Patents by Inventor Austin Michael Shelnutt

Austin Michael Shelnutt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9690339
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a processor, a user interface communicatively coupled to the processor, and a thermal management application. The thermal management application may include a program of instructions embodied in non-transitory computer-readable media, and may be configured to, when executed by the processor receive measurements associated with a plurality of parameters of a thermal system of the information handling system, calculate a calculated thermal resistance based on the measurements, and report information regarding the calculated thermal resistance via the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Austin Michael Shelnutt, Christopher M. Helberg, Travis C. North
  • Patent number: 9693484
    Abstract: An apparatus for cooling an information handling system has at least one component requiring cooling. The apparatus includes a heat reservoir configured to be coupled to a chassis of the information handling system containing the component requiring cooling. A fluid reservoir is defined within the heat reservoir. A thermal fluid is disposed within the heat reservoir. A thermal conduit has a first end and a second end. The first end of the thermal conduit is coupled to the heat reservoir such that the thermal conduit is in thermal communication with the thermal fluid and the second end is coupled to the component requiring cooling such that the thermal conduit is in thermal communication with the component requiring cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Austin Michael Shelnutt, Travis C. North
  • Publication number: 20170181322
    Abstract: An Information Handling System (IHS) includes at least one node provisioned with heat-generating components and an air passage that enables air to pass through the node and exit the node as exhaust air. An air-to-liquid heat exchanger (ATLHE) block is placed in a path of the exhaust air. The ATLHE block has an air directing structure, one or more air movers to move the exhaust air through the air directing structure, and an ATLHE. The ATLHE includes a liquid transfer conduit having at least one liquid supply port extending into a heat transfer section, which terminates into at least one liquid return port, the liquid transfer conduit enabling cooling liquid transfer through the ATLHE. A liquid cooling subsystem includes supply and return conduits. The supply conduit is sealably mated to the at least one supply port and the return conduit is sealably mated to the at least one return port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
    Inventors: AUSTIN MICHAEL SHELNUTT, TRAVIS C. NORTH, CHRISTOPHER M. HELBERG, EDMOND I. BAILEY
  • Publication number: 20170181321
    Abstract: A direct-contact liquid-cooled (DL) Rack Information Handling System (RIHS) includes liquid cooled (LC) nodes having a chassis received in a respective chassis-receiving bay of the rack and containing heat-generating functional components. The LC node configured with a system of conduits to receive direct contact of cooling liquid to regulate the ambient temperature of the node and provide cooling to the functional components inside the node by removing heat generated by the heat-generating functional components. The chassis has a leak containment barrier configured with a trough that underlays a portion of the system of conduits of the LC node and that forms a drain path to a drain port of the chassis. In one or more embodiments, the storage drive carrier has vibration absorbing material that mitigates vibrations of a storage drive placed in the storage drive carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
    Inventors: AUSTIN MICHAEL SHELNUTT, TRAVIS C. NORTH, CHRISTOPHER M. HELBERG, JAMES DON CURLEE, CHIN-AN HUANG
  • Publication number: 20170181324
    Abstract: A direct-interface liquid-cooled (DL) Rack Information Handling System (RIHS) includes liquid cooled (LC) nodes that include a system of conduits supplying cooling liquid through the node enclosure and including a supply conduit extending from a node inlet coupling and a return conduit terminating in a node outlet coupling. The node inlet port and the node outlet port are positioned in an outward facing direction at a rear of the node enclosure and aligned to releasably seal to the respective inlet liquid port and outlet liquid port in the node-receiving slot for fluid transfer through the system of conduits. An air-spring reducer conduit is in fluid communication with the system of conduits and shaped to trap an amount of compressible fluid that compresses during sealing engagement between the node inlet coupling and node outlet coupling and the inlet liquid port and outlet liquid port, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
    Inventors: AUSTIN MICHAEL SHELNUTT, TRAVIS C. NORTH, CHRISTOPHER M. HELBERG
  • Publication number: 20170181327
    Abstract: A method provides a service mode within a direct-injection liquid-cooled (DL) Rack Information Handling System (RIHS) having at least one liquid-cooled (LC) node. The method includes: in response to detecting selection of the service mode trigger, transmitting a first control signal to cause a proportional valve to move to an open position for enhanced cooling of the node; monitoring a temperature being sensed in the node; and in response to the temperature reaching a pre-established service mode temperature: forwarding a second control signal, to cause the proportional valve to move to a fully closed position; and generating a notification of an entry of the RIHS into a service mode during which an LC node can be re-engaged with the supply and return port, without affecting an operational on-state of the RIHS and without incurring significant hydraulic pressure when re-engaging the LC node with the liquid cooling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
    Inventors: AUSTIN MICHAEL SHELNUTT, Paul W. Vancil, John R. Stuewe, Edmond I. Bailey
  • Publication number: 20170177007
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method controls liquid cooling of a direct injection liquid-cooled (DL) rack information handling system (RIHS). The method includes receiving, at a liquid cooling control subsystem, an incoming cooling liquid supply flow rate corresponding to an incoming cooling liquid supply being supplied to the DL RIHS. A maximum flow rate cap is calculated for each of the LC nodes. The maximum flow rate cap is transmitted to a controller for each of the LC nodes. The controller triggers each of the LC nodes to adjust the associated flow rate for that LC node to correspond to the received maximum flow rate cap for that node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
    Inventors: AUSTIN MICHAEL SHELNUTT, PAUL W. VANCIL, JOHN R. STUEWE, CHARLES EDWARD SMITH
  • Publication number: 20170177041
    Abstract: A Rack Information Handling System (RIHS) has a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger (LTLHE) that is received in a rear section of a rack and includes node-receiving supply port/s and return port/s. LTLHE includes a first liquid manifold extending between the node-receiving supply port/s and the node-receiving return port/s. LTLHE includes a second liquid manifold capable of being in sealed fluid connection to a supply conduit and a return conduit of a liquid cooling supply for fluid transfer of a second cooling liquid. LTLHE includes a transfer plate formed of thermally conductive material separating the first and second liquid manifolds for transferring heat from the first cooling liquid to the second cooling liquid. RIHS includes a node-receiving chassis configured to receive inserted liquid cooled nodes that sealingly engage for fluid transfer of the first liquid to LTLHE embedded in the rack for heat absorption and transfer by the second liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
    Inventors: AUSTIN MICHAEL SHELNUTT, TRAVIS C. NORTH, CHRISTOPHER M. HELBERG, EDMOND I. BAILEY
  • Publication number: 20170181329
    Abstract: A Rack Information Handling System (RIHS) has a liquid cooling subsystem that provides cooling liquid to liquid cooled (LC) nodes received in chassis-receiving bays of a rack. Leak collection structures are positioned to receive cooling liquid that leaks from the liquid cooling subsystem. Liquid sensors detect a presence of leaked cooling liquid in the leak collection structures. A leak detection subsystem responds to a detected presence of liquid by providing a leak indication. In one or more embodiments, the liquid cooling subsystem has a liquid rail formed by more than one rack interconnections vertically aligned in a rear section of the rack that are connected by modular rail conduits for node-to-node fluid transfer. The leak collection structures include a pipe cover received over at least one modular rail conduit. A liquid cavity of each pipe cover spills over into another lower pipe cover at a rate that can be correlated to severity of the leak.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: AUSTIN MICHAEL SHELNUTT, EDMOND I. BAILEY, JOHN R. STUEWE
  • Publication number: 20170181328
    Abstract: A Rack Information Handling System (RIHS) has more than one liquid cooled (LC) node containing heat-generating functional components, each LC node configured with a system of conduits to receive cooling liquid to regulate the ambient temperature of the node and provide cooling to the functional components inside the node by removing heat generated by the heat-generating functional components. A liquid control subsystem includes electrically-actuated control valves that selectively distribute cooling liquid to LC nodes each comprising a chassis received in a respective chassis-receiving bay of a rack. Liquid sensors detect a parameter of the liquid control subsystem. A liquid controller communicatively coupled to the electrically-actuated control valves and the liquid sensors detect a rack-level liquid event based at least in part on the parameter and communicates to any LC node that is affected by the rack-level liquid event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: AUSTIN MICHAEL SHELNUTT, EDMOND I. BAILEY
  • Publication number: 20170181323
    Abstract: A direct-interface liquid-cooled (DL) Rack Information Handling System (RIHS) includes liquid cooled (LC) nodes each comprising a chassis received in a respective chassis-receiving bay of a rack and containing heat-generating functional components. Each LC node is configured with a system of conduits to receive direct injection of cooling liquid to regulate the ambient temperature of the node and provide cooling to the functional components inside the node by removing heat generated by the heat-generating functional components. A cooling subsystem has a liquid rail formed by more than one node-to-node, Modular Liquid Distribution (MLD) conduits, each including first and second terminal connections attached on opposite ends of a central conduit that can be rack-unit dimensioned. The MLD conduits seal to and enable fluid transfer between a port of a selected LC node and a port of an adjacent LC node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
    Inventors: Austin Michael SHELNUTT, Travis C. NORTH, Christopher M. HELBERG, Steven EMBLETON, Edmond I. BAILEY, James D. CURLEE
  • Publication number: 20170181326
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method regulates exhaust air temperature from direct interface liquid-cooled (DL) nodes in a rack information handling system (RIHS). The method includes receiving a first input corresponding to a desired ambient temperature of an exterior space and a second input is corresponding to an amount of heat being dissipated from functional components operating within an interior space of at least one LC node. An ambient temperature reading of the exterior space is received. A flow rate is calculated for liquid flowing through an air-to-liquid heat exchange (ATLHE) subsystem that results in an amount of heat exchange in the ATLHE subsystem, which generates exhaust air at a temperature that causes a change in the ambient temperature towards the desired ambient temperature. The flow rate is dynamically adjusted of the liquid flowing through the ATLHE subsystem to the calculated flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
    Inventors: AUSTIN MICHAEL SHELNUTT, TRAVIS C. NORTH, CHRISTOPHER M. HELBERG
  • Publication number: 20170181325
    Abstract: A liquid handling (LH) block of an Information Handling System (IHS) having a first transfer conduit having node-receiving intake port/s sealably engaged for fluid transfer to node intake port/s of Liquid Cooled (LC) node/s and having supply connection/s. A second transfer conduit has node-receiving outlet port/s sealably engaged for fluid transfer to LC node output port/s of the LC node/s and having return connection/s. A radiator includes a portion of the second transfer conduit. A cooling liquid distribution subsystem has a user selectable first and second sets of liquid conduits connectable to the module in one of an open-loop configuration utilizing facility supplied cooling liquid and a closed-loop configuration to recirculate cooling liquid between the block radiator and the node-level system of conduits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
    Inventors: AUSTIN MICHAEL SHELNUTT, EDMOND I. BAILEY
  • Patent number: 9643233
    Abstract: An information handling system (IHS) has a heatsink including cooling fins each having a plate structure and attached to the base in spaced parallel arrangement for receiving a first air flow that is in parallel alignment to the conductive surface. The heatsink includes a tunnel formed through the cooling fins perpendicularly to the first air flow. The IHS provides cooling air to one or more heatsinks without thermally shadowing other compute components as well as providing a second flow of cooling air to downstream component/s via the tunnel of each heatsink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Edmond I. Bailey, Christopher M. Helberg, Travis C. North, Austin Michael Shelnutt
  • Publication number: 20170127559
    Abstract: An external chassis wall liquid cooling system includes a chassis defining a chassis housing. A chassis wall is located on the chassis and includes a first surface that is located adjacent the chassis housing and a second surface that is located opposite the chassis wall from the first surface and that provides an outer surface of the chassis. A liquid cooling channel is defined by the chassis wall and extends through the chassis wall between the first surface and the second surface. A liquid is located in the liquid cooling channel, and a pump is coupled to the liquid cooling channel and configured to move the liquid through the liquid cooling channel. A fan system in the chassis housing may move air past heat producing components to transfer heat produced by those heat producing components, and the liquid may further dissipate that heat out of the chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Travis Christian North, David Michael Meyers, Shawn Paul Hoss, Austin Michael Shelnutt
  • Patent number: 9575521
    Abstract: An external chassis wall liquid cooling system includes a chassis defining a chassis housing. A chassis wall is located on the chassis and includes a first surface that is located adjacent the chassis housing and a second surface that is located opposite the chassis wall from the first surface and that provides an outer surface of the chassis. A liquid cooling channel is defined by the chassis wall and extends through the chassis wall between the first surface and the second surface. A liquid is located in the liquid cooling channel, and a pump is coupled to the liquid cooling channel and configured to move the liquid through the liquid cooling channel. A fan system in the chassis housing may move air past heat producing components to transfer heat produced by those heat producing components, and the liquid may further dissipate that heat out of the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Travis Christian North, David Michael Meyers, Shawn Paul Hoss, Austin Michael Shelnutt
  • Publication number: 20170038804
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include based on a power consumed by at least one information handling resource and thermal resistances associated with heat-rejecting media thermally coupled to the at least one information handling resource, calculating an exhaust temperature of the heat-rejecting media proximate to an exhaust of an enclosure housing the at least one information handling resource. The method may also include based on the exhaust temperature, controlling at least one of an operating frequency of the at least one information handling resource and a flow rate of fluid proximate to the heat-rejecting media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Alexander Shows, Travis C. North, Deeder M. Aurongzeb, Austin Michael Shelnutt, Christopher M. Helberg
  • Publication number: 20170031393
    Abstract: An external chassis wall liquid cooling system includes a chassis defining a chassis housing. A chassis wall is located on the chassis and includes a first surface that is located adjacent the chassis housing and a second surface that is located opposite the chassis wall from the first surface and that provides an outer surface of the chassis. A liquid cooling channel is defined by the chassis wall and extends through the chassis wall between the first surface and the second surface. A liquid is located in the liquid cooling channel, and a pump is coupled to the liquid cooling channel and configured to move the liquid through the liquid cooling channel. A fan system in the chassis housing may move air past heat producing components to transfer heat produced by those heat producing components, and the liquid may further dissipate that heat out of the chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Travis Christian North, David Michael Meyers, Shawn Paul Hoss, Austin Michael Shelnutt
  • Publication number: 20170013744
    Abstract: A pressure control system within a multi-phase heat transfer immersion cooling tank includes: a differential pressure transducer that measures a differential pressure between a first vapor pressure internal to the immersion cooling tank and a second pressure outside of the immersion cooling tank; and a condenser inflow valve assembly that controls a flow rate of condensation liquid within the condenser located within the immersion tank. The pressure control system also includes a controller coupled to both the differential pressure transducer and the condenser inflow valve assembly having control logic that, in response to the measured differential pressure exceeding a pre-set threshold difference, triggers the condenser inflow valve assembly to increase a flow rate of the condensation fluid in order to reduce an amount of vapor within the immersion tank and bring the measured differential pressure back to below the threshold difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: AUSTIN MICHAEL SHELNUTT, JAMES DON CURLEE
  • Patent number: 9497891
    Abstract: An information handling system (IHS) has a server chassis assembly including a server chassis with a cold air inlet and a hot air exhaust and provisioned with compute components that are series aligned. A ducting structure positioned in the server chassis defines a cold air plenum in fluid communication with the cold air inlet and a hot air plenum in fluid communication with the hot air exhaust. A shroud of the ducting structure separates the cold air plenum and the hot air plenum. Air drops are provided longitudinally along the shroud corresponding respectively to the respective compute components being cooled. The air drops are each in fluid communication between the cold air plenum and the hot air plenum. Hot air from one compute component is routed directly to the hot air plenum away from other compute components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Daniel Alvarado, Austin Michael Shelnutt