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: Embodiments of the present invention provide moisture measuring systems and methods. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a sealable compartment is used in which a specimen containing liquid can be inserted, such that all of the specimen is contained within the compartment. The relative humidity in the compartment is measured over a duration of time, which can be used to calculate the amount of liquid leaked by the specimen. Embodiments of the present invention can be utilized, for example, to calculate the leakage rate of water-carrying hardware of a cooling system, without having to create a membrane or other isolated sample of materials.

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: Tapering couplers and coupling methods for connecting fluid flow components are provided. In one embodiment, the tapering coupler includes a housing with a first opening and a second opening in fluid communication through the housing. The first opening is sized for a first fluid flow component to couple to the housing, and the second opening for a second fluid flow component. The first and second fluid flow components include first and second fluid-carrying channels of different diameter, with the first fluid-carrying channel having a first channel diameter that is larger than the second channel diameter of the second fluid-carrying channel. A tapering element is associated with the housing and extends into the first fluid-carrying channel. The tapering element includes a tapering fluid-carrying channel which tapers in a direction back towards the housing, for instance, from about the first channel diameter to about the second channel diameter.

Abstract: Coupling assemblies for connecting fluid-carrying components are provided. The coupling assemblies include, for instance: a socket fitting with a first opening and a second opening in fluid communication through the fitting, the first opening being sized to accommodate a first fluid-carrying component, and the second opening being sized to accommodate a second fluid-carrying component; a sleeve, the sleeve encircling the socket fitting and being rotatable relative to the fitting, and the sleeve including a first locking feature; and a second locking feature associated with one of the fluid-carrying components. The second locking feature is positioned and sized to engage the first locking feature of the sleeve when the one fluid-carrying component is inserted into the socket fitting. Once engaged, rotating of the sleeve locks the first and second locking features together to secure the one fluid-carrying component to the socket fitting.

Abstract: Coupling assemblies for connecting fluid-carrying components are provided. The coupling assemblies include, for instance: a socket fitting with a first opening and a second opening in fluid communication through the fitting, the first opening being sized to accommodate a first fluid-carrying component, and the second opening being sized to accommodate a second fluid-carrying component; a sleeve, the sleeve encircling the socket fitting and being rotatable relative to the fitting, and the sleeve including a first locking feature; and a second locking feature associated with one of the fluid-carrying components. The second locking feature is positioned and sized to engage the first locking feature of the sleeve when the one fluid-carrying component is inserted into the socket fitting. Once engaged, rotating of the sleeve locks the first and second locking features together to secure the one fluid-carrying component to the socket fitting.

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.

Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and coolant-cooled electronic assemblies are provided which include a thermal transfer structure configured to couple to one or more sides of an electronics card having one or more electronic components to be cooled. The thermal transfer structure includes a thermal spreader and at least one coolant-carrying channel associated with the thermal spreader to facilitate removal of heat from the thermal spreader to coolant flowing through the coolant-carrying channel(s). The cooling apparatus further includes a coolant manifold structure disposed adjacent to a socket of the electronic system within which the electronics card operatively docks, and a fluidic and mechanical attachment mechanism which facilitates selective, fluidic and mechanical coupling or decoupling the thermal transfer structure and coolant manifold structure, the attachment mechanism facilitating the flow of coolant between the coolant manifold structure and the coolant-carrying channel(s) of the thermal transfer structure.

Abstract: A method of forming a custom module lid. The method may include placing a multichip module (MCM) between a module base and a temporary lid, target components are exposed through viewing windows in the temporary lid, a top surface of the target components is measured and mapped to create a target profile, the target profile is used to form custom pockets in a custom lid, and the custom pockets correspond to the target components.

Abstract: A package for a multi-chip module includes a top cold plate and a bottom plate whose perimeters are in thermal communication so the plates together completely encase the module except for a connector passing through the bottom plate. The cold plate has copper tubing pressed into a groove formed in a serpentine pattern. The perimeter of the cold plate has thermal conduction fins which mate with thermal conduction slots in the perimeter of the bottom plate. Thermal interface material is disposed in gaps between the plates and chips on the module, the gaps having dimensions controlled by support ribs of plates which abut the module substrate. The cold plate is used on the hottest side of the module, e.g., the side having computationally-intensive chips such as ASICs. A densely packed array of these packages can be used in a central electronic complex drawer with a shared coolant circulation system.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for facilitating cooling of an electronic component. The apparatus includes a vapor-compression refrigeration system, which includes an expansion component, an evaporator, a compressor and a condenser coupled in fluid communication. The evaporator is coupled to and cools the electronic component. The apparatus further includes a contaminant separator coupled in fluid communication with the refrigerant flow path. The separator includes a refrigerant cold filter and a thermoelectric array. At least a portion of refrigerant passing through the refrigerant flow path passes through the cold filter, and the thermoelectric array provides cooling to the cold filter to cool refrigerant passing through the filter. By cooling refrigerant passing through the filter, contaminants solidify from the refrigerant, and are deposited in the cold filter.

Abstract: A method is provided for dissipating heat from a rack. The method includes: disposing a coolant-cooled heat exchanger within the rack, and providing a coolant control apparatus. The coolant control apparatus includes at least one coolant recirculation conduit coupled in fluid communication between a facility coolant supply and return, wherein the facility coolant supply and return facilitate providing facility coolant to the heat exchanger. The control apparatus further includes a coolant pump(s) associated with the recirculation conduit(s) and a controller which monitors a temperature of facility coolant supplied to the heat exchanger, and redirects facility coolant, via the coolant recirculation conduit(s) and coolant pump(s), from the facility coolant return to the facility coolant supply to, at least in part, ensure that facility coolant supplied to the heat exchanger remains above a dew point temperature.

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: Tile assemblies are provided having first and second tile sections and an airflow control mechanism. The first tile section allows, in a cold air cooling mode, cold air from a cold air plenum of a data center to flow into a cold air containment aisle for supply to an electronics rack(s). The second tile section is associated with the first tile section to allow, in a failover cooling mode, ambient air external the cold air plenum to flow, via an air pathway through the second and first tile sections into the containment aisle. The airflow control mechanism is disposed within the air pathway to block cold air from the cold air plenum from passing through the second tile section in the cold air cooling mode, and to allow, in the failover cooling mode, ambient air to pass through the air pathway into the cold air containment aisle.

Abstract: A pluggable module is provided and includes a plug receptacle in which a plug is receivable, a housing coupled to the plug receptacle, a heat removal device partially disposable within the housing to assume and be movable between first and second positions and an armature. The armature is interposed between corresponding portions of the housing and the heat removal device and is configured for selective manipulation to thereby move the heat removal device from the second position to the first position. With the plug received in the plug receptacle and the heat removal device in the first position, the heat removal device forms a thermal pathway with the plug by which heat is removed from the plug.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating cooling apparatus are provided which facilitate cooling a multi-component assembly, such as a hub module assembly. The cooling apparatus includes a first liquid-cooled heat sink configured to facilitate removal of heat generated by one or more first electronic components of the multi-component assembly, and a second liquid-cooled heat sink configured to facilitate removal of heat generated by one or more second electronic components of the multi-component assembly. The first liquid-cooled heat sink is separably coupled to the multi-component assembly, and the second liquid-cooled heat sink is fixedly secured to the multi-component assembly. Fluid couplers fluidically couple the first and second liquid-cooled heat sinks to facilitate liquid coolant flow through the fixedly-secured, second liquid-cooled heat sink from the separably-coupled, first liquid-cooled heat sink.

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: Cooling apparatuses, cooled electronic modules, and methods of fabrication are provided which facilitate heat transfer from one or more electronic components to a coolant. The cooling apparatus includes a coolant-cooled heat sink with a thermally conductive structure having a coolant-carrying compartment including a varying cross-sectional coolant flow area through which coolant flows in a direction substantially parallel to a main heat transfer surface of the structure coupled to the electronic component(s). The coolant-cooled heat sink includes a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet in fluid communication with the coolant-carrying compartment, and the coolant flow area of the coolant-carrying compartment decreases, at least in part, in a direction of coolant flow through the coolant-carrying compartment.