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A server farm liquid thermal management system that is efficiently maintained. The server farm liquid thermal management system generally includes a coolant reservoir fluidly connected to a plurality of thermal management units. A supply line from the coolant reservoir is fluidly connected to the th

A server farm liquid thermal management system that is efficiently maintained. The server farm liquid thermal management system generally includes a coolant reservoir fluidly connected to a plurality of thermal management units. A supply line from the coolant reservoir is fluidly connected to the thermal management units with a plurality of fill valves positioned within the supply line to selectively control flow to the thermal management units. A return line is fluidly connected to the thermal management units with a plurality of drain valves positioned within the return line to selectively control the draining of the thermal management units. A control unit monitors the coolant levels within each of the thermal management units thereby supplying or removing liquid coolant within each to maintain a desired coolant level.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A server farm liquid thermal management system, comprising: a coolant reservoir to store a liquid coolant; a plurality of thermal management units to thermally manage a plurality of electronic devices, wherein said thermal management units are comprised of a liquid thermal management sy

I claim: 1. A server farm liquid thermal management system, comprising: a coolant reservoir to store a liquid coolant; a plurality of thermal management units to thermally manage a plurality of electronic devices, wherein said thermal management units are comprised of a liquid thermal management system; a supply line fluidly connected to said coolant reservoir to deliver said liquid coolant; a supply pump fluidly connected to said supply line to draw said liquid coolant from said coolant reservoir and to provide pressurized liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of level sensors connected to said plurality of thermal management units to determine a coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of supply valves fluidly connected to said supply line, wherein said plurality of supply valves are fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively supply said liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; and a plurality of flow sensors fluidly connected between said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of thermal management units to monitor a volume of coolant flowing to said plurality of thermal management units. 2. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 1, including a control unit in communication with said plurality of level sensors and said plurality of supply valves, wherein said control unit controls a state of said plurality of supply valves. 3. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 1, including a fill line fluidly connected to said coolant reservoir to fill said coolant reservoir with said liquid coolant. 4. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 1, including a remote monitoring station in communication with said coolant reservoir to monitor a coolant characteristic within said coolant reservoir. 5. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 1, including a return line fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units and said coolant reservoir to return said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units to said coolant reservoir. 6. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 5, including a heat exchanger fluidly connected to said return line to thermally condition said liquid coolant within said return line. 7. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 5, including a heat exchanger thermally connected to said coolant reservoir to thermally condition said liquid coolant within said coolant reservoir. 8. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 5, including a return pump fluidly connected to said return line. 9. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 5, including a plurality of return valves fluidly connected to said return line, wherein said plurality of return valves are fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively receive said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units. 10. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of return valves are selectively opened when said coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units exceeds a maximum level. 11. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 10, wherein said plurality of return valves are closed when said coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units is at a desired level. 12. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 9, including a control unit in communication with said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of return valves, wherein said control unit monitors said coolant level within each of said thermal management units to supply liquid coolant to or remove liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units to maintain a desired coolant level. 13. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 9, including a control unit in communication with said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of return valves, wherein said control unit opens said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of return valves to circulate said liquid coolant from said thermal management units to said coolant reservoir to increase thermal conditioning of said liquid coolant. 14. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 13, including a plurality of temperature sensors thermally connected to said plurality of thermal management units to monitor a temperature within said plurality of thermal management units. 15. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of supply valves are opened when said coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units is below a minimum level as determined by said plurality of level sensors. 16. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 15, wherein said plurality of supply valves are closed when said coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units is at a desired level as determined by said plurality of level sensors. 17. A server farm liquid thermal management system, comprising: a coolant reservoir to store a liquid coolant; a plurality of thermal management units to thermally manage a plurality of electronic devices, wherein said thermal management units are comprised of a liquid thermal management system; a supply line fluidly connected to said coolant reservoir to deliver said liquid coolant; a supply pump fluidly connected to said supply line to draw said liquid coolant from said coolant reservoir and to provide pressurized liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; a return line fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units and said coolant reservoir to return said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units to said coolant reservoir; a return pump fluidly connected to said return line to draw said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units and to return said liquid coolant to said coolant reservoir; a plurality of level sensors connected to said plurality of thermal management units to determine a coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of supply valves fluidly connected to said supply line, wherein said plurality of supply valves are fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively supply said liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of return valves fluidly connected to said return line, wherein said plurality of return valves are fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively receive said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units; and a control unit in communication with said plurality of level sensors, said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of return valves, wherein said control unit monitors said coolant level within each of said thermal management units to supply liquid coolant to or remove liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units to maintain a desired coolant level. 18. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 17, including a fill line fluidly connected to said coolant reservoir to fill said coolant reservoir with said liquid coolant. 19. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 17, including a remote monitoring station in communication with said coolant reservoir to monitor a coolant characteristic within said coolant reservoir. 20. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 17, including a heat exchanger fluidly connected to said return line to thermally condition said liquid coolant within said return line. 21. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 17, including a heat exchanger thermally connected to said coolant reservoir to thermally condition said liquid coolant within said coolant reservoir. 22. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 17, wherein said plurality of return valves are selectively opened when said coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units exceeds a maximum level. 23. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 22, wherein said plurality of return valves are closed when said coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units are at a desired level as determined by said plurality of level sensors. 24. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 17, wherein said control unit opens said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of return valves to circulate said liquid coolant from said thermal management units to said coolant reservoir to increase thermal conditioning of said liquid coolant. 25. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 24, including a plurality of temperature sensors thermally connected to said plurality of thermal management units to monitor a temperature within said plurality of thermal management units. 26. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 17, wherein said plurality of supply valves are opened when said coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units is below a minimum level as determined by said plurality of level sensors. 27. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 26, wherein said plurality of supply valves are closed when said coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units is at a desired level as determined by said plurality of level sensors. 28. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 17, including a plurality of flow sensors fluidly connected between said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of thermal management units to monitor a volume of coolant flowing to said plurality of thermal management units. 29. A server farm liquid thermal management system, comprising: a coolant reservoir to store a liquid coolant; a fill line fluidly connected to said coolant reservoir to fill said coolant reservoir with said liquid coolant; a plurality of thermal management units to thermally manage a plurality of electronic devices, wherein said thermal management units are comprised of a liquid thermal management system; a supply line fluidly connected to said coolant reservoir to deliver said liquid coolant; a supply pump fluidly connected to said supply line to draw said liquid coolant from said coolant reservoir and to provide pressurized liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; a return line fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units and said coolant reservoir to return said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units to said coolant reservoir; a return pump fluidly connected to said return line to draw said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units and to return said liquid coolant to said coolant reservoir; a plurality of level sensors connected to said plurality of thermal management units to determine a coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of supply valves fluidly connected to said supply line, wherein said plurality of supply valves are fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively supply said liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; wherein said plurality of supply valves are opened when said coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units is below a minimum level as determined by said plurality of level sensors, and wherein said plurality of supply valves are closed when said coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units is at a desired level as determined by said plurality of level sensors; a plurality of return valves fluidly connected to said return line, wherein said plurality of return valves are fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively receive said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units; wherein said plurality of return valves are selectively opened when said coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units exceeds a maximum level and wherein said plurality of return valves are closed when said coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units is at a desired level as determined by said plurality of level sensors; and a control unit in communication with said plurality of level sensors, said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of return valves, wherein said control unit monitors said coolant level within each of said thermal management units to supply liquid coolant to or remove liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units to maintain a desired coolant level. 30. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 29, including a remote monitoring station in communication with said coolant reservoir to monitor a coolant characteristic within said coolant reservoir. 31. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 29, including a heat exchanger fluidly connected to said return line to thermally condition said liquid coolant within said return line. 32. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 29, including a heat exchanger thermally connected to said coolant reservoir to thermally condition said liquid coolant within said coolant reservoir. 33. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 29, wherein said control unit opens said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of return valves to circulate said liquid coolant from said thermal management units to said coolant reservoir to increase thermal conditioning of said liquid coolant. 34. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 33, including a plurality of temperature sensors thermally connected to said plurality of thermal management units to monitor a temperature within said plurality of thermal management units. 35. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 33, including a plurality of flow sensors fluidly connected between said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of thermal management units to monitor a volume of coolant flowing to said plurality of thermal management units. 36. A server farm liquid thermal management system, comprising: a coolant reservoir to store a liquid coolant; a plurality of thermal management units to thermally manage a plurality of electronic devices, wherein said thermal management units are comprised of a liquid thermal management system; a supply line fluidly connected to said coolant reservoir to deliver said liquid coolant; a supply pump fluidly connected to said supply line to draw said liquid coolant from said coolant reservoir and to provide pressurized liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of level sensors connected to said plurality of thermal management units to determine a coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of supply valves fluidly connected to said supply line, wherein said plurality of supply valves are fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively supply said liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; a return line fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units and said coolant reservoir to return said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units to said coolant reservoir; and a heat exchanger fluidly connected to said return line to thermally condition said liquid coolant within said return line. 37. A server farm liquid thermal management system, comprising: a coolant reservoir to store a liquid coolant; a plurality of thermal management units to thermally manage a plurality of electronic devices, wherein said thermal management units are comprised of a liquid thermal management system; a supply line fluidly connected to said coolant reservoir to deliver said liquid coolant; a supply pump fluidly connected to said supply line to draw said liquid coolant from said coolant reservoir and to provide pressurized liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of level sensors connected to said plurality of thermal management units to determine a coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of supply valves fluidly connected to said supply line, wherein said plurality of supply valves are fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively supply said liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; a return line fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units and said coolant reservoir to return said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units to said coolant reservoir; and a heat exchanger thermally connected to said coolant reservoir to thermally condition said liquid coolant within said coolant reservoir. 38. A server farm liquid thermal management system, comprising: a coolant reservoir to store a liquid coolant; a plurality of thermal management units to thermally manage a plurality of electronic devices, wherein said thermal management units are comprised of a liquid thermal management system; a supply line fluidly connected to said coolant reservoir to deliver said liquid coolant; a supply pump fluidly connected to said supply line to draw said liquid coolant from said coolant reservoir and to provide pressurized liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of level sensors connected to said plurality of thermal management units to determine a coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of supply valves fluidly connected to said supply line, wherein said plurality of supply valves are fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively supply said liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; a return line fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units and said coolant reservoir to return said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units to said coolant reservoir; a plurality of return valves fluidly connected to said return line, wherein said plurality of return valves are fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively receive said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units; and a control unit in communication with said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of return valves, wherein said control unit monitors said coolant level within each of said thermal management units to supply liquid coolant to or remove liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units to maintain a desired coolant level. 39. A server farm liquid thermal management system, comprising: a coolant reservoir to store a liquid coolant; a plurality of thermal management units to thermally manage a plurality of electronic devices, wherein said thermal management units are comprised of a liquid thermal management system; a supply line fluidly connected to said coolant reservoir to deliver said liquid coolant; a supply pump fluidly connected to said supply line to draw said liquid coolant from said coolant reservoir and to provide pressurized liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of level sensors connected to said plurality of thermal management units to determine a coolant level within said plurality of thermal management units; a plurality of supply valves fluidly connected to said supply line, wherein said plurality of supply valves are fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively supply said liquid coolant to said plurality of thermal management units; a return line fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units and said coolant reservoir to return said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units to said coolant reservoir; a plurality of return valves fluidly connected to said return line, wherein said plurality of return valves are fluidly connected to said plurality of thermal management units to selectively receive said liquid coolant from said plurality of thermal management units; and a control unit in communication with said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of return valves, wherein said control unit opens said plurality of supply valves and said plurality of return valves to circulate said liquid coolant from said thermal management units to said coolant reservoir to increase thermal conditioning of said liquid coolant. 40. The server farm liquid thermal management system of claim 39, including a plurality of temperature sensors thermally connected to said plurality of thermal management units to monitor a temperature within said plurality of thermal management units.