Node blind mate liquid cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10188016-B2
Application number	US-201615339483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2016
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a configurable extension space for a computer server or node blade that has the ability to expand data storage or other functionality to a computer system while minimizing any disruption to computers in a data center when the functionality of a computer server or a node blade is extended. Apparatus consistent with the present disclosure may include multiple electronic assemblies where a first assembly resides deep within an enclosure to which an expansion module may be attached in an accessible expansion space. Such apparatus may also include liquid cooling.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a computer rack;
a distribution manifold configured to distribute a cooling liquid into each node blade of a plurality of node blades in the computer rack connected to the distribution manifold, wherein the distribution manifold includes a plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings;
a node blade including:
a main portion, and
a first plurality of node blade liquid couplings configured to engage with the plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings, thereby enabling fluid communication between the distribution manifold and a node blade cooling line, as the node blade is installed into the computer rack;

a removeable expansion module configured to be connected to the main portion of the node blade by a plurality of expansion module liquid couplings, thereby establishing fluid communication between the node blade cooling line and an expansion module cooling line providing cooling to an electronic device of the removable expansion module.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising locking clips that lock the node blade into the computer rack when the node blade is installed into the computer rack.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first plurality of node blade liquid couplings and the plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings are non-locking, and the locking-clips provide a force that holds the first plurality of node blade liquid couplings and the plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings together when the node blade is locked into the computer rack.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the force that holds the first plurality of node blade liquid couplings and the plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings together is released when the node blade is unlocked from the computer rack, and the node blade is unlocked from the computer rack by the locking clips.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first coupling of the plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings engaged with a first coupling of the first plurality of node blade liquid couplings provides the cooling liquid to the node blade cooling line from a chiller.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein a second coupling of the plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings engaged with a second coupling of the first plurality of node blade liquid couplings returns the cooling liquid from the node blade cooling line to the chiller.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein a supply of the liquid cooling is supplied between the main portion of the node blade to the removable expansion module via the expansion module liquid couplings connecting the main portion of the node blade to the removable expansion module.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of node blade liquid couplings is flexibly attached to the node blade such that the first plurality of node blade liquid couplings is moveable laterally relative to a cooling line support structure attached to the node blade.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of node blade liquid couplings includes valves that close when the node blade is removed from the computer rack.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings includes valves that close when the node blade is removed from the computer rack.

11. An apparatus, comprising:
a distribution manifold configured to distribute a cooling liquid into a node blade cooling line of each of a plurality of node blades in a computer rack, wherein the distribution manifold includes a plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings;
a node blade including:
a main portion,
a first plurality of node blade liquid couplings configured to engage with the plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings, thereby enabling fluid communication between the distribution manifold and a node blade cooling line providing cooling to an electronic device of the node blade, as the node blade is installed into the computer rack, wherein at least one of the plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings and the first plurality of node blade fluid couplings is a floating coupling,
a second plurality of node blade liquid couplings configured to engage with a plurality of expansion module liquid couplings, thereby establishing fluid communication between the node blade cooling line and an expansion module cooling line providing cooling to an electronic device of a removable expansion module; and

the removeable expansion module configured to be connected to the main portion of the node blade by the plurality of expansion module liquid couplings.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein a first liquid coupling of the plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings engaged with a first liquid coupling of the first plurality of node blade liquid couplings forms a floating connection providing the cooling liquid to the node blade cooling line from a chiller through the distribution manifold.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein a second liquid coupling of the plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings engaged with a second liquid coupling of the first plurality of node blade liquid couplings forms a floating connection returning the cooling liquid from the node blade cooling line back to the chiller through the distribution manifold.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein a portion of the node blade cooling line passes through a cooling line support structure attached to the node blade and wherein the portion of the node blade cooling line is a flexible material configured allow the first plurality of floating node blade liquid couplings to shift laterally relative to the cooling line support structure to obtain alignment with the plurality of distribution manifold liquid couplings.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 including a mounting block, encompassing the node blade cooling line, held in contact with an end surface of the cooling line support structure by an elastic force exerted by the flexible material portion of the cooling line, wherein the mounting block is moveable laterally against the end surface of the line support structure.

16. A system, comprising:
a distribution manifold configured to distribute a cooling liquid through a node blade in a computer rack, wherein the distribution manifold includes first liquid couplings configured to engage with second liquid couplings of a node blade, thereby establishing fluid communication between the liquid distribution manifold and a cooling line of the node blade;
the node blade including:
the second liquid couplings flexibly attached to the node blade such that the second liquid couplings are moveable laterally relative to a cooling line support structure of the node blade as the node blade is installed into the computer rack, and
third liquid couplings configured to engage with fourth liquid couplings of a removable expansion module, thereby establishing fluid communication between the cooling line of the node blade and a cooling line of the expansion module; and

the removable expansion module including the fourth liquid couplings.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first liquid couplings are flexibly attached to the distribution manifold such that the first liquid couplings are moveable laterally relative to the distribution manifold as the node blade is installed into the computer rack.

18. The system of claim 16 , including mounting blocks between the second liquid couplings and the cooling line support structure.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the mounti

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Entpr Dev Lp

Inventors

• Lunsman Harvey
• Dean Steven J
• Ramseier Roger
• Stacy Russell

Classifications

• H05K7/20772 Primary

  within server blades for removing heat from heat source · CPC title

• H05K7/20263

  Heat dissipaters releasing heat from coolant · CPC title

• F16L37/12

  using hooks, pawls, or other movable or insertable locking members (F16L37/084 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16L37/35

  at least one of the valves having an axial bore communicating with lateral apertures · CPC title