Serviceable Thermal Interconnect for Hot-Swappable Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid-cooled systems for electronic components require complex designs that complicate modular computing systems, necessitating system shutdowns for component replacements, risking coolant leaks and downtime.
Innovation Solution
A thermal interconnect system comprising a pair of thermal connectors with overlapping structures that allow for quick and easy connection and disconnection, enabling hot-swappable components without disrupting the coolant loop, using vapor chambers and heat pipes for efficient thermal energy transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing liquid-cooled systems are used for electronic components, then thermal cooling is achieved, but system complexity increases and component replacement requires system shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into modular components: a fixed coolant loop and replaceable heat transfer devices (cold plates, heat pipes). This segmentation allows the coolant loop to remain intact while heat transfer devices are easily replaced, reducing system complexity and enabling hot-swappable components.
Solution Approach 2:
Thermal connectors serve as intermediary components between heat-generating components and the coolant loop. These connectors enable easy attachment and detachment of cooling elements without disrupting the main coolant circulation system, simplifying component replacement operations.
2Reliability
If existing liquid-cooled systems are used for electronic components, then thermal cooling is achieved, but coolant leaks and downtime risks occur during maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the coolant loop from the heat transfer devices, the system allows maintenance of cooling components without opening or disrupting the coolant circulation system. This eliminates coolant leak risks during maintenance while maintaining ease of operation for component replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is pre-configured with quick-connect thermal interfaces that enable hot-swappable component replacement. These preliminary design features allow maintenance personnel to replace components without system shutdown, preventing downtime while maintaining reliability.
3Productivity
If traditional cooling systems are used, then thermal management is provided, but server density and processing power are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables direct liquid cooling of high-density electronic components by bringing the coolant loop into close thermal contact with heat-generating components. This parameter change in cooling efficiency supports higher server density and processing power while maintaining effective thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal connector design provides universal compatibility across different heat-generating components and cooling configurations. This multi-functionality allows the same cooling infrastructure to support varying densities and processing requirements, enabling scalable server deployments.
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
Facilitates component replacements without powering down the entire system, maintaining thermal conductivity, and increasing server density and processing power by allowing more components to be connected to the cooling loop.
Implementation Method 1
a heat-transfer device, the heat-transfer device in thermally conductive contact with a heat-generating component
Implementation Method 2
a cooling loop including a liquid coolant... in fluidic communication with a cooling loop
Implementation Method 3
using vapor chambers and heat pipes for efficient thermal energy transfer
Implementation Method 4
using vapor chambers and heat pipes for efficient thermal energy transfer
Data Source
AI summary
Hot-swappable electronic components may be incompatible with traditional cold plates as additional operations are required to detach the hot-swappable electronic components. Such activities risk a coolant leak and thus tend to require an entire associated system to be powered down for component replacement. This is inefficient and undesirable as it causes unnecessary downtime. The presently disclosed thermal interconnect allows for such replacements with little to no risk of coolant leaks, and thus no requirement to power down the entire system. Still further, the presently disclosed thermal interconnect may allow for more electronic components to be connected to a main cooling loop within the overall system, thereby yielding server architectures with increased density and higher processing power. The thermal interconnect is a selectively connectable fixture that mates a series of alternating parallel structures together. Thermal energy captured by the vapor chamber(s) is rejected into the liquid coolant via the thermal interconnect.