A sample assembly for two-phase immersion cooling

Abstract

A template assembly for two-phase immersion cooling of an information processing system includes a template and a manifold attached to the template. The template includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first surface is thermally connected to a processor or other component of the information processing system. The second surface is configured to contact a liquid coolant and promote boiling of the liquid coolant while the system is immersed in an immersion cooling tank. The manifold includes a plurality of nozzles and is used to receive an input flow of liquid coolant from a tank and to discharge a plurality of output flows of liquid coolant back into the tank via the nozzles. The nozzles direct the output flows toward the second surface of the template. These flows can agitate the mixing flow region at the second surface and thereby increase the boiling rate.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] Information processing systems (such as servers and networking devices) are typically equipped with cooling systems to remove heat and keep system components within desired operating temperature ranges. Immersion cooling is an increasingly popular cooling method as an alternative to traditional air cooling and direct liquid cooling (DLC) systems. Immersion cooling involves immersing the information processing system in a non-conductive (e.g., dielectric) liquid coolant, typically contained in a large tank capable of housing multiple immersed systems simultaneously. Unlike DLC, where the liquid is contained within a closed loop and not directly exposed to the electrical components of the system, in immersion cooling, the liquid coolant is distributed throughout the system and comes into direct contact with all exposed components. Therefore, the liquid coolant can absorb heat from virtually all components of the system. The absorbed heat is then removed from the individual system via liquid convection through the tank. Coolers (such as heat exchangers) can be installed at the tank level to remove heat from the liquid.

[0002] Immersion cooling can include single-phase immersion cooling and two-phase immersion cooling. In single-phase immersion cooling, the coolant remains in liquid form throughout operation (excluding the negligible amount of vapor that may form). In two-phase immersion cooling, a portion of the coolant circulates between a liquid phase and a vapor (gas) phase during operation. The coolant is selected such that its boiling point is close to the desired operating temperature of the component, so that when the component temperature approaches the desired operating temperature, the component will begin to boil the coolant in contact with it (converting from liquid to vapor / gas). The boiling of the coolant absorbs a significant amount of heat from the component due to the latent heat of vaporization, thereby cooling the component. The more heat generated by the component, the faster boiling occurs, and therefore, the more heat the coolant absorbs from the component. Thus, assuming that boiling occurs fast enough to keep up with the amount of heat generated, the component temperature will not rise significantly above the boiling point of the coolant. In two-phase cooling, the tank can be sealed to prevent vapor escape. The vapor is then cooled by a cooling device that condenses the coolant back into liquid form, and the condensed liquid coolant then falls back into a pool of liquid coolant for use in another heat absorption and transport cycle. Attached Figure Description

[0003] Alone or with Figure 1 This disclosure will be understood from the following detailed description. These accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of this disclosure, and are incorporated in and form a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate one or more examples of the teachings and, together with the description, explain certain principles and operations. In the drawings:

[0004] Figure 1It is a schematic diagram illustrating the immersion cooling system, information processing device, and template components.

[0005] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of the sample template component.

[0006] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Another perspective view of the template component.

[0007] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A side view of the template component.

[0008] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 The template components along Figure 3 The section cut by line 5-5 as indicated in the middle.

[0009] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 The template components along Figure 4 The section cut by line 6-6 as indicated in the middle.

[0010] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 Another perspective view of the template component.

[0011] Figure 8 It includes Figure 2 A perspective view of an example information processing system for two template components in the template components.

[0012] Figure 9 This is a cross-section of the immersion cooling system of the information processing system, which includes... Figure 8 The information processing system is submerged in a submerged cooling tank. Detailed Implementation

[0013] Immersion cooling is gaining popularity as an alternative to air cooling and DLC for several reasons. For example, the increasing heat generated by CPUs and other components makes it increasingly difficult to efficiently cool systems via airflow. In some high-power systems, fans may not be able to adequately dissipate the amount of heat generated. In other systems, fans can dissipate heat, but doing so may require the fan to operate at high speeds, increasing fan power consumption and noise generation, resulting in inefficient cooling. In contrast, immersion cooling tanks typically consist of far fewer actively driven (powered) cooling components, and therefore can provide cooling with significantly less power consumption and less noise generation.

[0014] For example, the power supply and cooling components of some immersion cooling tanks may be limited to only one or a few pumps, which, for example, drive the liquid through a certain main circulation of the tank and its cooler. A single tank can hold multiple servers, in some instances as many as a conventional rack can hold (e.g., approximately twenty 2U servers in some cases). Therefore, in some cases, only a few power supply and cooling components are needed to cool many servers. In contrast, an air-cooled rack with a similar number of servers as the tank may require dozens of fans—for example, assuming a rack has approximately twenty 2U servers, there could be over a hundred fans. Therefore, immersion cooling tanks consume less power and generate significantly less noise compared to similar air-cooled racks.

[0015] Furthermore, DLC typically requires providing a complex closed cooling loop to circulate liquid coolant throughout the information processing system. This loop includes pipes, valves, pumps, cold plates, leak detection devices, and many other components of the liquid cooling infrastructure. In racks with multiple servers, the overall liquid cooling loop for the rack can comprise multiple sub-loops, with one sub-loop corresponding to each individual system within the rack. Therefore, DLC solutions are often very expensive and complex to implement, and thus, DLC is generally reserved for high-power and high-cost systems, such as high-performance computing (HPC) systems (aka supercomputers), where costs can be rationalized. Typically, DLC is used to cool the highest-power components, such as the CPU. This can be expensive in itself. Additionally, in some systems, DLC is used to cool countless other components distributed throughout the system. This significantly increases the cost and complexity of the cooling solution, as each component needs to be thermally connected to the liquid cooling loop, and there are many components with irregular shapes, different locations, and varying cooling requirements. To reduce some of the cost and complexity, some systems use DLC only to cool high-power components (e.g., the CPU) and will include air cooling to cool other auxiliary components. While this hybrid approach can be effective, DLC components may still be expensive and complex (although less expensive and complex than DLC-only systems), and air-cooled components suffer from the same drawbacks as air-cooled systems (higher power consumption and noise generation).

[0016] In contrast, immersion cooling typically eliminates the need for the large and complex custom liquid cooling circuits and associated infrastructure usually required by DLCs, making it less costly and complex to implement in the long run. Furthermore, because immersion cooling allows the coolant to be distributed throughout the system and come into contact with all exposed components, no special handling or cost is required to ensure that non-CPU components are cooled along with the CPU.

[0017] However, while immersion cooling can be effective for cooling many systems, in some cases, a single high-power component with concentrated heat generation (such as a very hot CPU) may receive less cooling than expected in a standard immersion tank. In particular, the convection rate through the tank (heat transfer through the liquid) may limit the amount of heat that can be absorbed from some high-power components. Two-phase immersion cooling can improve the heat transfer rate compared to single-phase immersion cooling because it utilizes the latent heat of vaporization to allow the coolant to absorb heat at a greater rate; however, even with two-phase cooling, for some high-heat components, there may be situations where the cooling provided is less than expected. For example, if the amount of heat generated by a component exceeds the rate at which the liquid in contact with the component can evaporate and remove heat, the component temperature may begin to rise above the boiling point of the coolant and eventually approach the component's maximum temperature. This can lead to performance limitations to avoid overheating.

[0018] To address these issues, this paper discloses a boilerplate assembly for efficient two-phase immersion cooling of high-heat components in information processing devices, such as CPUs. The boilerplate assembly has a thermally conductive boilerplate with a first side and a second side. The first side is thermally connected to the CPU (or other high-heat components) to absorb heat from these components, while the second side is exposed to a liquid coolant and transfers the heat absorbed from the CPU to the coolant, causing the coolant to boil. The boilerplate has a larger surface area than the CPU (or other components), thus achieving greater contact with the liquid and therefore a higher boiling rate, which in turn increases the rate at which heat can be extracted from the components, providing better cooling. In some examples, the second side of the boilerplate may also include a mesh structure configured to further increase the rate of coolant boiling. Furthermore, the boilerplate assembly includes a manifold attached to the boilerplate and fluidly connected to a pump that draws liquid coolant from a tank and forces the coolant through the manifold. The manifold has nozzles arranged to discharge a high-speed flow of liquid coolant directed toward the second side of the boilerplate. These coolant flows disturb the mixing flow region (the region where vapor and liquid mix) in and around the second surface, thereby altering the boiling characteristics of this region in a manner that can further increase the boiling rate, and thus further improve thermal performance. Furthermore, the coolant flow also generates forced convection of the liquid-phase coolant in this region, which further reduces thermal resistance and improves thermal performance. Therefore, compared to passive two-phase immersion cooling without a template assembly, the template assembly significantly reduces the temperature of high-power components.

[0019] Turning now to the figures, various apparatuses, systems and methods according to the non-limiting aspects of this disclosure will be described.

[0020] Figure 1The diagram is a conceptual illustration of a system 100, which includes an immersion cooling tank 101 and an information processing system 110, which includes a template assembly 120. Figure 1 It is schematic and conceptual in nature, and unless otherwise stated, this drawing is not intended to illustrate spatial relationships, shapes, dimensions, or other structural details. Furthermore, Figure 1 This work is not intended to exhaustively depict all aspects of systems 100 and 110 or component 120. Furthermore, the number and arrangement of elements illustrated are not limiting. In other words, in some embodiments of system 100 or 110 or component 120, different numbers and / or arrangements may be included than those illustrated. Figure 1 The components illustrated herein. Furthermore, some embodiments of system 100 or 110 or component 120 may include... Figure 1 Components not shown in the figure, and / or may be omitted. Figure 1 One or more of the elements shown in the diagram. Furthermore, although the information processing system 110... Figure 1 The information processing system 110 is shown as being associated with the immersion tank 101 (as part of system 100), but it should be understood that in some examples disclosed herein, the information processing system 110 is provided separately in the absence of an immersion tank. Furthermore, although the template component 120 is... Figure 1 The template component 120 is shown as an installation part of the information processing system 110, but in some examples disclosed herein, the template component 120 is provided separately from the rest of the information processing system 110. In other words, some examples disclosed herein include... Figure 1 The complete system 100 shown, other examples only include information processing system 110 with template component 120 installed, and other examples only include template component 120 itself.

[0021] exist Figure 1 In this diagram, physical attachments or joints between components are illustrated by double solid lines extending between the boxes depicting the components. Contacts between components and / or heat conduction paths between components are illustrated by single solid lines extending between the boxes depicting the components, with arrows indicating the direction of heat flow during normal use. Flow paths for liquid and / or fluid connections between two components are depicted using dashed arrows extending between the boxes depicting the components, with the arrows indicating the flow direction. Vapor / gas flow paths are depicted using dotted arrows, with the arrows indicating the flow direction.

[0022] like Figure 1As shown, the system includes an immersion tank 101. The immersion tank 101 includes a barrel or container or similar structure configured to provide two-phase immersion cooling to an information processing system (such as system 110). The tank 101 contains a coolant configured for two-phase immersion cooling, meaning the coolant is non-conductive (e.g., dielectric) and has a boiling point at or near the desired operating temperature of the components of the information processing system, thereby allowing the coolant to change between a liquid phase and a vapor (gas) phase during operation. Therefore, during operation, the tank 101 will contain a liquid phase coolant and a vapor phase coolant, the liquid phase coolant being collected together in a liquid phase coolant pool 102 within the tank 101, and the vapor phase coolant being collected in a vapor phase coolant volume 103 above the pool 102.

[0023] The liquid-containing portion of tank 101 is configured to receive one or more information processing systems (e.g., servers), such as information processing system 110, immersed in a liquid coolant pool 102. In this context, "immersion" means that at least the system panel is submerged in pool 102. In some examples, each information processing system 110 may be completely submerged. In other examples, a small portion of system 110 (e.g., a support bracket supporting the system) may protrude beyond pool 102. The immersion of system 110 in liquid coolant pool 102 is achieved by… Figure 1 The white arrow in the diagram indicates this. Note that... Figure 1 In the image, the box representing system 110 is not drawn within the box of drawing pool 102 because... Figure 1 It is essentially schematic and does not depict positional relationships in this way.

[0024] The immersion tank 101 may also include a cooler 104 configured to cool the vapor in the vapor phase coolant volume 103. For example, the cooler 104 may include a cold plate exposed to the vapor and thermally coupled to an external cooling source, such as a facility chilled water line, which removes heat from the cold plate. The cooler 104 may be kept sufficiently cold to promote the condensation of the vapor phase coolant back to the liquid phase on the cooler. The cooler 104 may be located within the vapor phase coolant volume 103, but... Figure 1 In the diagram, the box representing cooler 104 is not drawn within the box representing volume 103 because... Figure 1 It is essentially illustrative and does not show positional relationships in this way.

[0025] Information processing system 110 may include a server, a networking device, or other systems configured to process digital information. System 110 includes a system board 111 (e.g., a motherboard) to which a CPU 112 is mounted. System board 111 may also include other electronic components (not shown), including one or more additional CPUs, memory modules, etc. The system may also include mounting features 113 arranged around the CPU 112, which will be described in more detail below. System 110 may also include a chassis 115 that supports system board 111. In some examples, chassis 115 houses (encloses) system board 111 and other components of system 110, while in other examples, chassis 115 (e.g., a tray) only supports system board 111 without housing it. In other examples, chassis 115 may be omitted. As previously stated, Figure 1 It is schematic in nature and therefore does not show structural details of the chassis 115 or system board 111 or their positional relationship to each other or other components.

[0026] Template assembly 120 can be installed as part of information processing system 110. Template assembly 120 includes template 121, manifold 130, and mounting feature 125.

[0027] Template 121 includes a heat-conducting body having a generally plate-like shape, meaning that the body has two broad, generally planar surfaces arranged opposite each other and parallel to each other, and a plurality of narrow edge surfaces extending between and connecting the two broad surfaces. Furthermore, both the width and length dimensions of the body parallel to its broad surfaces are significantly greater than (e.g., by a factor of 5 or more) the thickness dimension of the body perpendicular to its broad surfaces. In some examples, template 121 is formed from a plate of heat-conducting metal (such as copper, aluminum, steel, etc.). In some examples, template 121 may be formed from, or include within, a vapor chamber.

[0028] The template 121 has two broad surfaces, including a first surface 122 and a second surface 123. In the installed state, the first surface 122 is thermally connected to (e.g., placed in contact with) the CPU 112, such that heat generated by the CPU 112 is transferred to the template 121 via conduction. The heat then travels from the first surface 122 through the thickness of the plate 121 to the second surface 123. In an example where the template 121 comprises a solid metal plate, heat is transferred through the thickness of the plate 121 via conduction. In an example where the template 121 comprises a vapor chamber, heat is transferred through the thickness of the plate 121 via a cycle of conduction and vapor change heat transfer.

[0029] With the template 121 installed in the system 110 and the system 110 submerged in the tank 101, the second surface 123 of the template 121 is exposed to the liquid coolant in the pool 102 (i.e., in contact with the liquid coolant). Therefore, heat is transferred from the second surface 123 to the liquid coolant. Eventually, the liquid coolant adjacent to the second surface 123 becomes hot enough to boil. As the liquid boils, due to the latent heat of vaporization, the conversion from liquid to vapor removes even more heat from the template 121. The newly formed vapor then bubbles through the pool 102 and enters the volume 103 (as per [previous configuration]). Figure 1 (As shown by the dashed arrow in the diagram), in this volume, the vapor will eventually come into contact with cooler 104 and condense back into liquid form, thereby releasing its heat to cooler 104. The condensed and cooled liquid then drips back into pool 102.

[0030] The template 121 may also include a boiling-enhancing mesh 124. This mesh is disposed on or formed as part of a second surface 123 of the template 121. The mesh 124 is configured to increase the boiling rate of the liquid coolant, for example, by increasing the surface area of ​​the second surface 123.

[0031] Manifold 130 includes a hollow manifold body 131 having an internal chamber 132 (e.g., an orifice or empty volume contained within the body 131), an inlet 134 fluidly connecting the internal chamber 132 to an external environment, and a plurality of nozzles 133 fluidly connecting the internal chamber 132 to the external environment. Thus, manifold 130 is configured to allow a liquid input flow from the external environment to flow into the internal chamber 132 via the inlet 134, and then to output the liquid back to the external environment as a plurality of output flows from the internal chamber 132 via the nozzles 133. Openings in the manifold body fluidly connect the inlet 132 to the internal chamber 132. Inlet 132 may be a liquid connector or fitting configured to connect to a liquid conduit 141 (e.g., a hose, line, tube, or any other liquid conduit). Therefore, inlet 132 may include connection features to facilitate such connection. Examples of such liquid connectors / fittings include hose barbs, threaded fittings, compression fittings, quick-disconnect fittings (QDs), and other liquid connectors / fittings. Examples of connection features for these accessories may include barbs, threads, washers, quick-disconnect features (springs, lift valves, etc.).

[0032] In some examples, manifold 130 is attached to template 121. More specifically, in some examples, at least a portion of manifold 130 (e.g., manifold body 131) is integrally connected to template 121, meaning they are formed as part of the same unified (monolithic) body. For example, manifold 130 and a portion of template 121 may be cast together in the same casting, machined from the same block of metal (e.g., copper, aluminum, etc.), or formed together in an additive manufacturing process (e.g., 3D printing). In other examples, manifold 130 may be formed as a separate piece, which is attached to template 121, for example, via fasteners, thermoforming, adhesives, welding, brazing, or other fastening mechanisms. Manifold 130 is attached to template 121 in such a manner that nozzles 133 are aligned with template 121, such that the liquid flow ejected from nozzles 133 is directed to the second surface 123. In particular, in some examples, some (or all) of the nozzles 133 are arranged to spray their flow toward mesh 124 (if present). In some examples, nozzle 133 may have a relatively narrow opening (compared to the opening size of the inlet), allowing the nozzle to discharge its liquid flow at a relatively high velocity. The liquid flow can disturb the mixing flow region in and around the second surface 123, specifically the mixing flow region in the mesh 124 (if present). The mixing flow region is the area where vapor and liquid mix. This mixing alters the boiling characteristics of the region in a way that can further increase the boiling rate, and thus further improve thermal performance. Furthermore, the coolant flow also generates forced convection of the liquid-phase coolant in this region, which further reduces thermal resistance and improves thermal performance. Therefore, the template assembly 120 significantly reduces the temperature of high-power components compared to passive two-phase immersion cooling without the template assembly.

[0033] Template assembly 120 may further include mounting features 125 configured to mount template 121 to system board 111 and / or chassis 115. Mounting features 125 may include elements separate from template 121, elements as part of template, or combinations of such elements. For example, mounting feature 125 may include a set of fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts, etc.) and a corresponding set of holes in the template through which the fasteners may extend. As another example, mounting feature 125 may include a latching mechanism formed into or attached to template, such as a half-turn or quarter-turn latch or any other desired latch. As another example, mounting feature 125 may include retainers (e.g., spring clips) attached to system board 111 and movable to engage template 121. In some examples, mounting feature 125 is configured to engage mounting feature 113 of system board 111. For example, if mounting feature 125 includes a screw, mounting feature 113 may include a threaded hole / nut configured to receive the screw. As another example, if mounting feature 125 includes a latch, then mounting feature 113 may include a latch receiver or a complementary latching element configured to engage with the latch. In other examples, mounting feature 125 is part of the system board, in which case mounting feature 113 may be omitted.

[0034] In some examples, mounting feature 113 may be the same mounting feature used for mounting an air-cooled heatsink to CPU 112. In such examples, mounting feature 125 of template component 120 may be configured to mount to these same mounting features 113. In other words, mounting feature 125 of template component 120 may have a location and attachment mechanism that mimics the mounting features of an air-cooled heatsink. This can be useful in situations where it is desired to convert a system originally designed for air cooling into one that can be used for immersion cooling. For example, to convert a system, fans, air-cooled heatsinks, airflow baffles, and other air-cooling components that may be part of the system may be removed, and template component 120 may be added in their places.

[0035] System 110 may also include a pump 140 and a liquid conduit 141 configured to supply an input flow of liquid coolant to manifold 130. Pump 140 is configured to draw some liquid coolant from pool 102 and force the liquid inflow and through manifold 130, thereby producing an output flow ejected from nozzle 133 toward second surface 123, such as... Figure 1 As indicated by the dashed arrow in the diagram. Specifically, pump 140 can be connected directly to inlet 134, or via one or more liquid conduits 141. Pump 140 can be powered by the same power source (not shown) (e.g., a power supply unit) that powers system board 111.

[0036] Turn now Figures 2 to 7 This section will describe an example template component 220. Template component 220 is an example implementation of the template component 120 described above. Therefore, some components of template component 220 are similar to their corresponding components already described above (e.g., their example implementations or configurations), and thus the above description of the components of template component 120 applies to similar components of template component 220, and therefore repetitive descriptions of certain aspects of template component 220 can be omitted. Corresponding components can be referred to using reference numerals with the same last two digits (e.g., 121 and 221). It should be understood that template component 220 is merely one possible implementation of template component 120, and template component 120 is not limited to template component 220. Similarly, the various components of template component 220 are examples of corresponding components of template component 120, but the various components of template component 120 are not limited to their corresponding components of template component 220.

[0037] The order in which the components of template assembly 220 are described below is chosen to aid in understanding the structural and functional relationships between them. However, the logical order that best facilitates this understanding is not necessarily the same as the order in which these components appear in the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the following descriptions will not be strictly sequential. Figures 2 to 7 Conversely, when describing aspects of a template component, certain figures are labeled as most helpful in understanding the specific aspects under discussion, even if this requires moving the figures back and forth in an out-of-order manner.

[0038] like Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the template assembly 220 includes a template 221, a manifold 230 connected to the template 221, and a mounting feature 225 connected to the template 221.

[0039] In this example, template 221 includes a metal (e.g., copper) plate having a first side 222 and a second side 223 opposite to the first side 222. The first side 222 is configured to be thermally coupled to the CPU of the information processing device, while the second side is configured to be exposed to the liquid coolant in the pool of the immersion cooling tank when the information processing device is immersed in the pool of the immersion cooling tank. In some examples, such as Figure 4 and Figure 7As shown, a thermal interface material (TIM) 229 may be disposed on the first surface 222. The TIM 229 may be, for example, a graphite pad / mesh, a stretchable metal foil (e.g., indium foil), a carbon nanotube mesh, or any other TIM compatible with the liquid coolant (e.g., not dissolved by or reacting with the liquid coolant). When the template 221 is mounted on the CPU, the TIM 229 is located between and in contact with the first surface 222 and the CPU, such that the TIM 229 thermally bonds the first surface 222 to the CPU. In some examples, the TIM 229 may be omitted, in which case the first surface 222 may be in direct contact with the CPU. In some examples, the template 221 may also include a boiling-enhancing mesh 224 disposed on or formed in the second surface 223. In some examples, the mesh 224 may be omitted.

[0040] like Figures 2 to 4 As shown, manifold 230 includes manifold body 231, inlet 134 connected to body 231, and four nozzles 233 connected to body 231. In some examples, inlet 134 and / or nozzles 133 are integrally formed with body 231, for example, via additive manufacturing, casting / molding, etc. In other examples, inlet 134 and / or nozzles 133 may be formed separately from body 231 and then subsequently attached to body 231 via adhesive, hot melt, welding, friction fit, mechanical fasteners, or other fastening techniques. Body 231 is attached to template 221. In the example shown, body 231 has a box shape (i.e., a rectangular prism shape), wherein the bottom side of body is attached to template 221. In some examples, manifold body 231 is formed separately from template 221 and attached to template by adhesive, hot melt, welding, mechanical fasteners, or other fastening techniques. In other examples, manifold body 231 is integrally formed with template 221, for example, via additive manufacturing, casting, etc.

[0041] like Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the manifold body 231 is hollow and has an internal chamber 132 comprising an empty volume / space for receiving liquid coolant. Furthermore, the inlet 234 includes an inlet opening 235 for receiving an input flow of liquid coolant into the manifold 230, and each of the nozzles 233 includes an outlet opening 236 for ejecting the input liquid coolant as multiple output flows from the manifold. The internal chamber 132 is arranged to fluidly connect the inlet opening 235 of the inlet 234 to the outlet opening 236 of the nozzles 233. More specifically, the internal chamber 132 has an opening 235', and the inlet 234 is coupled to the body 231 at the opening 235', such that an internal passage 237 of the inlet 234 is fluidly connected to the internal chamber 132 via the opening 235'. The internal chamber 132 also has a plurality of openings 236', and each of the nozzles 233 is connected to the body 231 at a corresponding opening in these openings 236', such that the internal passage 238 of the nozzle 233 is fluidly connected to the internal chamber 132 via the openings 236'. Therefore, a liquid input flow from the external environment of the manifold 230 can enter the manifold through the passage 237 flowing into the inlet 234 via the opening 235, and then the liquid can flow through the passage 237, enter the chamber 232 via the opening 235', flow through the chamber 232, be divided into a plurality of output flows, which flow out of the chamber 232 via the openings 236' and into the passage 238, and then the liquid output flow can flow out of the manifold 230 via the openings 236' and exit the passage 238. These liquid flow paths are shown in the figures, particularly... Figure 5 and Figure 6 The middle is depicted with a dashed arrow.

[0042] In this example, inlet 234 has the form of a hose barb fitting configured to connect to a hose, which in turn can be connected to a pump that pumps liquid coolant from the submerged tank into manifold 230. In other examples, inlet 234 can be replaced with any other desired fluid connection, such as a threaded connection, a quick-disconnect fluid connection, or other fluid connection.

[0043] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, nozzle 233 is arranged to guide the output flow of liquid coolant discharged from the nozzle toward the second surface 223. More specifically, nozzle 233 guides the output flow at an acute angle θ relative to the second surface 223, where 0° < θ < 90°. Unless otherwise stated, references herein to the direction or orientation of the output flow should be understood specifically to the direction of these output flows at or immediately after the output opening of the nozzle. More specifically, the angle θ can be measured relative to the central axis of the output flow at a given point in or immediately after the opening 236, wherein the central axis is located at the center of the flow and aligned with the average flow direction at that point. In the example shown, θ is approximately 30°. In some examples, θ is between 10° and 75°. In some examples, θ is between 20° and 40°. In some examples, θ is between 25° and 35°. In some examples, θ is between 15° and 25°. In some examples, θ is between 35° and 50°. In some examples, θ is between 50° and 75°. Unless otherwise stated, all ranges mentioned above include the endpoints mentioned. In some examples, the directionality of the discharged liquid flow may be influenced by the direction in which channel 238 extends and / or by the shape and orientation of opening 233.

[0044] In the example shown, there are four nozzles 233, but in other examples, there may be more nozzles 233 (e.g., five, six, or any number) or fewer nozzles (e.g., three, two). In the example shown, the nozzles 233 are equidistant along the x-axis, but in other examples, the spacing between the nozzles 233 is not necessarily equidistant. In the example shown, the nozzles 233 are distributed along the x-axis such that the nozzles 233 span substantially the entire (e.g., 80% or more) width of the space covering the plate 221. In other examples, the distribution of the nozzles 233 along the x-axis may be substantially less than the width of the plate 221 (e.g., less than 80% of the width of the plate). In the example shown, there is a row of nozzles 233 extending along the x-axis, where all nozzles 233 have similar heights (along the z-axis) above the surface 223, but in other examples, one or more nozzles 233 may be positioned at different heights above the surface 223 than one or more other nozzles 233. In the example shown, all nozzles 233 discharge liquid at the same angle θ. However, in other examples, one or more nozzles 233 may discharge liquid at an angle different from that of one or more other nozzles 233. For example, in one embodiment, a first group of nozzles 233 may discharge liquid at a first angle θ1, while a second row of nozzles 233 may discharge liquid at a second angle θ2, where θ2 < θ1, such that the central axis of the liquid flow ejected from the first nozzles 233 intersects the closer portion of the surface 224, while the central axis of the liquid flow ejected from these second nozzles 233 intersects the farther portion of the surface 224. In the example shown, all nozzles 233 have the same shape and configuration as each other, including output openings 236 of the same size and shape, and therefore all ejected liquid flows have substantially similar characteristics (e.g., the same flow width, the same flow velocity, etc.). In other examples, one or more nozzles 233 may have a different shape or configuration than one or more other nozzles 233, and therefore their respective jet flows may differ from each other in one or more characteristics. For example, the first set of nozzles 233 may have a larger output opening 236 than the second set of nozzles 233, resulting in a flow with a larger diameter and slower velocity ejected by the first set of nozzles 233, while the flow ejected by the second set of nozzles 233 has a smaller diameter and faster velocity. In the example shown, some nozzles 233 produce a flow whose central axis intersects the mesh 224 directly, while some nozzles produce a flow whose central axis does not intersect the mesh 224 directly. In other examples, all nozzles 233 produce a flow whose central axis intersects the mesh 224 directly. In other examples, no nozzle 233 can produce a flow whose central axis intersects the mesh 224 directly. In the example shown, the cross-section of the opening 236 of the nozzle 223 is circular, so each nozzle 223 produces a single flow with a substantially circular cross-section.In other examples, the opening 236 can have other cross-sectional shapes, such as elliptical, rectangular, etc., which can produce output streams of different shapes. Furthermore, in some examples, each nozzle 223 can be provided with more than one opening 236, which can allow a single nozzle 223 to produce multiple smaller output streams.

[0045] like Figures 2 to 7 As shown, four sets of mounting features 225 can be provided, each set of mounting features being attached to a corresponding corner of template 221. In other examples, more or fewer sets of mounting features 225 can be provided. In the example shown, each set of mounting features 225 may include multiple mounting features, including spring clips 227, fastener receivers 226, and positioning pins 236. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, each spring clip 227 includes a wire bent to form a shape having a handle end 227a and a connecting end 227b. Figure 4 As shown, the engagement end 227b protrudes below the first surface 222 of the template 221 and has a hook-like shape. This hook-like shape is configured to engage with a complementary receiving structure on the system board or chassis of the information processing device to attach the template 221 to the system board. The handle end 227a is configured to be gripped and moved by a user, wherein the movement causes elastic deformation of the spring clip 227 and thus generates a restoring spring force that resists the movement and causes the handle 227a to return to a stationary state. When the handle end 227a moves, this causes the engagement end 227a to move. This movement of the engagement end 227a can facilitate engagement or disengagement with the receiving element of the system board. Therefore, for example, a user can press the handle end 227a with two opposing mounting features 225 toward each other, which can move the engaging end 227a of the two mounting features 225 to a disengaged position, thereby enabling the installation of the template 221, and then the user can release the handle end 227a, allowing the spring force to return the handle end to its rest position and thereby move the engaging end 227a to the engaged state. Figure 7 The best-visible alignment pin 236 extends through plate 221 and protrudes below surface 222, and can engage with corresponding holes in the system board or chassis to facilitate alignment of plate 221 relative to the CPU. Fastener receiver 226 includes a post-shaped hole through which a fastener or post can extend. Fasteners can be used to secure plate 221 to the system board or chassis, in addition to or instead of spring clips 227.

[0046] Figure 8The illustration shows an example information processing system 210 that can utilize the aforementioned template component 210. System 210 is a server, which includes a chassis 215 housing a system board 211, and various peripheral devices (not labeled), such as drives and expansion cards. The system board 211 has two CPUs 212 mounted to it, and two template components 220 are mounted to the CPUs 212 respectively (the actual CPUs 212 are not visible in the figure because they are below template 221, but their approximate location is...). Figure 8 (Indicated by dashed lines). In this example, the mounting feature 225 of template 221 engages with the mounting feature (not visible) of the system board, thereby connecting template assembly 220 to the system board.

[0047] In addition, the system includes a pump 240 and a liquid conduit that connects the pump 240 to the manifold 230 of the template assembly 220. Figure 1 In this system, these liquid conduits include a first pipe 243, a distribution manifold 242, and a second pipe 241. The first pipe 243 connects the pump fluid to the distribution manifold 242, and the two second pipes 241 respectively connect the distribution manifold 242 to the two template assemblies 220. Therefore, when the system 210 is immersed in a liquid coolant pool, the pump 240 can draw coolant from the pool and allow liquid to flow through the first pipe 243, the distribution manifold 242, and the second pipe 241 into the manifold 230 of the template assembly 220 (the liquid flow path is...). Figure 8 (Depicted by a dashed arrow).

[0048] Figure 8 An example immersion cooling system 200 is illustrated for use in immersion cooling of information processing systems (such as system 210). System 200 includes an immersion cooling tank 101 configured to house multiple information processing systems therein and immerse these systems in a liquid coolant. System 200 also includes at least one such information processing system, namely system 210.

[0049] The immersion cooling tank 101 includes a base 105 and a cover, which are hermetically connected to each other (e.g., via a seal 107) to enclose an internal volume. Within the tank, a liquid coolant pool 102 is present, and above the pool 102 is a volume 103 comprising a vapor phase coolant (in some cases, other gases, such as air, may also be present in volume 103). The tank 101 also includes a cooler 104 disposed within volume 103. The cooler may comprise a plate or radiator / heat exchanger cooled by an external cooling source. For example, an external cooling liquid source may flow liquid through the cooler 104 via a liquid coupling 108, thereby maintaining the cooler 104 at a desired temperature, which is the condensation point of the vapor phase coolant or below.

[0050] System 210 is immersed in liquid coolant in pool 102. When system 210 operates, it generates heat. This heat is absorbed by the liquid coolant in pool 102, and eventually some of the liquid boils and turns into vapor. In this way, the components are cooled. Specifically, template assembly 220 is configured to promote this boiling, thereby allowing the heat generated by the CPU to be more easily transferred to the coolant. Then, as... Figure 9 As indicated by the dashed arrow, newly formed vapor bubbles through liquid pool 102 into volume 103. The vapor itself carries the heat it previously absorbed from template assembly 220 and other components. The vapor in volume 103 then eventually moves via natural convection to contact cooler 104. Because the temperature of cooler 104 is below the cooling point of the coolant, the vapor in contact with cooler 104 condenses back into liquid form, thereby transferring heat to cooler 104 and lowering the temperature of the now condensed liquid below its boiling point. Figure 9 As depicted in the illustration, this condensed and cooled liquid coolant then drips back into pool 102, where it can absorb more heat and begin circulating again. As noted, cooler 104 absorbs heat from the condensed vapor, and therefore, cooling is required for cooler 104 (e.g., via the circulation of cooling liquid through the cooler) to remove the absorbed heat and maintain the temperature of cooler 104 below the cooling point of the coolant, thus allowing the cooler to continue condensing the vapor.

[0051] It should be understood that both the general description and the detailed description provide illustrative examples of an inherent nature and are intended to provide an understanding of this disclosure without limiting its scope. Various mechanical, compositional, structural, electronic, and operational changes may be made without departing from the scope of this specification and the claims. In some instances, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques have not been shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring these examples. In two or more drawings, the same numerals denote the same or similar elements.

[0052] Furthermore, unless the context otherwise indicates, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to also include the plural forms. Additionally, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” etc., specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups. Unless otherwise specifically stated, components described as connected may be directly electrically or mechanically connected, or may be indirectly connected via one or more intermediate components. Unless the context otherwise indicates, mathematical and geometric terms are not necessarily used according to their strict definitions, as those skilled in the art will understand that, for example, substantially similar elements acting in substantially similar ways may readily fall within the scope of descriptive terms, even if those terms have strict definitions.

[0053] And / or: Occasionally, the phrase “and / or” is used in conjunction with a list of enumerated items in this text. This phrase means that any combination of items in the list can be included—from a single item to all items, and any permutation in between. Thus, for example, “A, B and / or C” means “one of {A}, {B}, {C}, {A, B}, {A, C}, {C, B}, and {A, C, B}.”

[0054] An element and its related aspects described in detail with reference to an example may, where feasible, be included in other examples that do not specifically show or describe them. For example, if an element is described in detail with reference to an example and not with reference to a second example, then that element may still be claimed as being included in the second example.

[0055] Furthermore, unless otherwise stated herein or implied by the context, the use of approximate terms such as “basically,” “roughly,” “about,” “around,” “probably,” etc., should be understood to mean that mathematical precision is not required, but rather refers to a range of variation that includes, but is not strictly limited to, the stated values, properties, or relationships. In particular, apart from any range explicitly stated herein (if any), the range of variation implied by the use of such approximate terms includes at least any insignificant variations and those that are typical for items of the type discussed due to manufacturing tolerances or other tolerances in the relevant field. In any case, unless otherwise indicated, the range of variation may include values ​​within ±1% of the stated values, properties, or relationships.

[0056] Given the disclosure herein, further modifications and alternative examples will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, apparatus and methods may include additional components or steps omitted from the figures and description for clarity of operation. Accordingly, this description is to be interpreted only as illustrative and intended to teach those skilled in the art the general manner of performing this teaching. It should be understood that the various examples shown and described herein are to be considered exemplary. Those illustrated and described herein may be replaced by elements and materials, and arrangements of such elements and materials, components and processes may be reversed, and certain features of this teaching may be utilized independently, all of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon benefiting from the description herein. Changes may be made to the elements described herein without departing from the scope of this teaching and the appended claims.

[0057] It should be understood that the specific examples described herein are non-limiting, and modifications can be made to the structure, dimensions, materials, and methods without departing from the scope of this teaching.

[0058] Considering the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein, other examples based on this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The specification and examples are intended to be illustrative only, and the following claims will have their broadest scope, including equivalents under applicable law.

Claims

1. A prototype assembly for two-phase immersion cooling in an information processing system, comprising: The template includes a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The first surface is configured to be thermally connected to a heat-generating component of the information processing system when the template assembly is installed in the information processing system. The second surface is configured to contact the liquid coolant and promote boiling of the liquid coolant when the template assembly is installed in the information processing system and when the information processing system is immersed in a liquid coolant pool in an immersion cooling tank. A manifold, attached to the template and including a plurality of nozzles, wherein the manifold is configured to receive an input flow of the liquid coolant in the state where the template assembly is installed in the information processing system and in the state where the information processing system is submerged, and to discharge an output flow of the liquid coolant via the nozzles, wherein the output flow is directed toward a second surface of the template.

2. The template assembly as described in claim 1, wherein The template is included on or in the second surface and is configured to increase the boiling rate of the liquid coolant.

3. The template assembly as described in claim 2, wherein At least some of the nozzles are configured to direct their respective output streams toward the net.

4. The template assembly as described in claim 3, wherein, At least some of the nozzles are configured to agitate the mixing flow region in and around the net in such a way that their respective output flows further increase the boiling rate of the liquid coolant.

5. The template assembly as described in claim 1, wherein At least some of the nozzles are configured to agitate the mixing flow region at the second surface in such a way that their respective output flows increase the boiling rate of the liquid coolant.

6. The template assembly as described in claim 1, wherein The template includes a metal plate.

7. The template assembly as described in claim 1, wherein The template includes a steam chamber.

8. The template assembly as described in claim 1, wherein The plurality of nozzles are arranged to spray the stream at an acute angle relative to the second surface.

9. The template assembly as described in claim 8, in, The acute angle is between 10° and 75°.

10. The template assembly as described in claim 8, in, The acute angle is between 25° and 35°.

11. The template assembly of claim 1, further comprising: One or more mounting features are configured to mount the template assembly to the system board of the information processing device.

12. The template assembly as described in claim 11, in, The heat-generating component is a central processing unit (CPU), and the one or more mounting features are configured to engage with the CPU heatsink mounting features of the system board to mount the template assembly to the system board.

13. The template assembly as described in claim 1, in, The manifold is integrally connected to the template.

14. The template assembly as described in claim 1, in, The manifold is formed separately from the template and is connected to the template via mechanical fasteners, adhesives, hot melt, welding, brazing, press fit, friction fit, or interlocking joint.

15. The template assembly as claimed in claim 1, in, The manifold includes an inlet, the inlet including a fluid coupling configured to connect to a fluid conduit to receive the input flow.

16. An information processing system, comprising: System board, wherein a processor is mounted on the system board; The chassis supports the system board; Pump; as well as Template assembly, the template assembly being mounted to the system board and comprising: The template includes a second side and a first side thermally connected to the processor, the second side being configured to contact the liquid coolant and promote boiling of the liquid coolant while the information processing system is immersed in a pool of liquid coolant in an immersion cooling tank. A manifold, attached to the template and including a plurality of nozzles, wherein the manifold is configured to receive an input flow of the liquid coolant from the pump in an immersion state of the information processing system and to discharge an output flow of the liquid coolant via the nozzles, wherein the output flow is directed toward a second surface of the template.

17. The template assembly as claimed in claim 1, in, The template includes a mesh on or within the second surface and is configured to increase the boiling rate of the liquid coolant. At least some of the nozzles are configured to direct their respective output flows toward the mesh, such that the respective output flows disturb the mixing flow region in and around the mesh in a manner that further increases the boiling rate of the liquid coolant.

18. The template assembly as claimed in claim 1, in, At least some of the nozzles are configured to agitate the mixing flow region at the second surface in such a way that their respective output flows increase the boiling rate of the liquid coolant.

19. The template assembly as claimed in claim 1, in, The plurality of nozzles are arranged to spray the stream at an acute angle relative to the second surface.

20. A two-phase immersion cooling system, comprising: An immersion cooling tank comprising a coolant having a liquid phase collected in a pool within the tank and a vapor phase collected in a volume above the pool, the immersion cooling tank being configured to receive multiple information processing systems immersed in the liquid phase coolant in the pool. An information processing system, immersed in the liquid coolant in the pool, the information processing system comprising: System board, wherein a processor is mounted on the system board; The chassis supports the system board; Pumps; and Template assembly, the template assembly being mounted to the system board and comprising: A template, the template including a first side thermally connected to the processor and a second side configured to contact the liquid coolant and promote boiling of the liquid coolant; and A manifold, attached to the template and including a plurality of nozzles, wherein the manifold is configured to receive an input flow of the liquid coolant from the pump and discharge an output flow of the liquid coolant via the nozzles, wherein the output flow is directed toward a second surface of the template.

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