Method and apparatus for enhanced serial temperature control in a computing device

Abstract

A thermal control device (100) comprising: a thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) made of an anisotropically thermally conductive plastic having a higher thermal conductivity in a plastic flow direction (F p ) than in a transverse plastic flow direction (F c ) comprising a plurality of ribs (310; 1206) on at least one side thereof and at least partially defining an internal conduit (700) through which, in use, a temperature-controlled fluid flows; a heat transfer plate (108) thermally coupled to at least a portion of the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300); and a plurality of heat transfer devices (110) thermally coupled to the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) via the heat transfer plate (108).

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] This section of this document presents information about and / or from the prior art that may provide context for, or be related to, the subject matter described and / or claimed below. It provides background information that may facilitate a better understanding of various aspects of the present art. Accordingly, this is a discussion of "related" prior art. The fact that such prior art is related in no way implies that it is also "earlier" prior art. The related art may, but need not, be prior art. The discussion in this section of the document should be understood in this sense and not necessarily as an admission of prior art.

[0002] DE 10 2017 217 105 A1 describes a cooling device for cooling an element to be cooled, wherein the cooling device comprises a heat sink and a heat transfer element, wherein the heat transfer element is connected to the heat sink and has a contact surface configured for connection to the element to be cooled. Furthermore, it is provided that a thermal conductivity of the heat transfer element varies locally from the contact surface to the heat sink across the contact surface.

[0003] DE 10 2010 029 178 A1 relates to an electronics cooler with a heat sink having a plurality of fluid channels and a heat transfer surface for sintering at least one electronic component.

[0004] Operating temperature affects the functionality and efficiency of computers. For large, powerful computing devices with a high density of heat-generating electronic components, heat dissipation and cooling of those electronic components can be a priority. In addition, some computing devices may operate in harsh and / or hostile environments that experience extreme temperatures. These extremes can include not only undesirably high temperatures but also undesirably low temperatures. In addition, there are applications where a computer needs to be warmed up before use or perhaps even warmed up during operation. SHORT DESCRIPTION

[0005] A thermal control device according to claims 1 to 8, a computing device according to claims 9 to 13 and a method according to claims 14 to 19 are disclosed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The present technique will be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like elements and in which: Fig. until Fig. are composite perspective views of a first side and a second side, respectively, and composite plan views of a first side and a second side, respectively, of a thermal control device according to one or more examples. Fig. 2A- Fig. 2C are exploded views of the thermal control device of Fig. 1A- Fig. 1C. Fig. 2A- Fig. 2B are exploded perspective views of the first side of the thermal control device of Fig. 1A- Fig. 1D from two different perspectives. Fig. is an exploded perspective view of the second side of the thermal control device. The Fig. 3A to 3D show a thermal control plate of the thermal control device of the Fig. 1A to 1D and 2A to 2C. Fig. 3A- Fig. 3B are a perspective view and a plan view of the first side of the thermal control plate, respectively. Fig. until Fig. are a perspective view and a top view of the second side of a thermal control plate. Fig. 4A- Fig. 4C are a perspective view of the first side, a top view of the first side, and a top view of the second side, respectively, of a heat transfer plate of the thermal control plate of the thermal control device of Fig. 1A- Fig. 1D and Fig. 2A- Fig. 2C. The Fig. show a plurality of heat transfer devices supported by a bracket and thermally coupled to a heat transfer plate as first described in the thermal control device of Fig. were shown. Fig. 5A- Fig. 5B are an assembled and exploded view of the first side of the heat transfer devices, the bracket, and the heat transfer plate. Fig. until Fig. are assembled top views of the first side and second side of the heat transfer devices, the bracket and the heat transfer plate, respectively. Fig. 6A- Fig. 6B are a fragmented exploded view and an assembled view, respectively, of a computation subassembly including the thermal control device of Fig. 1A- Fig. 1D and Fig. 2A- Fig. 2C contains. Fig. illustrates the fluid flow through the thermal control plate and the heat transfer plate of the thermal control device of Fig. until Fig. and Fig. until Fig. . The Fig. illustrate the heat transfer through the thermal control plate and the heat transfer plate of the thermal control device of the Fig. for cooling or heating in cross-sectional views along line 8-8 of the Fig. . Fig. conceptually illustrates the fluid flow and heat transfer for cooling a computing device with at least three computing subassemblies connected in series. In the Fig. are the measured temperatures at various points in the fluid circuit of an actual test implementation of a computing device such as the one in Fig. shown. Fig. illustrates a method for controlling the temperature of at least three computing subassemblies connected in series, according to one or more examples. In the Fig. A thermal control plate according to one or more examples is shown. The Fig. show a perspective view and a top view of a first side of the thermal control plate. Fig. are a perspective view and a top view of a second side of the thermal control plate. Fig. - Fig. 13B are cross-sectional side views of a thermal control plate thermally coupled to a thermally conductive plane of a printed circuit board, according to one or more examples.

[0007] While the technology disclosed herein is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, the drawings illustrate specific examples, which are described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the description of specific examples is not intended to limit the disclosed technology to the particular forms, but rather, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] Illustrative examples of the claimed subject matter are described below. In the interest of clarity, this description does not describe all features of an actual implementation. It will be appreciated that in developing such a concrete example, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as adhering to system-related and business-related constraints that will vary from one implementation to another. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that such a development effort, while complex and time-consuming, is a routine undertaking for those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0009] In general, thermal control in computing devices is driven by the need to cool electronic components that generate heat through power consumption. The power consumption of compute units, application-specific integrated circuits ("ASICs"), and memory modules continues to rise. Motherboards contain increasingly heat-generating components, so the overall power consumption of the motherboard continues to rise. Some high-end high-performance compute ("HPC") servers already operate at power consumption levels up to 2.5 kW, and future servers are expected to achieve even higher power consumption levels.

[0010] As device power increases, greater cooling capacity is required, which can be achieved in several ways. This can be achieved in several ways, such as lowering coolant temperatures, supplying more coolant, or even cooling each high-performance device with its own cooling loop in a multi-socket server. However, lowering coolant temperatures is generally considered undesirable because warmer water enables coolerless cooling and waste heat reuse. As flow rates increase or each device is cooled with its own cooling loop, the piping can become more complicated, expensive, heavier, and difficult to install.

[0011] Some HPC servers use liquid cooling to address these thermal issues. Current liquid cooling techniques cool at most two compute subassemblies in series and therefore utilize multiple parallel liquid cooling loops. In this case, a "compute subassembly" is a set of processing and storage resources. Many servers contain four compute subassemblies, requiring at least two parallel liquid cooling loops. Some HPC servers have a dedicated loop for each compute subassembly, increasing the number of parallel liquid cooling loops to four.

[0012] One example of solving these problems disclosed herein is a thermal control device comprising a thermal control plate, a heat transfer plate, and a plurality of heat transfer devices. The thermal control plate is made of an anisotropically thermally conductive plastic having a higher thermal conductivity in a plastic flow direction than in a cross-plastic flow direction. The thermal control plate has a plurality of fins on at least one side that at least partially form an internal conduit through which a temperature-controlled fluid flows during operation. The heat transfer plate is thermally coupled to at least a portion of the thermal control plate. The heat transfer devices are thermally coupled to the thermal control plate via the heat transfer plate.

[0013] In another example, a computing device includes a printed circuit board, at least three computing subassemblies disposed on the printed circuit board, and a fluid circuit. Each of the three computing subassemblies includes a thermal control plate defining a corresponding internal conduit therethrough. The fluid circuit runs through each of the at least three computing subassemblies in series to control their temperature during operation. The fluid circuit includes each of the internal conduits in each of the thermal control plates in each of the computing subassemblies.

[0014] In another example, a method for controlling the temperature of an electronic component includes providing cooling to a computing device. The computing device includes a circuit board, at least three computing subassemblies, and a fluid circuit. Each of the three computing subassemblies includes a thermal control plate defining a corresponding internal conduit therethrough. The fluid circuit extends through each of the at least three computing subassemblies such that each of the at least three computing subassemblies is temperature controlled in series during operation. The fluid circuit includes each of the internal conduits in each of the thermal control plates in each of the computing subassemblies.The method further comprises circulating a temperature-controlled fluid through the fluid circuit to control the temperature of the at least three compute subassemblies by each of the at least three compute subassemblies in series.

[0015] Fig. 1A- Fig. 1D are assembled perspective views of a thermal control device 100 according to one or more examples. In particular, the Fig. 1A through 1B are assembled perspective views of a first side 102 and a second side 104, respectively, of the thermal control device 100. The first side 102 is the "top" and the second side 104 is the "bottom" of the thermal control device 100 when the thermal control device 100 is installed in its typical or usual orientation with respect to gravity in a computing device, as explained further below. Fig. and Fig. are composite plan views of the first side 102 and the second side 104 of the thermal control device 100, respectively.

[0016] Fig. 2A- Fig. 2C are exploded views of the thermal control device 100 of Fig. 1A- Fig. 1C. Fig. 2A- Fig. 2B are exploded perspective views of the first page 102 from two different perspectives. Fig. is an exploded perspective view of the second side 104 of the thermal control device 100.

[0017] As in Fig. until Fig. and Fig. until Fig. As shown, the thermal control device 100 in this example includes a thermal control plate 106, a heat transfer plate 108, and a plurality of heat transfer devices 110 (only one shown). The heat transfer plate 108 is thermally coupled to at least a portion of the thermal control plate 106. The heat transfer devices 110 are thermally coupled to the heat transfer plate 108 and, via the heat transfer plate 108, to the thermal control plate 106.

[0018] As used herein, the term "thermally coupled" or "thermally coupled" between two objects means that a thermally conductive path exists between the objects, allowing heat to be transferred between them. Two objects or entities can be considered thermally coupled if one of the following conditions is met: (1) the two objects are in contact with each other (either direct contact or contact via a thermal interface material, or "TIM"), (2) the objects are both thermally coupled to the same heat transfer device or to a chain of thermally coupled heat transfer devices, or (3) the thermal conductivity between the two objects is 10 W / mK or greater.Additionally, the terms "thermal interface material" and "TIM" refer to a relatively thin, thermally conductive, and compliant (easily deformable) material applied between two devices at their thermal interface to improve heat transfer by filling air gaps that would otherwise occur due to surface roughness and / or misalignment between the devices. Common examples include thermal pads, thermal grease, thermal paste, etc.

[0019] As in the Fig. Best illustrated, the thermal control plate 106 includes a plate body 200, a heat transfer plate 202, and a sealing member 204. The sealing member 204 seals the interface between the plate body 200 and the heat transfer plate 202 to prevent fluid leakage. The sealing member 204, in this example, is a gasket made of an elastomer. However, in other examples, other sealing techniques may be used to prevent fluid leakage. The sealing member 204 is placed between the heat transfer plate 202 and the plate body 200, and the heat transfer plate 202 is mounted to the plate body 200 using fasteners 206 (only one shown). In other examples, the heat transfer plate 202 may be attached to the plate body 200 using other techniques.

[0020] The Fig. 1A- Fig. 1D and Fig. 2A- Fig. 2C first shown thermal control plate 106 of the thermal control device 100 is in the Fig. 3A- Fig. 3D better displayed. Fig. 3A- Fig. 3B are a perspective view and a top view, respectively, of the first side 300 of the thermal control plate 106. Fig. until Fig. are a perspective view and a plan view of the second side 302 of the thermal control plate 106.

[0021] The thermal control plate 106 is made of an anisotropically thermally conductive plastic. The anisotropically thermally conductive plastic can be selected from a number of commercially available plastics. Such anisotropically thermally conductive plastics can be polyphenylene sulfides, polyamides (such as PA6, PA12, PA66), liquid crystal polymers, and thermoplastic elastomers. Anisotropically thermally conductive plastics are commercially available from companies such as Celanese Corporation, PolyOne Corp., Cool Polymers, LNP Engineering Plastics, RTP Co., Ensinger GmbH, and Ticona Corp. Thus, in some examples, thermally conductive plastics from COOLPOLY ® D-Series compounds offered by Celanese Corporation may be used. In other examples, TECACOMP® TC compounds from Ensinger GmbH may be used.

[0022] Because the plastic from which it is made is anisotropically thermally conductive, it transfers heat differently in different directions. The degree of thermal conductivity is a function of the thermal conductivity of the material. Consequently, the anisotropically thermally conductive plastic from which the thermal control plate 106 is made has different thermal conductivities depending on the direction of heat transfer. The anisotropically thermally conductive plastic of the thermal control plate 106 has a plastic flow direction F p a higher thermal conductivity than in a transverse plastic flow direction F c .

[0023] In particular, the thermal control plate 106 is manufactured by injection molding. The anisotropically thermally conductive plastic is injected into a mold (not shown) through one or more injection ports (also not shown) during the manufacturing process. The plastic flow direction Fp is the direction in which the anisotropically thermally conductive plastic flows during injection into the mold. The transverse plastic flow direction F c is the direction transverse to the plastic flow direction F p Both the plastic flow direction F p as well as the transverse plastic flow direction F c are in Fig. In one example, the thermal control plate 106 has a thermal conductivity of -23.02 W / mK in the plastic flow direction F p and -2.65 W / mK in the transverse plastic flow direction F c on.

[0024] The thermal control plate 106 includes a plate body 200 and a pair of plate arms 306 formed integrally with the plate body 200 at a first end 308 of the plate body 200. The plate arms 306 extend from the plate body 200 in a transverse plane direction D c , as in Fig. As used herein, "integrally molded" means that the plate arms 306 are manufactured with the plate body 200, such that the plate arms 306 are not assembled with the plate body 200 (e.g., are not added after manufacturing).

[0025] The plate body 200 includes a plurality of threaded holes 304 through which the plate body 200 can be attached to various brackets (not shown) for attachment to a printed circuit board (also not shown), as described below. In the illustrated example, the plate body 200 is particularly attached to the (not shown) carrier plate of the central processing unit (“CPU”), which is attached to the printed circuit assembly (“PCA”). The holes 304 in the plate arms 306 serve to attach the assembly of Fig. on the plate body 200.

[0026] It should be noted that in this example the transverse plane direction D cwith the transverse plastic flow direction F c Similarly, the thermal control plate 106 also has a planar direction D p which in this example corresponds to the plastic flow direction F p However, the two directions are not identical in the sense that F c , F p denote a functional aspect or an inherent feature of the thermal control plate 106, while D c , D p denote a structural aspect of the thermal control plate 106.

[0027] The plate body 200 includes a plurality of ribs 310 (only one shown) on the first side 300, as shown in Fig. - Fig. The fins 310 help to concentrate the heat transfer described below by preventing the heat from spreading over a larger volume. The spaces 312 between the fins also facilitate the injection molding process by helping to prevent uncontrolled internal "gaps" that can form inside the solid plastic material if the material is too thick. The plate body 200 also defines a first portion 320 of an internal conduit. The first portion 320 can be seen when viewing both the first side 300 and the second side 302.

[0028] In the Fig. It can be seen that the plate body 200 also has a cavity 314 on the second side 302 and a divider 316 in the cavity 134, the function of which will be explained further below. Note that the second side 302 also has a plurality of openings 318 (only two shown) that reduce material costs in the manufacturing process and the weight of the finished product. As shown in the Fig. As can be seen, each of the plate arms 306 forms part of the first section 320 of an internal conduit. The first section 320 includes distal fluid ports 324 that terminate outside the plate arms 306 and proximal fluid ports 326 that open into the cavity 314. As used herein, the terms "distal" and "proximal" refer to the Fig. 3B. A connector 328 is inserted into each of the distal fluid ports 324 to connect to an external conduit (not shown).

[0029] In the Fig. It can be seen that each of the plate arms 306 has a lip 322 at the end furthest from the plate body 200, into which the heat transfer plate 108 is inserted during assembly. Fig. The heat transfer plate 108 shown in Figures 1A to 1D and 2A to 2C is made of a thermally conductive material or a highly thermally conductive material. In the example shown, the heat transfer plate is made of a metal, in particular copper. However, other materials may also be used. Such materials may be, for example, certain metals and plastics. It should be noted that, in the assembled state, the heat transfer plate 108 is thermally coupled to at least a portion of the plate body 200 through direct contact between the two parts.

[0030] In particular, an object, device, or assembly (which may comprise several different bodies that are thermally coupled and which may contain several different materials) is "thermally conductive" between two thermal interfaces if one of the following conditions is met: (1) the thermal conductivity between the thermal interfaces is 10 W / mK or more at any temperature between 0°C and 100°C, (2) the object is a continuous piece of material that has a thermal conductivity (often denoted by k, λ, or κ) between the two interfaces of 10 W / mK or more at any temperature between 0°C and 100°C, (3) the object is a heat pipe, a vapor chamber, a continuous body of copper, or a continuous body of aluminum. Examples of materials whose thermal conductivity between 0°C and 100°C is greater than 1 W m-1 K-1 are almost all metals and their alloys (e.g.,copper, aluminum, gold, etc.), some plastics (e.g. TECACOMP® TC compounds, COOLPOLY® D-Series Thermally Conductive Plastics) and many other materials.

[0031] Furthermore, an object, device, or assembly (which may include several different bodies that are thermally coupled and which may contain several different materials) is "highly thermally conductive" between two thermal interfaces if one of the following conditions is met: (1) the thermal conductivity between the thermal interfaces is 10 W / mK or more at any temperature between 0°C and 100°C, (2) the object is a continuous piece of material that has a thermal conductivity (often denoted by k, λ, or κ) between the two interfaces of 10 W / mK or more at any temperature between 0°C and 100°C, (3) the object is a heat pipe, a vapor chamber, a continuous body of copper, or a continuous body of aluminum.Examples of materials whose thermal conductivity between 0°C and 100°C is 10 W / mK or more are certain types of copper, aluminum, silver and gold.

[0032] The Fig. 4A to 4C show the heat transfer plate 202 of the thermal control device 100 of the Fig. 1A to 1D and 2A to 2C. Fig. 4A- Fig. 4C are a perspective view of a first side 400, a top view of the first side 400, and a top view of the second side 402 of the heat transfer plate 202. The heat transfer plate 202 has a plurality of microchannels 404 on its first side 400, which are divided into two groups in this example. Although the example shown uses the microchannels 404, other examples (not shown) may use, for example, fins, channels, surface roughness, or any other surface extension to increase heat transfer. Any of these types of surface extensions may also help direct fluid flow through the cavity, with the exception of the surface roughness.

[0033] The first side 400 defines a groove 406 around the microchannels 404 into which the sealing element 204 (shown in Fig. - Fig. 2C) is inserted during assembly. When the first side 400 of the heat transfer plate 202 is joined to the second side 402 of the plate body 200 over the cavity 314, the heat transfer plate 202 and the plate body 200 define a second portion of the internal conduit within the cavity 314, as described further below.

[0034] The heat transfer plate 202 can be made of the same anisotropically thermally conductive plastic as the plate body 200. In examples such as the present one, it is desirable for the plastic to be anisotropically thermally conductive, like the anisotropically thermally conductive plastic of the plate body 200. Thus, in the example shown, the anisotropically thermally conductive plastic of the heat transfer plate 202 has a plastic flow direction F p a higher thermal conductivity than in a direction perpendicular to the plastic flow direction F cHowever, in other examples, other suitable materials, such as metals, may be used.

[0035] Note the cutout 408 in the heat transfer plate 202. The cutout 408 is used to remove high inductor components located on the circuit board (not shown) of the compute subassembly (not otherwise shown). In some examples, the thermal control plate 106 extends outward and includes a thin strip of material (e.g., a gap pad (not shown)) to enhance cooling / heating of the power voltage regulators ("VRs," not shown) for the compute subassembly's processing resources.

[0036] In the Fig. is part of the Fig. thermal control device 100 shown for the first time. In particular, the Fig. 5A to 5D, a plurality of heat transfer devices 110 supported by a support 500 and thermally connected to the heat transfer plate 108. The Fig. show an assembled view and an exploded view of the first side 502 of the heat transfer devices 110, the holder 500 and the heat transfer plate 108. The Fig. are composite plan views of the first side 502 and a second side 504 of the heat transfer devices 110, the bracket 500, and the heat transfer plate 108, respectively.

[0037] A "heat transfer device" can be any device that is thermally conductive and configured to receive heat from a heat source by conduction (contact) and transfer the heat by conduction (contact) to a heat sink. Examples include heat pipes, vapor chambers, heat spreaders, a solid rod or strip of metal, etc. In the example shown, the heat transfer devices 110 are heat pipes, the details of which are not shown. A heat pipe is a special type of heat transfer device that includes a housing (vessel) with walls surrounding a sealed inner conduit containing a working fluid and a wick such that the fluid transfers heat between different regions of the device through a cycle of evaporation and condensation.Although the heat transfer devices 110 in these examples are heat pipes, other types of heat transfer devices may be used in other examples.

[0038] As in Fig. Best shown, the bracket 500 has a plurality of recesses 506 (only one is shown) into which one end of the heat transfer devices 110 is fitted, so that the bracket 500 supports that end of the heat transfer device 110. The other end of the heat transfer devices 110 is supported by the heat transfer plate 108 when the heat transfer plate 108 is mounted to the plate body 200, as shown in Fig. 1A and Fig. 1C. The heat transfer devices 110 are mechanically connected to the heat transfer plate 108 in one or more suitable ways. The mechanical connection may be made, for example and without limitation, by soldering, press-fitting, thermal epoxidizing, etc.

[0039] The heat transfer devices 110 are thermally coupled to the heat transfer plate 108 due to their physical contact. As previously mentioned, the heat transfer plate 108 is thermally coupled to the plate body 200 due to their direct physical contact. Thus, the heat transfer devices 110 are thermally coupled to the plate body 302 via the heat transfer plate 108. The mount 500 also includes a foot 508 at each end that allows the mount 500 to be attached to a printed circuit board (not shown).

[0040] With reference to the Fig. 1A to 1D and 2A to 2C, an example of the assembly of the thermal control device 100 is presented. It should be noted that this is only one assembly method, and other assembly methods may be used. In particular, assembly does not necessarily have to be performed in the order described below. Other examples of the thermal control device 100 may have more, fewer, or different parts. Therefore, the assembly method described below may be modified to accommodate these different examples of the thermal control device 100.

[0041] The sealing element 204 is inserted into the groove 406 of the heat transfer plate 202. The microchannels 404 are aligned with the cavity 314 of the plate body 200, which is Fig. - Fig. 3D. Within this alignment, the divider 316, which is also best seen in Fig. - Fig. 3D, is aligned with the space 410 between the two sets of microchannels 404. It should be noted that the partition 316 (also shown in Fig. - Fig. 3D) does not extend over the entire length of the cavity 314 (only a part is shown). The heat transfer plate 202 is then Fig. - Fig. 2C (only one shown). As the heat transfer plate 202 is attached to the plate body 200, the sealing element 204 is compressed by pressure to seal the second portion (i.e., the cavity 314 and the microchannels 404) of the internal conduit against fluid leakage.

[0042] The fasteners 206 allow for easy removal of the heat transfer plate 202. This may be desirable, for example, for cleaning the heat transfer plate 202 if the microchannels become clogged. However, it should be noted that in other examples, the heat transfer plate 202 may be attached in ways other than fasteners. For example, other examples may instead use other means of attachment, such as clamps (not shown).

[0043] The bracket 500 can then be secured to the thermal control plate 106 through the holes 512 with a plurality of fasteners 112 (shown in Fig. - Fig. 1B). Once the bracket 500 is secured, the thermal control devices 100 can be attached to the bracket 500 as described above, being supported at one end by the bracket 500 and at the other end by the heat transfer plate 108. Alternatively, the heat transfer devices 110 can be attached to the bracket 500 and soldered so that the bracket 500 and the heat transfer devices 110 are secured as a single part. The first side 102 of the assembled thermal control device 100 is shown in Fig. and the second side 104 of the assembled thermal control device 100 is in Fig. shown.

[0044] Accordingly, the thermal control device 100 comprises the thermal control plate 106, the heat transfer plate 108, and a plurality of thermal control devices 110. The thermal control plate 106 is made of an anisotropically thermally conductive plastic that flows in a plastic flow direction F p has a higher thermal conductivity than in a transverse plastic flow direction F cThe thermal control plate 106 has a plurality of fins 310 on at least one side (e.g., the first side 300) that at least partially form an internal conduit (e.g., the first portion 320 and the second portion) through which a temperature-controlled fluid flows during operation. The heat transfer plate 108 is thermally coupled to at least a portion of the thermal control plate 106. The plurality of heat transfer devices 110 are thermally coupled to the thermal control plate 106 via the heat transfer plate 108.

[0045] The thermal control device 100 may, in some examples, be assembled into a computing subassembly, such as that shown in the Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B shown computing subassembly 600. Fig. 6A- Fig. 6B are a fragmented exploded view and a fragmented assembled view, respectively, of a computing subassembly 600 comprising the thermal control device 100 of Fig. 1A- Fig. 1D and Fig. 2A- Fig. 2C. It should be noted that some examples of the computing subassembly 600 may utilize other, alternative examples of the thermal control device 100.

[0046] The computing subassembly 600 is or includes a portion of a computer: A computer is any electronic device that includes a processor and is capable of executing programs with machine-readable instructions, such as a server, a converged (or hyperconverged) appliance, a rack system, some storage arrays, a personal computer, a laptop, a smartphone, a tablet, etc.

[0047] As in Fig. Best illustrated, the computing subassembly 600 includes an electronic component 602 mounted on a printed circuit board 604. The electronic component 602 is generally considered a heat-generating electronic component because, during operation, it generates a high amount of heat compared to the other components of the computing subassembly 600. However, in some contexts, the electronic component 602 may not generate heat. For example, the electronic component 602 may not generate heat once operation ceases and the computing subassembly 600 is turned off or deactivated. In some of these contexts, the electronic component 602 may actually need to be heated before operation begins. Furthermore, in some cases, the electronic component 602 may need to be heated despite the heat generation.The thermal control device 100 can therefore be used either to cool or to heat elements of the computing subassembly 600, such as the electronic component 602.

[0048] The electronic component 602 in the example shown is a processing unit. A processing resource may be, for example and without limitation, a processor such as a controller, a microprocessor, a central processing unit (“CPU”), a graphics processing unit (“GPU”), an application-specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”), or a processor chipset. The electronic component 602 in other examples may be, again without limitation, one or more memory modules, one or more converters, one or more voltage regulators, or any other electronic component known to generate a relatively high amount of heat during operation.

[0049] The computing subassembly 600 includes other heat-generating electronic components in addition to the electronic component 602. The electronic component 602, in this example, is flanked on both sides by a plurality of dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs) 606 (only one is shown). The electronic component 602 is flanked by eight DIMMs 606, four on each side. The number of DIMMs 606 is implementation-specific, as is the overall composition of the computing subassembly 600. Also note that the thermal control device 100 may be used in other examples to cool computing components that are not part of a computing subassembly.

[0050] When the computer subassembly 600 is Fig. When assembled as shown, the heat transfer devices 110 are in thermal contact with the DIMMs 606 and the heat transfer plate 108. The heat transfer plate 108 is in thermal contact with the thermal control plate 106, and the thermal control plate 106 is in thermal contact with the electronic component 602 (e.g., a processing resource). Thus, the DIMMs 606, the heat transfer devices 110, the heat transfer plate 108, the thermal control plate 106, and the electronic component 602 are all thermally coupled.

[0051] The thermal control device 100 is used to heat and cool the computer subassembly 600 as desired. Fig. illustrates the fluid flow through the thermal control plate 106 of the thermal control device 100 of Fig. - Fig. 1D and Fig. - Fig. 2C. As previously mentioned, the thermal control plate 106 defines an internal conduit. An internal conduit 700 is in Fig. shown in dashed lines. The internal conduit 700 includes a first portion 320 formed by the thermal control plate 106 and a second portion 704. The second portion 704 is defined by the microchannels 404 of the heat transfer plate 202 and the divider 316 in the cavity 314 of the plate body 200 of the thermal control plate 106, as described above with respect to the Fig. 2A to 4C.

[0052] A temperature-controlled fluid (not shown) then circulates through the fittings 328 and into the internal conduit 700. The direction of flow of the temperature-controlled fluid through the thermal control plate 106 and the internal conduit 700 is not important in the sense that the fluid in Fig. can move either from left to right or from right to left. However, the flow direction may be important in the design of the complete computing device (not shown), depending on how the thermal control system is designed.

[0053] The temperature-controlled fluid may be any suitable heat transfer fluid known in the art. In some examples, the temperature-controlled fluid may be any of several fluids used in temperature control—e.g., for cooling or heating. Suitable fluids include water, propylene glycol, and mixtures thereof, such as coolants, etc. In one example, the temperature-controlled fluid is a mixture of 25% propylene glycol and 75% water. However, other fluids may be used in other examples.

[0054] Fig. shows the thermal control plate 106 in the context of cooling. In this context, the temperature-controlled liquid 800 acts as a coolant. In some examples, the temperature-controlled liquid 800 may be cooled; in other examples, this is not the case. When used for cooling, the thermal control plate 106 functions as a liquid-cooled thermal control plate. As used herein, the term "liquid-cooled thermal plate" refers to a device that absorbs heat from a solid body by conduction (contact) and transfers that heat to a liquid coolant flowing on or through the thermal plate. The liquid coolant is either (a) in direct contact with the thermal control plate (e.g., flowing through an internal chamber of the cold plate) or (b) flowing through a tube in contact with the thermal control plate.

[0055] As described above, the DIMMs 606 are connected via the heat transfer devices 110 (in Fig. first shown) is thermally coupled to the thermal control plate 106 by the plate arms 306 and the heat transfer plate 108. The heat generated by the DIMMs 606 is transferred into the thermal control plate 106 through the thermal coupling just discussed, as indicated by arrows 801 (only one shown). The heat generated by the electronic component 602 is transferred directly into the thermal control plate 106 through the thermal contact between the thermal control plate 106 and the electronic component 602, as indicated by arrows 802 (only one shown).

[0056] The heat generated by the DIMMs 606 and the electronic component 602 is then transferred to the temperature-controlled fluid 800, which circulates through the internal conduit 700 in the direction of arrows 808 (only one shown). The temperature-controlled fluid 800 then carries the heat away from the DIMMs 606, the electronic component 602, and the thermal control plate 106. Note that the design of the fins 310 can facilitate the directionality of the heat transfer flow to concentrate the flow on top of the internal conduit 700. The length of the internal conduit 700 through the thermal control plate 106 also contributes to facilitating heat transfer by providing more surface area thermal contact and a longer time for thermal contact.

[0057] Fig. shows the thermal control plate 106 when used in a heating context. Heat transfer occurs in much the same way, only in reverse. In some examples, the temperature-controlled fluid 800 can be heated, while in other examples it cannot. When used for heating, the thermal control plate 106 functions as a fluid-heated thermal control plate. As used herein, "fluid-heated thermal control plate" refers to a device that transfers heat by conduction (contact) from a temperature-controlled fluid flowing on or through the thermal control plate to a solid body. The temperature-controlled fluid is either (a) in direct contact with the thermal plate (e.g., flowing through an internal chamber of the thermal plate) or (b) flowing through a tube in contact with the thermal plate.

[0058] As the temperature-controlled fluid 800 flows through the internal conduit 700, the heat is transferred into the thermal control plate 106. From the thermal control plate 106, the heat is transferred directly into the electronic component 602, as indicated by arrows 804 (only one shown). Heat is also transferred into the DIMMs 606, as indicated by arrows 806 (only one shown), through the thermal coupling provided by the heat transfer plate 108 and the heat transfer devices 110.

[0059] As already mentioned, the computing unit 600 may form part of a larger computing unit. Fig. conceptually illustrates fluid flow and heat transfer for cooling a computing device 900 having at least three computing subassemblies 600 connected in series. In particular, the computing device 900 includes four computing subassemblies 600, each of which is cooled in series with the others.

[0060] The compute unit 900 in this example is designed as a rack-mountable server and is therefore located in a compartment (not shown). The compute unit 900 includes two compute nodes 902, with each compute node 902 including two compute subassemblies 600. Although each pair of compute subassemblies 600 defines a single compute node 902, all four compute subassemblies 600 are mounted on a single printed circuit board 904. As previously mentioned, each compute assembly 600 includes a thermal control plate 106 defining an internal circuit 700, as shown in Fig. shown. The computing assemblies 600 also include DIMMs 606 and heat transfer devices 110, as discussed above and in the Fig. shown. In Fig. However, the DIMMs 606 and the heat transfer devices 110 are depicted as individual graphical elements 905 (only one shown).

[0061] Each of the internal lines 700 is connected in series by an external line 906. The external line 906 may be made of copper, stainless steel, or a flexible polymer tubing, such as ethylene propylene diene monomer (“EPDM”) rubber, corrugated fluorinated ethylene propylene (“FEP”), or polytetrafluoroethylene (“PTFE”), etc. The external line 906 and the internal lines 700 form a fluid circuit 908. The outer line 906 is connected to the inner lines 700 via fittings 328, as shown in the Fig. shown. The temperature-controlled fluid (not shown) and the driving force for the flow of the temperature-controlled fluid are supplied from the rack thermal control system (not otherwise shown) (also not shown) via supply 910. Once the temperature-controlled fluid has circulated through fluid circuit 908, the temperature-controlled fluid is returned to the rack thermal control system via return 912. Again, the direction of flow of the temperature-controlled fluid is not critical, and in some examples, supply 910 and return 912 may be functionally interchanged. In the illustrated examples, fluid flow is indicated by arrow 914 and passes sequentially through points 1-12.

[0062] The temperature-controlled fluid enters the fluid circuit 908 via the inlet 910 and circulates through each of the rake subassemblies 600 in series, as indicated by arrows 914. Circulation includes circulation through each of the internal conduits 700 in series or sequentially. When the thermal control system is in a warming mode of operation, the temperature-controlled fluid cools, and when the thermal control system is in a cooling mode, the temperature-controlled fluid heats as it circulates and heat is transferred to or from the rake subassemblies 600. Although the temperature-controlled fluid heats or cools, the initial temperature and flow rate can be selected to achieve the desired temperature control.

[0063] In at least some examples, a computing device 900 includes a circuit board 904 on which at least three computing subassemblies 600 are disposed. Each of the computing subassemblies 600 includes a thermal control plate 106 defining a corresponding internal conduit 700 therethrough. The computing device 900 includes a fluid circuit 908 through which each of the at least three computing subassemblies 600 is temperature-controlled in series during operation. The fluid circuit 908 includes each of the internal conduits 700 in each of the thermal control plates 106 in each of the computing subassemblies 600.

[0064] In the Fig. are the measured temperatures at various locations in the fluid circuit of an actual test implementation of a computing device such as the computing device 900 in Fig. shown. In this test implementation, the temperature-controlled fluid consisted of a 25% propylene glycol / water mixture and was flowed through the fluid circuit at a rate of 0.2 gpm ("gallons per minute"). Three separate cooling experiments were conducted with starting temperatures of 20.8°C, 30.3°C, and 37.8°C for the temperature-controlled fluid. The processing resources were CPUs with a thermal design power ("TDP") of 225 W, and the DIMMs had a TDP of ~5 W. The maximum chassis temperature for the DIMMs was 78°C and for the CPUs 68.2°C.

[0065] Fig. shows the maximum temperatures at the Fig. shown points 1, 3-4, 6-7, 9-10, and 12 in the tested liquid circuit. It should be noted that the DIMM temperatures remained below the specified maximum case temperature for the DIMMs in each test, even though four compute modules were cooled in series. Similarly, Fig. the maximum temperatures for the CPUs at locations 2, 5, 8, and 11. Here, too, the maximum location temperatures remained below the maximum CPU case temperature. Similar results were obtained for the voltage regulators in the computing modules, although these results are not shown.

[0066] Note also that these results were achieved for an implementation that cools four compute subassemblies in series. Conventional approaches cool at most two compute subassemblies. Therefore, the approach presented here can replace two conventional cooling subsystems and provide thermal control for two compute nodes or a single compute device.

[0067] Furthermore, the approach presented here uses a lower flow rate compared to conventional approaches, even while providing thermal control for up to four compute subassemblies. The lower flow rate consumes less pumping power due to the lower pressure drop, resulting in lower overall power consumption. The lower flow rate also makes more temperature-controlled fluid available for cooling other devices in the system, such as switches or storage devices. These devices have lower maximum temperature requirements and therefore benefit from a higher available flow.

[0068] Furthermore, the approach presented here is cost-effective and lightweight due to the design of the thermal control plate. The anisotropically thermally conductive plastic is lightweight and inexpensive compared to metal parts. These savings are achieved by ensuring that implementations include at least three such thermal control plates—one for each compute subassembly.

[0069] The approach presented here is also fanless, reducing problems associated with vibrations that can be caused by fans. The absence of fans also saves weight by eliminating them and, at the same time, eliminating baffles and other structures that can be used to direct forced air. Fans also consume electricity, so their absence also reduces power consumption. Eliminating fans reduces capital costs by eliminating the fan components and associated infrastructure (fan controller, air deflectors, cabling, fan housing). Eliminating fans reduces operating costs by consuming less power. Since fans can fail, they must be field-replaceable, so eliminating fans reduces FRU (Field Replaceable Unit) costs.Eliminating fans also increases system reliability by eliminating one of the parts that can fail.

[0070] The current approach provides not only cooling but also heating. As mentioned earlier, there are some environments where computing devices need to be heated to function properly. Once the computing devices are heated and operating, they may also need to be cooled. The approach presented here can, in some examples, meet both needs in a computing system.

[0071] Fig. illustrates a method 1100 for controlling the temperature of at least three computing subassemblies connected in series, in accordance with one or more examples. The method 1100 begins with provisioning (at 1110) a computing device. As used herein, "provisioning" an item means having possession and / or control over the item. This may include, for example, forming (or assembling) part or all of the item from its constituent materials and / or obtaining possession and / or control over an already formed item.

[0072] The provided computing device comprises a circuit board, at least three computing subassemblies, and a fluid loop. The at least three computing subassemblies each contain a thermal control plate through which a corresponding internal conduit extends. Each of the at least three computing subassemblies is temperature-controlled in series during operation using the fluid loop. The fluid loop includes each of the internal conduits in each of the thermal control plates in each of the computing subassemblies.

[0073] Method 1100 continues (at 1120) by circulating a temperature-controlled fluid through the fluid loop to control the temperature of the at least three compute subassemblies through each of the at least three compute subassemblies in series. In some examples, method 1100 may include cooling the temperature-controlled fluid prior to circulating it and then cooling the at least three compute subassemblies to a desired temperature. In other examples, the temperature-controlled fluid may be heated prior to circulating it and then heating the at least three compute subassemblies to a desired temperature.

[0074] Further examples may include both cooling the at least three compute subassemblies to a desired temperature and heating the at least three compute subassemblies to a desired temperature. The temperature to which the compute subassemblies are cooled may be different from or identical to the temperature to which they are heated. Combining cooling and heating in this manner may be used to maintain the temperature of the at least three compute subassemblies at a desired temperature or within a desired temperature range.

[0075] In particular, most electronic components have specifications for operating temperature ranges. Therefore, the method 1100 can be used to cool, heat, or both cool and heat the computational subassemblies to a desired temperature range. For example, a specification might require that a component of a computational subassembly be cooled below a certain maximum temperature, so the desired range could be any temperature below the specified maximum temperature. Alternatively, a specification might require that a component of a computational subassembly be heated above a certain minimum temperature, so the desired range could be any temperature above the specified minimum temperature.However, specifications usually include a maximum and a minimum temperature, so the desired range can be limited by the specified maximum and minimum temperatures.

[0076] It should be noted that in some examples, the components of the computing subassemblies need to be both heated and cooled. For example, a computing device may be deployed in an environment where the ambient conditions force the temperature of the electronic components below their specified minimum temperature. Method 1100 may then be used to heat the computing subassemblies as described above. In some of these examples, the heated computing units may subsequently need to be cooled. Method 1100 may then be used to cool the computing subassemblies. Accordingly, in some examples, method 1100 may be used for both heating and cooling.

[0077] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the temperature-controlled fluid may also need to be heated or cooled before circulating through the at least three compute subassemblies as described above. The temperature-controlled fluid is supplied to the compute device—and thus to the at least three compute subassemblies—from an external source. As previously mentioned, the compute device may be part of a larger compute device, such as a server. A thermal control subsystem may be located somewhere external to the chassis, rack, row, or data center that circulates the temperature-control fluid to the compute device. This thermal control system can heat or cool the temperature-controlled fluid as desired to heat, cool, or both heat and cool the compute subassemblies.

[0078] In the Fig. a thermal protection plate 1200 is shown according to one or more examples. Fig. 12A- Fig. 12B are a perspective view and a plan view of a first side 1202 of the heat protection plate 1200. The Fig. show a perspective view and a plan view of a second side 1204 of the heat protection plate 1200. As in the Fig. As shown, the thermal control plate 1200 differs from the thermal control plate 106 in that the ribs 1206 (only one shown) are made in a different pattern. The end 1210 of the plate body 1212 is also designed differently in some examples. And as shown in the Fig. As shown, the thermal control plate 1200 includes a plurality of fins 1216 mounted over the first portion 1214 of the internal conduit.

[0079] In particular, the thermal control plate 1200 has several features that enhance the desired heat transfer compared to the thermal control plate 300 of Fig. until Fig. "improve". The ribs 1206 are, in contrast to the ribs 310, Fig. predominantly and generally in the plastic flow direction F P (i.e., along the length of the plate body 1212) in the direction of highest thermal conductivity. Specifically, the mold used to manufacture the thermal control plate 1200 is designed such that the plastic must flow toward the fins 1206. The parallel and orthogonal lattice structure of the fins 310 is also less efficient than the diagonal orientation of the fins 1206. The fins 1206 are also more numerous and thinner than the fins 310, which also promotes heat transfer.

[0080] Some examples (not shown) may also include additional features to improve heat transfer between the thermal control plate and the temperature-controlled fluid. For example, in some examples, finned inserts may be used in the first section of the internal conduit, as described in US 10 813 249. The use of finned inserts improves the cooling characteristics of an implementation such as that shown in Fig. shown in flow calculation models.

[0081] Fig. 13A- Fig. 13B are cross-sectional side views of a thermal control plate 1300 thermally connected by direct thermal contact 1302 to a thermally conductive plane 1304 of a printed circuit board 1306 according to one or more examples. In particular, Fig. 13A is a composite view and Fig. 13B is an exploded view, and both Fig. 13A as well as Fig. 13B are concepts. As in Fig. As best seen, direct thermal contact 1302 is realized by a pin 1308 that extends through a thermal via 1310 to physically contact the thermally conductive plane 1304. The pin 1308 may be integrally molded with the board body 1312 during the manufacturing process described above. In this way, heat transferred from the electronic components (not shown) of the computing subassemblies (also not shown) into the circuit board 1306 may be dissipated through the thermal via 1310 with the aid of the temperature-controlled fluid 1314.

[0082] This concludes the detailed description. The above examples are provided for illustrative purposes only, as the technique disclosed herein may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent ways, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended on the details of construction or embodiment shown herein that are not described in the following claims. It is therefore evident that the above-disclosed examples may be altered or modified, and all such variations are intended to fall within the scope and spirit of the appended claims. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

[1] A thermal control device (100) comprising: a thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) made of an anisotropically thermally conductive plastic having a higher thermal conductivity in a plastic flow direction (F p ) than in a transverse plastic flow direction (F c ) comprising a plurality of ribs (310; 1206) on at least one side thereof and at least partially defining an internal conduit (700) through which, in use, a temperature-controlled fluid flows; a heat transfer plate (108) thermally coupled to at least a portion of the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300); and a plurality of heat transfer devices (110) thermally coupled to the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) via the heat transfer plate (108). [2] The thermal control device (100) of claim 1, wherein the plastic flow direction is a planar direction and the transverse plastic flow direction is a transverse planar direction. [3] The thermal control device (100) of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer plate (108) is a metallic heat transfer plate. [4] The thermal control device according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer plate (108) is attached to the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300). [5] The thermal control device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) comprises: a plate body (200) having a first side and a second side, the plate body (200) having the ribs (310; 1206) on the first side, defines a cavity (314) in the second side and a first portion of the inner conduit (700); a pair of plate arms (306) formed integrally with the plate body (200) at a first end of the plate body (200) and extending from the plate body (200), the plate arms (306) defining a second portion of the inner conduit (700); a heat transfer plate (202) defining a plurality of surface extensions on one side thereof to define a second portion of the internal conduit (700) when the heat transfer plate (202) is connected to the second side of the plate body (200) above the cavity (314), the surface extensions directing a fluid flow through the cavity (314); and a sealing element (204) for sealing the connection between the heat transfer plate (202) and the second side of the plate body (200). [6] The thermal control device (100) of claim 5, wherein the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) further comprises: a pair of connectors (328), one of the pair of connectors being located at each end of the second portion of the internal conduit (700); and a pair of brackets, one of the two brackets fitting over a respective one of the pair of connectors (328). [7] The thermal control device (100) of claim 5, wherein the plate arms (306) each have a lip (322) into which the heat transfer plate (108) slides before being attached to the plate body (200) during assembly. [8] The thermal control device (100) of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer devices (110) comprise heat pipes. [9] A computing device (900) comprising: a printed circuit board (604; 904; 1306); at least three computing subassemblies (600) arranged on the circuit board (604; 904; 1306), each of the at least three computing subassemblies (600) comprising a thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) defining a respective internal conduit (700) therethrough, each of the at least three computing subassemblies (600) comprising a processing resource, the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) being thermally coupled to each of the processing resources and being made of an anisotropically thermally conductive plastic; and a fluid circuit (908) by which each of the at least three computation subassemblies (600) is temperature-controlled in series during operation, the fluid circuit (908) comprising each of the internal conduits in each of the thermal control plates (106; 300; 1200; 1300) in each of the computation subassemblies (600), [10] The computing device (900) of claim 9, wherein the processing resource of each of the at least three computing subassemblies (600) is disposed on the circuit board (604; 904; 1306), and wherein each of the at least three computing subassemblies (600) further comprises: a plurality of memory modules arranged on the circuit board (604; 904; 1306) and flanking the processing resource; and a heat transfer plate (108) thermally coupled to at least a portion of the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) and to the plurality of storage modules. [11] The computing device (900) of claim 10, wherein each of the at least three computing subassemblies (600) further comprises a plurality of heat transfer devices (110) thermally coupled to the plurality of memory modules and to the heat transfer plate (108) to thermally couple the plurality of memory modules and the heat transfer plate (108). [12] The computing device (900) of claim 11, wherein the plurality of heat transfer devices comprises a plurality of heat pipes. [13] The computing device (900) of 9, wherein: the circuit board (604; 904; 1306) comprises an embedded thermally conductive layer; and the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) is thermally coupled to the embedded thermally conductive layer of the circuit board (604; 904; 1306). [14] A method (1100) for controlling the temperature of an electronic component (602), the method comprising: Providing (1110) a computing device (900), the computing device (900) comprising: a printed circuit board (604; 904; 1306); at least three computing subassemblies (600), each of the three computing subassemblies (600) comprising a thermal control plate (106; 1306) defining a respective internal conduit (700) therethrough, wherein each of the at least three computing subassemblies (600) comprises a processing resource and the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) is thermally coupled to each of the processing resources, wherein the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) is made of an anisotropically thermally conductive plastic; and a fluid circuit (908) by which each of the at least three compute subassemblies (600) is temperature-controlled in series during operation, the fluid circuit (908) comprising each of the internal conduits in each of the thermal control plates (106; 300; 1200; 1300) in each of the compute subassemblies (600); and Circulating (1120) a temperature-controlled fluid through the fluid circuit (908) to control the temperature of the at least three computation subassemblies (600) by each of the at least three computation subassemblies (600) in series. [15] The method (1100) of claim 14 further comprising: Heating the temperature-controlled fluid before circulating the temperature-controlled fluid through the fluid circuit (908); and where: circulating the temperature-controlled fluid through the fluid circuit (908) comprises circulating the heated temperature-controlled fluid to heat the at least three computing units to at least one desired temperature range. [16] The method (1100) of claim 14 further comprising: Cooling the temperature-controlled liquid before circulating the temperature-controlled liquid through the liquid circuit (908); and where: circulating the temperature-controlled fluid through the fluid circuit (908) comprises circulating the cooled temperature-controlled fluid to cool the at least three compute subassemblies (600) to at least one desired temperature range. [17] The method (1100) of claim 14, wherein the processing resource of each of the at least three computing subassemblies (600) is disposed on the circuit board (604; 904; 1306), and wherein each of the at least three computing subassemblies (600) further comprises: a plurality of memory modules arranged on the circuit board (604; 904; 1306) and flanking the processing resource; and a heat transfer plate (108) thermally coupled to at least a portion of the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) and to the plurality of storage modules. [18] The method (1100) of claim 17, wherein each of the at least three compute subassemblies (600) further comprises a plurality of heat transfer devices (110) thermally coupled to the plurality of storage modules and the heat transfer plate (108) to thermally couple the plurality of storage modules and the heat transfer plate (108). [19] The method (1100) according to 14, wherein: the circuit board (604; 904; 1306) comprises an embedded thermally conductive layer; and the thermal control plate (106; 300; 1200; 1300) is thermally coupled to the embedded thermally conductive layer of the circuit board (604; 904; 1306).

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