Hollow Dummy Device Buoyancy Control in Liquid Immersion Cooling
Solution Overview
Problem
In electronic apparatuses with liquid immersion tanks, empty slots lead to refrigerant stagnation, reducing cooling efficiency, and partitioning slots for separate refrigerant flow increases cost, complexity, and weight, while a dummy device's buoyancy causes rapid flotation when removed.
Innovation Solution
A hollow dummy device is stored in empty slots, with a screw hole in the ceiling and an open bottom, allowing air to accumulate and reduce buoyancy by discharging air before removal, preventing rapid flotation and maintaining cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a dummy device is used to fill empty slots, then cooling efficiency is improved by preventing refrigerant stagnation, but the dummy device experiences rapid flotation when removed due to buoyancy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing an opening and closing portion that can be opened before removal of the dummy device. This allows air to enter the hollow interior in advance, replacing the refrigerant and reducing buoyancy before the dummy device is taken out, thereby preventing rapid flotation and ensuring safe removal while maintaining the cooling efficiency benefit during operation
2Productivity
If separate refrigerant flow structures are implemented to prevent stagnation, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a dummy device that copies the external shape and size of the electronic apparatus it replaces. This simple copy fills the empty slot effectively, preventing refrigerant stagnation and maintaining cooling efficiency without requiring complex separate refrigerant flow structures, thereby avoiding increased device complexity and cost
3Productivity
If separate refrigerant flow structures are implemented, then cooling efficiency is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dummy device is designed as a simple hollow structure that copies the shape of the replaced electronic apparatus. This minimal structure prevents refrigerant stagnation and maintains cooling efficiency without adding significant weight, unlike complex separate refrigerant flow structures would
4Weight of moving object
If the dummy device is made hollow to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but buoyancy increases causing rapid flotation
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow structure is maintained for weight reduction, but an opening and closing portion is provided that can be opened before removal. This allows air to enter the hollow interior in advance, replacing the refrigerant and reducing buoyancy before takeout, thereby preventing rapid flotation while preserving the weight benefit of the hollow structure
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 enhances cooling efficiency, reduces costs and complexity by avoiding separate refrigerant flow structures, and minimizes weight, while ensuring safe and efficient removal of the dummy device without refrigerant scattering.
Implementation Method 1
due to the buoyancy of the dummy unit, there is a possibility that this dummy unit will rapidly float
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic apparatus includes a liquid immersion tank that stores a refrigerant and has a plurality of slots therein, an electronic device stored in one slot of the plurality of slots and a dummy device stored in another slot of the plurality of slots, formed in a hollow shape, the dummy device having a ceiling portion and a bottom portion, the ceiling portion having a first hole and an opening and closing portion to open and close the first hole, and the bottom portion being open, and a fixing portion that fixes the dummy device to the liquid immersion tank.