Online liquid changing method and device of liquid cooling system, control equipment and data center

Abstract

The invention provides an online liquid changing method and device of a liquid cooling system, control equipment and a data center, and relates to the field of liquid cooling heat dissipation. The liquid cooling system comprises a liquid cooling loop, and a liquid supplementing valve and a liquid leakage valve which are connected with the liquid cooling loop; the method comprises the following steps: acquiring target pressure of the liquid cooling loop; adjusting the opening degree of a liquid supplementing valve according to the target pressure so as to reduce the difference between the actual pressure of the liquid cooling loop and the target pressure; if the opening degree of the liquid supplementing valve is the maximum opening degree of the liquid supplementing valve and the actual pressure of the liquid cooling loop does not reach the target pressure, adjusting the opening degree of the liquid leakage valve according to the target pressure to enable the actual pressure of the liquid cooling loop to reach the target pressure; when the actual pressure of the liquid cooling loop reaches the target pressure, the opening degree of the liquid supplementing valve and the opening degree of the liquid leakage valve are kept unchanged till liquid replacement is completed. According to the invention, online automatic liquid changing can be realized, the liquid changing process is relatively stable, and meanwhile, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling loop is controlled to be kept at the target pressure, so that the heat dissipation stability of the cooled equipment is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of liquid cooling technology, and in particular to an online liquid cooling system replacement method, apparatus, control equipment, and data center. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data, data centers, as computing infrastructure, are constantly expanding in scale and increasing in computing density, placing higher demands on heat dissipation systems. Traditional air-cooling methods are no longer sufficient to meet the heat dissipation needs of high-density, high-power devices in data centers, resulting in problems such as low heat dissipation efficiency, high energy consumption, and high noise, which seriously restricts the development of data centers.

[0003] Liquid cooling technology, as a highly efficient and energy-saving heat dissipation method, has attracted widespread attention. In liquid cooling systems, the water quality within the pipes deteriorates over time due to factors such as microbial growth. To prevent excessive water quality deterioration that could corrode the pipes and affect the cooled equipment, the cooling medium within the pipes needs to be replaced periodically.

[0004] In related technologies, to protect the cooled equipment in a data center and prevent large-scale cooling medium leakage, replacing the cooling medium in a liquid cooling system requires a system shutdown. However, data centers operate 24 / 7 and generate a great deal of heat; shutting down the liquid cooling system would severely affect the normal operation of the cooled equipment and could even lead to overheating and damage. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides an online liquid cooling system replacement method, apparatus, control device, and data center to solve the problem that in the prior art, the liquid cooling system needs to be shut down during liquid replacement, which will seriously affect the normal operation of the cooled equipment in the data center and may even cause the cooled equipment to overheat and be damaged.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an online liquid replacement method for a liquid cooling system, the liquid cooling system including a liquid cooling circuit and a replenishment valve and a leakage valve connected to the liquid cooling circuit; the online liquid replacement method for the liquid cooling system includes: Obtain the target pressure of the liquid cooling circuit; Adjust the opening of the replenishment valve according to the target pressure to reduce the difference between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit; If the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit still does not reach the target pressure when the opening of the replenishing valve is at its maximum opening, then adjust the opening of the leakage valve according to the target pressure so that the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure. When the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, keep the opening of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve unchanged until the liquid replacement is completed.

[0007] In one possible implementation, adjusting the opening of the replenishing valve according to the target pressure includes: Based on the target pressure, the PID control method is used to adjust the opening of the replenishment valve to reduce the difference between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit. After the first preset time, check whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure; If, after the first preset time, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit does not reach the target pressure, and the opening of the replenishing valve does not reach the maximum opening of the replenishing valve, then the opening of the replenishing valve will be increased, and the process will jump to the step of checking whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure after the first preset time, and repeat until the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure or the opening of the replenishing valve is the maximum opening of the replenishing valve.

[0008] In one possible implementation, adjusting the opening of the leakage valve according to the target pressure includes: Based on the target pressure, the PID control method is used to adjust the opening of the leakage valve to reduce the gap between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit. After the second preset time period, check whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure; If the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit does not reach the target pressure after the second preset time, the opening of the leakage valve will be reduced, and the process will repeat until the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure.

[0009] In one possible implementation, when the actual pressure in the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, the openings of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve are kept constant until the liquid replacement is completed, including: When the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, keep the opening of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve unchanged, and monitor the medium parameters in the liquid cooling circuit. Once the medium parameters meet the preset conditions, the fluid change is considered complete.

[0010] In one possible implementation, determining that the fluid change is complete when the medium parameters meet preset conditions includes: When the medium parameters meet the preset conditions, the leakage valve is closed; After closing the leak valve, close the replenishment valve.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the liquid cooling circuit also includes a replenishment pump connected to the replenishment valve; Before adjusting the opening of the replenishment valve according to the target pressure, the following steps are also included: Control the replenishment pump to operate at a constant frequency.

[0012] In one possible implementation, before adjusting the opening of the replenishment valve according to the target pressure, the following steps are also included: Adjust the opening of the replenishing valve to the first preset opening, and adjust the opening of the leakage valve to the second preset opening; the first preset opening is less than or equal to the second preset opening.

[0013] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide an online liquid replacement device for a liquid cooling system. The liquid cooling system includes a liquid cooling circuit and a replenishment valve and a leakage valve connected to the liquid cooling circuit. The online liquid replacement device for the liquid cooling system includes: The acquisition module is used to acquire the target pressure of the liquid cooling circuit; The first adjustment module is used to adjust the opening of the replenishment valve according to the target pressure, so as to reduce the difference between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit. The second adjustment module is used to adjust the opening of the leakage valve according to the target pressure if the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit still does not reach the target pressure when the opening of the replenishing valve is at its maximum opening. The retaining module is used to keep the opening of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve unchanged when the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, until the liquid replacement is completed.

[0014] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention provide a control device, including a processor and a memory, wherein the memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is used to call and run the computer program stored in the memory to execute the online liquid replacement method of the liquid cooling system as described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0015] Fourthly, embodiments of the present invention provide a liquid cooling system, including a liquid cooling circuit, a replenishing valve and a drain valve connected to the liquid cooling circuit, and a control device as described in the third aspect; both the replenishing valve and the drain valve are controlled by the control device.

[0016] Fifthly, embodiments of the present invention provide a data center including the liquid cooling system described in the fourth aspect.

[0017] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the online liquid replacement method for a liquid cooling system as described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0018] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the online liquid replacement method for a liquid cooling system as described in the first aspect or any possible implementation thereof.

[0019] This invention provides an online liquid cooling system liquid replacement method, apparatus, control device, and data center. The method, based on the target pressure of the liquid cooling circuit, first adjusts the opening of the replenishing valve. When the replenishing valve is at its maximum opening and the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has not yet reached the target pressure, the opening of the drain valve is adjusted based on the target pressure to bring the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit to the target pressure. Once the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, the openings of both the replenishing and drain valves are kept constant until the liquid replacement is complete. This method uses coordinated switching control of the replenishing and drain valves based on the target pressure to achieve online automatic liquid replacement without shutting down the liquid cooling system. During the liquid replacement process, heat dissipation continues for the cooled equipment, maintaining its normal operation. The two valves do not interfere with each other, resulting in a relatively stable liquid replacement process. Simultaneously, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit is maintained at the target pressure to ensure the stability of heat dissipation for the cooled equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid cooling system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the implementation of an online liquid replacement method for a liquid cooling system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an online liquid exchange device for a liquid cooling system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a control device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the invention can be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the invention with unnecessary detail.

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, specific embodiments will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0024] See Figure 1This diagram illustrates the structure of a liquid cooling system provided in an embodiment of this application. The liquid cooling system can also be referred to as a liquid-cooled CDU (Coolant Distribution Unit) system. See also... Figure 1 The liquid cooling system includes a liquid cooling circuit 11 and a replenishment valve 12 and a leakage valve 13 connected to the liquid cooling circuit 11.

[0025] The replenishment valve 12 can be an electric replenishment valve. When the opening degree of the replenishment valve 12 is greater than 0, the cooling medium in the external replenishment tank 15 can enter the liquid cooling circuit 11 through the replenishment valve 12. By adjusting the opening degree of the replenishment valve 12, the flow rate of the external replenishment tank 15 replenishing the liquid cooling circuit 11 can be adjusted. The cooling medium in the external replenishment tank 15 is a qualified cooling medium with good water quality.

[0026] The leakage valve 13 can be an electric leakage valve. When the opening degree of the leakage valve 13 is greater than 0, the cooling medium in the liquid cooling circuit 11 can flow out of the liquid cooling circuit 11 through the leakage valve 13 and enter the external leakage tank 16. By adjusting the opening degree of the leakage valve 13, the flow rate of the liquid cooling circuit 11 to the external leakage tank 16 can be adjusted.

[0027] The liquid cooling circuit 11 discharges cooling medium with poor water quality through the leakage valve 13, and replenishes cooling medium with better water quality from the external replenishment tank 15 through the replenishment valve 12 to achieve liquid exchange. At the same time, during the liquid exchange process, in order to avoid affecting the heat dissipation effect of the cooled equipment, the pressure in the liquid cooling circuit 11 should remain constant and meet the heat dissipation requirements of the cooled equipment.

[0028] The equipment being cooled can also be referred to as a thermal load. A thermal load can include at least one piece of equipment in a data center that requires heat dissipation, such as computing devices, network devices, storage devices, and power supply equipment. Computing devices can include at least one piece of central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), tensor processing unit (TPM), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and server; network devices can include at least one piece of switch and router; storage devices can include at least one piece of hard disk and storage controller; and power supply equipment can include at least one piece of power distribution unit, uninterruptible power supply (UPS), and energy storage equipment.

[0029] See Figure 1 The liquid cooling system may also include a replenishment pump 14 connected to the replenishment valve 12; the replenishment pump 14 is located between the external replenishment tank 15 and the replenishment valve 12, and is used to deliver the cooling medium of the external replenishment tank 15 to the cooling circuit.

[0030] See Figure 1The liquid cooling system may also include a pressure sensor 17 for detecting the pressure in the liquid cooling circuit 11. The pressure sensor 17 may be located at any position in the liquid cooling circuit 11.

[0031] It should be noted that a liquid cooling system may include a primary side loop, a secondary side loop, and a heat exchanger. The coolant in the primary side loop and the coolant in the secondary side loop exchange heat through the heat exchanger. The primary side loop is used for heat exchange with the cold source, while the secondary side loop is used for heat dissipation for the equipment being cooled.

[0032] The liquid cooling circuit 11 described above can be either a primary-side circuit or a secondary-side circuit. Both the primary-side and secondary-side circuits can be replaced online using the online liquid replacement method for the liquid cooling system provided in this application embodiment, without requiring system shutdown.

[0033] See Figure 2 This document illustrates a flowchart of an online liquid cooling system replacement method provided in an embodiment of this application. The liquid cooling system includes a liquid cooling circuit and a replenishment valve and a leakage valve connected to the liquid cooling circuit. For detailed description, please refer to the foregoing. Figure 1 The relevant descriptions in the corresponding embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0034] The entity executing the online liquid replacement method of the liquid cooling system can be a control device, which can be any type of controller, such as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) or a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller).

[0035] In S201, the target pressure of the liquid cooling circuit is obtained.

[0036] The target pressure of the liquid cooling circuit is the pressure value that the liquid cooling circuit needs to reach and maintain, which can be determined based on the current heat dissipation requirements of the equipment being cooled.

[0037] During online liquid cooling circuit replacement, to avoid affecting the heat dissipation of the cooled equipment, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit must remain constant at the target pressure. Therefore, this embodiment first obtains the target pressure of the liquid cooling circuit, and then performs corresponding control based on the target pressure.

[0038] In S202, the opening of the replenishment valve is adjusted according to the target pressure to reduce the gap between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit.

[0039] In this embodiment of the application, the opening of the replenishing valve is adjusted within the adjustable range of the replenishing valve according to the target pressure, so that the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit gradually approaches the target pressure until the target pressure is reached.

[0040] A pressure sensor is installed in the liquid cooling circuit to detect the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit.

[0041] It should be noted that if the opening of the replenishing valve is adjusted within its adjustable range to bring the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit to the target pressure, then there is no need to adjust the opening of the leaking valve afterward. Simply keep the current openings of the replenishing valve and the leaking valve unchanged until the liquid replacement is completed.

[0042] Specifically, when the absolute value of the difference between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit is less than or equal to a preset pressure difference value, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit is determined to have reached the target pressure; otherwise, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit is determined to have not reached the target pressure. The preset pressure difference value is 0 or a small positive value. In other words, when the absolute value of the difference between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit is small, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit can be considered to have reached the target pressure.

[0043] In S203, if the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit still does not reach the target pressure when the opening of the replenishing valve is at its maximum opening, the opening of the leakage valve is adjusted according to the target pressure so that the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure.

[0044] Because the cooling medium in the liquid cooling circuit needs to be replaced, the openings of the replenishing valve and the drain valve are usually quite large, at least not very small (e.g., close to 0). Therefore, when adjusting the opening of the replenishing valve, it's possible that even when the replenishing valve is increased to its maximum opening, the actual pressure in the liquid cooling circuit still hasn't reached the target pressure (the actual pressure in the liquid cooling circuit is still much lower than the target pressure). This indicates that the drain valve opening is too large and needs to be reduced. In this case, the drain valve opening can be adjusted according to the target pressure to bring the actual pressure in the liquid cooling circuit up to the target pressure.

[0045] The maximum opening of the replenishing valve is usually 100%, but due to prolonged use or other factors, the maximum opening may not reach 100% and may be close to 100%. Therefore, the maximum opening of the replenishing valve can be determined based on the actual usage of the replenishing valve.

[0046] In S204, when the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, the opening of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve remains unchanged until the liquid replacement is completed.

[0047] When the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, it is only necessary to keep the current opening of the replenishment valve and the current opening of the leakage valve unchanged to maintain the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit at the target pressure until the liquid replacement is completed, at which point the leakage valve and the replenishment valve can be closed.

[0048] This embodiment of the application, based on the target pressure of the liquid cooling circuit, first adjusts the opening of the replenishing valve. When the replenishing valve is at its maximum opening and the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has not yet reached the target pressure, the opening of the drain valve is adjusted based on the target pressure to bring the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit to the target pressure. Once the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, the openings of both the replenishing and drain valves are kept constant until the liquid replacement is completed. This method uses coordinated switching control of the replenishing and drain valves based on the target pressure to achieve online automatic liquid replacement without shutting down the liquid cooling system. During the liquid replacement process, heat dissipation continues for the cooled equipment to maintain its normal operation, and the two valves do not interfere with each other. The liquid replacement process is relatively stable, and the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit is maintained at the target pressure to ensure the stability of heat dissipation for the cooled equipment.

[0049] The foregoing embodiments have described the overall implementation process of the online liquid replacement method for liquid cooling systems. The following is a detailed description of each step.

[0050] In some embodiments, in S202, adjusting the opening of the replenishment valve according to the target pressure includes: Based on the target pressure, the opening of the replenishment valve is adjusted using the PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control method to reduce the difference between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit. After the first preset time, check whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure; If, after the first preset time, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit does not reach the target pressure, and the opening of the replenishing valve does not reach the maximum opening of the replenishing valve, then the opening of the replenishing valve will be increased, and the process will jump to the step of checking whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure after the first preset time, and repeat until the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure or the opening of the replenishing valve is the maximum opening of the replenishing valve.

[0051] In this embodiment, a PID control method is first used to adjust the opening of the replenishing valve. During this process, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit continuously approaches the target pressure, thereby reducing the gap between the actual pressure and the target pressure. Since it takes a certain amount of time for the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit to change after the opening of the replenishing valve changes, this embodiment detects whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure after a first preset time period. The specific duration of the first preset time period can be determined based on the time required for the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit to change after the opening of the replenishing valve changes, and is not specifically limited here.

[0052] If, after the first preset time period, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure, then the subsequent operation will not be executed, and the process can directly jump to S204 to continue execution.

[0053] If, after the first preset time, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit is not detected to have reached the target pressure, it indicates that the opening of the replenishing valve is still small, and the rate of replenishing the cooling medium is less than the rate of the outflowing cooling medium. At this time, if the opening of the replenishing valve is not at its maximum opening, the opening of the replenishing valve can be increased, and the process can be repeated until the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure or the opening of the replenishing valve reaches its maximum opening.

[0054] In some possible implementations, the above-mentioned method of adjusting the opening of the replenishing valve according to the target pressure using a PID control method may include: Obtain the current pressure of the liquid cooling circuit and record it as the first pressure; Calculate the difference between the target pressure and the first pressure, and record it as the first difference; PID control is applied to the first difference to determine the first target opening degree of the replenishing valve; Adjust the opening of the replenishment valve to the first target opening.

[0055] In this embodiment, the PID control method is used. The real-time pressure of the liquid cooling circuit obtained during the adjustment of the opening of the replenishment valve is called the first pressure, so as to distinguish it from other pressure values.

[0056] In this embodiment, a first difference is obtained by subtracting a first pressure from a target pressure, and the first difference is then subjected to PID control to obtain the first target opening degree of the replenishing valve.

[0057] The first target opening is determined based on the current pressure of the liquid cooling circuit, i.e., the first pressure, and is the opening of the replenishing valve that will allow the pressure in the liquid cooling circuit to reach or approach the target pressure. As the opening of the replenishing valve is adjusted to the first target opening, the actual pressure in the liquid cooling circuit will change accordingly, narrowing the gap with the target pressure.

[0058] In some possible implementations, the above-mentioned PID control of the first difference to determine the first target opening degree of the replenishing valve may include: The first difference is input into the first preset PID controller to obtain the first target opening degree of the replenishing valve output by the first preset PID controller.

[0059] The first preset PID controller is a PID controller with pre-determined parameters. Its input is the first difference between the target pressure and the first pressure, and its output is the first target opening degree of the replenishing valve.

[0060] In some possible implementations, increasing the opening degree of the replenishing valve as described above can include: Adjust the opening of the replenishing valve to the second target opening; the second target opening is the opening value obtained by adding the current opening of the replenishing valve to the first preset opening step.

[0061] This embodiment of the application can gradually adjust the opening of the replenishing valve according to a first preset opening step size, avoiding a one-time adjustment that is too large or too small. The first preset opening step size can be determined according to actual needs and is not specifically limited.

[0062] This application first uses a PID control method based on the target pressure to adjust the opening of the replenishing valve, thereby narrowing the gap between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit. Then, the valve opening is gradually increased for adjustment. This method leverages the high precision of PID control and allows for larger replenishment flows when needed through stepwise increases, fully utilizing the valve's adjustment potential. Compared to directly opening to the maximum opening, this approach avoids pressure overshoot caused by excessively rapid replenishment, while ensuring that the target pressure is achieved within a reasonable range through the replenishing valve, reducing reliance on the leak valve (and minimizing coolant waste or additional replenishment costs).

[0063] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, further operations are performed when the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit does not meet the standard and the opening of the liquid replenishment valve does not reach its maximum opening, thus avoiding blind or frequent adjustments.

[0064] In some embodiments, in S203, adjusting the opening degree of the leakage valve according to the target pressure includes: Based on the target pressure, the PID control method is used to adjust the opening of the leakage valve to reduce the gap between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit. After the second preset time period, check whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure; If the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit does not reach the target pressure after the second preset time, the opening of the leakage valve will be reduced, and the process will repeat until the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure.

[0065] In this embodiment, firstly, based on the target pressure, a PID control method is used to adjust the opening of the leak valve. During this process, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit continuously approaches the target pressure, thereby reducing the gap between the actual pressure and the target pressure. Since it takes a certain amount of time for the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit to change after the opening of the leak valve changes, this embodiment detects whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure after a second preset time period. The specific duration of the second preset time period can be determined based on the time required for the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit to change after the opening of the leak valve changes, and is not specifically limited here.

[0066] If, after the second preset time period, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure, then the subsequent operation will not be executed, and the process can directly jump to S204 to continue execution.

[0067] If, after the second preset time period, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit is found to be below the target pressure, it indicates that the opening of the leak valve is too large, and the rate of replenishment of the cooling medium is less than the rate of outflow of the cooling medium. In this case, the opening of the leak valve can be reduced, and the process can be repeated until the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure.

[0068] Since the opening of the replenishing valve has been adjusted to its maximum in the aforementioned solution, it is still not possible to make the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reach the target pressure, indicating that the opening of the leakage valve is too large. Therefore, the embodiment of this application needs to reduce the opening of the leakage valve so that the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit can reach the target pressure.

[0069] In some possible implementations, the above-mentioned method of adjusting the opening of the leakage valve according to the target pressure using a PID control method may include: Obtain the current pressure of the liquid cooling circuit and denote it as the second pressure; Calculate the difference between the target pressure and the second pressure, and record it as the second difference; The second difference is used for PID control to determine the third target opening degree of the leakage valve; Adjust the opening of the leakage valve to the third target opening.

[0070] In this embodiment, a PID control method is used. The real-time pressure of the liquid cooling circuit obtained during the adjustment of the opening of the leakage valve is called the second pressure, so as to distinguish it from other pressure values.

[0071] In this embodiment of the application, a second difference is obtained by subtracting a second pressure from a target pressure, and a third target opening degree of the leakage valve can be obtained by performing PID control on the second difference.

[0072] The third target opening degree is determined based on the current pressure of the liquid cooling circuit, i.e., the second pressure, and is the opening degree of the leak valve that will allow the pressure of the liquid cooling circuit to reach or approach the target pressure. As the opening degree of the leak valve is adjusted to the third target opening degree, the actual pressure in the liquid cooling circuit will change accordingly, narrowing the gap with the target pressure.

[0073] In some possible implementations, the above-mentioned PID control of the second difference to determine the third target opening degree of the leakage valve may include: The second difference is input into the second preset PID controller to obtain the third target opening degree of the leakage valve output by the second preset PID controller.

[0074] The second preset PID controller is a PID controller with pre-determined parameters. Its input is the target pressure and the second difference between the second pressure, and its output is the third target opening degree of the leakage valve.

[0075] In some possible implementations, reducing the opening degree of the leakage valve as described above can include: Adjust the opening of the leak valve to the fourth target opening; the fourth target opening is the opening value obtained by subtracting the second preset opening step from the current opening of the leak valve.

[0076] This embodiment of the application can gradually adjust the opening of the leakage valve according to a second preset opening step size, avoiding a one-time adjustment that is too large or too small. The second preset opening step size can be determined according to actual needs and is not specifically limited.

[0077] This application embodiment first uses a PID control method based on the target pressure to adjust the opening of the leakage valve, so as to reduce the difference between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit. Then, the opening of the leakage valve is gradually reduced for adjustment. This not only utilizes the high-precision adjustment advantage of PID, but also enables a smaller flow rate of leakage through stepwise reduction when needed, thus fully leveraging the adjustment potential of the leakage valve.

[0078] Meanwhile, in this embodiment of the application, when the target pressure cannot be reached even when the replenishment valve is fully open, the adjustment of the leakage valve is initiated, which can realize the joint control of replenishment and drainage. When the replenishment valve can no longer be adjusted, the leakage valve is adjusted so that the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, ensuring the stability of heat dissipation.

[0079] In some embodiments, S204 may include: When the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, keep the opening of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve unchanged, and monitor the medium parameters in the liquid cooling circuit. Once the medium parameters meet the preset conditions, the fluid change is considered complete.

[0080] When the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, it means that the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has met the standard. At this time, there is no need to adjust the replenishment valve and the leakage valve. The current opening degree of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve can be kept unchanged, thereby keeping the pressure of the liquid cooling circuit constant and maintaining the stability of the heat dissipation of the liquid cooling system to the cooled equipment.

[0081] In addition, because a coolant of good quality is continuously supplied to the liquid cooling circuit, the water quality of the coolant in the liquid cooling circuit will gradually improve. During this process, the parameters of the medium in the liquid cooling circuit can be monitored in real time. When the medium parameters meet the preset conditions, it indicates that the water quality of the coolant in the liquid cooling circuit has reached the standard, and the fluid replacement can be completed and stopped.

[0082] For example, a corresponding sensor can be installed in the liquid cooling circuit to detect the medium parameters in the liquid cooling circuit.

[0083] The medium parameters in the liquid cooling circuit may include at least one of the following parameters: conductivity, turbidity, and pH value. Accordingly, the medium parameters satisfying preset conditions include at least one of the following: the conductivity of the medium is less than or equal to a preset conductivity, the turbidity of the medium is less than or equal to a preset turbidity, and the pH value of the medium is less than or equal to a preset pH value.

[0084] The preset conductivity, preset turbidity, and preset pH value can be determined based on the conductivity, turbidity, and pH value of the water in the liquid cooling circuit when they meet the usage requirements, and no specific restrictions are imposed here.

[0085] In some embodiments, in S204, determining that the fluid change is complete when the medium parameters meet preset conditions includes: When the medium parameters meet the preset conditions, the leakage valve is closed; After closing the leak valve, close the replenishment valve.

[0086] In this embodiment of the application, when the medium parameters meet the preset conditions, it indicates that the liquid replacement has been completed. At this time, the leakage valve can be closed first, that is, the opening degree of the leakage valve can be adjusted to 0. Then, the replenishment valve can be closed, that is, the opening degree of the replenishment valve can be adjusted to 0. This can avoid the situation where the leakage valve closes slowly when the liquid replacement action stops, resulting in a decrease in pressure in the liquid cooling circuit.

[0087] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling circuit further includes a replenishment pump connected to the replenishment valve; Before adjusting the opening of the replenishment valve according to the target pressure, the following steps are also included: Control the replenishment pump to operate at a constant frequency.

[0088] See Figure 1The liquid cooling circuit also includes a replenishment pump. The replenishment pump provides power so that the cooling medium in the external replenishment tank flows into the liquid cooling circuit through the replenishment pump and the replenishment valve. Therefore, in this embodiment, the replenishment pump is first controlled to operate at a fixed frequency, and then the opening of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve is adjusted.

[0089] The operating frequency of the replenishment pump can be set according to actual needs, and no specific restrictions are imposed here.

[0090] In some embodiments, before adjusting the opening of the replenishment valve according to the target pressure, the method further includes: Adjust the opening of the replenishing valve to the first preset opening, and adjust the opening of the leakage valve to the second preset opening; the first preset opening is less than or equal to the second preset opening.

[0091] In this embodiment, at the start of online liquid replacement, in addition to controlling the replenishment pump to operate at a fixed frequency, the opening of the replenishment valve and the opening of the leakage valve are adjusted to their respective preset openings. Specifically, the opening of the replenishment valve is adjusted to the first preset opening, and the opening of the leakage valve is adjusted to the second preset opening to start liquid replacement. If the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit does not reach the target pressure, the opening of the replenishment valve is adjusted first. If adjusting the opening of the replenishment valve still cannot make the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reach the target pressure, the opening of the leakage valve is adjusted to make the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reach the target pressure and maintain the target pressure to ensure the stability of heat dissipation.

[0092] The first preset opening degree can be less than, equal to, or greater than the second preset opening degree. The values ​​of both can be determined according to actual needs. For example, they can be the actual opening degree of the replenishment valve and the actual opening degree of the leakage valve when the actual pressure in the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure during the last online liquid change, etc.

[0093] It should be understood that the sequence number of each step in the above embodiments does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0094] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the online liquid exchange device for a liquid cooling system provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown. For ease of explanation, only the parts related to the embodiment of the present invention are shown, and are described in detail below: The liquid cooling system includes a liquid cooling circuit and a replenishment valve and a leakage valve connected to the liquid cooling circuit; such as Figure 3 As shown, the online liquid exchange device 30 of the liquid cooling system includes: an acquisition module 31, a first adjustment module 32, a second adjustment module 33, and a holding module 34.

[0095] Acquisition module 31 is used to acquire the target pressure of the liquid cooling circuit; The first adjustment module 32 is used to adjust the opening of the liquid replenishment valve according to the target pressure, so as to reduce the difference between the actual pressure and the target pressure of the liquid cooling circuit. The second adjustment module 33 is used to adjust the opening of the leakage valve according to the target pressure if the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit still does not reach the target pressure when the opening of the replenishing valve is the maximum opening of the replenishing valve. The retaining module 34 is used to keep the opening of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve unchanged when the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, until the liquid replacement is completed.

[0096] In one possible implementation, the opening degree of the replenishment valve is adjusted in the first regulating module 32 according to the target pressure, including: Based on the target pressure, the PID control method is used to adjust the opening of the replenishment valve to reduce the difference between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit. After the first preset time, check whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure; If, after the first preset time, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit does not reach the target pressure, and the opening of the replenishing valve does not reach the maximum opening of the replenishing valve, then the opening of the replenishing valve will be increased, and the process will jump to the step of checking whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure after the first preset time, and repeat until the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure or the opening of the replenishing valve is the maximum opening of the replenishing valve.

[0097] In one possible implementation, the second regulating module 33 adjusts the opening of the leakage valve according to the target pressure, including: Based on the target pressure, the PID control method is used to adjust the opening of the leakage valve to reduce the gap between the actual pressure and the target pressure in the liquid cooling circuit. After the second preset time period, check whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure; If the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit does not reach the target pressure after the second preset time, the opening of the leakage valve will be reduced, and the process will repeat until the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure.

[0098] In one possible implementation, within the holding module 34, when the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, the opening of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve remains unchanged until the liquid replacement is completed, including: When the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, keep the opening of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve unchanged, and monitor the medium parameters in the liquid cooling circuit. Once the medium parameters meet the preset conditions, the fluid change is considered complete.

[0099] In one possible implementation, in the holding module 34, when the medium parameters meet preset conditions, determining that the liquid change is complete includes: When the medium parameters meet the preset conditions, the leakage valve is closed; After closing the leak valve, close the replenishment valve.

[0100] In one possible implementation, the liquid cooling circuit also includes a replenishment pump connected to the replenishment valve; the online liquid exchange device 30 of the liquid cooling system may also include a third regulating module.

[0101] The third adjustment module is used to control the replenishment pump to operate at a constant frequency before adjusting the opening of the replenishment valve according to the target pressure.

[0102] In one possible implementation, the third adjustment module is further configured to: adjust the opening of the replenishing valve to a first preset opening and adjust the opening of the leakage valve to a second preset opening before adjusting the opening of the replenishing valve according to the target pressure; the first preset opening is less than or equal to the second preset opening.

[0103] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the control device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 As shown, the control device 400 in this embodiment includes a processor 40 and a memory 41. The memory 41 stores a computer program 42, and the processor 40 calls and runs the computer program 42 stored in the memory 41 to execute the steps in the online liquid replacement method embodiments of the various liquid cooling systems described above. Alternatively, the processor 40 calls and runs the computer program 42 stored in the memory 41 to implement the functions of each module / unit in the various device embodiments described above.

[0104] For example, the computer program 42 may be divided into one or more modules / units, which are stored in the memory 41 and executed by the processor 40 to complete the present invention. The one or more modules / units may be a series of computer program instruction segments capable of performing a specific function, which describe the execution process of the computer program 42 in the control device 400.

[0105] The control device 400 may include, but is not limited to, a processor 40 and a memory 41. Those skilled in the art will understand that... Figure 4 This is merely an example of the control device 400 and does not constitute a limitation on the control device 400. It may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or different components. For example, the control device may also include input / output devices, network access devices, buses, etc.

[0106] The processor 40 can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0107] The memory 41 can be an internal storage unit of the control device 400, such as a hard disk or memory of the control device 400. The memory 41 can also be an external storage device of the control device 400, such as a plug-in hard disk, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc., equipped on the control device 400. Furthermore, the memory 41 can include both internal storage units and external storage devices of the control device 400. The memory 41 is used to store the computer program and other programs and data required by the control device. The memory 41 can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0108] Corresponding to the control device described above, this embodiment of the invention also provides a liquid cooling system, including a liquid cooling circuit, a replenishing valve and a leaking valve connected to the liquid cooling circuit, and the aforementioned control device; both the replenishing valve and the leaking valve are controlled by the control device.

[0109] In some possible implementations, the liquid cooling system also includes a replenishment pump connected to the replenishment valve, the replenishment pump being controlled by the aforementioned control device.

[0110] Corresponding to the above-described liquid cooling system, this embodiment of the invention also provides a data center, including the above-described liquid cooling system.

[0111] For detailed descriptions of the liquid cooling system and data center, please refer to the corresponding descriptions in the foregoing embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0112] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of any of the above-described online liquid replacement methods for a liquid cooling system.

[0113] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements any of the above-described online liquid replacement methods for a liquid cooling system.

[0114] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0115] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0116] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this invention.

[0117] In the embodiments provided by this invention, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus / control devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus / control device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0118] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0119] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present invention can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0120] If the integrated module / unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the above embodiments of the present invention can also be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the online liquid replacement method embodiments of the various liquid cooling systems described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or certain intermediate forms. The computer-readable medium can include: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code, a recording medium, a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a computer memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an electrical carrier signal, a telecommunication signal, and a software distribution medium, etc.

[0121] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and should all be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An online liquid cooling system fluid replacement method, characterized in that, The liquid cooling system includes a liquid cooling circuit and a replenishment valve and a leakage valve connected to the liquid cooling circuit; the method includes: Obtain the target pressure of the liquid cooling circuit; Adjust the opening of the replenishment valve according to the target pressure to reduce the difference between the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit and the target pressure; If the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit still does not reach the target pressure when the opening of the replenishing valve is at its maximum opening, then the opening of the leakage valve is adjusted according to the target pressure so that the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure. When the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, the opening of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve remains unchanged until the liquid replacement is completed.

2. The online liquid replacement method for a liquid cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Adjusting the opening of the replenishing valve according to the target pressure includes: Based on the target pressure, a PID control method is used to adjust the opening of the replenishment valve to reduce the difference between the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit and the target pressure. After a first preset time period, it is detected whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure; If, after the first preset time period, the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit does not reach the target pressure, and the opening of the replenishing valve does not reach the maximum opening of the replenishing valve, then the opening of the replenishing valve is increased, and the process jumps to the step of detecting whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure after the first preset time period, and repeats until the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure or the opening of the replenishing valve is the maximum opening of the replenishing valve.

3. The online liquid replacement method for a liquid cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Adjusting the opening of the leakage valve according to the target pressure includes: Based on the target pressure, the opening of the leakage valve is adjusted using a PID control method to reduce the difference between the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit and the target pressure. After a second preset time period, it is detected whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure; If the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit does not reach the target pressure after the second preset time period, the opening of the leakage valve is reduced, and the process jumps to the step of detecting whether the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit has reached the target pressure after the second preset time period, and repeats until the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure.

4. The online liquid replacement method for a liquid cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, the opening of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve remains unchanged until the liquid replacement is completed, including: When the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, the opening of the replenishment valve and the leakage valve remains unchanged, and the medium parameters in the liquid cooling circuit are monitored. When the medium parameters meet the preset conditions, the fluid replacement is considered complete.

5. The online liquid replacement method for a liquid cooling system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of determining that the fluid change is completed when the medium parameters meet the preset conditions includes: When the medium parameters meet the preset conditions, the leakage valve is closed; After closing the leakage valve, close the replenishment valve.

6. The online liquid replacement method for a liquid cooling system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The liquid cooling circuit also includes a replenishment pump connected to the replenishment valve; Before adjusting the opening of the replenishment valve according to the target pressure, the method further includes: Control the replenishment pump to operate at a constant frequency.

7. The online liquid replacement method for a liquid cooling system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Before adjusting the opening of the replenishment valve according to the target pressure, the method further includes: Adjust the opening of the replenishing valve to a first preset opening, and adjust the opening of the leaking valve to a second preset opening; the first preset opening is less than or equal to the second preset opening.

8. An online liquid exchange device for a liquid cooling system, characterized in that, The liquid cooling system includes a liquid cooling circuit and a replenishment valve and a leakage valve connected to the liquid cooling circuit; the device includes: The acquisition module is used to acquire the target pressure of the liquid cooling circuit; The first adjustment module is used to adjust the opening of the liquid replenishment valve according to the target pressure, so as to reduce the difference between the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit and the target pressure; The second adjustment module is used to adjust the opening of the leakage valve according to the target pressure if the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit still does not reach the target pressure when the opening of the replenishing valve is the maximum opening of the replenishing valve. The retaining module is used to maintain the opening degree of the replenishing valve and the leaking valve unchanged when the actual pressure of the liquid cooling circuit reaches the target pressure, until the liquid replacement is completed.

9. A control device, characterized in that, It includes a memory and a processor, the memory being used to store a computer program, and the processor being used to call and run the computer program stored in the memory to perform the online liquid replacement method of the liquid cooling system as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A data center, characterized in that, It includes a liquid cooling system, the liquid cooling system comprising a liquid cooling circuit, a replenishing valve and a leaking valve connected to the liquid cooling circuit, and a control device as described in claim 9; Both the replenishing valve and the leaking valve are controlled by the control device.

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