Rack-Mounted Cooling System for Space-Constrained Data Centers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid cooling systems for computing systems require significant space and additional floor space in data centers, which is a challenge in space-constrained environments, and they often compromise computing capacity to accommodate the necessary heat exchangers and coolant pumping equipment.
Innovation Solution
A rack-mounted cooling system that integrates heat exchangers and a pump unit within the existing rack footprint, utilizing heat transfer fluid to manage temperature without requiring additional space, and includes a pump unit with internal heat exchanger capabilities and removable pump modules for redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional liquid cooling systems are used to manage heat from computing chips, then thermal management effectiveness is improved, but space consumption increases significantly requiring additional data center floor space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heat exchanger and pump unit into an integrated rack-mounted cooling system that fits within the existing rack footprint. The heat exchanger is mounted at the rear of the rack while the pump unit is positioned at the top, merging previously separate cooling components into a unified space-efficient assembly that eliminates the need for additional floor space.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system components are nested within the existing rack structure. The heat exchanger fits in the rear portion of the rack, while the pump unit is positioned in the upper section, effectively nesting the cooling infrastructure within the already-allocated rack space rather than requiring separate dedicated space.
2Temperature
If conventional liquid cooling systems are deployed to cool computing components, then cooling performance is improved, but computing capacity is reduced due to space occupied by cooling equipment
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the heat exchanger and pump unit into a single rack-mounted assembly, the system minimizes the space dedicated to cooling infrastructure. This allows computing components to occupy the maximum available space within the rack, thereby maintaining high computing capacity while achieving effective liquid cooling performance.
3Reliability
If heat exchangers and pump units are installed outside the rack footprint, then cooling system functionality is improved, but installation complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of the heat exchanger and pump unit into a rack-mounted system consolidates multiple components into a single installable unit. This reduces installation complexity by eliminating the need for separate mounting procedures and simplifies space planning by containing all cooling functionality within the existing rack boundaries.
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 effectively cools computing components within the existing rack space, minimizing the reduction in computing capacity and allowing for efficient thermal management in space-constrained areas without the need for additional data center space.
Implementation Method 1
a pump unit positioned at a top of the rack (12) and including a plurality of pump modules (202). Each of the plurality of pump modules (202) includes a pump (204) operable to pump the heat transfer fluid
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of heat exchangers (110) positioned at a rear side of the rack (12). The plurality of heat exchangers (110) are operable to lower a temperature of the heat transfer fluid
Implementation Method 3
The plurality of heat exchangers (110) are operable to lower a temperature of the heat transfer fluid as the heat transfer fluid flows across cooling fins
Implementation Method 4
The plurality of heat exchangers (110) are operable to lower a temperature of the heat transfer fluid as the heat transfer fluid flows across cooling fins
Data Source
AI summary
A rack mounted cooling system operable to cool a computing system is provided. The rack mounted cooling system includes a pump unit operable to pump fluid and a plurality of heat exchangers. The heat exchangers include an input heat exchanger and an outlet heat exchanger. The input heat exchanger is operable to receive the fluid from the pump unit, lower a temperature of the fluid, and provide the fluid to a liquid cooled computing unit. The outlet heat exchanger is operable to receive the fluid from the liquid cooled computing unit, lower the temperature of the fluid, and provide the fluid to the pump unit. The heat exchangers are operable to be coupled to a rack of the computing system such that the rack with the plurality of heat exchangers fits within a rack keep in area.