Immersion Cooling Cage Interface for Hardware Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Immersion cooling systems face challenges in accommodating hardware components of varying shapes and sizes, leading to difficulties in aligning power connections and data wires, especially for smaller components, due to tanks being designed for the largest expected hardware dimensions, resulting in inefficient liquid usage.

Innovation Solution

The use of cages that are designed to receive and align hardware components of various shapes and sizes, ensuring a predefined lateral width and height that matches the tank dimensions, with integrated power adaptors and data connections, allowing easy alignment and efficient cooling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If tanks are designed to accommodate the largest expected hardware components, then the largest hardware can be properly accommodated, but smaller hardware components become difficult to align and connect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccommodation of hardware componentsVSAvoidalignment of power connections
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces cages as intermediary structures that hold hardware components and provide standardized mounting interfaces. These cages act as mediators between the tank and the hardware, providing uniform alignment features and power connection points regardless of the original hardware's varied dimensions and connection locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the hardware mounting function into separate cage structures. Instead of directly mounting hardware to the tank, the hardware is mounted to cages that are then positioned in the tank. This segmentation allows the cages to provide standardized interfaces while accommodating various hardware types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If tanks are designed for largest hardware dimensions, then all hardware can be accommodated, but more evaporable liquid is required than necessary for effective cooling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehardware accommodationVSAvoidevaporable liquid volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the tank volume into functional zones by introducing cages that occupy specific spaces. This allows the tank to be optimized for cooling efficiency with appropriate liquid levels while the cages accommodate hardware of various sizes without requiring the tank to be oversized for the largest possible hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If smaller hardware is used in standard tanks, then hardware alignment with bus bar becomes difficult, but customizing tanks for each hardware size increases complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehardware size varietyVSAvoidtank customization
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cages serve as standardized intermediary components that interface between the universal tank and the varied hardware. The tank remains a single standardized design, while the cages provide the necessary customization for different hardware sizes and connection requirements, eliminating the need to customize the tank itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 cages ensure uniform alignment and power connection of components within the tank, optimizing cooling efficiency and reducing the amount of liquid needed, while maintaining ease of access to data connections.

Implementation Method 1

One type of cooling system is an immersion cooling system having a tank of evaporable liquid... for extracting heat from and condensing vapor that rises from the tank

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConduction (thermal): Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

vapor that rises from the tank... extracting heat from... condensing vapor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

tank of evaporable liquid... condenser... for extracting heat from and condensing vapor that rises from the tank

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 4

condensing vapor that rises from the tank

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Data Source

PatentEP4185083B1Flexible and adaptive interface between electronics and immersion cooling system
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP4185083B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4185083B1 patent drawingFigure 1C
  • EP4185083B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B

AI summary

A cage for containing a liquid immersible computer hardware component includes a base portion and two elongate portions extending in a depth direction from the base portion. The elongate portions define a socket adjacent to the base portion in the depth direction and between the elongate portions in a lateral direction. The base portion defines a depth extension below the socket in the depth direction and the elongate portions define lateral extensions on either side of the socket. The cage also includes a power adaptor for conveying power from an intake at an outer edge of the cage to the component when the component is received in the socket.