Conformal Dual-Liquid Cooling Module for Dense Electronic Heat Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling methods for electronic components, particularly in data processing centers, face inefficiencies due to high thermal resistance and the need for substantial energy to maintain component temperatures, often relying on air as a transfer medium which is inefficient and complex, especially when dealing with large quantities of heat.
Innovation Solution
A sealable module with a housing and heat transfer device featuring a conduction surface that separates a volume for a first cooling liquid from a channel for a second cooling liquid, allowing efficient conduction of heat between the two liquids, reducing thermal resistance and eliminating the need for vapor-cycle refrigeration, thereby maintaining the first cooling liquid in a liquid state and reducing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If air is used as a transfer medium for heat, then the system can operate with simpler infrastructure, but the rate of heat transfer is insufficient for large quantities of heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces air cooling with liquid cooling systems. A coolant liquid circulates through channels in contact with or adjacent to electronic components, efficiently transferring heat away from high-density server equipment. This hydraulic approach enables sufficient heat transfer rates for large quantities of heat while maintaining manageable infrastructure complexity.
2Temperature
If air conditioning is used to reduce local air temperature, then the temperature difference increases and heat transfer improves, but substantial electrical power is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs liquid coolant circulation instead of air conditioning systems. The liquid coolant can be pumped through the system with lower energy consumption compared to the substantial electrical power required for vapor-compression refrigeration to achieve the same cooling effect, thereby reducing overall energy usage while maintaining effective temperature differences for heat transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the phase and properties of the cooling medium from gas (air) to liquid (coolant). This parameter change enables more efficient heat transfer at lower energy costs, as liquids have higher specific heat capacities and thermal conductivities compared to gases, allowing effective cooling without substantial electrical power input.
3Productivity
If air flow rate is increased to reduce thermal resistance, then heat transfer improves, but the location becomes noisy and temperature control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces high-velocity air flow systems with liquid coolant circulation. The liquid coolant flows through controlled channels in contact with electronic components, providing stable and predictable heat transfer without the noise and temperature control difficulties associated with high air flow rates. This hydraulic system simplifies temperature management while maintaining high heat transfer efficiency.
4Productivity
If servers are distributed sparsely to improve air flow, then thermal resistance decreases, but server density is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements liquid cooling systems that enable high server density by efficiently removing heat from closely packed servers. The coolant circulation system provides sufficient heat transfer capacity to handle the concentrated heat loads from dense server arrangements, eliminating the need for sparse distribution and thereby increasing server density while maintaining effective thermal management.
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
This solution significantly enhances heat transfer efficiency, allowing for scalable cooling systems that maintain electronic components within their operating temperature range while reducing energy consumption and complexity, enabling higher server density and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
the conduction surface separating the volume and the channel to allow conduction of heat between the volume and the channel through the conduction surface
Implementation Method 2
Cooling the electronic components using a liquid that is brought into contact with the electronic components can be used to increase server density, reduce cooling costs or both
Data Source
AI summary
A sealable module, cooled electronic system and method are described relating to cooling a heat generating electronic device. The sealable module is adapted to be filled with a first cooling liquid and a heat transfer device having a conduction surface defines a channel for receiving a second cooling liquid. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the conduction surface or housing is shaped in conformity with the shape of the electronic component. Control of the second cooling liquid is also described. Transferring heat between the second cooling liquid and a third cooling liquid features in embodiments. A method of filling a container with a cooling liquid is further detailed.