Tiered Immersion Cooling System for High Power Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional air cooling systems, even with fan assistance, are inadequate for newer generation electronic components due to increased heat generation, and existing immersion cooling systems suffer from laborious maintenance and low power density due to rectangular tank designs requiring vertical component removal and side-by-side placement.
Innovation Solution
A tiered immersion cooling system with vertically arranged immersion tanks and a sliding cabinet frame, allowing horizontal and vertical movement, enabling efficient heat dissipation and high power density by allowing components to be arranged vertically and facilitating easier access and maintenance through a pulley system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional air cooling systems with fan assistance are used, then the system structure is simple and ease of operation is maintained, but heat dissipation effectiveness deteriorates due to insufficient cooling capacity for newer generation electronic components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from air cooling to liquid immersion cooling, fundamentally changing the cooling medium parameter. The electronic components are directly immersed in dielectric liquid, enabling significantly higher heat transfer coefficients and effective temperature control for high-power components without requiring complex fan systems or heat sink arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs liquid hydraulic cooling by submerging electronic components in dielectric liquid. The liquid cooling system utilizes fluid circulation and heat exchange mechanisms to efficiently remove heat from components, replacing the pneumatic air cooling approach with a more effective hydraulic cooling method.
2Ease of repair
If rectangular-shaped immersion tanks are used, then manufacturing precision is achieved, but ease of repair deteriorates as components must be removed directly upward resulting in laborious repair operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the immersion cooling system into multiple rack units, each containing electronic components arranged in specific orientations. The racks are segmented into upper and lower portions with different component orientations, allowing selective access and removal of components without requiring complete system disassembly or upward extraction from a single large tank.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces vertical orientation variation as an additional dimension for component arrangement. Components are positioned both horizontally and vertically within the rack structure, with upper rack portions containing vertically oriented components and lower rack portions containing horizontally oriented components. This multi-dimensional arrangement enables improved accessibility for maintenance operations.
3Productivity
If heat-generating components are placed side by side in the immersion tank, then ease of operation is maintained, but power density deteriorates due to low space utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional side-by-side component placement to three-dimensional vertical stacking arrangements. Electronic components are positioned both horizontally and vertically within the rack, with upper and lower rack portions utilizing different spatial orientations. This multi-level arrangement significantly increases power density by efficiently utilizing vertical space while maintaining operational accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested rack structure where multiple rack units are vertically stacked within the immersion tank. Each rack contains multiple electronic components arranged in nested configurations, with upper racks positioned above lower racks. This nesting approach maximizes space utilization and power density while allowing independent access to each rack level for maintenance operations.
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 tiered immersion cooling system effectively manages heat dissipation with higher power density and simplified maintenance by allowing vertical component arrangement and easy access, overcoming the limitations of traditional systems.
Implementation Method 1
the heat transfer coefficient of air is only 0.024 W/mK while a coolant, such as water, has a heat transfer coefficient of 0.58 W/mK
Implementation Method 2
the coolant liquid can circulate between and through the components to carry away generated heat
Data Source
AI summary
A tiered immersion cooling system includes a chassis, a cabinet frame slidably mounted to the chassis, an upper immersion tank, and a lower immersion tank. The cabinet frame is slidable between a first internal position and a first external position. Sliding motion of the cabinet frame is in a horizontal direction along a depth of the chassis. The upper immersion tank is slidably mounted to the chassis. The upper immersion tank is slidable with the cabinet frame in the horizontal direction. The upper immersion tank slides relative to the cabinet frame, in a vertical direction along a height of the chassis. The lower immersion tank is positioned below the upper immersion tank in the vertical direction. The lower immersion tank is mounted to slide independently from the cabinet frame, in the horizontal direction. The lower immersion tank slides between a second internal and a second external position.