CN110753474B

CN110753474B - Cooling device and method for putting device to be cooled in cooling device

Info

Publication number: CN110753474B
Application number: CN201810821189.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 沈烨烨; 刘水旺
Original assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd
Current assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd
Priority date: 2018-07-24
Filing date: 2018-07-24
Publication date: 2021-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2038-07-24
Also published as: CN110753474A

Abstract

The present description provides a cooling device and a method for lowering a device to be cooled placed therein, the cooling device cooling the device to be cooled by a cooling liquid, the cooling device comprising a cabinet for housing the device to be cooled and a buoyancy device connected to the cabinet. When the cooling cabinet is gradually placed into the device to be cooled, the cooling cabinet can automatically and gradually sink to ensure that all the devices to be cooled are immersed by the cooling liquid, and the operation is simple and convenient. When the cooling device is required to be lifted off, the uppermost layer of the cooling device to be cooled can float out of the liquid level of the cooling liquid by applying a small pulling force on the cabinet body, so that the uppermost layer of the cooling device to be cooled is moved out of the cabinet body, the cooling liquid does not need to be poured out completely, and the cooling device is convenient to be lifted off.

Description

Cooling device and method for putting device to be cooled in cooling device

Technical Field

The specification relates to the technical field of heat dissipation equipment, in particular to a cooling device and a method for putting down a device to be cooled placed in the cooling device.

Background

The rapid development of cloud computing technology (i.e., large-scale distributed system technology) has higher and higher requirements on the computing performance of the server. The performance of the server is improved, meanwhile, the power consumption is rapidly increased, the power consumption of the cabinet is increased by multiple times, and data display shows that the power density of the cabinet of the data center is increased by nearly 15 times in the last decade. The power consumption of one cabinet in the past is generally 1.5 kW-2 kW, and the local power consumption of individual cabinets is up to 20 kW-30 kW at present.

The related servers are cooled by being soaked in liquid, and once a server breaks down, the server needs to be maintained by pouring out all the liquid, so that the server is inconvenient to put down.

Disclosure of Invention

The present specification provides a cooling device that facilitates racking and racking of devices to be cooled and a method of racking the devices to be cooled placed therein.

An aspect of embodiments of the present specification provides a cooling device for placement in a cooling liquid to cool a device to be cooled, the cooling device comprising a cabinet for housing the device to be cooled, and a buoyancy device connected to the cabinet.

Further, the buoyancy device applies a force to the cabinet opposite to the gravity direction thereof.

Further, the cabinet body comprises a space for accommodating the device to be cooled, when the device to be cooled is not assembled in the cabinet body, the liquid level of the cooling liquid is exposed from the space, when N devices to be cooled are assembled in the cabinet body, N is greater than or equal to 1, and the N devices to be cooled are immersed in the cooling liquid.

Further, the liquid level of the cooling liquid is approximately flush with the Nth device to be cooled.

Further, the buoyancy device is located below the cabinet body.

Further, the buoyancy device is located on one side of the cabinet body.

Further, the buoyancy means is provided in plurality.

Further, the buoyancy device is located above the cooling liquid.

Further, the cooling apparatus includes a weight device that applies a force to the cabinet in the same direction as its gravitational direction.

Further, the counterweight apparatus is connected to the buoyancy device or the cabinet.

Further, the counterweight device is sealed in the buoyancy means.

Further, when the density of the cooling liquid is changed, the device to be cooled may be immersed in the cooling liquid by adjusting the gravity of the counter weight apparatus.

Another aspect of the embodiments of the present specification provides a method for setting a device to be cooled, where the device to be cooled is placed in the cooling device, N devices to be cooled are sequentially stacked in the cooling device from bottom to top, N is greater than or equal to 1, a liquid level of the cooling liquid submerges the nth device to be cooled, when the nth device to be cooled needs to be set, an upward pulling force F is applied to the cooling device, and the nth device to be cooled exposes the liquid level of the cooling liquid.

Further, said pulling force F is substantially equal to the gravity of the single device to be cooled.

Further, when N is larger than or equal to 2, after the Nth device to be cooled is put on the shelf, the liquid level of the cooling liquid submerges the (N-1) th device to be cooled.

According to the technical scheme, the cooling device and the method for lowering the device to be cooled placed in the cooling device are characterized in that the buoyancy device is arranged, and the buoyancy device exerts an upward force on the cabinet body to counteract the gravity of the cabinet body. When gradually putting into waiting to cool off the device, the cabinet body can be along with the automatic gradual increase of the sinking degree of the quantity of waiting to cool off the device of putting into, guarantees that all waiting to cool off the device of putting into are all by the coolant liquid submergence, and easy operation is convenient. When the cooling device is required to be lifted off, the uppermost layer of the cooling device to be cooled can float out of the liquid level of the cooling liquid by applying a small pulling force on the cabinet body, so that the uppermost layer of the cooling device to be cooled is moved out of the cabinet body, the cooling liquid does not need to be poured out completely, and the cooling device is convenient to be lifted off.

Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a cooling device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a cooling device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure placed in a cooling liquid, wherein the cooling device does not have a device to be cooled.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a cooling device placed in a cooling liquid according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the cooling device is placed with a device to be cooled.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of another cooling device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of another buoyancy device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the accompanying drawings, like numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present specification. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with certain aspects of the specification, as detailed in the appended claims.

The terminology used in the description herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the description. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and/or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various information, these information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one type of information from another. For example, the first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, the second information may also be referred to as first information, without departing from the scope of the present specification. The word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "at … …" or "when … …" or "in response to a determination", depending on the context.

The present specification provides a cooling device, which is provided with a buoyancy device, wherein the buoyancy device exerts an upward force on a cabinet body to counteract the gravity of the cabinet body, so as to facilitate the server to be off-shelf. The cooling device of the present specification will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The features of the following examples and embodiments may be combined with each other without conflict.

Referring to fig. 1 to 3, the cooling device provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure is used for placing a device to be cooled 1, where the device to be cooled 1 is placed in a cooling liquid 2 to cool the device to be cooled 1. The cooling liquid 2 can be liquid or solid-liquid mixed. In the illustrated embodiment, the device 1 to be cooled is a server.

The cooling device of the present embodiment includes a cabinet 3 and a buoyancy device 4 connected to the cabinet 3. The cabinet 3 includes a top end 30, a bottom end 31, a top wall 32 at the top end 30, a bottom wall 33 at the bottom end 31, and side walls 34 connecting the top wall 32 and the bottom wall 33. The top wall 32, the bottom wall 33 and the side wall 34 enclose a space 340 for accommodating the device to be cooled 1. When the cabinet 3 is placed in the cooling liquid 2, the bottom end 31 is close to the cooling liquid 2. The direction from the bottom end 31 to the top end 30 is defined as the bottom-up direction. The cabinet body 3 can be placed a plurality of cooling devices 1, the cooling devices 1 are in the cabinet body 3 along the direction from bottom to top superposes in proper order. The material of the cabinet body 3 and the cooling liquid 2 can have better compatibility, and can not generate chemical reaction with the cooling liquid 2. The cabinet 3 may be made of metal or a light solid material.

In the illustrated embodiment, the buoyancy means 4 is located below the bottom wall 33 of the cabinet 3, and the cross-sectional area of the buoyancy means 4 is larger than the area of the bottom wall 33. The present application is not limited thereto, and the buoyancy device 4 may be connected to other positions of the cabinet 3, for example, as shown in fig. 4, in another embodiment, the buoyancy device 4 is connected to the side wall 34 of the cabinet 3, and may be provided in a plurality. In another embodiment, the buoyancy means 4 may be disposed on both the bottom wall 33 and the side wall 34 of the cabinet 3. The buoyancy device 4 applies a force to the cabinet 3 opposite to the direction of gravity thereof to counteract the gravity of the cabinet 3. The force applied by the buoyancy device 4 to the cabinet 3 may be in a vertical direction, or a component of the force may be in a vertical direction.

When waiting to cool off device 1 in the cabinet body 3 has not been placed, the space of the cabinet body 3 exposes the liquid level of coolant liquid 2, works as when waiting to cool off device 1 has been placed in the cabinet body 3, the cabinet body 3 sinks, makes the liquid level of coolant liquid 2 is higher than the device 1 of waiting to cool off of the superiors. For example, after the nth device to be cooled (N is greater than or equal to 1) is placed in the cooling device 1, the cabinet body 3 automatically sinks, so that the liquid level of the cooling liquid 2 immerses the nth device to be cooled, the operation is simple and convenient, and all the devices to be cooled 1 can be effectively immersed in the cooling liquid 2, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling the devices to be cooled 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the liquid level of the cooling liquid 2 just submerges the nth device to be cooled 1, so that the device to be cooled 1 is more labor-saving to put down.

The buoyancy means 4 may be made of any material as long as it can apply a force to the cooling means opposite to its gravity direction, for example, by means of an inflator, a lighter material, or the like. The buoyancy device 4 is made of a material which has good compatibility with the cooling liquid 2 and does not react with the cooling liquid 2.

When needing to put down waiting for cooling device 1 from cabinet body 3 is interior, only need exert ascending pulling force F on the cabinet body 3, this pulling force F is roughly equal to single gravity of waiting for cooling device 1, can let the cooling device 1 of waiting of superiors floats the liquid level of coolant liquid 2, and then the cooling device 1 of waiting of superiors is followed cabinet body 3 is removed, need not pour out coolant liquid 2 is whole, makes things convenient for the off-shelf wait for cooling device 1.

Referring to fig. 5, in another embodiment, the cooling device includes a counterweight apparatus 40. The counter weight device 40 applies a force to the cabinet 3 in the same direction as its gravitational direction. When cooling is performed by using cooling liquids 2 of different densities, it is possible to ensure that all the devices to be cooled 1 in the cabinet 3 can be completely immersed in the cooling liquid 2 by adjusting the gravity of the counterweight device 40. The material of the weight device 40 may be metal or other material with heavy weight, for example, a metal block. In the illustrated embodiment, the counterweight device 40 is sealed inside the buoyancy means 4, but the application is not limited thereto, and in another embodiment, the counterweight device 40 may be connected to other positions of the buoyancy means 4 or to the cabinet 3. When the counterweight device 40 is likely to contact the cooling liquid 2, the counterweight device 40 can be made of a material having good compatibility with the cooling liquid 2, and does not react with the cooling liquid 2.

As can be seen from the above technical solutions, the cooling device in the present specification includes a buoyancy device 4, the buoyancy device 4 applies a force opposite to the direction of the gravity of the cabinet body 3 to counteract the gravity of the cabinet body 3, when no device 1 to be cooled is placed in the cabinet body 3, the cabinet body 3 is located above the cooling liquid 2, and when the device 1 to be cooled is placed in the cabinet body 3, the cabinet body 3 sinks, so that the liquid level of the cooling liquid 2 is higher than that of the uppermost device 1 to be cooled, and it is effectively ensured that all the devices 1 to be cooled are immersed in the cooling liquid 2; when the cooling device 1 needs to be lifted off, the uppermost layer of the cooling device 1 to be cooled can be floated out of the liquid level of the cooling liquid 2 only by applying a slightly small pulling force F on the cabinet body 3, and then the uppermost layer of the cooling device 1 to be cooled is moved out of the cabinet body 3 without pouring out all the cooling liquid 2, so that the cooling device 1 is convenient to be lifted off.

Other embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure disclosed herein. This specification is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the specification following, in general, the principles of the specification and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice within the art to which the specification pertains. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the specification being indicated by the following claims.

It should also be noted that the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising an … …" does not exclude the presence of other like elements in a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.

The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, and should not be taken as limiting the present disclosure, and any modifications, equivalents, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure should be included in the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A cooling apparatus for cooling a device (1) to be cooled by means of a cooling liquid (2), characterized in that the cooling apparatus comprises a cabinet body (3) and a buoyancy device (4) connected to the cabinet body (3), the cabinet body (3) being adapted to receive the device (1) to be cooled and to be placed in the cooling liquid for cooling the device (1) to be cooled, the cooling apparatus comprising a counterweight device (40), the counterweight device (40) exerting a force to the cabinet body (3) in the same direction as its direction of gravity, the device (1) to be cooled being immersible in the cooling liquid (2) by adjusting the gravity of the counterweight device (40) when the density of the cooling liquid (2) changes.

2. A cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the buoyancy means (4) exert a force on the cabinet (3) opposite to its direction of gravity.

3. A cooling device according to claim 2, wherein the cabinet (3) comprises a space (340) for accommodating the device to be cooled (1), the space (340) being exposed to the surface of the cooling liquid (2) when no device to be cooled (1) is assembled in the cabinet (3), N being equal to or greater than 1 when N devices to be cooled (1) are assembled in the cabinet (3), the N devices to be cooled (1) being immersed in the cooling liquid (2).

4. A cooling device according to claim 3, characterised in that the level of the cooling liquid (2) is substantially flush with the nth device (1) to be cooled.

5. A cooling arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the cabinet (3) comprises a bottom wall (33) near the liquid level and side walls (34) connected to the bottom wall (33), the buoyancy means (4) being connected to the bottom wall (33) and/or the side walls (34) of the cabinet (3).

6. A cooling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet (3) comprises opposite top and bottom walls (32, 33) and side walls (34) connecting the top and bottom walls (32, 33), the buoyancy means (4) being connected to the top and/or bottom walls (32, 33) and/or side walls (34).

7. A cooling arrangement according to claim 5, characterised in that the buoyancy means (4) is provided in plurality.

8. A cooling arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the counterweight device (40) is connected to the buoyancy means (4) or the cabinet (3).

9. A cooling arrangement according to claim 8, characterised in that the counterweight device (40) is sealed in the buoyancy means (4).

10. A method for lowering a device to be cooled, characterized in that the device to be cooled (1) is placed in the cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, N devices to be cooled (1) are sequentially stacked in the cooling device from bottom to top, N is greater than or equal to 1, the liquid level of the cooling liquid (2) submerges the nth device to be cooled (1), when the nth device to be cooled (1) needs to be lowered, an upward pulling force F is exerted on the cooling device, and the liquid level of the cooling liquid (2) is exposed from the nth device to be cooled (1).

11. A method for destacking devices to be cooled according to claim 10, characterized in that said pulling force F is substantially equal to the gravity of a single device to be cooled (1).

12. A method for lowering a device to be cooled according to claim 11, wherein when N is 2 or more, the liquid surface of the cooling liquid (2) submerges the N-1 th device to be cooled (1) after the nth device to be cooled (1) is lowered.