Modulating Valve Cold Plate for Data Center Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data centers face challenges in efficiently cooling electronic equipment due to inadequate cooling techniques, leading to potential device failure from overheating, which results in increased costs and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A cold plate cooling system with a tray-mounted control valve that adjusts the flow of a cooling liquid based on operating conditions of heat generating devices, allowing for customizable cooling fluid flow rates and temperatures to match the specific needs of each server tray, thereby optimizing cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If forced convection cooling is used with fans, then cooling coverage is improved, but cooling effectiveness in difficult-to-cool areas deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple independent cold plates, each targeting specific heat-generating components. This segmentation allows the system to provide focused cooling to difficult-to-cool areas while maintaining broad coverage through multiple distributed cooling zones.
Solution Approach 2:
Cold plates serve as intermediary heat exchangers between the electronic components and the cooling fluid. These intermediaries directly contact the heat-generating surfaces, efficiently transferring heat from difficult-to-cool areas to the cooling fluid flow.
2Power
If cooling fluid flow rate is increased, then cooling capacity is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the cooling fluid flow rate through controllable valves in response to real-time thermal conditions and power consumption levels. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize the balance between cooling capacity and energy efficiency, increasing flow only when and where heat generation requires it.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (flow rate, temperature) of the cooling fluid based on the thermal load and power consumption of electronic devices. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system achieves high cooling capacity when needed while minimizing energy consumption during low-load conditions.
3Ease of manufacture
If standard cooling systems are used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability to varying power levels deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system uses multiple standardized cold plate modules that can be independently configured and combined. This modular segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity through standardization while enabling high adaptability to different power levels and device configurations by simply adding or removing modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The cold plate design serves multiple functions: it acts as a heat exchanger, a structural mounting component, and a flow distribution element. This multi-functionality reduces manufacturing complexity by consolidating components while simultaneously increasing adaptability to various power levels and device arrangements.
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 provides scalable, modular, and efficient cooling, allowing for increased cooling during peak power usage while reducing overall cooling fluid flow usage, leading to higher efficiency and cost savings by accommodating varying power levels and manufacturing variations.
Implementation Method 1
at least one cold plate positioned in thermal communication with at least a portion of the plurality of heat generating electronic devices
Implementation Method 2
a modulating control valve configured to adjust a flow rate of the cooling liquid through the at least one cold plate based at least in part on an operating condition of at least one of the plurality of heat generating electronic devices
Implementation Method 3
circulated a flow of a cooling liquid to a server rack sub-assembly that includes at least one motherboard mounted on a support member and a plurality of heat generating electronic devices mounted on the at least one motherboard
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A~2C
AI summary
A data center cooling system includes a server rack sub-assembly that includes a motherboard mounted on a support member and a heat generating electronic devices mounted on the a motherboard; a cold plate positioned in thermal communication with at least a portion of the heat generating electronic devices, the cold plate configured to receive a flow of a cooling liquid circulated through a supply conduit fluidly coupled to a liquid inlet of the cold plate, through the cold plate, and through a return conduit fluidly coupled to a liquid outlet of the cold plate; and a modulating control valve attached to either of the motherboard or the support member and positioned in either of the supply conduit or the return conduit, the modulating control valve configured to adjust a rate of the flow of the cooling liquid based on an operating condition of at least one of the heat generating electronic devices.