# US 11,910,567 B2 · Systems and methods for immersion-cooled datacenters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,567 B2 - Document ID: US11910567B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/120,728 - Filed: 2023-03-13 - Published: 2023-07-13 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-09 - Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Inventors: Husam Atallah Alissa; Ioannis Manousakis; Nicholas Andrew Keehn; Eric C. Peterson; Bharath Ramakrishnan; Christian L. Belady; Ricardo Gouvea Bianchini - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910567B2 ## CPC - H05K 7/20236: {by immersion} - H05K 7/203: {by immersion} - H05K 5/0056: {characterized by features for protecting electronic components against vibration and moisture, e.g. potting, holders for relatively large capacitors} - H05K 7/20327: {Accessories for moving fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds} - H05K 7/20345: {Sprayers; Atomizers} - H05K 7/20381: {Thermal management, e.g. evaporation control} - H05K 7/20781: {within cabinets for removing heat from server blades} - H05K 7/20818: {within cabinets for removing heat from server blades} - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A liquid-submersible thermal management system includes a cylindrical outer shell and an inner shell positioned in an interior volume of the outer shell. The cylindrical outer shell has a longitudinal axis oriented vertically relative to a direction of gravity, and the inner shell defines an immersion chamber. The liquid-submersible thermal management system a spine positioned inside the immersion chamber and oriented at least partially in a direction of the longitudinal axis with a heat-generating component located in the immersion chamber. A working fluid is positioned in the immersion chamber and at least partially surrounding the heat-generating component. The working fluid receives heat from the heat-generating component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a thermal management system, comprising: at least partially submerging the thermal management system in ambient fluid; transferring heat from a heat-generating component to a working fluid; transferring heat from the working fluid to an inner shell, wherein the inner shell is an immersion chamber contained within an interior volume of an outer shell; transferring heat from the inner shell to the outer shell; and transferring heat from the outer shell to the ambient fluid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising operating the thermal management system without a condenser. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein transferring heat from the inner shell includes conducting heat from the inner shell to a fluid contained in the interior volume of the outer shell between the inner shell and the outer shell. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the fluid includes one or more of the working fluid and the ambient fluid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein transferring heat from the working fluid to the inner shell includes transferring heat from the working fluid through convective cooling to the inner shell. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein transferring heat from the outer shell to the ambient fluid includes transferring heat to the ambient fluid through a naturally occurring fluid flow of the ambient fluid. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising boiling the working fluid to form vaporized working fluid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising condensing the vaporized working fluid in a headspace of the inner shell, on a wall of the inner shell, or both. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising condensing the vaporized working fluid at nucleation sites defined by a texture of one or more of an interior surface of the inner shell, the heat-generating component, and a spine of the inner shell. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising orienting a longitudinal axis of the thermal management system with a ballast positioned at a longitudinal end of the outer shell. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a buoyancy of the thermal management system by passing gas into the interior volume of the outer shell. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising preventing corrosion of the outer shell with a sacrificial anode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a positive internal pressure of the thermal management system relative to the ambient fluid. ### Claim 14 A method of operating a thermal management system, comprising: passing a working fluid through a spine in an immersion chamber; passing at least some of the working fluid from the spine toward a heat-generating component located within the immersion chamber; transferring heat from the heat-generating component to the working fluid; and transferring heat from the working fluid to an ambient fluid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the spine supports the heat-generating component in the immersion chamber. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising passing one or more of data communications and electrical power through the spine to the heat-generating component. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising passing one or more of data communications, electrical power, and a flow of working fluid to the spine through an umbilical connected to an exterior of an outer shell of the thermal management system. ### Claim 18 A method of operating a liquid-submersible thermal management system, comprising: passing a working fluid through a spine in an inner shell, the inner shell defining an immersion chamber; passing the working fluid from the spine to a nozzle; spraying droplets of a liquid phase of the working fluid toward a heat-generating component located within the immersion chamber; transferring heat from the heat-generating component to the working fluid; and transferring heat from the working fluid to the inner shell, wherein the inner shell is located in an interior volume of an outer shell. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein spraying droplets of the liquid phase of the working fluid includes spraying droplets of less than 0.5 mm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising flowing vaporized working fluid away from spine with the spray from the nozzle.