Blindly Matable Liquid Couplers for Hot-Swappable Pump Trays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid cooling systems for electronics face challenges in maintaining continuous operation without disrupting cooling capacity, especially when inserting or removing devices like reservoir-and-pump units.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a pump tray with blindly matable liquid couplers and an alignment member that allows for the insertion or removal of devices while maintaining the cooling system's integrity, enabling 'hot-swapping' without significant interruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If devices are inserted or removed from liquid cooling systems, then device maintenance and upgrades are enabled, but cooling capacity is interrupted and downtime occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (quick-connect coupler or bypass loop) that mediates between the pump tray and the liquid cooling system. This intermediary allows for rapid connection and disconnection of devices without interrupting the main cooling flow path, enabling device maintenance while maintaining cooling capacity through the bypass route.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid cooling system is segmented into modular components (pump trays, couplers, bypass loops) that can be independently connected or disconnected. This segmentation allows specific devices to be removed for maintenance while other segments continue to provide cooling capacity, resolving the contradiction between device adaptability and system reliability.
2Reliability
If traditional liquid cooling systems use fixed connections, then cooling capacity is maintained, but device insertion and removal is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static fixed connections to dynamic quick-connect couplers that can rapidly change connection states. These couplers maintain reliable cooling capacity when connected but enable rapid device installation and removal through simple mechanical engagement and disengagement mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Alignment members and guide features are pre-configured on pump trays and couplers to automatically align components before final connection. This preliminary alignment action ensures proper positioning for reliable cooling flow while simplifying the overall device installation process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If pump trays are made removable for maintenance, then device upgradability is enabled, but liquid flow interruption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass loop maintains continuous liquid flow through the cooling system even when pump trays are removed for maintenance or upgrade. The bypass provides an alternative flow path that keeps the cooling system operational, eliminating downtime and maintaining continuous useful cooling action throughout the system.
Solution Approach 2:
Quick-connect couplers serve as intermediaries that enable rapid pump tray replacement without interrupting the main cooling flow. The couplers allow for swift disconnection and reconnection of pump trays, minimizing the time loss associated with device upgrades while maintaining system adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A pump tray has a liquid pump with an inlet and outlet. A blindly matable liquid coupler fluidicly couples with the pump inlet and a blindly matable liquid coupler fluidicly couples with the pump outlet. A chassis of the pump tray has an alignment member configured to removably engage with another device and to restrict, to a limited number of degrees-of-freedom, movement of the chassis relative to the other device (e.g., a liquid pumping unit). The blindly matable liquid couplers are so physically coupled with the chassis as to inhibit movement of them relative to the chassis. A liquid pumping unit also has a chassis defining a bay configured to receive a pump tray, a liquid inlet coupler and a liquid outlet coupler, and a reservoir fluidicly coupled with the liquid inlet coupler. A blindly-matable liquid coupler fluidicly couples with the reservoir outlet and a blindly-matable liquid coupler fluidicly couples with the liquid outlet coupler. An alignment member is configured to removably engage with the pump tray and to restrict, to a limited number of degrees-of-freedom, movement of the pump tray relative to the chassis of the liquid pumping unit.