Patent Application
20250056770
The present disclosure relates generally to a fluid control apparatus operable to restrict coolant fluid from being dispersed throughout a rack assembly.
Cooling systems can be utilized control the temperature of the computing systems received in rack assemblies. During initial filling of the cooling system, coolant and/or air can exit air vents of the cooling system and spray and/or splatter, for example on electrical components, servers, power distribution units, rack, and/or floor.
Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures, wherein:
a cooling system;
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.
Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape or other word that substantially modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, substantially cylindrical means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “about” means reasonably close to the particular value. For example, about does not require the exact measurement specified and can be reasonably close. As used herein, the word “about” can include the exact number. The term “near” as used herein is within a short distance from the particular mentioned object. The term “near” can include abutting as well as relatively small distance beyond abutting. The terms “comprising,” “including” and “having” are used interchangeably in this disclosure. The terms “comprising,” “including” and “having” mean to include, but not necessarily be limited to the things so described.
The rack assembly 10 can include a cooling system 20 operable to provide fluid (for example coolant) to the computing system(s) 50 to manage the temperature of the computing system(s) 50. In at least one example, the cooling system 20 can include one or more fluid columns 22 operable to receive the fluid. In some examples, as illustrated in
The cooling system 20 can include at least one air vent 30. The air vent 30 can allow air to be released from the cooling system 20 (e.g., the fluid columns 22) to release pressure. In at least one example, as illustrated in
During initial filling of the cooling system 20 with the fluid, a mixture of the fluid and air can exit the air vents 30. When the fluid exits the air vents 30, the fluid can spray and/or splatter on the rack assembly 10, for example computing systems 50, electrical components, power distribution units, rack 12, and/or the floor. In at least one example, the fluid can exit the air vents 30 during normal powered-on operation of the computing systems 50. The fluid can damage the rack assembly 10 (e.g., rack 12 and/or the computing systems 50), and also risk the safety of users (for example slipping on the floor).
In at least one example, the air vents 30 can include a vent housing 31 that is operable to be at least partially received in an annulus 28 of the fluid columns 22 of the cooling system 20. Accordingly, the air vents 30 can be in fluid communication with the fluid in the fluid columns 22. The air vents 30 can include a vent valve 32 that is in fluid communication with the fluid columns 22. The vent valve 32 can permit gas and/or fluid to pass from the fluid columns 22 through the vent housing 31 and exit through the vent valve 32.
The fluid control apparatus 100 can receive the air vents 30 such that the vent housing 31 is fully received within the housing 102 of the fluid control apparatus 100. For example, referring to
The fluid control apparatus 100 can be operable to incorporate the air vents 30 into a sealed assembly. Accordingly, the housing 102 can form a seal around the air vents 30 to prevent fluid from passing therethrough.
In at least one example, a drainage hose 150 can be fluidly coupled with the housing 102. The drainage hose 150 can be operable to drain the fluid from the chamber 120 of the housing 102 to a drainage tray 200. For example, the drainage hose 150 can have an entry 152 and an exit 154. The entry 152 can be in fluid communication with the chamber 120 of the housing 102 so that fluid in the housing 102 can flow into the drainage hose 150. The exit 154 can be positioned so that the fluid exiting the drainage hose 150 via the exit 154 is deposited into the drainage tray 200. Accordingly, the housing 102 does not become filled with the fluid which can negatively impact the ability of the air vents 30 to vent air from the cooling system 20.
The housing 102 can include a bottom gasket 110 operable to receive the air vents 30 and prevent fluid from leaking therefrom. Accordingly, the bottom gasket 110 can prevent fluid from leaking from a bottom of the housing 102. In at least one example, the bottom gasket 110 can be operable to be positioned on the cooling system 20.
In some examples, the bottom gasket 110 can form one or more openings 112 operable to permit the vent housing 31 of the air vent 30 to pass through so that the air vent 30 can remain in fluid communication with the fluid columns 22. For example, the bottom gasket 110 can form two openings 112 when housing 102 of the fluid control apparatus 100 is operable to receive two air vents 30, as shown in
In at least one example, at least a portion of the housing 102 includes a porous membrane. The porous membrane can be operable to permit air to pass therethrough and prevent fluid from passing therethrough. Accordingly, the housing 102 can be operable to prevent fluid from passing therethrough to keep the fluid away from the rack assembly 10 while permitting air from the air vent(s) 30 to pass therethrough to release pressure. In a least one example, the porous membrane can include a hydrophobic mesh. In some examples, the porous membrane can include cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate (collodion), polyamide (nylon), polycarbonate, polypropylene, and/or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). In some examples, the porous membrane can include an oleophobic membrane. An oleophobic membrane can be a membrane that resists capillary flow wetting by oils and other low surface tension fluids including water and PG25. Accordingly, the oleophobic membrane can repel oils and other low surface tension fluids including water and PG25.
In at least one example, as illustrated in
In at least one example, as illustrated in
The fluid control apparatus 100 (e.g., the housing 102) can configured to accommodate various sizes and spacing of the air vents 30. For example, referring to
In some examples, as illustrated in
Similar to the fluid control apparatus 100 in
The housing 102 can include a main portion 104, a top cover 106, and a bottom gasket 110. At least a portion of the main portion 104 can include the porous membrane such that air can pass therethrough and prevent fluid from passing therethrough. At least a portion of the top cover 106 can include the porous membrane such that air can pass therethrough and prevent fluid from passing therethrough.
With the bottom gasket 110, the housing 102 can form a localized reservoir to hold excess fluid. The excess fluid can then be removed from the housing 102 via the drainage hose 150 to a desired location such as the drainage tray 200.
The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the attached claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the appended claims.
