Patent Application
20240306345
The present application claims priority to EP application Ser. No. 23/305,317.2, filed Mar. 9, 2023 entitled “IMMERSION COOLING SYSTEM IMPLEMENTING A FIRST CONTAINER AND A SECOND CONTAINER”, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present technology relates to cooling systems for immersion cooling of electronic components. In particular, an immersion cooling system implementing a first container and a second container is disclosed.
Electronic equipment, for example servers, memory banks, computer discs, and the like, is conventionally grouped in equipment racks. Large data centers and other large computing facilities may contain thousands of racks supporting thousands or even tens of thousands of servers.
The racks, including equipment mounted in their backplanes, consume large amounts of electric power and generate significant amounts of heat. Cooling needs are important in such racks. Some electronic devices, such as processors, generate so much heat that they could fail within seconds in case of a lack of cooling.
Fans are commonly mounted within equipment racks to provide forced ventilation cooling to rack-mounted equipment. This solution merely displaces some of the heat generated within the racks to the general environment of the data center. Immersion cooling (sometimes called immersive cooling) was more recently introduced. Electronic components are inserted in a container that is fully or partially filled with a non-conducting cooling liquid, for example an oil-based dielectric cooling liquid. Good thermal contact is obtained between the electronic components and the dielectric cooling liquid. However, an electronic component, for example a server, comprises some devices such as processors that may generate most of the heat while other devices such as memory boards may generate much less heat. It is generally required to ensure circulation of the dielectric cooling liquid, within the container, at a level that is sufficient to cool the hottest devices within the electronic components. This requires the use of pumps that consume a significant amount of energy or implementation of additional equipment such as immerged serpentine cooper coil to enhance a convection process.
Even though the recent developments identified above may provide benefits, improvements are still desirable.
The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches.
Embodiments of the present technology have been developed based on developers' appreciation of shortcomings associated with the prior art.
In particular, such shortcomings may comprise (1) deficiencies to address the cooling needs to devices that generate most of the heat; and/or (2) significant power consumption of the cooling systems.
In a first broad aspect of the present technology, there is provided an immersion cooling system for cooling one or more electronic devices, each of the one or more electronic devices including one or more heat-generating components. The immersion cooling system includes a first container adapted for receiving a first heat-transfer liquid, the one or more electronic devices being, at least in part, immersed in the first heat-transfer liquid such that the first heat-transfer liquid collects, in use, at least a portion of a thermal energy generated by the one or more heat-generating components and a second container adapted for receiving a second heat-transfer liquid, the first container being, at least in part, immersed in the second container.
In some non-limiting implementations, the cooling system further includes a main liquid inlet and a main liquid outlet. The second container includes a container inlet fluidly connected to the main liquid inlet for receiving the second heat-transfer liquid therefrom and a container outlet fluidly connected to the main liquid outlet for returning the second heat-transfer liquid thereto.
In some non-limiting implementations, the cooling system further includes a pump configured to cause a circulation of the second heat-transfer liquid from the main liquid inlet to the main liquid outlet.
In some non-limiting implementations, the cooling system further includes at least one liquid cooling unit. Each liquid cooling unit is in thermal contact with a corresponding one of the one or more heat-generating components and includes a liquid inlet fluidly connected to the main liquid inlet for receiving a flow of the second heat-transfer liquid therefrom, a liquid outlet fluidly connected to the container inlet for returning the flow of the second heat-transfer liquid thereto and an internal liquid conduit extending between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet, the flow of the second heat-transfer liquid channelized in the internal liquid conduit collecting another portion of the thermal energy from the corresponding heat-generating component.
In some non-limiting implementations, the cooling system operates with a temperature of the second heat-transfer liquid at the main liquid inlet between 30° C. and 55° C.
In some non-limiting implementations, the cooling system further includes at least one liquid cooling unit. Each liquid cooling unit is in thermal contact with a corresponding one of the one or more heat-generating components and includes a liquid inlet fluidly connected to the container outlet for receiving the second heat-transfer liquid therefrom, a liquid outlet fluidly connected to the main liquid outlet for returning the second heat-transfer liquid thereto and an internal liquid conduit extending between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet, the second heat-transfer liquid flowing in the internal liquid conduit collecting thermal energy from the corresponding heat-generating component.
In some non-limiting implementations, the one or more electronic devices include a plurality of electronic devices, the one or more heat-generating components of the plurality of electronic devices being fluidly connected in parallel to one another.
In some non-limiting implementations, the cooling system provides a temperature of the second heat-transfer liquid at the container inlet between 30° C. and 55° C.
In some non-limiting implementations, the one or more electronic devices include a plurality of electronic devices, the one or more heat-generating components of the plurality of electronic devices being fluidly connected in series to one another.
In some non-limiting implementations, the cooling system provides a temperature of the second heat-transfer liquid at the container inlet between 25° C. and 30° C.
In some non-limiting implementations, the cooling system further includes a first heat-exchanger that receives the second heat-transfer liquid from the main liquid outlet, expels thermal energy from the second heat-transfer liquid, and returns the second heat-transfer liquid to the main liquid inlet.
In some non-limiting implementations, the first heat-exchanger is a liquid-to-liquid heat-exchanger, the second heat-transfer liquid flowing in a first interface of the liquid-to-liquid heat-exchanger. The cooling system further includes a cooling loop adapted for conducting a third heat-transfer liquid and includes a second interface of the liquid-to-liquid heat-exchanger and a second heat-exchanger, the first interface of the liquid-to-liquid heat-exchanger being thermally connected with the second interface such that, in use, at least a portion of a thermal energy of the second heat-transfer liquid to the third heat-transfer liquid.
In some non-limiting implementations, the second heat-exchanger is a dry cooler.
In some non-limiting implementations, the first container defines at least one recess through which the second heat-transfer liquid circulates.
In some non-limiting implementations, at least one of the first heat-transfer liquid and the second heat-transfer liquid includes a Phase Change Material (PCM).
In some non-limiting implementations, the second heat-transfer liquid includes water.
In some non-limiting implementations, the first heat-transfer liquid is a dielectric liquid.
In a second broad aspect of the present technology, there is provided an immersion cooling system for cooling one or more electronic devices, each of the one or more electronic devices including one or more heat-generating components. The immersion cooling system includes a first container adapted for receiving a heat-transfer liquid and configured to immerse second container therein, the one or more electronic devices being, in use, at least in part immersed in the second container such that the heat-transfer liquid collects at least a portion of a thermal energy generated by the one or more heat-generating components and radiated through the second container. The first container includes a container inlet fluidly connected to a main liquid inlet for receiving the heat-transfer liquid therefrom and a container outlet fluidly connected to a main liquid outlet for returning the heat-transfer liquid thereto. The cooling system also includes at least one liquid cooling unit, each liquid cooling unit being in thermal contact with a corresponding one of the one or more heat-generating components and fluidly connected to the container.
In some non-limiting implementations, each of the at least one liquid cooling unit includes a liquid inlet fluidly connected to the main liquid inlet for receiving a flow of the heat-transfer liquid therefrom, a liquid outlet fluidly connected to the container inlet for returning the flow of the heat-transfer liquid thereto and an internal liquid conduit extending between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet, the flow of the heat-transfer liquid channelized in the internal liquid conduit collecting thermal energy from the corresponding heat-generating component.
In some non-limiting implementations, the cooling system operates with a temperature of the heat-transfer liquid at the main liquid inlet between 30° C. and 55° C.
In some non-limiting implementations, each of the at least one liquid cooling unit includes a liquid inlet fluidly connected to the container outlet for receiving a flow of the heat-transfer liquid therefrom, a liquid outlet fluidly connected to the main liquid outlet for returning the flow of the heat-transfer liquid thereto and an internal liquid conduit extending between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet, the flow of the heat-transfer liquid channelized in the internal liquid conduit collecting thermal energy from the corresponding heat-generating component.
In some non-limiting implementations, the one or more electronic devices include a plurality of electronic devices, the one or more heat-generating components of the plurality of electronic devices being fluidly connected in parallel to one another.
In some non-limiting implementations, the cooling system operates with a temperature of the heat-transfer liquid at the main liquid inlet between 30° C. and 55° C.
In some non-limiting implementations, the one or more electronic devices include a plurality of electronic devices, the one or more heat-generating components of the plurality of electronic devices being fluidly connected in series to one another.
In some non-limiting implementations, the cooling system operates with a temperature of the heat-transfer liquid at the main liquid inlet between 25° C. and 30° C.
In some non-limiting implementations, the electronic device is a server.
In some non-limiting implementations, the heat-transfer liquid is water.
Implementations of the present technology each have at least one of the above-mentioned object and/or aspects, but do not necessarily have all of them. It should be understood that some aspects of the present technology that have resulted from attempting to attain the above-mentioned object may not satisfy this object and/or may satisfy other objects not specifically recited herein.
Additional and/or alternative features, aspects and advantages of implementations of the present technology will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
For a better understanding of the present technology, as well as other aspects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following description which is to be used in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where:
It should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified herein, the drawings are not to scale.
The examples and conditional language recited herein are principally intended to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the present technology and not to limit its scope to such specifically recited examples and conditions. It will be appreciated that those skilled in the art may devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, nonetheless embody the principles of the present technology.
Furthermore, as an aid to understanding, the following description may describe relatively simplified implementations of the present technology. As persons skilled in the art would understand, various implementations of the present technology may be of a greater complexity.
In some cases, what are believed to be helpful examples of modifications to the present technology may also be set forth. This is done merely as an aid to understanding, and, again, not to define the scope or set forth the bounds of the present technology. These modifications are not an exhaustive list, and a person skilled in the art may make other modifications while nonetheless remaining within the scope of the present technology. Further, where no examples of modifications have been set forth, it should not be interpreted that no modifications are possible and/or that what is described is the sole manner of implementing that element of the present technology.
Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and implementations of the present technology, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof, whether they are currently known or developed in the future. Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of illustrative systems embodying the principles of the present technology.
In the context of the present specification, unless expressly provided otherwise, a computer system may refer, but is not limited to, an “electronic device”, an “operation system”, a “system”, a “computer-based system”, a “controller unit”, a “monitoring device”, a “control device” and/or any combination thereof appropriate to the relevant task at hand.
In the context of the present specification, unless expressly provided otherwise, the expression “computer-readable medium” and “memory” are intended to include media of any nature and kind whatsoever, non-limiting examples of which include RAM, ROM, disks (CD-ROMs, DVDs, floppy disks, hard disk drives, etc.), USB keys, flash memory cards, solid state-drives, and tape drives. Still in the context of the present specification, “a” computer-readable medium and “the” computer-readable medium should not be construed as being the same computer-readable medium. To the contrary, and whenever appropriate, “a” computer-readable medium and “the” computer-readable medium may also be construed as a first computer-readable medium and a second computer-readable medium.
In the context of the present specification, unless expressly provided otherwise, the words “first”, “second”, “third”, etc. have been used as adjectives only for the purpose of allowing for distinction between the nouns that they modify from one another, and not for the purpose of describing any particular relationship between those nouns.
With these fundamentals in place, we will now consider some non-limiting examples to illustrate various implementations of aspects of the present technology.
The immersion cooling system 100A further includes a second container 120 for receiving the first container 110 such that, in use, the first container 110 is, at least in part, immersed in the second container 120. The second container 120 may receive a second heat-transfer liquid 122. In use, a first portion 32 of the thermal energy generated by the electronic devices 50 is collected by the first heat-transfer liquid 112 to provide cooling thereto. Said first portion 32 may radiate in part through walls of the first container 110 and, at least in part, be collected by the second heat-transfer liquid 122. In other words, a second portion 34 of the first portion 32 may radiate through the walls of the first container 110, and a portion of the second portion 34 may be collected by the second heat-transfer liquid 122. In some implementations, the first container 110 may define external fins extending from an external surface thereof, to increase transfer of thermal energy from the first container 110 to the second heat-transfer liquid 122. It can be said that, in the illustrative and non-limiting implementation of
The first heat-transfer liquid 112 may be, for example and without limitation, a dielectric cooling liquid. The second heat-transfer liquid 122 may be, for example and without limitation, water. The second heat-transfer liquid 122 may also include additives to prevent corrosion or freezing.
In some implementations, the first heat-transfer liquid 112 and/or the second heat-transfer liquid 122 may include a Phase Change Material (PCM). In use, the PCM changes from a solid state to a liquid state, undergoing an endothermic reaction, when its temperature increases above a phase-change temperature value. The PCM changes from the liquid state to the solid state, undergoing an exothermic reaction, when its temperature of the PCM decreases below the phase-change temperature value. When in the solid state, the PCM may be understood as being “charged” in the sense that it holds a capacity of absorbing and dissipating thermal energy. When in the liquid state, the PCM may be understood as being “discharged”. In the same or other implementations, the first container 110 and/or the second container 120 containing the PCM fluid may include insulated areas (e.g. lower portion 125 of the second container 120) to optimize the enhance a thermosyphon phenomenon (i.e. natural convection-based thermal energy exchange) occurring therein.
In one implementation of the immersion cooling system 100B and as depicted in
In some other implementations of the immersion cooling system 100c and as depicted in
The heat exchanger 200 may include an air-to-liquid heat exchanger. For example, one or more fans positioned downstream or upstream of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger may cause an airflow through the air-to-liquid heat exchanger, to extract heat from the second heat-transfer liquid 122 flowing through a core of the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. Alternatively, the heat exchanger 200 may include a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger thermally connected to the piping arrangement 210. As will be described in greater details herein after, the liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger may include a primary interface in thermal contact with the piping arrangement 210, and a secondary interface in thermal contact with the primary interface. A flow of a liquid coolant received in the secondary interface allows to extract heat from the second heat-transfer liquid 122 present in the piping arrangement 210.
The electronic devices 420 may generate a significant amount of heat. Consequently, the immersion cooling system provides cooling to the electronic devices 420 to prevent them from being damaged. As used herein, the immersion cooling system 100 is a cooling system in which the immersion case 416 is open such that the electronic device 50 is in direct contact with the first heat-transfer liquid 110, which either flows over at least portions of the electronic device, or in which at least portions of the electronic device are submerged in the first container 110. Further, the board 418 including the electronic components 422 may be submerged at least in part in the immersion cooling case 416. In this implementation, the board 418 may be inserted into the immersion case 416 via an opening 422 at the top of the immersion case 416. The opening 422 may remain at least partially open during operation of the electronic device 50, providing a non-sealed configuration for the immersion case 416. Such non-sealed configurations may be easier to manufacture and maintain than sealed configurations.
Alternatively, the immersion case 416 may be closed and sealed once the board 418 in inserted, such that a coolant liquid flowing in the immersion case 416 is different from the first heat-transfer liquid 112. Yet alternatively, the immersion case 416 may be omitted.
In some implementations, the immersion cooling system may further include a channelized cooling system 500 in which heat-generating components of the electronic device 50 (i.e. the electronic components 422) are cooled using one or more liquid cooling units 550, which may also be called “cold plates” or “water blocks” (although a liquid circulating through the “water blocks” may be any of a wide variety of known thermal transfer liquids, rather than water).
Liquid connections of the liquid cooling units 550 are described in greater details herein after. Examples of heat-generating components that may be cooled using such a thermal transfer devices include, but are not limited to, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), neural processing units (NPUs), tensor processing units (TPUs), power supply circuitry, and application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), including, for example, ASICs configured for high-speed cryptocurrency mining.
In the illustrative embodiment of
The electronic device 50 includes one or more electronic components 422 (only one of which is illustrated for clarity of the
Additionally, the electronic device 50 is also cooled by the channelized cooling system 500 that circulates a channelized heat-transfer liquid through one or more liquid cooling units 550 (only one of which is illustrated for clarity of the
The liquid cooling unit 550 may for example include a liquid inlet 552 for receiving the channelized heat-transfer liquid. The channelized heat-transfer liquid may thus flow through the internal liquid conduit of the liquid cooling unit 550 that may zigzag within the liquid cooling unit 550 to maximize the heat absorption potential of the channelized heat-transfer liquid across a surface of the liquid cooling unit 550. The internal liquid conduit may terminate at a liquid outlet 554 for discharging hot channelized heat-transfer liquid. The channelized cooling liquid may be a different liquid than the first heat-transfer liquid 112. That is, the channelized cooling liquid may include water, alcohol, or any suitable liquid capable of sustaining adequate cooling temperatures.
After absorbing thermal energy from the electronic device 50 through the walls of the first container 110, the warm second heat-transfer liquid 122 is conveyed through the liquid cooling units 550 fluidly connected in parallel to one another. The heated second heat-transfer liquid 122 further exits the liquid cooling units 550 and is conveyed through the heat-exchanger 200. The heat-exchanger 200 cools the second heat-transfer liquid 122, which may then be recirculated to the second container 120.
In some implementations, the heat-exchanger 200 operates such that a temperature of the second heat-transfer liquid 122 at the container inlet 124 is between 25° C. and 30° C.
In some other implementations, the liquid cooling units 550 of the immersion cooling system 100E may be fluidly connected in series to one another, as depicted on
It will be understood that there may be many additional features, combinations, and variations of such hybrid cooling systems combining channelized liquid cooling and immersion cooling of the electronic device 50.
Other variations may involve changing the order of the components along a circulation of the second heat-transfer liquid 122. For example and with reference to
These variations and additional features may be used in various combinations, and may be used in connection with the implementations described above, or other implementations. For example, the liquid cooling units 550 of the immersion cooling system 100F depicted on
In some implementations, the heat-exchanger 200 of the immersion cooling system 100 may be a liquid-to-liquid heat-exchanger 200 (e.g. a plate heat-exchanger) as depicted on
The immersion cooling system 100H further includes an external cooling loop 310 in fluid connection with the second interface 206 of the liquid-to-liquid heat-exchanger 200. In use, a liquid coolant, for example water, flows in the external cooling loop 310 is received in the second interface 206 via a liquid coolant inlet and is returned from the secondary interface 206 via a liquid coolant outlet. The external cooling loop 310 further includes an external heat-exchanger 300 (e.g. a dry cooler) to extract thermal energy from the liquid coolant exiting the second interface 206. The external cooling loop 310 may include a pump (not shown) to cause the liquid coolant to flow therein. In some implementations, the liquid cooling units 550 of the immersion cooling system 100H depicted on
In some implementations, the external cooling loop 310 may further include a liquid coolant storage tank for increasing an availability of the immersion cooling system 100H in case of failure (e.g. leakage of the external cooling loop 310) and/or a pumping system for circulating the liquid coolant in the external cooling loop 310.
In an implementation, the immersion cooling system 100 includes a plurality of first containers 110, a plurality of second containers 120 and a plurality of corresponding liquid-to liquid heat-exchanger 200, as depicted on
In some implementations and as best shown on
While the above-described implementations have been described and shown with reference to particular steps performed in a particular order, it will be understood that these steps may be combined, sub-divided, or re-ordered without departing from the teachings of the present technology. At least some of the steps may be executed in parallel or in series. Accordingly, the order and grouping of the steps is not a limitation of the present technology.
It should be expressly understood that not all technical effects mentioned herein need to be enjoyed in each and every embodiment of the present technology.
As such, the immersion cooling system implemented in accordance with some non-limiting embodiments of the present technology can be represented as follows, presented in numbered clauses.
[Clause 1] An immersion cooling system for cooling one or more electronic devices, each of the one or more electronic devices comprising one or more heat-generating components, the cooling system comprising:
[Clause 2] The cooling system of clause 1, further comprising:
[Clause 3] The immersion cooling system of clause 2, further comprising a pump configured to cause a circulation of the second heat-transfer liquid from the main liquid inlet to the main liquid outlet.
[Clause 4] The immersion cooling system of clause 2 or 3, further comprising:
[Clause 5] The immersion cooling system of clause 4, wherein the cooling system is configured to operate with a temperature of the second heat-transfer liquid at the main liquid inlet between 30° C. and 55° C.
[Clause 6] The immersion cooling system of clause 2 or 3, further comprising:
[Clause 7] The immersion cooling system of clause 6, wherein the one or more electronic devices comprise a plurality of electronic devices, the one or more heat-generating components of the plurality of electronic devices being fluidly connected in parallel to one another.
[Clause 8] The immersion cooling system of clause 7, wherein the cooling system is configured to provide a temperature of the second heat-transfer liquid at the container inlet between 30° C. and 55° C.
[Clause 9] The immersion cooling system of clause 6, wherein the one or more electronic devices comprise a plurality of electronic devices, the one or more heat-generating components of the plurality of electronic devices being fluidly connected in series to one another.
[Clause 10] The immersion cooling system of clause 9, wherein the cooling system is configured to provide a temperature of the second heat-transfer liquid at the container inlet between 25° C. and 30° C.
[Clause 11] The immersion cooling system of any one of clauses 2 to 10, further comprising a first heat-exchanger configured to:
[Clause 12] The immersion cooling system of clause 11, wherein the first heat-exchanger is a liquid-to-liquid heat-exchanger, the second heat-transfer liquid flowing in a first interface of the liquid-to-liquid heat-exchanger, the cooling system further comprising:
[Clause 13] The immersion cooling system of any one of clauses 1 to 12, wherein the first container defines at least one recess through which the second heat-transfer liquid circulates.
[Clause 14] The immersion cooling system of any one of clauses 1 to 13, wherein at least one of the first heat-transfer liquid and the second heat-transfer liquid includes a Phase Change Material (PCM).
[Clause 15] The immersion cooling system of any one of clauses 1 to 14, wherein at least one of the first and second container define a plurality of fins.
[Clause 16] The immersion cooling system of clause 12, wherein the second heat-exchanger is a dry cooler.
[Clause 17] The immersion cooling system of any one of clauses 1 to 16, wherein the second heat-transfer liquid includes water.
[Clause 18] The immersion cooling system of any one of clauses 1 to 16, wherein the first heat-transfer liquid is a dielectric liquid.
[Clause 19] An immersion cooling system for cooling one or more electronic devices, each of the one or more electronic devices comprising one or more heat-generating components, the cooling system comprising:
[Clause 20] The immersion cooling system of clause 19, wherein each of the at least one liquid cooling unit comprises:
[Clause 21] The immersion cooling system of clause 20, wherein the cooling system is configured to operate with a temperature of the heat-transfer liquid at the main liquid inlet between 30° C. and 55° C.
[Clause 22] The immersion cooling system of clause 19, wherein each of the at least one liquid cooling unit comprises:
[Clause 23] The immersion cooling system of clause 22, wherein the one or more electronic devices comprise a plurality of electronic devices, the one or more heat-generating components of the plurality of electronic devices being fluidly connected in parallel to one another.
[Clause 24] The immersion cooling system of clause 23, wherein the cooling system is configured to operate with a temperature of the heat-transfer liquid at the main liquid inlet between 30° C. and 55° C.
[Clause 25] The immersion cooling system of clause 24, wherein the one or more electronic devices comprise a plurality of electronic devices, the one or more heat-generating components of the plurality of electronic devices being fluidly connected in series to one another.
[Clause 26] The immersion cooling system of clause 25, wherein the cooling system is configured to operate with a temperature of the heat-transfer liquid at the main liquid inlet between 25° C. and 30° C.
[Clause 27] The immersion cooling system of any one of clauses 1 to 26, wherein the electronic device is a server.
[Clause 28] The immersion cooling system of any one of clauses 19 to 27, wherein the heat-transfer liquid is water.
Modifications and improvements to the above-described implementations of the present technology may become apparent to those skilled in the art. The foregoing description is intended to be exemplary rather than limiting. The scope of the present technology is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23305317.2 | Mar 2023 | EP | regional |
