Rack Cold Plate Cooling for High-Load Server Heat Sources
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing server cooling methods face inefficiencies in cooling high-load heat generating bodies, leading to increased power consumption and system complexity, particularly when dealing with large numbers of heat generating bodies.
Innovation Solution
A server cooling system utilizing a rack-based configuration with multiple servers, each equipped with cold plates, refrigerant supply and discharge paths, and a cooling unit that efficiently circulates refrigerant to cool both low- and high-temperature heat generating bodies using single-phase and boiling cold plates in a cascaded manner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If air cooling method (rear door method) is used for high-load heat generating bodies (>100W), then cooling capacity is achieved, but power consumption increases and cooling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from air cooling to liquid refrigerant cooling by installing cold plates with refrigerant supply paths directly on heat generating bodies. The refrigerant circulates through these cold plates, absorbing heat efficiently without requiring high-volume air flow, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining cooling capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a refrigerant as an intermediary substance between the heat generating body and the cooling unit. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the heat generating body through the cold plate and transfers it to the cooling unit, enabling efficient heat transfer without direct air contact and reducing the energy required for cooling.
2Temperature
If chip cooling method with individual cooling devices is used for each heat generating body, then cooling efficiency is improved, but number of components increases and system cannot be made compact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual cooling devices into a unified cold plate system. Instead of installing separate cooling devices on each heat generating body, a single cold plate with integrated refrigerant supply paths serves multiple heat generating bodies simultaneously, reducing component count while maintaining efficient cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The cold plate is designed as a universal cooling component that can serve multiple heat generating bodies with different thermal loads. The refrigerant supply path network distributes cooled refrigerant to various locations within the cold plate, enabling one component to perform the function of multiple individual cooling devices.
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 achieves efficient cooling of heat generating bodies while maintaining compactness, reducing the number of components and power consumption, and improving cooling efficiency through a cascaded refrigerant circulation system.
Implementation Method 1
cold plates which are in contact with the heat generating bodies corresponding to each of the plurality of cold plates
Implementation Method 2
a cooling unit configured to cool the refrigerant that has passed through each of the plurality of refrigerant discharge paths
Data Source
AI summary
A server cooling system includes a rack, a plurality of servers that are accommodated in the rack to be arranged in an up-down direction and each of which has a heat generating body, and a cooling device that is configured to cool each of the heat generating bodies. The cooling device includes a plurality of cold plates that are provided to correspond to the heat generating bodies of each server and are in contact with the corresponding heat generating bodies, a refrigerant supply path that is configured to supply a refrigerant to each of the cold plates, a refrigerant discharge path that is configured to discharge the refrigerant that has passed through each of the cold plates, and a cooling unit that is configured to cool the refrigerant that has passed through each of the refrigerant discharge paths and to introduce the refrigerant into the refrigerant supply path.