MODULAR LIQUID COOLING OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS WHILE PRESERVING DATA CENTER INTEGRITY
First Claim
1. A system for modular cooling of electronic components while preserving the integrity of a data center cooling structure, the system comprising:
- a modular unit configured to house within the modular unit a plurality of electronic components wherein the modular unit is mountable in a rack via a thermally conductive element;
a first liquid cooling loop configured to be in thermal contact with the plurality of electronic components within the modular unit and in thermal communication with a first portion of the thermally conductive element; and
a second liquid cooling loop in thermal communication with a second portion of the thermally conductive element wherein upon mounting the modular unit in the rack the first portion of the thermally conductive element is in physical and thermal contact with the second portion of the conductive element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The integrity of the data center cooling system is maintained by using separate and independent cooling loops to collect heat from electronic components housed in modular units. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a first cooling loop is associated with each modular unit. The first cooling loop comprises a coolant that accepts heat from electronic components housed within the modular unit and transports the heat to a heat exchanging system. The heat exchanging system conducts heat from the coolant of the first loop to coolant associated with the data center cooling system. Coolant from the data center cooling system accepts heat from the coolant associated with the first loop and conveys it away from the data center.
176 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for modular cooling of electronic components while preserving the integrity of a data center cooling structure, the system comprising:
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a modular unit configured to house within the modular unit a plurality of electronic components wherein the modular unit is mountable in a rack via a thermally conductive element; a first liquid cooling loop configured to be in thermal contact with the plurality of electronic components within the modular unit and in thermal communication with a first portion of the thermally conductive element; and a second liquid cooling loop in thermal communication with a second portion of the thermally conductive element wherein upon mounting the modular unit in the rack the first portion of the thermally conductive element is in physical and thermal contact with the second portion of the conductive element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A cooling system for modular electronic components, the system comprising:
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at least one modular unit mountable into a rack wherein the at least one modular unit is configured to house within the at least one modular unit a plurality of electronic components; a first cooling loop configured to be in thermal contact with the plurality of electronic components within each at least one modular unit and in thermal communication with a heat exchanger; and a second cooling loop configured to be thermal communication with the heat exchanger wherein heat from the plurality of electronic component is transferred to the first cooling loop, and wherein heat from the first cooling loop is transferred to the second cooling loop via the heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for removing heat from one or more modular units mounted in a rack, wherein each modular unit houses a plurality of electronic components, the method comprising:
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transferring heat generated from the plurality of electronic components to a first liquid contained within a first cooling loop, wherein the first cooling loop is in thermal contact with the plurality of electronic components, and the first cooling loop and the plurality of electronic components are wholly within the one or more modular units; flowing the first liquid through at least one channel of a first portion of at least one conductive element transferring heat from the first liquid to the first portion of the at least one conductive element, wherein the first portion of the conductive element is affixed to a longitudinal length of the one or more modular units, and wherein the first portion of the at least one conductive element comprises at least two surfaces extending laterally from the longitudinal length; coupling the first portion of the at least one conductive element to a second portion of the at least one conductive element, wherein the second portion of the at least one conductive element is affixed to the rack, and wherein the second portion of the at least one conductive element comprises at least two surfaces extending laterally from the from the rack toward the first portion of the at least one conductive element so as to interlock with surfaces extending laterally from the longitudinal length of the one or more modular units; and
wherein heat from the first portion of the at least one conductive element flows to the second portion of the at least one conductive element; andflowing a second liquid contained within a second cooling loop through at least one channel of the second portion of the at least one conductive element, wherein the second liquid accepts heat from the second portion of the at least one conductive element, and wherein the second cooling loop conveys heat away from the rack. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification