Server Rack

Abstract

We provide server racks that are efficient to operate and designed with maintainability in mind. [Solution] A server rack for mounting a cooling device inside the enclosure, comprising: a first access port installed on a first side of the server rack for loading one or more servers; a second access port installed on a second side opposite the first access port; a busbar installed between one or more servers inside the enclosure and the second access port, in a position closest to one or more servers, supplying power to one or more servers and carrying a high-voltage current; a PDU installed in a position closest to the busbar, carrying a lower-voltage current compared to the busbar; a manifold installed in a position closest to the second access port inside the enclosure for transporting refrigerant between one or more servers and the cooling device; and an opening on the bottom of the enclosure for passing pipes that supply refrigerant to the cooling device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a server rack. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been disclosed a server rack in which a cooling device is arranged outside the server rack that accommodates servers, and a refrigerant is circulated from the cooling device to the servers through hoses (see, for example, Cited Document 1). Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-86095 Summary of the Invention Means for Solving the Problem

[0004] A server rack according to an embodiment of the present invention has a cooling device mounted in a housing, and includes: a first working port provided on a first side surface of the server rack, through which one or more servers are carried in; a second working port provided on a second side surface opposite to the first working port; a bus bar provided between the one or more servers in the housing and the second working port at a position closest to the one or more servers, the bus bar supplying power to the one or more servers and allowing high-voltage current to flow therethrough; a PDU provided between the bus bar and the second working port at a position closest to the bus bar, the PDU allowing low-voltage current to flow therethrough compared to the bus bar; a manifold provided at a position closest to the second working port in the housing, the manifold transporting a refrigerant between the one or more servers and the cooling device; and an opening provided on a bottom surface of the housing, through which a pipe that supplies the refrigerant to the cooling device passes.

[0005] In the server rack according to an embodiment of the present invention, one manifold may be respectively arranged on each of both sides of the second working port, and both a cooled refrigerant and an uncooled refrigerant may be connected to each of the manifolds respectively.

[0006] In a server rack according to one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling device may be installed at the bottom of the enclosure.

[0007] In a server rack according to one embodiment of the present invention, the server rack houses a plurality of cooling devices and a plurality of servers within its enclosure, and manifolds, one on each side of the second work opening, are connected to exchange refrigerant with different cooling devices, and the plurality of servers may be connected to exchange refrigerant with either one of the manifolds.

[0008] In a server rack according to one embodiment of the present invention, it may be possible to mount both servers that comply with at least the standards specified by the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA standards) and servers that comply with the standards specified by the Open Compute Project (OCP standards). [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a front perspective view of an example of a server rack according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view from the rear of an example of a server rack according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows how the cooling device for the server rack according to this embodiment is installed inside the enclosure. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of a server rack according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of a method for installing a server rack cooling device according to the embodiment inside the server rack enclosure. [Figure 6] This is a diagram of the lower rear side of a server rack when the cooling device according to the embodiment is installed at the very bottom of the server rack. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings of the embodiments, identical or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. It goes without saying that there are parts in the drawings that have different relationships to each other.

[0011] Furthermore, the embodiments are illustrative of apparatus and methods for realizing the technical concept of the present invention, and the technical concept of the present invention does not limit the configuration of each component to those described below. The technical concept of the present invention can be modified in various ways within the technical scope defined by the claims described in the patent claims.

[0012] In recent years, with the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the demand for server computing power has been rapidly increasing, and the design and development of data centers are progressing in various locations.

[0013] It is known that as the computing power of servers increases, so does the amount of heat generated. The increased demand for computing power due to advancements in AI technology is equivalent to an increase in server heat generation. Therefore, recent data center design and development require addressing this increase in server heat. In response to this increase in heat generation, new cooling systems are being developed and offered in addition to conventional cooling technologies.

[0014] However, server cooling systems exist independently of the servers and server racks. Because servers in data centers generate a lot of heat, it is desirable for the servers, server-related components, and cooling systems to be contained within the rack and work closely together in an optimized manner. However, currently available server racks are designed with cooling systems to be added later, and the piping, cooling units, etc. of the cooling system are not integrated into the server rack, which makes the installation of the cooling system into the server rack complicated. Furthermore, in server racks where the cooling system is added later, the piping of the cooling system is exposed externally, which complicates operations such as server replacement, increases the burden of operational work such as the possibility of refrigerant leaks, and complicates the work area during operation, indicating a lack of consideration for maintainability.

[0015] To address these problems, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a server rack equipped with a cooling device mounted inside the chassis and a first work port for installing servers, etc., and a second work port for working on the server's power supply, refrigerant, etc., is provided with a busbar installed between one or more servers inside the chassis and the second work port at a position closest to one or more servers, a PDU installed at a position closest to the busbar, a manifold installed at a position closest to the second work port inside the chassis, and an opening on the bottom of the chassis through which a pipe for supplying refrigerant to the cooling device passes. Compared to conventional server racks in which the cooling device is located outside the server rack and refrigerant is circulated from the cooling device to the servers through hoses, this provides a server rack that is more operationally efficient and easier to maintain.

[0016] <Structure> Figures 1 and 2 show a perspective view from the front (first side) 19 and rear (second side) 20 of an example of a server rack 10 according to this embodiment. The server rack 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 has had its outer panels removed, and each element constituting the server rack 10 is visible from the outside. However, in reality, outer panels are installed around the perimeter of the server rack 10.

[0017] The server rack 10 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is composed of a first working opening 11, a cooling device 12, a bus bar 13, a PDU 14, a manifold 15, and a second working opening 18, which are installed inside a housing.

[0018] The first working opening 11 is a working opening provided on a front face 19 of the server rack 10. FIG. 1 shows a state where one or more servers 17 have already been installed. The one or more servers 17 are installed inside the housing of the server rack 10 via the first working opening 11. The first working opening 11 may normally be closed by a door (not shown) or the like, except during installation, maintenance, or the like of the one or more servers 17. The width of the first working opening 11 and the size of the server rack 10 may be set to sizes capable of accommodating 21-inch servers (Open Compute Project (OCP) standard), for which standardization has progressed in recent years, and conventional 19-inch servers (Electronic Industries Association (EIA) standard).

[0019] The second working opening 18 is a working opening provided on a back face 20 of the server rack 10, the back face 20 being opposite to the front face 19. The second working opening 18 may normally be closed by a door (not shown) or the like, except during maintenance of the inside of the server rack 10 or the like.

[0020] The bus bar 13 is a plate-shaped conductor. A high-voltage current flows through the bus bar 13, and the bus bar 13 supplies power to the one or more servers 17. The bus bar 13 is installed at a position closest to the one or more servers 17 when the one or more servers 17 are installed inside the housing of the server rack 10. By pushing the one or more servers 17 from the first working opening 11 to the position of the bus bar 13 inside the housing of the server rack 10, the one or more servers 17 are connected to the bus bar 13, and power is supplied from the bus bar 13 to the one or more servers 17.

[0021] PDU (Power Distribution Unit) 14 is Compared with a bus bar, low-voltage current flows through this, and it supplies power to each network device and the like excluding one or more servers 17. The PDU 14 is installed between the bus bar and the second service access opening in the housing of the server rack 10, at a position closest to the bus bar.

[0022] A manifold 15 is a tubular member that holds a refrigerant for cooling one or more servers 17 inside and circulates the refrigerant between the one or more servers 17 and a cooling device 12. Although the manifold 15 is illustrated as a plate-shaped member in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in practice, a tubular member for circulating a refrigerant having a relatively high temperature after cooling an object to be cooled (refrigerant before cooling) and a tubular member for circulating a refrigerant having a relatively low temperature before cooling an object to be cooled (cooled refrigerant) are respectively provided inside the plate-shaped member. The manifold 15 is installed between the PDU 14 and the second service access opening 18, at a position closest to the second service access opening 18. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, one manifold may be respectively arranged on both sides of the second service access opening, and both the cooled refrigerant and the refrigerant before cooling may be connected to each of the manifolds.

[0023] The cooling device 12 is a cooling device installed inside the housing of the server rack 10. The cooling device 12 cools the refrigerant circulating inside the manifold 15. The cooling device 12 may be installed at any position within the housing of the server rack 10. As an example, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the cooling device 12 is installed at the lowermost part within the housing of the server rack 10.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the server rack 10. The manifolds 15 are installed on both sides of the second service access opening 18 along the side walls of the housing of the server rack 10. Similar to the manifold 15, the PDU 14 is installed along the side wall, and is located behind the manifold 15 in FIG. 3 and is not illustrated. The bus bar 13 is not arranged along the side wall of the housing of the server rack 10, but is arranged at the center of the server rack 10 in FIG. 3.

[0025] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the server rack 10. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, in the server rack 10 according to this embodiment, the manifold 15 is installed in the position closest to the second work opening 18, the PDU 14 is installed adjacent to the manifold 15 and in the position closest to the second work opening 18 after the manifold 15, and the busbar 13 is installed in the position furthest from the second work opening 18 compared to the manifold 15 and the PDU 14. A high voltage current flows through the busbar 13, and for example, if a worker comes into contact with the busbar 13 during maintenance of the server rack 10, there is a risk of electric shock. In this embodiment, of the busbar 13, PDU 14, and manifold 15 of the server rack 10, the busbar 13 is installed in the position furthest from the second work opening 18, thereby reducing the risk of electric shock from contact with the busbar 13 during maintenance of the PDU 14, manifold 15, etc., performed at the second work opening 18.

[0026] Furthermore, while the manifold 15 and PDU 14 are positioned along the side walls of the server rack 10 chassis, the busbar 13 is not positioned along the side walls of the server rack 10 chassis, but rather in the center of the server rack 10. Because the busbar 13 is positioned in the center of the server rack 10 chassis, while the PDU 14 and manifold 15 are positioned along the side walls of the server rack 10 chassis, and because the busbar 13 is not adjacent to either the PDU 14 or the manifold 15, the risk of electric shock during maintenance can be reduced.

[0027] Figure 5 shows an example of how to install the cooling device 12 inside the enclosure of the server rack 10. Figure 3 shows how the cooling device 12 is installed at the bottom of the enclosure from the outside of the server rack 10. By installing the cooling device 12 at the bottom of the enclosure of the server rack 10, even if the refrigerant circulating from the cooling device 12 leaks due to damage or the like, damage to the servers due to the refrigerant can be prevented. Furthermore, by using an insulating refrigerant in the server rack 10 according to this embodiment, serious damage to the servers can be prevented even if the refrigerant leaks.

[0028] Generally, cooling systems are designed to cool up to a predetermined amount of heat. This predetermined amount of heat is expressed by an index value such as Thermal Design Power (TDP). In other words, the number of servers that one cooling system can cool increases or decreases depending on the amount of heat generated by the servers. If the total amount of heat generated by the servers connected to one cooling system exceeds the cooling capacity of the system, it may cause malfunctions in the servers.

[0029] Although only one cooling device 12 is shown in Figure 5, multiple cooling devices may be installed within the server rack 10 depending on the amount of heat generated by the server being installed.

[0030] This improves the overall cooling capacity of the chassis, increasing the number of servers that can be cooled, and thus improving computing power.

[0031] Furthermore, multiple cooling units may be connected to different manifolds. In addition, servers may be connected to cooling units via different manifolds. That is, servers mounted in the same enclosure are not necessarily all connected to the same cooling unit. Specifically, for example, if two cooling units (cooling unit A and cooling unit B) and four servers (server α, server β, server γ, and server δ) are mounted in the same enclosure, server α and server β may be connected to cooling unit A, and server γ and server δ may be connected to cooling unit B. Note that the connection between cooling units and servers is not limited to the above example; for example, three of the four servers may be connected to the same cooling unit. The number of servers connected to a single cooling unit may be determined, for example, based on the heat generation of the server design or the heat generation of the server under normal operating conditions.

[0032] Figure 6 shows a view of the lower rear side of the server rack 10 when the cooling devices 12 are installed at the bottom of the server rack 10 enclosure. As an example, Figure 6 shows two cooling devices 12 installed inside the server rack 10 enclosure. An opening 61 is provided in the bottom surface of the server rack 10 enclosure for passing pipes that supply refrigerant to the cooling devices 12. Each of the two cooling devices 12 is connected to a pipe 63 for circulating refrigerant that is relatively high in temperature after the target has been cooled, a pipe 64 for circulating refrigerant that is relatively low in temperature before the target has been cooled, and pipes 62 and 65 for circulating refrigerant to cool the cooling device 12 itself. The pipe 63 for circulating the relatively high-temperature refrigerant and the pipe 64 for circulating the relatively low-temperature refrigerant are each connected to a manifold 15. The pipes 62 and 65 for circulating refrigerant to cool the cooling device 12 itself are connected to equipment that supplies refrigerant outside the server rack 10 enclosure via the opening 61.

[0033] The refrigerant circulating within pipes 62 and 65 to cool the cooling device 12 itself may be water, for example. Pipes 62 and 65 are connected to a water supply system (not shown) outside the server rack 10 enclosure via an opening 61. Conventionally, pipes circulating refrigerant to cool equipment installed inside the server rack 10 enclosure were led out from the side of the enclosure to the outside, rather than from the bottom of the enclosure. As a result, the pipes leading out from the side of the enclosure to the outside could obstruct maintenance work on the server or server rack, and there was a risk of the pipes being damaged by contact with workers or other components. In particular, if at least one of the refrigerant for cooling the server 17 or the refrigerant for cooling the cooling device 12 itself was a conductive refrigerant, a refrigerant leak due to damage to piping, etc., would expose other equipment in the server rack that is physically located below the leak point to the conductive refrigerant, increasing the risk of failure. In the server rack 10 according to this embodiment, the equipment supplying refrigerant from outside the server rack 10's enclosure is installed directly below the server rack 10, and the pipes 62 and 65 are connected to the refrigerant supply equipment installed directly below the server rack 10 via the opening 61. This avoids obstruction of maintenance work and damage to the pipes caused by pipes leading to the outside of the enclosure. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, a support frame 16 may be installed at the bottom of the server rack 10's enclosure to properly connect the pipes 62 and 65 to the refrigerant equipment outside the enclosure. This configuration is particularly effective when a conductive refrigerant is used for at least one of the refrigerants used to cool the server 17 or the refrigerant used to cool the cooling device 12 itself.

[0034] The cooling method for one or more servers 17 used in the server rack 10 according to this embodiment may, for example, be the DLC (Direct Liquid Cooling) method. DLC includes single-phase DLC, where both the refrigerant at a relatively high temperature after cooling and the refrigerant at a relatively low temperature before cooling are liquids, and two-phase DLC, where the refrigerant at a relatively high temperature after cooling is liquid, and the refrigerant at a relatively low temperature before cooling is gaseous. Two-phase DLC uses a refrigerant with a boiling point of around 30°C, and circulates this refrigerant through a metal plate called a cold plate that is in contact with the object to be cooled. The liquid refrigerant evaporates in the cold plate, which is heated by the object to be cooled, and the cold plate is cooled by the heat of vaporization, thereby cooling the object to be cooled. The refrigerant that has become gaseous in the cold plate is cooled and / or compressed by a cooling device to return it to a liquid state, and is then circulated again from the cooling device to the cold plate.

[0035] Conventional air-cooled server racks were not designed to accommodate two-phase DLC cooling equipment, and the piping for power supplies and external refrigerant equipment could not be housed within the server rack, resulting in exposed piping outside the rack. This could lead to accidental damage to the piping by operators, workers performing tasks on surrounding servers, or robots moving within the server room. Consequently, the external refrigerant equipment and its operation had to be redesigned. The server rack 10 according to this embodiment is configured to house all the necessary components for two-phase DLC cooling equipment within the server rack, eliminating the need to manage complicated wiring and routing, and enabling the efficient introduction and operation of two-phase DLC cooling equipment. Furthermore, by introducing the server rack 10 according to this embodiment, equipment migration can be carried out quickly even when replacing air-cooled systems with two-phase DLC cooling equipment or facilities.

[0036] Furthermore, conventionally, power supplies for servers and cooling equipment for servers existed separately or were installed in slots within the server rack. This meant that during server installation and maintenance, it was necessary to manage and operate these multiple separate pieces of equipment, or the front and back of the server rack, separately. In the server rack 10 according to this embodiment, all the components necessary for the operation of the power supply and DLC cooling equipment are consolidated at the rear of the server rack, eliminating the need to individually manage and maintain the components necessary for operation, thus improving operational efficiency. Since the power supply, wiring, and piping for the DLC cooling equipment are located in front of the busbar that supplies power to the servers, the risk of electric shock to operators from touching the high voltage of the busbar is reduced.

[0037] Furthermore, conventionally, server racks are installed to match the server specifications, so the depth of the server rack required for the piping of DLC cooling equipment is not taken into consideration. When replacing air-cooled servers with DLC cooling equipment, wiring and piping cannot be accommodated within the rack, requiring facility redesign, complicating operator work, and increasing the risk of unexpected contact. However, with this invention, all piping can be accommodated within the rack, and the piping can be connected from the bottom of the rack without any load, thus enabling more efficient installation and operation.

[0038] As described above, the server rack according to this embodiment combines versatility and expandability, allowing for the high-density arrangement of one or more servers. Furthermore, by arranging the PDU and manifold at the rear of the chassis, it enables safe operation and robot-friendly operation.

[0039] As stated above, the present invention naturally includes various embodiments and the like that are not described herein. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is determined solely by the inventive features relating to the claims that are reasonable based on the above description.

[0040] This invention aims to provide a server rack that is efficient to operate and maintainable. In recent years, computing resources have expanded significantly due to the spread of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and further evolution to AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) and ASI (Artificial Super Intelligence). By using this invention, it is possible to achieve versatility and scalability that allows for the high-density placement of one or more servers, as well as operational safety and robot-friendly operation, thus contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 9, "Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation." This can contribute to achieving this goal. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0041] 10 Server Racks 11. First work entrance 12 Cooling device 13 Bus Bar 14 PDU 15 Manifold 16 mounting bases 17. More than 1 server 18. Second work entrance 19 Front 20 Back 61 Opening 62, 63, 64, 65, 71, 72, 74, 75 tube 70 Cold Plates 73 Intermediate member

Claims

1. A server rack that has a cooling system installed inside the chassis, A first access port is provided on the first side of the server rack for loading one or more servers, and a second access port is provided on the second side opposite the first access port. Between the one or more servers and the second work port within the enclosure, a busbar is installed in a position closest to the one or more servers, which supplies power to the one or more servers and through which a high-voltage current flows; Between the busbar and the second work opening, a PDU is installed at a position closest to the busbar, through which a lower voltage current flows compared to the busbar, A manifold for transporting refrigerant between the one or more servers and the cooling device is installed in a position adjacent to the second work opening within the enclosure, The bottom surface of the housing has an opening through which a pipe for supplying refrigerant to the cooling device passes. A server rack equipped with [specific features / equipment].

2. The server rack according to claim 1, wherein one manifold is arranged on each side of the second work port, and both cooled refrigerant and uncooled refrigerant are connected to each manifold.

3. The server rack according to claim 1, wherein the cooling device is installed at the lowest part of the enclosure.

4. The aforementioned server rack houses multiple cooling devices and multiple servers within its enclosure. The manifolds, one on each side of the second work port, are connected to exchange refrigerant with different cooling devices. The plurality of servers are connected to one of the manifolds to exchange refrigerant. The server rack according to claim 2.

5. It is possible to install both servers that comply with the standards specified by the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) and servers that comply with the standards specified by the Open Compute Project (OCP). The server rack according to claim 1.

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