Side Fluid Cooling Apparatus for Server Rack Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems, such as CRAC units, struggle to effectively manage the thermal environment of high-power density server racks, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs, and current liquid cooling solutions face challenges with reliable and efficient fluid connections during deployment.
Innovation Solution
A side fluid cooling apparatus with a unified or isolated coolant loop system that uses blind mating connectors for efficient fluid connections between servers and electronic racks, allowing for pre-deployment connection of fluid distribution modules and supporting both two-phase and single-phase coolant fluids, thereby improving deployment efficiency and interoperability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If CRAC units are used to cool high-power density racks, then the thermal environment of conventional racks can be maintained, but the cooling effectiveness deteriorates due to insufficient heat removal capacity for high-density electronics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from air-based CRAC cooling to liquid-based cooling systems, using hydraulic principles to circulate coolant through channels directly contacting server components. This enables significantly higher heat removal capacity through liquid's superior thermal conductivity and heat capacity compared to air.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the cooling function from centralized CRAC units and implements distributed liquid cooling channels directly at the server level. This separates the heat removal function from general environmental control, allowing targeted cooling of high-density components.
2Device complexity
If air cooling is used for high-density racks, then the system structure remains simple, but the heat removal capacity becomes insufficient due to the limitations of air-based cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements liquid cooling channels that circulate coolant through servers, utilizing hydraulic flow to transfer heat efficiently. The liquid coolant absorbs thermal energy through conduction and convection, providing superior heat removal capacity compared to air cooling while maintaining a relatively compact system structure.
3Loss of energy
If liquid cooling is implemented for high power density scenarios, then the heat removal capacity increases significantly, but the deployment complexity increases due to challenges in fluid connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates pre-configured quick-connect interfaces for coolant fluid connections during server assembly or deployment. These pre-prepared connection points allow rapid attachment of liquid cooling manifolds without requiring complex field installation procedures, thereby reducing deployment complexity while maintaining effective liquid cooling implementation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses standardized quick-connect couplings as intermediary components between the cooling infrastructure and server liquid cooling channels. These connectors simplify the fluid connection process, enabling rapid deployment while ensuring reliable thermal coupling between coolant and server components.
4Productivity
If conventional cooling systems are upgraded to meet high-density cooling requirements, then the cooling performance improves, but the cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements modular liquid cooling solutions where cooling channels and manifolds can be selectively deployed based on server density requirements. Rather than upgrading entire CRAC systems, the modular approach allows targeted cooling of high-density racks, reducing overall upgrade costs while improving cooling performance where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies liquid cooling technology locally to high-density server racks rather than universally across all infrastructure. This selective deployment optimizes cooling performance for critical high-power areas while avoiding unnecessary upgrades in lower-density regions, thereby controlling upgrade costs.
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 enhances deployment speed and reliability of liquid cooling systems by enabling pre-configured fluid connections and supporting various coolant types, effectively addressing the thermal management challenges of high-power density server racks.
Implementation Method 1
Utilizing phase change coolant in liquid cooling may provide more opportunities to improve thermal performance for high power density scenarios
Implementation Method 2
Heat generated by the IT equipment is captured by the cooling air and is extracted by the cooling unit
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling apparatus includes a unit frame having one or more slots therein, a cooling liquid supply line, a cooling liquid return line, and one or more fluid distribution modules insertable into the one or more slots. A fluid distribution module includes a pair of blind mating connectors that are fluidly connected to the cooling liquid supply and return lines when the fluid distribution module is inserted into a slot. A condenser is disposed at a top portion of the fluid distribution module. A vapor manifold is fluidly coupled to a return port of the condenser and the vapor manifold includes a plurality of return connections. A fluid manifold is fluidly coupled to a supply port of the condenser and the fluid manifold includes the plurality of supply connections. The supply and return connections are fluidly coupled to a plurality of servers populated on an electronic rack.