Automatic liquid supplementing system

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic liquid supplementing system, and relates to the technical field of data center liquid cooling heat dissipation, the automatic liquid supplementing system comprises a closed cooling medium storage box, the cooling medium storage box is provided with a liquid level meter, a storage box pressure release valve, a ventilation valve, a self-sealing liquid injection port, a sealable liquid injection port and a medium recovery port; an inlet of the liquid supplementing pump is connected with an outlet of the closed cooling medium storage box through a pipeline; an inlet of the one-way valve is connected with an outlet of the liquid supplementing pump, and an outlet of the one-way valve is connected into a primary side or secondary side circulation pipeline of the liquid cooling system; the medium recovery port is used for being connected with a pressure release valve on the primary side or the secondary side in the liquid cooling system so as to recover the cooling medium. The system is ingenious in conception and reasonable in layout, failure of cooling liquid can be effectively prevented through sealed storage, automatic and accurate liquid supplementing is achieved, and the operation and maintenance efficiency and the system stability are improved; multi-mode liquid injection is achieved, and automation and flexibility are both considered; and meanwhile, the operation and maintenance cost is saved through medium recovery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of liquid cooling technology for data centers, and more particularly to an automatic liquid replenishment system. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G, and blockchain, the power density of electronic devices such as data center servers continues to rise. Traditional air cooling technology can no longer meet the high-density heat dissipation requirements, and liquid cooling technology has become the mainstream solution to the heat dissipation problem of high-power devices. Among them, cold plate liquid cooling systems are widely used in medium-to-high density scenarios (power consumption 15-30kW / rack) such as general cloud computing and enterprise-level data centers due to their advantages such as low difficulty in retrofitting existing servers, flexible deployment, and controllable retrofit costs. It is the mainstream transitional solution in the current liquid cooling market. According to industry forecasts, cold plate liquid cooling systems will still account for more than 60% of the global liquid cooling market share during 2025-2030. With the steady increase in chip power consumption (such as the thermal design power of Intel and AMD's next-generation CPUs exceeding 400W), its application scenarios will further extend to higher density and more complex operating conditions, and the market application prospects are very broad.

[0003] In the operation and maintenance of cold-plate liquid cooling systems, the coolant replenishment system plays an indispensable and crucial role. Cold-plate liquid cooling systems achieve heat transfer through coolant in a closed-loop circulation system. However, in actual operation and maintenance scenarios, server disassembly and assembly, and wear and tear on pipe joint seals can all lead to minor coolant leaks. Simultaneously, coolant naturally loses coolant during circulation due to evaporation and thermal expansion. Insufficient coolant in the system will directly lead to decreased heat dissipation efficiency and may even cause equipment overheating failures. Furthermore, during the initial system startup or restart after maintenance, the coolant replenishment system is needed to replenish coolant in the circulation pipes and inside the cold plates to ensure a complete heat dissipation loop. Therefore, the reliability of the coolant replenishment system directly determines the operational stability and heat dissipation effect of the cold-plate liquid cooling system, and is one of the core supporting components ensuring the continuous and effective operation of the entire liquid cooling system.

[0004] Current liquid cooling systems using cold plate systems generally suffer from numerous technical defects in their liquid replenishment methods, with coolant storage and loss issues being particularly prominent. On one hand, existing replenishment devices often employ open storage structures, where coolant is highly susceptible to external conditions and prone to failure: high humidity causes coolant to absorb moisture and deteriorate, high temperatures accelerate component decomposition, and airborne pollutants can reduce coolant purity. Furthermore, open storage can lead to microbial growth and scale buildup, further reducing heat transfer efficiency and even causing pipe corrosion, severely impacting the lifespan and operational safety of the liquid cooling system. On the other hand, cooling media themselves have high economic value, and their disposal costs are exorbitant: while water-based ethylene glycol solutions have a lower unit price, their total usage in large-scale applications is considerable; high-performance media such as silicone oil and fluorinated liquids can cost 60-500 yuan / kg, with some high-end fluorinated liquids reaching millions of yuan for rack-level applications. Simultaneously, the disposal of fluorinated and oil-based cooling media requires compliance with stringent environmental standards, involving complex processes that further increase maintenance costs. If traditional open-type or manual replenishment methods are used, the evaporation loss and contamination failure of coolant will cause significant economic losses, and frequent manual replenishment operations will also greatly increase the workload and time cost of operation and maintenance.

[0005] From the current application status of the technology, the replenishment of cold plate liquid cooling systems currently relies mostly on external replenishment devices (such as replenishment carts) for manual replenishment. This method is not only cumbersome and slow to respond, making it impossible to make up for coolant loss in a timely manner, but it is also difficult to avoid direct contact between the coolant and the external environment during open replenishment, which further aggravates coolant contamination and failure. Even if some systems have simple replenishment functions, they have not fundamentally solved the core technical problems of coolant sealed storage, accurate replenishment, and loss control. They cannot achieve a balance between replenishment efficiency, media conservation, and system stability, and cannot meet the large-scale operation and maintenance needs of cold plate liquid cooling systems in medium and high density data centers.

[0006] Therefore, how to develop an automatic liquid replenishment system that can achieve sealed storage, automatic response to liquid replenishment needs, and reduce coolant failure and loss, thereby improving the operation and maintenance efficiency of the cold plate liquid cooling system and ensuring the stable operation of the system, has become a key technical problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic liquid replenishment system as a liquid cooling infrastructure for use with a CDU, which solves the problems of cumbersome processes, slow response, and inability to replenish coolant loss in a timely manner caused by manual operation in the prior art.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: The present invention provides an automatic liquid replenishment system, comprising a sealed cooling medium storage tank, wherein the cooling medium storage tank is equipped with a level gauge, a storage tank pressure relief valve, a vent valve, a self-sealing liquid injection port, a sealable liquid injection port, and a medium recovery port; A replenishing pump, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the sealed cooling medium storage tank via a pipeline; A one-way valve, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the replenishment pump, and the outlet of which is connected to the primary or secondary circulation pipeline of the liquid cooling system. The medium recovery port is used to connect to the pressure relief valve on the primary or secondary side of the liquid cooling system to recover the cooling medium.

[0009] Preferably, the start and stop of the replenishment pump are controlled by interlocking the level gauge and the liquid cooling system pressure gauge: when the liquid level in the cooling medium storage tank is not lower than the set low level M and the liquid cooling system pressure reaches the set value L, the replenishment pump starts automatically; when the liquid level in the cooling medium storage tank is lower than the set low level M or the liquid cooling system pressure reaches the set high value H, the replenishment pump stops automatically; the liquid cooling system pressure gauge is installed on the liquid cooling system.

[0010] Preferably, the self-sealing injection port is located at the bottom of the cooling medium storage tank and adopts a quick-connect structure, which allows for injection when connected and automatic sealing when disconnected.

[0011] Preferably, the sealable injection port is located on the top of the cooling medium storage tank, and the sealable injection port adopts a flange or clamp structure and is connected to a detachable seal with a sealing ring and a blind plate. During manual fluid replenishment, remove the blind flange and sealing ring; after replenishment is complete, reinstall the sealing ring and blind flange to complete the sealing operation.

[0012] Preferably, the connection type of the self-sealing injection port and the sealable injection port is not limited to quick couplings or flanges.

[0013] Preferably, the vent valve is located at the top of the cooling medium storage tank to maintain pressure balance inside and outside the cooling medium storage tank when the replenishment pump is started.

[0014] Preferably, the pressure relief valve of the storage tank is located at the top of the cooling medium storage tank, and automatically opens to relieve pressure when the internal pressure of the cooling medium storage tank is too high.

[0015] Preferably, the one-way valve is a spring-loaded or gravity-operated mechanical check valve; Alternatively, it may be an automatic switching valve interlocked with the replenishing pump. The automatic switching valve is opened before the replenishing pump starts and immediately closed after the replenishing pump stops, preventing the cooling medium in the liquid cooling system from flowing back into the cooling medium storage tank.

[0016] Preferably, the automatic liquid replenishment system is integrated into the CDU or deployed independently as the liquid replenishment infrastructure for the liquid cooling system.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial technical effects of the present invention are as follows: 1) This invention adopts a closed cooling medium storage tank structure to replace the traditional open liquid replenishment device, so that the coolant is always isolated from the outside air during the entire storage and replenishment process. This effectively avoids problems such as coolant deterioration due to moisture absorption in high humidity environment, component decomposition in high temperature environment, and entry of pollutants in the air. At the same time, it prevents the growth of microorganisms and scale deposition, significantly extends the service life of the coolant, and ensures the long-term stable operation of the liquid cooling system.

[0018] 2) This invention achieves fully automatic and precise liquid replenishment by interlocking the start and stop of the replenishment pump with the level gauge and the system pressure gauge. The replenishment pump automatically starts when the water tank level is not lower than the low level and the system pressure reaches the start value; it automatically stops when the water level falls below the low level or the system pressure reaches the stop value. This control logic effectively avoids problems such as cavitation, pressure fluctuations, and equipment overheating caused by the lag in manual replenishment, improves the system's response speed and operational reliability, and significantly reduces maintenance workload and time costs.

[0019] 3) This invention features a self-sealing injection port at the bottom of the water tank, supporting rapid injection by an external replenishment pump. The port automatically seals when disconnected, making operation convenient and efficient. A sealable injection port is also located at the top of the water tank, supporting manual replenishment using tools such as syringes and funnels. This design is suitable for initial system startup, maintenance, or emergency scenarios. The dual injection port design balances the flexibility of automated replenishment with manual operation, adapting to various maintenance needs.

[0020] 4) This invention features a media recovery port on the water tank, connected to the pressure relief valve in the liquid cooling system. When the liquid cooling system triggers the pressure relief valve to open due to excessive pressure, the discharged cooling media automatically flows back to the sealed water tank through the recovery port, achieving the recycling and reuse of the cooling media. For high-value cooling media such as silicone oil and fluorinated liquids, this design can significantly reduce media loss and maintenance costs, while also reducing the environmental treatment pressure caused by media discharge.

[0021] 5) This invention features a vent valve at the top of the water tank to maintain pressure balance inside and outside the tank when the replenishment pump starts, preventing deformation due to negative pressure or replenishment failure; a pressure relief valve automatically opens to release pressure when the tank overflows or the internal pressure is too high, preventing damage to the tank; and a check valve is installed on the pipeline between the replenishment pump and the liquid cooling system to effectively prevent the cooling medium in the liquid cooling system from flowing back into the water tank. These designs construct a multi-layered safety protection system to ensure the safe and stable operation of the system.

[0022] This invention features an ingenious design and rational layout. Sealed storage effectively prevents coolant failure; it achieves automatic and precise coolant replenishment, improving operational efficiency and system stability; multiple filling methods balance automation and flexibility; media recovery saves on maintenance costs; and a well-designed valve achieves pressure balance, enhancing operational safety. This invention can be integrated into a CDU as part of a new data center, or deployed independently in a liquid cooling system as a replenishment infrastructure, suitable for upgrading existing liquid cooling systems. Both deployment methods achieve sealed storage, automatic coolant replenishment, and media recovery, meeting the needs of different application scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the automatic fluid replenishment system of the present invention; Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Cooling medium storage tank; 2. Storage tank pressure relief valve; 3. Self-sealing injection port; 4. Sealable injection port; 5. Liquid level gauge; 6. Vent valve; 7. Make-up pump; 8. Check valve; 9. Liquid cooling system; 10. Liquid cooling system pressure relief valve; 11. Liquid cooling system pressure gauge; 12. Medium recovery port. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0026] like Figure 1 As shown, an automatic liquid replenishment system includes a sealed cooling medium storage tank 1. The cooling medium storage tank 1 is equipped with a liquid level gauge 5, a storage tank pressure relief valve 2, a vent valve 6, a self-sealing liquid injection port 3, a sealable liquid injection port 4, and a medium recovery port 12. A replenishing pump 7, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the sealed cooling medium storage tank 1 via a pipeline; A one-way valve 8, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the replenishment pump 7, and the outlet of the one-way valve 8 is connected to the primary or secondary circulation pipeline of the liquid cooling system 9. The medium recovery port 12 is used to connect to the pressure relief valve 10 on the primary or secondary side of the liquid cooling system 9 to recover the cooling medium. During operation, when the pressure relief valve 10 is triggered to open due to excessive pressure in the liquid cooling system 9, the discharged cooling medium flows back to the sealed cooling medium storage tank 1 through the medium recovery port 12, achieving automatic recovery and reuse of the cooling medium. This medium recovery port design effectively avoids the waste of high-value cooling media (such as fluorinated liquids and silicone oils), reduces operation and maintenance costs, and also reduces the environmental treatment pressure caused by media discharge.

[0027] Specifically, the fluid replenishment system also includes a controller ( Figure 1 (Not shown in the image) The controller is electrically connected to the level gauge 5, the liquid cooling system pressure gauge 11, and the replenishment pump 7. The controller can be a general-purpose programmable logic controller (PLC) or a microcontroller. Based on the received level and pressure signals, it controls the start and stop of the replenishment pump according to preset logic. During operation, the start and stop of the replenishment pump 7 are interlocked by the level gauge 5 and the liquid cooling system pressure gauge 11: when the liquid level in the cooling medium storage tank is not lower than the set low level M and the liquid cooling system pressure reaches the set value L, the replenishment pump 7 automatically starts to replenish the coolant to the liquid cooling system 9; when the liquid level in the cooling medium storage tank is lower than the set low level M or the liquid cooling system pressure reaches the set high value H, the replenishment pump 7 is automatically stopped. The liquid cooling system pressure gauge 11 is installed on the liquid cooling system 9 and is used to monitor the internal pressure of the liquid cooling system in real time.

[0028] Specifically, the self-sealing injection port 3 is located at the bottom of the coolant storage tank 1 and adopts a quick-connect structure. It allows for injection when connected and automatically seals when disconnected. In one specific embodiment, a male quick-connect structure is used. When connected to an external female quick-connect connector, injection or drainage operations can be performed; when disconnected, the quick-connect automatically seals to prevent coolant leakage.

[0029] Specifically, the sealable injection port 4 is located on the top of the cooling medium storage tank 1. The sealable injection port 4 uses a flange or clamp structure and is connected to a sealing ring and blind flange for a detachable seal. During manual replenishment, the blind flange and sealing ring are removed; after replenishment, the sealing ring and blind flange are reinstalled to ensure the sealing of the cooling medium storage tank. The sealable injection port 4, in conjunction with the self-sealing injection port 3, enables both automatic and manual injection operations, preventing equipment downtime due to malfunctions of electrical components and ensuring extended effective operating time.

[0030] Specifically, the connection type of the self-sealing injection port 3 and the sealable injection port 4 can be selected as needed, and is not limited to quick couplings or flanges. Other self-sealing or sealable methods are all within the protection scope of this invention.

[0031] The vent valve 6 is located at the top of the cooling medium storage tank 1. It maintains pressure balance inside and outside the cooling medium storage tank 1 when the replenishment pump is started. It also provides waterproofing, dustproofing, and ventilation, preventing contaminants from entering the cooling medium storage tank 1. Specifically, during the start-up of the replenishment pump 7, a drop in the liquid level inside the cooling medium storage tank may cause a decrease in internal pressure. The vent valve 6 automatically introduces external air to maintain pressure balance inside and outside the cooling medium storage tank, preventing deformation due to negative pressure or cavitation by the replenishment pump. Furthermore, the waterproof and dustproof design of the vent valve 6 effectively prevents environmental contaminants from entering the cooling medium storage tank, ensuring the purity of the cooling medium.

[0032] The pressure relief valve 2 is located on the top of the cooling medium storage tank 1. It automatically opens to release pressure when the internal pressure of the cooling medium storage tank 1 is too high, preventing damage to the tank. Specifically, when there is too much coolant in the tank or the temperature rises, causing the internal pressure to exceed a preset threshold, the pressure relief valve 2 automatically opens to discharge the excess medium, preventing damage to the cooling medium storage tank due to overpressure. This design replaces the traditional overflow valve structure, further improving the system's safety and sealing.

[0033] Specifically, the one-way valve 8 is a spring-loaded or gravity-operated mechanical check valve; or it is an automatic switching valve interlocked with the replenishing pump 7. The automatic switching valve is opened before the replenishing pump 7 is started, and the automatic switching valve is closed immediately after the replenishing pump 7 is turned off, so as to prevent the cooling medium in the liquid cooling system 9 from flowing back into the cooling medium storage tank 1.

[0034] The process of using this invention is as follows: The automatic liquid replenishment system can be integrated into the CDU as part of the CDU, suitable for standardized deployment in newly built data centers; or it can be deployed independently in the liquid cooling system as a liquid replenishment infrastructure, suitable for upgrading and retrofitting existing liquid cooling systems.

[0035] Both deployment methods can achieve functions such as sealed storage, automatic liquid replenishment, and media recovery, meeting the usage needs of different scenarios.

[0036] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0037] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention should fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic fluid replenishment system, characterized in that: It includes a sealed cooling medium storage tank (1), which is equipped with a level gauge (5), a storage tank pressure relief valve (2), a vent valve (6), a self-sealing liquid injection port (3), a sealable liquid injection port (4), and a medium recovery port (12). A replenishing pump (7) is provided, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the sealed cooling medium storage tank (1) via a pipeline. A one-way valve (8) is provided, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the replenishment pump (7), and the outlet of the one-way valve (8) is connected to the primary or secondary circulation pipeline of the liquid cooling system (9). The medium recovery port (12) is used to connect to the pressure relief valve (10) on the primary or secondary side of the liquid cooling system (9) to recover the cooling medium.

2. The automatic fluid replenishment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The start and stop of the replenishment pump (7) are controlled by the interlock between the level gauge (5) and the liquid cooling system pressure gauge (11): when the liquid level in the cooling medium storage tank is not lower than the set low liquid level M and the liquid cooling system pressure reaches the set value L, the replenishment pump starts automatically; when the liquid level in the cooling medium storage tank is lower than the set low liquid level M or the liquid cooling system pressure reaches the set high value H, the replenishment pump stops automatically. The pressure gauge (11) of the liquid cooling system is installed on the liquid cooling system (9).

3. The automatic fluid replenishment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The self-sealing injection port (3) is located at the bottom of the cooling medium storage tank (1) and adopts a quick connector structure. It can be injected when connected and automatically sealed when disconnected.

4. The automatic fluid replenishment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealable injection port (4) is located on the top of the cooling medium storage tank (1). The sealable injection port (4) adopts a flange or clamp structure and is connected to a sealing ring and a blind plate for detachable sealing. During manual fluid replenishment, remove the blind flange and sealing ring; after replenishment, reinstall the sealing ring and blind flange to complete the sealing operation.

5. The automatic fluid replenishment system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The connection forms of the self-sealing injection port (3) and the sealable injection port (4) are not limited to quick couplings or flanges.

6. The automatic fluid replenishment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vent valve (6) is located on the top of the cooling medium storage tank (1) to maintain the pressure balance inside and outside the cooling medium storage tank (1) when the replenishment pump is started.

7. The automatic fluid replenishment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure relief valve (2) of the storage tank is located on the top of the cooling medium storage tank (1) and automatically opens to relieve pressure when the internal pressure of the cooling medium storage tank (1) is too high.

8. The automatic fluid replenishment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The one-way valve (8) is a spring-loaded or gravity-operated mechanical check valve; Or it may be an automatic switching valve that is interlocked with the replenishing pump (7). Before the replenishing pump (7) is started, the automatic switching valve is opened first, and after the replenishing pump (7) is turned off, the automatic switching valve is immediately closed to prevent the cooling medium in the liquid cooling system (9) from flowing back into the cooling medium storage tank (1).

9. The automatic fluid replenishment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automatic liquid replenishment system can be integrated into the CDU or deployed independently as the liquid replenishment infrastructure for the liquid cooling system.

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