Liquid-cooled plate, liquid-cooled plate set, and data center

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of data centers, and provides a liquid-cooled plate, a liquid-cooled plate set, and a data center. The liquid-cooled plate comprises: a substrate, the substrate having a heat conduction surface in contact with a heat generation device; a cover plate, the cover plate being connected to the substrate and being located on the side of the substrate facing away from the heat conduction surface, a sealing cavity for accommodating a liquid cooling medium being formed between the substrate and the cover plate, and an opening communicating with the sealing cavity being provided in the cover plate; a liquid cooling tube, the liquid cooling tube communicating with the opening; and a plastic sealing part, the plastic sealing part sealing a connection between the liquid cooling tube and the cover plate. In the technical solution of the embodiments of the present disclosure, an injection-molded plastic sealing part is used to seal connections between assemblies of the liquid-cooled plate, which can seal connection regions, and has the characteristics of high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, so that the risk of liquid leakage from the liquid-cooled plate can be greatly reduced.

Description

Liquid cooling plates, liquid cooling plate assemblies, and data centers

[0001] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411577703.0, filed on November 6, 2024, entitled "Liquid Cooling Plate, Liquid Cooling Plate Assembly and Data Center", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of data center technology, and more particularly to a liquid cooling plate, a liquid cooling plate assembly, and a data center. Background Technology

[0003] Data center servers are becoming increasingly integrated, leading to higher power consumption. Traditional air-cooling technology suffers from unavoidable noise and energy consumption issues. Therefore, liquid cooling technology, which involves placing liquid cooling plates on the heat-generating components of the server, is gradually being adopted for server cooling. However, liquid cooling plates frequently leak, which can cause server malfunctions. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the risk of liquid cooling plate leakage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a liquid cooling plate, a liquid cooling plate assembly, and a data center to reduce the risk of liquid leakage from the liquid cooling plate.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a liquid cooling plate, comprising: a substrate having a heat-conducting surface for contacting a heat-generating device; a cover plate connected to the substrate and located on the side of the substrate opposite to the heat-conducting surface, a sealed cavity for containing a liquid cooling medium being formed between the substrate and the cover plate, and an opening communicating with the sealed cavity being provided on the cover plate; a liquid cooling pipeline communicating with the opening; and a molding compound sealing the connection between the liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate.

[0006] In one embodiment, the opening includes an inlet and an outlet, the liquid cooling pipeline includes an inlet liquid cooling pipeline communicating with the inlet and an outlet liquid cooling pipeline communicating with the outlet, and the molding compound includes an inlet molding compound and an outlet molding compound. The inlet molding compound covers the connection between the inlet liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate, and the outlet molding compound covers the connection between the outlet liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate.

[0007] In one embodiment, the inlet sealant and the outlet sealant are integrally formed.

[0008] In one embodiment, the liquid cooling plate further includes: an adapter, wherein the first end of the liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate are both connected to the adapter, the liquid cooling pipeline and the opening are both in communication with the inner cavity of the adapter, and the plastic seal is sleeved on the first end and covers the adapter.

[0009] In one embodiment, the molding compound also covers the space between the first end and the cover plate.

[0010] In one embodiment, the liquid cooling plate further includes a first enclosure surrounding the periphery of the molding compound and defining the boundary shape of the molding compound.

[0011] In one embodiment, the liquid cooling plate further includes: a connector connected to a second end of the liquid cooling pipeline away from the opening, the inner cavity of the connector communicating with the liquid cooling pipeline; a protective member, the protective member being plastic-sealed at the connection between the second end and the connector; and a second enclosure surrounding the protective member to define the boundary shape of the protective member.

[0012] In one embodiment, the liquid cooling plate further includes a weld joint sealant, which plastically encapsulates the weld joint of the liquid cooling plate.

[0013] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a liquid cooling plate assembly, including multiple liquid cooling plates, wherein the liquid cooling plate is provided in any embodiment of this disclosure.

[0014] In one embodiment, the plurality of liquid cooling plates include: a first liquid cooling plate, the first liquid cooling plate having liquid cooling piping including a first inlet liquid cooling piping and a first outlet liquid cooling piping, the first liquid cooling plate having an opening including a first inlet and a first outlet, the first inlet liquid cooling piping communicating with the first inlet, and the first outlet liquid cooling piping communicating with the first outlet; the first liquid cooling plate having a sealing element including a first inlet plastic seal and a first outlet plastic seal, the first inlet plastic seal covering the connection between the first inlet liquid cooling piping and the cover plate of the first liquid cooling plate, and the first outlet plastic seal covering the connection between the first outlet liquid cooling piping and the cover plate of the first liquid cooling plate; a second liquid cooling plate, The second liquid cooling plate has a liquid cooling pipeline including a second inlet liquid cooling pipeline and a second outlet liquid cooling pipeline. The opening of the second liquid cooling plate includes a second inlet and a second outlet. The second inlet liquid cooling pipeline is connected to the second inlet, and the second outlet liquid cooling pipeline is connected to the second outlet. The sealing components of the second liquid cooling plate include a second inlet plastic seal and a second outlet plastic seal. The second inlet plastic seal covers the connection between the second inlet liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate of the second liquid cooling plate, and the second outlet plastic seal covers the connection between the second outlet liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate of the second liquid cooling plate. The first outlet liquid cooling pipeline is connected to the second inlet liquid cooling pipeline and is integrally formed.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first liquid cooling plate includes a first connector and a first protective member. The first connector is connected to the end of the first liquid inlet cooling pipe away from the first liquid inlet, and the inner cavity of the first connector communicates with the first liquid inlet cooling pipe. The first protective member is plastic-sealed at the connection between the first liquid inlet cooling pipe and the first connector. The second liquid cooling plate includes a second connector and a second protective member. The end of the second liquid outlet cooling pipe away from the second liquid outlet is connected to the second connector, and the second liquid outlet cooling pipe communicates with the inner cavity of the second connector. The second protective member is plastic-sealed at the connection between the second liquid outlet cooling pipe and the second connector. The second enclosure of the first liquid cooling plate defines the boundary shape of the first protective member, and the second enclosure of the second liquid cooling plate defines the boundary shape of the second protective member. The second enclosure of the first liquid cooling plate and the second enclosure of the second liquid cooling plate are integrally formed.

[0016] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a data center, including: a server, the server including at least one heat-generating device; and a liquid cooling plate, which is a liquid cooling plate provided in any embodiment of this disclosure, the liquid cooling plate being used to dissipate heat from the at least one heat-generating device.

[0017] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a data center, including: a server, the server including a plurality of heat-generating devices; and a liquid-cooled plate assembly, which is a liquid-cooled plate assembly provided in any embodiment of this disclosure, the liquid-cooled plate assembly being used to dissipate heat from the plurality of heat-generating devices.

[0018] According to the technical solution of this disclosure, injection-molded plastic seals are used to seal the component connection of the liquid cooling plate, thereby achieving a reliable seal for the connection area of ​​the liquid cooling plate component (including but not limited to the connection between the liquid cooling pipe and the opening, the connection between the liquid cooling pipe and the connector, the weld joint, etc.), and having the characteristics of high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, thereby significantly reducing the risk of liquid leakage of the liquid cooling plate.

[0019] The above overview is for disclosure purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0020] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the various drawings denote the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings depict only some embodiments disclosed in this disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 1A shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the liquid cooling plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 1B shows an exploded view of the liquid cooling plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 2A shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the liquid cooling plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 2B shows an exploded view of the liquid cooling plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 2C shows a structural schematic diagram of the connector 600 and the protective component 700;

[0026] Figure 2D shows an exploded view of connector 600 and protective member 700;

[0027] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the liquid cooling plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: Substrate 100; Cover plate 200, cover plate 200A of the first liquid cooling plate and cover plate 200B of the second liquid cooling plate; Sealing cavity 201; Opening 202; Liquid inlet 2021; Liquid outlet 2022; Liquid cooling pipeline 300; Liquid inlet liquid cooling pipeline 301; Liquid outlet liquid cooling pipeline 302; Molding member 400; Liquid inlet molding member 401; Liquid outlet molding member 402; Adapter 500; Connector 600; Protective member 700; Support member 30; First liquid cooling plate 10A; First liquid inlet 2021A; First liquid outlet 2022A; First liquid inlet liquid cooling pipeline 301A; First liquid outlet liquid cooling pipeline 302A; First liquid inlet molding member 401A; First liquid outlet molding member 402A; First connector 600A; First protective member 700A; Second liquid cooling plate 10B; Second liquid inlet 2021B; Second liquid outlet 2022B; Second liquid inlet liquid cooling pipe 301B; Second liquid outlet liquid cooling pipe 302B; Second liquid inlet sealing piece 401B; Second liquid outlet sealing piece 402B; Second connector 600B; Second protective piece 700B; First enclosure 800; Second enclosure 900. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a full understanding of this disclosure. However, this disclosure can be implemented in many other forms than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the specific implementations disclosed below.

[0030] Data centers include financial data centers, enterprise data centers, and internet cloud data centers. With the rapid growth of cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence (AI), video-on-demand, and other services, internet cloud data centers are becoming increasingly larger in scale and the number of users is surging. This places higher demands on the stability, efficiency, flexibility, and security of servers in internet data centers.

[0031] A server is a computer with high computing power that can be used by multiple users (including enterprises, organizations, and individuals) via a network. In terms of hardware, a server consists of a processor, hard drive, memory, system bus, etc., similar to a general computer architecture. In a data center, servers provide computing, storage, and network forwarding resources to end users and play a crucial role in the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the entire data center.

[0032] Servers include air-cooled servers and liquid-cooled servers. Air-cooled servers dissipate heat through air conditioning in the data center, thereby reducing the internal temperature of the server and preventing malfunctions such as downtime due to overheating. Liquid-cooled servers are servers that remove heat through heat exchange between the liquid cooling medium and the server itself. Liquid-cooled servers include cold-plate liquid-cooled servers. In cold-plate liquid-cooled servers, the liquid cooling medium is stored in a cold plate and does not directly contact the heat-generating components of the server; instead, heat is dissipated from the heat-generating components through the cold plate.

[0033] Liquid cooling plates are typically assembled from multiple components using methods such as welding, fastening, and sealing gaskets. Because these components are usually metal, welding and sealing methods often result in poor sealing, leading to frequent leaks. One improvement approach involves optimizing the manufacturing process, such as replacing fastening and sealing gaskets with full welding, using silicone tubing to protect pipes from scratches, or replacing pipes with wear-resistant materials. Other methods include nitrogen testing or factory pressure testing to reduce the probability of leaks during production. However, these improvements still present a high risk of leakage due to process limitations and material constraints of the metal components. Another approach is to optimize leak detection technology, such as installing leak detection ropes inside liquid cooling plates, servers, or cabinets for leak warnings. However, this is a reactive measure with limited detection coverage, leaving the risk of leakage still relatively high.

[0034] The present disclosure aims to provide a liquid cooling plate or liquid cooling plate assembly, wherein the component connection of the liquid cooling plate is sealed with a molding component. The molding component adopts a molding process to improve the sealing effect and has the characteristics of high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, thereby significantly reducing the risk of liquid leakage of the liquid cooling plate.

[0035] Liquid cooling plate

[0036] Figure 1A shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid cooling plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1B shows an exploded view of the liquid cooling plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1A, the liquid cooling plate may include a substrate 100, a cover plate 200, liquid cooling pipes 300, and a molding compound 400. It should be noted that the liquid cooling pipes 300 and the molding compound 400 are not shown in Figure 1B.

[0037] In this embodiment, the substrate 100 and the cover plate 200 are typically made of metal. For example, the substrate 100 is typically in contact with a heat-generating device and has a thermally conductive surface for contact with the heat-generating device; therefore, the substrate 100 can be made of copper, which has high thermal conductivity. The cover plate 200 can be made of the same material as the substrate 100, or it can be made of a different material. For example, the cover plate 200 can be made of aluminum alloy or copper alloy, which have higher mechanical strength and better corrosion resistance. This disclosure does not specifically limit the materials of the substrate and the cover plate.

[0038] The cover plate 200 is connected to the substrate 100 and is located on the side of the substrate 100 facing away from the heat-conducting surface. The substrate 100 and the cover plate 200 can be connected by brazing technology, for example, by using a solder to heat the edges of the substrate 100 and the cover plate 200 to the solder melting temperature, forming a strong seal, thereby forming a high-strength and high-temperature resistant sealing cavity 201 between the substrate 100 and the cover plate 200, as shown in FIG1B. The substrate 100 and the cover plate 200 can also be connected by other processes, such as laser welding, which is not limited in this embodiment.

[0039] The sealed cavity 201 is used to contain the liquid cooling medium, which can be any one of water (such as deionized water), ethylene glycol water mixture (such as 20% ethylene glycol solution, 25% ethylene glycol solution, or 30% ethylene glycol solution), insulating cooling oil, or fluorinated liquid.

[0040] As shown in Figure 1B, the cover plate 200 has an opening 202 that communicates with the sealing cavity 201. The liquid cooling pipe 300 communicates with the opening 202, and thus with the sealing cavity 201. Therefore, the liquid cooling pipe 300 is used to transport the liquid cooling medium in the sealing cavity 200. The molding compound 400 seals the connection between the liquid cooling pipe 300 and the cover plate 200.

[0041] The molding compound 400 is manufactured using a molding process. For example, the injection molding process of the molding compound 400 includes: injecting molding material into an injection mold, and forming the molding compound 400 through pressure molding. The molding material includes, but is not limited to, silicone, fluororubber (Viton), or polyurethane, and possesses corrosion resistance, flexibility, and pressure resistance. The injection mold can be designed according to the area that needs to be sealed by the molding compound 400, such as based on the specific structural design of the liquid cooling pipe 300 and the cover plate 200, ensuring that the molding compound 400 can accurately cover the connection between the liquid cooling pipe 300 and the cover plate 200, avoiding gaps or voids.

[0042] The connection method between the cover plate 200 and the liquid cooling pipe 300 can be selected according to their materials, and this embodiment does not limit this. For example, the liquid cooling pipe 300 can be made of metal, and the liquid cooling pipe 300 is welded to the cover plate 200. The molding compound 400 directly covers the joint between the liquid cooling pipe 300 and the cover plate 200 through injection molding, forming a wrap-around seal. Alternatively, the liquid cooling pipe 300 and the cover plate 200 can be threaded together, and the molding compound 400 directly covers the threaded area between the liquid cooling pipe 300 and the cover plate 200 through injection molding, forming a filling wrap-around seal.

[0043] According to the technical solution of the present disclosure, injection-molded plastic sealant is used to seal the connection between the liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate, thereby sealing the connection area. It also has the characteristics of high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, which can improve the sealing reliability of the connection area of ​​the liquid cooling plate assembly and significantly reduce the risk of liquid leakage of the liquid cooling plate.

[0044] In one embodiment, as shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the liquid cooling plate of this embodiment may further include a first enclosure 800, which surrounds the periphery of the molding compound 400 and defines the boundary shape of the molding compound 400. Exemplarily, the first enclosure 800 is the injection mold of the molding compound 400 during the injection molding process. That is, after injection molding, the injection mold can be directly retained on the liquid cooling plate, which provides some support to protect the liquid cooling pipeline 300 and simplifies the process flow.

[0045] In one embodiment, the liquid cooling pipe 300 can be made of an elastic material, i.e., the liquid cooling pipe 300 can be a flexible hose. As shown in Figure 1B, the liquid cooling plate may also include an adapter 500, and the cover plate 200 is connected to the liquid cooling pipe 300 via the adapter 500. Specifically, the first end of the liquid cooling pipe 300 (the end near the opening 202) and the cover plate 200 are both connected to the adapter 500, and both the liquid cooling pipe 300 and the opening 202 communicate with the inner cavity of the adapter 500. The adapter 500 includes, but is not limited to, threaded adapters, snap-fit ​​adapters, quick-connect adapters, etc.

[0046] Furthermore, the molding compound 400 is fitted onto the first end and covers the adapter 500. Based on this, even when the liquid cooling pipeline is a flexible hose and the cover plate is connected to the liquid cooling pipeline via an adapter, the molding compound forms a reliable seal at the connection, reducing the risk of leakage from the liquid cooling plate. It is understood that although in Figure 1A, the molding compound 400 covers not only the adapter 500 but also the space between the first end (the end of the liquid cooling pipeline 300 near the opening 202) and the cover plate 200, this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, a gap may exist between the first end (the end of the liquid cooling pipeline 300 near the opening 202) and the cover plate 200, as long as the connection between the first end and the adapter 500 is sealed by the molding compound 400.

[0047] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG1A, the molding compound 400 also covers the space between the first end (the end of the liquid cooling pipe 300 near the opening 202) and the cover plate 200. This reduces the design difficulty of the injection mold and the processing difficulty of the injection molding process. Furthermore, the space between the first end and the cover plate 200, filled by the molding compound 400, also enhances the support strength of the liquid cooling pipe 300 and increases the sealing performance at the connection, thus further reducing the risk of leakage from the liquid cooling plate.

[0048] Figure 2A shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the liquid cooling plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2B shows an exploded view of the liquid cooling plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The difference between the liquid cooling plates shown in Figures 1A and 1B and the liquid cooling plates shown in Figures 2A and 2B is that the liquid cooling plates have two openings: an inlet 2021 and an outlet 2022. The liquid cooling pipes are also designed with two connections: an inlet liquid cooling pipe 301 connected to the inlet 2021 and an outlet liquid cooling pipe 302 connected to the outlet 2022. In other words, the liquid cooling medium flows into the sealed cavity 201 from the inlet liquid cooling pipe 301, and the liquid cooling medium in the sealed cavity 201 flows out of the liquid cooling plate from the outlet liquid cooling pipe 302, thereby dissipating heat through the flow of the liquid cooling medium.

[0049] Based on this design, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the molding compound 400 is designed to include an inlet molding compound 401 and an outlet molding compound 402. The inlet molding compound 401 covers the connection between the inlet liquid cooling pipe 301 and the cover plate 200, and the outlet molding compound 402 covers the connection between the outlet liquid cooling pipe 302 and the cover plate 200. By using injection-molded inlet and outlet molding compounds to seal the liquid inlet area (the connection between the inlet liquid cooling pipe 301 and the cover plate 200) and the liquid outlet area (the connection between the outlet liquid cooling pipe 302 and the cover plate 200) of the liquid cooling plate respectively, the risk of liquid leakage of the liquid cooling plate can be significantly reduced.

[0050] Accordingly, the first enclosure is designed as two: an inlet enclosure 801 and an outlet enclosure 802. The inlet enclosure 801 surrounds the inlet molding compound 301, defining its boundary shape; the inlet enclosure 801 serves as the injection mold for the inlet molding compound 301 during the injection molding process. Similarly, the outlet enclosure 802 surrounds the outlet molding compound 302, defining its boundary shape; the outlet enclosure 802 serves as the injection mold for the outlet molding compound 302 during the injection molding process.

[0051] Accordingly, there are two adapters: an inlet adapter 501 that connects the cover plate 200 to the inlet liquid cooling pipe 301, and an outlet adapter 502 that connects the cover plate 200 to the outlet liquid cooling pipe 302.

[0052] In one embodiment, the inlet and outlet molding compounds are integrally molded (not shown in the figure). That is, in the injection molding process, an injection mold can be designed that surrounds both the connection between the inlet and outlet liquid cooling pipes and the cover plate. This allows the integrally formed inlet and outlet molding compounds to cover both connections. Based on this, the design complexity of the injection mold and the processing complexity of the injection molding process can be reduced, thereby lowering costs.

[0053] It should be noted that the inlet and outlet liquid cooling pipes are liquid cooling pipes, and the inlet and outlet are openings. The inlet and outlet plastic seals can adopt the same implementation method as the liquid cooling plates in Figures 1A and 1B, including connection method, material and injection molding process, etc., which will not be repeated here.

[0054] In one embodiment, the liquid cooling plate may further include a connector and a protective element. The liquid cooling pipeline has a second end located away from the opening, and this second end is connected to the connector, with the liquid cooling pipeline communicating with the inner cavity of the connector. The protective element is plastic-sealed at the connection between the second end and the connector.

[0055] Figure 2C shows a schematic diagram of the connector 600 and the protective element 700; Figure 2D shows an exploded view of the connector 600 and the protective element 700. In Figures 2C and 2D, the liquid cooling pipeline includes an inlet liquid cooling pipeline 301 and an outlet liquid cooling pipeline 302. Correspondingly, there are two connectors 600, which are used to connect the inlet liquid cooling pipeline 301 and the outlet liquid cooling pipeline 302, respectively.

[0056] The connector 600 can be designed as an adapter, including but not limited to threaded adapters, snap-fit ​​adapters, and quick-connect adapters. The connector 600 can connect to external equipment of the liquid cooling plate, such as a pumping mechanism for the cooling medium. The protective component 700 is formed using a molding process. For example, molding material is injected into an injection mold, and pressure forming is performed to form the protective component 700. The injection mold can be designed according to the area that the protective component 700 needs to seal, such as based on the specific structural design of the liquid cooling pipe 300 and the connector 600, ensuring that the protective component 700 can precisely cover the connection between the liquid cooling pipe 300 and the connector 600, avoiding gaps or voids.

[0057] By using injection-molded protective components to seal the connection between the liquid cooling pipes and the connectors, the connection area is sealed, and the components have high temperature and corrosion resistance, which can significantly reduce the risk of liquid leakage from the liquid cooling plate.

[0058] In one embodiment, as shown in Figures 2C and 2D, the liquid cooling plate may further include a second enclosure 900, which surrounds the protective member 700 and defines the boundary shape of the protective member 700. That is, after injection molding, the second enclosure 900, which serves as the injection mold, can be retained. This provides support and protects the liquid cooling pipeline, while also simplifying the process flow.

[0059] As exemplarily shown in Figures 2C and 2D, the liquid cooling plate may further include a support member 30, which is sleeved on the liquid cooling pipeline (e.g., on the inlet liquid cooling pipeline 301 and the outlet liquid cooling pipeline 302), and abuts against the second enclosure 900 in the axial direction of the liquid cooling pipeline. Here, "abuts" can be understood as meaning that there is no gap between the support member 30 and the second enclosure 900 in the axial direction of the liquid cooling pipeline. Exemplarily, the support member 30 and the second enclosure 900 have the same contour shape on the plane containing the cross-section of the liquid cooling pipeline, and the support member 30 and the second enclosure 900 are in surface contact in the axial direction of the liquid cooling pipeline.

[0060] In one embodiment, during the assembly of the liquid cooling plate, there may be some weld joints. Weld joint sealants can be used to encapsulate the weld joints, that is, injection-molded weld joint sealants can be used to seal the weld joints that may leak, thereby sealing these areas and further reducing the risk of liquid leakage of the liquid cooling plate.

[0061] For example, the assembly process of the liquid cooling plate may include: selecting a suitable molding compound, and performing potting (injection molding) on ​​the joints of each liquid cooling plate (including but not limited to the joints between the liquid cooling pipes and the openings, the joints between the liquid cooling pipes and the connectors, the weld joints, etc.) in batches according to the assembly sequence. For example, first assemble the substrate and the cover plate, weld the substrate and the cover plate, and then injection mold a weld joint seal at the weld joint; assemble the liquid cooling pipes and the cover plate, and injection mold a molding compound around the connector used to connect the liquid cooling pipes and the cover plate; and injection mold a protective component at the connection between the liquid cooling pipes and the external equipment of the liquid cooling plate.

[0062] Liquid cooling plate assembly

[0063] This disclosure also provides a liquid cooling plate assembly, including a plurality of liquid cooling plates as described above.

[0064] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid cooling plate assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the liquid cooling plate assembly includes a first liquid cooling plate 10A and a second liquid cooling plate 10B, wherein the first liquid cooling plate 10A and the second liquid cooling plate 10B can both be liquid cooling plates of any of the above embodiments.

[0065] Specifically, the liquid cooling pipeline of the first liquid cooling plate 10A includes a first liquid inlet liquid cooling pipeline 301A and a first liquid outlet liquid cooling pipeline 302A; the opening of the first liquid cooling plate 10A includes a first liquid inlet (not shown in Figure 3, but refer to the liquid inlet 2021 in Figure 2B) and a first liquid outlet (not shown in Figure 3, but refer to the liquid outlet 2022 in Figure 2B); the sealing components of the first liquid cooling plate 10A include a first liquid inlet plastic seal 401A and a first liquid outlet plastic seal 402A. The first liquid inlet cooling pipe 301A is connected to the first liquid inlet, and the first liquid outlet cooling pipe 302A is connected to the first liquid outlet; the first liquid inlet sealing component 401A covers the connection between the first liquid inlet cooling pipe 301A and the cover plate 200A of the first liquid cooling plate 10A, and the first liquid outlet sealing component 402A covers the connection between the first liquid outlet cooling pipe 302A and the cover plate 200A of the first liquid cooling plate 10A.

[0066] The liquid cooling pipeline of the second liquid cooling plate 10B includes a second liquid inlet liquid cooling pipeline 301B and a second liquid outlet liquid cooling pipeline 302B. The opening of the second liquid cooling plate 10B includes a second liquid inlet (not shown in Figure 3, but refer to the liquid inlet 2021 in Figure 2B) and a second liquid outlet (not shown in Figure 3, but refer to the liquid outlet 2022 in Figure 2B). The second liquid inlet liquid cooling pipeline 301B is connected to the second liquid inlet, and the second liquid outlet liquid cooling pipeline 302B... B is connected to the second liquid outlet; the sealing element of the second liquid cooling plate 10B includes a second liquid inlet plastic seal 401B and a second liquid outlet plastic seal 402B. The second liquid inlet plastic seal 401B covers the connection between the second liquid inlet liquid cooling pipe 301B and the cover plate 200B of the second liquid cooling plate 10B, and the second liquid outlet plastic seal 402B covers the connection between the second liquid outlet liquid cooling pipe 302B and the cover plate 200B of the second liquid cooling plate 10B.

[0067] In other words, both the first liquid cooling plate 10A and the second liquid cooling plate 10B can use the liquid cooling plate structures shown in Figures 2A and 2B. The first liquid outlet cooling pipe 302A and the second liquid inlet cooling pipe 301B are connected and integrally formed, meaning that the first liquid outlet cooling pipe 302A and the second liquid inlet cooling pipe 301B are an integrated design, i.e., they are the same cooling pipe.

[0068] Data center servers are typically integrated, meaning they house multiple heat-generating components. Therefore, liquid cooling systems are often used for these servers, typically employing liquid cooling plate assemblies. Multiple liquid cooling plates form a liquid cooling loop, effectively utilizing liquid cooling energy and saving power. In this embodiment, the molding compound of each liquid cooling plate (first inlet molding compound 401A, first outlet molding compound 402A, second inlet molding compound 401B, and second outlet molding compound 402B) can individually seal its corresponding connection area, thereby reducing the risk of leakage from the liquid cooling plate assembly and improving server reliability.

[0069] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG3, the first liquid cooling plate 10A includes a first connector 600A and a first protective member 700A. The end of the first liquid inlet cooling pipe 301A away from the first liquid inlet is connected to the first connector 600A, and the first liquid inlet cooling pipe 301A communicates with the inner cavity of the first connector 600A. The first protective member 700A is plastic-encapsulated at the connection between the first liquid inlet cooling pipe 301A and the first connector 600A. The second liquid cooling plate 10B includes a second connector 600B and a second protective member 700B. The end of the second liquid outlet cooling pipe 302B away from the second liquid outlet is connected to the second connector 600B, and the second liquid outlet cooling pipe 302B communicates with the inner cavity of the second connector 600B. The second protective member 700B is plastic-encapsulated at the connection between the second liquid outlet cooling pipe 302B and the second connector 600B.

[0070] In this design, the second enclosure 900 of the first liquid cooling plate 10A defines the boundary shape of the first protective member 700A, and the second enclosure 900 of the second liquid cooling plate 10B defines the boundary shape of the second protective member 700B. The second enclosures 900 of the first liquid cooling plate 10A and the second enclosure 900 of the second liquid cooling plate 10B are integrally formed. That is, in the injection molding process, an injection mold (the second enclosure 900) can be designed. The injection cavity of this mold (used to accommodate the molding compound to form the first and second protective members) can not only surround the connection between the first inlet liquid cooling pipe 301A and the first connector 600A, but also surround the connection between the second outlet liquid cooling pipe 302B and the second connector 600B. Based on this, the design difficulty of the injection mold and the processing difficulty of the injection molding process can be reduced, thereby reducing costs.

[0071] It is understood that the number of liquid cooling plates included in the liquid cooling plate group is not limited to one or two, but can be three or more. The structure of each liquid cooling plate can adopt the liquid cooling plate of any embodiment of the present disclosure, and can adopt liquid cooling plates with the same structure or different structures. For example, adding a liquid cooling plate between the first liquid cooling plate and the second liquid cooling plate only requires adaptive adjustment of the number and form of liquid cooling pipelines (including whether a liquid cooling pipeline is shared) and the number and form of connectors or protective components (including whether they are integrally formed). The present disclosure does not limit this.

[0072] Data Center

[0073] This disclosure also provides a data center, including a server and a liquid-cooled plate or liquid-cooled plate assembly according to any of the above embodiments. The data center can be a financial data center, an enterprise data center, or an internet cloud data center, etc.

[0074] The server may include one or more heat-generating devices, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Data Processing Unit (DPU), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The heat-generating devices are positioned close to the heat-conducting surface of the liquid cooling plate, for example, in surface contact, so that the liquid cooling plate or a group of liquid cooling plates can dissipate heat from the heat-generating devices.

[0075] In the data center of this disclosure embodiment, injection-molded plastic sealant is used to seal the component connection of the liquid cooling plate, and has the characteristics of high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, thereby significantly reducing the risk of liquid leakage of the liquid cooling plate and improving the reliability of the server and data center.

[0076] Other components of the liquid cooling plate, liquid cooling plate assembly, server, and data center in the above embodiments can adopt various technical solutions that are now and will be known to those skilled in the art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0077] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0078] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this disclosure, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0079] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0080] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or indirect contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0081] The foregoing disclosure provides many different implementations or examples for carrying out different structures of this disclosure. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements have been described above. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various implementations and / or arrangements discussed.

[0082] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this disclosure, and these should all be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A liquid-cooled plate, characterized in that, include: A substrate having a thermally conductive surface for contacting a heat-generating device; A cover plate is connected to the substrate and located on the side of the substrate away from the heat-conducting surface. A sealed cavity for containing liquid cooling medium is formed between the substrate and the cover plate. An opening communicating with the sealed cavity is provided on the cover plate. Liquid cooling piping, wherein the liquid cooling piping is connected to the opening; A plastic sealant that seals the connection between the liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate.

2. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The opening includes an inlet and an outlet. The liquid cooling pipeline includes an inlet liquid cooling pipeline connected to the inlet and an outlet liquid cooling pipeline connected to the outlet. The sealing component includes an inlet sealing component and an outlet sealing component. The inlet sealing component covers the connection between the inlet liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate, and the outlet sealing component covers the connection between the outlet liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate.

3. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inlet seal and the outlet seal are integrally formed.

4. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The adapter has the first end of the liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate connected to it. The liquid cooling pipeline and the opening are both connected to the inner cavity of the adapter. The plastic seal is fitted onto the first end and covers the adapter.

5. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 4, characterized in that, The molding compound also covers the space between the first end and the cover plate.

6. The liquid-cooled plate according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Also includes: A first enclosure is provided around the periphery of the plastic sealant to define the boundary shape of the plastic sealant.

7. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first enclosure is the injection mold used in the injection molding process of the plastic seal.

8. The liquid-cooled plate according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Also includes: A connector is connected to a second end of the liquid cooling pipeline away from the opening, and the inner cavity of the connector is in communication with the liquid cooling pipeline; The protective component is plastic-encapsulated at the connection between the second end and the connector; The second enclosure is provided around the perimeter of the protective member to define the boundary shape of the protective member.

9. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 8, characterized in that, The protective component is formed by injecting molding material into an injection mold and then forming it under pressure.

10. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 8, characterized in that, The liquid cooling plate also includes a support member, which is sleeved on the liquid cooling pipeline and abuts against the second enclosure in the axial direction of the liquid cooling pipeline.

11. The liquid cooling plate according to claim 10, characterized in that, The support member and the second enclosure have the same profile shape on the plane of the cross-section of the liquid cooling pipeline, and the support member and the second enclosure are in surface contact along the axial direction of the liquid cooling pipeline.

12. The liquid-cooled plate according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Also includes: A weld joint sealant, wherein the weld joint sealant is plastically encapsulated over the weld joint of the liquid cooling plate.

13. A liquid-cooled plate assembly comprising a plurality of liquid-cooled plates as described in any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The liquid-cooled plate assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that, The plurality of said liquid cooling plates include: The first liquid cooling plate has a liquid cooling pipeline including a first liquid inlet liquid cooling pipeline and a first liquid outlet liquid cooling pipeline. The opening of the first liquid cooling plate includes a first liquid inlet and a first liquid outlet. The first liquid inlet liquid cooling pipeline is connected to the first liquid inlet, and the first liquid outlet liquid cooling pipeline is connected to the first liquid outlet. The sealing components of the first liquid cooling plate include a first liquid inlet plastic seal and a first liquid outlet plastic seal. The first liquid inlet plastic seal covers the connection between the first liquid inlet liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate of the first liquid cooling plate, and the first liquid outlet plastic seal covers the connection between the first liquid outlet liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate of the first liquid cooling plate. The second liquid cooling plate has a liquid cooling pipeline including a second inlet liquid cooling pipeline and a second outlet liquid cooling pipeline. The opening of the second liquid cooling plate includes a second inlet and a second outlet. The second inlet liquid cooling pipeline is connected to the second inlet, and the second outlet liquid cooling pipeline is connected to the second outlet. The sealing components of the second liquid cooling plate include a second inlet plastic seal and a second outlet plastic seal. The second inlet plastic seal covers the connection between the second inlet liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate of the second liquid cooling plate, and the second outlet plastic seal covers the connection between the second outlet liquid cooling pipeline and the cover plate of the second liquid cooling plate. The first liquid outlet cooling pipe is connected to the second liquid inlet cooling pipe and is integrally formed.

15. The liquid-cooled plate assembly according to claim 14, characterized in that, The first liquid cooling plate includes a first connector and a first protective member. The first connector is connected to the end of the first liquid inlet cooling pipe away from the first liquid inlet. The inner cavity of the first connector is in communication with the first liquid inlet cooling pipe. The first protective member is plastic-sealed at the connection between the first liquid inlet cooling pipe and the first connector. The second liquid cooling plate includes a second connector and a second protective member. The end of the second liquid outlet cooling pipe away from the second liquid outlet is connected to the second connector. The second liquid outlet cooling pipe is in communication with the inner cavity of the second connector. The second protective member is plastic-sealed at the connection between the second liquid outlet cooling pipe and the second connector. Wherein, the second enclosure of the first liquid cooling plate is used to define the boundary shape of the first protective member, and the second enclosure of the second liquid cooling plate is used to define the boundary shape of the second protective member, and the second enclosure of the first liquid cooling plate and the second enclosure of the second liquid cooling plate are integrally formed.

16. A data center, characterized in that, include: A server, the server including at least one heat-generating device; A liquid cooling plate, as described in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the liquid cooling plate is used to dissipate heat from the at least one heat-generating device.

17. A data center, characterized in that, include: A server, the server including a plurality of heat-generating devices; a liquid cooling plate assembly, as described in any one of claims 13 to 15, the liquid cooling plate assembly being used to dissipate heat from the plurality of heat-generating devices.

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