Liquid cooling system

By setting up a negative pressure chamber in the liquid-cooled system, a pressure difference is formed and the coolant is circulated and flowed, the problem of high leakage risk of coolant in the cold plate liquid-cooled solution is solved, and the reliability and cost-effectiveness of the system are improved.

CN120224622AActive Publication Date: 2025-06-27BEIJING ZITIAO NETWORK TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202311798886.4
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-12-25
Publication Date
2025-06-27
Estimated Expiration
2043-12-25

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The high risk of coolant leakage in the cold plate liquid cooling solution leads to complex design and high cost, and it is difficult for the prior art to fundamentally avoid the risk of leakage.

Method used

A liquid cooling system is designed, by setting a negative pressure chamber with a certain vacuum in the system, forming a pressure difference between different cavitys, so that the coolant can circulate and flow and take away heat. When small cracks appear, negative pressure inside the system sucks air to prevent leakage.

Benefits of technology

It effectively avoids the leakage of coolant, reduces the complexity and cost of system design and production, and improves the reliability of the liquid cooling system.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The liquid cooling system comprises a liquid supply pipe and a liquid return pipe, the liquid supply pipe is suitable for being connected to the liquid inlet end of a cabinet, and the liquid return pipe is suitable for being connected to the liquid outlet end of the cabinet; the heat exchanger comprises a first port and a second port and is configured to cool the cooling liquid received through the first port and output the cooled cooling liquid flowing to the liquid supply pipe through the second port; the first negative pressure cavity is arranged between the liquid return pipe and the first port of the heat exchanger so as to receive the cooling liquid returned from the liquid outlet end of the cabinet through the liquid return pipe, and a first negative pressure control pipeline is arranged on the first negative pressure cavity; the first negative pressure control pipeline is suitable for adjusting the pressure in the first negative pressure cavity to a first pressure grade lower than the atmospheric pressure under the driving of the negative pressure adjusting device; and the circulating pump is arranged between the first negative pressure cavity and the first port of the heat exchanger and is configured to pump the cooling liquid in the first negative pressure cavity to the first port of the heat exchanger.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the technical field of equipment cooling, and more specifically, to a liquid cooling system. Background Art

[0002] The cold plate liquid cooling solution is widely used for cooling cabinets in data centers. The leakage of the coolant is the biggest risk existing in the cold plate liquid cooling solution. Traditional cold plate systems operate in a medium-high pressure environment, with an internal pressure of about 2 to 3.5 bar. The higher the internal pressure, the higher the risk of coolant leakage. In order to reduce the risk of coolant leakage, it is necessary to control the supply pressure of the cold quantity distribution unit (CDU), strictly manage all connection processes, and set leak detection ropes inside the computer room and servers. These measures make the production and operation and maintenance costs of the liquid cooling system relatively high.

[0003] The cold plate module of the graphics processing unit (GPU) is usually designed complexly, with a large number of connections and a high leakage risk. Therefore, the cost of the cold plate module and quick connectors of the GPU is much higher than that of the cold plate module of the central processing unit (CPU). In addition, as the power density of the GPU increases, the demand for network transmission speed also increases significantly. Therefore, in the future, it is very likely that in addition to the GPU, cold plate liquid cooling is also required for some devices such as network cards and memories to solve the heat dissipation problem of the system. This will further greatly increase the design complexity of the cold plate module for the GPU and increase the risk of leakage of the cold plate module.

[0004] To solve the leakage problem, the design of the cold plate module inside the server needs to consider a relatively high pressure-bearing capacity. Therefore, there are strict requirements and controls for the thickness of the outer wall of the cold plate module, the welding process and connection process adopted in the cold plate module. All these will lead to complex design and production processes of the cold plate module, low yield rate and high production cost. In addition, in a conventional cold plate liquid cooling system, quick connectors are also required between the server and the manifold, with a relatively high cost. In addition, on the infrastructure side outside the server, a large number of cabinet-level connection valves, butterfly valves, etc. are also required to control the fault domain of the liquid cooling system at the cabinet level, which further increases the cost. In addition, in order to prevent leakage, a hierarchical leak detection system is generally set in the liquid cooling system, such as leak detection ropes at the node level, chassis level, and liquid cooling loop level, which also increases the design complexity and installation cost of the liquid cooling system.

[0005] Therefore, how to avoid the leakage of the coolant in a cost-effective manner and improve the reliability of the liquid cooling system is crucial for the cold plate liquid cooling solution. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid cooling system is provided, comprising: a liquid supply pipe and a liquid return pipe, the liquid supply pipe being adapted to be connected to the liquid inlet end of the cabinet, and the liquid return pipe being adapted to be connected to the liquid outlet end of the cabinet; a heat exchanger, including a first port and a second port, and configured to cool the coolant received via the first port and output the cooled coolant flowing to the liquid supply pipe via the second port; a first negative pressure chamber, disposed between the liquid return pipe and the first port of the heat exchanger, to receive the coolant returned from the liquid outlet end of the cabinet via the liquid return pipe, wherein a first negative pressure control pipeline is provided on the first negative pressure chamber, and the first negative pressure control pipeline is adapted to adjust the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber to a first pressure level lower than the atmospheric pressure under the drive of a negative pressure regulating device; and a circulation pump, disposed between the first negative pressure chamber and the first port of the heat exchanger, and configured to pump the coolant in the first negative pressure chamber to the first port of the heat exchanger.

[0007] It should be understood that the content described in this part is not intended to define the key features or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor is it used to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become readily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] In conjunction with the accompanying drawings and with reference to the following detailed description, the above and other features, advantages and aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0009] Figures 1 to 5 The structural schematic diagram of the liquid cooling system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0010] DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0011] 100 Liquid cooling system;

[0012] 101 Liquid supply pipe;

[0013] 102 Liquid return pipe;

[0014] 11 First negative pressure chamber;

[0015] 110 First liquid level;

[0016] 111 First negative pressure control pipeline;

[0017] 12 Second negative pressure chamber;

[0018] 120 Second liquid level;

[0019] 121 Second negative pressure control pipeline;

[0020] 130 Common negative pressure control pipeline;

[0021] 20 Circulation pump;

[0022] 30 Heat exchanger;

[0023] 31 First port;

[0024] 32 Second port;

[0025] 33 Third port;

[0026] 34 Fourth port;

[0027] 40 Filter;

[0028] 50 Cabinet;

[0029] 51 Liquid inlet end;

[0030] 52 Liquid outlet end;

[0031] 601 First bypass pipeline;

[0032] 602 Second bypass pipeline;

[0033] 603 Drainage pipeline;

[0034] 611 First valve;

[0035] 612 Second valve;

[0036] 613 Third valve;

[0037] 614 Fourth valve;

[0038] 615 Fifth valve. Detailed implementation manners

[0039] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0040] As used herein, the term "including" and its variants mean open inclusion, that is, "including but not limited to". Unless otherwise specified, the term "or" means "and / or". The term "based on" means "at least partially based on". The terms "an exemplary embodiment" and "an embodiment" mean "at least one exemplary embodiment". The term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc. may refer to different or the same objects.

[0041] Conventional cold plate liquid cooling solutions can only minimize the frequency of coolant leakage and reduce the impact size and scope caused by leakage, but cannot fundamentally avoid the risk of leakage. In addition, the design and production processes of conventional cold plate liquid cooling systems are complex, with a low yield rate and high production costs. Therefore, how to avoid coolant leakage in a cost-effective manner and improve the reliability of the liquid cooling system is crucial for the cold plate liquid cooling solution. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a liquid cooling system. A negative pressure chamber with a certain vacuum degree is provided in the liquid cooling system. By setting the negative pressure chamber, a pressure difference can be formed between different chambers, enabling the coolant to circulate between the two chambers, thereby taking away heat. And when a small crack appears in a certain part of the liquid cooling system, the liquid cooling system will not leak under the action of the internal negative pressure of the system, but will suck external air into the system internal, making the air reach a certain chamber in the form of bubbles along with the coolant circulation, and then discharging from the liquid cooling system. The principle of the present disclosure will be described below in conjunction with Figures 1 to 5 to describe the principle of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 1 FIG. 6 shows a schematic structural diagram of a liquid cooling system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As Figure 1 shown, the liquid cooling system 100 described herein generally includes a liquid supply pipe 101, a liquid return pipe 102, a heat exchanger 30, a first negative pressure chamber 11, and a circulation pump 20.

[0043] As Figure 1 shown, the liquid supply pipe 101 is adapted to be connected to the liquid inlet end 51 of the cabinet 50 to supply low-temperature coolant to the cabinet 50. The coolant will heat up after absorbing heat in the cabinet 50. The liquid return pipe 102 is adapted to be connected to the liquid outlet end 52 of the cabinet 50 to receive the heated coolant. Through the coolant, the heat generated by the electronic devices in the cabinet 50 can be taken away. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the coolant can be water or any other available type, and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit this.

[0044] As Figure 1 shown, the heat exchanger 30 includes a first port 31 and a second port 32. The first port 31 is used to receive the heated coolant returned from the cabinet 50. The heat exchanger 30 can cool the coolant received via the first port 31. The cooled coolant can be output via the second port 32 and flow to the liquid supply pipe 101 through corresponding pipelines or other components, and be supplied to the cabinet 50 in the direction indicated by the arrow.

[0045] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 30 is a plate heat exchanger, which further includes a third port 33 and a fourth port 34. The third port 33 is configured to receive another coolant from an external cold source (such as a cooling tower) in the direction indicated by the arrow for cooling the coolant received via the first port 31 in the heat exchanger 30. For the sake of distinction, the coolant received via the third port 33 may also be referred to as the second coolant herein, while the coolant received via the first port 31 may also be referred to as the first coolant herein. The second coolant may exchange heat with the first coolant in the heat exchanger 30 to cool the first coolant. The second coolant will be heated up after exchanging heat with the first coolant. The heated second coolant may return to the external cold source via the fourth port 34 in the direction indicated by the arrow for heat exchange again. In this way, the heat exchange between the first coolant and the second coolant can be realized cyclically.

[0046] It should be understood that in addition to the plate heat exchanger, the heat exchanger 30 may also be any other suitable type, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0047] As Figure 1 shown, the first negative pressure chamber 11 is disposed between the liquid return pipe 102 and the first port 31 of the heat exchanger 30. The first negative pressure chamber 11 may receive the heated coolant returned from the liquid outlet end 52 of the cabinet 50 via the liquid return pipe 102. The received coolant may be temporarily stored in the first negative pressure chamber 11 and conveyed to the heat exchanger 30 by the circulation pump 20. A first negative pressure control pipeline 111 is provided on the first negative pressure chamber 11. The first negative pressure control pipeline 111 can adjust the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber 11 to a first pressure level lower than the atmospheric pressure, having a certain level of vacuum degree, under the drive of a negative pressure regulating device such as a vacuum pump. As an example, the first pressure level may be below 50 kPa (kilopascal). It should be understood that the first pressure level may have any suitable value lower than the atmospheric pressure, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0048] As Figure 1 shown, the coolant in the first negative pressure chamber 11 has a first liquid level 110. Below the first liquid level 110 is the coolant, and above the first liquid level 110 is the gas space. During the stable operation of the liquid cooling system 100, the first liquid level 110 may be substantially stable or may float within a certain range. Under the drive of the negative pressure regulating device, part of the gas in the gas space may be sucked out of the gas space via the first negative pressure control pipeline 111, so that the gas space has a certain degree of vacuum, forming a negative pressure environment, and making the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber 11 lower than the atmospheric pressure.

[0049] It should be understood that, in addition to the vacuum pump, the negative pressure regulating device may include, for example, any known or future available regulating device for forming a negative pressure environment in the first negative pressure chamber 11 via the first negative pressure control pipeline 111.

[0050] As Figure 1 shown, the circulation pump 20 is arranged between the first negative pressure chamber 11 and the first port 31 of the heat exchanger 30. The circulation pump 20 can pump the coolant in the first negative pressure chamber 11 to the first port 31 of the heat exchanger 30. Under the action of the head of the circulation pump 20, the pressure in a section of the pipeline and the corresponding components after the circulation pump 20 will increase. For example, the internal pressure of the local pipeline after the circulation pump 20 can reach more than 1 atmospheric pressure, that is, greater than 100 kPa, that is, the internal pressure of this section of the pipeline is a positive pressure. Since high-flow resistance components such as the heat exchanger 30 are configured on the pipeline, although the pressure after the circulation pump 20 is a positive pressure (>100 kPa), due to the pressure loss effect brought by the flow resistance of the high-flow resistance components and the pressure loss effect of the pipeline system, the pressure on the pipeline gradually decreases along the direction of the coolant flow and finally drops below 1 atmospheric pressure (<100 kPa), and at this time, the local area returns to the negative pressure state again.

[0051] It should be understood that the circulation pump 20 can be any known or future available pump for driving the coolant, and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit this.

[0052] In one embodiment, as Figure 1 shown, the liquid cooling system 100 further includes a filter 40, and the filter 40 is connected to the second port 32 of the heat exchanger 30. The coolant flowing out of the heat exchanger 30 via the second port 32 can be filtered by the filter 40 to filter out impurities in the coolant, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the coolant.

[0053] By controlling the vacuum degree of the first negative pressure chamber 11 (which can also be called negative pressure control), the pump lift of the circulation pump 20, as well as the flow control, flow resistance parameter design and adjustment of each component in the pipeline, some important conveying pipelines, the manifold, the cabinet-level valve, the cabinet 50, etc. can be controlled to a local negative pressure environment to avoid liquid leakage of these components and improve the reliability of the liquid cooling system 100. For some pipelines after the circulation pump 20, such as components like the heat exchanger 30 and the filter 40, they are in a local positive pressure environment. Since these components are far from the cabinet 50, if leakage occurs, redundant, online operation and maintenance and other solutions can be used to solve it. Additionally, since the pressure inside the liquid cooling system 100 with local negative pressure is much lower than that of a conventional positive pressure liquid cooling system, whether the pipeline is in local positive pressure or local negative pressure, it is almost within 1 atmosphere, at least close to 1 atmosphere, while the inside of a positive pressure liquid cooling system is generally at 2 atmospheres, and the pressure after the pump can often be as high as 3 atmospheres. Therefore, the pressure inside the liquid cooling system 100 of the embodiments of the present disclosure is significantly reduced.

[0054] Figure 2 FIG. 4 shows a schematic structural diagram of a liquid cooling system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 The structure of the shown liquid cooling system 100 is the same as Figure 1 the structure of the shown liquid cooling system 100, except that the arrangement position of the filter 40 is different. In the following, only the differences between the two will be described in detail, and for the same parts, they will not be repeated.

[0055] In one embodiment, as Figure 2 shown, the filter 40 is connected to the first port 31 of the heat exchanger 30. The filter 40 can filter the coolant pumped by the circulation pump 20 to remove impurities in the coolant. The filtered coolant can be supplied to the heat exchanger 30 via the first port 31.

[0056] Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the filter 40 can be connected to both the first port 31 and the second port 32 of the heat exchanger 30. It should be understood that the filter 40 can be arranged at any other appropriate position in the pipeline, and these implementations all fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0057] In some embodiments, in order to further improve the reliability of the liquid cooling system 100, the liquid cooling system 100 may further include a redundant circulation pump, and the redundant circulation pump is connected in parallel with the circulation pump 20. In the case where the circulation pump 20 fails, the redundant circulation pump can ensure the reliable operation of the liquid cooling system 100. In some embodiments, the liquid cooling system 100 may further include a first redundant negative pressure chamber, and the first redundant negative pressure chamber is connected in parallel with the first negative pressure chamber 11. In the case where the first negative pressure chamber 11 fails, the first redundant negative pressure chamber can ensure the reliable operation of the liquid cooling system 100.

[0058] Figure 3 FIG. 1 shows a schematic structural diagram of a liquid cooling system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 The structure of the shown liquid cooling system 100 is the same as Figure 1 the structure of the shown liquid cooling system 100, with the only difference being that Figure 3 the shown liquid cooling system 100 further includes a second negative pressure chamber 12. In the following, only the differences between the two will be described in detail, and the same parts will not be elaborated again.

[0059] In one embodiment, as Figure 3 shown, the second negative pressure chamber 12 is disposed between the second port 32 of the heat exchanger 30 and the liquid supply pipe 101 to receive the cooled coolant flowing out from the second port 32 of the heat exchanger 30. For example, the coolant flowing out from the second port 32 of the heat exchanger 30 can be filtered by the filter 40 and then conveyed to the second negative pressure chamber 12. The second negative pressure chamber 12 can temporarily store the received coolant. A second negative pressure control pipeline 121 is provided on the second negative pressure chamber 12, and the second negative pressure control pipeline 121 can adjust the pressure in the second negative pressure chamber 12 to a second pressure level lower than the atmospheric pressure and higher than the first pressure level under the drive of a negative pressure regulating device such as a vacuum pump, so as to have a lower vacuum degree than the first negative pressure chamber 11. As an example, the second pressure level can be below 75 kilopascals (kPa). It should be understood that the second pressure level can have any appropriate value lower than the atmospheric pressure and higher than the first pressure level, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0060] As Figure 3 shown, the coolant in the second negative pressure chamber 12 has a second liquid level 120. Below the second liquid level 120 is the coolant, and above the second liquid level 120 is the gas space. During the stable operation of the liquid cooling system 100, the second liquid level 120 can be basically stable or can float within a certain range. Under the drive of the negative pressure regulating device, part of the gas in the gas space in the second negative pressure chamber 12 can be sucked out of the gas space through the second negative pressure control pipeline 121, so that the gas space has a certain vacuum degree, forming a negative pressure environment, making the pressure in the second negative pressure chamber 12 lower than the atmospheric pressure and greater than the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber 11. The vacuum degree of the second negative pressure chamber 12 is less than the vacuum degree of the first negative pressure chamber 11.

[0061] The pressures in both the second negative pressure chamber 12 and the first negative pressure chamber 11 are less than 1 atmosphere, being in a negative pressure environment. The pressure in the second negative pressure chamber 12 is greater than that in the first negative pressure chamber 11, and there is a pressure difference between them. Under the action of this pressure difference, the coolant has a tendency to flow from the second negative pressure chamber 12 to the first negative pressure chamber 11. Under the action of the head of the circulation pump 20, the coolant in the first negative pressure chamber 11 will overcome the pressure difference between the two negative pressure chambers and the flow resistance of the part of the pipeline behind the circulation pump 20, and pump the coolant from the first negative pressure chamber 11 into the second negative pressure chamber 12. The coolant continuously circulates under the action of the pressure difference formed between the two differentially controlled negative pressure chambers and the head of the circulation pump 20.

[0062] During the circulation process of the coolant, when the flow rate fluctuates, the liquid levels in the two negative pressure chambers will change. Seriously, it may cause the coolant in one of the negative pressure chambers to increase rapidly, resulting in pressure fluctuations in the liquid cooling system 100 and even causing the vacuum degree control of the negative pressure chamber to fail. To prevent the vacuum degree control of the first negative pressure chamber 11 and the second negative pressure chamber 12 from failing, a bypass pipeline can be provided between the first negative pressure chamber 11 and the second negative pressure chamber 12 to dynamically adjust the liquid level heights of the coolant in the first negative pressure chamber 11 and the second negative pressure chamber 12.

[0063] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling system 100 further includes a second redundant negative pressure chamber, and the second redundant negative pressure chamber is connected in parallel with the second negative pressure chamber 12. In the case of a failure of the second negative pressure chamber 12, the second redundant negative pressure chamber can ensure the reliable operation of the liquid cooling system 100.

[0064] Figure 4 The structural schematic diagram of the liquid cooling system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 4 The structure of the shown liquid cooling system 100 is the same as Figure 3 the structure of the shown liquid cooling system 100, with the only difference being that Figure 4 the shown liquid cooling system 100 further includes a liquid level height dynamic adjustment part. Hereinafter, only the differences between the two will be described in detail, and for the same parts, they will not be described again.

[0065] In one embodiment, as Figure 4As shown, the liquid level height adjustment part includes a first bypass pipeline 601, and the first bypass pipeline 601 is connected between the second negative pressure chamber 12 and the first negative pressure chamber 11. A first valve 611 is provided in the first bypass pipeline 601. The first valve 611 can be opened when the height of the second liquid level 120 in the second negative pressure chamber 12 is higher than a predetermined level, and can be closed when the height of the second liquid level 120 in the second negative pressure chamber 12 is lower than the predetermined level. According to actual needs, when the height of the second liquid level 120 in the second negative pressure chamber 12 is equal to the predetermined level, the first valve 611 can be opened or closed. With this arrangement, when the height of the second liquid level 120 in the second negative pressure chamber 12 abnormally rises, the first valve 611 can be opened, so that the coolant can quickly flow back to the first negative pressure chamber 11 along the direction indicated by the arrow through the first bypass pipeline 601, so as to reduce the height of the second liquid level 120 in the second negative pressure chamber 12.

[0066] The first valve 611 can be any known or future available valve, and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit this.

[0067] In one embodiment, as Figure 4 shown, the liquid level height adjustment part includes a second bypass pipeline 602, and the second bypass pipeline 602 is connected between the liquid outlet side of the circulation pump 20 and the second negative pressure chamber 12. A second valve 612 is provided in the second bypass pipeline 602. The second valve 612 can be opened when the height of the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 is higher than a predetermined level, and can be closed when the height of the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 is lower than the predetermined level. According to actual needs, when the height of the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 is equal to the predetermined level, the second valve 612 can be opened or closed. With this arrangement, when the height of the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 abnormally rises, the second valve 612 can be opened, so that the coolant can quickly flow to the second negative pressure chamber 12 along the direction indicated by the arrow through the second bypass pipeline 602, so as to reduce the height of the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11.

[0068] The second valve 612 can be any known or future available valve, and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit this.

[0069] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling system 100 can be connected to one or more cabinets 50 or electronic devices. In some cases, when a certain cabinet 50 or electronic device connected to the liquid cooling system 100 is disconnected from the liquid cooling system 100, due to the negative pressure environment in the liquid cooling system 100, the coolant will be drawn back into the first negative pressure chamber 11, which may cause the first liquid level 110 to be too high. For this reason, in some embodiments, as Figure 4As shown, a drain pipe 603 is provided after the circulation pump 20 for adjusting the liquid level height. The drain pipe 603 is connected to the liquid outlet side of the circulation pump 20. A third valve 613 is provided in the drain pipe 603. The third valve 613 can be opened when the height of the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 is higher than a predetermined level, and can be closed when the height of the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 is lower than the predetermined level. According to actual needs, when the height of the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 is equal to the predetermined level, the third valve 613 can be opened or closed. With this arrangement, when the height of the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 abnormally increases, the third valve 613 can be opened to allow the coolant to be quickly drained through the drain pipe 603 in the direction indicated by the arrow, so as to maintain the balance of the coolant volume in the liquid cooling system 100.

[0070] The third valve 613 can be any known or future available valve, and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not limit this.

[0071] In some embodiments, as Figure 3 and Figure 4 shown, the first negative pressure control pipe 111 and the second negative pressure control pipe 121 are respectively connected to separate negative pressure regulating devices to separately regulate the vacuum degree and negative pressure in the first negative pressure chamber 11 and the second negative pressure chamber 12.

[0072] In some embodiments, the first negative pressure control pipe 111 and the second negative pressure control pipe 121 are connected to a common negative pressure regulating device. Figure 5 Such an embodiment is shown. Figure 5 The structure of the liquid cooling system 100 shown is similar to the structure of the liquid cooling system 100 shown in Figure 3 except that the first negative pressure control pipe 111 and the second negative pressure control pipe 121 in the liquid cooling system 100 shown in Figure 5 are connected to a common negative pressure regulating device. In the following, only the differences between the two will be described in detail, and the same parts will not be described again.

[0073] As Figure 5As shown, a fourth valve 614 is provided in the first negative pressure control pipeline 111, a fifth valve 615 is provided in the second negative pressure control pipeline 121, and both the first negative pressure control pipeline 111 and the second negative pressure control pipeline 121 are connected to a common negative pressure control pipeline 130. The common negative pressure control pipeline 130 can, under the drive of a common negative pressure regulating device, adjust the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber 11 to a first pressure level and adjust the pressure in the second negative pressure chamber 12 to a second pressure level. At least one of the opening degree and the opening time of the fourth valve 614 and the fifth valve 615 is adjustable. By controlling at least one of the opening degree and the opening time of the fourth valve 614 and the fifth valve 615, different levels of vacuum can be obtained in the first negative pressure chamber 11 and the second negative pressure chamber 12. With this arrangement, key components for vacuum degree control can be reduced or the redundancy of such components can be increased, and the product size can be reduced.

[0074] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling system 100 may be an integrated system, and except for the cabinet 50, other components may be integrated in this integrated system. In other embodiments, the liquid cooling system 100 may be a distributed system, and except for the cabinet 50, other components may be made into discrete engineered systems.

[0075] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, by implementing a negative pressure environment within the liquid cooling system 100, leakage of the coolant can be avoided. In addition, when the cabinet 50 is disconnected from the liquid cooling system 100, no leakage will occur, and there is no need to provide quick connectors, thereby reducing costs. Further, when disconnecting the cabinet 50 from the liquid cooling system 100, after closing the ball valve near the cabinet 50, the coolant within the cabinet 50 will return to the first negative pressure chamber 11, and there is no need for a high-grade interlocking self-sealing ball valve, and an ordinary ball valve can be used, thereby reducing costs. Additionally, since the pressure within the liquid cooling system is low, low-specification pipeline materials, such as type III polypropylene (PPR) pipes, can be used, reducing costs.

[0076] Embodiments of the present disclosure are also reflected in the following examples.

[0077] Example 1. A liquid cooling system, comprising: a liquid supply pipe and a liquid return pipe, the liquid supply pipe being adapted to be connected to the liquid inlet end of the cabinet, and the liquid return pipe being adapted to be connected to the liquid outlet end of the cabinet; a heat exchanger, including a first port and a second port, and configured to cool the coolant received via the first port and output the cooled coolant flowing to the liquid supply pipe via the second port; a first negative pressure chamber, disposed between the liquid return pipe and the first port of the heat exchanger, to receive the coolant returned from the liquid outlet end of the cabinet via the liquid return pipe, wherein a first negative pressure control pipe is provided on the first negative pressure chamber, and the first negative pressure control pipe is adapted to adjust the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber to a first pressure level lower than the atmospheric pressure under the drive of a negative pressure regulating device; and a circulation pump, disposed between the first negative pressure chamber and the first port of the heat exchanger, and configured to pump the coolant in the first negative pressure chamber to the first port of the heat exchanger.

[0078] Example 2. The liquid cooling system according to Example 1, further comprising: a filter, connected to at least one of the first port and the second port of the heat exchanger.

[0079] Example 3. The liquid cooling system according to Example 1, further comprising at least one of a redundant circulation pump and a first redundant negative pressure chamber, the redundant circulation pump being connected in parallel with the circulation pump, and the first redundant negative pressure chamber being connected in parallel with the first negative pressure chamber.

[0080] Example 4. The liquid cooling system according to Example 1, further comprising: a second negative pressure chamber, disposed between the second port of the heat exchanger and the liquid supply pipe, to receive the cooled coolant output from the second port of the heat exchanger, wherein a second negative pressure control pipe is provided on the second negative pressure chamber, and the second negative pressure control pipe is adapted to adjust the pressure in the second negative pressure chamber to a second pressure level lower than the atmospheric pressure and higher than the first pressure level under the drive of the negative pressure regulating device.

[0081] Example 5. The liquid cooling system according to Example 4, further comprising: a first bypass pipe, connected between the second negative pressure chamber and the first negative pressure chamber, and a first valve is provided in the first bypass pipe, and the first valve is configured to open when the height of the liquid level in the second negative pressure chamber is higher than a predetermined level and close when the height of the liquid level in the second negative pressure chamber is lower than the predetermined level.

[0082] Example 6. The liquid cooling system according to Example 4 further includes: a second bypass pipeline connected between the liquid outlet side of the circulation pump and the second negative pressure chamber, wherein a second valve is provided in the second bypass pipeline, and the second valve is configured to open when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber is higher than a predetermined level and close when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber is lower than the predetermined level.

[0083] Example 7. The liquid cooling system according to Example 4 further includes: a discharge pipeline connected to the liquid outlet side of the circulation pump, wherein a third valve is provided in the discharge pipeline, and the third valve is configured to open when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber is higher than a predetermined level and close when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber is lower than the predetermined level.

[0084] Example 8. In the liquid cooling system according to Example 4, a fourth valve is provided in the first negative pressure control pipeline, a fifth valve is provided in the second negative pressure control pipeline, and both the first negative pressure control pipeline and the second negative pressure control pipeline are connected to a common negative pressure control pipeline. The common negative pressure control pipeline is adapted to adjust the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber to the first pressure level and the pressure in the second negative pressure chamber to the second pressure level under the drive of the negative pressure regulating device, wherein at least one of the opening degree and the opening time of the fourth valve and the fifth valve is adjustable.

[0085] Example 9. The liquid cooling system according to Example 4 further includes a second redundant negative pressure chamber, and the second redundant negative pressure chamber is connected in parallel with the second negative pressure chamber.

[0086] Example 10. In the liquid cooling system according to any one of Examples 1 to 9, the liquid cooling system is an integrated system or a distributed system.

[0087] Example 11. In the liquid cooling system according to any one of Examples 1 to 9, the negative pressure regulating device includes a vacuum pump.

[0088] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above. The above description is exemplary and not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations are obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art in the technical field without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The selection of the terms used herein is intended to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or improvements to the technologies in the market, or to enable other ordinary skilled persons in the technical field to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A liquid cooling system (100), comprising: A liquid supply pipe (101) and a liquid return pipe (102), wherein the liquid supply pipe (101) is adapted to be connected to the liquid inlet end (51) of a cabinet (50), and the liquid return pipe (102) is adapted to be connected to the liquid outlet end (52) of the cabinet (50); A heat exchanger (30), including a first port (31) and a second port (32), and configured to cool the coolant received via the first port (31) and output the cooled coolant flowing to the liquid supply pipe (101) via the second port (32); A first negative pressure chamber (11), disposed between the liquid return pipe (102) and the first port (31) of the heat exchanger (30), to receive the coolant returned from the liquid outlet end (52) of the cabinet (50) via the liquid return pipe (102), wherein a first negative pressure control pipeline (111) is provided on the first negative pressure chamber (11), and the first negative pressure control pipeline (111) is adapted to adjust the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber (11) to a first pressure level lower than the atmospheric pressure under the drive of a negative pressure regulating device; And A circulation pump (20), disposed between the first negative pressure chamber (11) and the first port (31) of the heat exchanger (30), and configured to pump the coolant in the first negative pressure chamber (11) to the first port (31) of the heat exchanger (30).

2. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 1, further comprising: A filter (40), connected to at least one of the first port (31) and the second port (32) of the heat exchanger (30).

3. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a redundant circulation pump and a first redundant negative pressure chamber, the redundant circulation pump being connected in parallel with the circulation pump (20), and the first redundant negative pressure chamber being connected in parallel with the first negative pressure chamber (11).

4. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 1, further comprising: A second negative pressure chamber (12), disposed between the second port (32) of the heat exchanger (30) and the liquid supply pipe (101), to receive the cooled coolant output from the second port (32) of the heat exchanger (30), wherein a second negative pressure control pipeline (121) is provided on the second negative pressure chamber (12), and the second negative pressure control pipeline (121) is adapted to adjust the pressure in the second negative pressure chamber (12) to a second pressure level lower than the atmospheric pressure and higher than the first pressure level under the drive of the negative pressure regulating device.

5. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 4, further comprising: The first bypass pipeline (601) is connected between the second negative pressure chamber (12) and the first negative pressure chamber (11). A first valve (611) is provided in the first bypass pipeline (601). The first valve (611) is configured to open when the height of the liquid level in the second negative pressure chamber (12) is higher than a predetermined level and to close when the height of the liquid level in the second negative pressure chamber (12) is lower than the predetermined level.

6. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 4, further comprising: The second bypass pipeline (602) is connected between the liquid outlet side of the circulation pump (20) and the second negative pressure chamber (12). A second valve (612) is provided in the second bypass pipeline (602). The second valve (612) is configured to open when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber (11) is higher than a predetermined level and to close when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber (11) is lower than the predetermined level.

7. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 4, further comprising: The discharge pipeline (603) is connected to the liquid outlet side of the circulation pump (20). A third valve (613) is provided in the discharge pipeline (603). The third valve (613) is configured to open when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber (11) is higher than a predetermined level and to close when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber (11) is lower than the predetermined level.

8. In the liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 4, a fourth valve (614) is provided in the first negative pressure control pipeline (111), a fifth valve (615) is provided in the second negative pressure control pipeline (121), and both the first negative pressure control pipeline (111) and the second negative pressure control pipeline (121) are connected to a common negative pressure control pipeline (130). The common negative pressure control pipeline (130) is adapted to adjust the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber (11) to the first pressure level and the pressure in the second negative pressure chamber (12) to the second pressure level under the drive of the negative pressure regulating device. At least one of the opening degree and the opening time of the fourth valve (614) and the fifth valve (615) is adjustable.

9. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 4, further comprising a second redundant negative pressure chamber, which is connected in parallel with the second negative pressure chamber (12).

10. In the liquid cooling system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the liquid cooling system (100) is an integrated system or a distributed system.

11. In the liquid cooling system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the negative pressure regulating device includes a vacuum pump.

Citation Information

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