Rack-Mounted Server Liquid Cooling Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data center cooling systems face inefficiencies and contamination risks due to air cooling, and direct liquid cooling poses leakage risks to electronic equipment.

Innovation Solution

A liquid cooling system for rack-mounted electronic equipment that employs a Cooling Distribution Unit (CDU) extension with separate fault domains, heat exchangers, and makeup tanks to manage coolant circulation and detect leaks, isolating electronic components from ambient air and containing potential coolant leaks within defined compartments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If direct liquid cooling is used to cool rack-mounted electronic equipment, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the risk of leakage failures increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidleakage failure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the cooling system into separate fault domains, where each domain is isolated from others. This segmentation ensures that a leakage failure in one domain does not propagate to other domains, thereby maintaining system reliability while preserving cooling efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary containment structure between the liquid coolant and the electronic components. This intermediary layer allows efficient heat transfer while preventing direct contact between coolant and electronics, reducing leakage failure risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If ambient air is used for cooling rack-mounted servers, then system complexity is reduced, but contamination risk to internal components increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling system complexityVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the cooling approach by using separate sealed conduits for different coolant flows. This allows the use of ambient air for cooling external surfaces while using controlled liquid coolant flows through sealed pathways, reducing contamination risk without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates an inert or controlled environment within sealed conduits where liquid coolant flows, isolating the electronic components from ambient air contamination while maintaining efficient cooling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

3Loss of energy

If liquid coolant is circulated through sealed conduits in heat exchange relationship with server components, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the complexity of leak detection and containment increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidleak detection and containment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system is divided into multiple sealed conduit systems, each serving a specific fault domain. This segmentation simplifies leak detection and containment by isolating potential leakage issues to specific segments, reducing the overall complexity of the containment system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates sensors and monitoring mechanisms that provide feedback on coolant flow and temperature. This feedback enables early detection of leakage conditions, simplifying the containment requirements by allowing proactive response before significant leakage occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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 system enhances cooling efficiency while reducing the risk of leakage failures by differentiating between slow and fast leaks, containing coolant within specific fault domains, and isolating electronic components from contamination, thus minimizing damage and operational costs.

Implementation Method 1

heat exchangers, and makeup tanks to manage coolant circulation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

circulating a liquid coolant along sealed conduits that pass through the server casings in heat exchange relationship with server components

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS9549488B2Liquid cooling of rack-mounted electronic equipment

Publication Date: 2017.01.17 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

A server rack holds a number of modular servers configured for liquid cooling by passing a liquid coolant through interiors of the servers. Failure management of the cooling system is by management of the servers in segregated fault domains. Each fault domain comprises a number of the servers serviced by a dedicated coolant circuit that is segregated from the cooling circuits of the other fault domains. Potential liquid coolant leaks in a specific fault domain can be identified by monitoring liquid coolant levels in the respective coolant circuits. Each fault domain can include a separate, dedicated heat exchanger and a separate, dedicated coolant reservoir.