Abstract: Monitoring method and system are provided for dynamically determining rack airflow rate and rack power consumption employing a heat exchanger disposed at an air outlet side of the electronics rack. The method includes: sensing air temperature at the air outlet side of the electronics rack, sensing coolant temperature at a coolant inlet and coolant temperature at a coolant outlet of the heat exchanger, and determining airflow rate through the electronics rack; and outputting the determined airflow rate through the electronics rack. The determining employs the sensed air temperature at the air outlet side of the rack and the sensed coolant temperatures at the coolant inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger. In one embodiment, the heat exchanger is an air-to-air heat exchanger, and in another embodiment, the heat exchanger is an air-to-liquid heat exchanger.

Abstract: A method and associated assembly is provided for cooling of a computing embodiment having electronic components. The heat generating components are disposed in the vicinity of at least one cold plate providing direct liquid cooling. Coolant is provided to the cold plate which will eventually exit it through one or more ports or orifices placed on the sides or both side and bottom of the cold plate. The placement, size and number of port(s) or orifice(s) can be selectively adjusted to control amount of coolant flow. Effluent flow from the cold plate flows over the remaining immersion cooled components and then exits the liquid tight enclosure which houses the electronic components.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating pumped, immersion-cooling of an electronic system having multiple different types of electronic components. The apparatus includes a container sized to receive the electronic system, a coolant inlet port and a coolant outlet port for facilitating ingress and egress of coolant through the container, and a manifold structure associated with the container. The manifold structure includes a coolant jet plenum with an inlet opening in fluid communication with the coolant inlet port, and one or more jet orifices in fluid communication with the coolant jet plenum. The jet orifices are positioned to facilitate cooling of at least one electronic component of the multiple different types of electronic components by jet impingement of coolant thereon when the electronic system is operatively positioned within the container for immersion-cooling thereof.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating pumped, immersion-cooling of an electronic subsystem having multiple different types of components to be immersion-cooled. The apparatus includes a container sized to receive the electronic subsystem, and a coolant inlet port and a coolant outlet port for facilitating ingress and egress of coolant through the container. The apparatus further includes a coolant pump assembly coupled in fluid communication with the coolant inlet and outlet ports of the container for facilitating active pumping of coolant through the container. When the electronic subsystem is operatively inserted into the container and coolant is pumped through the container, the multiple different types of components of the electronic subsystem are immersion-cooled by the coolant.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating liquid cooling of a plurality of blades of an electronic system chassis. The apparatus includes a chassis-level manifold assembly with a first coolant path and a plurality of second coolant paths. The first coolant path is isolated from the plurality of second coolant paths by a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger facilitates transfer of heat from coolant within the second coolant paths to coolant within the first coolant path. Each second coolant path is isolated from the other second coolant paths, and coolant passing therethrough facilitates cooling of a respective blade. When operational, each second coolant path forms a portion of a respective closed loop coolant path extending between the manifold assembly and the electronic system chassis, and in one embodiment, each blade is an immersion-blade, with multiple components thereof immersion-cooled by coolant flowing through the respective second coolant path.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating immersion-cooling of an electronic subsystem having multiple different types of components to be immersion-cooled. The apparatus includes a container sized to receive the electronic subsystem, and a hermetically sealed electrical connector disposed on a wall of the container. The electrical connector is sized and configured to receive an electrical and network connector of the electronic subsystem when the electronic subsystem is operatively inserted into the container, and to facilitate external electrical and network coupling to the subsystem. The apparatus further includes coolant inlet and outlet ports coupled to the container for facilitating ingress and egress of coolant through the container. When the electronic subsystem is operatively inserted into the container and coolant flows through the container, the electronic subsystem is immersion-cooled by the coolant.

Abstract: A multi-fluid cooling system and method for cooling an electronic device are provided which employ freeze protection when in a shipping state. The cooling system includes a coolant loop having an expansion tank containing first and second fluids, which are immiscible and of different densities, and the second fluid freezes at a lower temperature than the first. The coolant loop further includes a first valve for facilitating coupling of the first fluid into the coolant loop and a second valve for facilitating coupling of the second fluid into the coolant loop, the first and second valves being independently controllable. Control logic electronically controls actuation of the first and second valves to automatically pass the first fluid through the coolant loop when the system is in an operational state and to automatically maintain the second fluid in the coolant loop when the system is in a shipping state.

Abstract: A cooling system and method are provided for cooling air exiting one or more electronics racks of a data center. The cooling system includes at least one cooling station separate and freestanding from at least one respective electronics rack of the data center, and configured for disposition of an air outlet side of electronics rack adjacent thereto for cooling egressing air from the electronics rack. The cooling station includes a frame structure separate and freestanding from the respective electronics rack, and an air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly supported by the frame structure. The heat exchange assembly includes an inlet and an outlet configured to respectively couple to coolant supply and coolant return lines for facilitating passage of coolant therethrough. The air-to-liquid heat exchange assembly is sized to cool egressing air from the air outlet side of the respective electronics rack before being expelled into the data center.

Abstract: Monitoring method and system are provided for dynamically determining flow rate of a first fluid and a second fluid through a heat exchanger. The method includes: pre-characterizing the heat exchanger to generate pre-characterized correlation data correlating effectiveness of the heat exchanger to various flow rates of the first and second fluids through the heat exchanger; sensing inlet and outlet temperatures of the first and second fluids through the heat exchanger, when operational; automatically determining flow rates of the first and second fluids through the heat exchanger using the sensed inlet and outlet temperatures of the first and second fluids and the pre-characterized correlation data; and outputting the determined flow rates of the first and second fluids. The automatically determining employs the determined effectiveness of the heat exchanger in interpolating from the pre-characterized correlation data the flow rates of the first and second fluids.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating liquid cooling one or more components of an electronic subsystem chassis disposed within an electronics rack. The apparatus includes a rack-level coolant manifold assembly and at least one movable chassis-level manifold subassembly. The rack-level coolant manifold assembly includes a rack-level inlet manifold and a rack-level outlet manifold, and each movable chassis-level manifold subassembly includes a chassis-level coolant inlet manifold coupled in fluid communication with the rack-level inlet manifold, and a chassis-level coolant outlet manifold coupled in fluid communication with the rack-level outlet manifold. The chassis-level manifold subassembly is slidably coupled to the electronics rack to facilitate access to one or more removable components of the electronic subsystem chassis. In one embodiment, the electronics subsystem chassis is a multi-blade center system having multiple removable blades, each blade being an electronics subsystem.

Abstract: Automated locating of electronics racks within a data center room is provided. The automated approach employs n wireless identification units associated with respective electronics racks of the data center, and first and second transceiver units positioned within the data center along a common plane at known X,Y locations. A monitor unit is in communication with the transceiver units, and automatically determines X,Y location within the data center room of each respective electronics rack employing, in part, first time differentials between transmission of a first broadcast signal by the first transceiver unit and receipt of response signals from the wireless identification units, second time differentials between transmission of a second broadcast signal from the second transceiver unit and receipt of response signals thereto from the wireless identification units, and the known X,Y locations within the data center of the transceiver units.

Abstract: A cooling system assembly method including: providing a support fixture having a multi-level support surface and multiple positioning dowels extending therefrom; positioning multiple liquid-cooled cold plates on the support surface employing the multiple dowels, the dowels providing relative positioning and alignment of the cold plates for facilitating subsequent coupling thereof to electronic components to be cooled; sealing multiple coolant-carrying tubes in fluid communication with the cold plates; and sealing a header subassembly to the coolant-carrying tubes to provide an assembled liquid-based cooling system. In operation, the support fixture facilitates shipping of the assembled cooling system by maintaining the components in fixed relation. A transfer fixture is employed in removing the cooling system from the support fixture and placing the cooling system in engagement with the electronics system.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for facilitating liquid cooling one or more components of an electronic subsystem chassis disposed within an electronics rack. The apparatus includes a rack-level coolant manifold assembly and at least one movable chassis-level manifold subassembly. The rack-level coolant manifold assembly includes a rack-level inlet manifold and a rack-level outlet manifold, and each movable chassis-level manifold subassembly includes a chassis-level coolant inlet manifold coupled in fluid communication with the rack-level inlet manifold, and a chassis-level coolant outlet manifold coupled in fluid communication with the rack-level outlet manifold. The chassis-level manifold subassembly is slidably coupled to the electronics rack to facilitate access to one or more removable components of the electronic subsystem chassis. In one embodiment, the electronics subsystem chassis is a multi-blade center system having multiple removable blades, each blade being an electronics subsystem.

Abstract: A conductive heat transport cooling system and method are provided for cooling primary and secondary heat generating components of an electronics system. The cooling system includes a liquid-based cooling subsystem including at least one liquid-cooled cold plate physically coupled to at least one primary heat generating component of the electronics system, and a thermally conductive coolant-carrying tube coupled to and in fluid communication with the at least one liquid-cooled cold plate. A thermally conductive auxiliary structure is coupled to the coolant-carrying tube and to at least one secondary heat generating component of the electronics system. When in use, the thermally conductive auxiliary structure provides conductive heat transport from the at least one secondary heat generating component to the at least one thermally conductive coolant-carrying tube coupled thereto, and hence via convection to liquid coolant passing therethrough.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method of fabrication are provided for facilitating removal of heat from a heat-generating electronic device. The method of fabrication includes: bonding a plurality of thermally conductive pin fins to a surface to be cooled, each pin fin including a stem with a bulb structure on its distal end; depositing material onto the plurality of thermally conductive pin fins to integrally form a jet impingement structure with the pin fins, wherein the distal ends of the plurality of thermally conductive pin fins form part of the jet impingement structure; and controlling the depositing of material onto the distal ends of the pin fins to form a plurality of jet orifices in the jet impingement structure, with the depositing resulting in the plurality of jet orifices automatically self-aligning between the plurality of thermally conductive pin fins.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus and method of fabrication are provided for facilitating removal of heat from a heat-generating electronic device. The method of fabrication includes: obtaining a solder material; disposing the solder material on a surface to be cooled; and reflowing and shaping the solder material disposed on the surface to be cooled to configure the solder material as a base with a plurality of fins extending therefrom. In addition to being in situ-configured on the surface to be cooled, the base is simultaneously metallurgically bonded to the surface to be cooled. The solder material, configured as the base with a plurality of fins extending therefrom, is a single, monolithic structure thermally attached to the surface to be cooled via the metallurgical bonding thereof to the surface to be cooled.

Abstract: Method and air-cooling unit are provided for dynamically adjusting airflow rate through and heat removal rate of the air-cooling unit to facilitate cooling of one or more electronics racks of a data center. The air-cooling unit includes a housing, an air-moving device, and an air-to-liquid heat exchanger. The air-moving device moves air through the housing from the air inlet side to the air outlet side thereof, and the heat exchanger cools the air passing through the housing. A control unit controls the air-moving device and the flow of liquid coolant through the heat exchanger to automatically, dynamically adjust airflow rate and heat removal rate of the air-cooling unit to achieve a current airflow rate target and current heat removal rate target therefore. The current targets are based on airflow rate through and heat load generated by one or more associated electronics racks of the data center.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for cooling an electronics rack in an energy efficient, dynamic manner. The apparatus includes one or more extraction mechanisms for facilitating cooling of the electronics rack, an enclosure, a heat removal unit, and a control unit. The enclosure has an outer wall, a cover coupled to the outer wall and a central opening sized to surround the electronics rack and the heat extraction mechanism. A liquid coolant loop couples the heat removal unit in fluid communication with the heat extraction mechanism, which removes heat from liquid coolant passing therethrough. The control unit is coupled to the heat removal unit for dynamically adjusting energy consumption of the heat removal unit to limit its energy consumption, while providing a required cooling to the electronics rack employing the liquid coolant passing through the heat extraction mechanism.

Abstract: A coolant control unit for a liquid cooled electronics system is provided, which includes an external coolant inlet and outlet for receiving and returning external coolant; an internal coolant loop for circulating coolant to the electronics system; a first and second control valve coupling the external coolant inlet and outlet to the internal coolant loop; a heat exchanger connected between the first and second control valves; and control logic for controlling operation of the coolant control unit in one of an external coolant mode and an internal coolant mode. In the external coolant mode, the first and second control valves allow passage of external coolant through the internal coolant loop to the electronics system, and in the internal coolant mode, the first and second control valves isolate coolant within the internal coolant loop from the external coolant inlet and outlet, and pass the coolant therein through the heat exchanger.

Abstract: An isolation valve assembly, a coolant connect/disconnect assembly, a cooled multi-blade electronics center, and methods of fabrication thereof are provided employing an isolation valve and actuation mechanism. The isolation valve is disposed within at least one of a coolant supply or return line providing liquid coolant to the electronics subsystem. The actuation member is coupled to the isolation valve to automatically translate a linear motion, resulting from insertion of the electronics subsystem into the operational position within the electronics housing, into a rotational motion to open the isolation valve and allow coolant to pass. The actuation mechanism, which operates to automatically close the isolation valve when the liquid cooled electronics subsystem is withdrawn from the operational position, can be employed in combination with a compression valve coupling, with one fitting of the compression valve coupling being disposed serially in fluid communication with the isolation valve.