Immersion Case Baffling Assembly to Reduce Heat-Transfer Liquid Spillage

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Solution Overview

Problem

The movement of heat-transfer liquid in immersion cooling systems causes overflow and spillage during equipment racking, leading to inadequate heat transfer and safety hazards, along with increased maintenance costs.

Innovation Solution

A baffling assembly is introduced to mitigate liquid movement by using baffle elements attached to the immersion case, which are fixed or detachable, and positioned to minimize liquid displacement during equipment insertion and removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If equipment is racked in and out of the immersion case, then maintenance and component replacement are enabled, but heat-transfer liquid overflows and spills outside the immersion case

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment maintenance accessVSAvoidheat-transfer liquid spillage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by positioning baffle elements in advance within the immersion case before equipment insertion or removal operations begin. These pre-positioned baffles create physical barriers that anticipate and prevent liquid spillage during the subsequent racking operations, addressing the contradiction by preparing the system in advance to mitigate the harmful effect of liquid loss while maintaining equipment access capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The baffle elements serve as intermediary structures between the heat-transfer liquid and the equipment being racked. These intermediaries physically block the liquid from following the equipment out of the immersion case, thereby mediating the interaction between equipment movement and liquid containment, allowing maintenance operations without direct liquid spillage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If heat-transfer liquid overflows during equipment racking, then equipment access is maintained, but electronic equipment becomes inadequately covered and heat transfer capability degrades

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment accessibilityVSAvoidheat transfer capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The baffle elements are pre-installed and positioned within the immersion case before any equipment removal operations occur. This preliminary configuration ensures that when equipment is racked out, the baffles are already in place to prevent liquid from sloshing toward the opening, thereby maintaining adequate liquid coverage over the electronic equipment throughout the maintenance operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The baffles act as intermediary barriers that separate the liquid reservoir from the equipment access path. They allow equipment to be freely inserted and removed while simultaneously mediating the liquid behavior to prevent inadequate coverage, thus preserving heat transfer reliability during accessibility operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If heat-transfer liquid spills outside the immersion case, then equipment maintenance can proceed, but safety hazards increase and maintenance burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance capabilityVSAvoidsafety hazard and cleaning burden
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the potential harm of liquid spillage into a benefit by using the baffle elements to redirect and contain the liquid motion that would otherwise cause spills. The same equipment racking operations that could cause harmful spillage are enabled to proceed safely, as the baffles transform the harmful liquid movement into controlled flow patterns that remain within the immersion case

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The baffle elements serve as protective intermediaries between the heat-transfer liquid and the external environment. They intercept the liquid before it can spill outside the immersion case during equipment maintenance operations, thereby eliminating safety hazards and cleaning burdens while maintaining full maintenance capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4429427B1Baffling assembly for mitigating movement of a heattransfer liquid in an immersion case
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 OVH
  • EP4429427B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4429427B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4429427B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

A baffling assembly for mitigating movement of a heat-transfer liquid in an immersion case and an immersion case assembly are disclosed. The immersion case contains the heat-transfer liquid in which an electronic device is at least partially submerged. The baffling assembly includes at least one baffle element configured to be disposed proximate a top portion of the immersion case.