Immersion Server Drawer Liquid Vapor Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fan-based cooling systems for large-scale server systems are inefficient, requiring high power consumption and facing thermal challenges due to increasing processing and storage densities, while also needing to manage air-quality parameters like temperature, humidity, and particulate contamination.
Innovation Solution
A vertically-oriented liquid and vapor cooled immersion server system that utilizes a dielectric liquid for liquid cooling of processor and memory components and vapor cooling of hard disk drives, with a vaporization-condensation cycle within an immersion server drawer and cabinet, allowing for efficient cooling with reduced power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If fan-based cooling systems are used for server systems, then cooling capability is provided, but power consumption increases exponentially with server density
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical fan-based air cooling system with a liquid immersion cooling system. Servers are submerged in a dielectric liquid that directly contacts heat-generating components, transferring heat through conduction and convection without requiring mechanical fans. This substitution eliminates the exponential power consumption growth associated with high-speed fans while maintaining effective cooling at high server densities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs hydraulic cooling by circulating dielectric liquid through and around server components. The liquid flow system provides continuous heat removal through controlled circulation, replacing the pneumatic/fan-based air movement approach. This hydraulic system enables efficient heat transfer at higher densities without the power penalties of forced air cooling.
2Temperature
If air cooling systems are used, then cooling is provided, but special consideration for air-quality parameters including temperature, humidity, altitude, and airborne particulate is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an inert liquid environment by submerging servers in a dielectric liquid. This liquid atmosphere replaces air, eliminating concerns about airborne particulates, humidity variations, and altitude effects. The dielectric liquid provides a stable, controlled thermal environment that is insensitive to atmospheric conditions, thereby simplifying the system and removing the need for complex air-quality management infrastructure.
3Productivity
If server density is increased to improve space utilization, then processing and storage capacity increases, but thermal challenges and cooling requirements become more difficult to manage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hydraulic immersion cooling where dielectric liquid is circulated through dense server arrangements. The liquid provides direct thermal contact with high-density components, enabling efficient heat extraction even when servers are tightly packed. This approach maintains effective thermal management regardless of increasing server density, unlike air cooling which becomes progressively less effective as density increases.
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 enables effective cooling of server components with lower power consumption, increased cooling density, and improved thermal management, allowing for higher processing and storage densities without the need for extensive air-cooling infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
A vertically-oriented liquid and vapor cooled immersion server system that utilizes a dielectric liquid for liquid cooling of processor and memory components
Implementation Method 2
vapor cooling of hard disk drives, with a vaporization-condensation cycle within an immersion server drawer and cabinet
Implementation Method 3
vapor cooling of hard disk drives, with a vaporization-condensation cycle within an immersion server drawer and cabinet
Data Source
AI summary
An information handling system includes: an immersion server drawer (ISD) having: an impervious enclosure which holds a volume of dielectric cooling liquid within/at the enclosure bottom. The ISD is configured with dimensions that enable insertion of liquid-cooled servers within the enclosure bottom. A plurality of liquid-cooled servers can be placed in a side-by-side configuration along one dimension of the ISD, with one or more heat dissipating components of the servers being placed below a surface layer of the cooling liquid. Submerged components of the immersion server are liquid-cooled, while the other heat generating components above the liquid surface are air cooled by rising vapor generated by boiling and vaporization of the cooling liquid. The ISD is placed in an ISD cabinet, which is configured with an upper condenser that allows for multi-phase cooling of the electronic devices placed within the immersion server drawer. The ISD cabinet can be rack-mountable.