Non-Sealed Rack Immersion Cooling for High-Density Data Centers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling technologies for electronic equipment in data centers face challenges such as inadequate cooling for high-heat devices, significant power consumption, and the inability to efficiently implement immersion cooling in high-density data centers.
Innovation Solution
A rack system with a non-sealed immersion case that uses a dielectric cooling liquid, where the liquid is induced to flow over heat-generating components by gravity or convection, and includes a serpentine convection coil to enhance cooling, allowing for efficient cooling without the need for sealed systems or high-energy pumps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If pumps are used to circulate dielectric cooling liquid in immersion cooling systems, then cooling efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses natural convection currents generated by temperature differences within the immersion cooling liquid itself to drive circulation, eliminating the need for external pumps. The heated liquid naturally rises and cooler liquid sinks, creating a self-sustaining circulation pattern that cools electronic components without additional energy input.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical pump system with a thermal convection-based fluid circulation mechanism. Instead of using mechanical force to move the dielectric cooling liquid, the system relies on thermal buoyancy forces generated by temperature gradients, substituting a mechanical energy-consuming system with a passive thermal-driven system.
2Reliability
If sealed immersion cooling systems are used, then spillage is prevented, but manufacturing cost increases and pump systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the sealed enclosure from the immersion cooling system design. Instead of containing the dielectric cooling liquid in a sealed tank, the system allows the liquid to be open to the environment, eliminating the complexity and cost of sealed manufacturing while using the liquid's natural properties to maintain cooling function.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of preventing spillage through sealing (conventional approach), the system inverts the approach by accepting the open environment and using the dielectric liquid's inherent properties to function effectively without sealing. The cooling mechanism works effectively in an unsealed configuration, reversing the traditional sealed-tank immersion cooling paradigm.
3Temperature
If large tanks are used for immersion cooling, then cooling capacity is sufficient, but space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the immersion cooling system into modular rack-mounted units, each containing a portion of the dielectric cooling liquid and serving specific electronic components. This segmentation allows distributed cooling throughout the data center infrastructure, eliminating the need for a single large centralized cooling tank while maintaining adequate cooling capacity across multiple smaller units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from horizontal space occupation with large tanks to vertical integration within rack-mounted assemblies. By utilizing the vertical dimension of server racks, the immersion cooling liquid is contained in compact vertical volumes that fit within existing data center rack footprints, dramatically reducing the horizontal space footprint.
4Temperature
If forced ventilation cooling with fans is used, then heat is displaced, but space on racks is reduced and cooling effectiveness is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from gas-based forced air cooling to liquid-based immersion cooling. By submerging electronic components directly in dielectric cooling liquid, the system achieves superior heat transfer efficiency compared to air cooling, allowing for more compact configurations and better cooling performance within the same rack space.
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 provides effective cooling for high-heat devices while reducing power consumption and enabling the use of immersion cooling in high-density data centers, allowing for more efficient and cost-effective operation.
Implementation Method 1
The rack-mounted assembly includes a serpentine convection coil in thermal contact with at least a portion of the electronic device and in thermal contact with at least a portion of the dielectric immersion cooling liquid and configured to facilitate transfer of heat from the electronic device to the dielectric immersion cooling liquid through natural convection
Implementation Method 2
The heat-generating component is in thermal contact with a liquid cooling block through which a channelized cooling fluid is conveyed
Data Source
AI summary
A rack system for use, e.g., in data centers is disclosed. The rack system includes a rack frame and a rack-mounted assembly, including an electronic device disposed within the rack-mounted assembly, the electronic device including a heat-generating component. The heat-generating component is in thermal contact with a liquid cooling block through which a channelized cooling fluid is conveyed. The electronic device is immersed in a dielectric immersion cooling liquid. The rack-mounted assembly includes a non-sealed immersion case in which the electronic device is immersed in the dielectric immersion cooling liquid, the non-sealed immersion case configured to permit the rack-mounted assembly to be individually inserted into or removed from the rack frame. Also disclosed are container-based data center modules based on the disclosed rack system, and a data center using numerous such container-based modules.