Two-Phase Loop Cooling for High Power Density Server Cabinets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling methods for high power density server cabinets, such as air cooling and liquid cooling, face inefficiencies in heat dissipation due to high thermal resistance and energy consumption, particularly in dissipating heat from non-CPU/GPU components, leading to increased energy costs and PUE values.
Innovation Solution
A pump-driven two-phase loop cooling system combined with an air cooling subsystem, utilizing a refrigerant circulation loop and air circulation loop, which includes a refrigerant liquid storage tank, pumps, throttling devices, three-way valves, and condensers, to efficiently dissipate heat from high-power chips and other components, reducing dependence on room air conditioning and enhancing energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If air cooling technology is used to cool scattered heat-generating elements, then the cooling system is simple and easy to implement, but the heat transfer efficiency is low and energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two independent subsystems: a pump-driven two-phase loop subsystem for high-power chips (CPU/GPU) and an air cooling subsystem for other components. This segmentation allows each subsystem to use the most appropriate cooling method for its specific heat load characteristics, optimizing overall energy efficiency while maintaining implementation simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different cooling methods are applied to different locations based on local heat generation characteristics. High-power chips receive intensive two-phase liquid cooling, while scattered low-power components receive air cooling. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying cooling intensity matched to actual needs, reducing wasted energy.
2Area of stationary object
If air conditioning system is used to cool the entire computer room, then the cooling coverage is comprehensive, but the cold air mixes with hot air reducing temperature difference and heat transfer effect
Solution Approach 1:
The high-power chip cooling function is extracted from the general computer room air conditioning system and implemented as a separate pump-driven two-phase loop subsystem. This extraction prevents cold air mixing with hot air in the room, maintaining large temperature difference for efficient heat transfer, while the air conditioning system continues to provide comprehensive cooling coverage for the entire room.
Solution Approach 2:
A closed cabinet structure is introduced as an intermediary between the two cooling subsystems. The cabinet confines the two-phase cooling loop and its hot air generation zone, preventing hot air from mixing with the computer room's cold air supply, thereby preserving temperature difference efficiency while maintaining comprehensive cooling coverage.
3Reliability
If conventional heat pipes are used for heat dissipation, then the heat transfer ability is strong and expansibility is good, but the two contact thermal resistances produce larger temperature difference and increase heat transfer cost
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs phase change (evaporation and condensation) of refrigerant in the two-phase loop to transfer heat from high-power chips. This phase transition mechanism provides superior heat transfer ability compared to conventional heat pipes, while the direct liquid-to-chip contact minimizes thermal resistance and temperature difference, resolving the contradiction between reliability and temperature differential.
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 system effectively addresses local hot-spot issues, reduces energy consumption, and increases the temperature of circulating air, enabling more efficient heat dissipation while minimizing the mixing of hot and cold air, thus lowering operational costs and improving heat exchange efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The internal working medium of the heat pipe absorbs heat and evaporates, transferring heat from evaporation section on the surface of the power element to condensation section of the heat pipe as heat sink
Implementation Method 2
The internal working medium of the heat pipe absorbs heat and evaporates
Implementation Method 3
Liquid cooling mode uses liquid forced convection to cool the server
Implementation Method 4
a heat exchanger, which is connected to the refrigerant storage tank to form a circulating loop
Data Source
AI summary
An overall efficient heat dissipation system for a high power density cabinet comprises a pump-driven two-phase circulation loop high-power-chip direct heat dissipation system and a cabinet air-cooling system. The cabinet air-cooling system comprises a refrigerant circulation loop and a cabinet internal air circulation loop. The refrigerant circulation loop includes a pump-driven two-phase circulation loop and a vapor compression circulation loop. The pump-driven two-phase circulation loop high-power-chip direct heat dissipation system performs fixed-point heat dissipation for main heating elements, such as CPU and GPU, in a server, and the cabinet air-cooling system performs air-cooling heat dissipation for other heating elements in the server.