Methods, devices, and server systems for fault monitoring of liquid cooling systems

Abstract

This application provides a fault monitoring method, device, and server system for a liquid cooling system. The method includes: acquiring in real time the inlet temperature, outlet temperature, and flow rate of the coolant in the liquid cooling system, where the inlet temperature is the temperature at which the coolant enters the liquid cooling system and the outlet temperature is the temperature at which the coolant flows out of the liquid cooling system; calculating the current specific heat capacity of the coolant in the liquid cooling system based on the inlet temperature, outlet temperature, and flow rate; and issuing a first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is greater than or equal to a specific heat capacity threshold, to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant has deteriorated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of computers, and more specifically, to a method, apparatus, computer-readable storage medium, and server system for fault monitoring of a liquid cooling system. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most servers use air cooling design, with about 10-20% using cold plate liquid cooling design. The share of immersion and spray liquid cooling is almost negligible. Current air cooling design has relatively complete early warning and alarm systems, which can cover every aspect from the cold source to the temperature. However, for liquid cooling design, there are almost no monitoring items other than monitoring for leakage.

[0003] Currently, liquid cooling only monitors and predicts liquid leakage. It typically uses a leakage detection line. When leakage occurs, the liquid reaches the leakage detection line, causing a change in the line's voltage level. This voltage change is monitored by the BMC, which then issues warnings and alarms for the leakage.

[0004] It is evident that existing technologies cannot fully cover all types of faults in liquid cooling systems. They cannot capture a large number of alarm messages other than those related to leakage, and they also lack effective solutions for situations such as coolant deterioration. This is detrimental to the maintenance of liquid cooling systems, and users may only become aware of problems with the liquid cooling system after a real problem occurs, such as overheating or board burnout. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a method, apparatus, computer-readable storage medium, and server system for fault monitoring of a liquid cooling system, to at least solve the problem in the prior art that it is impossible to check the quality of the coolant without shutting down the system.

[0006] According to one embodiment of this application, a fault monitoring method for a liquid cooling system is provided, comprising: step S102, acquiring in real time the inlet temperature, outlet temperature, and flow rate of the coolant in the liquid cooling system, wherein the inlet temperature is the temperature at which the coolant enters the liquid cooling system, and the outlet temperature is the temperature at which the coolant flows out of the liquid cooling system; step S104, calculating the current specific heat capacity of the coolant in the liquid cooling system based on the inlet temperature, the outlet temperature, and the flow rate; and step S106, issuing a first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is greater than or equal to a specific heat capacity threshold, to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant has deteriorated.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, the method further includes: recording the current time, and repeating steps S102 and S104 once every first predetermined time interval to obtain at least one detected specific heat capacity and a corresponding specific heat capacity detection time; generating a coolant specific heat capacity-time curve based on the current specific heat capacity, the current time, at least one detected specific heat capacity and the corresponding specific heat capacity detection time, wherein the coolant specific heat capacity-time curve is a curve showing the change of the specific heat capacity of the coolant with the increase of usage time; predicting the remaining service life of the coolant based on the coolant specific heat capacity-time curve, the initial specific heat capacity and the specific heat capacity threshold, wherein the remaining service life is the shortest time from the current time to the time when the coolant deteriorates; determining the deterioration date of the coolant based on the remaining service life, and issuing a warning before the deterioration date of the coolant to remind the user to replace the coolant in the liquid cooling system.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment, after issuing a first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is greater than or equal to a specific heat capacity threshold, the method further includes: controlling the filtration device of the liquid cooling system to filter the coolant; after the coolant has been filtered, repeating steps S102 and S104 once to obtain an updated specific heat capacity; withdrawing the first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is less than the specific heat capacity threshold; and not withdrawing the first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is greater than or equal to the specific heat capacity threshold, so as to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant has deteriorated.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, after withdrawing the first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, the method further includes: updating the remaining service life of the coolant to obtain a latest remaining service life; determining the deterioration date of the coolant based on the latest remaining service life, and issuing a pre-alarm before the deterioration date of the coolant to remind the user to replace the coolant in the liquid cooling system.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, before step S102, the method further includes: acquiring inlet pressure and outlet pressure of the coolant in the liquid cooling system in real time, wherein the inlet pressure is the hydraulic pressure when the coolant enters the liquid cooling system, and the outlet pressure is the hydraulic pressure when the coolant flows out of the liquid cooling system; and issuing a second alarm when the difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than or equal to a pressure difference threshold, to remind the liquid cooling system of blockage.

[0011] In one exemplary embodiment, before issuing a second alarm when the difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than or equal to a differential pressure threshold, the method further includes: issuing a third alarm when the inlet pressure is less than a predetermined inlet pressure to alert that the coolant inlet pipe of the liquid cooling system is blocked, wherein the predetermined inlet pressure is the minimum inlet pressure of the liquid cooling system.

[0012] In one exemplary embodiment, after issuing a second alarm when the difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than or equal to a differential pressure threshold, the method further includes: increasing the inlet pressure of the liquid cooling system; re-acquiring the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure at a second predetermined time interval to obtain updated inlet pressure and updated outlet pressure; withdrawing the second alarm when the difference between the updated inlet pressure and the updated outlet pressure is less than the differential pressure threshold; and activating a backup cooling system to replace the liquid cooling system for cooling operation when the difference between the updated inlet pressure and the updated outlet pressure is greater than or equal to the differential pressure threshold.

[0013] According to another embodiment of this application, a fault monitoring device for a liquid cooling system is provided, comprising: a first acquisition module, configured to execute step S102, acquiring in real time the inlet temperature, outlet temperature, and flow rate of the coolant in the liquid cooling system, wherein the inlet temperature is the temperature at which the coolant enters the liquid cooling system, and the outlet temperature is the temperature at which the coolant flows out of the liquid cooling system; a calculation module, configured to execute step S104, calculating the current specific heat capacity of the coolant in the liquid cooling system based on the inlet temperature, the outlet temperature, and the flow rate; and a first alarm module, configured to execute step S102, issuing a first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is greater than or equal to a specific heat capacity threshold, to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant has deteriorated.

[0014] According to yet another embodiment of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, wherein a computer program is stored therein, and the computer program is configured to perform the steps in any of the above method embodiments when it is run.

[0015] According to another embodiment of this application, a server system is also provided, including a server, a liquid cooling system, a memory, and a processor. The memory stores a computer program, the liquid cooling system is used to dissipate heat from the server, and the processor is configured to run the computer program to perform the steps in any of the above method embodiments.

[0016] This application describes a method that, by real-time monitoring of the inlet and outlet temperatures and flow rate of the coolant in a liquid cooling system, calculates the current specific heat capacity of the coolant. If the difference between the initial and current specific heat capacity is greater than or equal to a specific heat capacity threshold, it indicates coolant deterioration, triggering a first alarm. This achieves real-time monitoring of coolant quality without requiring system shutdown for sampling and inspection. Deteriorated coolant can be replaced promptly, preventing reduced heat dissipation efficiency and machine malfunctions. This solves the problem in existing technologies where coolant quality cannot be checked without shutting down the system. Furthermore, because specific heat capacity cannot be directly measured, existing technologies lack standards for checking coolant quality, only allowing checks for impurities. This process is complex and cannot directly determine coolant deterioration, typically requiring periodic replacement, leading to significant waste of perfectly good coolant. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 A hardware structure block diagram of a terminal for performing a fault monitoring method for a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a fault monitoring method for a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a structural block diagram of a server system including a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of a fault monitoring device for a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.

[0022] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0023] For ease of description, the following explains some of the nouns or terms used in the embodiments of this application:

[0024] BMC: Execution Server Remote Management Controller, also known as Baseboard Management Controller.

[0025] Cold plate liquid cooling system: also known as cold plate system, it is a system that indirectly transfers the heat of the heat-generating device to the cooling liquid in the circulation pipeline through a cold plate (usually a closed cavity made of thermally conductive metals such as copper or aluminum), and then the cooling liquid carries away the heat.

[0026] Immersion and spray liquid cooling: Components are in direct contact with the coolant, and heat is dissipated by complete immersion or liquid spraying.

[0027] Air cooling: A method of dissipating heat from components using a fan;

[0028] CDU: The full English name is Coolant Distribution Unit, which is a system used to distribute cooling liquid between liquid-cooled electronic devices, providing functions such as secondary flow distribution, pressure control, physical isolation, and anti-condensation.

[0029] Specific heat capacity (C): also known as specific heat capacity or simply specific heat, is the heat capacity per unit mass of a substance, that is, the amount of heat absorbed or released when a unit mass of an object changes temperature by a unit amount.

[0030] The methods and embodiments provided in this application can be executed in a computer device or similar computing device. Taking running on a server device as an example, Figure 1 This is a hardware structure block diagram of a server device for a fault monitoring method of a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, a computer device may include one or more ( Figure 1 Only one is shown in the diagram. A processor 102 (which may include, but is not limited to, a microprocessor MCU or a programmable logic device FPGA, etc.) and a memory 104 for storing data are also shown. The computer device may further include a transmission device 106 for communication functions and an input / output device 108. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 1 The structure shown is for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the structure of the computer device described above. For example, the computer device may also include components that are more... Figure 1 The more or fewer components shown, or having the same Figure 1 The different configurations shown.

[0031] The memory 104 can be used to store computer programs, such as application software programs and modules, like the computer program corresponding to the fault monitoring method of the liquid cooling system in this embodiment. The processor 102 executes various functional applications and data processing by running the computer program stored in the memory 104, thereby implementing the above-described method. The memory 104 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic storage devices, flash memory, or other non-volatile solid-state memory. In some instances, the memory 104 may further include memory remotely located relative to the processor 102, and these remote memories can be connected to server devices via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, corporate intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0032] The transmission device 106 is used to receive or send data via a network. Specific examples of the network described above may include a wireless network provided by a communication provider for the computer equipment. In one example, the transmission device 106 includes a Network Interface Controller (NIC), which can connect to other network devices via a base station to communicate with the Internet. In another example, the transmission device 106 may be a Radio Frequency (RF) module used for wireless communication with the Internet.

[0033] This embodiment provides a fault monitoring method for a liquid cooling system. Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a fault monitoring method for a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0034] Step S102: Real-time acquisition of the inlet temperature, outlet temperature and flow rate of the coolant in the liquid cooling system. The inlet temperature is the temperature at which the coolant enters the liquid cooling system, and the outlet temperature is the temperature at which the coolant flows out of the liquid cooling system.

[0035] Step S104: Calculate the current specific heat capacity of the coolant in the liquid cooling system based on the inlet temperature, outlet temperature, and flow rate.

[0036] Step S106: If the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is greater than or equal to the specific heat capacity threshold, a first alarm is issued to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant has deteriorated.

[0037] By following the steps above, the inlet temperature, outlet temperature, and flow rate of the coolant in the liquid cooling system can be monitored in real time. This allows for the calculation of the coolant's current specific heat capacity. If the difference between the initial and current specific heat capacity is greater than or equal to the specific heat capacity threshold, it indicates coolant deterioration, triggering the first alarm. This achieves real-time monitoring of coolant quality without requiring system shutdown for sampling and inspection. Deteriorated coolant can be replaced promptly, preventing reduced heat dissipation efficiency and machine malfunctions. This solves the problem of existing technologies that cannot check coolant quality without shutting down the system. Furthermore, because specific heat capacity cannot be directly measured, existing technologies lack standards for checking coolant quality. They can only check for impurities, a complex process that cannot directly determine coolant deterioration, typically requiring periodic replacement, leading to significant waste of perfectly good coolant.

[0038] The entity performing the above steps can be BMC, etc., but is not limited to this.

[0039] Additionally, the hardware system needs to be augmented with sensors to detect the inlet and outlet temperatures, flow rate, and hydraulic pressure of the coolant within the cold plate. These sensors include temperature sensors, pressure sensors, and flow sensors. The sensor installation locations are as follows: Figure 3 As shown in the figure, the solid lines represent the coolant transmission lines, and the dashed lines represent the sensor data transmission lines. These sensors are connected to the management controller (BMC). The BMC is responsible for collecting sensor data, processing the data according to various strategies, and analyzing the status of the liquid cooling system. The BMC can estimate the current specific heat capacity of the coolant by calculating power consumption and the inlet and outlet of the coolant. If the specific heat capacity is not much different from that of the initial new coolant, the coolant quality is good and has not deteriorated. If the specific heat capacity drops significantly, the coolant quality may have deteriorated. The calculation formula and principle are as follows: 1. First, calculate the mass of coolant flowing per unit time based on the flow rate and the initial density of the coolant: m = Q (flow rate per second) * ρ (initial density of coolant); 2. The BMC reads the power P of the current heat-generating component, and simultaneously reads the inlet temperature ti and outlet temperature to; 3. The power P is the number of joules of the heat-generating component per unit time. Then, calculate the current specific heat capacity of the coolant according to the specific heat capacity formula: c = P / (Q (flow rate per second) * ρ (initial density of coolant) * (to - ti)). If the difference between the specific heat capacity and the standard specific heat capacity of the coolant is too large, the BMC will issue an alarm. In addition, to accommodate different types of coolants, BMC should also provide a coolant type setting interface. This is to allow for comparison between the specific heat capacity calculated by BMC and the specific heat capacity of the coolant. For example, when the coolant is water, the specific heat capacity of water is 4.2 × 10⁻⁶. 3 J / (kg×℃), ethylene glycol is 4.0×10 3 J / (kg×℃), when the BMC is in water coolant mode, the current coolant specific heat capacity calculated in step 3 should be 4.2×10 3The BMC should issue an alarm based on the comparison of joules / (kg×℃) when the difference is too large.

[0040] In an optional embodiment, to facilitate timely replacement of the coolant, if the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, the method further includes:

[0041] Step S202: Record the current time, and repeat steps S102 and S104 once every first predetermined time interval to obtain at least one specific heat capacity and the corresponding specific heat capacity detection time.

[0042] Step S204: Generate a coolant specific heat capacity-time curve based on the current specific heat capacity, the current time, at least one of the detected specific heat capacities, and the corresponding specific heat capacity detection time. The coolant specific heat capacity-time curve is a curve showing how the specific heat capacity of the coolant changes with the increase of usage time.

[0043] Step S206: Based on the above-mentioned coolant specific heat capacity-time curve, the above-mentioned initial specific heat capacity and the above-mentioned specific heat capacity threshold, predict the remaining service life of the coolant. The remaining service life is the shortest time from the current time to the time when the coolant deteriorates.

[0044] Step S208: Determine the deterioration date of the coolant based on the remaining service life, and issue a warning before the deterioration date of the coolant to remind the user to replace the coolant in the liquid cooling system.

[0045] In the above embodiments, sensor data is acquired once at a first predetermined time interval to detect the specific heat capacity of the coolant. The specific heat capacity detected multiple times and the corresponding specific heat capacity detection time can generate a coolant specific heat capacity-time curve. If the coolant specific heat capacity changes linearly with time, the remaining service life of the coolant can be predicted based on the slope of the specific heat capacity change. Of course, if it does not change linearly, the remaining service life of the coolant can be predicted through the fitted curve. If the change in the specific heat capacity of the coolant has not reached the level of an alarm, the deterioration date of the coolant can be determined based on the predicted remaining service life. A pre-alarm is issued before the actual alarm, reminding the user to pay attention to the coolant quality and replace the coolant in time to ensure heat dissipation efficiency and avoid overheating failure of components that require heat dissipation.

[0046] It should be noted that the above sensors measure data multiple times for each data collection, and calculate the average value as a single data collection, in order to prevent accidental errors from causing false alarms.

[0047] To save coolant, in one optional embodiment, after issuing a first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is greater than or equal to a specific heat capacity threshold, the method further includes:

[0048] Step S302: Control the filtration device of the above-mentioned liquid cooling system to filter the above-mentioned coolant;

[0049] Step S304: After the coolant has been filtered, repeat steps S102 and S104 once to obtain the updated specific heat capacity.

[0050] Step S306: If the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, the first alarm is withdrawn.

[0051] In step S308, if the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is greater than or equal to the specific heat capacity threshold, the first alarm is not withdrawn to alert the liquid cooling system that the coolant has deteriorated.

[0052] In the above embodiments, the decrease in the specific heat capacity of the coolant may be caused by impurities. Directly replacing the coolant would result in a great waste. The coolant is first filtered through a filtration device, and the specific heat capacity is retested after filtration to obtain an updated specific heat capacity. If the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, it indicates that filtration can remove impurities and improve the specific heat capacity. In this case, there is no need to replace the coolant, and the first alarm can be withdrawn. Otherwise, filtration cannot remove impurities, such as water vapor that cannot be filtered out, indicating that the coolant has deteriorated. In this case, the first alarm is not withdrawn to remind the user to replace the coolant as soon as possible.

[0053] In an optional implementation, to ensure timely replacement of the coolant, after withdrawing the first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, the method further includes:

[0054] Step S402: Update the remaining service life of the coolant to obtain the latest remaining service life;

[0055] Step S404: Determine the deterioration date of the coolant based on the latest remaining service life, and issue a warning before the deterioration date of the coolant to remind the user to replace the coolant in the liquid cooling system.

[0056] In the above embodiments, if the specific heat capacity of the coolant meets the standard after filtration, there is no need to replace the coolant. The remaining service life of the coolant is updated to obtain the latest remaining service life, thereby updating the deterioration date of the coolant and timely warning to replace the coolant, avoiding premature replacement and wasting the service life of the coolant.

[0057] In order to monitor blockage faults in real time, in an optional implementation, before step S102 above, the method further includes:

[0058] Step S502: Real-time acquisition of the inlet pressure and outlet pressure of the coolant in the liquid cooling system, wherein the inlet pressure is the hydraulic pressure when the coolant enters the liquid cooling system, and the outlet pressure is the hydraulic pressure when the coolant flows out of the liquid cooling system.

[0059] In step S504, if the difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than or equal to the differential pressure threshold, a second alarm is issued to alert the system to blockage.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the BMC obtains the inlet pressure Fi and outlet pressure Fo of the coolant in the liquid cooling system in real time through pressure sensors. In a normal liquid cooling system, the coolant is almost incompressible. According to Pascal's law, Fi and Fo should be basically equal. If the difference between Fi and Fo is too large, there is a blockage between the Fi and Fo sensors, and a second alarm is issued to remind the liquid cooling system of the blockage.

[0061] To narrow down the search area for the blockage, in one optional implementation, before issuing a second alarm when the difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than or equal to a differential pressure threshold, the method further includes:

[0062] In step S602, if the liquid inlet pressure is less than the predetermined liquid inlet pressure, a third alarm is issued to remind that the coolant inlet pipe of the liquid cooling system is blocked. The predetermined liquid inlet pressure is the minimum liquid inlet pressure of the liquid cooling system.

[0063] In the above implementation, if the BMC detects that the inlet pressure Fi is too low, indicating a blockage before the Fi sensor, a third alarm is issued to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant inlet pipe is blocked, thus narrowing down the scope of the blockage location.

[0064] To facilitate the resolution of blockage faults, in one optional embodiment, after issuing a second alarm when the difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than or equal to a differential pressure threshold, the method further includes:

[0065] Step S702: Increase the liquid inlet pressure of the liquid cooling system.

[0066] Step S704: After a second predetermined time interval, the above-mentioned inlet pressure and outlet pressure are reacquired to obtain updated inlet pressure and updated outlet pressure.

[0067] Step S706: If the difference between the updated inlet pressure and the updated outlet pressure is less than the differential pressure threshold, the second alarm is withdrawn.

[0068] In step S708, if the difference between the updated inlet pressure and the updated outlet pressure is greater than or equal to the differential pressure threshold, the backup cooling system is activated to replace the liquid cooling system for cooling.

[0069] In the above embodiments, sometimes the blockage in the liquid cooling system is not severe. Appropriately increasing the liquid inlet pressure of the liquid cooling system can clear the blockage without stopping the machine for inspection and maintenance, greatly reducing the workload of maintenance. The liquid pressure and liquid outlet pressure are updated at a second predetermined interval. If the difference between the updated liquid inlet pressure and the updated liquid outlet pressure is less than the pressure difference threshold, it indicates that the blockage has been cleared and the second alarm can be withdrawn. Otherwise, the blockage cannot be cleared by simply increasing the liquid inlet pressure of the liquid cooling system. The backup cooling system is started to replace the liquid cooling system for cooling work until the liquid cooling system is repaired and the blockage is cleared, so that the heat dissipation work is maintained without interruption.

[0070] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods according to the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal device (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0071] This embodiment also provides a fault monitoring device for a liquid cooling system, which is used to implement the above embodiments and preferred embodiments; details already described will not be repeated. As used below, the term "module" can refer to a combination of software and / or hardware that performs a predetermined function. Although the device described in the following embodiments is preferably implemented in software, hardware implementation, or a combination of software and hardware, is also possible and contemplated.

[0072] Figure 4 This is a structural block diagram of a fault monitoring device for a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the device includes

[0073] The first acquisition module 22 is used to execute step S102 to acquire the inlet temperature, outlet temperature and flow rate of the coolant in the liquid cooling system in real time. The inlet temperature is the temperature when the coolant enters the liquid cooling system and the outlet temperature is the temperature when the coolant flows out of the liquid cooling system.

[0074] Calculation module 24 is used to execute step S104, which calculates the current specific heat capacity of the coolant in the liquid cooling system based on the inlet temperature, the outlet temperature and the flow rate.

[0075] The first alarm module 26 is used to execute step S106, which issues a first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is greater than or equal to the specific heat capacity threshold, so as to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant has deteriorated.

[0076] The aforementioned modules monitor the inlet and outlet temperatures and flow rate of the coolant in the liquid cooling system in real time, enabling the calculation of the coolant's current specific heat capacity. If the difference between the initial and current specific heat capacity is greater than or equal to a specific heat capacity threshold, it indicates coolant deterioration, triggering an initial alarm. This achieves real-time monitoring of coolant quality without requiring system shutdown for sampling and testing. Deteriorated coolant can be replaced promptly, preventing reduced heat dissipation efficiency and potential machine malfunctions. This solves the problem of existing technologies that cannot monitor coolant quality without shutting down the system. Furthermore, because specific heat capacity cannot be directly measured, existing technologies lack standards for checking coolant quality, only allowing checks for impurities. This process is complex and cannot directly determine coolant deterioration, typically requiring periodic replacement, leading to significant waste of perfectly good coolant.

[0077] The entity performing the above steps can be BMC, etc., but is not limited to this.

[0078] Additionally, the hardware system needs to be augmented with sensors to detect the inlet and outlet temperatures, flow rate, and hydraulic pressure of the coolant within the cold plate. These sensors include temperature sensors, pressure sensors, and flow sensors. The sensor installation locations are as follows: Figure 3As shown in the figure, the solid lines represent the coolant transmission lines, and the dashed lines represent the sensor data transmission lines. These sensors are connected to the management controller (BMC). The BMC is responsible for collecting sensor data, processing the data according to various strategies, and analyzing the status of the liquid cooling system. The BMC can estimate the current specific heat capacity of the coolant by calculating power consumption and the inlet and outlet of the coolant. If the specific heat capacity is not much different from that of the initial new coolant, the coolant quality is good and has not deteriorated. If the specific heat capacity drops significantly, the coolant quality may have deteriorated. The calculation formula and principle are as follows: 1. First, calculate the mass of coolant flowing per unit time based on the flow rate and the initial density of the coolant: m = Q (flow rate per second) * ρ (initial density of coolant); 2. The BMC reads the power P of the current heat-generating component, and simultaneously reads the inlet temperature ti and outlet temperature to; 3. The power P is the number of joules of the heat-generating component per unit time. Then, calculate the current specific heat capacity of the coolant according to the specific heat capacity formula: c = P / (Q (flow rate per second) * ρ (initial density of coolant) * (to - ti)). If the difference between the specific heat capacity and the standard specific heat capacity of the coolant is too large, the BMC will issue an alarm. In addition, to accommodate different types of coolants, BMC should also provide a coolant type setting interface. This is to allow for comparison between the specific heat capacity calculated by BMC and the specific heat capacity of the coolant. For example, when the coolant is water, the specific heat capacity of water is 4.2 × 10⁻⁶. 3 J / (kg×℃), ethylene glycol is 4.0×10 3 J / (kg×℃), when the BMC is in water coolant mode, the current coolant specific heat capacity calculated in step 3 should be 4.2×10 3 The BMC should issue an alarm based on the comparison of joules / (kg×℃) when the difference is too large.

[0079] In an optional embodiment, to facilitate timely replacement of the coolant, the above-mentioned device further includes:

[0080] The first repeating module is used to record the current time when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity of the coolant and the current specific heat capacity is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, and to repeat the above steps S102 and S104 once every first predetermined time interval to obtain at least one specific heat capacity and the corresponding specific heat capacity detection time.

[0081] The generation module is used to generate a coolant specific heat capacity-time curve based on the current specific heat capacity, the current time, at least one of the detected specific heat capacities, and the corresponding specific heat capacity detection time. The coolant specific heat capacity-time curve is a curve showing how the specific heat capacity of the coolant changes with the increase of usage time.

[0082] The prediction module is used to predict the remaining service life of the coolant based on the coolant specific heat capacity-time curve, the initial specific heat capacity, and the specific heat capacity threshold. The remaining service life is the shortest time from the current moment to the moment when the coolant deteriorates.

[0083] The first determining module is used to determine the deterioration date of the coolant based on the remaining service life, and to issue a warning before the deterioration date of the coolant to remind the user to replace the coolant in the liquid cooling system.

[0084] In the above embodiments, sensor data is acquired once at a first predetermined time interval to detect the specific heat capacity of the coolant. The specific heat capacity detected multiple times and the corresponding specific heat capacity detection time can generate a coolant specific heat capacity-time curve. If the coolant specific heat capacity changes linearly with time, the remaining service life of the coolant can be predicted based on the slope of the specific heat capacity change. Of course, if it does not change linearly, the remaining service life of the coolant can be predicted through the fitted curve. If the change in the specific heat capacity of the coolant has not reached the level of an alarm, the deterioration date of the coolant can be determined based on the predicted remaining service life. A pre-alarm is issued before the actual alarm, reminding the user to pay attention to the coolant quality and replace the coolant in time to ensure heat dissipation efficiency and avoid overheating failure of components that require heat dissipation.

[0085] It should be noted that the above sensors measure data multiple times for each data collection, and calculate the average value as a single data collection, in order to prevent accidental errors from causing false alarms.

[0086] To save coolant, in one optional embodiment, the above-mentioned device further includes:

[0087] The first control module is used to issue a first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is greater than or equal to the specific heat capacity threshold, and then control the filtration device of the liquid cooling system to filter the coolant.

[0088] The second repeating module is used to repeat steps S102 and S104 once in sequence after the coolant has been filtered to obtain an updated specific heat capacity.

[0089] The first withdrawal module is used to withdraw the first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is less than the specific heat capacity threshold.

[0090] The reminder module is used to not withdraw the first alarm if the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is greater than or equal to the specific heat capacity threshold, so as to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant has deteriorated.

[0091] In the above embodiments, the decrease in the specific heat capacity of the coolant may be caused by impurities. Directly replacing the coolant would result in a great waste. The coolant is first filtered through a filtration device, and the specific heat capacity is retested after filtration to obtain an updated specific heat capacity. If the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, it indicates that filtration can remove impurities and improve the specific heat capacity. In this case, there is no need to replace the coolant, and the first alarm can be withdrawn. Otherwise, filtration cannot remove impurities, such as water vapor that cannot be filtered out, indicating that the coolant has deteriorated. In this case, the first alarm is not withdrawn to remind the user to replace the coolant as soon as possible.

[0092] In an optional embodiment, to facilitate timely replacement of the coolant, the above-mentioned device further includes:

[0093] The first update module is used to update the remaining service life of the coolant after withdrawing the first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, so as to obtain the latest remaining service life.

[0094] The second determining module is used to determine the deterioration date of the coolant based on the latest remaining service life, and to issue a warning before the deterioration date of the coolant to remind the user to replace the coolant in the liquid cooling system.

[0095] In the above embodiments, if the specific heat capacity of the coolant meets the standard after filtration, there is no need to replace the coolant. The remaining service life of the coolant is updated to obtain the latest remaining service life, thereby updating the deterioration date of the coolant and timely warning to replace the coolant, avoiding premature replacement and wasting the service life of the coolant.

[0096] In an optional implementation for real-time monitoring of congestion faults, the above-mentioned device further includes:

[0097] The second acquisition module is used to acquire the inlet pressure and outlet pressure of the coolant in the liquid cooling system in real time before acquiring the inlet temperature, outlet temperature and flow rate of the coolant in the liquid cooling system in real time. The inlet pressure is the hydraulic pressure when the coolant enters the liquid cooling system, and the outlet pressure is the hydraulic pressure when the coolant flows out of the liquid cooling system.

[0098] The second alarm module is used to issue a second alarm when the difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than or equal to the differential pressure threshold, so as to remind the liquid cooling system of blockage.

[0099] In the above embodiment, the BMC obtains the inlet pressure Fi and outlet pressure Fo of the coolant in the liquid cooling system in real time through pressure sensors. In a normal liquid cooling system, the coolant is almost incompressible. According to Pascal's law, Fi and Fo should be basically equal. If the difference between Fi and Fo is too large, there is a blockage between the Fi and Fo sensors, and a second alarm is issued to remind the liquid cooling system of the blockage.

[0100] To narrow down the search area for blockages, in one optional embodiment, the above-mentioned device further includes:

[0101] The third alarm module is used to issue a third alarm when the inlet pressure is less than a predetermined inlet pressure, before issuing a second alarm when the difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than or equal to a differential pressure threshold, so as to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant inlet pipe is blocked. The predetermined inlet pressure is the minimum inlet pressure of the liquid cooling system.

[0102] In the above implementation, if the BMC detects that the inlet pressure Fi is too low, indicating a blockage before the Fi sensor, a third alarm is issued to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant inlet pipe is blocked, thus narrowing down the scope of the blockage location.

[0103] To facilitate the resolution of blockage issues, in one optional embodiment, the above-mentioned device further includes:

[0104] The second control module is used to issue a second alarm and then increase the liquid inlet pressure of the liquid cooling system when the difference between the liquid inlet pressure and the liquid outlet pressure is greater than or equal to the differential pressure threshold.

[0105] The second update module is used to reacquire the above-mentioned inlet pressure and the above-mentioned outlet pressure at a second predetermined time interval to obtain the updated inlet pressure and the updated outlet pressure.

[0106] The second withdrawal module is used to withdraw the second alarm when the difference between the updated inlet pressure and the updated outlet pressure is less than the differential pressure threshold.

[0107] The third control module is used to activate the backup cooling system to replace the liquid cooling system for cooling when the difference between the updated inlet pressure and the updated outlet pressure is greater than or equal to the differential pressure threshold.

[0108] In the above embodiments, sometimes the blockage in the liquid cooling system is not severe. Appropriately increasing the liquid inlet pressure of the liquid cooling system can clear the blockage without stopping the machine for inspection and maintenance, greatly reducing the workload of maintenance. The liquid pressure and liquid outlet pressure are updated at a second predetermined interval. If the difference between the updated liquid inlet pressure and the updated liquid outlet pressure is less than the pressure difference threshold, it indicates that the blockage has been cleared and the second alarm can be withdrawn. Otherwise, the blockage cannot be cleared by simply increasing the liquid inlet pressure of the liquid cooling system. The backup cooling system is started to replace the liquid cooling system for cooling work until the liquid cooling system is repaired and the blockage is cleared, so that the heat dissipation work is maintained without interruption.

[0109] It should be noted that the above modules can be implemented by software or hardware. For the latter, they can be implemented in the following ways, but are not limited to: all the above modules are located in the same processor; or, the above modules are located in different processors in any combination.

[0110] Embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is configured to execute the steps in any of the above method embodiments when run.

[0111] In one exemplary embodiment, the aforementioned computer-readable storage medium may include, but is not limited to, various media capable of storing computer programs, such as a USB flash drive, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), portable hard disk, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0112] Embodiments of this application also provide a server system, including a server, a liquid cooling system, a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. The liquid cooling system is used to dissipate heat from the server, and the processor is configured to run the computer program to perform the steps in any of the above method embodiments.

[0113] In one exemplary embodiment, the electronic device may further include a transmission device and an input / output device, wherein the transmission device is connected to the processor and the input / output device is connected to the processor.

[0114] Specific examples in this embodiment can be found in the examples described in the above embodiments and exemplary implementations, and will not be repeated here.

[0115] Obviously, those skilled in the art should understand that the modules or steps of this application described above can be implemented using general-purpose computing devices. They can be centralized on a single computing device or distributed across a network of multiple computing devices. They can be implemented using computer-executable program code, and thus can be stored in a storage device for execution by a computing device. In some cases, the steps shown or described can be performed in a different order than those presented here, or they can be fabricated as separate integrated circuit modules, or multiple modules or steps can be fabricated as a single integrated circuit module. Thus, this application is not limited to any particular combination of hardware and software.

[0116] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A fault monitoring method for a liquid cooling system, characterized in that, include: Step S102: Real-time acquisition of the inlet temperature, outlet temperature and flow rate of the coolant in the liquid cooling system, wherein the inlet temperature is the temperature at which the coolant enters the liquid cooling system and the outlet temperature is the temperature at which the coolant flows out of the liquid cooling system; Step S104: Calculate the current specific heat capacity of the coolant in the liquid cooling system based on the inlet temperature, the outlet temperature, and the flow rate. Step S106: If the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is greater than or equal to the specific heat capacity threshold, a first alarm is issued to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant has deteriorated. If the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, the method further includes: recording the current time, and repeating steps S102 and S104 once every first predetermined time interval to obtain at least one detected specific heat capacity and a corresponding specific heat capacity detection time; generating a coolant specific heat capacity-time curve based on the current specific heat capacity, the current time, at least one detected specific heat capacity and the corresponding specific heat capacity detection time, wherein the coolant specific heat capacity-time curve is a curve showing the change of the specific heat capacity of the coolant with the increase of usage time; predicting the remaining service life of the coolant based on the coolant specific heat capacity-time curve, the initial specific heat capacity and the specific heat capacity threshold, wherein the remaining service life is the shortest time from the current time to the time when the coolant deteriorates; determining the deterioration date of the coolant based on the remaining service life, and issuing a warning before the deterioration date of the coolant to remind the user to replace the coolant in the liquid cooling system.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After issuing a first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is greater than or equal to a specific heat capacity threshold, the method further includes: The filtration device of the liquid cooling system is controlled to filter the coolant; After the coolant has been filtered, repeat steps S102 and S104 once in sequence to obtain the updated specific heat capacity. If the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, the first alarm is withdrawn; If the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is greater than or equal to the specific heat capacity threshold, the first alarm is not withdrawn to alert the liquid cooling system that the coolant has deteriorated.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, If the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the updated specific heat capacity is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, after withdrawing the first alarm, the method further includes: Update the remaining service life of the coolant to obtain the latest remaining service life; The deterioration date of the coolant is determined based on the latest remaining service life, and a warning is issued before the deterioration date to remind the user to replace the coolant in the liquid cooling system.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Prior to step S102, the method further includes: The inlet pressure and outlet pressure of the coolant in the liquid cooling system are acquired in real time. The inlet pressure is the hydraulic pressure when the coolant enters the liquid cooling system, and the outlet pressure is the hydraulic pressure when the coolant flows out of the liquid cooling system. If the difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than or equal to the differential pressure threshold, a second alarm is issued to alert the system to blockage.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Before issuing a second alarm when the difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than or equal to a differential pressure threshold, the method further includes: If the inlet pressure is lower than the predetermined inlet pressure, a third alarm is issued to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant inlet pipe is blocked. The predetermined inlet pressure is the minimum inlet pressure of the liquid cooling system.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, After issuing a second alarm when the difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than or equal to a differential pressure threshold, the method further includes: Increase the liquid inlet pressure of the liquid cooling system; The inlet pressure and the outlet pressure are reacquired at a second predetermined time interval to obtain updated inlet pressure and updated outlet pressure. If the difference between the updated inlet pressure and the updated outlet pressure is less than the differential pressure threshold, the second alarm is withdrawn. If the difference between the updated inlet pressure and the updated outlet pressure is greater than or equal to the differential pressure threshold, the backup cooling system is activated to replace the liquid cooling system for cooling.

7. A fault monitoring device for a liquid cooling system, characterized in that, include: The first acquisition module is used to execute step S102 to acquire the inlet temperature, outlet temperature and flow rate of the coolant in the liquid cooling system in real time. The inlet temperature is the temperature when the coolant enters the liquid cooling system, and the outlet temperature is the temperature when the coolant flows out of the liquid cooling system. The calculation module is used to execute step S104, which calculates the current specific heat capacity of the coolant in the liquid cooling system based on the inlet temperature, the outlet temperature and the flow rate. The first alarm module is used to execute step S106, which issues a first alarm when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is greater than or equal to the specific heat capacity threshold, so as to remind the liquid cooling system that the coolant has deteriorated. The device further includes: a first repeating module, configured to record the current time when the difference between the initial specific heat capacity and the current specific heat capacity of the coolant is less than the specific heat capacity threshold, and to repeat steps S102 and S104 once every first predetermined time interval to obtain at least one detected specific heat capacity and a corresponding specific heat capacity detection time; a generating module, configured to generate a coolant specific heat capacity-time curve based on the current specific heat capacity, the current time, at least one detected specific heat capacity and the corresponding specific heat capacity detection time, wherein the coolant specific heat capacity-time curve is a curve showing the change of the specific heat capacity of the coolant with the increase of usage time; a prediction module, configured to predict the remaining service life of the coolant based on the coolant specific heat capacity-time curve, the initial specific heat capacity and the specific heat capacity threshold, wherein the remaining service life is the shortest time from the current time to the time when the coolant deteriorates; and a first determining module, configured to determine the deterioration date of the coolant based on the remaining service life, and to issue a warning before the deterioration date of the coolant to remind the user to replace the coolant in the liquid cooling system.

8. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. A server system, comprising a server, a liquid cooling system, a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, The liquid cooling system is used to dissipate heat from the server, and the processor, when executing the computer program, implements the steps of the method described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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