Liquid-cooled energy distribution system and method of controlling the same

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of data center liquid cooling, and provides a liquid cooling energy distribution system and a control method thereof. The liquid cooling energy distribution system comprises a case, a primary side loop, a secondary side loop, a heat exchange module, an adjusting module and a control module. The heat exchange module has a flat structure and is internally provided with a plurality of parallel micro flow channels to reduce pressure drop. The actuator of the adjusting module is installed laterally offset in the horizontal direction. The control module is configured to acquire an environmental dew point parameter and a secondary side fluid temperature parameter and monitor the running state of a circulating pump. In response to determining that there is a risk of dewing and the circulating pump reaches a preset lower limit of safety, the control module controls the adjusting module to limit or cut off the primary side flow and maintains the circulating pump to run at the lower limit of safety. The application realizes high-throughput low-flow-resistance heat exchange and dewing prevention self-healing control in a compact space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of liquid cooling technology for data centers, specifically to a liquid cooling energy distribution system and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous growth in demand for high-density computing power, liquid-cooled energy distribution units need to handle high-flow-rate heat exchange tasks within extremely limited installation space. Taking a typical 4U drawer-type chassis as an example, its internal vertical clearance is usually no more than 178mm, but it needs to support a high-flow-rate heat exchange demand of more than 250L / min. This places stringent requirements on the spatial layout and fluid performance of the various functional modules inside the system.

[0003] In terms of heat exchange modules, existing plate heat exchangers typically employ a narrow and elongated structure and maintain a high intraplate flow velocity in pursuit of higher heat exchange efficiency. However, the high flow velocity design leads to a significant increase in the pressure drop of the heat exchanger itself. In compact systems with limited circulating pump head, the heat exchanger consumes too much available pressure head, resulting in a substantial decrease in the fluid flow rate delivered to the secondary side terminal, which can easily lead to insufficient heat dissipation at the terminal.

[0004] Meanwhile, the vertical dimensions of traditional heat exchangers often far exceed the clearance height limitations of compact enclosures, resulting in significant spatial interference regardless of placement, making integration within confined spaces difficult. Regarding flow regulation, large-diameter regulating valves are typically required in the primary circuit to accommodate high flow rates. However, the electric actuators for these large-diameter valves have a considerable overall height under conventional vertical installation, far exceeding the vertical clearance of the compact enclosure, preventing interference-free integration within the enclosure. Placing the valves externally increases system complexity and piping connection points, hindering modular deployment and maintenance. In low-load control, when secondary-side heat dissipation demands decrease, the circulating pump typically reduces its flow rate via frequency conversion. However, when the circulating pump reaches its minimum flow rate to maintain heat dissipation and prevent cavitation, if the primary flow rate fails to adjust accordingly, the primary fluid continues to transfer cooling to the secondary side, causing the secondary fluid temperature to drop continuously and approach the ambient dew point. This results in condensation on pipe and joint surfaces, threatening the safety of electronic equipment. Furthermore, if the circulating pump is shut down directly to avoid the risk of condensation, the pump body may overheat and be damaged during the shutdown period due to lack of fluid cooling. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a liquid-cooled energy distribution system that can achieve high flow rate and low pressure drop distribution in confined spaces, and ensure anti-condensation and safe operation of the pump body under low load conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problems of excessive pressure drop in high-flow-rate heat exchange within confined spaces, difficulties in valve integration, and condensation and pump safety risks under low-load conditions in existing technologies, this application proposes a liquid-cooled energy distribution system and its control method to achieve high-throughput, low-flow-resistance heat exchange and safe coordinated control within a compact chassis.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: This application provides a liquid-cooled energy distribution system, including a chassis, a primary side loop, a secondary side loop, a heat exchange module, an adjustment module, and a control module; the primary side loop, the secondary side loop, the heat exchange module, and the adjustment module are disposed within the chassis; The heat exchange module has a flat structure, and its vertical installation dimension is smaller than the vertical clearance height of the chassis. The heat exchange module has multiple parallel microchannels inside to reduce the pressure drop when the fluid flows through it. Both the primary side circuit and the load side circuit are equipped with circulating pumps; The adjustment module is located on the liquid outlet branch of the primary side circuit. The adjustment module includes a valve body and an actuator. The actuator drives the valve body. The actuator is installed with a lateral offset in the horizontal direction so that the vertical installation dimension of the adjustment module is smaller than the vertical clearance height of the chassis. The control module is configured to: acquire environmental dew point parameters and fluid temperature parameters of the secondary side circuit, and monitor the operating status of the circulation pump in the secondary side circuit; in response to determining that there is a risk of condensation based on the environmental dew point parameters and the fluid temperature parameters, and that the operating status of the circulation pump has reached a preset safety lower limit, control the adjustment module to limit or cut off the fluid flow rate of the primary side circuit, and maintain the circulation pump operating at the preset safety lower limit.

[0007] In one implementation, the length and width dimensions of the heat exchange module are greater than or equal to the height dimension of the heat exchange module, so as to form the flat structure; The multiple parallel microchannels will divert the fluid flowing through the heat exchange module to reduce the fluid velocity; The actuator is installed by rotating horizontally by a preset angle around the water flow axis of the regulating module.

[0008] In one implementation, the internal pressure drop of the heat exchange module is less than a preset pressure drop threshold, so that the available pressure head of the secondary side circuit is greater than the preset pressure head threshold. The diameter of the adjustment module is not less than a preset diameter threshold, and the vertical installation dimension of the actuator after lateral offset installation is less than the vertical clearance height of the chassis.

[0009] In one embodiment, the heat exchange module includes a brazed plate heat exchanger with a stack of more than or equal to 120 plates to form multiple parallel microchannels, such that the fluid velocity in the heat exchange module is less than 0.4 m / s and the internal pressure drop is less than or equal to 35 kPa.

[0010] In one implementation, the regulating module has a diameter of DN50, and the actuator is installed by rotating it horizontally by 90 degrees, so that the vertical installation dimension is less than 90mm.

[0011] In one implementation, the control module is specifically configured to: calculate the temperature difference between the fluid temperature parameter and the ambient dew point parameter, and determine the presence of condensation risk in response to the temperature difference being less than or equal to a preset temperature difference threshold; The current operating frequency or current output flow rate of the circulating pump is obtained. In response to the current operating frequency reaching a preset lower frequency limit or the current output flow rate reaching a minimum flow rate threshold for maintaining heat dissipation, the operating state of the circulating pump is determined to have reached the preset safety lower limit.

[0012] In one implementation, the control module is configured to control the regulating module and the circulating pump by gradually reducing the opening of the regulating module according to a preset gradient until the regulating module is completely closed, thereby cutting off the fluid flow in the primary side loop; The current operating frequency of the circulating pump is locked at the preset lower frequency limit, or the current output flow rate of the circulating pump is locked at the minimum flow rate threshold, so as to maintain the circulating pump operating at the preset safety lower limit, thereby eliminating the risk of condensation and preventing the circulating pump from cavitation or overheating.

[0013] As one implementation, a pressure measuring port is provided on the primary side circuit. The pressure measuring port adopts a zero dead angle short neck structure and is welded to the pipeline in the horizontal direction to eliminate the dead water zone of the fluid. The outlet of the circulation pump in the secondary side circuit is equipped with an ultra-light load spring check valve to accommodate the low-speed self-healing operation of the circulation pump. The primary circuit is equipped with an eccentric reducer, which is assembled with the top of the reducer flush with the tube to prevent gas accumulation.

[0014] Furthermore, this application also provides a control method for a liquid-cooled energy distribution system, applied to the liquid-cooled energy distribution system as described above, comprising: Obtain environmental dew point parameters and fluid temperature parameters of the secondary side loop, and monitor the operating status of the circulating pump in the secondary side loop; In response to determining that there is a risk of condensation based on the environmental dew point parameter and the fluid temperature parameter, and that the operating state of the circulating pump has reached a preset safety lower limit, the regulating module on the primary side circuit is controlled to limit or cut off the fluid flow rate of the primary side circuit, and the circulating pump is kept running at the preset safety lower limit.

[0015] In one implementation, the regulating module on the primary side circuit restricts or cuts off the fluid flow of the primary side circuit and maintains the circulation pump operating at the preset safety lower limit, including: gradually reducing the opening of the regulating module according to a preset gradient until it is completely closed, and locking the current operating frequency of the circulation pump at the preset frequency lower limit, or locking the current output flow of the circulation pump at the minimum flow threshold.

[0016] The liquid-cooled energy distribution system and its control method described in this invention have the following advantages: By employing a heat exchange module with a flat structure and multiple parallel microchannels, the flow channel distribution is reconstructed in a physical dimension. Increasing the number of parallel channels reduces fluid velocity, significantly decreasing the flow resistance of the heat exchange module itself. This prevents excessive pressure drop in the heat exchanger from competing for head with the secondary circulation pump, ensuring sufficient residual head to the terminal load even in confined vertical space, and guaranteeing heat dissipation stability under high flow conditions. Simultaneously, by laterally offsetting the actuator of the regulating module in the horizontal direction, interference-free integration of large-diameter valves within a compact chassis is achieved, solving the assembly difficulties caused by excessive valve height in traditional vertical installations and improving the system's volumetric power density.

[0017] By monitoring the ambient dew point, secondary fluid temperature, and circulating pump operating status in real time through the control module, a collaborative control logic based on the safety lower limit of the secondary circulating pump was constructed. When the system is under low load and there is a risk of condensation, the control strategy no longer relies solely on reducing the secondary circulating pump speed to regulate temperature. Instead, when the pump reaches the safety lower limit for maintaining heat dissipation or preventing cavitation, it actively limits or cuts off the primary side flow, while simultaneously locking the secondary circulating pump within its safe operating range. This mechanism dynamically decouples the heat exchange process between the cold and heat sources, completely eliminating the risk of condensation caused by excessively low water temperature and absolutely preventing cavitation or overheating damage to the circulating pump due to excessively low flow rate. This achieves autonomous, safe healing and stable operation of the system across a wide load range. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal fluid topology of the liquid-cooled energy distribution system according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the control method for the liquid-cooled energy distribution system according to an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 100-Chassis; 200-Primary circuit; 210-Eccentric reducer; 220-Regulating module; 221-Actuator; 222-Valve body; 230-Pressure test port; 300-Secondary circuit; 310-Circulating pump; 320-Ultra-light load spring check valve; 400-Heat exchange module; 500-Control module. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application.

[0021] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a liquid-cooled energy distribution system, which is mainly used to achieve efficient distribution and safe control of the cooling medium in confined spaces such as high-density computing cabinets. The liquid-cooled energy distribution system includes a chassis 100, a primary side loop 200, a secondary side loop 300, a heat exchange module 400, a regulating module 220, and a control module 500. The primary side loop 200, secondary side loop 300, heat exchange module 400, and regulating module 220 are all located inside the chassis 100, forming a highly integrated fluid topology.

[0023] Specifically, the chassis 100, serving as the physical load-bearing boundary of the system, is typically subject to strict limitations on its internal vertical clearance height according to standard rack specifications. The primary side loop 200 is used to connect to an external high-temperature cold source medium, while the secondary side loop 300 is used to deliver a low-temperature cooling medium to the terminal heating devices. Both the primary side loop 200 and the secondary side loop 300 are equipped with circulation pumps, each driving the fluid circulation within its respective loop. A heat exchange module 400 is connected in series between the primary side loop 200 and the secondary side loop 300, responsible for the heat exchange between the media on both sides. The regulating module 220 is located on the liquid outlet branch of the primary side loop 200, rather than the liquid inlet branch. This is to ensure that when the regulating module 220 reduces or cuts off the cold source flow, the liquid inlet branch maintains positive pressure, guaranteeing that the internal flow channels of the heat exchange module 400 are always full of liquid. This prevents cavitation or vaporization inside the heat exchanger due to flow throttling at the liquid inlet. Simultaneously, this location, combined with the flush mounting of the eccentric reducer pipe 210 at the liquid inlet, allows air bubbles in the primary side flow to be smoothly pushed into the heat exchange module 400 and guided to the liquid outlet, preventing blockage of the exhaust channel due to valve closure. The control module 500 is communicatively connected to the regulating module 220 and the sensors and actuators in the primary side loop 200 and secondary side loop 300, forming a closed-loop control system.

[0024] It should be understood that, although Figure 1 A specific piping layout is shown, but in other embodiments, the specific arrangement of each loop and module within the chassis 100 can be adjusted according to actual heat dissipation requirements and assembly processes, as long as the above-mentioned functional connection relationships are maintained.

[0025] In this embodiment, the heat exchange module 400 has a flat structure, so that the vertical installation dimension of the heat exchange module 400 is smaller than the vertical clearance height of the chassis 100.

[0026] Specifically, this flat structure means that the projected size of the heat exchange module 400 in the vertical direction is significantly smaller than its length and width in the horizontal plane, so that it can be installed flat or in a low position in the chassis 100, effectively avoiding the problem that traditional vertical heat exchangers cannot be installed in compact chassis due to their excessive height.

[0027] Meanwhile, the heat exchange module 400 is equipped with multiple parallel microchannels to reduce the pressure drop when fluid flows through it. Specifically, these parallel microchannels distribute the total flow rate across numerous small flow cross-sections, significantly reducing the fluid velocity within a single channel while ensuring sufficient heat exchange area. According to fluid mechanics principles, flow resistance loss is proportional to the square of the flow velocity; therefore, reducing the flow velocity significantly reduces the pressure loss of the heat exchange module 400 itself. This design allows the system to reserve more pumping head for the heat dissipation terminals at the end of the secondary circuit 300, avoiding insufficient flow at the terminal due to excessive consumption of available pressure head by the heat exchanger, and ensuring heat dissipation stability under high flow conditions.

[0028] The regulating module 220 includes a valve body 222 and an actuator 221. The actuator 221 drives the valve body 222 and is laterally offset in the horizontal direction, so that the vertical installation dimension of the regulating module 220 is smaller than the vertical clearance height of the housing 100. Specifically, in order to meet the demand for large flow regulation, the regulating module 220 usually requires a large diameter, which results in the large size of its matching drive actuator 221. If the traditional axial upright installation method is adopted, its top can easily exceed the vertical limit of the housing 100. In this embodiment, by rotating the actuator 221 around the axis of the valve body 222 to a horizontal or near-horizontal position, its height occupancy is converted into depth or width occupancy, thereby compressing the overall vertical envelope size. This "spatial dimension conversion" design concept allows the large-diameter regulating valve to achieve interference-free integration in an extremely limited vertical space, improving the volumetric power density of the system.

[0029] In this embodiment, the control module 500 is configured to: acquire ambient dew point parameters and fluid temperature parameters of the load-side loop 300, and monitor the operating status of the circulating pump 310 in the load-side loop 300; in response to determining that there is a risk of condensation based on the ambient dew point parameters and fluid temperature parameters, and that the operating status of the circulating pump 310 has reached a preset safety lower limit, the control and adjustment module 220 limits or cuts off the fluid flow rate of the primary loop 200, and maintains the circulating pump 310 operating at the preset safety lower limit. Specifically, the control module 500 determines whether there is a risk of condensation on the surface of the secondary pipeline by comparing the fluid temperature with the ambient dew point in real time. When a risk of condensation is determined, the conventional strategy is usually to reduce the speed of the circulating pump 310 to increase the water temperature. However, under low load conditions, the circulating pump 310 may already be operating at the minimum safe frequency / flow rate point to maintain its own heat dissipation or prevent cavitation, and cannot continue to reduce its speed. At this time, forcibly stopping the pump will cause the equipment to overheat and be damaged, and if no measures are taken, it will cause large-scale condensation. In this embodiment, the control logic intervenes at this critical state, no longer relying on adjusting the circulating pump 310 to deal with condensation. Instead, it controls the primary-side regulating module 220 to reduce or completely shut down, cutting off the cooling input at the source. Simultaneously, it forces the circulating pump 310 to continue operating at a preset safety lower limit, utilizing the fluid's own circulating frictional heat and ambient heat leakage to raise the water temperature and eliminate condensation, ensuring the pump body is always in a safe flow cooling state. This collaborative control strategy constructs an independent safety boundary, completely resolving the contradiction between "anti-condensation" and "anti-pump stalling" under low-load conditions, achieving autonomous healing and safe operation of the system under extreme conditions.

[0030] Furthermore, the control module 500 is configured to independently adjust the operating status of the circulating pump in the primary side loop 200 based on the primary side temperature or flow rate parameters. Specifically, the control logic of the primary side circulating pump is independent of that of the secondary side circulating pump 310. The primary side circulating pump performs frequency conversion adjustment based on the temperature or flow rate requirements of the cold source side loop 200 to meet the cooling input requirements of the heat exchange module 400. For example, when the primary side temperature is high or the heat exchange demand increases, the control module 500 can increase the operating frequency of the primary side circulating pump to increase the cold source flow rate; conversely, it can reduce the operating frequency to save energy. This architecture of independent control of the two circulating pumps decouples the hydraulic conditions of the primary and secondary sides, avoids adjustment conflicts caused by flow coupling on both sides in a single pump system, and improves the system's operational flexibility and energy efficiency across the entire operating range.

[0031] Based on the above embodiments, this embodiment further specifies the spatial form and hydrodynamic performance of the heat exchange module 400 and the regulating module 220 to clarify how a specific structure can solve the contradiction between integration and pressure drop in a confined space.

[0032] Specifically, the length and width of the heat exchange module 400 are greater than or equal to its height to form a flat structure. This geometric design is not merely an aesthetic choice, but rather a way to precisely accommodate the limited vertical clearance of the chassis 100. By designing the heat exchange module 400 as flat, it can be arranged horizontally or at a low profile within the chassis 100, thus avoiding assembly interference problems caused by excessive height in traditional vertical heat exchangers.

[0033] Simultaneously, multiple parallel microchannels divert the fluid flowing through the heat exchange module 400 to reduce the fluid velocity. Specifically, when the cooling medium enters the heat exchange module 400, it is distributed into numerous parallel microchannels, significantly increasing the flow cross-sectional area. According to the continuity equation, the average fluid velocity within the channels decreases substantially. Since fluid flow resistance is positively correlated with the square of the velocity, reducing the velocity can reduce frictional losses and local resistance losses at the source.

[0034] Based on the above structural design, the internal pressure drop of the heat exchange module 400 is less than the preset pressure drop threshold, so that the available head of the secondary side loop 300 is greater than the preset head threshold. This performance indicator is directly attributed to the synergistic effect of the aforementioned flat structure and microchannel diversion mechanism. In a liquid-cooled energy distribution system, the total head provided by the circulating pump 310 is limited. If the heat exchange module 400 consumes too much head, the remaining head delivered to the end-user computing power tray and other load devices will be insufficient, easily leading to flow collapse or even heat dissipation failure. This embodiment, by controlling the internal pressure drop of the heat exchange module 400 to a low level, essentially reserves more pumping head for the secondary side loop 300, thereby ensuring a stable liquid supply to the end-user devices under high flow conditions.

[0035] It should be understood that the specific values ​​of the preset pressure drop threshold and the preset pressure head threshold can be set according to the total head of the system, the characteristics of pipeline resistance and the requirements of the terminal equipment, as long as the matching relationship between the 400 low pressure drop of the heat exchange module and the high available pressure head of the secondary side is met.

[0036] To address the challenge of spatial integration of the adjustment module 220, this embodiment employs an installation strategy that involves spatial dimension transformation.

[0037] Specifically, the actuator 221 is installed by rotating horizontally by a preset angle around the water flow axis of the regulating module 220. For example, the actuator 221 can rotate 90 degrees around the central axis of the valve body 222, changing from a traditional vertical upright posture to a horizontally positioned posture. This posture adjustment converts the original vertical height occupied by the actuator 221 into the dimensional occupation in the depth or width direction of the housing 100, thereby significantly reducing the overall vertical envelope height of the regulating module 220.

[0038] Through the aforementioned spatial reconstruction methods, the orifice of the regulating module 220 is not less than the preset orifice threshold, and the vertical installation dimension of the actuator 221 after lateral offset installation is less than the vertical clearance height of the chassis 100. In traditional designs, large-diameter valves are often accompanied by tall actuators, making it difficult to install them in a compact chassis. Designers are often forced to choose small-diameter valves, which can lead to excessive flow resistance or insufficient flow regulation capability.

[0039] This embodiment, through a "rotational offset" installation design, breaks the rigid coupling between the pipe diameter and the installation height, enabling the system to integrate the regulating module 220, which meets the high flow rate requirements, even in extremely limited vertical space. This not only solves the interference problem at the physical assembly level but also ensures, from a fluid dynamics perspective, that the primary side loop 200 has sufficient flow capacity, avoiding additional energy loss and noise vibration caused by excessive valve throttling effect.

[0040] It should be understood that the preset flow rate threshold should be determined based on the maximum design flow rate of the system, and the preset angle of horizontal rotation can also be adaptively adjusted according to the actual remaining space inside the chassis 100, and is not limited to a specific angle value.

[0041] Based on the above embodiments, this embodiment further provides a preferred configuration of specific specifications for the heat exchange module 400 and the regulating module 220 to anchor the feasibility of the technical solution in engineering practice and to clarify the synergistic matching relationship between the parameters.

[0042] It should be understood that the specific values ​​below are merely illustrative examples intended to provide specific implementation samples of the technical solutions of this application, rather than an absolute limitation on the scope of protection.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the heat exchange module 400 includes a brazed plate heat exchanger with a stack of 120 or more plates to form multiple parallel microchannels. This ensures that the fluid velocity within the heat exchange module 400 is less than 0.4 m / s and the internal pressure drop is less than or equal to 35 kPa. Specifically, within a limited vertical installation space, to maintain sufficient heat exchange area to meet high-power heat dissipation requirements, it is necessary to expand the heat exchange channels by increasing the number of stacks. When the number of stacks reaches 120 or more, sufficient total flow cross-sectional area can be provided while maintaining a flat shape. According to the fluid mechanics continuity equation, with a constant total flow rate, increasing the flow cross-sectional area directly leads to a significant reduction in the fluid velocity within a single channel. Experimental results show that when the velocity is controlled below 0.4 m / s, the frictional resistance and local disturbance losses along the fluid path within the microchannels are extremely low, thereby strictly limiting the overall internal pressure drop of the heat exchange module 400 to below 35 kPa. This pressure drop level represents a significant leap compared to the pressure drop of over 100 kPa in traditional high-flow-rate heat exchangers. This means that only a small portion of the head provided by the circulating pump 310 is consumed by the heat exchange module 400 itself, with the vast majority of the pressure head retained and delivered to heat-generating devices such as the power storage tray at the end of the secondary circuit 300. This effectively avoids the risk of flow collapse at the end due to excessive flow resistance in the heat exchanger. Simultaneously, the low-flow-rate design also brings additional technical benefits such as lower noise, lower vibration, and enhanced resistance to erosion and corrosion, improving the long-term operational reliability of the system.

[0044] As another preferred embodiment, the regulating module 220 has a bore diameter of DN50, and the actuator 221 is installed by rotating it horizontally by 90 degrees, so that the vertical installation dimension is less than 90mm.

[0045] Specifically, the selection of the DN50 nominal diameter is based on a comprehensive consideration of the system's maximum design flow rate and allowable flow velocity, ensuring smooth passage of the primary side cold source medium under heavy load conditions without excessive throttling losses. However, if the actuator 221 of the DN50 electric control valve is conventionally installed vertically, its top height usually far exceeds the vertical clearance limit of the compact enclosure 100. In this embodiment, by precisely rotating the actuator 221 90 degrees around the axis of the valve body 222, it changes from a vertical to a horizontal orientation, thereby completely converting the original vertical height dimension into the dimension occupied in the depth or width direction of the enclosure 100.

[0046] Actual testing verified that, in this installation posture, the overall vertical envelope height of the adjustment module 220 is compressed to within 90mm, perfectly fitting the internal space constraints of a standard 4U chassis. This spatial reconstruction based on specific angle and dimensional parameters not only completely eliminates the risk of mechanical assembly interference but also enables the system to achieve extremely compact integration without sacrificing flow regulation capabilities.

[0047] It should be understood that although this embodiment provides specific values ​​for a 90-degree rotation and a height of less than 90mm, in other embodiments, as long as the offset angle and installation dimensions of the actuator 221 can meet the clearance requirements inside the chassis 100 and do not interfere with other components, they can be considered equivalent substitutes for the technical solution of this application. For example, in some special chassis structures, the actuator 221 can also rotate to an approximately horizontal angle such as 85 degrees or 95 degrees, as long as its vertical projection height is still controlled within the chassis clearance range.

[0048] In summary, the specific parameters listed in this embodiment, such as the number of stacks, flow rate, pressure drop, pipe diameter, rotation angle, and installation height, are not arbitrary choices existing in isolation. Rather, they are critically optimal solutions derived through repeated verification to simultaneously achieve the three major goals of high-throughput heat transfer, low-resistance distribution, and interference-free integration of large valves within a confined space of 4U. These parameters together constitute a mutually supportive technical parameter system, ensuring that the liquid-cooled energy distribution system still possesses excellent thermal management within extremely compact physical boundaries. Based on the above embodiments, this embodiment further refines the collaborative control strategy of the control module 500 to clarify how the system can simultaneously achieve the dual safety objectives of anti-condensation and pump protection under low load conditions.

[0049] Specifically, the control module 500 is configured to calculate the temperature difference between the fluid temperature parameter and the ambient dew point parameter, and determine the presence of condensation risk in response to a temperature difference less than or equal to a preset temperature difference threshold. This judgment logic is not a simple numerical comparison, but a physical state characterization based on the principle of thermodynamic phase change. In the liquid cooling system, whether condensation occurs on the pipes and heat exchange surfaces of the secondary loop 300 directly depends on whether its surface temperature is lower than the dew point temperature of the ambient air. Since there is a heat transfer temperature difference between the fluid temperature inside the pipe and the outer wall temperature, monitoring only the fluid temperature often lags behind the actual occurrence of condensation. This embodiment calculates the difference between the fluid temperature and the ambient dew point in real time and compares this difference with a preset temperature difference threshold, essentially constructing a condensation early warning boundary that includes a heat transfer safety margin. When the temperature difference shrinks to within this threshold, it means that the pipe wall temperature has approached or reached the dew point, and the system immediately determines that there is a risk of condensation, thus gaining a valuable time window for subsequent proactive intervention.

[0050] It should be understood that the setting of the preset temperature difference threshold needs to take into account factors such as sensor accuracy, pipeline insulation performance and environmental humidity fluctuations. For example, it can be set to a value between 2°C and 5°C to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the judgment.

[0051] Meanwhile, to prevent damage to the circulating pump 310 under low flow conditions, the control module 500 is also configured to: acquire the current operating frequency or current output flow of the circulating pump 310; and, in response to the current operating frequency reaching a preset lower frequency limit or the current output flow reaching a minimum flow threshold for maintaining heat dissipation, determine that the operating state of the circulating pump 310 has reached a preset safety lower limit. This preset safety lower limit is a physical constraint determined by the pump's mechanical characteristics, rather than an arbitrary setting at the software level. For canned motor pumps or magnetic pumps commonly used in liquid cooling systems, the cooling of the motor rotor and the lubrication of the bearings depend entirely on the flow rate of the medium flowing through the pump body. When the flow rate is below a certain critical value, frictional heat cannot be carried away in time, leading to a sharp increase in pump body temperature or even burnout; simultaneously, excessively low flow rates may also induce cavitation, causing irreversible physical damage to the impeller. Therefore, this embodiment uses the preset lower frequency limit or minimum flow threshold as the absolute safety boundary for pump operation. Once the circulation pump 310 is detected to have reached this boundary, it indicates that the system is at a critical point of conflict between "preventing condensation" and "preventing pump stalling": if the speed is further reduced, the water temperature can be increased to eliminate condensation, but the safety of the pump will be sacrificed; if the status quo is maintained, the pump will be saved, but the risk of condensation will continue to accumulate. This dual-condition joint judgment mechanism accurately identifies extreme operating conditions where traditional single control strategies fail, and provides a reliable trigger signal for activating collaborative protection.

[0052] For the aforementioned critical operating conditions, the control module 500 is configured to control the regulating module 220 and the circulating pump 310 by gradually reducing the opening of the regulating module 220 according to a preset gradient until the regulating module 220 is completely closed, thereby cutting off the fluid flow in the primary side loop 200. This step reflects respect for fluid dynamics characteristics. In a closed pipeline system filled with liquid, rapid opening and closing of valves can easily trigger water hammer effects, and the resulting pressure shock waves may cause severe mechanical impact or even rupture on the brazed plates of the heat exchange module 400, pipe joints, and valve bodies. This embodiment adopts a progressive valve-closing strategy with a preset gradient, such as reducing the opening by a fixed percentage at regular time intervals or smoothly transitioning according to a specific S-curve, so that the rate of change of fluid velocity is controlled within a safe range, thereby effectively suppressing pressure fluctuations and ensuring the structural integrity and long-term reliability of the system during frequent adjustments. Although this gradient adjustment method prolongs the full-closing time of the valve, it achieves the safety of critical hardware at a minimal cost, making it the optimal solution for balancing response speed and safety in engineering practice.

[0053] While performing the valve closing operation, the control module 500 also locks the current operating frequency of the circulating pump 310 at a preset lower limit, or locks the current output flow rate of the circulating pump 310 at a minimum flow threshold, to maintain the circulating pump 310 operating at a preset safe lower limit, thereby eliminating the risk of condensation and preventing cavitation or overheating of the circulating pump 310. This locking action is the key to the collaborative control strategy of this embodiment. When the primary side flow is cut off, the heat exchange module 400 no longer inputs cooling energy to the secondary side. At this time, the fluid temperature in the secondary side loop 300 will naturally rise under the combined effect of the mechanical friction heat of the circulating pump 310 itself, the heat generated by the motor, and the leakage heat from the environment. As the water temperature gradually rises and moves away from the dew point, the risk of condensation is eliminated. Throughout the entire heating process, the circulating pump 310 is always forced to maintain a safe flow rate, which ensures both the cooling and lubrication needs of the pump body itself and maintains the basic disturbance of the fluid in the pipeline, avoiding the formation of local hot spots. This approach is fundamentally different from traditional methods such as "pump shutdown to prevent condensation" or "constant temperature dead zone control": while stopping the pump can stop the cooling, it can lead to overheating and damage to the pump body and loss of emergency heat dissipation capabilities; constant temperature control is prone to frequent start-stop cycles or flow rate exceeding limits under low loads. This embodiment decouples and then coordinates cold source regulation with pump protection, constructing an autonomous safety closed loop independent of the external cold source status. This ensures that the liquid cooling energy distribution system can maintain its hardware safety baseline under any extreme operating conditions, achieving true self-healing operation.

[0054] Based on the above embodiments, this embodiment further specifies the key auxiliary structures of the fluid circuit in the liquid cooling energy distribution system to solve common engineering problems in precision temperature control systems, such as dead water zones, low-speed flow resistance matching, and gas-liquid separation.

[0055] Specifically, a pressure measuring port 230 is provided on the primary side circuit 200. The pressure measuring port 230 adopts a zero-dead-angle short-neck structure and is welded to the pipeline in a horizontal direction to eliminate the dead water zone of the fluid. Traditional pressure measurement interfaces often use standard tees or long-neck threaded connections. Under low flow rate or intermittent operation conditions, this structure is very prone to forming a fluid stagnation zone at the root of the interface, which not only leads to delayed pressure sampling response and data distortion, but may also become a breeding ground for microorganisms or particulate matter deposition, thereby contaminating the cooling medium. The zero-dead-angle short-neck structure in this embodiment, by compressing the neck length of the pressure measuring port 230 to an extremely short size and keeping the inner wall of the interface smooth with the inner wall of the main pipeline, completely eliminates the fluid stagnation space geometrically. At the same time, the installation method of welding in a horizontal direction avoids the problems of bottom deposition or top air accumulation caused by gravity when vertically installed. This structural design ensures that the fluid at the pressure measurement point is always in a mainstream flushing state, guaranteeing both the real-time nature and accuracy of pressure monitoring data, and maintaining the cleanliness of the system's internal environment. This is especially important for precision liquid cooling systems with extremely high water quality requirements. It should be understood that the specific dimensions of the zero-dead-angle short-neck structure can be adjusted according to the pipe diameter, as long as it effectively prevents fluid stagnation.

[0056] To address the operating characteristics of the circulating pump 310 in the secondary circuit 300, this embodiment includes an ultra-light-load spring check valve 320 at the outlet of the circulating pump 310 to accommodate its low-speed self-healing operation. In the aforementioned embodiment, the control module 500 locks the circulating pump 310 at a preset safety lower limit when condensation risk is triggered, at which point the pump's output head and flow rate are both at a low level. If a conventional check valve is used, its high opening pressure threshold may prevent the circulating pump 310 from fully opening the valve core during low-speed operation, causing flow channel throttling or even blockage, leading to pump overheating or vibration noise. The ultra-light-load spring check valve 320 selected in this embodiment optimizes the spring stiffness and valve core mass, setting its opening pressure at an extremely low level (e.g., less than 5 kPa), allowing the circulating pump 310 to easily overcome valve resistance and achieve smooth flow even under low-speed conditions while maintaining the minimum safe flow rate. This design eliminates fluid obstruction at the hardware level when the anti-condensation control strategy is executed, ensuring the reliability of continuous fluid circulation under low-speed locking conditions, effectively preventing secondary failures caused by valve mismatch, and improving the system's operational reliability under extreme conditions.

[0057] Furthermore, the primary side loop 200 is equipped with an eccentric reducer 210, which is assembled with its top flush to prevent gas accumulation. At the pipe diameter change points in the liquid cooling system, if concentric reducers or eccentric reducers with flush bottoms are used, air pockets are easily formed at the top of the horizontally arranged pipe section. These accumulated gases not only reduce the effective flow cross-section and increase flow resistance, but also enter the heat exchange module 400 with the fluid, severely reducing heat exchange efficiency and causing flow fluctuations. In this embodiment, by assembling the eccentric reducer 210 with its straight side facing upwards and its inclined side facing downwards, i.e., keeping the top flush, the upper surface of the diameter change section forms a continuous horizontal line, eliminating the top depression structure. According to fluid mechanics principles, this geometry allows air bubbles flowing through this area to be smoothly carried away by the main flow, without being captured or accumulating at the diameter change point. This technical approach eliminates the risk of air blockage at the source, ensuring the hydraulic stability and heat exchange performance of the primary side loop 200 across the entire operating range. It should be understood that although the preferred assembly method in this embodiment is to have the pipe top flush, in some special pipelines, the eccentric direction can be adjusted according to the actual exhaust requirements. As long as the function of preventing gas from accumulating locally can be achieved, it should be regarded as an equivalent substitution of the technical solution of this application.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a control method for a liquid-cooled energy distribution system. This method is applied to the liquid-cooled energy distribution system described in any of the foregoing embodiments, focusing on achieving coordinated control of anti-condensation and pump protection under low-load conditions through time-sequential data processing and command execution. It should be understood that, although Figure 2 This study demonstrates a specific logical branch and execution order. However, in other embodiments, the execution order of each step can be adaptively adjusted without violating causal logic, or some steps can be executed in parallel, as long as the same safety control function can be achieved.

[0059] The control method includes step S100: acquiring ambient dew point parameters and fluid temperature parameters of the secondary side loop 300, and monitoring the operating status of the circulating pump 310 in the secondary side loop 300.

[0060] Specifically, this step forms the perception foundation of the entire control closed loop. The environmental dew point parameter reflects the critical point of moisture saturation in the air under the current computer room environment, typically collected and calculated in real time by temperature and humidity sensors deployed outside the chassis 100 or at the air inlet; the fluid temperature parameter of the secondary circuit 300 directly characterizes the thermal state of the cooling medium delivered to the end computing equipment, obtained by a high-precision temperature sensor in the pipeline; the operating status of the circulating pump 310 includes, but is not limited to, the motor speed, current, output power, or the actual flow rate value fed back by the flow meter. During step S100, the system continuously refreshes the above parameters at a preset sampling period (e.g., 100ms to 1s) to ensure that the data upon which subsequent decisions are based can sensitively reflect transient changes in the system. This synchronous acquisition mechanism of multi-source heterogeneous data provides the necessary information input for accurately identifying complex operating conditions, avoiding control deviations caused by the lag or distortion of a single parameter.

[0061] The control method further includes step S200: in response to determining that there is a risk of condensation based on the environmental dew point parameters and fluid temperature parameters, and that the operating state of the circulating pump 310 has reached a preset safety lower limit, a coordinated control command is generated.

[0062] Specifically, step S200 is the core decision-making link connecting perception and execution. It is not a simple numerical comparison, but a joint judgment based on dual conditions of physical constraints.

[0063] In a preferred embodiment, the specific process of determining the risk of condensation in step S200 includes: calculating the temperature difference between the fluid temperature parameter and the ambient dew point parameter; and determining the existence of condensation risk in response to the temperature difference being less than or equal to a preset temperature difference threshold. This preset temperature difference threshold is not a fixed constant, but a comprehensive boundary value that includes pipeline insulation performance, sensor error, and heat transfer safety margin. When the temperature difference narrows to within this threshold, it means that the temperature of the outer wall of the secondary pipeline is approaching the ambient dew point, and the probability of condensation increases sharply.

[0064] Meanwhile, the specific process of confirming that the operating state of the circulating pump 310 has reached the preset safety lower limit in step S200 includes: obtaining the current operating frequency or current output flow of the circulating pump 310; in response to the current operating frequency reaching the preset frequency lower limit, or the current output flow reaching the minimum flow threshold for maintaining heat dissipation, determining that the operating state of the circulating pump 310 has reached the preset safety lower limit. This judgment logic uses the mechanical safety boundary of the pump as a hard constraint of the control strategy. Only when the circulating pump 310 has dropped to the critical point where it cannot continue to reduce its speed (i.e., further speed reduction will lead to cavitation or overheating), and there is still a risk of condensation, is the subsequent coordinated protection action triggered. This dual triggering mechanism of "condensation risk + pump safety boundary" effectively avoids temperature fluctuations caused by prematurely cutting off the cold source when the pump still has adjustment margin, and also prevents false triggering of protection due to low-speed pump operation when there is no risk of condensation, ensuring the accuracy and necessity of the control strategy intervention.

[0065] The control method further includes step S300: in response to a coordinated control command, controlling the regulating module 220 on the primary side loop 200 to limit or cut off the fluid flow of the primary side loop 200, and maintaining the circulating pump 310 operating at a preset safety lower limit.

[0066] Specifically, step S300 is the execution step that translates the decision into physical actions, aiming to simultaneously eliminate the risk of condensation and ensure the safety of the pump body by decoupling the heat exchange between the cold and heat sources.

[0067] As a preferred implementation, the specific actions of step S300 include: gradually reducing the opening of the adjustment module 220 according to the preset gradient until it is completely closed, and locking the current operating frequency of the circulation pump 310 at the preset lower limit of the frequency, or locking the current output flow of the circulation pump 310 at the minimum flow threshold.

[0068] When performing valve closing operations, a gradual adjustment with a preset gradient is adopted instead of instantaneous full closure. For example, the opening is reduced by a fixed percentage at regular intervals, or the transition is made along a smooth curve. The purpose is to suppress the water hammer effect caused by sudden changes in fluid flow rate and protect the structural integrity of the heat exchange module 400 and the pipe joints.

[0069] Simultaneously, the frequency or flow rate of the circulating pump 310 is forcibly locked at a safe lower limit, preventing it from further decreasing with temperature control requirements. In this state, the primary side cooling input is blocked, and the secondary side fluid temperature will naturally rise under the influence of pump body frictional heat and ambient heat leakage, thus moving away from the dew point and eliminating condensation; while the circulating pump 310 is always maintained within a safe flow range, ensuring both its own cooling and lubrication and maintaining the system's basic circulation capacity. This combination of "gradient cooling cut-off + constant flow pump protection" completely resolves the contradiction between preventing condensation and preventing pump stalling in traditional control at the physical level, enabling the system to achieve self-healing and safe steady-state operation under extremely low load conditions.

[0070] It should be understood that although the steps S100 to S300 are described in a specific order, in actual control programs, parameter acquisition and status monitoring are usually background processes, while judgment and execution are event-triggered tasks. The logical dependencies between the steps are more essential than the formal order.

[0071] This embodiment provides a system integration and operational performance verification of a liquid-cooled energy distribution system in a high-density computing rack application scenario. The aim is to demonstrate the synergistic effectiveness of the physical architecture and control strategies in the aforementioned embodiments under real-world operating conditions using specific engineering data. It should be understood that this embodiment is merely an illustrative example of the feasibility and effectiveness of the technical solution and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0072] Specifically, this embodiment is set as an application scenario for an AI computing power rack with a single-rack power consumption of 100kW. The rack adopts a drawer-type architecture, and the height reserved for the installation of the liquid cooling energy distribution system is only 4U standard unit. Within this limited space, the liquid cooling energy distribution system described in the previous embodiment is integrated, including a chassis 100, a primary side loop 200, a secondary side loop 300, a heat exchange module 400, an adjustment module 220, and a control module 500. Thanks to the flat structure of the heat exchange module 400 and the horizontally offset installation design of the actuator of the adjustment module 220, the maximum envelope size of the entire system in the vertical direction is strictly controlled within the clearance range of the 4U chassis 100. This achieves in-situ replacement and upgrade without changing the existing mechanical structure of the rack, effectively solving the engineering problem that traditional vertical heat exchangers or upright valves cannot be installed in compact drawer spaces due to excessive height.

[0073] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A liquid-cooled energy distribution system, characterized by, It includes a chassis, a primary side circuit, a secondary side circuit, a heat exchange module, a regulating module, and a control module; the primary side circuit, the secondary side circuit, the heat exchange module, and the regulating module are disposed within the chassis; The heat exchange module has a flat structure, and its vertical installation dimension is smaller than the vertical clearance height of the chassis. The heat exchange module has multiple parallel microchannels inside to reduce the pressure drop when the fluid flows through it. Both the primary side circuit and the load side circuit are equipped with circulating pumps; The adjustment module is located on the liquid outlet branch of the primary side circuit. The adjustment module includes a valve body and an actuator. The actuator drives the valve body. The actuator is installed with a lateral offset in the horizontal direction so that the vertical installation dimension of the adjustment module is smaller than the vertical clearance height of the chassis. The control module is configured to: acquire environmental dew point parameters and fluid temperature parameters of the secondary side circuit, and monitor the operating status of the circulation pump in the secondary side circuit; in response to determining that there is a risk of condensation based on the environmental dew point parameters and the fluid temperature parameters, and that the operating status of the circulation pump has reached a preset safety lower limit, control the adjustment module to limit or cut off the fluid flow rate of the primary side circuit, and maintain the circulation pump operating at the preset safety lower limit.

2. The liquid-cooled energy distribution system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length and width dimensions of the heat exchange module are greater than or equal to the height dimension of the heat exchange module to form the flat structure; the multiple parallel microchannels will divert the fluid flowing through the heat exchange module to reduce the fluid velocity; The actuator is installed by rotating horizontally by a preset angle around the water flow axis of the regulating module.

3. The liquid-cooled energy distribution system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The internal pressure drop of the heat exchange module is less than a preset pressure drop threshold, so that the available pressure head of the secondary side circuit is greater than the preset pressure head threshold. The diameter of the adjustment module is not less than a preset diameter threshold, and the vertical installation dimension of the actuator after lateral offset installation is less than the vertical clearance height of the chassis.

4. The liquid-cooled energy distribution system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The heat exchange module includes a brazed plate heat exchanger with a stack of more than or equal to 120 plates to form multiple parallel microchannels, such that the fluid velocity in the heat exchange module is less than 0.4 m / s and the internal pressure drop is less than or equal to 35 kPa.

5. The liquid-cooled energy distribution system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The regulating module has a diameter of DN50, and the actuator is installed by rotating it horizontally by 90 degrees, so that the vertical installation dimension is less than 90mm.

6. The liquid-cooled energy distribution system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module is specifically configured as follows: Calculate the temperature difference between the fluid temperature parameter and the ambient dew point parameter, and determine the risk of condensation in response to the temperature difference being less than or equal to a preset temperature difference threshold. The current operating frequency or current output flow rate of the circulating pump is obtained. In response to the current operating frequency reaching a preset lower frequency limit or the current output flow rate reaching a minimum flow rate threshold for maintaining heat dissipation, the operating state of the circulating pump is determined to have reached the preset safety lower limit.

7. The liquid-cooled energy distribution system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control module is configured to control the regulating module and the circulating pump in the following manner: The opening of the regulating module is gradually reduced according to the preset gradient until the regulating module is completely closed to cut off the fluid flow in the primary circuit. The current operating frequency of the circulating pump is locked at the preset lower frequency limit, or the current output flow rate of the circulating pump is locked at the minimum flow rate threshold, so as to maintain the circulating pump operating at the preset safety lower limit, thereby eliminating the risk of condensation and preventing the circulating pump from cavitation or overheating.

8. The liquid-cooled energy distribution system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The primary circuit is equipped with a pressure measuring port, which adopts a zero dead angle short neck structure and is welded to the pipeline in the horizontal direction to eliminate the dead water zone of the fluid. The outlet of the circulation pump in the secondary side circuit is equipped with an ultra-light load spring check valve to accommodate the low-speed self-healing operation of the circulation pump. The primary circuit is equipped with an eccentric reducer, which is assembled with the top of the reducer flush with the tube to prevent gas accumulation.

9. A control method for a liquid-cooled energy distribution system, applied to the liquid-cooled energy distribution system as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, include: Obtain environmental dew point parameters and fluid temperature parameters of the secondary side loop, and monitor the operating status of the circulating pump in the secondary side loop; In response to determining that there is a risk of condensation based on the environmental dew point parameter and the fluid temperature parameter, and that the operating state of the circulating pump has reached a preset safety lower limit, the regulating module on the primary side circuit is controlled to limit or cut off the fluid flow rate of the primary side circuit, and the circulating pump is kept running at the preset safety lower limit.

10. The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The regulating module on the primary side circuit restricts or cuts off the fluid flow in the primary side circuit and maintains the circulation pump operating at the preset safety lower limit, including: gradually reducing the opening of the regulating module according to a preset gradient until it is completely closed, and locking the current operating frequency of the circulation pump at the preset frequency lower limit, or locking the current output flow of the circulation pump at the minimum flow threshold.

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