Interlayer Heat Sink Flow Split for Supercomputer Card Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for electronic cards in supercomputers face challenges such as rigidity issues with copper pipes, inefficient cooling of non-processor components, high temperature gradients, complex manufacturing, and space constraints, particularly in multi-processor setups.
Innovation Solution
A liquid cooling system with flexible heat sinks connected via a cold plate, utilizing a network of channels for heat transfer fluid, including inlet, outlet, and interlayer heat sinks to optimize cooling efficiency and maintainability, allowing flexible assembly and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If copper pipes are used for liquid cooling, then cooling efficiency is improved, but rigidity increases making disassembly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into modular heat sink units that can be independently removed from the cold plate, while the copper pipe network within each module remains intact. This allows maintenance of cooling efficiency through modular replacement rather than complete system disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible connections and mounting mechanisms that allow the rigid copper cooling pipes to be easily installed and removed from the cold plate, combining the thermal conductivity benefits of rigid copper with the ease of flexible installation.
2Temperature
If processors are cooled by liquid loop, then processor cooling is improved, but non-processor components are not adequately cooled
Solution Approach 1:
The cold plate design integrates multiple cooling functions: it provides direct liquid cooling to processors through heat sinks, while simultaneously cooling other electronic components through its base surface that contacts the circuit board. The system universally cools both high-power processors and lower-power components through a unified liquid cooling approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The cold plate acts as an intermediary thermal management device that distributes cooled liquid to multiple heat sinks for processors while its body serves as an additional heat dissipation surface for other components, mediating thermal control across the entire electronic card.
3Temperature
If heat pipes are used to interface processors with cold plate, then thermal contact is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat pipe functionality from a separate component and integrates it directly into the heat sink structure itself. The heat pipes are embedded within the heat sink body during manufacturing, eliminating the need for separate heat pipe assemblies and reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat sink and heat pipe components are merged into a single integrated unit. The heat pipes are incorporated directly into the heat sink structure, combining the thermal conduction functions of both components into one manufactured part, thereby simplifying assembly and reducing part count.
4Temperature
If multiple heat pipes are used to cool processors, then cooling coverage is improved, but rigidity of assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent heat sink modules, each containing its own heat pipes. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized for local thermal management while maintaining overall system flexibility through modular arrangement on the cold plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat sink modules are designed with dynamic mounting capabilities that allow for adjustment and removal. The modular design enables the system to adapt to different thermal loads and maintenance requirements, balancing rigidity for thermal contact with flexibility for maintenance.
5Ease of operation
If conductive grease is used for thermal contact, then ease of assembly is improved, but temperature gradient increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for conductive grease by integrating direct thermal contact surfaces into the heat sink structure. The heat pipes and cooling channels are designed to make direct contact with processor heat spreading surfaces, removing the thermal interface material layer that causes temperature gradients.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical application of conductive grease is replaced by engineered direct thermal contact surfaces. The heat sink design incorporates precision-machined contact surfaces and compression mechanisms that ensure optimal thermal contact without requiring additional thermal interface materials.
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 cools both processor and non-processor components, reduces manufacturing complexity, and accommodates space constraints while ensuring reliable operation and easy maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
the upper part of the cooling block being configured to divide the flow of heat transfer fluid entering through the cold inlet connector into a first flow, which is oriented towards the lower part of the cooling block so as to collect heat generated by the electronic card by being conveyed to the hot outlet connector, and a second flow, oriented directly towards the cold outlet connector
Implementation Method 2
a lower part constituting the main heat exchange zone
Implementation Method 3
so as to collect heat generated by the electronic card by being conveyed to the hot outlet connector
Data Source
AI summary
An interlayer heat sink for a liquid cooling system for an electronic card, the interlayer heat sink including a cold inlet connector, a hot inlet connector, a hot outlet connector, and a cold outlet connector. An upper part of the cooling block divides the flow of heat transfer fluid entering through the cold inlet connector into a first flow, which is oriented towards the lower part of the cooling block so as to collect heat generated by the electronic card by being conveyed to the hot outlet connector, and a second flow, oriented directly to the cold outlet connector, to convey the flow of heated-up heat transfer fluid received on the hot inlet connector directly to the hot outlet connector where it fuses with the heated-up flow in the lower part of the cooling block.