Computer system cooling using an externally-applied fluid conduit
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A rack-mounted computer system comprising:
- at least one rack-mountable server having a system board with at least one processor and an enclosed server housing containing the system board, the server housing comprising a channel including a channel wall in conductive thermal communication with the processor; and
an elongate conduit comprising a thermally conductive material defining an internal fluid flow passage, wherein the conduit is received in the channel of the server housing with the conduit in conductive thermal communication with an external surface of the channel wall.
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Abstract
A computer system includes a rack-mountable server unit with a closed server housing. The server housing has a channel with a recessed channel wall in conductive thermal communication with a processor or other heat-generating component. An elongate conduit is received into the channel of the server housing in conductive thermal communication with an external surface of the server housing. The server is cooled by conductive fluid flow through the conduit, with no appreciable airflow through the server housing. The system may be operated in an optional burst cooling mode, wherein a volume of cooling fluid is trapped in the conduit for a period of time before being quickly released.
33 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A rack-mounted computer system comprising:
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at least one rack-mountable server having a system board with at least one processor and an enclosed server housing containing the system board, the server housing comprising a channel including a channel wall in conductive thermal communication with the processor; and an elongate conduit comprising a thermally conductive material defining an internal fluid flow passage, wherein the conduit is received in the channel of the server housing with the conduit in conductive thermal communication with an external surface of the channel wall. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of servers, each server comprising a system board with at least one processor and a server housing enclosing the system board; a chassis for receiving the plurality of servers; an elongate conduit comprising a thermally conductive material defining an internal fluid flow passage, wherein the conduit is in conductive thermal communication with an external surface of the server housing of each of the plurality of servers; and a cooling fluid mover configured for providing forced convection of a cooling fluid through the elongate conduit at a sufficient flow rate to cool the plurality of servers without any appreciable airflow into the plurality of servers.
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Specification