Baffle Assembly Diverts Vapor Bubbles in Immersion Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In immersion cooling systems, rising vapor bubbles can displace dielectric liquid and lead to inadequate cooling of high heat flux electronic devices, potentially causing throttling or failure due to insufficient subcooled liquid flow.
Innovation Solution
A baffle assembly with adjustable spacers and repositionable baffles is used to divert vapor bubbles, featuring internal fluid passageways and one-way valves for coolant flow, which helps in condensing vapor bubbles and maintaining efficient cooling by preventing vapor bubble streams from adversely impacting adjacent devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If vapor bubbles are allowed to rise freely in the immersion cooling system, then the cooling system structure remains simple, but vapor bubbles displace dielectric liquid and cause inadequate cooling of electronic devices
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple zones using baffles that segment the tank into distinct regions. These baffles create separate flow paths and vapor bubble channels, preventing vapor bubbles from displacing dielectric liquid around electronic devices while maintaining overall system simplicity through modular segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
Baffles act as intermediary elements between the vapor bubbles and the electronic devices. The baffles intercept and redirect vapor bubble flow paths, serving as a mediating structure that protects the dielectric liquid from vapor displacement without requiring complex active control systems.
2Reliability
If fixed baffle structures are used to divert vapor bubbles, then vapor bubble flow is controlled, but the system cannot adapt to different electronic device configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The baffle structures incorporate adjustable and repositionable components that can be dynamically configured based on electronic device placement. The baffles can be moved, repositioned, or adjusted to accommodate different device configurations while maintaining effective vapor bubble flow control, transforming the system from static to dynamic adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The baffle assembly is designed with universal features that allow it to serve multiple functions and configurations. The baffles can be repositioned along channels, adjusted to different angles, or reconfigured to handle various electronic device layouts, making the same basic structure applicable to diverse cooling scenarios without requiring custom designs.
3Reliability
If baffles are positioned close to electronic devices to maximize vapor bubble diversion, then cooling effectiveness improves, but the gap between baffle and substrate becomes insufficient for proper fluid flow
Solution Approach 1:
The gap distance between baffles and substrates is optimized locally at different positions. The baffle assembly incorporates varying gap dimensions tailored to specific local requirements - smaller gaps where vapor bubble diversion is critical and larger gaps where fluid flow needs to be maintained, creating non-uniform but functionally optimized spacing throughout the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The design addresses the gap dimensionality challenge by introducing vertical spacing components and multi-level baffle structures. Instead of simply increasing horizontal gap distance, the system uses vertical dimensionality to maintain adequate fluid flow paths while keeping horizontal gaps small for effective vapor bubble interception, solving the constraint through dimensional transformation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The baffle assembly effectively diverts vapor bubbles, ensuring consistent cooling performance and preventing issues like dryout and throttling, while allowing for adaptability with different electronic device configurations.
Implementation Method 1
providing a flow of coolant through the baffle to cool the baffle and promote condensing of vapor bubbles near the baffle
Implementation Method 2
Single-phase immersion cooling systems rely on sensible heat transfer to remove heat from the IT equipment
Implementation Method 3
Two-phase immersion cooling systems leverage both sensible and latent heat transfer to remove heat from the IT equipment
Data Source
AI summary
A two-phase immersion cooling system may include an immersion tank containing dielectric fluid. When cooling an electronic device that is immersed in the dielectric fluid, vigorous boiling may occur proximate to the device, and a stream of vapor bubbles may be produced. To prevent the stream of vapor bubbles from adversely affecting cooling performance elsewhere in the immersion tank, a baffle assembly may be provided. The baffle assembly may be removably attachable to the electronic device. In one embodiment, the baffle assembly may include a plate having one or more slots. The baffle assembly may include one or more posts extending from the plate and being configured to attach to a substrate of the electronic device. The baffle assembly may include a baffle that is removably attachable to the one or more slots. Other examples may be claimed or described.