Server Rack Liquid Cooling With Vibrating Heat Exchanger Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid cooling systems for datacenter server racks are costly and space-consuming due to large piping conduit configurations and heavy pumps, which hinder efficient heat dissipation from numerous heat-generating components.
Innovation Solution
A liquid cooling arrangement with a server rack loop, incorporating vibrations elements such as acoustic or ultrasonic generators to enhance thermal exchanges by altering the flow of cooling liquid, reducing boundary layers and increasing turbulence in heat exchangers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If conventional liquid cooling systems use large piping conduit configurations and heavy pumps to maintain necessary liquid flow rates, then the cooling capacity is sufficient to service the multitude of heat-generating components, but the system becomes prohibitively costly and occupies large footprints
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the liquid cooling distribution into two parts: a simplified network of small conduits that reach individual server racks, and localized heat exchangers mounted directly on or near each rack. This segmentation eliminates the need for a single complex, large-scale piping infrastructure while maintaining adequate cooling capacity through distributed thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat exchangers serve as intermediary components between the simplified liquid cooling conduits and the heat-generating server racks. These intermediaries receive cooling liquid through small conduits and provide localized thermal exchange, eliminating the need for direct, complex piping connections to each component while maintaining effective cooling.
2Power
If conventional liquid cooling systems use large pumps to maintain necessary liquid flow rates, then the cooling requirements of numerous heat-generating components are met, but the system cost and footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pumping function is segmented and distributed rather than centralized. Instead of using one or a few large pumps to service the entire datacenter, the system employs small pumps or passive circulation mechanisms at or near each server rack. This distribution maintains adequate liquid flow rates for cooling while dramatically reducing the weight and cost associated with large pump installations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operating parameters by using smaller pumps with lower flow rates that can be directly coupled to localized heat exchangers, rather than relying on large pumps delivering high flow rates through extensive piping. This parameter change allows adequate cooling liquid delivery to each rack while minimizing pump weight and system cost.
3Power
If conventional liquid cooling systems use large piping conduit configurations, then the necessary liquid flow can be delivered to service the vast number of heat-generating components, but the datacenter productivity is reduced due to large footprint
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid cooling delivery system is segmented into small, localized conduits that branch off to individual server racks rather than requiring large, centralized piping infrastructure. This segmentation enables adequate liquid flow delivery to each rack while occupying minimal space, thereby maximizing the number of servers that can be deployed per unit area and improving datacenter productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat exchangers mounted directly on or near server racks serve as intermediaries that enable liquid cooling without requiring extensive piping conduits to reach each component. This intermediary approach delivers necessary liquid flow through minimal infrastructure, preserving valuable floor space for additional server installations and thereby increasing productivity.
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
Optimizes heat exchanger efficiency by enhancing thermal exchanges between cooling liquid and air, reducing system footprint and costs by minimizing the need for large conduits and pumps.
Implementation Method 1
at least one element, called vibrations element, configured to generating a field of vibrations of the cooling liquid in an area of said at least one exchanger, called vibrations area
Implementation Method 2
the flow of the cooling liquid is locally changed, which helps a reduction of the boundary layer and/or increases local turbulences in the liquid flow
Implementation Method 3
thermal energy is exchanged between the liquid and an air flow in the thermal exchanges zone
Implementation Method 4
thermal energy is exchanged between the liquid and an air flow in the thermal exchanges zone
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a liquid cooling arrangement for cooling heat-generating components of a datacenter server rack, comprising: a liquid cooling loop, a plurality of server clusters; at least one heat exchanger fluidly connected to the liquid cooling units of the plurality of server clusters via the liquid cooling loop, the heat exchanger comprising at least one manifold for collecting the cooling liquid and a zone, called thermal exchanges zone, the heat exchanger being configured such that thermal energy is exchanged between the liquid and an air flow in the thermal exchanges zone; and a pump fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger, wherein the liquid cooling arrangement comprises at least one element, called vibrations element, configured to generate a field of vibrations of the cooling liquid in an area of said at least one exchanger, called vibrations area.