Subsurface Containment Cooling for High-Density Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-density data centers face significant cooling costs due to heat generated by electronic devices, with existing cooling methods being inefficient and costly, especially in subsurface environments where heat transfer is challenging.
Innovation Solution
A containment vessel system that installs electronic devices in a subsurface environment, utilizing a cooling fluid for heat transfer from the devices to the vessel walls and then to the surrounding environment, either through passive or forced circulation, optimizing heat dissipation and reducing operational costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If electronic devices are installed in high-density configurations in above-ground data centers, then space utilization is improved, but cooling costs and heat dissipation difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the electronic devices from above-ground horizontal space to subsurface vertical space, utilizing the third dimension (depth) for heat dissipation. The subsurface environment provides natural thermal sink capacity, allowing high-density device installation while leveraging the earth's thermal mass for passive cooling, thereby reducing active cooling requirements and costs.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional air cooling methods are used in subsurface environments, then device installation is simplified, but heat transfer efficiency deteriorates due to limited airflow and higher ambient temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces air cooling with liquid cooling systems in subsurface environments. Cooling fluid is circulated through channels in contact with electronic devices, providing superior heat transfer efficiency compared to air. The liquid cooling system overcomes the limitations of subsurface airflow while maintaining installation feasibility through integrated cooling plates and fluid distribution manifolds.
3Temperature
If cooling fluid circulation systems are implemented in subsurface environments, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but system complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the cooling fluid circulation system to leverage natural convection currents and thermal buoyancy in the subsurface environment, reducing or eliminating the need for high-power pumps. The system uses thermosyphon effects where heated fluid naturally rises and cooler fluid replaces it, creating self-sustaining circulation that minimizes mechanical components and maintenance requirements while maintaining high heat dissipation efficiency.
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 approach lowers the average operating temperature of electronic devices, extends their operational lifetime, and provides a secure, efficient cooling mechanism by leveraging subsurface thermal capacity, reducing energy consumption and maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
cooling the electronic devices by heat transfer from the electronic devices to a fluid within a containment vessel and finally heat transfer from the fluid to an external environment
Implementation Method 2
heat transfer from the electronic devices to a fluid within a containment vessel and finally heat transfer from the fluid to an external environment
Implementation Method 3
heat transfer from the fluid to an external environment
Data Source
AI summary
An system and method for cooling of electronic equipment, for example a computer system, in a subsurface environment including a containment vessel in at least partial contact with subsurface liquid or solid material. The containment vessel may be disposed in a variety of subsurface environments, including boreholes, man-made excavations, subterranean caves, as well as ponds, lakes, reservoirs, oceans, or other bodies of water. The containment vessel may be installed with a subsurface configuration allowing for human access for maintenance and modification. Cooling is achieved by one or more fluids circulating inside and/or outside the containment vessel, with a variety of configurations of electronic devices disposed within the containment vessel. The circulating fluid(s) may be cooled in place by thermal conduction or by active transfer of the fluid(s) out of the containment vessel to an external heat exchange mechanism, then back into the containment vessel.