Modular Orifice Barb for Pressure-Balanced Liquid Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid cooling systems in information handling systems face challenges in maintaining consistent pressure and flow rates due to varying fluid pressure characteristics from different suppliers, leading to inconsistent thermal performance across components.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a pressure-balancing orifice within a modular quick disconnect fluid fitting, which includes a housing with a fluidic channel and a modular barb having specific dimensions and configurations to manage fluid flow and pressure, allowing for customizable flow rates and pressure characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If components from different suppliers are used in liquid cooling systems, then supplier diversity and component availability are improved, but pressure characteristics and flow rate consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by providing multiple orifice size options (e.g., 0.5mm, 0.75mm, 1.0mm) that can be selected based on the specific supplier's component characteristics. This allows the system to adjust flow resistance parameters to compensate for variations in pressure characteristics from different suppliers, thereby maintaining consistent flow rates across all cooling loops.
Solution Approach 2:
The orifice acts as an intermediary flow resistance element between the pump and the various components. By introducing this controllable resistance point, the system can mediate and balance the flow distribution to different suppliers' components, ensuring that variations in component pressure characteristics do not lead to inconsistent flow rates.
2Reliability
If pressure balancing is performed manually for each cooling loop, then flow rate consistency is improved, but system complexity and tuning time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flow control function into modular orifice components that can be independently selected and installed in each cooling loop. Instead of requiring complex centralized tuning, each loop can be independently configured with the appropriate orifice size, simplifying the overall system tuning process while maintaining flow rate consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The orifices are pre-configured with specific size specifications during the design and manufacturing phase. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex field tuning and adjustments, as the correct flow resistance is already built into the component before installation.
3Productivity
If larger orifices are used to increase flow rate, then cooling capacity is improved, but pressure drop across the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different orifice sizes for different cooling loops based on their specific thermal requirements. High-heat-load components receive larger orifices for higher flow rates, while low-heat-load components receive smaller orifices. This localized optimization allows the system to maximize cooling capacity where needed while maintaining acceptable pressure drops overall.
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 consistent pressure and flow rate management across components, ensuring uniform thermal performance and reducing the need for fine-tuning of cooling loops, thereby enhancing the efficiency and reliability of liquid cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
The second fluidic channel may include an orifice configured to restrict fluid flow through the modular barb. The orifice may be configured to provide a desired flow rate and/or pressure characteristics to the fluid flowing through the modular barb.
Data Source
AI summary
A modular barb may be configured to couple at a first end of the modular barb to an end of a housing having a first fluidic channel, wherein the modular barb has a second fluidic channel formed within and is configured to convey fluid between the first end of the modular barb and a second end of the modular barb, and wherein the second fluidic channel comprises a first portion having a first dimension perpendicular to a direction from the first end of the modular barb to the second end of the modular barb, a second portion having a second dimension perpendicular to the direction, wherein the second dimension is smaller than the first dimension, and a third portion having a third dimension perpendicular to the direction, wherein the second dimension is smaller than the third dimension.