Coolant Distribution Unit Pump Soft Start for Pressure Spike Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Liquid cooling systems experience pressure spikes when a redundant pump is brought back online after failure, potentially damaging components and triggering leaks.

Innovation Solution

A coolant distribution unit (CDU) with a controller that gradually adjusts pump speeds to prevent pressure spikes by transitioning pumps through intermediate operational speeds before reaching final operational speeds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a pump is brought back online at full speed after failure, then the cooling capacity is restored, but pressure spikes occur that can damage components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling capacity restorationVSAvoidpressure spike damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The controller performs preliminary action by detecting when a pump has been disabled and proactively adjusting the pump speeds of remaining pumps before the failed pump is fully restored. The remaining pumps are ramped down to intermediate speeds in advance, preparing the system to accommodate the returning pump without pressure spikes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts pump speeds based on real-time operational status. When a pump is re-enabled, the controller continuously modulates the speeds of all pumps through intermediate levels rather than maintaining fixed speeds, allowing the system to adapt smoothly to changing conditions and prevent pressure surges.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If remaining pumps run at high speed to compensate for pump failure, then the required flow rate is maintained, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflow rate maintenanceVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of maintaining excessive pump speeds continuously, the system applies partial action by operating pumps at intermediate speeds during the transition period. The remaining pumps run at elevated but not maximum speeds temporarily to maintain flow rate, then gradually reduce to normal operating speeds when the full pump capacity is restored, optimizing energy usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The controller changes operational parameters by dynamically adjusting pump speeds based on system conditions. When a pump fails, speeds are increased to compensate; when pumps are restored, speeds are modulated through intermediate levels before returning to normal, thereby optimizing energy consumption while maintaining required flow rates throughout the transition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20260078752A1Coolant distribution unit soft start pump controls

Publication Date: 2026.03.19 VERTIV CORP

AI summary

A coolant distribution unit of a liquid cooling system comprises: a plurality of pumps configured to circulate coolant within the liquid cooling system, where a subset of the plurality of pumps is capable of handling a full operation load of the liquid cooling system when at least one pump of the plurality of pumps is not in operation; and a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of pumps. The controller is configured to: in response to determining that the pump has been enabled, adjust the pump and remaining pumps of the plurality of pumps to a first pump speed; and adjust the pump and the remaining pumps to a second pump speed, where the first pump speed corresponds to an intermediate operational speed lower than the second pump speed and the second pump speed corresponds to a final operational speed.