Abstract: Techniques for controlling cooling of electronic components in computing facilities are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting a pressure drop of a coolant flowing across multiple servers in an enclosure between the inlet and outlet manifolds and a supply temperature of the coolant at the inlet manifold. The method further includes automatically adjust operations of the pump to maintain the calculated pressure drop at or near a pressure-drop setpoint while automatically adjusting operations of the air mover to maintain the supply temperature at or near a temperature setpoint.

Abstract: A fan failure detection and reporting system organizes fans having similar characteristics into groups. The system establishes, for a given fan group, one or more reference characteristics and identifies, for each reference characteristic, a measure of tolerance. The system identifies as a problem fan a fan having a performance characteristic, obtained via monitoring, which exceeds a corresponding reference characteristic for the group to which the fan belongs by the measure of tolerance for the corresponding reference characteristic, and generates a notification that at least identifies the problem fan. In embodiments, the system is capable of determining the fan characteristics that are used for grouping and for identifying problem fans by monitoring the fans during operation thereof. Consequently, the system is capable of detecting problem fans even when the system initially has limited or no knowledge concerning the fans.

Abstract: Cable management systems, devices, and associated methods of installation and operation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an enclosure for holding computer components includes a front panel, a back panel, and a side panel between the front panel and the back panel. The side panel has a first side facing an interior space of the enclosure and a second side facing away from the first side. The enclosure also includes a guide panel proximate to the side panel, the guide panel being spaced apart from the second side of the side panel by a gap extending at least partially between the front panel and the back panel. The enclosure also includes a cable anchor located in the gap between the side panel and the guide panel.

Abstract: A fan failure detection and reporting system is described. The system organizes fans having similar characteristics into groups. The system establishes, for a given fan group, one or more reference characteristics and identifies, for each reference characteristic, a measure of tolerance. The system identifies as a problem fan a fan having a performance characteristic, obtained via monitoring, which exceeds a corresponding reference characteristic for the group to which the fan belongs by the measure of tolerance for the corresponding reference characteristic, and generates a notification that at least identifies the problem fan. In embodiments, the system is capable of determining the fan characteristics that are used for grouping and for identifying problem fans by monitoring the fans during operation thereof. Consequently, the system is capable of detecting problem fans even when the system initially has limited or no knowledge concerning the fans.

Abstract: Cable management systems, devices, and associated methods of installation and operation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an enclosure for holding computer components includes a front panel, a back panel, and a side panel between the front panel and the back panel. The side panel has a first side facing an interior space of the enclosure and a second side facing away from the first side. The enclosure also includes a guide panel proximate to the side panel, the guide panel being spaced apart from the second side of the side panel by a gap extending at least partially between the front panel and the back panel. The enclosure also includes a cable anchor located in the gap between the side panel and the guide panel.

Abstract: A heat transfer device is described. In one or more implementations, a device includes a housing that is moveable through a plurality of orientations involving at least two dimensions during usage, a heat-generating device disposed within the housing, and a heat transfer device disposed within the housing. The heat transfer device has a plurality of heat pipes configured to transfer heat using thermal conductivity and phase transition from the heat-generating device, the plurality of heat pipes arranged to provide generally uniform heat transfer from the heat-generating device during movement of the housing through the plurality of orientations.

Abstract: Climate regulation within an enclosure (e.g., a server cabinet) may involve a climate regulator device that reports a set of available settings (e.g., fan speeds of a fan array) to a computational unit that selects among the available settings. However, such techniques involve bidirectional communication between the climate regulator device and a computational unit that is capable of utilizing the device-specific settings. Presented herein are climate regulation architectures involving a request from the computational unit as a climate target that is independent of the settings of the climate regulator devices (e.g., an selection on an arbitrary scale from 0 to 100). A climate regulator controller may map the device-independent climate target to a selection among the available settings of the particular climate regulator device(s).

Abstract: A land grid array socket assembly comprises a plurality of cells, with each cell comprising an insulative body having a top surface, and contact conductor that has a first portion that extends from a board contact point up to and beyond the top surface to a contact bend, and a second portion that extends from the contact bend to terminate below the top surface and within the insulative body.

Abstract: Flow measurement systems and methods are provided. A flow measurement system can include at least one heat-producing computing device having at least one fluid inlet and one fluid outlet. The system can further include at least one inlet fluid temperature sensor and at least one outlet fluid temperature sensor. At least one current sensor measuring the current supplied to at least a portion of the at least one heat-producing computing device can also be included with the system. The system can also include at least one calculating device adapted to calculate the inlet fluid flow rate based at least in part upon the sensed inlet fluid temperature, the sensed outlet fluid temperature, and the sensed current flow.

Abstract: Methods and means related to rejecting heat through thermal storage are provided. A heat sink includes internal cavities containing a phase-change material. Heat from a thermal load is rejected by flowing fluid coolant at a normal operating temperature. Failure of the fluid coolant system causes heat storage within the phase-change material at a temperature slightly greater than the normal operating temperature. Restoration of the fluid coolant system results in stored heat rejection and a return to a normal operating temperature. Normal operation of the thermal load can be performed while efforts are made to restore the fluid coolant system.

Abstract: An embodiment of a system and method disaggregate I/O resources from a server's compute resources, such as CPU and memory, by moving the server's local I/O devices to a remote location apart from the server's compute resources. An embodiment uses optical technology to accomplish the fast communication speeds needed between the compute resources and the remotely located I/O resources. Specifically, an embodiment uses fiber-optic cables and electrical-to-optical conversion to facilitate communication between the compute resources and the I/O resources. The compute resources and the remotely located I/O resources can be designed differently to allow conductive liquid cooling for the compute resources and air cooling for the I/O resources.

Abstract: A heat transfer device is described. In one or more implementations, a heat transfer device includes a heat sink and a thermal storage enclosure disposed proximal to at least a portion of the heat sink. The thermal storage enclosure configured to be disposed proximal to a heat-generating component of a device. The thermal storage enclosure includes a phase change material configured to have a melting temperature that is below a temperature at which a cooling fan of the device is set to operate to cool the heat-generating device.

Abstract: Indirect thermal fan control is described. In one or more implementations, a speed of a fan may be adjusted based on indirect measurements of temperature. For example, a temperature of air entering an enclosure and a current draw of an electrical component within the enclosure may be determined. A speed of a fan may then be adjusted based on the temperature of the air and the current draw of the component to change a flow of the air over the electrical component.

Abstract: Indirect thermal fan control is described. In one or more implementations, a speed of a fan may be adjusted based on indirect measurements of temperature. For example, a temperature of air entering an enclosure and a current draw of an electrical component within the enclosure may be determined. A speed of a fan may then be adjusted based on the temperature of the air and the current draw of the component to change a flow of the air over the electrical component.

Abstract: Climate regulation within an enclosure (e.g., a server cabinet) may involve a climate regulator device that reports a set of available settings (e.g., fan speeds of a fan array) to a computational unit that selects among the available settings. However, such techniques involve bidirectional communication between the climate regulator device and a computational unit that is capable of utilizing the device-specific settings. Presented herein are climate regulation architectures involving a request from the computational unit as a climate target that is independent of the settings of the climate regulator devices (e.g., an selection on an arbitrary scale from 0 to 100). A climate regulator controller may map the device-independent climate target to a selection among the available settings of the particular climate regulator device(s).

Abstract: A cooling apparatus for a printed circuit board assembly is disclosed. The cooling apparatus comprises a main printed circuit (PC) board 202. The main PC board 202 has a plurality of connectors 210 mounted, in a parallel row, onto the top side of the main PC board 202. A first liquid cooling manifold 204 is positioned along one end of the parallel row of connectors 210 and a second liquid cooling manifold 206 is positioned along the other end of the parallel row of connectors 210. A plurality of heat sink devices 208, each having an elongated shape, run parallel to, and on each side of, the plurality of connectors 210. The plurality of heat sink devices 208 are coupled to the first and second liquid cooling manifolds.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus is disclosed. The cooling apparatus comprising a printed circuit (PC) board with an integrated circuit (IC) socket mounted onto the top side of the PC board. A mounting frame generally in the shape of a plate, with a first opening passing through the center of the plate, is mounted on the top side of the PC board with the IC socket located inside the first opening. A cold plate is attached to the mounting frame, the cold plate has an opening that passes through the cold plate. The opening in the cold plate is sized to allow an IC to be inserted into the IC socket through the opening. A fluid passageway is formed inside the cold plate. A fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port are mounted on the cold plate and coupled to a first end and a second end of the fluid passageway, respectively. A heat spreader is removably attached to the top side of the cold plate wherein the bottom side of the heat spreader is configured to contact the top side of an IC when the IC is mounted in the IC socket.

Abstract: A land grid array socket assembly comprises a plurality of cells, with each cell comprising an insulative body having a top surface, and contact conductor that has a first portion that extends from a board contact point up to and beyond the top surface to a contact bend, and a second portion that extends from the contact bend to terminate below the top surface and within the insulative body.

Abstract: A heat transfer device is described. In one or more implementations, a heat transfer device includes a heat sink and a thermal storage enclosure disposed proximal to at least a portion of the heat sink. The thermal storage enclosure configured to be disposed proximal to a heat-generating component of a device. The thermal storage enclosure includes a phase change material configured to have a melting temperature that is below a temperature at which a cooling fan of the device is set to operate to cool the heat-generating device.

Abstract: A heat transfer device is described. In one or more implementations, a device includes a housing that is moveable through a plurality of orientations involving at least two dimensions during usage, a heat-generating device disposed within the housing, and a heat transfer device disposed within the housing. The heat transfer device has a plurality of heat pipes configured to transfer heat using thermal conductivity and phase transition from the heat-generating device, the plurality of heat pipes arranged to provide generally uniform heat transfer from the heat-generating device during movement of the housing through the plurality of orientations.