IP Library Granted Patent US 11,602,086
Granted Patent B2
US 11,602,086 · App. 17/235,694 · Granted Mar 7, 2023

Cooling computing modules of a rack-mountable tray

Inventors: Richard A. Crisp (Austin, TX); Matthew B. Gilbert (Austin, TX); Corey D. Hartman (Hutto, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
H05K7/20772G06F1/20G06F2200/201H05K7/20254H05K7/20727
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,602,086
App. No.
17/235,694
Granted
Mar 7, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information handling system, including a plurality of computing modules; a rack-mountable tray including: a plurality of bays, each bay including a cold fluid intake and a warm fluid return, wherein each computing module of the plurality of computing modules is engaged with the cold fluid intake and the warm fluid return of one or more of the bays of the plurality of bays; and a fluid circulation system positioned within the tray and coupled to the cold fluid intake and the warm fluid return of each of the bays, the fluid circulation system introducing, for each bay that a respective computing module is engaged with, fluid within the computing module via the cold fluid intake of each bay and returning warm fluid via the warm fluid return of each bay to transfer heat from the computing modules.

Claims (34)

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a plurality of computing modules, each computing module of the plurality of computing modules including a thermal plate;

a rack-mountable tray including:

a plurality of bays and a plurality of thermal pads, each bay of the plurality of bays including i) a respective thermal pad of the plurality of thermal pads, ii) a cold fluid intake, and iii) a warm fluid return, wherein each computing module of the plurality of computing modules is engaged with the cold fluid intake and the warm fluid return of a respective bay of the plurality of bays, and the thermal plate of the computing module is in thermal communication with the thermal pad of the respective bay to transfer heat from the thermal plate of the computing module to the thermal pad of the respective bay; and

a fluid circulation system positioned within the rack-mountable tray, the fluid circulation system including a cold fluid intake line coupled to the cold fluid intake of each of the plurality of bays and a warm fluid return line coupled to the warm fluid return of each of the plurality of bays, the fluid circulation system;

introducing, for each bay of the plurality of bays that a respective computing module of the plurality of computing modules is engaged with, a fluid within the computing module via the cold fluid intake of the bay to transfer heat from components of the computing module to the fluid and transfer heat from the fluid to the thermal plate of the computing module and returning warm fluid via the warm fluid return of the bay, and

circulating, for each bay of the plurality of bays that a respective computing module of the plurality of computing modules is engaged with, additional fluid via the cold fluid intake line proximate to the thermal pad of the bay to transfer heat from the thermal pad to the additional fluid and return the additional fluid via the warm fluid return line.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of bays further includes one or more interconnects for engaging with the respective computing module of the plurality of computing modules.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 , wherein the rack-mountable tray further includes a data delivery system and a power delivery system, wherein the interconnects couple the plurality of computing modules with the data delivery system and the power delivery system.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a water-based fluid.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , further including an air circulation system coupled to the rack-mountable tray to further transfer heat from the plurality of computing modules.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein a particular computing module of the plurality of computing modules is engaged with at least two bays of the plurality of bays.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a rack-mountable tray, including:

a plurality of bays and a plurality of thermal pads, each bay of the plurality of bays including i) a respective thermal pad of the plurality of thermal pads, ii) a cold fluid intake, and iii) a warm fluid return, wherein each computing module of a plurality of computing modules is engaged with the cold fluid intake and the warm fluid return of a respective bay of the plurality of bays, and a thermal plate of the computing module is in thermal communication with the thermal pad of the respective bay to transfer heat from the thermal plate of the computing module to the thermal pad of the respective bay; and

a fluid circulation system positioned with in the rack-mountable tray, the fluid circulation system including a cold fluid intake line coupled to the cold fluid intake of each of the plurality of bays and a warm fluid return line coupled to the warm fluid return of each of the plurality of bays, the fluid circulation system:

introducing, for each bay that a respective computing module of the plurality of computing modules is engaged with, a fluid within the computing module via the cold fluid intake of the bay to transfer heat from components of the computing module to the fluid and transfer heat from the fluid to the thermal plate of the computing module and returning warm fluid via the warm fluid return of the bay, and

circulating, for each bay of the plurality of bays that a respective computing module of the plurality of computing modules is engaged with, additional fluid via the cold fluid intake line proximate to the thermal pad of the bay to transfer heat from the thermal pad to the additional fluid and return the additional fluid via the warm fluid return line.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of bays further includes one or more interconnects for engaging with the respective computing module of the plurality of computing modules.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the rack-mountable tray further includes a data delivery system and a power delivery system, wherein the interconnects couple the plurality of computing modules with the data delivery system and the power delivery system.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the fluid is a water-based fluid.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the fluid is a dielectric-based fluid.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , further including an air circulation system coupled to the rack-mountable tray to further transfer heat from the plurality of computing modules.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a particular computing module of the plurality of computing modules is engaged with at least two bays of the plurality of bays.

14. A method of cooling a plurality of computing modules, comprising:

engaging each computing module of the plurality of computing modules with a respective bay of a plurality of bays of a rack mountable tray, including engaging each computing module of the plurality of computing modules with a cold fluid intake and a warm fluid return of the respective bay, such that, for each computing module, a thermal plate of the computing module is positioned proximate to a thermal pad of the respective bay to place the thermal pad of the respective bay in thermal communication with the thermal plate of the computing module to transfer heat form the thermal plate of the computing module to thermal pad of the respective bay;

introducing fluid, for each computing module of the plurality of computing modules, within the computing module via the cold fluid intake of the respective bay that is engaged with the computing module and coupled to a cold fluid intake line to transfer heat from components of the computing module to the fluid and transfer heat from the fluid to the thermal plate of the computing module and returning warm fluid via the warm fluid return of the respective bay that is engaged with the computing module and coupled to a warm fluid return line; and

circulating, for each bay of the plurality of bays that a respective computing module of the plurality of computing modules is engaged with, additional fluid via the cold fluid intake line proximate to the thermal pad of the bay to transfer heat from the thermal pad to the additional fluid and return the additional fluid via the warm fluid return line.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein engaging each computing module of the plurality of computing modules with a respective bay of the plurality of bays further includes engaging each computing module of the plurality of computing modules with one or more interconnects of the respective bay.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein engaging each computing module of the plurality of computing modules with one or more interconnects of the respective bay further includes coupling each computing module of the plurality of computing modules with a data delivery system and a power delivery system through the interconnects.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fluid is a water-based fluid.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fluid is a dielectric-based fluid.

19. The method of claim 14 , further including circulating air over the plurality of computing modules to further transfer heat from the plurality of computing modules.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein engaging each computing module of the plurality of computing modules with one or more bays further includes engaging a particular computing module of the plurality of computing modules with at least two bays of the plurality of bays.

Assignments (10)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0280) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062022/0255 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0124) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062022/0012 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0001) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062021/0844 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058297/0332 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0124 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0280 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE MISSING PATENTS THAT WERE ON THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULED SUBMITTED BUT NOT ENTERED PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 056250 FRAME: 0541. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 17, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 056311/0781 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 14, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 056250/0541 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2021
From: CRISP, RICHARD A.; GILBERT, MATTHEW B.; HARTMAN, COREY D.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 055979/0435 →