Liquid drain mechanism for immersion cooling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11219142-B2
Application number	US-202016856804-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2020
Priority date	Feb 27, 2020
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

An equipment assembly that allows easier replacement of heat-generating electrical components is disclosed. The assembly includes a rack for containing a heat-generating electrical component. The component includes a coolant inlet, a coolant outlet, and a drain connector. A cold manifold supplies coolant to the heat-generating electrical component through the coolant inlet. A hot manifold collects coolant from the heat-generating electrical component through the coolant outlet. A drain manifold includes a coupler. The coolant inlet and the coolant outlet are disconnected from the cold and hot manifolds. The drain connector is fluidly connected to the drain manifold to drain coolant from the heat-generating electrical component before the heat-generating electrical component is removed from the rack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An equipment assembly, comprising:
a rack for containing a heat-generating electrical component, the component including a coolant inlet, a coolant outlet, and a draining connector, wherein the draining connector is distinct from the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet;
a cold manifold to supply coolant to the heat-generating electrical component through the coolant inlet;
a hot manifold to collect coolant from the heat-generating electrical component through the coolant outlet; and
a drain manifold including a coupler, wherein the drain manifold is distinct from the cold manifold and the hot manifold, and wherein when the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet are disconnected from the cold and hot manifolds the draining connector is directly fluidly connectable to the drain manifold to drain coolant from the heat-generating electrical component before the heat-generating electrical component is removed from the rack.

2. The equipment assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a coolant distribution unit fluidly coupled to the hot manifold and the cold manifold, the coolant distribution unit including a heat exchanger, a pump, a cold coolant pipe fluidly connected to the cold manifold, and a hot coolant pipe fluidly connected to the hot manifold.

3. The equipment assembly of claim 2 , wherein the coolant distribution unit is located at the bottom of the rack, under the heat-generating electrical component.

4. The equipment assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a reservoir having a fluid conduit in fluid communication to the drain manifold.

5. The equipment assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a door on the rack, wherein a cooling system in fluid communication with the cold and hot manifolds is mounted on the door.

6. The equipment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating component includes a sealed chassis holding internal elements and internal conduits coupled to the coolant inlet and coolant outlet to circulate coolant around the internal elements.

7. The equipment assembly of claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating component is one of a storage server, application server, or switch device.

8. A method of draining coolant from a heat-generating component in a rack including a cold manifold, a hot manifold, and a drain manifold, the drain manifold distinct from the cold and hot manifolds, the heat-generating component including a coolant inlet in fluid communication with the cold manifold, a coolant outlet in communication with the hot manifold, and a draining connector, the draining connector distinct from the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet, the method comprising:
disconnecting the coolant inlet from the cold manifold;
disconnecting the coolant outlet from the hot manifold;
directly connecting the draining connector to the drain manifold to allow coolant in the heat-generating component to drain into the drain manifold; and
removing the heat-generating component from the rack after the coolant is drained.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the rack includes a coolant distribution unit fluidly coupled to the hot manifold and the cold manifold, the coolant distribution unit including a heat exchanger, a pump, a cold coolant pipe fluidly connected to the cold manifold, and a hot coolant pipe fluidly connected to the hot manifold.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the coolant distribution unit is located at the bottom of the rack, under the heat-generating electrical component.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the rack includes a reservoir having a fluid conduit in fluid communication to the drain manifold.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the rack includes a door, wherein a cooling system in fluid communication with the cold and hot manifolds is mounted on the door.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the heat-generating component includes a sealed chassis holding internal elements and internal conduits coupled to the coolant inlet and coolant outlet to circulate coolant around the internal elements.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the heat-generating component is one of a storage server, application server, or switch device.

15. An electronic heat-generating device for insertion in a rack having a cold manifold, a hot manifold, and a drain manifold, the device comprising:
a sealed chassis having at least one heat-generating electronic heat-generating device element;
a coolant inlet fluidly connectable to the cold manifold;
a coolant outlet fluidly connectable to the hot manifold;
internal conduits for circulating coolant around the heat-generating element in the sealed chassis;
a draining connector to drain liquid coolant from the internal conduit prior to the electronic heat-generating device being removed from the rack, when the coolant inlet is fluidly disconnected from the cold manifold, and the coolant outlet is fluidly disconnected from the hot manifold, wherein the draining connector is distinct from the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet and directly connected to the drain manifold.

16. The electronic heat-generating device of claim 15 , wherein the element is one of a processor or a memory device.

17. The electronic heat-generating device of claim 15 , wherein the device is one of a storage server, application server, or switch device.

Assignees

• Quanta Comp Inc

Inventors

• Chen Chao-Jung
• Huang Yu-Nien
• Lu Yung-Hsiang

Classifications

• H05K7/20781 Primary

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · CPC title

• H05K7/20236

  by immersion · CPC title

• H05K7/20272

  Accessories for moving fluid, for expanding fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid, for removing gas or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds · CPC title