Integrated Fill and Drain Pump for Liquid Cooling Backup

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing power dissipation in integrated circuit chips poses cooling challenges, as conventional air-cooling methods become inadequate, and liquid-cooling systems require complex and costly setups to manage high heat fluxes effectively.

Innovation Solution

A cooling system incorporating a coolant circulation loop with a primary coolant pump and an integrated fill and drain pump, which acts as a backup to ensure continuous coolant circulation, facilitating selective filling and draining, and reducing system complexity through a multifunction coolant manifold structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If liquid-cooling systems are used to manage high heat fluxes, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but system complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fill and drain pump is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both a fill/drain pump for coolant management and as a backup coolant circulation pump. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of pumps needed in the system, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining effective liquid cooling capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If more powerful air moving assemblies are used to handle increased power dissipation, then airflow capacity is improved, but energy consumption and system cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveairflow capacityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from air-cooling mechanical systems (air moving assemblies) to liquid-cooling systems with coolant circulation. Liquid cooling provides more efficient heat removal for high power dissipation applications, reducing the need for high-power air moving assemblies and their associated energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If backup coolant pumps are integrated into the cooling system, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fill and drain pump is integrated to serve dual purposes: normal coolant fill and drain operations, and backup coolant circulation when primary pumps fail. This eliminates the need for a separate dedicated backup pump, maintaining reliability while avoiding additional complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Device complexity

If conventional air-cooling methods are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but cooling effectiveness becomes inadequate for high power dissipation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidcooling effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces air-cooling with liquid-cooling technology. The coolant circulation system with integrated fill and drain pump provides superior heat removal capability for high power dissipation applications, accepting the necessary increase in system complexity as a trade-off for adequate cooling performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 effectively manages high heat fluxes by ensuring reliable coolant circulation and reducing system complexity and costs, while maintaining efficient heat removal from electronic components.

Implementation Method 1

The liquid absorbs the heat dissipated by the components/modules in an efficient manner. Typically, the heat is ultimately transferred from the liquid coolant to a heat sink

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

providing at least one primary coolant pump coupled to facilitate circulating coolant through the coolant circulation loop; the fill and drain pump circulating the coolant through the coolant circulation loop

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPump: Pump

Data Source

PatentUS9918409B2Cooling system with integrated fill and drain pump

Publication Date: 2018.03.13 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A cooling system is provided which includes, for instance, a coolant circulation loop, one or more primary coolant pumps, and a fill and drain pump. The primary coolant pump(s) is coupled to facilitate circulating coolant through the coolant circulation loop, and the fill and drain pump facilitates selective filling of the cooling system with the coolant, or draining of the coolant from the cooling system. The fill and drain pump is integrated with the cooling system as a backup coolant pump to the primary coolant pump(s), and circulates the coolant through the coolant circulation loop responsive to an error in the primary coolant pump(s). The primary coolant pump(s) and fill and drain pumps may be different types of pumps, and the cooling system further includes a control system for automatically activating the fill and drain pump upon detection of an error in the primary coolant pump(s).