Liquid cooling system
The design of the introduction of negative pressure chamber and redundant circulation pump into the liquid-cooled system solves the problem of coolant leakage, simplifies the system design, reduces costs and improves reliability and heat dissipation efficiency.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/CN2024/137480
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-12-25
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-03
AI Technical Summary
The risk of coolant leakage in existing cold plate liquid cooling solutions is high, resulting in complex system design, high cost, and difficult to effectively dissipate heat in high-power density devices such as GPUs.
The negative pressure chamber design is adopted, and the pressure difference is formed by setting the negative pressure chamber in the liquid cooling system, so that the coolant circulates in the system and avoids leakage. Combined with a redundant circulation pump and a negative pressure adjustment device, the system reliability is ensured.
It reduces the risk of coolant leakage, simplifies system design, reduces production and operation and maintenance costs, and improves the reliability and heat dissipation efficiency of the liquid cooling system.
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Figure CN2024137480_03072025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Liquid cooling system
[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese invention patent application entitled “Liquid Cooling System” and application number 202311798886.4 filed on December 25, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field
[0002] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of equipment cooling technology, and more particularly, to a liquid cooling system. Background Art
[0003] Cold plate liquid cooling solutions are widely used to cool cabinets in data centers. Coolant leakage is the biggest risk associated with cold plate liquid cooling solutions. Traditional cold plate systems operate in medium- to high-pressure environments, with internal pressures of approximately 2 to 3.5 bar. The higher the internal pressure, the greater the risk of coolant leakage. To mitigate the risk of coolant leakage, it is necessary to control the supply pressure of the cooling distribution unit (CDU), strictly control all connection processes, and install leak detection cords within the computer room and servers. These measures increase the production and maintenance costs of liquid cooling systems.
[0004] Graphics processing unit (GPU) cold plate modules typically feature complex designs, numerous connections, and a high risk of leakage. Consequently, the cost of GPU cold plate modules and quick connectors is significantly higher than that of central processing unit (CPU) cold plate modules. Furthermore, as GPU power density increases, the demand for network transmission speeds also increases significantly. Therefore, in the future, it is likely that in addition to GPUs, some network cards, memory, and other components will also require cold plate liquid cooling to address system heat dissipation. This will further significantly increase the design complexity of GPU cold plate modules and increase the risk of leakage.
[0005] In order to solve the problem of leakage, the design of the cold plate module inside the server needs to take into account a higher pressure bearing capacity. Therefore, there are strict requirements and controls on the thickness of the outer wall of the cold plate module, the welding process used in the cold plate module, and the connection process. This will lead to complex design and production processes of the cold plate module, low yield, and high production costs. In addition, in conventional cold plate liquid cooling systems, quick connectors are also required between the server and the manifold, which is expensive. In addition, on the external infrastructure side of the server, a large number of cabinet-level connection valves, butterfly valves, etc. are also required to control the failure domain of the liquid cooling system at the cabinet level, which further increases the cost. In addition, in order to prevent leakage, a hierarchical leak detection system is generally set up in the liquid cooling system, such as leak detection ropes at the node level, chassis level, and liquid cooling loop level, which will also increase the design complexity and installation cost of the liquid cooling system.
[0006] Therefore, how to avoid coolant leakage in a cost-effective manner and improve the reliability of the liquid cooling system is crucial for cold plate liquid cooling solutions. Summary of the Invention
[0007] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid cooling system is provided, comprising: a liquid supply pipe and a liquid return pipe, the liquid supply pipe is suitable for being connected to the liquid inlet end of a cabinet, and the liquid return pipe is suitable for being connected to the liquid outlet end of the cabinet; a heat exchanger, comprising a first port and a second port, and being configured to cool the cooling liquid received via the first port, and output the cooled cooling liquid to the liquid supply pipe via the second port; a first negative pressure chamber, arranged between the liquid return pipe and the first port of the heat exchanger, to receive the cooling liquid returned from the liquid outlet end of the cabinet via the liquid return pipe, wherein a first negative pressure control pipeline is provided on the first negative pressure chamber, and the first negative pressure control pipeline is suitable for adjusting the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber to a first pressure level lower than atmospheric pressure under the drive of a negative pressure regulating device; and a circulating pump, arranged between the first negative pressure chamber and the first port of the heat exchanger, and configured to pump the cooling liquid in the first negative pressure chamber to the first port of the heat exchanger.
[0008] It should be understood that the content described in this content section is not intended to limit the key features or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become easily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The above and other features, advantages and aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements, wherein:
[0010] 1 to 5 are schematic structural diagrams of liquid cooling systems according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0011] Explanation of the accompanying drawings: 100 liquid cooling system; 101 liquid supply pipe; 102 liquid return pipe; 11 first negative pressure chamber; 110 first liquid level; 111 first negative pressure control pipeline; 12 second negative pressure chamber; 120 second liquid level; 121 second negative pressure control pipeline; 130 common negative pressure control pipeline; 20 circulating pump; 30 heat exchanger; 31 first port; 32 second port; 33 third port; 34 fourth port; 40 filter; 50 cabinet; 51 liquid inlet end; 52 liquid outlet end; 601 first bypass pipeline; 602 second bypass pipeline; 603 discharge pipeline; 611 first valve; 612 second valve; 613 third valve; 614 fourth valve; 615 fifth valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited by the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.
[0013] As used herein, the term "including" and its variations represent open inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to." Unless otherwise stated, the term "or" means "and / or." The term "based on" means "based at least in part on." The terms "one example embodiment" and "an embodiment" mean "at least one example embodiment." The term "another embodiment" means "at least one additional embodiment." The terms "first," "second," etc. may refer to different or identical objects.
[0014] Conventional cold plate liquid cooling solutions can only minimize the frequency of coolant leakage and reduce the size and scope of the impact caused by leakage, but cannot fundamentally avoid the risk of leakage. In addition, the design and production process of conventional cold plate liquid cooling systems are complex, the yield is low, and the production cost is high. Therefore, how to avoid coolant leakage in a cost-effective manner and improve the reliability of the liquid cooling system is crucial for cold plate liquid cooling solutions. An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a liquid cooling system, which is provided with a negative pressure cavity with a certain vacuum degree. By providing the negative pressure cavity, a pressure difference can be formed between different cavities, so that the coolant circulates between the two cavities, thereby taking away heat, and when a small crack appears somewhere in the liquid cooling system, the liquid cooling system will not leak under the action of the negative pressure inside the system, but will suck external air into the system, so that the air circulates with the coolant in the form of bubbles to a certain cavity, and then is discharged from the liquid cooling system. The principle of the present disclosure will be described below in conjunction with Figures 1 to 5.
[0015] FIG1 shows a schematic structural diagram of a liquid cooling system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG1 , the liquid cooling system 100 generally includes a liquid supply pipe 101 , a liquid return pipe 102 , a heat exchanger 30 , a first negative pressure chamber 11 and a circulation pump 20 .
[0016] As shown in FIG1 , a liquid supply pipe 101 is adapted to be connected to the liquid inlet 51 of the cabinet 50 to provide low-temperature coolant to the cabinet 50. The coolant absorbs heat in the cabinet 50 and increases in temperature. A liquid return pipe 102 is adapted to be connected to the liquid outlet 52 of the cabinet 50 to receive the heated coolant. The coolant can remove heat generated by the electronic equipment in the cabinet 50. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the coolant can be water or any other suitable type, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.
[0017] As shown in Figure 1, the heat exchanger 30 includes a first port 31 and a second port 32. The first port 31 is used to receive the heated coolant returned from the cabinet 50. The heat exchanger 30 can cool the coolant received via the first port 31. The cooled coolant can be output via the second port 32 and flow through corresponding pipes or other components to the liquid supply pipe 101, where it is provided to the cabinet 50 in the direction indicated by the arrow.
[0018] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 30 is a plate heat exchanger, which further includes a third port 33 and a fourth port 34. The third port 33 is used to receive another coolant from an external cold source (e.g., a cooling tower) in the direction indicated by the arrow, for cooling the coolant received in the heat exchanger 30 via the first port 31. For ease of distinction, the coolant received via the third port 33 may also be referred to herein as the second coolant, and the coolant received via the first port 31 may also be referred to herein as the first coolant. The second coolant can exchange heat with the first coolant in the heat exchanger 30 to cool the first coolant. After the heat exchange with the first coolant, the second coolant will heat up. The heated second coolant can return to the external cold source via the fourth port 34 in the direction indicated by the arrow to exchange heat again. In this way, heat exchange between the first coolant and the second coolant can be achieved cyclically.
[0019] It should be understood that the heat exchanger 30 may be any other suitable type besides a plate heat exchanger, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited in this respect.
[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the first negative pressure chamber 11 is arranged between the return liquid pipe 102 and the first port 31 of the heat exchanger 30. The first negative pressure chamber 11 can receive the heated coolant returned from the liquid outlet 52 of the cabinet 50 via the return liquid pipe 102. The received coolant can be temporarily stored in the first negative pressure chamber 11 and transported to the heat exchanger 30 through the circulation pump 20. A first negative pressure control line 111 is provided on the first negative pressure chamber 11. The first negative pressure control line 111 can adjust the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber 11 to a first pressure level lower than atmospheric pressure under the drive of a negative pressure regulating device such as a vacuum pump, with a certain level of vacuum. As an example, the first pressure level can be below 50 kilopascals (kPa). It should be understood that the first pressure level can have any appropriate value lower than atmospheric pressure, and the scope of this disclosure is not limited to this.
[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the coolant in the first negative pressure chamber 11 has a first liquid level 110. Below the first liquid level 110 is the coolant, and above the first liquid level 110 is the gas space. During the stable operation of the liquid cooling system 100, the first liquid level 110 can be basically stable or can float within a certain range. Driven by the negative pressure regulating device, part of the gas in the gas space can be sucked out of the gas space through the first negative pressure control pipeline 111, thereby giving the gas space a certain degree of vacuum, forming a negative pressure environment, so that the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber 11 is lower than the atmospheric pressure.
[0022] It should be understood that, in addition to the vacuum pump, the negative pressure regulating device may include, for example, any known or future available regulating device for forming a negative pressure environment in the first negative pressure chamber 11 via the first negative pressure control line 111 .
[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the circulating pump 20 is disposed between the first negative pressure chamber 11 and the first port 31 of the heat exchanger 30. The circulating pump 20 can pump the coolant in the first negative pressure chamber 11 toward the first port 31 of the heat exchanger 30. Due to the lift of the circulating pump 20, the pressure in the section of pipeline and corresponding components after the circulating pump 20 will increase. For example, the internal pressure of the local pipeline after the circulating pump 20 can reach above 1 atmosphere, i.e., greater than 100 kPa, indicating that the internal pressure of this section of pipeline is positive. Due to the presence of high flow resistance components such as the heat exchanger 30 in the pipeline, the pressure after the circulating pump 20 is positive (>100 kPa). However, due to the pressure loss caused by the high flow resistance components and the pressure loss of the pipeline system, the pressure in the pipeline gradually decreases along the direction of the coolant flow, eventually dropping below 1 atmosphere (<100 kPa), at which point the local pressure returns to a negative state.
[0024] It should be understood that the circulation pump 20 can be any known or future available pump for driving the coolant, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.
[0025] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG1 , the liquid cooling system 100 further includes a filter 40 connected to the second port 32 of the heat exchanger 30. The coolant flowing out of the heat exchanger 30 through the second port 32 can be filtered by the filter 40 to remove impurities in the coolant, thereby improving the heat dissipation efficiency of the coolant.
[0026] By controlling the vacuum level of the first negative pressure chamber 11 (also referred to as negative pressure control), controlling the pump stroke of the circulating pump 20, and controlling the flow rate of each component in the pipeline, and designing and adjusting the flow resistance parameters, some important delivery pipelines, manifolds, cabinet-level valves, cabinets 50, etc. can be controlled to a local negative pressure environment to prevent liquid leakage in these components and improve the reliability of the liquid cooling system 100. Meanwhile, some pipelines after the circulating pump 20, such as the heat exchanger 30 and the filter 40, are in a local positive pressure environment. Since these components are far away from the cabinet 50, if a leak occurs, it can be solved by using redundancy, online operation and maintenance, and other solutions. In addition, since the pressure inside the local negative pressure liquid cooling system 100 is much lower than that of a conventional positive pressure liquid cooling system, regardless of whether the pipeline is in a local positive pressure or local negative pressure, it is almost always within 1 atmosphere, or at least close to 1 atmosphere, while the internal pressure of a positive pressure liquid cooling system is generally 2 atmospheres, and the pressure after the pump can often be as high as 3 atmospheres. Therefore, the pressure inside the liquid cooling system 100 of the embodiment of the present disclosure is significantly reduced.
[0027] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid cooling system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The structure of the liquid cooling system 100 shown in Figure 2 is similar to that of the liquid cooling system 100 shown in Figure 1 , differing only in the placement of the filter 40. Below, only the differences between the two will be described in detail, and the common features will not be repeated.
[0028] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG2 , a filter 40 is connected to the first port 31 of the heat exchanger 30 . The filter 40 can filter the coolant pumped from the circulation pump 20 to remove impurities in the coolant. The filtered coolant can be provided to the heat exchanger 30 via the first port 31 .
[0029] Alternatively or alternatively, in some embodiments, the filter 40 may be connected to both the first port 31 and the second port 32 of the heat exchanger 30. It should be understood that the filter 40 may be provided at any other suitable location in the pipeline, and these implementations fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0030] In some embodiments, to further improve the reliability of liquid cooling system 100, liquid cooling system 100 may further include a redundant circulation pump connected in parallel with circulation pump 20. In the event of a failure of circulation pump 20, the redundant circulation pump can ensure reliable operation of liquid cooling system 100. In some embodiments, liquid cooling system 100 may further include a first redundant negative pressure chamber connected in parallel with first negative pressure chamber 11. In the event of a failure of first negative pressure chamber 11, the first redundant negative pressure chamber can ensure reliable operation of liquid cooling system 100.
[0031] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid cooling system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The structure of the liquid cooling system 100 shown in Figure 3 is similar to that of the liquid cooling system 100 shown in Figure 1 , with the only difference being that the liquid cooling system 100 shown in Figure 3 further includes a second negative pressure chamber 12. Below, only the differences between the two will be described in detail, and the common parts will not be repeated.
[0032] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG3 , a second negative pressure chamber 12 is disposed between the second port 32 of the heat exchanger 30 and the liquid supply pipe 101 to receive the cooled coolant flowing out of the second port 32 of the heat exchanger 30. For example, the coolant flowing out of the second port 32 of the heat exchanger 30 may be filtered by a filter 40 before being delivered to the second negative pressure chamber 12. The second negative pressure chamber 12 can temporarily store the received coolant. A second negative pressure control line 121 is disposed within the second negative pressure chamber 12. Driven by a negative pressure regulating device, such as a vacuum pump, the second negative pressure control line 121 can regulate the pressure within the second negative pressure chamber 12 to a second pressure level that is lower than atmospheric pressure and higher than the first pressure level, thereby achieving a lower vacuum level than the first negative pressure chamber 11. By way of example, the second pressure level may be below 75 kilopascals (kPa). It should be understood that the second pressure level may have any suitable value that is lower than atmospheric pressure and higher than the first pressure level, and the scope of this disclosure is not limited in this regard.
[0033] As shown in Figure 3, the coolant in the second negative pressure chamber 12 has a second liquid level 120. Below the second liquid level 120 is the coolant, and above the second liquid level 120 is the gas space. During the stable operation of the liquid cooling system 100, the second liquid level 120 can be basically stable or can float within a certain range. Driven by the negative pressure regulating device, part of the gas in the gas space in the second negative pressure chamber 12 can be sucked out of the gas space via the second negative pressure control pipeline 121, so that the gas space has a certain vacuum degree, forming a negative pressure environment, so that the pressure in the second negative pressure chamber 12 is lower than the atmospheric pressure and greater than the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber 11. The vacuum degree of the second negative pressure chamber 12 is lower than the vacuum degree of the first negative pressure chamber 11.
[0034] The pressure in the second negative pressure chamber 12 and the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber 11 are both less than 1 atmosphere, and are in a negative pressure environment. The pressure in the second negative pressure chamber 12 is greater than the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber 11, and there is a pressure difference between the two. Under the action of this pressure difference, the coolant tends to flow from the second negative pressure chamber 12 to the first negative pressure chamber 11. Under the action of the head of the circulating pump 20, the coolant in the first negative pressure chamber 11 will overcome the pressure difference between the two negative pressure chambers and the flow resistance of the part of the pipeline located after the circulating pump 20, and the coolant will be drawn from the first negative pressure chamber 11 into the second negative pressure chamber 12. The coolant circulates continuously under the pressure difference formed between the two differentially controlled negative pressure chambers and the head of the circulating pump 20.
[0035] During the coolant circulation process, when the flow rate fluctuates, the liquid levels in the two negative pressure chambers will change. In severe cases, this may cause the coolant in one of the negative pressure chambers to rapidly increase, leading to pressure fluctuations within the liquid cooling system 100 and even causing the vacuum control of the negative pressure chamber to fail. To prevent the vacuum control of the first negative pressure chamber 11 and the second negative pressure chamber 12 from failing, a bypass line can be provided between the first negative pressure chamber 11 and the second negative pressure chamber 12 to dynamically adjust the coolant level in the first negative pressure chamber 11 and the second negative pressure chamber 12.
[0036] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling system 100 further includes a second redundant negative pressure chamber connected in parallel with the second negative pressure chamber 12. In the event of a failure of the second negative pressure chamber 12, the second redundant negative pressure chamber can ensure reliable operation of the liquid cooling system 100.
[0037] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid cooling system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The structure of the liquid cooling system 100 shown in Figure 4 is similar to that of the liquid cooling system 100 shown in Figure 3 , differing only in that the liquid cooling system 100 shown in Figure 4 also includes a dynamic liquid level adjustment section. The following details only the differences between the two systems, and any common features will be omitted.
[0038] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG4 , the liquid level adjustment portion includes a first bypass line 601 connected between the second negative pressure chamber 12 and the first negative pressure chamber 11. A first valve 611 is disposed in the first bypass line 601. The first valve 611 can be opened when the second liquid level 120 in the second negative pressure chamber 12 exceeds a predetermined level, and closed when the second liquid level 120 in the second negative pressure chamber 12 falls below the predetermined level. Depending on actual needs, the first valve 611 can be opened or closed when the second liquid level 120 in the second negative pressure chamber 12 is at the predetermined level. With this arrangement, if the second liquid level 120 in the second negative pressure chamber 12 rises abnormally, the first valve 611 can be opened, allowing the coolant to quickly flow back to the first negative pressure chamber 11 via the first bypass line 601 in the direction indicated by the arrow, thereby lowering the second liquid level 120 in the second negative pressure chamber 12.
[0039] The first valve 611 may be any known or future available valve, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.
[0040] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG4 , the liquid level adjustment section includes a second bypass line 602 connected between the liquid outlet of the circulation pump 20 and the second negative pressure chamber 12. A second valve 612 is disposed in the second bypass line 602. The second valve 612 can be opened when the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 exceeds a predetermined level, and closed when the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 falls below the predetermined level. Depending on actual needs, the second valve 612 can be opened or closed when the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 reaches the predetermined level. With this arrangement, if the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 rises abnormally, the second valve 612 can be opened, allowing coolant to flow rapidly through the second bypass line 602 in the direction indicated by the arrow to the second negative pressure chamber 12, thereby lowering the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11.
[0041] The second valve 612 may be any known or future available valve, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.
[0042] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling system 100 can be connected to one or more cabinets 50 or electronic devices. In some cases, when a cabinet 50 or electronic device connected to the liquid cooling system 100 is disconnected from the liquid cooling system 100, the negative pressure within the liquid cooling system 100 may cause coolant to be drawn back into the first negative pressure chamber 11, potentially causing the first liquid level 110 to be too high. To this end, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG4 , a drain line 603 is provided after the circulation pump 20 to regulate the liquid level. The drain line 603 is connected to the liquid outlet of the circulation pump 20. A third valve 613 is provided in the drain line 603. The third valve 613 can be opened when the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 exceeds a predetermined level and closed when the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 falls below the predetermined level. Depending on actual needs, the third valve 613 can be opened or closed when the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 reaches the predetermined level. With this arrangement, when the height of the first liquid level 110 in the first negative pressure chamber 11 rises abnormally, the third valve 613 can be opened to allow the coolant to be quickly discharged through the discharge line 603 in the direction indicated by the arrow to maintain the balance of the coolant amount in the liquid cooling system 100.
[0043] The third valve 613 may be any known or future available valve, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto.
[0044] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first negative pressure control line 111 and the second negative pressure control line 121 are respectively connected to separate negative pressure regulating devices to separately adjust the vacuum degree and negative pressure in the first negative pressure chamber 11 and the second negative pressure chamber 12.
[0045] In some embodiments, the first negative pressure control line 111 and the second negative pressure control line 121 are connected to a common negative pressure regulating device. FIG5 illustrates such an embodiment. The structure of the liquid cooling system 100 shown in FIG5 is similar to that of the liquid cooling system 100 shown in FIG3 , with the only difference being that the first negative pressure control line 111 and the second negative pressure control line 121 in the liquid cooling system 100 shown in FIG5 are connected to a common negative pressure regulating device. Below, only the differences between the two will be described in detail, and the common parts will not be repeated.
[0046] As shown in Figure 5, a fourth valve 614 is provided in the first negative pressure control line 111, and a fifth valve 615 is provided in the second negative pressure control line 121. Both the first negative pressure control line 111 and the second negative pressure control line 121 are connected to a common negative pressure control line 130. Driven by a common negative pressure regulating device, the common negative pressure control line 130 is capable of regulating the pressure within the first negative pressure chamber 11 to a first pressure level and the pressure within the second negative pressure chamber 12 to a second pressure level. At least one of the opening degree and opening time of the fourth valve 614 and the fifth valve 615 is adjustable. By controlling at least one of the opening degree and opening time of the fourth valve 614 and the fifth valve 615, different vacuum levels can be achieved in the first negative pressure chamber 11 and the second negative pressure chamber 12. This arrangement can reduce the number of key vacuum control components or increase their redundancy, thereby reducing product size.
[0047] In some embodiments, the liquid cooling system 100 may be an integrated system, in which other components, except the cabinet 50, may be integrated. In other embodiments, the liquid cooling system 100 may be a distributed system, in which other components, except the cabinet 50, may be manufactured as discrete engineered systems.
[0048] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, leakage of the coolant can be avoided by achieving a negative pressure environment in the liquid cooling system 100. In addition, when the cabinet 50 is disconnected from the liquid cooling system 100, no leakage will occur, and there is no need to set up a quick connector, thereby reducing costs. In addition, when the cabinet 50 is disconnected from the liquid cooling system 100, after closing the ball valve near the cabinet 50, the coolant in the cabinet 50 will return to the first negative pressure chamber 11, and there is no need for a high-level interlocking self-sealing ball valve, and an ordinary ball valve can be used, thereby reducing costs. In addition, since the pressure in the liquid cooling system is low, low-specification pipeline materials, such as type III polypropylene (PPR) pipes, can be used to reduce costs.
[0049] Embodiments of the present disclosure are also embodied in the following examples.
[0050] Example 1. A liquid cooling system, comprising: a liquid supply pipe and a liquid return pipe, the liquid supply pipe being suitable for connecting to the liquid inlet end of a cabinet, and the liquid return pipe being suitable for connecting to the liquid outlet end of the cabinet; a heat exchanger, comprising a first port and a second port, and being configured to cool the cooling liquid received via the first port, and output the cooled cooling liquid flowing to the liquid supply pipe via the second port; a first negative pressure chamber, arranged between the liquid return pipe and the first port of the heat exchanger, to receive the cooling liquid returned from the liquid outlet end of the cabinet via the liquid return pipe, wherein a first negative pressure control pipeline is arranged on the first negative pressure chamber, and the first negative pressure control pipeline is suitable for adjusting the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber to a first pressure level lower than atmospheric pressure under the drive of a negative pressure regulating device; and a circulating pump, arranged between the first negative pressure chamber and the first port of the heat exchanger, and configured to pump the cooling liquid in the first negative pressure chamber to the first port of the heat exchanger.
[0051] Example 2. The liquid cooling system of Example 1, further comprising: a filter connected to at least one of the first port and the second port of the heat exchanger.
[0052] Example 3. The liquid cooling system according to Example 1 further includes at least one of a redundant circulation pump and a first redundant negative pressure chamber, wherein the redundant circulation pump is connected in parallel with the circulation pump, and the first redundant negative pressure chamber is connected in parallel with the first negative pressure chamber.
[0053] Example 4. The liquid cooling system according to Example 1 further includes: a second negative pressure chamber, arranged between the second port of the heat exchanger and the liquid supply pipe, to receive the cooled coolant output from the second port of the heat exchanger, wherein a second negative pressure control pipeline is provided on the second negative pressure chamber, and the second negative pressure control pipeline is suitable for adjusting the pressure in the second negative pressure chamber to a second pressure level lower than the atmospheric pressure and higher than the first pressure level under the drive of the negative pressure regulating device.
[0054] Example 5. The liquid cooling system according to Example 4 further includes: a first bypass line connected between the second negative pressure chamber and the first negative pressure chamber, a first valve being provided in the first bypass line, the first valve being configured to open when the height of the liquid level in the second negative pressure chamber is higher than a predetermined level, and to close when the height of the liquid level in the second negative pressure chamber is lower than a predetermined level.
[0055] Example 6. The liquid cooling system according to Example 4 further includes: a second bypass line connected between the liquid outlet side of the circulation pump and the second negative pressure chamber, a second valve being provided in the second bypass line, and the second valve being configured to open when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber is higher than a predetermined level, and to close when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber is lower than a predetermined level.
[0056] Example 7. The liquid cooling system according to Example 4 further includes: a discharge line connected to the liquid outlet side of the circulation pump, a third valve being provided in the discharge line, and the third valve being configured to open when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber is higher than a predetermined level, and to close when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber is lower than a predetermined level.
[0057] Example 8. A liquid cooling system according to Example 4, wherein a fourth valve is provided in the first negative pressure control circuit, a fifth valve is provided in the second negative pressure control circuit, and both the first negative pressure control circuit and the second negative pressure control circuit are connected to a common negative pressure control circuit, and the common negative pressure control circuit is suitable for adjusting the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber to the first pressure level and the pressure in the second negative pressure chamber to the second pressure level under the drive of the negative pressure regulating device, wherein at least one of the opening degree and opening time of the fourth valve and the fifth valve is adjustable.
[0058] Example 9. The liquid cooling system according to Example 4 further includes a second redundant negative pressure chamber, which is connected in parallel with the second negative pressure chamber.
[0059] Example 10. The liquid cooling system of any one of Examples 1 to 9, wherein the liquid cooling system is an integrated system or a distributed system.
[0060] Example 11. A liquid cooling system according to any one of Examples 1 to 9, wherein the negative pressure regulating device includes a vacuum pump.
[0061] While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the above descriptions are illustrative, non-exhaustive, and not intended to be limiting of the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical applications, or technological improvements in the marketplace, or to enable other persons skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.
Claims
1. A liquid cooling system (100), comprising: A liquid supply pipe (101) and a liquid return pipe (102), the liquid supply pipe (101) being adapted to be connected to the liquid inlet end (51) of the cabinet (50), and the liquid return pipe (102) being adapted to be connected to the liquid outlet end (52) of the cabinet (50); A heat exchanger (30), including a first port (31) and a second port (32), and configured to cool the coolant received via the first port (31) and output the cooled coolant flowing to the liquid supply pipe (101) via the second port (32); A first negative pressure chamber (11), arranged between the liquid return pipe (102) and the first port (31) of the heat exchanger (30), to receive the coolant returned from the liquid outlet end (52) of the cabinet (50) via the liquid return pipe (102), wherein a first negative pressure control pipeline (111) is arranged on the first negative pressure chamber (11), and the first negative pressure control pipeline (111) is adapted to adjust the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber (11) to a first pressure level lower than the atmospheric pressure under the drive of a negative pressure regulating device; And A circulation pump (20), arranged between the first negative pressure chamber (11) and the first port (31) of the heat exchanger (30), and configured to pump the coolant in the first negative pressure chamber (11) to the first port (31) of the heat exchanger (30).
2. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 1, further comprising: A filter (40), connected to at least one of the first port (31) and the second port (32) of the heat exchanger (30).
3. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a redundant circulation pump and a first redundant negative pressure chamber, the redundant circulation pump being connected in parallel with the circulation pump (20), and the first redundant negative pressure chamber being connected in parallel with the first negative pressure chamber (11).
4. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 1, further comprising: A second negative pressure chamber (12), arranged between the second port (32) of the heat exchanger (30) and the liquid supply pipe (101), to receive the cooled coolant output from the second port (32) of the heat exchanger (30), wherein a second negative pressure control pipeline (121) is arranged on the second negative pressure chamber (12), and the second negative pressure control pipeline (121) is adapted to adjust the pressure in the second negative pressure chamber (12) to a second pressure level lower than the atmospheric pressure and higher than the first pressure level under the drive of the negative pressure regulating device.
5. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 4, further comprising: The first bypass pipeline (601) is connected between the second negative pressure chamber (12) and the first negative pressure chamber (11). A first valve (611) is provided in the first bypass pipeline (601). The first valve (611) is configured to open when the height of the liquid level in the second negative pressure chamber (12) is higher than a predetermined level and to close when the height of the liquid level in the second negative pressure chamber (12) is lower than the predetermined level.
6. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 4, further comprising: The second bypass pipeline (602) is connected between the liquid outlet side of the circulation pump (20) and the second negative pressure chamber (12). A second valve (612) is provided in the second bypass pipeline (602). The second valve (612) is configured to open when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber (11) is higher than a predetermined level and to close when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber (11) is lower than the predetermined level.
7. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 4, further comprising: The drain pipeline (603) is connected to the liquid outlet side of the circulation pump (20). A third valve (613) is provided in the drain pipeline (603). The third valve (613) is configured to open when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber (11) is higher than a predetermined level and to close when the height of the liquid level in the first negative pressure chamber (11) is lower than the predetermined level.
8. In the liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 4, a fourth valve (614) is provided in the first negative pressure control pipeline (111), a fifth valve (615) is provided in the second negative pressure control pipeline (121), and both the first negative pressure control pipeline (111) and the second negative pressure control pipeline (121) are connected to a common negative pressure control pipeline (130). The common negative pressure control pipeline (130) is adapted to adjust the pressure in the first negative pressure chamber (11) to the first pressure level and the pressure in the second negative pressure chamber (12) to the second pressure level under the drive of the negative pressure regulating device, wherein at least one of the opening degree and the opening time of the fourth valve (614) and the fifth valve (615) is adjustable.
9. The liquid cooling system (100) according to claim 4, further comprising a second redundant negative pressure chamber, which is connected in parallel with the second negative pressure chamber (12).
10. In the liquid cooling system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the liquid cooling system (100) is an integrated system or a distributed system.
11. In the liquid cooling system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the negative pressure regulating device includes a vacuum pump.
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