Vacuum Pumped Liquid Cooling System for Computer CPUs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for data centers are inefficient, relying on vapor compression refrigeration and water cooling which consume more power than the computers themselves, and are prone to leaks and reliability issues, especially under negative pressure conditions.
Innovation Solution
A water cooling system operating under negative pressure with minimal water flow, integrated with an air-cooled heat sink for backup, using a cooling tower to cool water and high-performance heat exchangers with turbulators to enhance heat transfer, while maintaining low absolute pressures to prevent leaks and utilizing a dual pump system for reliable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If water cooling is used to efficiently remove heat from CPUs, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the risk of leaks and reliability issues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system operates under negative pressure (vacuum environment) to prevent water from leaking out of the system. By maintaining pressure below atmospheric pressure, any potential leaks will draw air inward rather than allow water to escape, thus improving reliability while maintaining efficient water cooling for CPU temperature control
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-fills water into the water block and heat exchanger before operation, and includes automatic water level monitoring and refilling mechanisms. This preliminary preparation ensures the cooling system is ready to operate immediately and maintains proper water levels to prevent overheating while operating under negative pressure
2Temperature
If vapor compression refrigeration systems are used to cool data centers, then cooling capacity is improved, but power consumption increases beyond that of the computers themselves
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the heat-generating CPUs from the thermal environment, placing them in a dedicated water-cooled chamber with direct liquid-to-heat-sink contact. This separates the high-heat CPUs from the general data center air cooling system, allowing efficient removal of CPU heat through water cooling while avoiding the need for high-power vapor compression systems to cool the entire data center
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses water (hydraulic fluid) as the primary heat transfer medium instead of air-based vapor compression refrigeration. Water's superior heat capacity and thermal conductivity enable efficient heat removal from CPUs with minimal power consumption, replacing the energy-intensive vapor compression approach
3Temperature
If water is used as heat transfer medium for direct heat transfer from heat generating components, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the complexity of managing water flow and pressure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-fills the water block and heat exchanger with water before operation and maintains a reservoir of water ready for automatic refilling. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex real-time water management during operation, as the system starts with adequate water levels and automatically maintains them
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses negative pressure to automatically draw water through the cooling channels and return it to the reservoir, creating a self-regulating flow system. The pressure differential automatically controls water circulation without requiring complex pumps, valves, or flow control mechanisms, simplifying water flow management while maintaining efficient heat transfer
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 provides efficient and reliable cooling for multiple CPUs with minimal water usage, reducing power consumption and eliminating the risk of water leaks, while ensuring continuous operation through air-cooled backup and quick water drainage for server disconnection.
Implementation Method 1
The system may use a cooling tower to cool down the water using convection and evaporation in order to reduce the temperature to the local wet bulb temperature
Implementation Method 2
The system may use a cooling tower to cool down the water using convection and evaporation in order to reduce the temperature
Implementation Method 3
Water has 4000 times more heat capacity that air of the same volume, so water is an ideal heat transfer agent for direct heat transfer from the heat generating components
Implementation Method 4
a vacuum pump to remove any air which may enter the system
Implementation Method 5
The water-cooled heat exchanger is preferably mounted to the CPU and comprises a passage with a turbulator to increase the velocity and turbulence of the water near the heat transfer surface
Data Source
AI summary
A reliable, leak tolerant liquid cooling system with a backup air-cooling system for computers is provided. The system may use a vacuum pump and a liquid pump in combination to provide negative fluid pressure so that liquid does not leak out of the system near electrical components. The system distributes flow and pressure with a series of pressure regulating valves so that an array of computers can be serviced by a single cooling system. The system provides both air and liquid cooling so that if the liquid cooling system does not provide adequate cooling, the air cooling system will be automatically activated. A connector system is provided to automatically evacuate the liquid from the heat exchangers before they are disconnected.