Immersion Cooling System for High-Density IT Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional air cooling solutions are inadequate for managing the increasing thermal demands of high-density processors, and existing horizontal immersion cooling designs are not energy efficient and have inefficient fluid usage and management issues.
Innovation Solution
An immersion cooling system with a tank, IT container, and control system that includes a pump, fluid supply and return loops, and sensors to manage cooling fluid flow and pressure, allowing for precise control and efficient use of fluid, facilitating energy efficiency and ease of maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional air cooling solutions are used, then the system structure is simple, but they cannot satisfy thermal management requirements of high-density processors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies hydraulic cooling by immersing IT equipment in liquid cooling fluid. The system uses a cooling fluid circulation system with pumps, heat exchangers, and distribution manifolds to deliver cooled fluid directly to hot spots on server components, enabling effective thermal management of high-density processors that air cooling cannot handle.
2Temperature
If vertical immersion cooling designs are used, then thermal management effectiveness is improved, but the system becomes expensive and difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the immersion cooling system into modular components: IT equipment housed in separate racks, independent cooling fluid circulation loops, modular heat exchangers, and distributed pumping systems. This segmentation allows individual components to be maintained, replaced, or upgraded without shutting down the entire system, significantly improving maintenance ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary maintenance access system that allows technicians to service IT equipment and cooling components without draining or fully accessing the cooling fluid. This includes sealed service ports, removable rack sections, and hot-swappable cooling components that minimize disruption and simplify maintenance procedures.
3Ease of operation
If horizontal immersion cooling designs are used, then ease of maintenance is improved, but energy efficiency and fluid usage efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by providing cooling fluid only to specific zones or racks that contain IT equipment requiring cooling. The system uses zone-based fluid distribution with controllable flow rates, allowing each area to receive customized cooling based on its thermal load, thereby improving energy efficiency by avoiding unnecessary cooling of empty or low-density areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic cooling control where pump speeds, fluid flow rates, and heat exchanger operations are continuously adjusted based on real-time thermal sensors and IT equipment power consumption. This dynamic optimization ensures cooling capacity matches actual demand, significantly improving energy efficiency compared to static horizontal immersion designs.
4Temperature
If immersion cooling fluid is supplied to all compartments, then cooling coverage is maximized, but fluid usage efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by cycling cooling fluid through different zones sequentially rather than continuously supplying all compartments simultaneously. The system monitors thermal loads and activates cooling in specific compartments only when needed, using pump control to route fluid through high-priority zones first, then transitioning to other zones as thermal conditions change, thereby maximizing cooling coverage while minimizing fluid consumption.
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 system effectively manages thermal loads with improved energy efficiency, fluid usage, and maintenance capabilities, providing a precise and safe thermal environment for IT equipment.
Implementation Method 1
immersion cooling, e.g., in which IT equipment/components are immersed in an immersion cooling fluid
Implementation Method 2
cooling fluid supply loop... cooling fluid return loop... to facilitate circulation or recirculation of the cooling fluid
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for immersion cooling for information technology (IT) equipment. For example, an immersion tank can receive a cooling fluid that is circulated therethrough (e.g., by a pump). Further, an IT container can be at least partially received within immersion tank, and the IT container can include a plurality of IT compartments that are configured to receive one or more IT components. The cooling fluid can be selectively provided to the IT compartments with IT equipment installed therein for cooling of the IT equipment.