Server Heat Pipe Cooling Outside Rack Boundary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling technologies for computing devices often require bringing cooling water inside the server, which can be inefficient and prone to issues.
Innovation Solution
A closed loop cooling system that extends heat pipes outside the server boundary, using a sealed enclosure with cooler elements associated with each heat pipe, allowing for efficient cooling without bringing cooling water inside the server.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling water is brought inside the server, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but system complexity and potential failure points increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling water system from the server interior and relocates it to the exterior. Heat pipes conduct heat from internal components (CPUs, GPUs) to external heat sinks that contact cooling water outside the server chassis. This eliminates the need for internal water cooling infrastructure while maintaining effective heat removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces heat pipes as intermediary thermal conduction elements between the heat-generating components and the external cooling water system. These heat pipes serve as thermal bridges, allowing heat transfer without requiring direct thermal contact between cooling water and internal electronics.
2Power
If cooling water is brought inside the server, then heat removal capability is improved, but reliability decreases due to potential leaks and corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling water system is extracted from the server interior and positioned externally. This physical separation eliminates risks of water leakage onto electronic components, corrosion of internal parts, and other reliability issues associated with internal liquid cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat pipes serve as intermediary thermal conduction elements that isolate the electronic components from direct contact with cooling water. The heat pipe envelope acts as a protective barrier, allowing efficient heat transfer while preventing any potential contamination or damage from the liquid cooling medium.
3Device complexity
If traditional air cooling is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but cooling efficiency becomes insufficient for high-power chips
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from air cooling to liquid cooling by introducing cooling water that flows over external heat sinks. This hydraulic cooling approach provides superior heat removal capacity compared to air cooling, enabling effective thermal management of high-power density chips while keeping the server interior simple and dry.
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 solution enables efficient cooling of computing devices by conducting heat from CPUs and GPUs outside the server while maintaining a closed loop system, improving cooling efficiency and reducing potential issues.
Implementation Method 1
A closed loop cooling system that extends heat pipes outside the server boundary
Implementation Method 2
each cooler element associated with a single heat pipe
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system for cooling chips in a server rack uses a heat pipe, providing a cooled connection to the chips in a server rack. A coolant for the heat pipe is located outside the rack, so that water never needs to be brought into the rack.