Depurating System for Liquid-Cooled Server Racks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid cooling systems for rack-mounted processing assemblies suffer from the buildup of undesirable contaminants such as mineral deposits, corrosion, algae, and bacteria, which affect the quality of the cooling liquid and its flow efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A depurating system that includes a tank with cleansing additives, a control module, a fluid control structure, and a fluid coupling section, which injects treated liquid into the liquid cooling loop to purge existing contaminants and replace them with a treated liquid of specific quality levels, ensuring continuous operation of the processing assemblies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If direct liquid cooling blocks with channelized water circulation are used to cool high heat-generating components, then cooling efficiency is improved, but contaminant buildup (mineral deposits, corrosion, algae, bacteria) occurs in the liquid cooling loop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the contaminant removal function from the main cooling loop by introducing a separate depurating apparatus with a tank containing cleansing additives. This apparatus circulates treated liquid through the liquid cooling blocks to remove contaminants while the main cooling loop continues to operate, separating the cooling function from the depurating function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary depurating liquid containing cleansing additives that acts as a mediator between the contaminant-filled cooling loop and the clean water supply. This intermediary liquid absorbs contaminants through chemical and physical processes (ion exchange, adsorption, precipitation) while being circulated through the cooling blocks.
2Productivity
If the liquid cooling loop operates continuously to maintain cooling, then processing assemblies remain operational, but contaminants accumulate over time affecting liquid quality and flow efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous contaminant removal during cooling operation by having the depurating apparatus circulate treated liquid through the cooling blocks simultaneously with the main cooling pump operating. The control module coordinates both circulation processes to ensure continuous cooling while continuously depurating the liquid, eliminating the need to stop processing assemblies for maintenance.
3Temperature
If channelized water is circulated through liquid cooling blocks, then heat dissipation is improved, but mineral deposits and corrosion build up in the channels and coupling elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the liquid cooling blocks to self-clean by circulating depurating liquid containing cleansing additives through their internal channels. The cleansing additives (ion exchange resins, adsorbents, precipitants) automatically remove mineral deposits and corrosion products from the channel surfaces and coupling elements without requiring external disassembly or manual cleaning, allowing the blocks to maintain their cooling function while self-maintaining their internal surfaces.
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 depurating system effectively eliminates contaminants and maintains the quality of the cooling liquid, ensuring efficient heat dissipation and prolonged system performance without downtime.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid coupling section fluidly-coupled to the fluid control structure and configured to supply the treated liquid to the server rack, wherein the injection of the treated liquid functions to purge the existing cooling liquid away from the rack-mounted processing assemblies
Implementation Method 2
a tank containing a volume of liquid treated with cleansing additives
Implementation Method 3
direct liquid cooling block measures have been implemented, in which liquid cooling blocks having internal channels to circulate cool water therethrough are disposed in direct thermal contact with the high heat-generating components
Data Source
AI summary
A depurating system and process for server racks containing liquid-cooled rack-mounted processing assemblies are presented that incorporate a tank containing a volume of liquid treated, a control module configured control an operational parameter of the treated liquid, a fluid control structure operably-coupled to the control module and configured to adjust an operational parameter of the treated liquid, and a fluid coupling section fluidly-coupled to the fluid control structure and configured to supply the treated liquid to the server racks. The injection of the treated liquid functions to purge the existing cooling liquid away from the rack-mounted processing assemblies of the server rack and replace the purged existing cooling liquid with the treated liquid while maintaining continued operations of the rack-mounted processing assemblies.