Rack-Mounted Liquid Submersion Cooling for Server Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling systems for electronic devices are inadequate in managing the increasing heat generated by high-performance components, leading to reduced component lifespan and potential data processing errors, despite efforts to reduce waste heat.
Innovation Solution
A liquid submersion-cooled system using dielectric cooling liquids to directly contact and dissipate heat from electronic components, with a scalable architecture that allows for arrays of computers with multiple processor cores, and a thermal dissipation/recovery system that includes external heat exchangers and pumps for efficient heat management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If liquid submersion cooling is implemented, then heat dissipation effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling liquid reservoir and pump functions from within individual computer cases and relocates them to external rack-mounted infrastructure. The cases themselves become simple enclosures for electronics, while the complex cooling functions are provided by external liquid distribution manifolds and centralized reservoirs, thereby reducing individual device complexity while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack-mounted cooling system provides multi-functional capabilities: it serves multiple computer cases simultaneously through liquid distribution manifolds, provides both cooling and structural support, and enables easy scalability by adding or removing cases from the rack. This universal approach replaces numerous individual cooling systems with a single multi-functional infrastructure.
2Temperature
If more cooling liquid is used for effective submersion cooling, then cooling performance is improved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple zones corresponding to different rack levels and computer cases. Each segment has its own liquid distribution manifold that serves only the local electronics, eliminating the need to fill the entire rack volume with cooling liquid. This segmented approach provides effective cooling only where needed, reducing overall liquid volume, weight, and cost.
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 extends component lifespan, reduces the risk of overheating-related failures, and minimizes the need for air conditioning, thereby lowering operational costs and improving data processing reliability.
Implementation Method 1
A dielectric cooling liquid is contained in the interior space, and a heat-generating electronic component is disposed within the space and is submerged in the dielectric cooling liquid
Implementation Method 2
the cooling liquid can be 'poured' or otherwise directed over the electronic component(s), with gravity assisting the liquid to flow downward over the component(s)
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid submersion cooling system that is suitable for cooling a number of electronic devices in parallel using a plurality of cases connected to a rack system. The system cools heat-generating components in server computers and other devices that use electronic, heat-generating components and are connected in parallel systems. The system includes a housing having an interior space, a dielectric cooling liquid in the interior space, a heat-generating electronic component disposed within the space and submerged in the dielectric cooling liquid. The rack system contains a manifold system to engage and allow liquid transfer for multiple cases and IO connectors to engage electrically with multiple cases/electronic devices. The rack system can be connected to a pump system for pumping the liquid into and out of the rack, to and from external heat exchangers, heat pumps, or other thermal dissipation/recovery devices.