Portable maintenance CDU and maintenance ports for supplying liquid coolant during primary CDU downtime

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12566481-B2
Application number	US-202318161935-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2023
Priority date	Jan 31, 2023
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

A system may comprise one or more computing systems, each comprising a group of compute nodes configured to receive liquid coolant. The system also comprises a primary coolant distribution unit (CDU) fluidically coupled to the computing system via a first set of fluid couplings and configured to supply the liquid coolant to the computing system. The system also includes a portable maintenance CDU configured to be removably coupled to the computing system, in a state of the primary CDU still being coupled to the computing system, via a second set of fluid couplings. The maintenance CDU is configured to supply the liquid coolant to the computing system in an installed state in lieu of the primary CDU.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a plurality of computing systems, each comprising a group of compute nodes configured to receive liquid coolant; a plurality of primary coolant distribution units (CDUs), each fluidically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of computing systems via a first set of fluid couplings and configured to supply the liquid coolant to the respective one of the plurality of computing systems; and a portable maintenance CDU configured to be removably coupled to each of the plurality of computing systems, one at a time, in a state of a corresponding primary CDU still being coupled to a respective computing system, via a second set of fluid couplings, wherein the portable maintenance CDU is configured to supply the liquid coolant to the respective computing system in an installed state.

2 . The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the respective computing system further comprises:
a supply path comprising a supply manifold fluidically coupled to the group of compute nodes, a first fluid coupling coupled to supply manifold and to the corresponding primary CDU, and a second fluid coupling coupled to the supply manifold; and
a return path comprising a return manifold fluidically coupled to the group of compute nodes, a third fluid coupling coupled to the return manifold and to the corresponding primary CDU, and a fourth fluid coupling coupled to the return manifold; and
wherein the first set of fluid couplings comprises the first fluid coupling and the third fluid coupling, and the second set of fluid couplings comprises the second fluid coupling and the fourth fluid coupling.

3 . The system of claim 2 ,
wherein the first fluid coupling and the second fluid coupling are coupled to a common fluid path via a junction.

4 . The system of claim 2 ,
wherein the third fluid coupling and the fourth fluid coupling are coupled to a common fluid path via a second junction.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a facility supply line configured to supply facility liquid coolant; a facility return line configured to return facility liquid coolant; a third set of fluid couplings coupling the corresponding primary CDU to the facility supply line and the facility return line; and a fourth set of fluid couplings configured to, in the installed state of the portable maintenance CDU, couple the portable maintenance CDU to the facility supply line and the facility return line.

6 . The system of claim 5 ,
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth set of fluid couplings comprise quick disconnect fluid couplings.

7 . The system of claim 5 ,
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth set of fluid couplings comprise integral flow control mechanisms.

8 . The system of claim 5 ,
wherein the corresponding primary CDU and the portable maintenance CDU each comprise liquid-to-liquid heat exchangers.

9 . The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the corresponding primary CDU and the portable maintenance CDU each comprise liquid-to-air heat exchangers.

10 . A method comprising:
moving a portable maintenance cooling distribution unit (CDU) into an installation position adjacent to a computing system, wherein a primary CDU is fluidically coupled to the computing system via a first set of fluid couplings; connecting the portable maintenance CDU to the computing system via a second set of fluid couplings, in a state of the primary CDU coupled to the computing system; supplying liquid coolant to the computing system via the portable maintenance CDU; moving the portable maintenance CDU into a second installation position adjacent to a second computing system, wherein a second primary CDU is fluidically coupled to the second computing system; connecting the portable maintenance CDU to the second computing system, in the state of the primary CDU coupled to the computing system; and supplying the liquid coolant to the second computing system via the portable maintenance CDU.

11 . The method of claim 10 ,
wherein the primary CDU is coupled to a facility supply line and a facility return line via a third set of fluid couplings; and the method further comprises connecting the portable maintenance CDU to the facility supply line and the facility return line via a fourth set of fluid couplings.

12 . The method of claim 10 ,
wherein coupling to the computing system via the second set of fluid couplings, in the state of the primary CDU coupled to the computing system, comprises coupling system-side fluid couplings of the portable maintenance CDU to maintenance ports of supply and return paths of a local system of compute nodes.

13 . The method of claim 10 ,
wherein the computing system further comprises:
a supply path comprising a supply manifold fluidically coupled to a group of compute nodes, a first fluid coupling coupled to supply manifold and to the primary CDU, and a second fluid coupling coupled to the supply manifold; and
a return path comprising a return manifold fluidically coupled to the group of compute nodes, a third fluid coupling coupled to the return manifold and to the primary CDU, and a fourth fluid coupling coupled to the return manifold; and
the first set of fluid couplings comprises the first fluid coupling and the third fluid coupling, and the second set of fluid couplings comprises the second fluid coupling and the fourth fluid coupling, and
wherein connecting the portable maintenance CDU to the computing system via the second set of fluid couplings comprises connecting the portable maintenance CDU to the second fluid coupling and to the fourth fluid coupling.

14 . The method of claim 13 ,
wherein the first fluid coupling and the second fluid coupling are coupled to a common fluid path via a junction; and wherein the third fluid coupling and the fourth fluid coupling are coupled to the common fluid path via a second junction.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
disconnecting the portable maintenance CDU from the computing system; and moving the portable maintenance CDU out of the installation position.

16 . A system comprising:
a plurality of computing systems, each comprising a group of compute nodes configured to receive liquid coolant; a plurality of primary coolant distribution units (CDUs), each fluidically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of computing systems via a first set of fluid couplings and configured to supply the liquid coolant to the respective one of the plurality of computing systems; and a second set of fluid couplings configured to removably couple a portable maintenance CDU to each of the plurality of computing systems, one at a time, in a state of a corresponding primary CDU still being coupled to a respective computing system.

17 . The system of claim 16 ,
wherein the respective computing system further comprises: a supply path comprising a supply manifold fluidically coupled to the group of compute nodes, a first fluid coupling coupled to supply manifold and to the corresponding primary CDU, and a second fluid coupling coupled to the supply manifold; and a return path comprising a return manifold fluidically coupled to the group of compute nodes, a third fluid coupling coupled to the return manifold and to the corresponding primary CDU, and a fourth fluid coupling coupled to the return manifold; and wherein the first set of fluid couplings comprises the first fluid coupling and the third fluid coupling, and the second set of fluid couplings comprises the second fluid coupling and the fourth fluid coupling.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Entpr Dev Lp

Inventors

• Chialastri David Scott
• Mahendra Pranay
• Volkmann Arthur

Classifications

• H05K7/20281

  Thermal management, e.g. liquid flow control · 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

• H05K7/20763

  Liquid cooling without phase change · CPC title

• G06F1/20

  Cooling means · CPC title

• G06F2200/201

  Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid · CPC title