Liquid-Tight Server Case With Optical I/O and Wireless Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional computer cases are not suitable for liquid submersion-cooled systems as they allow liquid leakage due to openings for air cooling, and sealing these openings creates potential leakage paths, making them unsuitable for submerging heat-generating components in a dielectric cooling liquid.
Innovation Solution
A liquid-tight computer case design with optical input/output units, wireless power transfer mechanisms, and proximity-based on/off switches that eliminate the need for physical structures passing through the walls, reducing the number of leakage paths and enhancing sealing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If openings are provided in the computer case for air cooling, then heat dissipation is improved, but liquid leakage occurs when using liquid submersion cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical air cooling openings with optical signal transmission mechanisms that allow light to pass through the case walls without creating physical openings. This substitution eliminates the leakage path while maintaining cooling effectiveness through liquid submersion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state of the case walls from opaque to optically transparent in specific regions, allowing optical signals to pass through without requiring physical openings. This parameter change enables both liquid-tight sealing and signal transmission.
2Reliability
If openings are sealed to prevent liquid leakage, then liquid-tight sealing is improved, but the number of possible leakage paths increases due to sealing joints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the signal transmission function from the physical structure that would require sealing. By using optical transmission through transparent walls, the patent removes the need for sealed openings entirely, eliminating the associated leakage risks.
3Adaptability or versatility
If physical structures extend through case walls for input/output and power supply, then functionality is improved, but the number of sealing requirements and leakage paths increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical structures (cables, connectors, switches) that would penetrate the case walls with wireless and optical alternatives. Power is transmitted wirelessly through electromagnetic induction, and signals are transmitted optically through transparent walls, eliminating physical penetration points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary fields (electromagnetic field for wireless power, optical field for signal transmission) that can transfer energy and information through the case walls without requiring physical structures to penetrate the walls.
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 solution effectively minimizes leakage by eliminating the need for physical structures through the case walls, ensuring a liquid-tight environment for submerging heat-generating components while allowing for efficient heat dissipation and power management in liquid submersion-cooled computers.
Implementation Method 1
some or all of the front or rear wall can be optically transparent
Implementation Method 2
The means for wirelessly transferring power can be an induction mechanism such as an induction coupling, an electrodynamic induction mechanism, or an electrostatic induction mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid submersion-cooled computer that is configured to reduce physical structures passing through walls of the computer liquid-tight computer case, which eliminates the amount of sealing needed around those physical structures and reduces the number of possible fluid leakage paths from the interior of the computer that contains a cooling liquid submerging at least some of the computer components. The computer includes a mechanism to pass input/output signals into and from the computer without any physical structure extending through any of the plurality of walls. The computer also has a mechanism for wirelessly transferring power into the interior space of the computer case, and a switch that controls power in the computer without having any physical structure extending through any of the plurality of walls.