Expansion Tank Isolation Valve for Cooling Loop Leak Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid cooling systems for high-density server racks face challenges in efficiently managing leaks in closed cooling loops, leading to potential damage and increased complexity and cost due to the need for multiple valves and complex pressure management systems.
Innovation Solution
A leak mitigation system that includes a controller, an isolation valve, and a computer-readable medium to shut down the primary pump and isolate the expansion tank from the cooling system upon leak detection, reducing complexity and space requirements by using a single valve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple valves and complex pressure management systems are used to manage leaks in closed cooling loops, then leak mitigation capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates the expansion tank from the closed cooling loop using a single isolation valve when a leak is detected. This separates the problematic high-pressure section from the rest of the system, allowing the leak to be contained without requiring multiple valves or complex pressure management throughout the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary isolation of the expansion tank before the leak can propagate through the entire cooling loop. By having the isolation valve ready and the control logic pre-programmed, the system can respond to leak detection immediately, preventing further leakage without requiring complex real-time pressure management.
2Reliability
If multiple valves and complex pressure management systems are deployed, then leak mitigation capability is improved, but space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the isolation function to a single valve located at the expansion tank connection point, eliminating the need for multiple valves distributed throughout the system. This single-valve approach significantly reduces the space required for leak mitigation components while maintaining effective leak containment capability.
3Device complexity
If a single valve is used to isolate the expansion tank, then device complexity is reduced, but leak mitigation effectiveness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the closed cooling loop into two distinct sections: the expansion tank section and the main cooling loop section. The single isolation valve creates a clear segmentation boundary, allowing independent management of each section. This segmentation enables effective leak mitigation by containing leaks to one section without requiring multiple valves.
Solution Approach 2:
The isolation valve acts as an intermediary element between the expansion tank and the main cooling loop. This single intermediary component provides sufficient control to isolate the expansion tank and mitigate leaks effectively, eliminating the need for multiple valves or complex pressure management systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A leak mitigation system for a cooling system may include an isolation valve, a controller, and a computer-readable medium. The isolation valve may selectively isolate an expansion tank from a closed loop containing a coolant circulated by a primary pump having a pump inlet. The expansion tank may maintain the coolant at a predetermined pressure at the pump inlet in the closed loop. The controller may communicate with the primary pump and the isolation valve. The computer-readable storage medium may include instructions executable by the controller to: in response to a detection of a leak of the coolant from the closed loop, shut down the primary pump; and close the isolation valve to isolate the expansion tank from the closed loop.