Immersion Cooling Racks with Two-Phase Coolant for High-Density Data Centers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data center cooling systems, such as CRAC units, struggle to effectively manage the thermal environment for high-power density electronic racks, leading to potential server failure and requiring costly upgrades or complex immersion cooling solutions that involve significant modifications and potential dielectric solution loss.
Innovation Solution
A modular IT equipment cooling system that incorporates a two-phase coolant unit coupled to electronic racks, featuring charging and draining pumps, three-way valves, and a central coolant system to manage the flow of two-phase coolant, allowing for efficient deployment and minimizing dielectric solution loss by submerging IT equipment in a two-phase liquid coolant that absorbs heat and vaporizes to carry it away for condensation back into liquid form.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If CRAC units are used to cool conventional racks, then thermal environment is maintained, but high-power density racks cannot be effectively cooled due to higher heat generation rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from air cooling to immersion cooling by changing the cooling medium parameter, submerging IT equipment in dielectric liquid to enable direct heat transfer and effectively cool high-power density racks that generate excessive heat for conventional air cooling systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses liquid-based cooling (hydraulic principle) instead of air cooling, circulating dielectric liquid through cooling channels and immersion tanks to transfer heat from high-density electronic racks, leveraging fluid thermal capacity for efficient heat removal
2Productivity
If CRAC system is upgraded to satisfy cooling requirements of high density deployment, then cooling capacity increases, but significant cost is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the data center into multiple zones with separate cooling systems - immersion cooling zones for high-density racks and conventional air cooling zones for standard racks, allowing targeted cooling deployment that avoids costly upgrades of the entire CRAC system
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of upgrading conventional air cooling systems to handle high-density racks, the patent inverts the approach by using immersion cooling for high-density racks while maintaining conventional air cooling for standard racks, achieving cost-effective cooling capacity expansion
3Device complexity
If air cooling is used for high density racks, then existing infrastructure is maintained, but large amount of airflow is required which is difficult to move
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces air-based cooling (pneumatic) with liquid-based immersion cooling (hydraulic), eliminating the need to move large volumes of airflow by using liquid circulation through pumps and cooling channels, significantly improving ease of operation for high-density rack cooling
4Temperature
If single tank immersion cooling is deployed, then dielectric solution is used for cooling, but potential loss of dielectric solution occurs and deployment is extremely complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the immersion cooling system into modular components - separate immersion tanks for different rack groups, independent pumping systems, and distributed cooling channels - making deployment less complicated while maintaining effective dielectric solution cooling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic dielectric solution level management with automated monitoring and replenishment systems, allowing the system to adapt to solution loss and maintain optimal cooling levels, reducing deployment complexity and operational concerns
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 the efficiency of data center cooling by effectively managing thermal loads in high-density racks, reducing the risk of server failure and minimizing dielectric solution loss, while allowing for flexible deployment and scalable cooling infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
the IT equipment 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 vapor phase
Implementation Method 2
The IT equipment cooling set includes an IT condensing unit having a condenser that is positioned above the IT unit and the condenser is configured to condense the vapor back into liquid phase
Implementation Method 3
the IT equipment generates heat that is transferred to the two phase liquid coolant
Data Source
AI summary
An information technology (IT) equipment cooling system includes a coolant unit to be coupled to an electronic rack, the coolant unit to supply a two phase liquid coolant to one or more IT equipment cooling sets mounted within on an electronic rack. Each of the one or more IT equipment cooling sets includes an IT unit having one or more pieces of IT equipment configured to provide IT services and is at least partially submerged within the two phase liquid coolant, where, while the IT equipment provides the IT services, the IT equipment 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 vapor phase. The IT equipment cooling set includes an IT condensing unit having a condenser positioned above the IT unit and the condenser is to condense the vapor back into liquid state.