Cooling fluids flow through or around components to prevent overheating of the components. The heat produced by the components may be transferred to the cooling fluid to regulate the temperature of the components.
In the accompanying drawings, like numerals refer to like components or blocks. The following detailed description references the drawings, wherein:
Cooling systems may use single phase immersion cooling by placing a hardware component into a tank of cooling fluid, such that the hardware is filled and covered by the cooling fluid. In this example, a rack-sized tank may be provided without cooling fluid control. Additionally in this example, the immersion cooling system may create space limitations which may limit the number of hardware components which may be cooled within the cooling systems. Furthermore, the immersion cooling system may be sealed which creates difficulties in accessing the hardware components for servicing.
To address these issues, examples disclosed herein provide an efficient utilization of space in which multiple tiers may consist of multiple tanks. Using multiple tanks across multiple tiers enables each of the multiple tanks to hold multiple servers of various electrical components. This creates a higher power density through enabling multiple tanks across multiple tiers to hold the various electrical components. Further, the cooling structure including the multiple tanks provides a repackaging of the multiple servers into a cartridge form for immersion into a shallow and accessible type of tank.
Additionally, each of the multiple tanks includes a corresponding inlet which may receive the cooling fluid and direct the cooling fluid to an outlet located on an opposite side of each of the multiple tanks. This creates a flow of cooling fluid in a horizontal manner across the multiple servers and electrical components. Creating the flow of cooling fluid in the horizontal manner provides an efficient manner to regulate temperatures among power dense servers and the various electrical components. Additionally, directing the cooling fluid from the inlet to the outlet achieves high power density by using the cooling fluid to regulate the temperature of the electrical components within each of the multiple tanks.
In another example discussed herein, each of the multiple tanks may include an inlet valve on the front side and an outlet valve on the backside of the tank. The inlet valve may control an amount of cooling fluid entering each tank. Controlling the amount of cooling fluid enables the inlet valve to adjust the amount of cooling fluid entering the particular tank without affecting the amount of cooling fluid entering other tanks. The outlet valve may maintain the volume of the cooling fluid within the particular tank by controlling the amount of cooling fluid exiting the particular tank at a given time.
In a further example discussed herein, the mechanical structure of each of the multiple tanks is without a top side. Eliminating the top side, provides an unsealed tank which may provide a more efficient manner to access the multiple servers for servicing the electrical components of the multiple servers within each of the multiple tanks.
In summary, examples disclosed herein provide a cooling structure which achieves high power density by using the cooling fluid to regulate the temperature of the electrical components within each of the multiple tanks. Additionally the examples disclosed herein may control and adjust an amount of the cooling fluid entering and exiting each of the multiple tanks without affecting the flow of the cooling fluid to the other multiple tanks.
Referring now to the figures,
The multiple tanks 108 are each a mechanical storage component which may hold various electronic components. These electronic components may include multiple servers within each of the multiple tanks 108. This implementation is discussed in detail in the next figure. As discussed earlier, each of the multiple tiers supports multiple tanks 108 for cooling the electronic components within each of these tanks. For example, Tier 1 may include four multiple tanks 108 and within each of the four multiple tanks 108 may include electronic equipment. In this manner, each of the multiple tanks 108 serves as a supporting housing for cooling these electronic components. In one implementation, each of the multiple tanks 108 includes four sides and a bottom side while eliminating a top side. This provides easier access to service the various components within each of the multiple tanks 108 without dismantling the other components of the cooling structure 102. Although
The inflow system 104 is a type of mechanical structure which carries the cooling fluid to an inlet 110 at each of the multiple tanks 108. In this manner, the inflow system 104 carries the inflow of the cooling fluid within the cooling structure 102 as indicated with the arrow. As such, implementations of the inflow system 106 include a pipe, tube, or other type of mechanical transportation system which enables liquid to flow into the cooling structure 102. In one implementation, the inflow system 104 includes a pump for air enabling the flow of the cooling fluid through the cooling structure 102.
The multiple inlets 110 are mechanical structures which allow the cooling fluid to enter the multiple tanks 108 within the cooling structure 102. In one implementation, the multiple inlets 110 are part of the inflow system 104, each of the multiple inlets 110 enable the cooling fluid to flow from the inflow system 104 into the corresponding tank. In another implementation each of multiple inlets 110 include an inlet valve to control an amount of cooling fluid flowing into a corresponding tank. This implementation is discussed in detail in the next figure.
The outlet system 106 is a type of mechanical structure which enables the cooling fluid to exit each of the multiple tanks 108. In this manner, the outlet system 106 carries the outflow of the cooling fluid from the cooling structure 102 as indicated with the arrow. The outlet system 106 is the mechanical structure which servers to transport the cooling fluid from the cooling structure 102. As such, implementations of the outlet system 106 include a pipe, tube, or other type of mechanical transportation system which enables liquid to flow from the cooling structure 102. In one implementation, the outlet system 106 carries the outflow of the cooling fluid to the beat exchanger. On the backside of the cooling structure 102, the outlet system 106 may include multiple outlets which allow the cooling fluid to flow out of each of the multiple tanks 108. This is illustrated in a later figure. In another implementation, each of the outlets may include an outlet valve which may control the amount of cooling fluid exiting a tank at a given time. This implementation enables the outlet valve to maintain a volume of cooling fluid in the tank at the given time.
The multiple inlet valves 212 are each located on a first side of each of the multiple tanks 208. In this implementation, the inlet valve 212 is located on the inlet wall of each tank. Each of the multiple inlet valves 212 control an amount of cooling fluid entering a corresponding tank. In one implementation, one of the multiple inlet valves 212 may adjust the amount of cooling fluid flowing to the corresponding tank 208 without affecting the flow of cooling fluid into the other multiple tanks. In this implementation, an outlet valve may be located on the second side of the tank to adjust the amount of cooling fluid exiting the tank based upon the adjustment by the inlet valve 212.
The inlet 304 receives an inflow of cooling, fluid and based upon receiving the inflow of cooling fluid, the inlet 304 allows the flow of cooling fluid in the tank. In one implementation, the inlet 304 includes a inlet valve. In this implementation, the inlet valve controls an amount of cooling fluid entering the inlet at a given time. Upon receiving the inflow of cooling fluid, the inlet 304 allows the cooling fluid into the tank, thus directing the cooling fluid in the horizontal manner across each of the multiple servers 308. The horizontal manner describes the flow of the cooling fluid across the multiple servers 308 within the tank.
The outlet 306 receives an outflow of cooling fluid from the tank. In one implementation upon receiving the outflow of cooling fluid, the outlet 306 expels the cooling fluid from the tank. In another implementation, the outlet 306 may include an outlet valve to control the amount of cooling fluid exiting the tank at a given time.
The multiple servers 308 are each a system which may respond to request across a computer network. Each of the multiple servers 308 includes various electrical components which may reach higher temperatures in responding to requests. For each of the multiple servers 308 to continue functionality in handling these requests, the electrical components may be temperature regulated to ensure the components may not overheat, etc. As such, cooling fluid is directed from the inlet 304 to the outlet 306 in the horizontal manner to remove heat from the electrical components. The multiple servers 308 may include microservers, server cartridges, servers, and/or other type of electrical components in which the temperature may be regulated by directing the flow of cooling fluid in the horizontal manner in the tank.
At operation 402, the cooling system pumps the cooling fluid into the multiple tanks. In this implementation, the cooling fluid is pumped separately into each tank within the multiple tier structure. A pump may be included, as part of the cooling system which may initiate the cooling system by pumping cooling fluid into each of the multiple tanks. In one implementation, the cooling fluid may be stagnant until the pump operates to pump the cooling fluid into the multiple tanks. In this implementation, the cooling fluid may remain within the pump or may be located throughout the cooling system. The pump enables the cooling fluid to flow within the cooling system. The cooling fluid may enter each of the multiple tanks through an inlet valve located on the first side of each tank as at operation 404. In this manner, each tank includes its own respective inlet to receive the cooling fluid into each tank. The cooling system may include a primary inlet pipe which carries the cooling fluid to the multiple tanks. From the primary inlet pipe, each tank may include its own inlet pipe which allows cooling fluid to flow from the primary inlet pipe into each of the multiple tanks. in another implementation, pumping the cooling fluid into each of the multiple tanks includes immersing the electrical components located within each of the tanks with cooling fluid. This implementation may be discussed in detail in a later figure.
At operation 404, the cooling system may direct the cooling fluid thorough each inlet located on the first side of each tank. Directing the cooling fluid through each inlet on the first side of each tank, the cooling fluid may flow to the opposite side of the tank. In this manner, the cooling fluid may be directed to a side opposite of the first side (e.g., the second side) of each tank. In this implementation, the cooling fluid may be directed across multiple servers in a horizontal manner.
At operation 406, the cooling fluid may exit each of the multiple tanks through the outlet on the second side of each tank. The second side of each tank is located opposite from the first side of the tank. In this manner, the cooling fluid may flow through the inlet on the first side and flow out to the outlet on the opposite side of the tank. Operation 406 may include expelling the cooling fluid from each of the multiple tanks through each outlet. Operation 406 may include expelling the cooling fluid from each outlet located on the opposite side from the inlet. In this manner, the opposite side includes the second side which expels the cooling fluid. Upon expelling the cooling fluid, a heat exchanger may accept the expelled cooling fluid. The heat exchanger may transfer heat from the cooling fluid to another medium within the heat exchanger. This enables the heat from the cooling fluid to transfer to the other medium within the heat exchanger. In this implementation, the cooling fluid may be pumped back into each of the multiple tanks. In this manner, the cooling fluid remains in a continuous loop from each of multiple tanks into the heat exchanger and back through each of the multiple tanks. Looping the cooling fluid through each of the multiple tanks and the heat exchanger, each of the multiple tanks includes a continuous flow of the cooling fluid to regulate the servers within each of the tanks.
At operation 502, the cooling fluid may be pumped into each of the multiple tanks. In this implementation, the cooling fluid enters the inlet on the first side of each tank. In this manner, each tank includes its own respective inlet to receive the cooling fluid into each tank. In one implementation, pumping the cooling fluid into each of the multiple tanks includes immersing the multiple microservers within each of the tanks with the cooling fluid as at operation 504. Operation 502 may be similar in functionality to operation 402 as in
At operation 504, the cooling system immerses multiple servers located in each of the tanks with the cooling fluid. In one implementation, the multiple servers may be at least partially immersed in the cooling fluid prior to expelling the cooling fluid through each outlet on the opposite side of each tank as at operation 510. In another implementation, each of the servers may be fully immersed in the cooling fluid prior to expelling the cooling fluid as at operation 510. These implementations enable the amount of cooling fluid to remain constant in immersing the servers to regulate the temperature of each of the servers.
At operation 506, the cooling fluid may enter in inlet located on the first side of each tank. In one implementation, the cooling fluid may be directed in horizontal manner across the multiple servers within each of the multiple tanks as at operation 508. Operation 506 may be similar in functionality to operation 404 as in
At operation 508, the cooling fluid may be directed in a horizontal manner across multiple servers located within each tank. In this implementation, the cooling fluid may enter each tank through an inlet on the first side of the tank and be directed to the opposite side of the tank for expulsion of the cooling fluid through the outlet. In this manner, the cooling fluid may be in a continuous flow to enter each tank and exit on the other side.
At operation 510, the cooling fluid may be expelled through the outlet located on each of the multiple tanks. The outlet is located on the second side of each tank. The second side may be considered the side which is parallel to the first side of the tank or in other words, may be the opposite side to the first side of the tank. The outlet of the tank enables the cooling fluid to exit the tank, while the inlet may allow the cooling fluid to enter the tank. Thus, this enables the continuous flow of cooling fluid. Operation 510 may be similar in functionality to operation 406 as in
At operation 512, a valve located on the inlet of the tank may adjust an amount of cooling fluid flowing into one of the multiple tanks without affecting a flow of the cooling fluid into the other multiple tanks. In this implementation, the inlet valve may receive a signal indicating to slow the flow of cooling fluid into the tank or increase the amount allowed to enter the tank at a given tank. Each tank may include the inlet valve to adjust the amount of cooling fluid entering each respective tank at a given time. In this manner, the amount of the cooling fluid entering a particular tank may be affected, while the amount of cooling fluid flow into the other tanks may remain unaffected.
At operation 514, the inlet valve may control the amount of cooling fluid entering at least One of the multiple tanks. Each of the multiple tanks includes a respective inlet valve which may control the amount of cooling fluid entering that respective tank. The inlet valve may include a controlling component which may receive a signal whether to increase or decrease the amount of cooling fluid entering the particular tank. In one implementation, if the inlet valve allows more or less cooling fluid to enter the tank at a given time, the outlet valve responds accordingly to maintain a constant amount of fluid in the tank at the given time as at operation 516.
At operation 516, the cooling system may maintain the volume of the cooling fluid into one of the multiple tanks though the exit valve. In this manner, the amount of cooling fluid may be maintained regardless of whether the inlet valve allows more or less cooling fluid to enter the tank. The exit or outlet valve may respond in accordance to the inlet valve depending on whether the inlet valve allows more or less cooling fluid into the tank. For example, if the inlet valve opens to allow an increase in the amount of cooling fluid entering the tank, the outlet or exit valve may allow an increase in the amount of cooling fluid leaving the tank. In this manner, the exit valve may mirror the action of the inlet valve to maintain the volume and/or the amount of cooling fluid may remain constant.
The inlet system 604 carries the inflow of cooling fluid from the heat exchanger 614 and/or pump into each of the multiple tanks 608. The inlet system 604 carries cooler cooling fluid to each of the multiple tanks 608 as indicated with the arrows pointing into the various tanks. As such, the inlet system 604 may include pipes or other medium capable of carrying cooling fluid to each of the multiple tanks 608.
Upon carrying the cooling fluid from the inlet system 604, the cooling system 602 further includes multiple inlets 610 which allow the cooling fluid into the multiple tanks 608. The multiple inlets 610 may be similar in functionality to inlets 104, 204, and 304 as in
The outlet system 606 includes multiple outlets as illustrated in
The heat exchanger 614 is a piece of equipment built for the beat transfer from the expelled cooling fluid. In an implementation, the heat exchanger may include a pump 614 in which to pump the cooling fluid into each of the multiple tanks 608. In this implementation, colder cooling fluid is pumped into each of the multiple tanks 608 where the cooling fluid flows over the multiple servers in each of the multiple tanks 608 and extracts heat from the electrical components within the servers. The warm cooling fluid exits the multiple tanks 608 through the multiple outlets. The outlet system may carry the warm cooling fluid to the heat exchanger 614 where the warm cooling fluid is cooled down and then gets pumped back into each of the multiple tanks 608.
The multiple outlets 618 allow the cooling fluid to exit the multiple tanks 608 and enter the outlet system 606. The outlet system 606 may proceed to carry the warm cooling fluid to the heat exchanger 614.
In summary, examples disclosed herein provide a cooling structure which achieves high power density by using the cooling fluid to regulate the temperature of the electrical components within each of the multiple tanks. Additionally the examples disclosed herein may control and adjust an amount of the cooling fluid entering and exiting each of the multiple tanks without affecting a flow of the cooling fluid to the other multiple tanks.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2014/039837 | 5/28/2014 | WO | 00 |