High performance cooling module

A system, comprising:

• a computing device having a heat-generating component;
• a cold plate thermally coupled to the heat-generating component;
• a coolant pathway loop coupling an exit of the cold plate with an entrance of the cold plate, wherein the coolant pathway loop contains a coolant fluid that enters the cold plate at a lower temperature than when exiting the cold plate;
• a refrigerant cycle, the refrigerant cycle including a refrigerant pathway loop coupling a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve, wherein the refrigerant pathway loop contains a refrigerant;
• a heat exchanger coupled to the coolant pathway loop and the refrigerant pathway loop such that heat in the coolant fluid is transferred to the refrigerant at a location after the expansion valve and before the compressor;
• a chassis, wherein the computing device, the coolant pathway loop, and the refrigerant cycle are enclosed within the chassis, the chassis being a multiple U-high chassis that includes at least a 2U lower region and a 3U upper region, the 2U lower region including within the cold plate and the heat-generating component, the 3U upper region including within the heat exchanger and the condenser, the 2U lower region and the 3U upper region separating the cold plate and the heat-generating component from the heat-exchanger and the condenser;
• and
• a set of fan modules for drawing air through the chassis and including:
• a first fan module located in the 2U lower region to draw air past the cold plate via a first airflow path, the first airflow path starting at a first entry point in the 2U lower region in which the air flowing in the first airflow path enters the chassis, the first airflow path continuing past the cold plate in the 2U lower region to a first exit point in which the air flowing in the first airflow path exits the chassis, the first airflow path avoiding contact with heat exchanger and the condenser in the 3U upper region, and
• a second fan module located in the 3U upper region to draw air past the heat exchanger via a second airflow path, the second airflow path being separate from and generally parallel to the first airflow path, the second airflow path starting at a second entry point in the 3U upper region in which the air flowing in the second airflow path enters the chassis, the second airflow path continuing past the heat exchanger in the 3U upper region such to a second exit point which the air flowing in the second airflow path exits the chassis, the second airflow path avoiding contact with the cold plate and the heat-generating component in the 2U lower region.