IP Library Granted Patent US 12,498,288
Granted Patent B2
US 12,498,288 · App. 17/710,884 · Granted Dec 16, 2025

System and method for detecting coolant leaks in a server system

Inventors: Jeffrey S. Holland (Morrisville, NC); Arvind Modekurti (Morrisville, NC)
Assignee: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY (UNITED STATES) INC.
G01M3/045G06F1/28
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,498,288
App. No.
17/710,884
Granted
Dec 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Detecting coolant leaks in a server system including receiving, by a controller in the server system with nodes stacked vertically, a voltage fault alert from a first node; receiving, by the controller in the server system with nodes stacked vertically, a voltage fault alert from a second node located below the first node; and upon receiving the voltage fault alert from the first node and the voltage fault alert from the second node, powering down, by the controller, one or more nodes located below the second node.

Claims (52)

1 . A method for detecting coolant leaks in a server system, the method comprising:

receiving, by a controller in the server system with nodes stacked vertically, a voltage fault alert from a first node;

receiving, by the controller in the server system with nodes stacked vertically, a voltage fault alert from a second node located below the first node; and

upon receiving the voltage fault alert from the first node and the voltage fault alert from the second node, detecting therefrom that a coolant leak is present in the server system; and

powering down, by the controller and in response to the detected coolant leak, one or more nodes in the server system located below the second node.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by a baseboard management controller for the first node, a voltage fault indication; and

receiving, by a baseboard management controller for the second node, a voltage fault indication.

3 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:

sending, by the baseboard management controller for the first node, a signal to the controller, wherein the signal is the voltage fault alert; and

sending, by the baseboard management controller for the second node, a signal to the controller, wherein the signal is the voltage fault alert.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

triggering, by the controller, a shut-off at a rack manifold,

thereby limit the volume of leaked coolant fluid within the server system.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the controller is a chassis management controller that knows where each node is located with respect to one another.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the controller is a rack management controller that knows where each node is located with respect to one another.

7 . An apparatus for detecting coolant leaks in a server system, the apparatus comprising:

a controller in the server system with a plurality of nodes stacked vertically, the controller comprising:

a computer processor; and

a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive a voltage fault alert from a first node of the plurality of nodes;

receive a voltage fault alert from a second node of the plurality of nodes, the second node located below the first node; and

upon receiving the voltage fault alert from the first node and the voltage fault alert from the second node, detect therefrom that a coolant leak is present in the server system; and

power down, in response to the detected coolant leak, one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes located below the second node.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

receiving, by a baseboard management controller for the first node, a voltage fault indication; and

receiving, by a baseboard management controller for the second node, a voltage fault indication.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

sending, by the baseboard management controller for the first node, a signal to the controller, wherein the signal is the voltage fault alert; and

sending, by the baseboard management controller for the second node, a signal to the controller, wherein the signal is the voltage fault alert.

10 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

triggering, by the controller, a shut-off at a rack manifold,

thereby limit the volume of leaked coolant fluid within the server system.

11 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the controller is a chassis management controller that knows where each node is located with respect to one another.

12 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the controller is a rack management controller that knows where each node is located with respect to one another.

13 . A computer program product for detecting coolant leaks in a server system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium and computer program instructions stored therein that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of:

receiving, by a controller in the server system with nodes stacked vertically, a voltage fault alert from a first node;

receiving, by the controller in the server system with nodes stacked vertically, a voltage fault alert from a second node located below the first node; and

upon receiving the voltage fault alert from the first node and the voltage fault alert from the second node, detecting therefrom that a coolant leak is present in the server system; and

powering down, by the controller and in response to the detected coolant leak, one or more nodes in the server system located below the second node.

14 . The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving, by a baseboard management controller for the first node, a voltage fault indication; and

receiving, by a baseboard management controller for the second node, a voltage fault indication.

15 . The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

sending, by the baseboard management controller for the first node, a signal to the controller, wherein the signal is the voltage fault alert; and

sending, by the baseboard management controller for the second node, a signal to the controller, wherein the signal is the voltage fault alert.

16 . The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

triggering, by the controller, a shut-off at a rack manifold,

thereby limit the volume of leaked coolant fluid within the server system.

17 . The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the controller is a chassis management controller that knows where each node is located with respect to one another.

18 . The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the controller is a rack management controller that knows where each node is located with respect to one another.

19 . The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the computer readable medium comprises a storage medium.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 59685 FRAME: 820. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 11, 2025
From: HOLLAND, JEFFREY S; MODEKURTI, ARVIND
To: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY (UNITED STATES) INC.
Reel/Frame 072876/0286 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2022
From: LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 061880/0110 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 22, 2022
From: HOLLAND, JEFFREY S.; MODEKURTI, ARVIND
To: LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.
Reel/Frame 059685/0820 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230314271A1 · Oct 5, 2023
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