-mail or access a network (e.g., the Internet or a local area network (LAN)). Those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications may be made to these configurations without departing from the scope or spirit of the claimed subject matter.

[0043] Certain operations of the methods according to the present invention, or certain operations of the systems performing these methods, may be schematically represented in the figures, or otherwise discussed herein. Unless otherwise specified or limited, the representation of a specific spatial order of specific operations in the figures does not necessarily require that these operations be performed in a specific order corresponding to the specific spatial order. Therefore, certain operations represented in the figures, or other operations disclosed herein, may be performed in different orders suitable for specific embodiments of the present invention. In addition, in some embodiments, certain operations may be performed in parallel, including by dedicated parallel processing devices, or separate computing devices configured to interoperate as part of a larger system.

[0044] As used herein, in the context of computer implementation, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "component", "system", "module", "block", etc. are intended to cover part or all of a computer-related system including hardware, software, a combination of hardware and software, or software being executed. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to, a processor device, a process executed (or executable) by a processor device, an object, an executable file, an execution thread, a computer program, or a computer. For example, both an application running on a computer and a computer may be a component. One or more components (or systems, modules, etc.) may reside in a process or execution thread, may be localized on one computer, may be distributed between two or more computers or other processor devices, or may be included in another component (or system, module, etc.).

[0045] Also as used herein, unless otherwise limited or defined, the terms "about", "substantially" and "approximately" refer to a range of ±5% of the value preceding the term. By default, the terms "about" and "approximately" include the endpoints of the relevant range, but also intend to disclose ranges that do not include the endpoints.

[0046] Also as used herein, unless otherwise limited or qualified, "integral" and its derivatives (e.g., "integrally") describe a component that is manufactured as a single part without the use of fasteners, adhesives, or the like to secure the separate parts together. For example, a component that is stamped into a single part from a single sheet of metal, without rivets, screws, or adhesives securing the separately formed parts together, is a unitary (and integrally formed) component. In contrast, a component that is formed from multiple parts that are initially formed separately and then joined together is not a unitary (or integrally formed) component.

[0047] Also as used herein, unless otherwise defined or limited, the term "lateral" refers to a direction that is not parallel to a reference direction. Features of a lateral direction extending relative to a reference direction thus extend in a direction that has at least one component that is not parallel to the reference direction. In some cases, the lateral direction may be a radial or other vertical direction relative to the reference direction.

[0048] The following discussion is intended to enable those skilled in the art to make and use embodiments of the present invention. Various modifications to the illustrated embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention are not intended to be limited to the illustrated embodiments, but should be given the widest scope in accordance with the principles and features disclosed herein. The following detailed description should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same elements in different drawings have the same reference numerals. The accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, depict selected embodiments, and are not intended to limit the scope of embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the examples provided herein have many useful alternatives and fall within the scope of embodiments of the present invention.

[0049] A data center may be provided with a cooling system to cool electrical components within the data center. During operation, electrical components that are typically mounted in racks having a standard rack footprint (e.g., standard height, width, and depth) generate heat. Because this heat may degrade the electrical components, damage the system, or reduce the performance of the components, a cooling system may be provided for the data center to transfer the heat away from the racks of the data center having the electrical components that require cooling.

[0050] Cabinets or racks containing electrical equipment are typically arranged in rows within a data center, with aisles defined between successive rows. Racks can be preassembled and "rolled" into a space in a row adjacent to other racks that is predefined to have the footprint of a standard rack. This arrangement allows for modular construction or addition of components in a data center. In some configurations, aisles on either side of a row of cabinets can be alternately designated as cold or hot aisles, and as Figure 1 As shown, the heat generated by the electrical components of the cabinet can be discharged into the hot air channel.

[0051] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a cooling system 1 according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. As described above, electrical equipment (eg, servers, storage devices, network devices, etc.) within a data center generates heat during operation, and a cooling system may be required to dissipate or transfer the heat of the electrical components. Figure 1Cabinets 10a, 10b housing electrical equipment are shown, which may be loads of the cooling system 1. As shown, the cabinets 10a, 10b are arranged in a row, with the front of each cabinet facing the cold aisle 12 and the back of each cabinet 10a, 10b facing the hot aisle 14. As shown, both cabinets 10a, 10b may be located in the flow path of a liquid cooling circuit 16 (e.g., a liquid cooling loop), and the coolant of the liquid cooling circuit 16 may flow through the cabinets 10a, 10b to transfer heat from the electrical components in the cabinets 10a, 10b. For example, the liquid cooling circuit 16 may include a cold side 18 with a cooling fluid and a hot side 20 with a heating fluid. As shown, the coolant from the cold side 18 may flow into each cabinet 10a, 10b and may be heated by the heat transferred to the fluid from the electrical components in the cabinets 10a, 10b. The heated fluid can then flow out of the electrical cabinets 10a, 10b to the hot side 20 of the liquid cooling loop 16 to transfer heat away from the respective electrical cabinets 10a, 10b. In some examples, the liquid coolant in the liquid cooling loop (e.g., liquid cooling loop 16) can be water. In some examples, the liquid coolant can be a dielectric liquid. In some examples, the liquid coolant can be propylene glycol, or a combination of water and a preservative.

[0052] Although the above description mentions cabinets of electrical equipment in a data center, it should be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to cooling electrical cabinets in a data center, but is also applicable to any application or use scenario requiring liquid cooling. For example, cabinets along a first liquid cooling loop (e.g., one or more cabinets 10a, 10b along a liquid cooling loop 16) can accommodate liquid-to-liquid heat exchangers that can transfer heat from the coolant of a second liquid cooling loop to the liquid of the first liquid cooling loop. In some cases, liquid cooling loops and systems can be provided for power systems and can be used to cool batteries, transformers, power converters, motors, and the like. In some cases, liquid cooling loops consistent with the present disclosure can be used to cool heat loads outside a data center.

[0053] The cooling system may include a liquid-to-air cooling unit to transfer heat from liquid in a liquid cooling loop (e.g., liquid cooling loop 16) to air in the data center (e.g., air in hot aisle 14). As will be discussed further, the in-row cooling unit may be installed in a rack having a standard rack footprint to facilitate modular assembly, installation, and integration into the data center. In other embodiments, the footprint of the in-row cooling unit may be smaller than the standard rack footprint. Figure 1As further shown, the cooling system 1 may include an in-row liquid-to-air cooling unit 100 (LACU) for transferring heat from the liquid in the liquid cooling loop 16 to the air in the hot aisle 14. The LACU 100 may be housed in a rack, located within an aisle of electrical equipment. For example, as shown, the LACU 100 may be arranged in a row with the electrical cabinets 10a, 10b along the liquid cooling loop 16, with the front of the LACU 100 facing the cold aisle 12 and the rear of the LACU facing the hot aisle 14. The LACU 100 may include a liquid-to-air heat exchanger 102 (HX) for transferring heat from the liquid in the liquid cooling loop 16 to the air in the data center (e.g., the air in the hot aisle 14). The liquid may enter the HX 102 from the hot side 20 of the liquid cooling loop 16 and flow out of the HX 102 to the cold side 18 of the liquid cooling loop 16. The surface area of ​​the liquid-to-air heat exchanger may correspond to the heat transfer rate of the liquid to the air, and the larger the surface area of ​​the heat exchanger, the higher the heat transfer rate. Therefore, the heat exchanger of the liquid to air cooling unit can be sized and located according to the need to maximize the heat transfer surface area. Figure 1 As shown, HX 102 may be positioned within LACU 100 at an oblique angle relative to the sides of LACU 100 (e.g., as shown in FIG. Figure 8 further described).

[0054] In some examples, the liquid-to-air cooling unit may include air flow components (e.g., fans) to direct air flow through the liquid-to-air heat exchanger to increase heat transfer from the liquid of the liquid cooling loop to the air of the data center. For example, as shown, the LACU 100 may include one or more fans 106 to direct air flow through the HX 102. The one or more fans 106 may be located at the front of the LACU 100 and may draw cold air from the cold aisle 12 and blow the air through the HX 102 in a direction toward the hot aisle 14. In some examples, the fans of the liquid-to-air cooling unit may be located at the rear of the cabinet. In some examples, the fans of the liquid-to-air cooling unit may draw air from the rear of the unit through the heat exchanger and blow the air out of the front of the unit (e.g., the air flow direction may be opposite to the air flow direction shown). As discussed below, the fans of the air-to-liquid cooling unit may be arranged in rows and columns along the front of the unit.

[0055] According to some embodiments, a cooling system for an electrical device may include one or more pumping units to direct the flow of liquid through a liquid cooling circuit. In some embodiments, the cooling system may not include a pumping unit, but instead rely on water pressure provided by the facility in which the cooling system is installed. In some examples, the pumping unit may be housed in an in-line liquid to air cooling unit (e.g., the liquid to air cooling unit may be a coolant distribution unit). Figure 1 As further shown, the LACU 100 may include a pumping unit 104 to pump liquid through the liquid cooling loop 16. Pumping cold liquid through the pumping unit is advantageous because warm liquid can cause the components of the pump to expand, thereby reducing the service life of the pump. In some cases, as described below, the pumping unit 104 may include multiple pumps. The pumping unit 104 may be located downstream of the HX 102 and may be along the cold side 18 of the liquid cooling loop 16. In other examples, the pumping unit of the liquid-to-air cooling unit may be located upstream of the liquid-to-air heat exchanger (e.g., the pump of the liquid-to-air cooling unit may be along the hot side of the liquid cooling loop). The pumping unit of the liquid-to-air cooling unit may be designed to fit into a standard size slot within a cabinet (e.g., a height of 2U, 4U, or 8U, or occupying four vertical slots of the cabinet). In some embodiments, a coolant distribution unit (CDU) may be provided in an in-row liquid-to-air cooling unit, rather than in a cabinet housing electrical equipment.

[0056] In the illustrated embodiment, the cold side 20 of the liquid cooling loop 16 is located on the front side of each cabinet 10a, 10b and LACU 100, while the hot side 18 is located on the rear side of the cabinet 10a, 10b and LACU 100. However, in some embodiments, it may be advantageous to position the liquid inlet and outlet (e.g., inlet port and outlet port) on the same side of the cabinet. For example, a liquid manifold for the fluid inlet and outlet of the cabinet can be mounted on the rear of the corresponding cabinet. In some examples, the hose of the liquid cooling loop can enter the cabinet (e.g., a cabinet of electrical equipment or a cabinet of a liquid to air cooling unit) from the rear of the cabinet, through an inlet on the cabinet side panel, from the top inlet, or from the bottom inlet of the cabinet. In addition, in some embodiments, a liquid to air cooling unit can be provided to cool more than two electrical cabinets, or to cool only one electrical cabinet.

[0057] Figure 2 An exemplary liquid-to-air cooling unit (LACU) 200, also referred to as a "sidecar" or coolant distribution unit (CDU), is shown. The LACU 200 may be similar to or substantially similar to a Figure 1100 described in the drawings and may include similar numbering of similar parts. For example, as shown, multiple fans 206 can be installed in a fan assembly 208 at the front of the cabinet, which can guide airflow through the system and improve its cooling efficiency. In the illustrated embodiment, the fan assembly 208 includes fourteen fans 206, arranged in two columns and seven rows. In some embodiments, the LACU may include more than 14 fans or less than 14 fans. In some cases, the fans may be arranged in a panel, such as a single panel including four fans. As described below, the fans 206 can be hot-swappable (for example, each fan 206 of the fan assembly can be removed, replaced or repaired without causing the LACU 200 to shut down).

[0058] It may be advantageous to place the pump unit at the bottom of a rack of a liquid-to-air cooling unit (e.g., LACU 200) to prevent liquid leaks (e.g., when replacing components of the pump unit) from causing damage to the electronics of the liquid-to-air cooling unit. Figure 2 As further shown, the LACU 200 may include a replaceable pump unit (RPU) 204. The RPU 204 may be mounted below the fan assembly 208 and may have a height of four rack units (e.g., the RPU 204 may have a height of 4U, occupying the space of four standard electrical equipment racks within a data center cabinet). The RPU 204 may include two pump boxes 210a, 210b, and a control unit 212, the control unit including two hot-swappable control modules 214a, 214b. In some embodiments, the pump boxes 210a, 210b may be hot-swappable and may include blind connectors (not shown) at the rear of the pump boxes 210a, 210b for electrical and fluid connections. In some embodiments, the RPU may include only one pump box, or more than two pump boxes. In some examples, the RPU may occupy a larger volume within the LACU (e.g., the RPU may have a height of 8U). In some embodiments, the hot-swap control modules 214a, 214b are substantially similar, and when a hot-swap control module 214a, 214b is removed for repair or replacement, another hot-swap control module 214a, 214b can perform the control process of the LACU 200, as described below. In some examples, the RPU does not include a control module (e.g., the main controller of the liquid-to-air cooling unit can be installed in a different location within the cooling unit, or outside the cooling unit), or includes only one control module, or more than two control modules.

[0059] The liquid-to-air cooling unit may include a fill / drain port for filling the unit and its components with liquid coolant (e.g., charging the unit). In some cases, it may be advantageous to set the fill / drain port of the liquid-to-air cooling unit at the front of the unit so that the operator of the unit can access the port from the cold channel. As shown, the LACU 200 may include a liquid fill / drain port 225 at the bottom of the LACU 200. It may be advantageous to set the fill / drain port at the bottom of the LACU 200 because it can reduce the pressure of the exhaust system. In some cases, the fill / drain port 225 may include a quick disconnect fitting to facilitate connecting the fill or drain line to the LACU 200. In other embodiments, the liquid-to-air cooling unit may include multiple ports, for example, including a dedicated fill port and a dedicated drain port. In some examples, the port may be set at the front of the LACU, corresponding to the various components of the LACU. For example, as shown, the RPU 204 may include a liquid fill / drain port 227 for filling or draining the fluid in the RPU 204. In some cases, the liquid fill / drain ports may be located elsewhere on the LACU, including in the back, along the sides, etc.

[0060] As shown, the LACU 200 can be housed within a cabinet 201. The cabinet 201 can have a standard rack footprint and can have a width of 600 mm, which can enable the cabinet to "roll into" a cabinet space in a row of cabinets in a data center. In some embodiments, the cabinet, which may also be referred to as a "rack" or "enclosure", can have different rack footprints. For example, in some cases, a rack can have a width of 1200 mm to occupy a space that receives two adjacent equipment racks in a row of a data center. In some cases, a cabinet for a liquid to air cooling unit can occupy a footprint that is less than 600 mm or greater than 600 mm in width. In some cases, the width or height of the cabinet for the liquid to air cooling unit can be configured to comply with a standard, including, for example, an industry standard or a regulatory standard.

[0061] The cabinet of the liquid-to-air cooling unit may include features to facilitate installation and integration within a data center. For example, as shown, the LACU 200 may include a plurality of wheels 216 so that the LACU 200 can be rolled to a desired location within a data center. In some embodiments, the liquid-to-air cooling unit may include casters. The LACU 200 may also include a plurality of adjustable feet 218. Before the LACU 200 is in an installed position, the plurality of adjustable feet 218 may be set at a first height, at which the adjustable feet do not engage or contact the floor of the data center. When the LACU is installed in the desired position, the adjustable feet 218 may be moved to a second height (e.g., by rotating an adjustable screw), at which the adjustable feet 218 contact the floor and prevent displacement of the LACU 200 relative to the floor. In some embodiments, the liquid-to-air cooling unit may not include wheels and adjustable feet, or may include alternative or additional known mechanisms to facilitate installation and secure the unit in place when installed.

[0062] Cabinets for liquid-to-air cooling units may include panels that may be used to enclose components of the unit, partially define the flow path of air through the cabinet, and further shield internal components from view. Figure 2 As further shown, for example, the cabinet 201 may include a top panel 219 on the top of the cabinet 201 and one or more side panels 220 on the sides of the cabinet 201 (e.g., along the vertical sides of the LACU 200 that do not face the hot aisle or the cold aisle). In some embodiments, cables for power and hoses for fluid connections may enter the cooling unit (not shown) through an open rear portion of the cooling unit. However, in some cases, it may be advantageous to provide cable and hose entry to the cabinet of the cooling unit at other locations. For example, feeding cables and hoses through the rear of the cabinet may increase the depth required to accommodate the row of cooling units. In some cases, a data center may be arranged in a top-fed configuration, with connections (e.g., cables, pipes, hoses, etc.) provided from the ceiling. In other configurations, the cabinets of the data center are mounted on a raised floor and the connections may be provided from the bottom of the cabinet (i.e., in a "bottom-fed" configuration). In this regard, the panel of the cabinet of the cooling unit may include openings, which may be referred to as holes or cutouts, to provide entry for cables and hoses to enter the cabinet. For example, as Figure 2As shown, the top panel 219 may include a top feed cutout 222 for receiving cables and hoses from the top of the cabinet. Similarly, a bottom feed cutout (not shown) may be provided at the bottom of the cabinet to receive cables and hoses through the bottom of the cabinet. In some cases, it may be advantageous to direct hoses directly from an adjacent cabinet. For example, providing a liquid connection directly from an adjacent cabinet can reduce the pressure required to pump coolant through a liquid cooling loop. This configuration can reduce the total length of pipes required for the system, thereby reducing the power required to pump coolant through the system. In addition, when the hoses are directed directly through the cutouts in the side panels, the hoses do not need to extend out of the electrical cabinet or the rear portion of the cabinet containing the cooling system, which may reduce the clearance or overall depth required for the system. As shown, the side panel 220 may have a side cutout 224 for receiving hoses and / or hoses directly from an adjacent cabinet. In some examples, hoses and cables may enter the cabinet at locations other than those shown, including, for example, through the front of the cabinet. In some cases, the cutout for receiving hoses into the cooling unit may have an open area that is at least sufficient to accommodate 4 hoses with a diameter of 1.5 inches.

[0063] A cooling unit for a data center including a liquid-to-air cooling unit as described herein may include a power module for controlling aspects of the power supplied to electrical components of the cooling unit. Figure 2 As further shown, the LACU 200 may include a power supply unit 226. As shown, the power supply unit 226 may be disposed at or near the top of the LACU 200 (e.g., above a liquid flow component in the LACU 200). This arrangement may be advantageous because it may prevent liquid from leaking onto power control elements of the power supply unit 226. In the illustrated embodiment, the power supply unit 226 has a height of 1U, and an empty slot 228 is provided above the power supply unit 226, the empty slot having a height of 1U. In some embodiments, the power supply unit of the cooling unit may have a height of 2U. In some examples, the cooling unit (e.g., the LACU 200) may include two power supply units. The power supply unit of the liquid to air cooling unit may include one or more detachable power supply modules 230, as described with respect to Fig.23As further described in the power supply unit 2300 shown in the figure. In the illustrated embodiment, the power supply unit 226 includes 6 power modules, but in other embodiments, the power supply unit of the cooling unit may include only one power module, or at least two power modules, at least three power modules, at least four power modules, or at least five power modules. In some examples, the power supply unit may include more than six power modules. In some embodiments, the power supply unit may receive three-phase power from the power inlet, and each phase of the three-phase power may be provided to a corresponding power module. Therefore, it may be advantageous to provide power modules in multiples of three to correspond to the three-phase power of the power inlet and allow phase balancing between the power modules.

[0064] Liquid to air cooling units (e.g. Figure 1 LACU 100 and Figure 2 The LACU 200 shown may include piping elements (e.g., pipes, hoses, valves, pumps, pressure regulators, etc.) for directing fluid through the unit. The piping elements may be primarily housed in the rear of the cabinet of the liquid-to-air cooling unit, which may improve ease of maintenance and reduce pressure drop across the piping elements that may otherwise occur if the piping elements were dispersed throughout the unit. For example, Figure 3 is a rear isometric view of LACU 200 showing various piping and flow control elements of LACU 200. As described above, the liquid to air cooling unit can be connected from the hot side of the liquid cooling loop (e.g., Figure 1 The hot side 20 of the liquid cooling circuit 16 shown receives the heated fluid. In this regard, Figure 3 An inlet manifold 302 (eg, a return manifold) is shown for receiving a heated fluid along the hot side of a liquid cooling loop. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet manifold 302 receives fluid from two hoses 304, each of which may be connected from a respective electrical equipment cabinet (eg, Figure 1 The cabinets 10a and 10b shown in FIG. Fig.13As further described in the manifold 1300 shown, the hose 304 can be connected to the manifold 302 at the connection interface 306. The connection interface 306 may include a shut-off valve 308 to prevent the fluid in the corresponding hose 304 from flowing into the LACU 200. For example, if one of the shut-off valves 308 is closed, the LACU 200 can receive heated coolant only from one cabinet. In addition, in the illustrated embodiment, the connection interface 306 is a quick disconnect fitting that allows the hose 304 to be connected to the inlet manifold 302 without tools, and can minimize fluid leakage when installing or disconnecting one of the hoses 304. In some embodiments, other connection interfaces can be used. For example, the hose on the hot side of the liquid cooling loop can be connected to the inlet manifold using a three-clamp flange. In some embodiments, the inlet manifold can be configured to receive heated fluid from more than two cabinets, and can include three connection interfaces, four connection interfaces, five connection interfaces, six connection interfaces, or more than six connection interfaces, each connection interface corresponding to a hose that provides heated fluid from a corresponding electrical cabinet to a liquid to air cooling unit.

[0065] In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet manifold 302 is positioned and configured to receive a hose 304 from the bottom of the cabinet (e.g., in a bottom feed configuration). In some embodiments (e.g., as further described with respect to manifold 1300), the manifold 302 can be positioned and configured to receive a hose (e.g., hose 304) in a top feed configuration, with the connection interface 306 extending upward from the inlet manifold 302. In other embodiments, the manifold can be positioned differently in the LACU. For example, while in the illustrated embodiment, the manifold 302 receives the hose 304 in a vertical direction, in other embodiments, the manifold can extend vertically within the cabinet of the LACU and can receive the hose from a direction orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the vertical direction (e.g., from a horizontal direction). In some cases, the liquid-to-air cooling unit may not include an inlet manifold, and the hose from the electrical cabinet can be directly connected to the ducting elements of the cooling unit.

[0066] It may be advantageous to measure the parameters of the fluid flowing into the cooling unit (e.g., LACU 200). For example, the inlet temperature of the fluid in the cooling unit may be measured and compared with the outlet temperature of the fluid of the cooling unit to determine the total cooling rate of the unit. As shown, the inlet manifold may include a sensor module 307. The sensor module 307 may include one or more sensors for measuring the parameters of the fluid at the inlet. For example, the sensor module may include a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, etc. The values ​​of the sensors from the sensor module 307 may be compared with the values ​​from other sensors along the liquid cooling circuit, thereby helping to calculate the efficiency and cooling power provided by one or more components of the LACU 200. For example, the outlet manifold 344 may include a sensor module 345, which may be substantially the same as the sensor module 307, and the temperature value of the sensor from the sensor module 345 may be compared with the temperature value of the temperature sensor from the sensor module 307 to obtain the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the LACU 200. In some embodiments, in addition to the above-mentioned temperature difference measurement, the differential pressure or flow rate may be calculated in addition or alternatively.

[0067] The liquid coolant of the liquid cooling loop may flow directly from an inlet (e.g., an inlet manifold) into a liquid-to-air heat exchanger. It may be advantageous to cool the liquid before providing it to other plumbing elements or flow control components (e.g., a pump) because heated liquid can cause more wear on components than cooled liquid. In this regard, Figure 3 A liquid to air heat exchanger 202 (LAHX) is shown located within the LACU 200. The LAHX 202 includes an inlet tube 310 for receiving a heating fluid and an outlet tube 312 for outputting a cooling fluid from the LAHX 202. In addition, the LAHX 202 may include multiple internal loops 314 to increase the flow path length of the coolant through the LAHX 202 and maximize the surface area available for heat transfer between the fluid of the liquid cooling loop and the air.

[0068] The inlet and outlet conduits of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger may include ports for injecting liquid into the liquid-to-air heat exchanger, removing air or liquid from the liquid cooling circuit, or regulating pressure along the liquid cooling circuit. For example, components of a liquid cooling system may be "primed" (e.g., filled) with coolant prior to installing or operating the system. Additionally, system components may be drained of liquid within the system, for example, when components are removed for maintenance, or when the system's coolant is replaced. Thus, a liquid-to-air cooling unit may include liquid fill and drain ports to prime all components of the unit, and individual components of the unit may also include liquid fill and drain ports to prime individual components. For example, as shown, the LAHX 202 may include a liquid port 316 along the outlet conduit 312 and a liquid port 318 along the inlet conduit 310. One or both of the liquid ports 316, 318 may include quick disconnect fittings for selectively connecting a fill tube, a drain tube, or an exhaust tube to the respective liquid port 316, 318. As shown, these ports are connected to a liquid fill / drain tube 320, which may be fluidly connected to the inlet and outlet conduits. Figure 2 However, in some cases, during normal operation of the LACU 200, the ports 316, 318 are not connected to any pipes or hoses.

[0069] In some cases, air in a liquid cooling loop may cause damage to components in the liquid cooling loop, such as a pump of the liquid cooling loop or electronic components to be cooled. In some cases, air in a liquid cooling loop may also reduce the overall cooling efficiency of the system, thereby requiring more power to cool the electronic components. Therefore, a system may be provided for the liquid-to-air cooling unit to remove air (e.g., vent air) from the piping of the liquid cooling loop. Because air is less dense than water, air bubbles will tend to rise to the highest point of the liquid flow path of the liquid cooling loop, and therefore, an air vent valve may be provided at a point in the liquid flow path of the liquid cooling loop that is elevated (e.g., vertically higher) relative to other piping or piping elements. As shown in FIG. Figure 3As shown, liquid ports 316, 318 can be located at or near the top of corresponding pipes 310, 312. Liquid flow from one or more ports 316, 318 can be redirected to exhaust valve 322. In normal operation of LACU 200, exhaust valve 322 can be isolated from the liquid cooling circuit fluid. However, when the operator performs an exhaust operation (for example, when all or part of LACU 200 is initially filled with liquid), exhaust valve 322 can be fluidly connected to one or both of ports 316, 318 to exhaust air therefrom. In certain embodiments, as shown, exhaust valve 322 can include a connecting hose 324, which can be connected to one or both of liquid ports 316, 318 to exhaust air from the liquid cooling circuit at any corresponding position. Exhaust valve 322 can be fixed to the cabinet by mounting bracket 323.

[0070] In some cases, it is useful to include components in the liquid-to-air cooling unit to adjust or maintain a set pressure within the unit, or to prevent the pressure from exceeding a certain value. For example, if the temperature of the liquid in the liquid cooling circuit rises, the liquid in the circuit will expand, thereby increasing the pressure of all or part of the liquid cooling circuit. As shown, the LACU 200 may include an expansion tank 326. The expansion tank 326 can be in fluid communication with the liquid cooling circuit and can receive liquid from the liquid cooling circuit when the pressure in the liquid cooling circuit exceeds the pressure charge of the expansion tank 326. In the illustrated embodiment, the expansion tank is fluidly positioned on the hot side of the liquid cooling circuit and is connected to the inlet pipe 310 of the LAHX 202 at the liquid port 328. The liquid port 328 can be positioned on the inlet pipe 310 to provide pressure regulation on the hot side of the liquid cooling circuit (for example, the liquid of the liquid cooling circuit is more likely to expand due to the increase in heat relative to other parts of the cooling unit 200). In some embodiments, the expansion tank of the liquid-to-air cooling system can be positioned at other points in the liquid cooling circuit. For example, the expansion tank can be installed downstream of the liquid-to-air heat exchanger, or downstream of the replaceable pump unit. In certain embodiments, the liquid-to-air cooling unit may not include an expansion tank. In certain embodiments, the liquid-to-air cooling unit may include more than one expansion tank, or no expansion tank.

[0071] like Figure 3As further shown, the outlet conduit 312 of the LAHX 202 can be fluidly connected to the RPU 204. For example, an angle elbow connector 330 can be positioned at the outlet end of the outlet conduit and can generally direct the flow of liquid to an inlet port 332 of the RPU 204. The angle elbow connector 330 can ensure a smooth (e.g., relative to turbulence) flow of liquid into the RPU. The liquid can be pumped through the RPU 204, as further described below, and can be discharged from the RPU 204 at an output port 334. A flexible hose 336 can be used to fluidly connect the RPU 204 to the liquid cooling circuit, and the flexible hose 336 can be connected to the ports 332, 334 and other piping components (e.g., the outlet conduit 312 or the elbow connector 330) via a clamping system 338 (e.g., a tri-clamp flange system). In other embodiments, the cooling unit may not include an RPU or a pump unit, and may rely on a pressure provided by the facility (e.g., such as Fig.21 Schematic diagram of the ).

[0072] In some cases, it is advantageous to provide a filtration system for the fluid of a liquid cooling loop (e.g., a filter for a liquid-to-air cooling unit). Impurities and particulate matter in the fluid of a liquid cooling loop may damage piping components in the liquid cooling loop and electronic equipment cooled by the cooling system, and reduce cooling efficiency. Figure 3 As shown, and further combined Fig.14 and Fig.15 As described above, a filter assembly 340 may be provided within the LACU 200. In some embodiments, the filter assembly 340 may be located downstream of the RPU 204. The filter assembly 340 may include at least one fluid filter 342.

[0073] like Figure 3 As further shown, an outlet manifold 344 may be provided so that fluid of the liquid cooling circuit is discharged from the LACU 200. The temperature of the fluid flowing out of the outlet manifold 344 may be lower than the temperature of the fluid flowing into the LACU 200 at the inlet manifold 302. The description of the inlet manifold 302 also applies to the outlet manifold, and both manifolds 302, 344 may conform to Fig.13 A description of the manifold 1300 shown and described in .

[0074] Electrical connections may be provided within the data center to power the electrical components in the cabinets installed within the data center. In some cases, redundant power supplies may be provided to the cabinets to ensure continued operation of the electrical components within the cabinet in the event of a single power failure. Figure 3 A power inlet 350 is shown to receive a corresponding power connection from a data center. The power inlet 350 can be in direct electrical communication with the power supply unit 226, and the power module 230 (such as Figure 2The power inlet 350 may be operable to convert the received power to desired characteristics (e.g., convert from AC to DC, produce a desired output voltage or current, etc.). In some cases, the power inlet may receive a three-phase AC signal. In some cases, the LACU 200 may operate using only power from one of the power inlets 350, and the opposite power inlet may be used when the power connected to the primary power inlet 350 fails or the connection to the primary power inlet 350 is removed. In some cases, the first power inlet of the power inlet 350 is a first group of power modules (e.g., Figure 2 and Figure 4 The second power inlet of the power inlet is for supplying power to the second group of power modules (eg, Figure 2 and Figure 4 In some cases, an operator of the LACU 200 can set an operating mode of the LACU 200, which can include power configurations, including whether the power inlets 350 are used in a primary / backup configuration, whether the power inlets 350 are powered separately for one or more power modules 230, or other configurable settings of the power supply unit.

[0075] The cabinet of the liquid-to-air cooling unit may include structural components for mounting the components of the liquid-to-air cooling unit within the cabinet. For example, Figure 5 and Figure 6 The liquid to air cooling unit 200 is shown with the side panel 220 removed to reveal the structural components of the cabinet 201. As shown, a plurality of mounting bars 502 may be provided that may span the cabinet 201 from the front to the rear of the cabinet 201. The mounting bars 502 may be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. As shown, the duct components (e.g., the LAHX 202, the filter assembly 340, and the expansion tank 326) may be secured to one or more mounting bars 502 of the cabinet 201. For example, Figure 5 As shown, the expansion tank mounting plate 504 is mounted on the mounting rod 502 of the cabinet 201. As shown, the expansion tank mounting plate 504 is fixed to two adjacent mounting rods 502, which can provide greater stability for the system. Accordingly, in some embodiments, a filter mounting plate can be provided to mount the filter assembly 340 on the mounting rod 502 of the system. The vertical bracket 506 can be fixed to multiple mounting rods 502 and can fix the LAHX 202 to the cabinet 201, such as Fig. 9 shown.

[0076] In some cases, the liquid-to-air cooling unit may include elements for directing the airflow to maximize the heat transfer efficiency of the liquid-to-air heat exchanger. Figure 6As shown, baffles 602 may be provided on at least one side of the cabinet 201 of the LACU 200. The baffles 602 may prevent airflow from flowing out of the side of the cabinet before passing through the LAHX 202, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the system by maximizing airflow through the LAHX 202. In certain embodiments, baffles may be provided on both sides of a liquid-to-air cooling unit or on either side of a liquid-to-air cooling unit. For example, maximizing the flow of cool air through a heat exchanger is advantageous, whereas controlling the flow of airflow once the airflow has transferred heat from the liquid in the liquid-to-air heat exchanger is less important. Therefore, the direction of the airflow through the heat exchanger is relevant in determining the location or number of baffles of the liquid-to-air cooling unit. For example, as Figure 7 As shown, the fan 206 of the LACU 200 can be operated to generate airflow in the direction A as shown, from the front of the LACU 200 to the rear of the LACU 200. The baffle 602 and the LAHX 202 can define an airflow path, and the baffle 602 prevents the airflow from flowing out of the side of the cabinet 201 as shown. Almost all of the airflow can be directed through the surface of the LAHX 202 to maximize the heat transfer rate and heat transfer efficiency (e.g., reduce the power required by the fan 206 to produce a given heat transfer rate). In other embodiments, the fan can direct the airflow in the direction opposite to the A direction (e.g., from the rear to the front of the LACU 200), and it is advantageous to place baffles on the opposite sides of the LACU 200 to guide the maximum amount of cold air through the LAHX 202. In some cases, the side panel (e.g., the side panel 220 of the LACU 200) can act as a baffle for the airflow, and in some embodiments, the liquid to air heat exchanger may not include a baffle.

[0077] In some cases, the size and location of the liquid-to-air heat exchanger can be designed to maximize the air flow through the heat exchanger. For example, the rate of heat transfer from the liquid to the air along the liquid-to-air heat exchanger can be increased by increasing the surface area of ​​the heat exchanger. Increasing the surface area of ​​the liquid-to-air heat exchanger can include maximizing the surface area exposed to the air flow by positioning the heat exchanger at an inclined angle relative to the direction of air flow. The surface area of ​​the heat exchanger can be minimized when the heat exchange surface of the heat exchanger is perpendicular to the air flow. Figure 8As shown, the LAHX 202 can be positioned along an axis B. Axis B can be disposed at an inclined angle C at a first side relative to the first side panel 220a of the LACU 200. In the illustrated embodiment, angle C is approximately 22.5 degrees. In certain embodiments, the angle between the heat exchanger and the side panel of the liquid to air heat exchanger can be between 20-30 degrees, between approximately 30-40 degrees, between approximately 40-50 degrees, or up to 90 degrees. In certain cases, the angle of the heat exchanger relative to the side panel can decrease as the depth of the liquid to air cooling unit increases. As shown in FIG. Figure 6 As shown, for example, LAHX 202 may also span the height within cabinet 201, between plate 604 at the top of RPU 204 and plate 606 at the bottom of power supply unit 236. In other embodiments, the heat exchanger may span other heights within the cooling unit, including, for example, when the RPU occupies a greater height (e.g., 8U).

[0078] The bracket for securing the heat exchanger within the cooling unit cabinet can be used to mount the heat exchanger at different points of the heat exchanger. In some examples, the bracket for the heat exchanger can be a sheet metal bracket and can be bent to accommodate different mounting angles (e.g., angle C) of the heat exchanger relative to the side panel of the cooling unit. For example, Figure 8 As further shown, the first mounting bracket 506a can fix the LAHX 202 to the cabinet 201 at the side of the LACU 200 including the first side panel 220a, and the second mounting bracket 506b can fix the LAHX 202 to the cabinet 201 at the second side of the LACU 200 corresponding to the second side panel 220b. Depending on the width of the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger can be installed at different positions along the corresponding side, and the mounting brackets 506a, 506b can be deformed to fix the heat exchanger at a desired angle within the cabinet 201.

[0079] Fig.10 2 is a partial rear view of LACU 200 showing components within the top portion of LACU 200. As described above, LACU 200 may include an air bleed valve 322 that may be fluidly isolated from the liquid cooling circuit during normal operation of LACU 200. As shown, air bleed valve 322 may be secured to cabinet 201 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 1 ) by mounting bracket 323. Figure 5318). As shown, the hose 324 can extend downward (e.g., can be suspended from the bracket 323) and can include a quick connect fitting 1002 at the end of the hose. The quick connect fitting 1002 can be a female quick connect fitting and can be connected to either of the liquid ports 316, 318. For example, when exhausting air along the liquid cooling circuit, one or more connections from the fill / drain hose 320 can be disconnected from the corresponding liquid ports 316, 318, and the quick connect fitting 1002 of the air exhaust valve 322 can be connected to the corresponding liquid ports 316, 318 to exhaust air therefrom. In certain embodiments, the air exhaust valve can be fluidly connected to the liquid cooling circuit during its operation and can be operated to continuously exhaust air from its hose.

[0080] As described above, the components of the liquid-to-air cooling unit can be redundant and hot-swappable, which can minimize disruption to the operation of the cooling unit in the event of a single component failure. Thus, the hot-swappable elements of the cooling unit can include features that facilitate insertion and removal of the corresponding components. For example, Fig.12 1 is a partial front isometric view of the LACU 1200 illustrating mechanical features that facilitate insertion and removal of components of the LACU 200. For example, as shown, each pump cassette 210a, 210b can include a cassette handle 1202 to provide an operator with a gripping point for removing or installing the corresponding pump cassette from or into the RPU 204. In some examples, the pump cassette can include multiple handles to provide gripping locations for the operator's hands. For example, in some cases, the cassette of the RPU can include features for locking the cassette in place or unlocking the cassette for removal. Fig.12 As further shown, each pump cassette 210a, 210b can include a locking knob 1204 that, when rotated in a first direction (e.g., clockwise), can engage a locking mechanism of the RPU to lock the corresponding cassette 210a, 210b in place within the RPU. The locking knob 1204 can be rotated in a second direction (e.g., counterclockwise) opposite the first direction to disengage the locking mechanism and allow movement of the pump cassette 210a, 210b relative to the RPU 204. Fig.12 As further shown, the fans 206 of the LACU 200 may include a fan handle 1208 to provide a gripping location to allow an operator to remove the corresponding fan 206 .

[0081] like Fig.12As further shown, the hot-swappable control modules 214a, 214b may also include a cartridge support feature to facilitate removal and installation of the respective control modules 214a, 214b. As shown, each control module 214a, 214b may include an engagement tab 1206. The engagement tab 1206 may provide an operator with a gripping location (e.g., a handle) to install or remove the respective control module 214a, 214b to the RPU 204. In addition, the engagement tab 1206 may include a retaining feature to secure the respective control module 214a, 214b in place within the RPU 204. For example, a protrusion (not shown) of the grip tab may snap into the engagement geometry of the RPU 204 to secure the control module 214a, 214b in place after insertion. To disengage the protrusion from the RPU 204 and allow removal of the corresponding control module 214a, 214b, the operator can move the corresponding engagement tab 1206 in a vertical direction (e.g., along the height of the LACU 200), and then can pull the engagement tab 1210 to remove the control module 214a, 214b. In other embodiments, other retaining mechanisms can be used to secure the control module in place.

[0082] Fig.13 A manifold is shown, which may be an inlet manifold 302 or an outlet manifold 344 (eg, a supply or return manifold), such as Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown. Fig.13 In the illustrated embodiment, the manifold 1300 is oriented in a downward direction relative to the cabinet, which may allow a hose 1302 from the electrical equipment cabinet to pass through a cutout in the bottom of the cabinet or through a Figure 2 The cutout 224 of the side panel 220 is shown for routing. As shown, the elbow connection 1304 extends from the left side of the manifold. For an inlet manifold (e.g., Figure 3 13. Manifold 302 is shown, elbow connector 1304 connects hose 1306 to the manifold, which directs the coolant to a heat exchanger (e.g., Figure 3 LAHX 202 is shown. When manifold 1300 is an outlet (eg, supply) manifold, elbow connections 1304 and hoses 1306 fluidly connect manifold 1300 to a filter assembly of a liquid-to-air cooling unit (eg, Figure 3 1300). On the right side of the manifold 1300 shown (i.e., to the right relative to the drawing), a cover 1308 is provided to prevent fluid from flowing out of the right end of the manifold 1300. Although the manifold 1300 is shown with the hose 1302 extending downward (e.g., a bottom feed configuration), the manifold 1300 can be positioned so that the hose 1302 can extend upward from the manifold. To reverse the orientation, the manifold 1300 can be removed from the cabinet that secures the manifold 1302 to the cabinet (e.g., Figure 3The manifold 1300 may be rotated and reinstalled in the bracket 1310, with the side of the manifold 1300 previously shown on the right being positioned on the left and the side of the manifold previously shown on the left being reinstalled on the right. Once so positioned, the cover 1308 may be relocated to the opposite side of the manifold 1300 and the elbow connector 1304 may be relocated to the opposite side of the manifold. The hose 306 may then be extended downward and the hose 1302 may be extended upward relative to the cabinet (e.g., the hose may be Figure 2 in the top feed configuration of cabinet 201 shown).

[0083] It may be advantageous to measure one or more fluid properties at a manifold that includes an inlet and an outlet manifold. For example, a first temperature at the inlet manifold may indicate the heat of the fluid being returned from the electrical device, while a temperature measured at a second manifold may indicate the heat of the fluid being supplied to cool the electrical device. The difference between the first temperature and the second temperature may indicate the overall cooling efficiency of the cooling unit and may be provided to a control system of the unit (e.g., as described below) to allow control of components of the cooling unit to achieve a desired value (e.g., a set point) of the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet. As shown, the manifold 1300 may include a sensor module 1312 (e.g., similar or identical to Figure 3 The sensor modules 307, 345 shown are positioned along the flow path of the fluid in the liquid cooling circuit. In some examples, as described, the sensor module 1312 may include a temperature sensor. In some cases, the sensor module may additionally or alternatively measure other characteristics of the fluid in the liquid cooling circuit, such as flow rate, pressure, density, chemical composition, etc. In some embodiments, sensors may be provided at different points in the fluid flow path of the liquid cooling circuit and may serve as inputs or target values ​​for the control system of the cooling unit.

[0084] A filter assembly for a cooling unit may include features that provide redundancy of components of the filter assembly and indicate components of the filter assembly that require maintenance. For example, Fig.14 and Fig.15 Further described is a filter assembly 340 according to some embodiments. Fig.14As shown, the filter assembly 340 can be fixed to the cabinet 201 by a metal plate bracket 1402 fixed to the mounting rod 502 of the cabinet 201. As shown, the pipe of the filter assembly 340 can define a main flow path 1406 and a secondary flow path 1408. The inlet valve 1410 can define the inlet of the main flow path 1406 and the secondary flow path 1408 respectively. The outlet valve 1412 can define an outlet for discharging fluid from the main flow path 1406 and the secondary flow path 1408 respectively. The valves 1410, 1412 can include a handle 1414 to allow the valve to be moved between respective first positions, second positions, and third positions, in which the flow can only pass through the main flow path 1406; in the second position, the fluid flow can only pass through the secondary flow path 1408; and in the third position, the fluid flow does not pass through the main flow path 1406 or the secondary flow path 1408. In some embodiments, one or both of the valves 1410, 1412 can be electronically controlled (e.g., by a linear actuator, a servo motor, etc.) without manual operation. In some embodiments, valves 1412, 1418 are ball valves. In some embodiments, valves 1412, 1410 can be any known valves having fluid flow directing capabilities as described. In some cases, as shown, the main flow path 1406 does not include a bend (e.g., the fluid flows in a straight line from valve 1410 to valve 1412), while the secondary flow path 1408 includes one or more bends 1415 in its conduit. Therefore, the secondary flow path 1408 can introduce a greater fluid pressure drop than the main flow path 1406.

[0085] like Fig.14 and Fig.15 As further shown, the main flow path 1406 can include a main filter 342 and the secondary flow path can include a secondary fluid filter 1416 for removing particulate matter and impurities from the corresponding flow path 1406, 1408. In some cases, particulate matter can accumulate in the corresponding filter 342, 1416, and the filter must be removed for maintenance. In order to maintain one of the filters 342, 1416, the operator can move the valve (e.g., via the handle 1414) to a position that allows fluid to pass through the flow path 1406, 1408 that does not include the filter to be maintained. Then, while the filter is being maintained, the fluid can flow through the other filter 342, 1416, so that maintenance on the filter does not cause downtime for the LACU 200.

[0086] In some cases, a filter assembly may include features that detect the condition of the filter (e.g., indicating a need for filter maintenance). For example, when particulate matter accumulates within a filter, fluid flow through the filter may become restricted and the pressure upstream of the filter may be greater than the pressure downstream of the filter. Thus, measuring the pressure upstream and downstream of the filter may allow a control system or operator to determine a pressure drop across the filter, which may indicate a need for filter maintenance when the pressure drop exceeds a threshold. In this regard, Fig.14 and Fig.15 A differential pressure sensor 1430 is illustrated that is provided along the fluid cooling circuit. The differential pressure sensor 1430 can measure the pressure difference between the upstream port 1432 and the downstream port 1434. The upstream port 1432 can be located upstream of the main flow path 1406 and the secondary flow path 1408, and the downstream port 1434 can be located downstream of the main flow path 1406 and the secondary flow path 1408. In some embodiments, as shown, a hose 1436 can be connected to the upstream port 1432 and the downstream port 1434 by a quick disconnect fitting to facilitate maintenance and replacement of the differential pressure sensor 1430. Therefore, the differential pressure sensor 1430 can be removed and reinstalled without the use of tools and without causing interference or interruption to system operation. The differential pressure sensor can be operatively connected to the control system of the LACU 200, and the control system can provide an indication (e.g., an alarm, a message, a visual indication, etc.) to the operator indicating that one or more filters 342, 1416 require maintenance.

[0087] In some embodiments, each pressure regulating system of a liquid to air thermal cooling device can provide redundancy for the system and can be operated without causing downtime of the device to allow maintenance or replacement of one pressure regulating system. Fig.16 describes a LACU 1600 that can be used with Figure 2-12 The LACU 200 shown is substantially similar. However, as shown, the LACU includes two expansion tanks 1626. The expansion tanks 1626 can be filled to a rated pressure (e.g., 1 bar) separately and can be connected to the piping of the LACU 1600 via quick disconnect fittings. Thus, one of the expansion tanks 1626 can be removed for maintenance or replacement (e.g., by disconnecting the fitting from the tank 1626 without tools), while the other expansion tank 1626 can continue to regulate the pressure within the LACU 1600. In some embodiments, the LACU can include more than two expansion tanks, or only one expansion tank, or no expansion tanks. In some cases, only one expansion tank 1626 is connected to the liquid cooling circuit at a given time, and when the connection of the other expansion tank 1626 is removed, the operator can manually connect the spare expansion tank 1626 to the liquid cooling circuit (e.g., at the liquid port 1602).

[0088] Fig.17 and Fig.18 Further shown is the LAHX 202. The LAHX includes a front surface 1702 and a rear surface 1704, each of which can define a rectangular surface that, when installed, can span the width of the LACU 200, as described above. The area of ​​these surfaces 1702, 1704 can provide an interface at which heat can be transferred from the liquid coils 314 within the LAHX 202 to the surrounding air. Fig.17 and Fig.18 Portions of the liquid cooling coils 314 are shown protruding from the sides of the LAHX 202 , and the combination of the overall length of the coils 314 and the surface area of ​​the coils 314 exposed to the surrounding air maximizes the cooling efficiency of the LAHX 202 .

[0089] Fig.19 and Fig. 20 1900 is a single fan module. The fan module 1900 may be used with Figure 2 1900 is substantially the same as (e.g., identical to) the fan 206 shown in FIG. 1900. As shown, the fan module 1900 may include an impeller 1902 mounted on the back of the fan module 1900. The fan module 1900 may include a handle (e.g., Fig.12 ), to facilitate insertion of the fan module 1900 into a liquid to air cooling unit (e.g., Figure 2-12 200 shown in FIG. 19 ) and removed therefrom. The fan module 1900 may also include one or more blind-mate connectors 1904 to engage the corresponding electrical connections and interfaces of the LACU. The fan module 1900 may be a hot-swappable fan module and may be replaced during operation of the LACU. In some cases, the fan module includes a sensor (not shown) for sensing the properties of the air or ambient air passing through the fan. For example, the fan module may include a flow sensor to measure air flow, a temperature sensor, and / or a humidity sensor. In addition, the fan module may include a fan controller to control operational aspects of the fan (e.g., fan speed). The controller of the fan may receive instructions from the main controller of the cooling unit (e.g., via a wired or wireless connection, Modbus, Ethernet, etc.). When the controller of the fan is not connected to the main controller, the fan controller may operate the fan according to a preprogrammed algorithm to maintain speed, increase speed, decrease speed, or stop the impeller of the fan.

[0090] Fig.21 A control unit 2100 for a LACU is shown (eg, with Figure 2 and Fig.12As shown, the control unit 2100 may include two compartments 2102a, 2102b for accommodating two independent control modules 2104a, 2104b (e.g., Figure 2 and Fig.12 The control module 2100 may be similar or identical to the control modules 214a, 214b shown in FIG. 2 ), which may also be referred to as a controller box. The control unit 2100 may be sized and configured to receive a slot of an RPU (e.g., Figure 2 and Fig.12 2104a, 2104b may include blind-mate connectors (not shown) that may engage with corresponding electrical connections of the RPU when the control unit 2100 is installed therein. In some embodiments, the control modules 2104a, 2104b are identical and may provide identical controls for the LACU. In some embodiments, the electronic components of the LACU (e.g., Figure 2 The fan 206 and RPU 204 shown in the figure can be controlled by one of the control modules 2104a, 2104b. In some embodiments, the control modules 2104a, 2104b include a failover function, so when one of the control modules 2104a, 2104b is removed from the control unit 2100, the other of the control modules 2104a, 2104b takes over the control of the electrical components of the LACU. In some embodiments, the system state can be continuously synchronized between the control modules 2104a, 2104b to facilitate failover when one of the control modules 2104a, 2104b fails or is replaced. In some examples, each control module 2104a, 2104b can provide a different operating mode or different control logic for the LACU, and providing two controller units can allow the user to select a specific control module 2104a, 2104b to use when providing the control unit 2100 in the system. Alternatively, in some embodiments, one controller of the control module can provide basic functions, while the controller in the other compartment provides functional expansion of a specific application or an attached box unit embodiment. As shown in the figure, an interface board 2106 for input and output can also be provided in the control unit 2100 for connecting power supplies, fans, pumps and sensors. These interfaces can connect the controllers of the corresponding control modules 2104a, 2104b to the pumps and fans of the liquid to air cooling unit (i.e., the attached box unit), and the controller can adjust the speed of the fan or the speed of the motor of the pump according to the system parameters, as described below.

[0091] A power supply unit may be provided for the LACU (e.g. Figure 2) to provide power to the electronic components of the LACU at a specific voltage and specific power characteristics (e.g., frequency, current, voltage, etc.). Fig. 22 The power supply unit 226 is shown mounted on top of the LACU 200. Fig.23 A power supply unit 226 is shown. The power supply unit may include functions and systems that provide redundancy and resilience for the LACU or other electronic equipment cabinets that may be powered by it. For example, as shown, the power supply unit 226 includes a plurality of (e.g., 6) hot-swappable power modules 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d, 230e. In some cases, each power supply module 230 may be a 3kW power supply module. In other embodiments, the power supply module may provide a power of approximately 1kW, 2kW, 4kW, or 5kW.

[0092] In some examples, a LACU (e.g., Figure 2-12 The LACU 200 shown in FIG. 200 may be operated with a threshold number of power modules in operation. For example, the LACU may require at least one power module, at least two operating power modules, at least three operating power modules, at least four operating power modules, at least five operating power modules, etc. Thus, the LACU may include Figure 2-12 The system of the LACU 200 shown in FIG. 2 can withstand the loss of one or more power modules 230 without stopping the operation of the LACU 200, as long as the number of operating power modules 230 exceeds a minimum threshold. As shown, each power module 230 can include a handle 2304 to facilitate easy removal and installation of the power module 230 within the power unit 226. As further shown, a controller module 2302 can be provided in the power unit, and an interface (e.g., an Ethernet connection, a USB connection, etc.) for wired connection to the power unit can be provided. In some cases, the controller module 2302 can include a controller for controlling the operating mode of the power modules 230 of the power unit, and an interface can be provided to allow a user to set the operating mode of the power unit 226.

[0093] In some cases, each power module of the power supply unit can be connected to (eg, can receive power from) each power inlet of a pair of redundant power inlets (eg, Fig.10 For example, all of the power modules 230a, 230b, 230c, 230d, 230e, 230f may be connected to a first power inlet and a second power inlet (eg, Fig.10350 shown in FIG. 1 ). In some cases, the first power supply can be prioritized so that each of the power modules 230a-f receives power from the first power inlet when the first power supply is available, and receives power from the second power inlet only when the first power inlet is unavailable. In some examples, a single power module can prioritize different power inlets as the primary power inlet for the power module. For example, power modules 230a-f can each be connected to the first power inlet and the second power inlet, and power modules 230a, 230b, 230c can prioritize power from the first power inlet, while power modules 230d, 230e, 230f can prioritize power provided by the second power inlet. In this configuration, if either the first power inlet or the second power inlet fails or is disconnected, all of the power modules can receive power from the other (e.g., operational) power inlet. In some cases, a power inlet (e.g., Fig.10 The power inlet 350 shown in FIG. 1 receives three-phase power, and the power modules can filter the signals received from the inlet to process only single-phase AC power from a given power inlet. For example, power module 230a can be connected to a first phase of AC power from a first power inlet, power module 230b can be connected to a second phase of AC power from the first power inlet, and power module 230c can be connected to a third phase of AC power from the first power inlet. In some cases, the phases of the AC power can be balanced between the power modules of the power supply unit. In some cases, each power supply unit can convert the AC power received from the inlet into DC power to power components of the cooling unit (e.g., Figure 2 200 shown in FIG. 1 ). Other configurations are possible, and the power supply unit may include more than 6 power supply modules or less than 6 power supply modules. Furthermore, in some cases, the liquid to air cooling unit may include multiple power supply units.

[0094] Fig.24 2400 for a liquid to air cooling unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. The interface board 2400 may include sensors for the liquid to air cooling unit (e.g., Fig. 27A and 27B of the sensor list). The board can have a 1Gbe network interface 2402 for connecting to other components in the data center, which can be accessed by the user through the LCD output 2404 provided on the unit or through the network interface. In addition to the Ethernet connection 2402 described above, the interface board can also have a port 2406 for receiving sensor data, including analog or digital data. Board 2400 can provide monitoring functions for monitoring the comparison of sensor values ​​with set values ​​and providing alarms when the sensor values ​​exceed the safe operating area defined by the system. As shown, the interface provides three sensor management ports 2406, each port 2406 is capable of monitoring up to 16 sensor devices. For example, the total length of the cable connected to each port can be 40 meters. The interface board can support a variety of industry standard protocols for communication and alarms, such as SNMP, SMTP, HTTPS, BACnet, Modbus / TCP and HPI. The interface board can include a USB port 2408 and analog and digital input ports to directly read sensors, such as sensors with an output of 10 volts. In addition to monitoring physical parameters such as temperature, humidity, smoke, door status or water intrusion, the Management Gateway can also monitor rack coolers and in-row coolers with plug-and-play installation. Setup of the Management Gateway, including security features, sensor configuration, user management, alarm and log management, can be done through the built-in web interface. Primary access to the Interface Board 2400 is through the 1 GBE network interface, supporting industry standard protocols such as SNMP, SMTP, HTTPS, BACnet, Modbus / TCP and HPI.

[0095] Fig.25 is a system diagram of a liquid to air cooling unit 2500, which includes an RPU 2501, which provides a closed loop circulation when connected to a server unit or other electrical component that requires cooling. The liquid to air cooling unit 2500 can be used with the above Figure 2-12 The system includes a liquid return manifold 2502 (e.g., an inlet, similar to Figure 3 ), wherein a first sensor module 2504 is provided, including a temperature liquid return sensor 2506 and a pressure liquid return sensor 2507. In some embodiments, the first sensor module 2504 is located on the inlet manifold 2502 (for example, the first sensor module can be included in the sensor 1312 mounted on the manifold 1300, as shown in FIG. Fig.13 In other embodiments, the sensor module for sensing the properties of the liquid along the return path may be located anywhere in the LACU upstream of the heat exchanger fluid of the LACU. The return liquid enters the LAHX 2508 (e.g., similar to Figure 32508 ), which may include a top air temperature sensor 2510 for measuring the air temperature along the top of the LAHX 2508, and a bottom air temperature sensor 2512 for measuring the air temperature along the bottom of the LAHX 2508.

[0096] LACU 2500 may include a plurality of fan modules 2514 (e.g., Figure 2 206 ), in the illustrated embodiment, includes 14 fan modules 2514, each module including a single fan. In some embodiments, the LACU may include more or fewer fan modules. Some embodiments may include fan modules with one, two, or four fans. Each fan module 2514 placed next to the LAHX 2508 may include three sensors, including a fan speed sensor 2516, an air temperature sensor 2518, and an air humidity sensor 2520. The fan module 2414 can generate an air flow 2515 through the LAHX 2508 to cool the liquid flowing through the LAHX 2508. The cooled liquid flowing out of the LAHX 2508 can be passed toward the RPU 2501 through one or more external bladder expansion tanks 2522 to accommodate any thermal expansion of the air, liquid, or fluid in the system. The properties of the liquid entering the RPU 2501 are sensed by the RPU suction temperature sensor 2524 and the RPU suction pressure sensor 2526. In some cases, as shown, the RPU 2501 may include an internal bladder expansion tank 2528 to accommodate any thermal expansion of the air, liquid, or fluid in the RPU 2501. The liquid of the system passes through one or both of a pair of pump boxes 2530 in the RPU 2501. In some embodiments, the pump boxes (e.g., pump box 2530) may each include a pump speed sensor. The liquid may flow out of the pump box 2530 and pass through additional sensor modules, including a supply liquid temperature sensor 2532, a liquid supply flow sensor 2534. A second sensor module 2535 may be located downstream of the pump box 2530 and may include a liquid temperature sensor 2536 and a liquid pressure sensor 2538. In some cases, the temperature difference between the supply liquid temperature measured at the liquid temperature sensor 2506 and the return liquid temperature measured at the liquid temperature sensor 2536 may be calculated. Similarly, the pressure difference between the supply liquid pressure measured at the pressure sensor 2507 and the return liquid pressure measured at 2538 may be calculated. Although in the illustrated embodiment, the second sensor module 2535 is located in the RPU, in other embodiments, the liquid return sensor module (e.g., the second sensor module 2535) is positioned at the outlet of the cabinet of the LACU (e.g., along the Fig.25In some embodiments, the control system of RPU 2501 is located on RPU 2501. In some cases, the control module of RPU 2501 can provide control signals to fan module 2514 to control the rotation of its fan. In some cases, each pump box 2530 can include a local controller for controlling various aspects of the corresponding pump of the pump box. Using the various sensors described herein, the control system can control the speed of the pump and / or fan to achieve the target value for cooling fluid in the system.

[0097] Liquid may flow from RPU 2501 through filter assembly 2540, which may filter the fluid along either or both of primary filter 2542 of primary flow path 2544 or secondary filter 2546 of secondary flow path 2548. Valves 2550 (e.g., three-way valves) may be provided at the inlet and outlet of the primary flow path and the secondary flow path to selectively allow fluid to pass through either or both of the primary flow path 2544 and the secondary flow path 2548 (e.g., Fig.14 and Fig.15 The differential pressure sensor 2552 can sense the pressure difference between the fluid upstream of the main flow path and the secondary flow path 2544, 2548 and the fluid downstream of the main flow path and the secondary flow path 2544, 2548. The pressure difference sensed by the differential pressure sensor 2552 exceeding the differential pressure threshold can indicate that maintenance is required for one or more of the filters 2542, 2546. The fluid can flow from the filter assembly 2540 to the return manifold 2554 to cool the electrical equipment downstream of the LACU 2500.

[0098] Fig.2626 is a system diagram of a liquid to air cooling unit 2600 connected to a water source, such as a pressurized water source for a building. The system includes a liquid return line 2602 that passes through a sensor module 2604 that includes a pressure liquid supply sensor 2606 and a temperature liquid supply sensor 2608. The liquid passes through a three-way motorized valve 2610 before entering a heat exchanger 2612 with a temperature air warm top sensor 2614 and a temperature air warm bottom sensor 2616. The heat exchanger also includes a pressure differential air cold to hot sensor 2618. The liquid to air heat exchanger 2612 may include seven fan modules 2620. Some embodiments may include fan modules with one, two, or four fans. Each fan module 2620 placed next to the heat exchanger 2612 may include three sensors, including a fan speed sensor, a temperature air cold sensor, and a humidity cold air sensor. The sensed parameters can be analyzed by the control system to calculate multiple parameters such as temperature air cold top, average fan speed, temperature air cold average, humidity cold air average, temperature air cold bottom and temperature difference warm to cold. The liquid leaves the heat exchanger 2612 and flows through a final set of sensors 2622, including a liquid flow sensor 2624 and a temperature liquid return sensor 2626. Additional parameters that can be calculated include the supply-return temperature difference and the current cooling performance. The system can also include a condensate pump 2628, whose status can be monitored by calculating the above parameters, and whose status can be controlled using a condensate level switch 2630.

[0099] In some cases, control systems and processes may be implemented by a controller for a cooling system to achieve a desired cooling rate, maintain operating parameters of the cooling unit within a threshold range, achieve power efficiency, etc. For example, with specific reference to Fig.25 , the controller can provide a signal to the fan 2514 to increase the air flow through the heat exchanger 2508 to achieve a target outlet temperature of the fluid of the LACU 2500. In addition, or alternatively, the speed of one or more pumps 2530 can be adjusted to induce a target pressure or pressure difference in the system, or to achieve a temperature or temperature difference measured at different points in the liquid cooling circuit. In some cases, the fan 2514 and the pump 2530 can be independently controlled to achieve different set points for the operating parameters of the LACU 2500. In some cases, the fan 2514 and the pump 2530 can be coordinated. In some cases, one of the pumps or fans can be controlled to operate at a set value (e.g., fan speed or pump speed) that does not change to achieve a target for the operating parameters of the LACU.

[0100] Actuators (e.g. Fig.25The fan 2514 and pump 2530 of the LACU 2500 shown in FIG. 25 can be controlled according to proportional integral derivative control to achieve corresponding set points of operating parameters. For example, a controller (e.g., Figure 2 and Fig.12 The controller of the control modules 214a, 214b shown in FIG. Figures 29A-29C The main controller shown in , or Fig.31 The "control unit" of the system 3100, "controller 1" or "controller 2"), can program the operating range of the operating parameters of the LACU (e.g., Figures 30A-1 to 30B-2 ), set points for operating parameters, and gains for one or more PID controllers implemented by the controller. The operating parameters, set points, and gains may be pre-programmed in the memory of the controller or may be set by a user at an input interface of the controller (e.g., a graphical user interface, a network interface, a command line interface, an Ethernet interface, a Modbus interface, etc.). The controller may implement PID control to vary the input to an actuator (e.g., a pump as shown, which may be Figure 2 One or more pumps contained in the cassettes 210a, 210b shown in FIG. Fig.25 The pump 2530 shown in FIG. 25 is an input to the pump 2530 to achieve a set point (e.g., a target value) of the feedback sensor measurement. The feedback sensor measurement can be returned to the controller, which can determine the error relative to the desired set point based on the measurement and can output a signal to the actuator to adjust its operation (e.g., pump speed). This process can be implemented continuously and can iteratively measure a value, compare the measurement to a set point (e.g., calculate an error), and generate a signal to the actuator to produce the desired output of the feedback sensor.

[0101] like Fig. 27 As further shown, the PID control implemented by the controller can be used to operate one or more pumps as actuators (e.g., Fig.25 Pump 2530 shown in, or Figure 2 In some embodiments, the pump can be operated according to one of three operating modes, as shown, each operating mode corresponding to a given sensor or group of sensors of the system. For example, in Mode 1, as shown, the pump can be operated to achieve supply and return of liquid to the air cooling unit (e.g., Fig.25 The target value for the differential pressure between the inlet and outlet of the LACU 2500 is shown in Fig.25, in Mode 1, the target value can be the difference between the pressure measured at pressure sensor 2507 (e.g., inlet or return pressure) and the pressure measured at pressure sensor 2538 (e.g., outlet or supply pressure). The controller can provide a signal (e.g., to a variable frequency drive of one or more pumps) to increase the pump speed or decrease the pump speed to achieve the pressure difference. In some cases, Mode 1 is the default operating mode of the liquid to air cooling unit. In some cases, an operator (e.g., a user) can select a mode (e.g., including Mode 1) to operate the control system to control the pump speed of the system.

[0102] In some cases, the mode of the controller depends at least in part on the liquid to air cooling unit (e.g. Figure 2-12 LACU 200 shown, Fig.25 2500, etc.). For example, if a feedback sensor for a given PID control or PID control mode is inoperable or unable to communicate with the controller, the controller may switch to another mode to implement PID control to achieve set points for different operating parameters of the cooling unit. For example, if one or both of sensors 2507, 2538 are inoperable, the controller may not be able to implement mode 1 as shown, and the controller may automatically switch to another operating mode to implement PID control (e.g., mode 2 or 3). For example, the controller may switch to mode 2 to control the speed of pump 2530 to achieve a set value for the flow rate of liquid through LACU 2500, which may be measured, for example, by flow sensor 2534. When neither mode 1 or 2 is feasible, such as when any one or all of sensors 2507, 2538, 2534 are operable, the controller may implement PID control according to mode 3 to achieve a temperature difference between the inlet and outlet (e.g., reflux and supply) of LACU 2500, which may be measured, for example, as a difference between the temperatures received by temperature sensor 2506 and temperature sensor 2536, respectively. In some cases, either Mode 2 or 3 may be the primary or default mode, with the controller switching to the other corresponding mode when unavailable (e.g., failure of the feedback sensor for the primary mode or lack of communication). In some cases, additional modes may be implemented to achieve a set point for any measurement or difference between measurements.

[0103] A controller for a liquid-to-air cooling unit (e.g., any or all of LACU 100, 200, 1600, 2500) may implement a PID controller using components other than pumps as actuators. For example, Fig.28 Shown for Figure 1 , 2- A feedback control system for any of the liquid to air cooling units 100, 200, 2500 or 2600 shown in -12, 25 and 26, wherein a controller for the corresponding LACU controls the speed of one or more fans of the LACU to achieve a set point of the feedback sensor value. Fig.28 The feedback control system shown can be used as Fig. 27 As shown, a fan (e.g., Figure 2 The fan 206 shown, or Fig.25 The fan 2514 shown can be controlled in any of modes 1-3 to achieve the output temperature of the liquid cooling loop. For example, mode 1 can rely on temperature sensor 2536 as a feedback sensor, mode 2 can rely on temperature sensor 2532 as a feedback sensor, and mode 3 can rely on temperature sensor 2524 as a feedback sensor. Fig. 27 and 28 The modes of one or both of the feedback control systems shown are provided for illustration only and should not be considered limiting.

[0104] Figures 29A-29C The controller and the interface board connected to the controller and the RPU (e.g. Figure 2 An embodiment of a pump box having an RPU 204 is shown, showing an electrical schematic diagram of a controller microprocessor, including various inputs to the microprocessor and various outputs from an interface board and interface board ports.

[0105] Figure 30A-1 to Figure 30B-2 Lists examples of various sensors that can be included in a control system. A subset of these sensors are used to monitor and control liquid to air cooling units or liquid to air heat exchangers. The sensors can be connected to the control system and support communication with the control system firmware. Feedback control systems can use a smaller subset of sensors, including Fig.25 and 26 . Many sensors are used for information only, for example, to determine if certain temperatures are too high or if certain fan or pump speeds are too low. In some embodiments, active operation relies on only two sensors for the pump control loop and the fan control loop. Some sensors may be redundant so that in the event of a sensor failure, the system continues to operate using a backup sensor.

[0106] Fig.31 A control system 3100 is shown for any or all of the LACUs 100, 200, 1600, or 2500 described above. The control system 3100 may be used to implement Fig. 27 and 28 One or both of the feedback control systems shown, and Fig.33As shown in the figure, the control system 3100 may include an RPU (e.g., Figure 1 The RPU 104 shown, Figure 2 The RPU 204 shown, Fig.25 RPU 2501 shown), fan modules (for example, Figure 1 One or more fans 106 are shown, Figure 2 The fan 206 shown, Fig.25 The sensor module of the control system 3100 may include a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, a humidity sensor, or other known types of sensors. For example, the sensor module may include Fig.25 Any or all of the sensors 2506, 2507, 2510, 2512, 2518, 2520, 2516, 2524, 2526, 2532, 2534, 2536, 2538, and 2552 of the illustrated LACU 2500. For purposes of illustration, only one fan module is shown, but it should be understood that the control system 3100 may include any number of fan modules and associated fans, e.g. Figure 2 and Fig.25 14 fans shown and described in.

[0107] The RPU may include one or more pump cassettes and a control unit. Although only one pump cassette is shown, the RPU may include different control components for multiple pump cassettes (e.g., 2 pump cassettes). The control unit may include two controllers: controller 1 and controller 2, which may be substantially identical or may include different programming to achieve different control of one or more elements of the cooling unit. In one example, controller 1 may be housed in control module 214a of LACU 200, such as Fig.12 As shown, the controller 2 may be housed in the control module 214b of the LACU 200, as shown in FIG. Fig.12 As shown. In some examples, the controllers of the control unit (e.g., controller 1 and controller 2 of the control unit shown) can operate in an active-passive mode, with only one controller being active at a particular time. For example, controller 1 can be configured as a primary controller, and controller 2 can be a secondary controller (e.g., a backup or standby controller), and in the event of a failure of controller 1, controller 2 switches to become the primary controller of the system. In other embodiments, the control unit of the cooling system can include only one controller, or more than two controllers.

[0108] As shown, the fan module may include a fan controller that can provide local control for individual fan modules (eg, as described in part in FIG. Fig.19 and Fig. 20 The fan module may also include a fan speed sensor (e.g., Fig.25 fan speed sensor 2516 as shown), humidity sensor (e.g., Fig.25 humidity sensor 2520) and a temperature sensor (e.g., Fig.25 Temperature sensor 2518 shown). Each of the fan speed sensor, humidity sensor, and temperature sensor can provide a measurement value to the fan controller. The fan module can also include a fan motor, as shown, which can receive a signal from the fan controller to drive the operation of the fan motor. As further shown, the fan controller can communicate with the control unit. In normal operation of the control system 3100, the fan controller can provide a sensed value from any of the sensors to the control unit (e.g., one or both of controller 1 and controller 2), and can receive a signal from the control unit to drive the operation of the fan motor. In other cases, including when communication between the fan module and the control unit is interrupted, the fan controller can autonomously control the speed of the fan motor according to instructions preprogrammed in the fan controller. In some examples, when the fan controller autonomously drives the fan motor, it can operate a feedback control system based on sensor parameters obtained from sensors of the fan module.

[0109] like Fig.31 As further shown, the pump cassette may include a pump cassette controller that may provide power to one or more pump drivers / motors (e.g., Fig.25 The pump cassette controller may provide control signals to the pump cassette controller (e.g., a motor of the pump 2530 shown) and cassette electronics (e.g., LEDs, fans, locking systems, servo motors, linear actuators, speakers, etc.). The pump cassette controller may receive a pump speed measurement signal from a pump drive / sensor, as shown. In some examples, the pump cassette may include additional sensing components to sense operating parameters of the pump cassette (e.g., from Fig.25 The pump cassette controller may communicate with the control unit (e.g., via a wired or wireless connection) and may receive instructions from one or both of controller 1 and controller 2 to drive the speed of the pump drive / motor and / or control cassette electronics. As described with respect to the fan controller, if communication between the control unit and the pump cassette controller is lost, the pump cassette controller may autonomously control elements of the pump cassette until connection with the control unit is restored. In some examples, each of controller 1, controller 2, the pump cassette controller, and the fan controller may be Fig.32 An example of controller 3200 is shown and is described below.

[0110] Back to Fig.31The control unit can communicate with the sensor module to receive the sensed values ​​of its sensors. The control unit can provide signals (e.g., instructions) to one or more of the fan controller and the pump box controller to implement a feedback control system (e.g., Fig. 27 and Fig.28 In some embodiments, the control unit can communicate directly with the sensors of the fan module and the pump box (e.g., the control unit can be directly connected to any or all of the fan speed sensor, humidity sensor, temperature sensor, etc.).

[0111] In some examples, communication between components of the control system 3100 may be performed via a wired connection (e.g., Modbus, Ethernet connection, USB connection, etc.). In some embodiments, communication between one or more elements of the control system may be performed via a wireless connection (e.g., Wi-Fi connection, cellular connection, etc.).

[0112] Fig.32 An example of a controller 3200 that can be used in a cooling system (e.g., LACU 100, 200, 1600, 2500) is shown. In some embodiments, the controller 3200 can be a programmable logic controller (PLC). In some embodiments, the controller 234 can include a processor, one or more input / output interfaces, a communication system, and a memory. In some embodiments, the processor can be any suitable hardware processor or processor combination, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. In some embodiments, the one or more input / output interfaces can include any suitable display device, such as a computer display, a touch screen, a television, any suitable input device and / or sensor, which can be used to receive user input, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, a microphone, a camera, etc. The input can be received on a display, and the display can present a user interface through which an operator can view system parameters and set control parameters (e.g., set an operating mode, define a set point for temperature or pressure, set a system language, etc.).

[0113] In some embodiments, the communication system of the controller 3200 may include any suitable hardware, firmware, and / or software for transmitting information via any suitable communication network. For example, the communication system may include one or more transceivers, one or more communication chips and / or chipsets, etc. In a more specific example, the communication system may include hardware, firmware, and / or software for establishing a Wi-Fi connection, a Bluetooth connection, a cellular connection, an Ethernet connection, etc. In some embodiments, input may be received at the controller 3200 via the communication system (e.g., via a communication network). For example, the controller 3200 may be a controller of a liquid-to-air cooling unit (e.g., LACU 100, 200, 1600, 2500), and an application programming interface, a command line interface, or a web page interface may be provided for the liquid-to-air cooling unit to allow an operator to remotely control the liquid-to-air cooling unit.

[0114] In some embodiments, the memory may include any suitable storage device or devices for storing instructions, values, etc., which may be used, for example, by a processor of the controller 3200 to implement control loops and algorithms, store logs of the controller 3200, etc. The memory may include any suitable volatile memory, non-volatile memory, storage device, or any suitable combination. For example, the memory may include a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), one or more flash drives, one or more hard disks, one or more solid-state drives, one or more optical drives, etc. In some embodiments, the memory may be encoded with a computer program for controlling the operation of the controller 3200.

[0115] Fig.33 An example process 3300 is shown that can be used by a control system of a liquid to air cooling unit (e.g., Fig.31 3100) shown in FIG. 3302. At block 3303, the process may select or switch an operating mode of a cooling unit (e.g., LACU 100, 200, 1600, or 2500). The operating mode may include system parameters for the operation of cooling unit components (e.g., maximum and minimum speeds of pumps and / or motors, primary and secondary controllers, temperature set points, temperature differentials, flows, pressures, differential pressures, etc.). As another example, the mode may include a mode of a feedback loop control program, such as with respect to Fig. 27 and Fig.28 In addition, in some cases, the operating mode may include one or more RPU pump modes (e.g., Fig.252503 of RPU 2501 shown in FIG. 2504 ). For example, the pumps may be operated in a parallel mode, with each pump operating to direct flow through the RPU of the LACU. Alternatively, the pumps of the RPU may be operated in an active / passive configuration, with one pump acting as the primary pump and the other pump being activated only when the primary pump is not operating. The operating mode may also include which controller of a pair of controllers is used (e.g., Fig.31 The control system of the LACU is implemented by using controllers 1 and 2 shown in FIG. 1 . In some examples, user input can be provided to select or switch the operating mode. In some cases, system parameters can determine the operating mode. For example, when the feedback sensor of the active PID control system fails, it is necessary to switch to the PID control of another feedback sensor, such as about Fig. 27 and Fig.28 described.

[0116] At block 3304, the system may receive target output values ​​and operating parameters. In some examples, this may include looking up in a database, or retrieving the values ​​and parameters from a memory operatively connected to a processor implementing process 3300. In some cases, an operator may be prompted for input to set one or more target output values ​​and operating parameters. In some cases, the operating values ​​and target parameters may be Figure 30A-1 to Figure 30B-2 The values ​​of the operation parameters listed in .

[0117] At block 3306, the system implementing process 3300 can measure the output at a target sensor. The target sensor can be a feedback sensor for a PID control implementation, such as Fig. 27 and Fig.28 In some cases, the target sensor may be a sensor for which an operating range has been set (e.g., the target may be a temperature sensor for which the system includes maximum and / or minimum values ​​for the sensor output). In some cases, the output of the target sensor is informational and may be provided to a user on a display or other interface of the liquid to air cooling unit.

[0118] At block 3308, the system implementing process 3300 can check whether the output matches the target. In some cases, the target is a target range of output values ​​(e.g., set at block 3304). In some cases, the target is a set point set by a PID controller for a target sensor output.

[0119] If the output matches the target value (e.g., the sensed temperature is within the target range, the temperature at the LACU outlet is equal to the temperature set point), process 3300 can return to block 3302 to monitor any updates to the system, which may require switching the operating mode of the system.

[0120] If at block 3308, the output does not match the target, such as when the sensor's measurement is outside a specified range or is not equal to a set value, the system can provide a signal to the actuator. The signal can include an instruction to increase or decrease the pump speed, such as Fig. 27 As described, or increasing or decreasing the speed of one or more fans, such as Fig.28 In some examples, when the output indicates that the measured value is outside the safe operating range, the signal may include shutting down or stopping the corresponding actuator (e.g., Fig.25 In other examples, the actuator may include a valve for selectively allowing or denying fluid flow through portions of the cooling unit (e.g., LACU 100, 200, 1600, 2500, etc.). In some cases, the signal may be calculated based on the output of a PID control, such as with respect to Fig. 27 and Fig.28 After providing the signal to the actuator, the system implementing process 3300 can return to block 3302 to continue monitoring the condition of the cooling system.

[0121] The foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments is intended to enable those skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but should be given the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A high-density liquid cooling system, comprising: a cabinet including side panels on opposite sides of the cabinet; a heat exchanger located within the cabinet, the heat exchanger being positioned at an oblique angle relative to the side panel, the heat exchanger being fluidly positioned along the liquid cooling circuit and including a fluid inlet for receiving fluid of the liquid cooling circuit; a fan assembly mounted at a front portion of the cabinet, the fan assembly comprising a plurality of fans configured to generate an airflow over a surface of the heat exchanger; A pumping unit is located in the cabinet, the pumping unit includes a control unit and a first pump for directing fluid flow of the liquid cooling circuit, the control unit includes a detachable first controller and a detachable second controller, and the control unit is in electronic communication with the first pump and at least one fan of the plurality of fans.

2. The high-density liquid cooling system of claim 1, further comprising: A filter assembly is located within the cabinet, the filter assembly is fluidically positioned along a liquid cooling loop and includes: First valve; Second valve; a main filter along a main flow path, the main flow path being defined by a first valve and a second valve; a secondary filter along a secondary flow path defined by the first valve and the second valve; a differential pressure sensor, wherein the differential pressure sensor is configured to sense a difference between a pressure upstream of the first filter and a pressure downstream of the filter, When the first valve and the second valve are in the first position, the fluid of the liquid cooling circuit flows through the main flow path, and when the first valve and the second valve are in the second position, the fluid of the liquid cooling circuit flows through the secondary flow path.

3. The high density liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein the first pump is located downstream of the heat exchanger.

4. The high density liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein the pumping unit comprises a second pump.

5. The high density liquid cooling system of claim 4, wherein each of the first pump and the second pump is disposed on the pump box and includes a blind-mate connector for connecting with a corresponding blind-mate connector of the pumping unit.

6. The high density liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein the first removable controller is housed in a first cartridge including an engagement tab, wherein displacement of the engagement tab disengages a retention feature of the pumping unit to allow removal of the first cartridge from the pumping unit.

7. The high-density liquid cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a power supply unit located in the cabinet, the power supply unit comprising a plurality of detachable power supply modules.

8. The high density liquid cooling system of claim 1, comprising a baffle disposed along one of the opposing sides of the cabinet.

9. The high density liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is a primary controller and the second controller is a backup controller.

10. The high density liquid cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a supply manifold and a return manifold, each of the supply manifold and the return manifold comprising at least two ports for fluidly connecting two hoses of the high density cooling system to the manifold.

11. The high density liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein the pumping unit is located in a bottom tank of the cabinet.

12. The high density liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein each fan of the plurality of fans comprises a handle and a blind-mate connector.

13. The high density liquid cooling system of claim 1, wherein the pumping unit has a height of 4 rack units.

14. The high density liquid cooling system of claim 1 further comprising a first expansion tank located upstream of the heat exchanger.

15. An in-row liquid cooling system comprising: a liquid-to-air heat exchanger positioned along the liquid cooling loop, the liquid-to-air heat exchanger comprising a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet; a pumping unit including a liquid pump configured to generate a fluid flow in a liquid coolant of the liquid cooling circuit; a fan configured to generate an air flow over a surface of the liquid to air heat exchanger; a first sensor configured to measure a first value of a first parameter of the liquid coolant; A second sensor is configured to measure a second value of a second parameter of the liquid coolant. a controller in electrical communication with each of the liquid pump, the fan, the first sensor, and the second sensor, the controller comprising a processor configured to: receiving a first value from a first sensor; receiving a second value from a second sensor; outputting a signal to the liquid pump to change a speed of the liquid pump based on a comparison of the first value with a target value of the first parameter; and Based on a comparison of the second value with a target value for the second parameter, a signal is output to the fan to change a speed of the fan.

16. The in-row liquid cooling system of claim 15, further comprising a third sensor configured to measure a third value of a third parameter of the liquid coolant, wherein the processor is further configured to: receiving a third value from a third sensor; detecting a loss of communication with the first sensor; and When a loss of communication with the first sensor is detected, a signal is output to the liquid pump to change a speed of the liquid pump based on a comparison of the third value with a target value of the third parameter.

17. The in-row liquid cooling system of claim 15, wherein the fan is one of a plurality of fans, each of the plurality of fans being configured to generate an air flow over a surface of a liquid to air heat exchanger.

18. A method of manufacturing and operating a cooling system, the method comprising: providing a housing including side panels at opposite lateral sides of the housing; mounting an air-to-liquid heat exchanger within the housing, the air-to-liquid heat exchanger being mounted at an oblique angle relative to the side panels; installing a replaceable pump unit in the housing, the replaceable pump unit comprising at least two pumps and a control unit comprising two detachable control modules; A fan assembly is installed at the front of the housing, wherein the fan assembly includes a plurality of detachable fans; fluidly connecting an air-to-liquid heat exchanger to at least one of the at least two pump cassettes; electronically coupling a first of the two removable control modules to at least one of the plurality of fans and to at least one of the at least two pumps; regulating air flow through the air-to-liquid heat exchanger using the at least one fan and in response to a signal from the first replaceable control module; Fluid flow through the air to liquid heat exchanger is regulated using the at least one pump and in response to a signal from the first replaceable control module.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising installing a power supply unit in the housing, the power supply unit comprising a plurality of detachable power modules.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising fluidly connecting a vent valve to the air to liquid heat exchanger at a fluid port of the air to liquid heat exchanger.

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