Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods of fabrication are provided which facilitate immersion-cooling of an electronic component(s). The cooling apparatus includes a drawer-level enclosure sized to reside within an electronics rack. The drawer-level enclosure includes a compartment which accommodates one or more electronic components to be cooled. A dielectric fluid is disposed within the compartment. The dielectric fluid includes a liquid dielectric which at least partially immerses the electronic component(s) within the compartment(s). A hinged, liquid-cooled heat sink is also disposed within the compartment of the enclosure. The heat sink operatively facilitates cooling the one or more electronic components via the dielectric fluid within the compartment, and is rotatable between an operational position overlying the electronic component(s), and a service position which allows access to the electronic component(s).

Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods of fabrication are provided which facilitate immersion-cooling of an electronic component(s). The cooling apparatus includes a drawer-level enclosure sized to reside within an electronics rack. The drawer-level enclosure includes a compartment which accommodates one or more electronic components to be cooled. A dielectric fluid is disposed within the compartment. The dielectric fluid includes a liquid dielectric which at least partially immerses the electronic component(s) within the compartment(s). A hinged, liquid-cooled heat sink is also disposed within the compartment of the enclosure. The heat sink operatively facilitates cooling the one or more electronic components via the dielectric fluid within the compartment, and is rotatable between an operational position overlying the electronic component(s), and a service position which allows access to the electronic component(s).

Abstract: A heat sink structure is provided having fins mechanically altered dynamically to change and optimize the heat sink's performance based on certain environmental conditions. Specifically, the shape of fins of the heat sink structure is dynamically altered in response to environmental conditions that indicate the need for increased thermal performance by spreading the fins through a mechanical device dynamically, or by collapsing the fins to reduce pressure drop across a region when increased thermal performance is not needed.

Abstract: Thermoelectric-enhanced, rack-level cooling of airflow entering an electronics rack is provided by a cooling apparatus, which includes: an air-to-liquid heat exchanger; a coolant loop coupled to the heat exchanger, the coolant loop including a first loop portion and a second loop portion, where the heat exchanger exhausts heated coolant to the first loop portion and receives cooled coolant from the second loop portion. The cooling apparatus further includes a heat rejection unit and a thermoelectric heat pump(s). The heat rejection unit is coupled to the coolant loop between the first and second loop portions, and provides partially-cooled coolant to the second loop portion. The thermoelectric heat pump is disposed with the first and second loop portions coupled to opposite sides to transfer heat from the partially-cooled coolant within the second loop portion to provide the cooled coolant before entering the air-to-liquid heat exchanger.

Abstract: A heat sink, and cooled electronic structure and cooled electronics apparatus utilizing the heat sink are provided. The heat sink is fabricated of a thermally conductive structure which includes one or more coolant-carrying channels coupled to facilitate the flow of coolant through the coolant-carrying channel(s). The heat sink further includes a membrane associated with the coolant-carrying channel(s). The membrane includes at least one vapor-permeable region, which overlies a portion of the coolant-carrying channel(s) and facilitates removal of vapor from the coolant-carrying channel(s), and at least one orifice coupled to inject coolant onto at least one surface of the coolant-carrying channel(s) intermediate opposite ends of the channel(s).

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for preventing removal of an air-moving assembly from a chassis when in operating state. The apparatus includes an interlock assembly having a slide element and one or more interlock elements. The slide element is slideably coupled to the air-moving assembly and resides in a first position when the air-moving assembly is in the operating state, and is slidable to a second position when the air-moving assembly is in a quiesced state. The slide element prevents removal of the air-moving assembly from the chassis in the first position, and allows removal of the air-moving assembly from the chassis in the second position. The interlock element(s) is associated with the slide element and prevents sliding of the slide element from the first position to the second position when the air-moving assembly is in the operating state.

Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods of fabrication are provided which facilitate immersion-cooling of an electronic component(s). The cooling apparatus includes a drawer-level enclosure sized to reside within an electronics rack. The drawer-level enclosure includes a compartment which accommodates one or more electronic components to be cooled. A dielectric fluid is disposed within the compartment. The dielectric fluid includes a liquid dielectric which at least partially immerses the electronic component(s) within the compartment(s). A hinged, liquid-cooled heat sink is also disposed within the compartment of the enclosure. The heat sink operatively facilitates cooling the one or more electronic components via the dielectric fluid within the compartment, and is rotatable between an operational position overlying the electronic component(s), and a service position which allows access to the electronic component(s).

Abstract: A method of providing a cooling apparatus for cooling a heat-dissipating component(s) of an electronics enclosure includes: providing a thermal conductor to couple to the heat-dissipating component(s), the thermal conductor including a first conductor portion coupled to the heat-dissipating component, and a second conductor portion to position along an air inlet side of the electronics enclosure, so that in operation, the first conductor portion transfers heat from the component(s) to the second conductor portion; coupling at least one air-cooled heat sink to the second conductor portion to facilitate transfer of heat to airflow ingressing into the enclosure; providing at least one thermoelectric device coupled to the first or second conductor portion to facilitate providing active auxiliary cooling to the thermal conductor; and providing a controller to control operation of the thermoelectric device(s) and to selectively switch operation of the cooling apparatus between active and passive cooling modes.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a liquid-cooled heat sink assembly, including: providing a heat transfer element including a heat transfer base having opposite first and second sides, and a plurality of thermally conductive fins extending from the first side of the heat transfer base, the second side of the heat transfer base to couple to a component(s) to be cooled; providing a coolant-carrying structure including a coolant-carrying base and a coolant-carrying compartment through which liquid coolant flows, the coolant-carrying base including a plurality of fin-receiving openings sized and positioned for the plurality of thermally conductive fins of the heat sink base to extend through; and attaching the heat transfer element and coolant-carrying structure together with the plurality of thermally conductive fins extending through the fin-receiving openings in the coolant-carrying base into the coolant-carrying compartment.

Abstract: Liquid-cooled heat sink assemblies are provided which include: a heat transfer element including a heat transfer base with opposite first and second sides and a plurality of thermally conductive fins extending from the first side, and with the second side of the heat transfer base to couple to a component(s) to be cooled. The heat sink assembly further includes a coolant-carrying structure attached to the heat transfer element. The coolant-carrying structure includes a coolant-carrying base, and a coolant-carrying compartment through which liquid coolant flows. The coolant-carrying base includes a plurality of fin-receiving openings sized and positioned for the plurality of thermally conductive fins to extend therethrough. The plurality of thermally conductive fins extend into the coolant-carrying compartment through which the liquid coolant flows. In one or more embodiments, the heat transfer element is a metal structure and the coolant-carrying structure is a plastic structure.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for facilitating air-cooling of, for instance, one or more electronics racks within a data center. The apparatus includes an air-moving assembly and one or more flywheels. The air-moving assembly includes a shaft, one or more mechanical fans coupled to the shaft to rotate, at least in part, with the shaft, and a motor coupled to the shaft to rotatably drive the shaft. The flywheel(s) is sized and coupled to the shaft of the air-moving assembly to store rotational energy, and to facilitate, for a specified period of time, continued rotation of the shaft during interruption in power to the motor. In one implementation, the flywheel(s) is sized and coupled to the shaft to facilitate, for the specified time period, continued rotation of the shaft at a specified percentage, or greater, rotational speed of the shaft compared with shaft speed when rotatably driven by the motor.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for data center cooling by vaporizing fuel using data center waste heat. The systems include, for instance, an electricity-generating assembly, a liquid fuel storage, and a heat transfer system. The electricity-generating assembly generates electricity from a fuel vapor for supply to the data center. The liquid fuel storage is coupled to supply the fuel vapor, and the heat transfer system is associated with the data center and the liquid fuel storage. In an operational mode, the heat transfer system transfers the data center waste heat to the liquid fuel storage to facilitate vaporization of liquid fuel to produce the fuel vapor for supply to the electricity-generating assembly. The system may be implemented with the liquid fuel storage and heat transfer system being the primary fuel vapor source, or a back-up fuel vapor source.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for data center cooling by vaporizing fuel using data center waste heat. The systems include, for instance, an electricity-generating assembly, a liquid fuel storage, and a heat transfer system. The electricity-generating assembly generates electricity from a fuel vapor for supply to the data center. The liquid fuel storage is coupled to supply the fuel vapor, and the heat transfer system is associated with the data center and the liquid fuel storage. In an operational mode, the heat transfer system transfers the data center waste heat to the liquid fuel storage to facilitate vaporization of liquid fuel to produce the fuel vapor for supply to the electricity-generating assembly. The system may be implemented with the liquid fuel storage and heat transfer system being the primary fuel vapor source, or a back-up fuel vapor source.

Abstract: Thermoelectric-enhanced, rack-level cooling of airflow entering an electronics rack is provided by a cooling apparatus, which includes: an air-to-liquid heat exchanger; a coolant loop coupled to the heat exchanger, the coolant loop including a first loop portion and a second loop portion, where the heat exchanger exhausts heated coolant to the first loop portion and receives cooled coolant from the second loop portion. The cooling apparatus further includes a heat rejection unit and a thermoelectric heat pump(s). The heat rejection unit is coupled to the coolant loop between the first and second loop portions, and provides partially-cooled coolant to the second loop portion. The thermoelectric heat pump is disposed with the first and second loop portions coupled to opposite sides to transfer heat from the partially-cooled coolant within the second loop portion to provide the cooled coolant before entering the air-to-liquid heat exchanger.

Abstract: Thermoelectric-enhanced, rack-level cooling of airflow entering an electronics rack is provided by a cooling apparatus, which includes: an air-to-liquid heat exchanger; a coolant loop coupled to the heat exchanger, the coolant loop including a first loop portion and a second loop portion, where the heat exchanger exhausts heated coolant to the first loop portion and receives cooled coolant from the second loop portion. The cooling apparatus further includes a heat rejection unit and a thermoelectric heat pump(s). The heat rejection unit is coupled to the coolant loop between the first and second loop portions, and provides partially-cooled coolant to the second loop portion. The thermoelectric heat pump is disposed with the first and second loop portions coupled to opposite sides to transfer heat from the partially-cooled coolant within the second loop portion to provide the cooled coolant before entering the air-to-liquid heat exchanger.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for data center cooling by vaporizing fuel using data center waste heat. The systems include, for instance, an electricity-generating assembly, a liquid fuel storage, and a heat transfer system. The electricity-generating assembly generates electricity from a fuel vapor for supply to the data center. The liquid fuel storage is coupled to supply the fuel vapor, and the heat transfer system is associated with the data center and the liquid fuel storage. In an operational mode, the heat transfer system transfers the data center waste heat to the liquid fuel storage to facilitate vaporization of liquid fuel to produce the fuel vapor for supply to the electricity-generating assembly. The system may be implemented with the liquid fuel storage and heat transfer system being the primary fuel vapor source, or a back-up fuel vapor source.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for data center cooling by vaporizing fuel using data center waste heat. The systems include, for instance, an electricity-generating assembly, a liquid fuel storage, and a heat transfer system. The electricity-generating assembly generates electricity from a fuel vapor for supply to the data center. The liquid fuel storage is coupled to supply the fuel vapor, and the heat transfer system is associated with the data center and the liquid fuel storage. In an operational mode, the heat transfer system transfers the data center waste heat to the liquid fuel storage to facilitate vaporization of liquid fuel to produce the fuel vapor for supply to the electricity-generating assembly. The system may be implemented with the liquid fuel storage and heat transfer system being the primary fuel vapor source, or a back-up fuel vapor source.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for facilitating air-cooling of, for instance, one or more electronics racks within a data center. The apparatus includes an air-moving assembly and one or more flywheels. The air-moving assembly includes a shaft, one or more mechanical fans coupled to the shaft to rotate, at least in part, with the shaft, and a motor coupled to the shaft to rotatably drive the shaft. The flywheel(s) is sized and coupled to the shaft of the air-moving assembly to store rotational energy, and to facilitate, for a specified period of time, continued rotation of the shaft during interruption in power to the motor. In one implementation, the flywheel(s) is sized and coupled to the shaft to facilitate, for the specified time period, continued rotation of the shaft at a specified percentage, or greater, rotational speed of the shaft compared with shaft speed when rotatably driven by the motor.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus is provided, which includes: a thermal conductor to cool a heat-dissipating component(s) of an electronics enclosure, the enclosure including an air inlet side through which airflow ingresses. The thermal conductor includes a first conductor portion coupled to the heat-dissipating component(s), and a second conductor portion positioned along the enclosure's air inlet side. The apparatus further includes one or more air-cooled heat sinks coupled to the second conductor portion to facilitate transfer of heat from the second conductor portion to the airflow ingressing into the enclosure, and one or more thermoelectric devices coupled to at least one of the first or second conductor portions to selectively provide auxiliary cooling.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for facilitating air-cooling of, for instance, one or more electronics racks within a data center. The apparatus includes an air-moving assembly and an auxiliary turbine drive. The air-moving assembly includes a shaft, one or more mechanical fans coupled to the shaft to rotate, at least in part, with the shaft, and a motor coupled to the shaft to rotatably drive the shaft. The auxiliary turbine drive is coupled to the shaft of the air-moving assembly to provide backup rotational energy to the shaft to facilitate continued rotation of the shaft during interruption in power to the motor. In one implementation, the auxiliary turbine drive is configured to facilitate, for a specified time period, continued rotation of the shaft at a specified percentage, or greater, rotational speed of the shaft compared with a shaft speed when rotatably driven by the motor.