Leak detection and containment for liquid cooled computing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10638645-B1
Application number	US-201715633593-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 26, 2017
Priority date	Jun 26, 2017
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

An assembly for containing and detecting leaks from a coolant line includes a basin with side and end walls, and at least one U-shaped cavity in an end wall for receiving a coolant line of a liquid cooling system. A bottom of the basin includes at least one sloped interior surface arranged to divert water in the basin to a local low point, where a sensor is positioned and operable to detect liquid in the collection basin. A leak detection system can employ a leak detection assembly to detect and/or locate a leak.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly, comprising:
a first basin comprising a bottom, first and second ends, and first and second sides defining an interior volume, wherein:
the first end comprises a first end wall having a first cavity configured to receive a coolant line;
the first side, second side, and second end comprise, respectively, a first sidewall, second sidewall, and a second end wall configured to limit airflow from an environment of the assembly into the interior volume of the basin; and
the bottom comprises at least two opposing slopes that converge toward a low portion of the interior volume, the at least two opposing slopes being arranged to collect liquid coolant in the basin at the low portion of the interior volume; and

a liquid sensor positioned at the low portion of the interior volume and operable to detect liquid coolant collected at the low portion.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second end wall comprises a second cavity configured to connect the basin with a coolant line.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a connecting flange coupled with one of the first or second sides and extending from one of the first or second sides toward the basin and arranged to interact with the liquid sensor to retain the sensor below, or to align the sensor with, a location corresponding to a connection of a coolant line when the coolant line is connected with the assembly.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the sensor comprises a live wire and a ground wire separated by a short distance, the sensor having a first resistance when the sensor is dry and a second resistance lower than the first resistance when the sensor is in contact with liquid coolant; and
the sensor is capable of detecting liquid coolant collected in the low portion at volumes less than or equal to 1.0 ml when the sensor is installed in the low portion.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the basin defines an interior volume of less than 30 ml.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the bottom further comprises a collection cavity positioned at the low portion of the interior volume and configured to collect liquid from the basin; and
the sensor is disposed in the collection cavity.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the first end wall further has a second cavity in the first end wall offset from the first cavity, the first and second cavities configured to receive first and second cooling lines, respectively.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a static vane connected with the basin and positioned offset from the basin and configured to divert an ambient flow of air around the basin.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second basin different from the first basin, the second basin comprising:
a second bottom having a second sloped interior surface that defines a second low portion;
a second end wall having a second cavity configured to receive a coolant line; and
a second liquid sensor positioned at the second low portion and operable to detect liquid coolant collected in the second basin.

10. The assembly of claim 9 further comprising:
a coolant line received in one of the first or second cavities; and
a first heat exchanger which is connected with the coolant line within or above one of the basins and which is also configured to connect with a processor for drawing heat from the processor into the coolant line.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the coolant line is received in both the first and second cavities, the assembly further comprising a second heat exchanger comprising a fan for exhausting heat from the coolant line into an environmental flow of air, the second heat exchanger connected with the coolant line within or above one of the second or first basins.

12. The assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a third cavity in the second end wall offset from the second cavity and configured to receive a coolant line.

13. The assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a coolant line received in one of the second or first cavities; and
a heat exchanger comprising a fan for exhausting heat from the coolant line into an environmental flow of air, the heat exchanger connected with the coolant line within or above one of the second or first basins.

14. A system, comprising:
a computing system cooling assembly including a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from a computing component to a liquid coolant, a second heat exchanger configured to extract heat from the liquid coolant, and a coolant line to transfer the liquid coolant between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger;
a first basin connected with the coolant line, the basin comprising a bottom, first and second ends, and first and second sides defining an interior volume, wherein,
the first end comprises a first end wall having a first cavity receiving the coolant line;
the first side, second side, and second end comprise, respectively, a first sidewall, second sidewall, and a second end wall configured to limit airflow into the interior volume of the basin; and
the bottom comprises at least two opposing slopes that converge toward a low portion of the interior volume, the at least two opposing slopes being arranged to collect liquid coolant in the basin at the low portion of the interior volume; and

a liquid sensor positioned at the low portion of the interior volume of the basin and operable to detect liquid coolant collected at the low portion.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first heat exchanger is thermally coupled with the computing component and the second heat exchanger comprises a radiator.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Moen Michael Jon
• Patel Vijay
• Ortega Gutierrez Felipe Enrique
• Lee Yaotsung

Classifications

• H05K7/20781 Primary

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title

• G21C17/002

  Detection of leaks (by testing the coolant or the moderator G21C17/04) · CPC title

• G06F2200/201

  Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid · CPC title

• G21C15/182

  comprising powered means, e.g. pumps · CPC title

• G01M3/18

  for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; {for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators} · CPC title