Hybrid air/liquid-cooled network element, coolant distribution manifold box for use in a hybrid air/liquid-cooled network element, and method for converting an air-cooled network element to a hybrid air/liquid-cooled network element

Abstract

A hybrid air/liquid-cooled network element including a backplane defining a plurality of holes, one or more printed circuit boards disposed on one side of the backplane, a plurality of fan units coupled to an opposite side of the backplane and adapted to circulate an air flow to components disposed on the printed circuit board(s) through certain of the plurality of holes defined by the backplane, and one or more coolant distribution manifold boxes coupled to the opposite side of the backplane adjacent to the plurality of fan units and adapted to circulate a coolant fluid flow to one or more cold plates disposed adjacent to components disposed on the printed circuit board(s) through other of the plurality of holes defined by the backplane, where the one or more coolant distribution manifold boxes each have height and width dimensions substantially the same as each of the plurality of fan units.