Architecture For A Robust Computing System

• US 20130135811A1
• Filed: 07/21/2011
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Birchbridge Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Birchbridge Incorporated
• Inventors: Dunwoody, John Craig, Dunwoody, Teresa Ann
• Application Number:
  US13/811,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20130135811A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.31
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/00 Casings; Header boxes; Auxiliary supports for elements; Auxiliary members within casings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0038 System on Chip
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1492 having electrical distribution arrangements, e.g. power supply or data communications
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20818 within cabinets for removing heat from server blades

Abstract

Example rack systems that support computing platforms and related hardware are provided. Multiple instances of the example rack system may be combined to create scalable systems. The example racks may incorporate a universal backplane upon which one or more backplane boards may be mounted. Modules of varied functions may be inserted into the backplane boards via a module insertion area. The example racks may include a power bus for powering the backplane boards. The rack system may also include thermal plates, coolant transmission, and cable management solutions to promote heat dissipation. Related apparatuses and methods are also provided.

Claims

1-120. -120. (canceled)

121. A rack system comprising:

one or more recirculation pumps integrated into the rack system, the one or more recirculation pumps being configured to force a refrigerant through a cooling circuit of the rack system;

a plurality of bays configured to receive a respective module in each bay, the modules being configured to perform at least one of data networking, data processing, or data storage;

a respective coolant partition disposed between each of the bays in the plurality of bays, each respective coolant partition being included in the cooling circuit of the rack system; and

one or more heat rejection units configured to dissipate heat from the refrigerant that has been circulated through cooling circuit of the rack system.

122. The rack system of claim 121 further comprising a vapor condenser area, the vapor condenser area being configured to:

receive a vapor or mixed vapor/liquid form of the refrigerant from outlet manifolds of each of the coolant partitions,

condense the vapor form of the refrigerant into a liquid form of the refrigerant, and

drain the liquid form of the refrigerant to at least one of the one or more recirculation pumps.

123. The rack system of claim 121 wherein at least one of the one or more heat rejection units is a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger.

124. The rack system of claim 121 wherein at least one of the one or more heat rejection units is a refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger.

125. A rack system comprising:

one or more recirculation pumps, the one or more recirculation pumps being configured to force a refrigerant through a plurality of cooling circuits of the rack system, the plurality of cooling circuits including a first cooling circuit and a redundant cooling circuit;

a plurality of bays configured to receive a respective module in each bay, the modules being configured to perform at least one of data networking, data processing, or data storage; and

a respective coolant partition disposed between each of the bays in the plurality of bays, each respective coolant partition including a plurality of strips, the plurality of strips including a first strip that is part of the first cooling circuit and a second strip that is part of the redundant cooling circuit.

126. The rack system of claim 125 wherein the plurality of cooling circuits are configured to permit a continuous flow of refrigerant through the redundant cooling circuit in an instance in which the first cooling circuit is disabled, and permit a continuous flow of refrigerant through the first cooling circuit in an instance in which the redundant cooling circuit is disabled.

127. A rack system comprising:

a module insertion area on a first side of a rack frame;

a universal backplane area including at least one mounting surface configured to mount at least one service unit backplane board, wherein each service unit backplane board is configured to couple to one or more respective service unit component modules each being configured to perform at least one of data networking, data processing, or data storage; and

one or more service units that each include one or more service unit backplanes and one or more service unit component modules configured to connect through one or more bays to the backplane of the rack frame; and

a power bus configured to provide power to one or more service unit backplane boards mounted in the universal backplane area.

128. The rack system of claim 127, wherein a first service unit of the one or more service units is a cluster unit including a central module configured to perform at least one of data networking, data processing, or data storage.

129. The rack system of claim 128, wherein the cluster unit further includes at least a second module configured to perform at least one of data processing or data storage.

130. The rack system of claim 128, wherein the cluster unit further includes at least a second module dedicated to data processing or data storage.