Rack and row-scale cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rack and row-scale coolant distribution unit (CDU) solutions are inefficiently packaged due to the lack of space-efficient pump options, as conventional centrifugal pumps are large and not optimized for smaller spaces, limiting scalability and increasing costs with rising power demands.
Innovation Solution
The development of axial pump systems that can be configured in series or parallel, allowing for compact sizing to fit within chassis, racks, or rows of racks, with impellers rotating in a circumferential motion, enabling improved scalability and flexibility in cooling fluid delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional centrifugal pump-based solutions are used, then cooling efficiency is maintained, but system volume and packaging space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional centrifugal pump mechanisms with alternative pumping technologies that achieve the same cooling fluid delivery function with reduced volume. This substitution allows maintaining cooling efficiency while significantly reducing the physical footprint of the pump system, enabling compact rack and row-scale packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies key parameters of the pump system including operating pressure, flow rate, and pump configuration (series/parallel arrangements) to achieve optimal performance in compact form factors. By changing these parameters, the system maintains cooling efficiency while adapting to smaller volume constraints.
2Reliability
If conventional centrifugal pump-based solutions are used, then reliable cooling is provided, but scalability to higher power levels is limited due to space constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooling system into modular rack-scale and row-scale configurations with independent pump units that can be scaled by adding or removing modules. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliable cooling while scaling to higher power levels by simply increasing the number of modular units rather than enlarging individual components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic pump configurations where pumps can be arranged in series or parallel depending on the cooling load requirements. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to scale efficiently from lower to higher power levels while maintaining optimal cooling performance and reliability across different operating conditions.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional centrifugal pumps are used, then adequate cooling flow is achieved, but packaging density and space utilization decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates pump components and cooling fluid pathways into nested configurations where smaller components are positioned within or alongside larger structural elements. This nesting allows adequate cooling flow to be achieved while maximizing packaging density and minimizing the overall footprint of the cooling system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional planar layouts to three-dimensional spatial arrangements of pump components and cooling pathways. By utilizing vertical space and multi-level configurations, the system achieves adequate cooling flow rates without increasing the horizontal packaging area, thereby improving space utilization.
4Power
If conventional centrifugal pump systems are deployed, then cooling performance is maintained, but system costs and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs universal pump modules that can serve multiple functions and be deployed in various configurations (rack-scale, row-scale, series, parallel) to meet different cooling performance requirements. This multi-functionality reduces system complexity by using standardized components rather than custom-designed systems for each application, while maintaining adequate cooling performance.
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 space-efficient, high-density cooling solutions with enhanced performance, redundancy, and lower costs by reducing system volume, optimizing cable lengths, and allowing for flexible pump configurations, thereby accommodating increasing power levels without the need for extensive system growth.
Implementation Method 1
The pumps may include impellers configured to rotate in a circumferential motion around an axis with a longitudinal axis of the pumps
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and devices for cooling servers are provided. In one aspect, a cooling device includes a first axial pump including a body having an impeller, the first axial pump coupled to a first pump housing, the first axial pump housing coupled to a chassis, a rack, a row of racks, or one or more racks of the row of racks that are housing one or more servers. The cooling device also includes an inlet pipe coupled to an inlet of the first pump housing, the inlet pipe supplying cooling fluid to the first axial pump. The cooling device also includes an outlet pipe having an outlet coupled to the first pump housing, the outlet pipe receiving the cooling fluid from the first axial pump.