Two-Phase Immersion Cooling Rack with External Condenser
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems, such as CRAC units, struggle to effectively manage the thermal environment in high-power density electronic racks, and immersion cooling solutions are complex and require significant infrastructure modifications, especially in heterogeneous data center environments where servers with varying designs and operations are populated.
Innovation Solution
A two-phase cooling system for electronic racks, where servers are partially submerged in two-phase coolant, with a vapor manifold directing vapor to a rack-mounted condenser and a standalone coolant unit managing the coolant supply and return, allowing multiple paths for coolant distribution to accommodate different server power conditions and types, thereby maintaining efficient cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If CRAC units are used for cooling, then conventional racks can be cooled, but high-power density racks cannot be effectively cooled due to higher heat generation rates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into rack-level independent cooling units rather than a centralized CRAC system. Each electronic rack has its own cooling unit that can independently manage thermal conditions, allowing different cooling capacities for different rack density configurations without affecting other racks.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system incorporates dynamic adaptability through variable speed fans and adjustable cooling configurations that can respond to changing heat loads. The system can dynamically adjust airflow and cooling capacity based on the actual power density and thermal conditions of each rack.
2Temperature
If immersion cooling is implemented, then high-density racks can be cooled, but significant infrastructure modifications and system complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The condenser is extracted from the immersion tank and positioned externally on the rack. This separates the liquid cooling function from the vapor condensation function, eliminating the need for complex sealed immersion systems while maintaining effective heat removal. The dielectric liquid remains in the tank submerging electronics, while the condenser operates independently outside the tank.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed to accommodate multiple server types and power densities within the same rack infrastructure. The standardized rack-level cooling unit can serve different configurations of servers, from lower-density to high-density deployments, without requiring different cooling approaches or significant modifications.
3Temperature
If conventional immersion cooling with in-tank condenser is used, then cooling is effective, but maintenance requires breaking the cooling loop and shutting down electronics
Solution Approach 1:
The condenser is removed from the immersion tank and installed externally on the rack structure. This physical separation allows the condenser to be accessed, removed, or maintained independently without disturbing the dielectric liquid or the submerged electronics. The cooling loop remains intact and operational during condenser maintenance activities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses an intermediary vapor manifold and external piping to connect the submerged electronics to the external condenser. This intermediary infrastructure allows heat transfer and cooling functionality while enabling physical access to maintenance components without requiring system shutdown or breaking the cooling loop.
4Power
If high-power density racks are deployed, then computing power increases, but existing cooling systems cannot manage the higher heat load
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a two-phase closed thermodynamic cycle using dielectric liquid that circulates between the submerged electronics and the external condenser. The liquid absorbs heat from high-power density electronics, vaporizes, rises to the condenser, condenses back to liquid, and returns to the electronics, creating an efficient heat transfer cycle capable of managing high heat loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system exploits phase transitions of the dielectric liquid between liquid and vapor states to efficiently transfer heat from the electronics to the external condenser. The liquid-to-vapor transition absorbs heat at the electronics, while the vapor-to-liquid transition releases heat at the condenser, providing high heat transfer efficiency for high-power density applications.
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 provides efficient heat management for high-power density racks by allowing flexible coolant distribution and reducing the need for extensive infrastructure modifications, ensuring continuous operation and minimizing service interruptions during maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
each of the one or more servers is at least partially submerged within two-phase liquid coolant, where, while the one or more servers provides IT services, the one or more servers generates heat that is transferred to the two phase liquid coolant thereby causing at least some of the two phase liquid coolant to turn into a vapor
Implementation Method 2
a cooling condenser...to condense the vapor into the two-phase liquid coolant
Implementation Method 3
a vapor manifold situation along a length of the electronic rack, the vapor manifold coupling the condenser container to a respective server container of the one or more servers, where the vapor manifold directs the vapor from the one or more servers to the cooling condenser
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic rack includes one or more servers, where each server is contained within a respective server container, and each server is at least partially submerged in two-phase liquid coolant, where, while the server generates heat that is transferred to the two phase liquid coolant thereby causing some of the two phase liquid coolant to turn into a vapor. The electronic rack includes a condenser container and condensing coils mounted at a top portion of the electronic rack to condense the vapor into the two-phase liquid coolant. The electronic rack includes a vapor manifold along a length of the electronic rack, the vapor manifold coupling the condenser container to a respective server, where the vapor manifold carries the vapor from the servers to the condensing coils. The electronic rack includes a first return line coupled to the condenser container, to return the two-phase liquid coolant to a coolant unit.