Computing device

Abstract

The present application relates to a computing device comprising a chassis mounted with a liquid inlet connector (11) and a liquid outlet connector (13) and a liquid cooling system within the chassis, the system comprising: a first manifold assembly (100) comprising a main pipe (10) connected to the liquid inlet connector, a plurality of branch pipes (20), and a manifold (30) connecting the main pipe and each branch pipe; and a cold plate assembly (200) comprising a plurality of cold plates comprising at least a CPU cold plate and a GPU cold plate, the cold plate assembly comprising a first cooling stage (S1) connected and in fluid communication with the plurality of branches, the first cooling stage comprising one or more of the cold plates, the manifold is fixed in a first direction (Z) to a stationary component within the cabinet and is movable in a second direction (Y), in a third direction (X) in which the cold plate assembly (200) and the main pipe (10) are arranged on opposite sides of the manifold.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a computing device, specifically a computing device including a liquid cooling system. Background Technology

[0002] In the fields of computer science and communications, to improve energy efficiency and space utilization, a large number of computing devices are typically arranged in a limited space. For example, in a high-performance computing center consisting of multiple densely packed racks, each rack comprises several individual shelves for housing or supporting computing devices. Each computing device houses numerous electrical components that generate heat when powered on (e.g., various processor cards or chips, such as CPUs, GPUs, RETIMER chips, and VR chips). Liquid cooling systems are installed within the computing devices to allow coolant to pass over and cool the heat-generating electrical components.

[0003] A liquid cooling system comprises multiple cooling components (referred to as "cold plates") configured to cool key electrical components such as GPUs and CPUs, manifolds or assemblies that distribute coolant from outside the computing device to these cold plates, and various pipes and fittings appropriately arranged within the limited space of the computing device. Improving and optimizing the arrangement of manifolds or assemblies and / or the routing design of the piping is necessary to achieve adequate cooling of the electrical components such as GPUs and CPUs while simultaneously enhancing the reliability and durability of the liquid cooling system. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this application is to optimize the arrangement of manifold devices or components, improve the reliability and durability of liquid cooling systems, and enhance cooling performance.

[0005] This objective is achieved through a computing device. The computing device of this application includes a chassis and a liquid cooling system within the chassis. The chassis is equipped with an inlet pipe connector and an outlet pipe connector. The liquid cooling system includes:

[0006] A first manifold assembly includes a main pipe connected to the inlet connector to receive coolant from outside the computing device, a plurality of branch pipes, and a manifold connecting the main pipe and the plurality of branch pipes to provide fluid communication between them; and

[0007] A cold plate assembly comprising multiple cold plates, including at least a CPU cold plate for cooling a CPU and a GPU cold plate for cooling a GPU, the cold plate assembly including a first cooling stage connected to and in fluid communication with the multiple branch pipes, the first cooling stage including one or more of the multiple cold plates.

[0008] The manifold is fixed to a stationary component within the chassis in a first direction and is movable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In a third direction perpendicular to both the first and second directions, the cold plate assembly and the main pipe are arranged on opposite sides of the manifold.

[0009] In one embodiment, the first cooling stage includes all the cold plates of the cold plate assembly, the number of cold plates in the cold plate assembly being the same as the number of the plurality of branch pipes, and all the cold plates are arranged in parallel to receive coolant from the respective branch pipes.

[0010] In one embodiment, the plurality of cold plates further includes a second cooling stage arranged downstream of the first cooling stage in the flow path of the coolant to receive coolant from the cold plates of the first cooling stage, the second cooling stage including one or more cold plates arranged in parallel other than the cold plates of the first cooling stage.

[0011] In one embodiment, the plurality of cold plates further includes a third cooling stage arranged downstream of the second cooling stage in the flow path of the coolant to receive coolant from the cold plates of the second cooling stage, the third cooling stage including one or more cold plates arranged in parallel, other than the cold plates of the first and second cooling stages.

[0012] In one embodiment, the plurality of cooling plates includes: a CPU cooling plate having two inlets and two outlets, and four GPU cooling plates each having one inlet and one outlet, wherein the first cooling stage and the third cooling stage each include two different GPU cooling plates; and the second cooling stage includes the CPU cooling plate.

[0013] In one embodiment, the liquid cooling system further includes a second manifold assembly comprising a main pipe connected to the drain connector to discharge coolant flowing through all the cold plates, a plurality of branch pipes in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of cold plates, and a manifold connecting the main pipe and the plurality of branch pipes to allow fluid communication between the two, wherein the manifold of the second manifold assembly is also fixed to the same or different stationary components in a first direction and is movable in a second direction.

[0014] In one embodiment, each of the first and second manifold assemblies includes a retaining hole extending through the manifold in a first direction and having a length in a second direction greater than its width in a third direction. The liquid cooling system further includes a fastener extending through the retaining hole in the first direction to secure the manifold to the stationary component.

[0015] In one embodiment, the fixing holes include at least two of the following:

[0016] An end fixing hole is provided at at least one of the opposite ends of the manifold in the second direction, the end fixing hole being either a closed hole or an open hole that opens to the corresponding end in the second direction; and / or

[0017] A central fixing hole is provided in the middle part of the manifold in the second direction.

[0018] In one embodiment, in the first direction, the manifold is: directly contacted to the stationary component, wherein the fastener extends into a threaded hole formed on the stationary component; or indirectly contacted to the stationary component via a plate-like heat conductor, the heat conductor including a fastener hole aligned with the fixing hole in the first direction, wherein: the fastener hole is a smooth hole, the fastener extends through the fixing hole and the fastener hole into a threaded hole formed on the stationary component; or the fastener hole is a threaded hole, the fastener is threadedly connected to the threaded hole, and the heat conductor itself is contacted to the stationary component by at least one of the following methods: thermally conductive adhesive bonding, welding, riveting, form fit, threaded connection.

[0019] In one embodiment, the fastener includes a threaded section and a smooth, unthreaded section, the smooth section being at least partially located within the fixing hole and having an outer diameter larger than that of the threaded section.

[0020] In one embodiment, the bottom surface of the manifold facing the stationary component is coated with a thermal interface material layer.

[0021] In one embodiment, the thermal interface material layer is grease or liquid metal.

[0022] In one embodiment, the stationary component is a circuit board supported by the chassis.

[0023] In one embodiment, the circuit board has one or more electrical components mounted within the coverage area of ​​the manifold, and the heatsink has a notch through which the electrical components are exposed to the manifold.

[0024] In one embodiment, the electrical components are a RETIMER chip and a VR chip.

[0025] In one embodiment, the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly are aligned and spaced apart in the second direction. In one embodiment, the manifold of each of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly is a plate-like structure extending in the second direction. In one embodiment, the main pipe of each of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly is respectively connected to one end of the corresponding manifold assembly near the other manifold assembly. In one embodiment, the plurality of branches of each of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly are connected to the middle position of the corresponding manifold. In one embodiment, in the third direction, the main pipe and the plurality of branches of each of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the manifold, but connected to the same side where the main pipe is located. In one embodiment, the plurality of cold plates includes a plurality of GPU cold plates arranged side by side in the second direction. In one embodiment, in the third direction, the CPU cold plate is arranged on opposite sides of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly.

[0026] In one embodiment, the CPU cold plate includes: a first region having a first liquid inlet, a second region having a first liquid outlet, and a first connecting region connecting the first region and the second region; a third region having a second liquid inlet, a fourth region having a second liquid outlet, and a second connecting region connecting the third region and the fourth region, wherein a first flow path formed by the first region, the second region, and the first connecting region is not connected to a second flow path formed by the third region, the fourth region, and the second connecting region.

[0027] In one embodiment, the region formed by the first region, the second region, the first connecting region, the third region, the fourth region, and the second connecting region includes one or more ribs that divide the respective regions into multiple parallel flow channels.

[0028] In one embodiment, the rib is formed separately and brazed to the CPU cold plate.

[0029] The computing device of this application has a liquid cooling system inlet manifold assembly whose main pipes are connected at opposite ends to the inlet pipe connectors and the main port of the manifold on the chassis. The manifold is fixed to a stationary component (e.g., a circuit board) within the computing device in a movable manner along the extension direction of the main pipe. This arrangement allows harmful internal stresses within the main pipe (e.g., due to inaccurate installation of the inlet pipe connectors) to be released, preventing poor connection and sealing at both ends of the main pipe and avoiding further coolant leakage. Therefore, this improves the durability and reliability of the liquid cooling system. It also reduces flow resistance of the coolant, improving cooling performance and effectiveness. The CPU cold plate in the liquid cooling system employs two flow paths covering almost the entire or most of its surface area, and ribs that can be attached to the cold plate by soldering are used in the flow paths, enabling the CPU cold plate of this configuration to provide better cooling performance and greater cost-effectiveness. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The above and other features and advantages of this application will be readily understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings illustrate only exemplary embodiments of implementing the principles of this application, and not all embodiments. The drawings schematically show only portions related to the improvements of this application, and not all structural details. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the detailed features shown in the drawings are not necessarily present in all embodiments of this application, and detailed features not shown in the drawings may be present in some embodiments.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a part of a computing device equipped with a liquid cooling system.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a partially exploded diagram of the liquid cooling system (excluding the heatsink) removed from the computing device.

[0033] Figure 3 From Figure 1 Removed from Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the liquid cooling system (excluding the heatsink).

[0034] Figure 4 From Figure 3 The diagram shows the result after the heatsink has been removed.

[0035] Figure 5 Is Figure 1 The one used will Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the fasteners used to install the liquid cooling system onto the computing device.

[0036] Figure 6 An exemplary cold plate structure of the liquid cooling system of this application is shown.

[0037] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A magnified view of a section showing the demolition in progress. Figure 5 Fasteners. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, describes a computing device internally configured with or including a liquid cooling system. The liquid cooling system is installed inside the computing device and configured to connect to an inlet and outlet pipe joint installed on the computing device, so as to receive coolant from an external supply line outside the computing device and discharge coolant that has heated up after flowing through electrical components inside the computing device to an external outlet pipe outside the computing device.

[0039] The term "computing device" in this application can be understood as a unitary or monolithic server or computer encapsulated in a chassis (or enclosure). In applications such as high-performance computing centers, several or more computing devices are simultaneously and densely arranged in a relatively small space. For example, each rack in a high-performance computing center includes several computing devices supported by several vertically arranged brackets. In such applications, the inlet and outlet pipe connectors of the computing device of this application can be configured to connect to rack-mounted coolant supply lines (as described above external coolant supply lines) and rack-mounted coolant drain lines (as described above external coolant drain lines) located outside the computing device and serving all computing devices in the same rack. In other applications, the external coolant supply lines and external coolant drain lines can be any other suitable piping that provides the function of supplying and discharging coolant into the computing device.

[0040] It should be noted that the term "connection" or the use of "connection" and "fluid communication" in this application refers to a mechanical connection in a manner that achieves fluid communication, meaning that the connection of two components indicates that the two components are not only mechanically connected but also that fluid can communicate between them. The terms "attachment," "fastening," or "fixing" used in this application refer to a connection at only the mechanical level and do not imply fluid communication.

[0041] like Figure 1 A portion of the internal architecture of the computing device is shown. The figure illustrates a liquid cooling system installed within the computing device, which is connected to an inlet connector 11 and an outlet connector 13 on the computing device's chassis. Figure 2 A separate liquid cooling system (excluding the heat conductor) is shown, which is connected to an inlet pipe connector 11 and an outlet pipe connector 13. Figure 3 From Figure 1 The middle was demolished Figure 2 The view following the portion in the text. Figure 4 To further from Figure 3View after the heatsink of the liquid cooling system has been removed.

[0042] refer to Figure 4 The computing device described herein as an example includes a circuit board 15, six RETIMER chips and VR chips RT mounted on (the same or two separate) circuit boards 15, four GPU cards, and one CPU card. These components are exemplarily arranged such that: each GPU card has a high-density arrangement of connectors close to the computing device chassis (rear sidewall 18) to minimize electrical connection paths; the chip RT is positioned between the GPU cards and these connectors to reduce signal integrity (SI) loss; and the CPU card is positioned further away from the rear sidewall 18 than the GPU cards. The aforementioned inlet and outlet connectors 11 are also arranged on the chassis sidewall 18. Specifically, this exemplary computing device can be an AI server in an AI rack of a large AI computing center, and the GPU and CPU cards can be of any type and model known in the art.

[0043] The liquid cooling system within the computing device first includes a first (or inlet) manifold assembly 100 for receiving cooling from outside the computing device, comprising: a main pipe 10 connected to an inlet pipe connector 11, a plurality of (or at least two, for example, two shown) branch pipes 20, and a manifold 30 that fluidly connects the main pipe 10 and the plurality of branch pipes 20 for coolant diversion.

[0044] The liquid cooling system further includes multiple cold plates (or “cold plate assemblies”) 200 supplied with coolant by the first manifold assembly 100 (a plurality of branch pipes 20). The cold plate assembly 200 includes at least a GPU cold plate for cooling the GPU and a CPU cold plate for cooling the CPU, and may also include additional cold plates for cooling other electrical components. For example, in the illustrated exemplary computing device, the cold plate assembly 200 includes four GPU cold plates 202a-d, each having one inlet In and one outlet Ou, and a CPU cold plate 204e having two inlets In1 and In2 and two outlets Ou2 and Ou2. Details regarding the structure or configuration of each cold plate, the structure or configuration of the fluid channels within the cold plate, the number or arrangement of the inlets and outlets, and the method of fixing within the computing device are not the focus of this application and will not be described in detail here. The figures shown and referenced herein are merely examples of these aspects, and this application does not limit the details in these aspects.

[0045] In the illustrated embodiment, along the coolant flow path from upstream to downstream, the five cold plates of the cold plate assembly 200 are divided into three cooling stages: GPU cold plates 202a-b constitute a first cooling stage S1 directly connected to the branch pipes 20 of the first manifold assembly 100 to receive coolant from them; CPU cold plate 204e constitutes a second cooling stage S2 located downstream of the first cooling stage S1 (all cold plates) and receiving coolant from the cold plates of the first cooling stage S1; GPU cold plates 202c-d constitute a third cooling stage S3 downstream of the second cooling stage S2 (all cold plates) and receiving coolant from the cold plates of the second cooling stage S2. As an example, but not mandatory, the connection between the inlet (outlet) ports of the different cold plates is achieved through hoses.

[0046] Depending on the number of drain ports of the downstream cooling stage of the cold plate assembly 200 (i.e., the drain ports of each cold plate in the third cooling stage S3), the liquid cooling system may or may not include a second (or drain) manifold assembly configured with a coolant confluence. In the illustrated embodiment, the cold plate assembly 200 has two such final drain ports, so the liquid cooling system of this application includes a second manifold assembly 300. Furthermore, it is likely that different cooling stages may include the same cold plate, or the coolant may flow through the cold plate multiple times.

[0047] The illustrated example configuration of the liquid cooling system of this application constitutes the following flow or cooling path for cooling the internal electrical components of the computing device using coolant from an external supply line outside the computing device: (from the external supply line) entering from the inlet connector 11 on the computing device - flowing through the first manifold assembly 100 - sequentially flowing through the first cooling stage S1, the second cooling stage S2, and the third cooling stage S3 of the cold plate assembly 200 - flowing through the second manifold assembly 300 - exiting the computing device from the drain connector 13 on the computing device (to the external drain line).

[0048] In the example of this application, the multiple (five) cold plates of the cold plate assembly 200 are divided into three cooling stages through which the coolant flows sequentially. The aim is to minimize and simplify the arrangement of system piping (e.g., number, wiring, etc.) to improve efficiency and reduce costs, while ensuring that the flowing coolant can reduce the temperature of its electrical components to a preset threshold temperature. However, those skilled in the art can, as needed, appropriately design or modify the number of cooling stages and the number of cold plates included in each cooling stage, after considering factors such as the details of the electrical components cooled by each cold plate (e.g., the arrangement of electrical components within the computing device, the operating current, heat generation, heat dissipation, and TDP parameters of each electrical component), the details of each cold plate (e.g., cold plate size, number, size, and distribution of internal flow channels, number and arrangement of inlets and outlets, etc.), and the details of the coolant (e.g., coolant type, flow rate, temperature, etc.). It is understood that the number of liquid inlets of any cooling stage (i.e., all the cold plates it contains) is equal to the number of liquid outlets of its upstream cooling stage or the number of branch pipes of its inlet manifold assembly, and the number of liquid outlets of any cooling stage (all the cold plates it contains) is equal to the number of liquid inlets of its downstream cooling stage (all the cold plates it contains) or the number of branch pipes of its drain manifold assembly. For example, the number of liquid inlets of the second cooling stage S2 (CPU cold plate 202e) is the same as the number of liquid outlets of the first cooling stage S1 (GPU cold plates 202a-b); as another example, the number of liquid outlets of the third cooling stage S3 (GPU cold plates 202c-d) is the same as the number of branch pipes 20 of the second manifold assembly 300.

[0049] The first manifold assembly 100, comprising a main pipe 10, a manifold 30, and two branch pipes 20, is described in detail below. It should be noted that, in the description of this application, the terms "main pipe" and "branch pipe" should be interpreted broadly as any elongated member forming an internal channel that allows liquid to enter, pass through, and flow out, and whose extended length is significantly greater than the dimension in any direction of the cross-section. This application does not limit the outer contour of the cross-section of such elongated member, nor does it limit the inner contour of the internal channel in the cross-section. For example, a "main pipe" and "branch pipe" can be a round or elliptical tube or a tube of any other contour. A "main pipe" and "branch pipe" can be rigid or rigid tubes made of materials such as rigid plastic or metal. Depending on the space or installation location within the computing device, a "main pipe" and "branch pipe" can be generally straight (e.g., main pipe 10) or can be any form of curved tube (e.g., branch pipe 20). The term "manifold" should be understood to refer to any structure or form of liquid diversion (or distribution) or confluence component whose internal fluid passages include a main section and parallel branch sections. Specifically, in this example, it may include one inlet port and at least two outlet ports, or possibly one outlet port and at least two inlet ports. A "manifold" may have a plate-like shape (as illustrated, where the dimension or thickness in one direction is much smaller than the dimension in any direction perpendicular to that direction), a block shape, or any other possible structural form.

[0050] Specifically, refer to Figure 2 The main pipe 10 extends generally along the chassis wall in the Y direction, including opposite external ports 12 and internal ports 14, and an internal channel (not shown) that fluidly communicates the external ports 12 and internal ports 14. As previously described, the external port 12 of the main pipe 10 is connected to a liquid inlet connector 11 on the computing device chassis, for example, to which it is fixed in a generally rigid manner.

[0051] The manifold 30 is fixed in the Z direction to a stationary or fixed component of the computing device, which is circuit board 15 in the figure. The stationary component does not have to be a circuit board; it can also be a support member extending from either side wall of the computing device chassis. The manifold 30 includes a main port 24 that is connected to and in fluid communication with the inner port 14 of the main pipe 10 as an inlet port, two branch ports (not shown) that are connected to the two branch pipes 20 as outlet ports to form fluid communication, and an internal channel (not shown) formed within the manifold 30 to divert the coolant entering via the main port 24 to the two branch ports (to the two branch pipes 20).

[0052] The direction in which the manifold 30 is fixed to the circuit board 15 is defined as direction Z. In a plane perpendicular to direction Z, the direction in which the main pipe 10 extends is defined as direction Y, as shown in the figure, the rear sidewall 18 of the chassis extends approximately parallel to directions Z and Y. The main pipe 10 and the branch pipe 20 are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the manifold 30 in direction X, but both are connected to the manifold 30 on the side where the main pipe 10 is located. Alternatively, in direction X, the main port 24 and the branch port of the manifold 30 are both arranged on the same side, with the branch pipe 20 extending across the manifold 30. Directions Z, X, and Y are mutually perpendicular, as can be understood with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the example, the main port 24 is located at the end of the manifold closer to the second manifold assembly 300, so the main pipe 10 is mechanically connected to this end of the manifold 30. The branch port is located in the middle of the manifold. This arrangement is not mandatory.

[0053] According to the principles of this application, the manifold 30 is fixed to the circuit board 15 in a movable manner in the Y direction. The advantage of this arrangement is that the main pipe 10, which is rigidly or nearly rigidly mechanically connected at both ends to the inlet connector 11 of the chassis and the main port 24 of the manifold 30, can be relieved by moving the manifold 30 in the Y direction if internal stress is generated due to improper installation of the inlet connector 11 (e.g., in position or orientation). This eliminates harmful stress within the main pipe 10, preventing coolant leakage (causing a short circuit inside the computing device) due to contact or poor sealing between either end of the main pipe 10 and the connector caused by this stress, or preventing damage to the main pipe 10 caused by this stress.

[0054] Specifically, a fixing hole 22 is provided at each end of the manifold 30 in the Y direction (but not limited to one). Figure 2 and 7 The dimension or length of the fixing hole 22 in the Y direction is greater than its dimension or width in the X direction. Fastener 32 ( Figure 1 The manifold 30 can be attached or secured to the circuit board 15 below the manifold 30 by passing through the mounting hole 22. The mounting hole 22 on the manifold 30 can be a closed hole or an open hole that opens to the corresponding end.

[0055] In the illustrated embodiment, a heat conductor 40 is disposed between the manifold 30 and the circuit board 15. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat conductor 40 itself is fixed to the circuit board 15; the manifold 30 is fixed to the heat conductor 40. Specifically, on opposite sides in the X direction, the heat conductor 40 is respectively connected via fasteners 44 such as bolts. Figure 3The manifold 30 is connected to the circuit board 15. Simultaneously, the heatsink 40 has a fastener hole 42 aligned with the corresponding mounting hole 22. The fastener hole 42 is a threaded hole, and the fastener 32 passes through the mounting hole 22 on the manifold 30 and connects to the threaded hole on the heatsink 40. In this way, the manifold 30 is fixed to the circuit board 15 in the Z direction, while, because the mounting hole 22 is an elongated hole, the manifold 30 can still move in the Y direction even when the heatsink 40, the circuit board 15, and the fastener 32 are all fixed in place.

[0056] In the diagram, the dimension of the fixing hole 22 in direction X is larger than the dimension of the fastener hole 42 in direction X. Accordingly, Figure 5 The fastener 32 is shown, which may include a smooth, unthreaded section 322 with a larger outer diameter and a threaded section 324 with a smaller outer diameter, the smooth section 322 and the threaded section 324 being accommodated in the fixing hole 22 and the fastener hole 42, respectively.

[0057] Those skilled in the art will also envision that the method of fixing the heatsink 40 to the circuit board is not limited to the bolt connection shown in the figure. As alternatives and additional methods, the heatsink 40 can also be fixed to the circuit board 15 by any one or more of the following methods: thermally conductive adhesive bonding, riveting, welding, etc. It is also envisioned that the heatsink 40 itself may not be fixed to the circuit board 15; the fasteners on the heatsink 40 can be through holes, with fastener 32 extending through the fixing hole 22 and the fastener hole 42 on the heatsink 40 into a threaded hole formed on the circuit board 15, thereby simultaneously fixing the manifold 30 and the heatsink 40 to the circuit board 15.

[0058] Optionally, the fastener 32 used to fix the manifold 30, or the fixing hole 22 on the manifold 30, is not limited to having only one at each end of the manifold 30. The fixing hole 22 can be provided only at one end of the manifold 30 or at both ends as shown in the figure, with two or more at each end; alternatively, a fixing hole can also be provided in the middle of the manifold 30. The fastener is also not limited to the structure with different outer diameters for the smooth section and the threaded section shown in the figure, as long as it can realize the function of directly or indirectly fixing the manifold 30 by passing through the elongated fixing hole 22 of the manifold 30.

[0059] Preferably, in order to improve heat transfer, the bottom surface of the manifold 30 facing and in contact with the heat conductor 40 may be provided with a thermal interface material coating, such as a coating of grease or liquid metal.

[0060] The heatsink 40 and the manifold can be made of any material with high thermal conductivity known in the art, such as copper or aluminum. This application does not limit this.

[0061] The first manifold assembly 100 has been described in detail above. The way the manifold 30 is fixed to the stationary component (circuit board 15) of the computing device allows the manifold 30 to be movable in the Y direction, thereby eliminating harmful internal stress within the main pipe 10. Optionally, but not necessarily, the size of the fixing hole 22 in the X direction can also be appropriately increased to provide the manifold 30 with a certain degree of flexibility in the X direction.

[0062] As described above, within the coverage area of ​​manifold 30, one or more (e.g., Figure 4 The diagram shows three RETIER&VR chips RT. Although not shown in the figure, a notch may be formed on the heatsink 40 at the location corresponding to the chip RT to expose the chip RT to the manifold 30. It should be understood that the electrical components here are not limited to RETIER&VR chips, but include any electrical components of any form, function, and configuration that require cooling.

[0063] Although a heatsink 40 is provided between the manifold 30 and the circuit board 15 in the illustrated example, the heatsink 40 is not necessary, especially in computing devices where the chip RT is not present.

[0064] As mentioned earlier, the downstream cooling stage of the liquid cooling system cold plate assembly 200 of this application has two drain ports Ou for the two GPU cold plates 202c-d, and the number is greater than 1. Therefore, the liquid cooling system of this application includes a second manifold assembly 300. The configuration of the second manifold assembly 300 can be exactly the same as that of the first manifold assembly 100, and the two can be arranged symmetrically or mirror-imagely spaced apart in the Y direction. The only difference between the second manifold assembly 300 and the first manifold assembly 100 is that the main pipe 10 of the former is connected to the drain pipe connector 13 on the side wall 18 of the computing device chassis, and the two branch pipes 20 are respectively connected to the two drain ports of the downstream cooling stage; the main pipe 10 of the latter is connected to the inlet pipe connector 11 on the side wall 18 of the computing device chassis, and the two branch pipes 20 are respectively connected to the two inlet ports of the upstream cooling stage. Other details of the second manifold assembly 300 can be found in the above description of the first manifold assembly 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0065] Similar to the first manifold assembly 100, the second manifold assembly 300 also has its manifold 30 fixed to (the same or a different) circuit board 15 in a manner that is fixed in the Z direction but movable in the Y direction. Three chips RT are also disposed in the coverage area of ​​the manifold 30, and a heatsink is also disposed between the manifold 30 and the circuit board 15. Of course, the second manifold assembly 300 does not necessarily have to be the same as the first manifold assembly 100 in these respects.

[0066] Furthermore, the liquid cooling system of this application can be used in conjunction with a gas cooling system. For example, cooling gas can flow through the space or gap between the cold plate and the chassis (top sidewall) to provide further cooling.

[0067] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal channels of the CPU cold plate 202e. Figure 3 As shown, the first liquid inlet In1 and the second liquid inlet In2 of the CPU cold plate 202e are fluidly connected to the drain outlets of the GPU cold plates 202b and 202a via pipes, respectively, to allow the coolant from the GPU cold plates 202b and 202a to enter the first region A1 and the third region A3, respectively. The first drain outlet Ou1 and the second drain outlet Ou2 of the CPU cold plate 202e are fluidly connected to the liquid inlets of the third GPU cold plate 202c and the fourth GPU cold plate 202d via pipes, respectively, to allow the coolant from the second region A2 and the fourth region A4 to be discharged into the GPU cold plates 202c and 202d, respectively. The first region A1 and the second region A2 are fluidly connected through the first connecting region A12, forming a U-shaped first flow path; the third region A3 and the fourth region A4 are fluidly connected through the second connecting region A34, forming a U-shaped second flow path. The first flow path and the second flow path are independent of each other, not fluidly connected to each other, and can be arranged back-to-back in the X direction (see...). Figure 6 ).

[0068] Furthermore, one or more of the first region A1, the second region A2, the first connecting region A12, the third region A3, the fourth region A4, and the second connecting region A34 may be provided with ribs 75 that divide the corresponding region into several sub-regions or microchannels, particularly in regions with a large coverage area (A1, A2, A3, and A4). The ribs 75 can be arranged substantially parallel to the liquid flow direction (as shown in the figure) and are not limited to the design details shown (number, size, arrangement, etc.). The ribs 75 can be integrally formed on the CPU cold plate or formed separately and fixed thereto. Advantageously, compared to traditional heat sink fins obtained through precise controlled cutting, the ribs 75 of this application can be attached to the cold plate by brazing, which allows the ribs to have a larger thickness, thereby providing higher strength and corrosion resistance. The CPU cold plate design and manufacturing are simpler and more cost-effective.

[0069] In some embodiments, considering the overall balance between cooling capacity and economic benefits, and to ensure unobstructed flow of coolant, the CPU cold plate can be modified in one or more of the following aspects: the number of flow paths, the number of inlets and outlets, the arrangement of areas, the design of sub-areas, the design of ribs, etc.

[0070] The above describes in detail the computing device of this application including the liquid cooling system described above. By movably fixing the manifold of the manifold assembly to a stationary part of the computing device in at least one direction, the problem of stress relief (e.g., caused by errors in the installation of the pipe joint on the chassis or other improper issues) in the main pipe connecting the manifold and the chassis is solved.

[0071] The foregoing disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit this application to any particular form. The terminology used is intended to be descriptive rather than restrictive. Many modifications and variations can be made based on the foregoing teachings, and the invention can be practiced in ways different from the specific descriptions.

Claims

1. A computing device, comprising a chassis and a liquid cooling system within the chassis, wherein the chassis is equipped with an inlet pipe connector (11) and an outlet pipe connector (13), characterized in that, The liquid cooling system includes: A first manifold assembly (100) includes a main pipe (10) connected to the inlet connector to receive coolant from outside the computing device, a plurality of branch pipes (20), and a manifold (30) connecting the main pipe and the plurality of branch pipes to provide fluid communication between them; and A cold plate assembly (200) comprising multiple cold plates, including at least a CPU cold plate (202e) for cooling a CPU and a GPU cold plate for cooling a GPU, the cold plate assembly including a first cooling stage (S1) connected to and in fluid communication with the multiple branch pipes, the first cooling stage including one or more of the multiple cold plates. The manifold (30) is fixed to a stationary component inside the chassis in a first direction (Z) and is movable in a second direction (Y) perpendicular to the first direction (Z). In a third direction (X) perpendicular to both the first direction (Z) and the second direction (Y), the cold plate assembly (200) and the main pipe (10) are arranged on opposite sides of the manifold (30).

2. The computing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first cooling stage (S1) includes all the cold plates of the cold plate assembly (200), the number of cold plates of the cold plate assembly (200) being the same as the number of the plurality of branch pipes, and all the cold plates are arranged in parallel to receive coolant from the respective branch pipes (20).

3. The computing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of cold plates further includes a second cooling stage (S2) arranged downstream of the first cooling stage (S1) in the flow path of the coolant to receive coolant from the cold plates of the first cooling stage, the second cooling stage (S2) including one or more cold plates arranged in parallel other than the cold plates of the first cooling stage (S1).

4. The computing device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The plurality of cold plates also includes a third cooling stage (S3) arranged downstream of the second cooling stage (S2) in the flow path of the coolant to receive coolant from the cold plates of the second cooling stage, the third cooling stage (S3) including one or more cold plates arranged in parallel other than the cold plates of the first cooling stage (S1) and the second cooling stage (S2).

5. The computing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The plurality of cooling plates include: a CPU cooling plate with two inlets and two outlets and four GPU cooling plates, each with one inlet and one outlet, wherein the first cooling stage (S1) and the third cooling stage (S3) each include two different GPU cooling plates; the second cooling stage (S2) includes the CPU cooling plate.

6. The computing device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The liquid cooling system further includes a second manifold assembly (300) comprising a main pipe connected to the drain pipe connector to discharge coolant flowing through all the cold plates, a plurality of branch pipes in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of cold plates, and a manifold connecting the main pipe and the plurality of branch pipes to allow fluid communication between the two. The manifold of the second manifold assembly (300) is also fixed to the same or different stationary components in a first direction (Z) and is movable in a second direction (Y).

7. The computing device according to claim 6, characterized in that, Each of the first and second manifold assemblies includes a retaining hole (22) that extends through the manifold in the first direction (Z) and has a length in the second direction (Y) greater than its width in the third direction (X). The liquid cooling system also includes a fastener (32) that passes through the fixing hole (22) in the first direction (Z) to secure the manifold to the stationary component.

8. The computing device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The fixing hole (22) includes at least two fixing holes as follows: An end fixing hole is provided at at least one of the opposite ends of the manifold in the second direction (Y), the end fixing hole being either a closed hole or an open hole that opens to the corresponding end in the second direction (Y). and / or A central fixing hole is provided in the middle part of the manifold in the second direction.

9. The computing device according to claim 8, characterized in that, In the first direction, the manifold (30): The fastener is fixed to the stationary component in direct contact, wherein the fastener extends into a threaded hole formed on the stationary component; or The stationary component is indirectly fixed via a plate-shaped heat conductor (40), the heat conductor (40) including a fastener hole aligned with the fixing hole in a first direction (Z), wherein: the fastener hole is a smooth hole, and the fastener (32) extends through the fixing hole and the fastener hole into a threaded hole formed on the stationary component; Alternatively, the fastener hole is a threaded hole, the fastener is threaded to the threaded hole, and the heat conductor (40) itself is fixed to the stationary part by at least one of the following methods: thermal adhesive bonding, welding, riveting, form fit, threaded connection.

10. The computing device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The fastener (32) includes a threaded section (324) and a smooth section (322) without threads, the smooth section being at least partially located within the fixing hole (22) and having an outer diameter greater than that of the threaded section.

11. The computing device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The bottom surface of the manifold (30) facing the stationary component is coated with a thermal interface material layer.

12. The computing device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The thermal interface material layer is grease or liquid metal.

13. The computing device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The stationary component is a circuit board (15) supported by the chassis.

14. The computing device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The circuit board has one or more electrical components mounted in the coverage area of ​​the manifold (30), and the heat conductor (40) has a notch through which the electrical components are exposed to the manifold (30).

15. The computing device according to claim 14, characterized in that, The electrical components are the RETIMER chip and the VR chip.

16. The computing device according to claim 6, characterized in that... At least one of the following: The first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly are aligned and spaced apart in the second direction (Y); The manifold (30) of each of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly is a plate-like structure that extends in the second direction (Y); The main pipe of each of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly is connected to the end of the corresponding manifold closest to the other manifold assembly. The plurality of branches of each of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly are connected to the middle position of the corresponding manifold. In the third direction (X), the main pipe and the plurality of branches of each of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the manifold, but connected to the same side where the main pipe is located; The plurality of cold plates includes a plurality of GPU cold plates arranged side by side in the second direction (Y); On the third direction (X), the CPU cold plate and the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly are arranged on opposite sides of the GPU cold plate.

17. The computing device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The CPU cold plate includes: A first region (A1) having a first inlet (In1), a second region (A2) having a first outlet (Ou1), and a first connecting region (A12) connecting the first region and the second region. A third region (A3) having a second inlet (In2), a fourth region (A4) having a second outlet (Ou2), and a second connecting region (A34) connecting the third region and the fourth region. The first flow path formed by the first region, the second region, and the first connecting region is not connected to the second flow path formed by the third region, the fourth region, and the second connecting region.

18. The computing device according to claim 17, characterized in that, The first region, the second region, the first connecting region, the third region, the fourth region, and the second connecting region, one or more of them include ribs (75) that divide the corresponding region into multiple parallel flow channels.

19. The computing device according to claim 18, characterized in that, The ribs are formed separately and brazed onto the CPU cold plate.

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