Abstract:
Liquid cooling systems and apparatus and data processing systems and communication systems with liquid cooling systems are presented. A number of embodiments are presented. An embodiment is disclosed for data processing systems and communication systems having rack mounted sub-assemblies which can be inserted into or retracted from a rack or other holding device (and even while the data processing system or the communication system is operating) wherein the liquid communication to the heat transfer systems on a sub-assembly may be switched on or off.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 10/964,344 filed on Oct. 13, 2004 entitled “Liquid Cooling System” which is incorporated herein by reference. The priority date of application Ser. No. 10/964,344 is claimed. Reference is also made to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/361,943 entitled Cooling System and filed on Feb. 27, 2006. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Description of the Related Art  
         [0003]     Paragraphs [0002] through [0004] of application Ser. No. 10/964,344 are incorporated here by reference.  
         [0004]     A number of approaches have been implemented to address processor heating. Initial approaches focused on air-cooling. These techniques may be separated into three categories: 1) cooling techniques which focused on cooling the air outside of the computing system; 2) cooling techniques that focused on cooling the air inside the computing system; and 3) a combination of the cooling techniques (i.e., 1 and 2).  
         [0005]     Many of these conventional approaches are elaborate and costly. For example, one approach for cooling air outside of the computing system involves the use of a cold room. A cold room is typically implemented in a specially constructed data center, which includes air conditioning units, specialized flooring, walls, etc., to generate and retain as much cooled air within the cold room as possible.  
         [0006]     Cold rooms are very costly to build and operate. The specialized buildings, walls, flooring, air conditioning systems, and the power to run the air conditioning systems all add to the cost of building and operating the cold room. In addition, an elaborate ventilation system is typically also implemented and in some cases additional cooling systems may be installed in floors and ceilings to circulate a high volume of air through the cold room. Further, in these cold rooms, computing equipment is typically installed in specialized racks to facilitate the flow of cooled air around and through the computing system. However, with decreasing profit margins in many industries, operators are not willing to incur the expenses associated with operating a cold room. In addition, as computing systems are implemented in small companies and in homes, end users are unable and unwilling to incur the cost associated with the cold room, which makes the cold room impractical for this type of user.  
         [0007]     The second type of conventional cooling technique focused on cooling the air surrounding the processor. This approach focused on cooling the air within the computing system. Examples of this approach include implementing simple ventilation holes or slots in the chassis of a computing system, deploying a fan within the chassis of the computing system, etc. However, as processors become more densely populated with circuitry and as the number of processors implemented in a computing system increases, cooling the air within the computing system can no longer dissipate the necessary amount of heat from the processor or the chassis of a computing system.  
         [0008]     Conventional techniques also involve a combination of cooling the air outside of the computing system and cooling the air inside the computing system. However, as with the previous techniques, this approach is also limited. The heat produced by processors has quickly exceeded beyond the levels that can be cooled using a combination of the air-cooling techniques mentioned above.  
         [0009]     Paragraphs [0010] through [0015] of application Ser. No. 10/964,344 are incorporated here by reference.  
         [0010]     Thus, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for cooling computing systems. There is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for cooling processors deployed within a computing system. There is a need in the art for an optimal, cost-effective method and apparatus for cooling processors, which also allows the processor to operate at the marketed operating capacity. There is a need for a method or apparatus used to dissipate processor heat which can be deployed within the small footprint available in the case or housing of a computing system, such as a laptop computer, standalone computer, cellular telephone, etc.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     Paragraphs [0017] through [0025] of application Ser. No. 10/964,344 are incorporated here by reference.  
         [0012]     In another embodiment the liquid cooling system is arranged such that one or more heat transfer systems have an interconnect system for enabling or disabling liquid communication with a heat exchange system and the heat transfer system(s) are liquidly connected in parallel, in series or in a combination of parallel and serial.  
         [0013]     Paragraphs [0027] of application Ser. No. 10/964,344 is incorporated here by reference.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     Paragraphs [0028] through [0064] of application Ser. No. 10/964,344 are incorporated here by reference.  
         [0015]      FIG. 24  displays a rack mountable data processing system or communication system such as a blade server, for example, and having a liquid cooling system with at least one heat exchange system and a plurality of heat transfer systems disposed on heat generating components on cards that are inserted into and removed from the rack, the heat transfer systems being liquidly connected in parallel, in series and/or in a combination of parallel and series and further having interconnect systems for enabling or disabling the flow of cooled liquid to the heat transfer systems on a card and heated liquid from the heat transfer systems.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]     While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.  
         [0017]     Paragraphs [0067] through [0265] of application Ser. No. 10/964,344 are incorporated here by reference.  
         [0018]      FIG. 24  comprises a side sectional view of a rack mountable data processing system or communication system  2100  such as a blade server or the like with a block schematic representation of a liquid cooling system  2160 . A blade server comprises a chassis having a number of bays into which separate server cards or blades can be inserted for connection to a mid or back plane. Each server blade comprises its own storage, memory, processor and controller chips but shares power, floppy drives, switches, ports and other connections with other blade servers mountable within the chassis. In the embodiment depicted by  FIG. 23 , the system  2100  comprises a chassis  2110  providing a plurality of bays or slots  2120  for accommodating cards such as telecommunication line cards, for example, or server blades  2130  or the like. Each bay  2120  has a connector  2140  at the rear of the chassis for plugging the card  2130  into a back plane  2150  in a known manner.  
         [0019]     The liquid cooling system  2160  may comprise a cooling system of any of the types described with respect to FIGS. I to  5  incorporating heat transfer systems of any of the types described with respect to FIGS.  6  to  19 . The liquid cooling system may also be of an arrangement similar to those described with respect to any of FIGS.  20  to  23 . The liquid cooling system  2160  comprises at least one heat exchange system  2170  and a plurality of heat transfer systems  2180 , the heat transfer systems  2180  being associated with respective heat generating components (not shown) on at least one or more of the cards  2130 . The heat exchange system  2170  is connected to the plurality of heat transfer systems  2180  by a liquid transport system  2190  which conveys cooled liquid from the heat exchange system  2170  towards the heat transfer systems  2180  and conveys heated liquid from the heat transfer systems  2180  towards the heat exchange system  2170  for removal of thermal energy from such heated liquid to provide a supply of cooling liquid for the system  2160 .  
         [0020]     The liquid transport system  2190  comprises a first conduit  2190 A for conveying cooling liquid towards the heat transfer systems  2180  on the card(s)  2130  and a second conduit  2190 B for collecting heated liquid from the heat transfer systems  2180  and conveying it towards the heat exchange system  2170  for cooling. The heat transfer systems  2180  may be arranged in series, in parallel or a combination of series and parallel on the cards  2130 .  
         [0021]     The liquid transport system  2190  may include a harness  2230  for attaching conduits  2190 A and  2190 B to the chassis  2110  of the data processing system or the communication system. Disposed within liquid transport system  2190  and within the harness  2230  are a series of liquid switches or interconnects  2200 ; one for each slot  2120  in the system  2100  which will receive card(s)  2130  having heat transfer system(s)  2180  thereon. The liquid switches  2200  may be any one of a number of different types available. Each switch will have receptacles  2240  for receiving cooled liquid from conduit  2190 A and transferring heated liquid to conduit  2190 B. Each switch shall also have receptacles  2250  for detachably transferring cooled liquid from conduit  2190 A to liquid feed  2190 C and on to the heat transfer system(s)  2180  on a card  2130  and for detachably transferring heated liquid from the heat transfer systems on such card  2130  on liquid feed  2190 D to conduit  2190 B. The liquid switch  2200  can then be operated to enable or disable the flow of cooled liquid to and heated liquid from the heat transfer system(s)  2180  on a selected card  2130 , thereby permitting the connection to or extraction from the bay  2140  in the backplane or rack  2150  of any card  2130  having heat transfer system(s)  2180  thereon and without having to turn off the system  2100 . This mechanism allows additional cards  2130  to be added to the system  2100  on line and for removal of cards  2130  from the system for upgrading, service or repair.  
         [0022]     The liquid switch  220  may be configured to allow connection between or detachment from liquid feed conduits  2190 C and  2190 D and receptacles  2250  only when the liquid switch is in the off position which prevents the flow of liquid from conduits  2190 A and  2190 B to liquid feed conduits  2190 C and  2190 B, respectively, and thereby preventing the spillage of liquid therefrom. The receptacles  2250  may be further configured and combined with mating receptacles attached to liquid feed conduits  2190 C and  2190 D such that liquid in the liquid feed conduits  2190 C and  2190 D is contained in a closed loop whenever the liquid feed conduits  2190 C and  2190 D are not connected to a switch  2200 . This shall ensure that there is no spillage when disconnecting a card  2130  and will enable the maintenance of the proper volume of liquid in the entire liquid transport system  2190  at all times and irrespective of the number of cards  2130  connected at any one time. The switch  2200  should also be a secure type so as only to permit operation by an authorized technician.  
         [0023]     Thus, the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof.  
         [0024]     It is, therefore, intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.