International Business Machines Corporation

Dustin W Demetriou

Milnes P David

Levi A Campbell

Roger R Schmidt

Michael J Ellsworth, Jr

Robert E Simons

Robert K Mullady

Christopher R Ciraulo

Vidhya Shankar Venkatesan

Prabjit Singh

Jason T Wertz

Dylan J Boday

John G Torok

John J Loparco

Donald W Porter

Richard P Snider

Madhusudan K Iyengar

Richard C Chu

Noah B Singer

Marc Henri Coq

Francis R Krug, Jr

Michael J Domitrovits

Sal M Rosato

John V Palmer

Xiangfei Yu

Brian Werneke

Described are systems for electronic heatsink safety including a system comprising a thermoelectric generator integrated into a heatsink, where the thermoelectric generator includes a first portion exposed to ambient temperature and a second portion contacting the heatsink, and where the thermoelectric generator is configured to produce a current based on a temperature difference between the first portion and the second portion. The system further comprises a first Light Emitting Diode (LED) electrically connected to the thermoelectric generator, where the current is configured to activate the first LED.

Temperature indicator powered by thermoelectric generator

An air-to-coolant heat exchanger for an electronics rack is provided, which includes first and second tube segments, one or more connector segments, and a plurality of thermally conductive fins attached to the tube segments. The first tube segment includes a first inner tube positioned within a first outer tube, defining a first inner coolant-carrying channel and first outer coolant-carrying channel, and the second tube segment has a second inner tube positioned within a second outer tube, defining a second inner coolant-carrying channel and second outer coolant-carrying channel. The connector segment(s) couples in fluid communication at least one of the first and second inner coolant-carrying channels, or the first and second outer coolant-carrying channels. The heat exchanger is coupled to separately receive a first coolant and a second coolant, with the first coolant passing through the inner channels, and the second coolant through the outer channels.

Multi-coolant heat exchanger for an electronics rack

Apparatuses and methods are provided for blocking removal of an air-moving assembly from a housing when in operational state. The apparatus includes a protective louver assembly having a louver(s) and an interlock element(s). The louver(s) is disposed at an air inlet or an air outlet of the air-moving assembly, and pivots between an operational and a quiesced orientation, dependent on presence or absence, respectively, of airflow through the air-moving assembly. The interlock element(s) is associated with the louver(s) to pivot with the louver(s) between the operational orientation and the quiesced orientation. In the operational orientation, the interlock element(s) blocks, at least in part, access to at least one fastener securing the air-moving assembly within the housing, and thereby prevents removal of the air-moving assembly from the chassis when in the operational state.

Protective louver assembly for air-moving assembly

Apparatuses and methods are provided for protectively covering an air inlet or outlet of an air-moving assembly. The apparatus includes a protective cover assembly, which includes a retractable cover and a spring-biasing mechanism. The retractable cover transitions between a retracted state, when the air-moving assembly is operatively positioned within the chassis, and in extended state, when the air-moving assembly is withdrawn from the chassis. In retracted state, the retractable cover is retracted away from the air inlet or outlet, and in extended state, the retractable cover covers, at least partially, the air inlet or outlet. The spring-biasing mechanism is coupled to the retractable cover and biases the retractable cover in the extended state when the air-moving assembly is withdrawn from the chassis, and compresses to allow transition of the retractable cover to the retracted state as the air-moving assembly is inserted into operative position within the chassis.

Protective cover assembly for air-moving assembly

Automated managing of a data center installation is provided. The managing includes evaluating, at least in part by image processing analysis, a captured image of at least a portion of the data center installation to identify a component-related deficiency within the data center installation. One or more measurements within a data center are used to determine an energy penalty due to the identified component-related deficiency within the data center installation, and an action to correct the component-related deficiency within the data center installation is initiated based on the energy penalty exceeding a predefined threshold.

Automated managing of a data center installation

A cold plate is provided and includes fins defining first channels, a plenum adjacent to an upstream end of each of the first channels, a lid, ribs and a blocking element. The lid defines an inlet fluidly communicative with the plenum. The ribs extend between the lid and the fins to define second channels oriented transversely relative to the first channels. The second channels include a proximal second channel fluidly communicative with the plenum. The blocking element is configured to normally encourage coolant flowing through the inlet to flow toward the plenum and the upstream end of each of the first channels and to normally discourage the coolant from flowing into the proximal second channel.

Structure for eliminating the impact of cold plate fouling

Systems and methods are provided for data center cooling by vaporizing fuel using data center waste heat. The systems include, for instance, an electricity-generating assembly, a liquid fuel storage, and a heat transfer system. The electricity-generating assembly generates electricity from a fuel vapor for supply to the data center. The liquid fuel storage is coupled to supply the fuel vapor, and the heat transfer system is associated with the data center and the liquid fuel storage. In an operational mode, the heat transfer system transfers the data center waste heat to the liquid fuel storage to facilitate vaporization of liquid fuel to produce the fuel vapor for supply to the electricity-generating assembly. The system may be implemented with the liquid fuel storage and heat transfer system being the primary fuel vapor source, or a back-up fuel vapor source.

Fuel vaporization using data center waste heat

Composite heat sink structures and methods of fabrication are provided, with the composite heat sink structures including: a thermally conductive base having a main heat transfer surface to couple to, for instance, at least one electronic component to be cooled; a compressible, continuous sealing member; and a sealing member retainer compressing the compressible, continuous sealing member against the thermally conductive base; and an in situ molded member. The in situ molded member is molded over and affixed to the thermally conductive base, and is molded over and secures in place the sealing member retainer. A coolant-carrying compartment resides between the thermally conductive base and the in situ molded member, and a coolant inlet and outlet are provided in fluid communication with the coolant-carrying compartment to facilitate liquid coolant flow through the compartment.

Composite heat sink structures

A method of providing a cooling apparatus for cooling a heat-dissipating component(s) of an electronics enclosure includes: providing a thermal conductor to couple to the heat-dissipating component(s), the thermal conductor including a first conductor portion coupled to the heat-dissipating component, and a second conductor portion to position along an air inlet side of the electronics enclosure, so that in operation, the first conductor portion transfers heat from the component(s) to the second conductor portion; coupling at least one air-cooled heat sink to the second conductor portion to facilitate transfer of heat to airflow ingressing into the enclosure; providing at least one thermoelectric device coupled to the first or second conductor portion to facilitate providing active auxiliary cooling to the thermal conductor; and providing a controller to control operation of the thermoelectric device(s) and to selectively switch operation of the cooling apparatus between active and passive cooling modes.

Thermoelectric-enhanced, inlet air-cooled thermal conductors

A pump is provided which includes a rotating element, and a volute housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. In operational state, the rotating element rotates, drawing fluid through the fluid inlet of the volute housing and expelling the fluid at a higher pressure through the fluid outlet. Further, the pump includes a bypass mechanism integrated, at least in part, within the volute housing and exposing in nonoperational state of the pump, a bypass path through, at least in part, the volute housing that allows the fluid to pass from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet of the pump.

Pump with integrated bypass mechanism

Apparatuses and methods are provided for blocking removal of an air-moving assembly from a chassis when in operational state. The apparatus includes a protective louver assembly having a louver(s) and an interlock element(s). The louver(s) is disposed at an air inlet or an air outlet of the air-moving assembly, and pivots between an operational and a quiesced orientation, dependent on presence or absence, respectively, of airflow through the air-moving assembly. The interlock element(s) is associated with the louver(s) to pivot with the louver(s) between the operational orientation and the quiesced orientation. In the operational orientation, the interlock element(s) blocks, at least in part, access to at least one fastener securing the air-moving assembly within the chassis, and thereby prevents removal of the air-moving assembly from the chassis when in the operational state.

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.

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Poughkeepsie, NY, United States of America

Dustin W Demetriou