Flexible Liquid Immersion Chassis Liner with Rigid Over-Molds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid-cooled computing devices require custom, leak-proof chassis that increase weight, material costs, and manufacturing complexity, limiting design features and increasing costs compared to air-cooled systems.
Innovation Solution
A flexible plastic liner with embedded rigid over-molds is used to create a liquid barrier within a commodity chassis, allowing for precise component alignment and fluid retention, while enabling standard manufacturing techniques and reducing material thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a custom leak-proof chassis is used for liquid cooling, then liquid retention is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The chassis is divided into two functional parts: a standard commodity chassis for structural support and a flexible plastic liner for liquid retention. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently, reducing overall weight while maintaining leak-proof performance.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible plastic liner acts as an intermediary component between the commodity chassis and the cooling liquid. This liner provides the necessary liquid barrier function without requiring the entire chassis to be custom-manufactured, thereby reducing weight and complexity.
2Reliability
If a custom leak-proof chassis is used for liquid cooling, then liquid retention is improved, but material costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The solution separates the liquid retention function into a separate flexible liner component, allowing the use of inexpensive commodity chassis. This reduces material costs compared to manufacturing an entirely custom leak-proof chassis.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible plastic liner is a cost-effective, easily replaceable component that provides liquid barrier functionality without the high cost of custom chassis manufacturing. Standard plastic materials are used instead of expensive specialized materials.
3Reliability
If a custom leak-proof chassis is used for liquid cooling, then liquid retention is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the liquid retention function into a separate flexible liner, the overall system complexity is reduced. The liner can be independently manufactured and installed without complex welding or assembly procedures required for custom chassis.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible plastic liner provides the liquid barrier function with simple construction. The flexibility allows it to conform to the chassis interior without requiring precise manufacturing tolerances or complex joining methods, thereby reducing device complexity.
4Reliability
If a custom leak-proof chassis is used for liquid cooling, then liquid retention is improved, but manufacturing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible liner is pre-formed and can be independently manufactured using standard molding processes. This preliminary preparation allows for parallel manufacturing of the liner and chassis components, reducing overall manufacturing time compared to sequential custom chassis fabrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation of the liner from the chassis enables independent manufacturing and assembly. This modular approach allows standard manufacturing processes to be used for both components simultaneously, significantly reducing total manufacturing time compared to creating a single custom integrated chassis.
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 solution provides a cost-effective, leak-proof liquid-cooling system that maintains component alignment and design flexibility, reducing manufacturing complexity and material costs compared to custom chassis designs.
Implementation Method 1
the liquid used in a liquid-cooling method must be compatible with the computing components being cooled, such as a dielectric fluid
Implementation Method 2
A flexible plastic liner with embedded rigid over-molds is used to create a liquid barrier within a commodity chassis, allowing for precise component alignment and fluid retention
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for providing and using a liner including one or more rigid over-molds for a chassis of a computing device cooled with a liquid fluid are disclosed. The liner may include a flexible membrane configured to be positioned in a chassis to form a liquid barrier that retains a liquid cooling fluid and one or more rigid over-molds configured to align components in fixed positions relative to other respective components or the chassis. The rigid over-molds may be located on the interior and/or the exterior of the liner to fixedly couple to components and/or the chassis. A set of over-molds may also be configured to enable insertion of connectors exterior to the liner, wherein a first rigid over-mold on the interior of the liner may be aligned with a second rigid over-mold on the exterior of the liner.