Rack cooling distribution system with leak detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12247794-B2
Application number	US-202117349424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2021
Priority date	Jun 16, 2021
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

A liquid cooling distribution system can be installed to an information technology (IT) rack to deliver and distribute fluid to IT equipment. The liquid cooling system can include a fluid manifold and a container that is arranged to capture a fluid that leaks from the fluid manifold. A first fluid sensor can be arranged to detect the fluid at a first position in the container. A controller can be configured to reduce a flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold and pump out fluid from the fluid manifold, in response to the fluid in the container being detected at the first position. Further remedial measure can be taken based on various detected leak scenarios.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling distribution system including
a fluid manifold;
a container, arranged to capture a fluid that leaks from the fluid manifold;
a first fluid sensor, arranged to detect the fluid at a first position in the container;
a second fluid sensor, arranged to detect the fluid at a second position in the container that is higher than the first position; and
a controller, configured to:
reduce a flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold, in response to the fluid in the container being detected at the first position,
in response to the fluid being detected at the second position, determine a difference in time between when the fluid is detected at the first position and when the fluid is detected at the second position, and
further reduce the flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold based on the difference in time.

2. The cooling system of claim 1 , further comprising a discharge pump, arranged on a return line of the fluid manifold, wherein the controller is further configured to pump out the fluid from the return line of the fluid manifold, in response to the fluid in the container being detected at the first position.

3. The cooling system of claim 2 , wherein if the difference in time is less than a threshold, then the controller stops the flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold and continues to pump out the fluid from the return line of the fluid manifold.

4. The cooling system of claim 3 , wherein if the difference in time is not less than the threshold, then the controller maintains a reduced flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold and continues to pump out the fluid from the return line of the fluid manifold.

5. The cooling system of claim 2 , further comprising a third fluid sensor, arranged to detect the fluid at a third position in the container that is higher than the second position, and in response to the fluid being detected at the third position, the controller is further configured to stop the flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold, pump out the fluid from a supply line of the fluid manifold, and continue to pump out the fluid from the return line of the fluid manifold.

6. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein if the first fluid sensor does not detect the fluid at the first position, the flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold is not reduced.

7. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the container is arranged below a supply line or a return line of the fluid manifold, having one or more openings into which the fluid flows when the fluid leaks from the fluid manifold.

8. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the flow of the fluid is regulated and reduced by reducing a pump effort.

9. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein the flow of the fluid is regulated and reduced by adjusting a position of a valve.

10. An information technology (IT) rack, comprising:
a fluid manifold;
a container, arranged to capture a fluid that leaks from the fluid manifold;
a first fluid sensor, arranged to detect the fluid at a first position in the container;
a second fluid sensor, arranged to detect the fluid at a second position in the container that is higher than the first position; and
a controller, configured to:
reduce a flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold, in response to the fluid in the container being detected at the first position,
in response to the fluid being detected at the second position, determine a difference in time between when the fluid is detected at the first position and when the fluid is detected at the second position, and
further reduce the flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold based on the difference in time.

11. The IT rack of claim 10 , further comprising a discharge pump, arranged on a return line of the fluid manifold, wherein the controller is further configured to pump out the fluid from the return line of the fluid manifold, in response to the fluid in the container being detected at the first position.

12. The IT rack of claim 11 , wherein if the difference in time is less than a threshold, then the controller stops the flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold and continues to pump out the fluid from the return line of the fluid manifold.

13. The IT rack of claim 12 , wherein if the difference in time is not less than the threshold, then the controller maintains a reduced flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold and continues to pump out the fluid from the return line of the fluid manifold.

14. The IT rack of claim 11 , further comprising a third fluid sensor, arranged to detect the fluid at a third position in the container that is higher than the second position, and in response to the fluid being detected at the third position, the controller is further configured to stop the flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold, pump out the fluid from a supply line of the fluid manifold, and continue to pump out the fluid from the return line of the fluid manifold.

15. The IT rack of claim 10 , wherein if the first fluid sensor does not detect the fluid at the first position, the flow of the fluid into the fluid manifold is not reduced.

16. The IT rack of claim 10 , wherein the container is arranged below a supply line or a return line of the fluid manifold, having one or more openings into which the fluid flows when the fluid leaks from the fluid manifold.

17. The IT rack of claim 10 , wherein the flow of the fluid is reduced by reducing a pump effort.

18. The IT rack of claim 10 , wherein the flow of the fluid is reduced by adjusting a position of a valve.

Assignees

• Baidu Usa Llc

Inventors

• Gao Tianyi

Classifications

• H05K7/20781

  within cabinets for removing heat from server blades · 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

• F28F2265/16

  for preventing leakage · CPC title

• G01M3/2807 Primary

  for pipes (G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence) · 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