Leak detection and protection system for liquid cooling

A computing device comprising:

• a heat generating component;
• a cold plate in thermal contact with the heat generating component;
• an inlet coolant tube for supplying a coolant from a coolant source;
• a feeder coolant tube for supplying the coolant to the cold plate;
• an outlet coolant tube having a first end for collecting the coolant from the cold plate and an opposite second end for propelling the coolant to a collection manifold, the outlet coolant tube being fluidly connected to a first end of a bypass tube;
• a three-way valve having a first port coupled to the inlet coolant tube, a second port coupled to the feeder coolant tube, and a third port coupled to a second opposite end of the bypass tube;
• a leak sensor;
• and
• a controller coupled to the leak sensor and the three-way valve, the controller operable to detect a leak based on a signal from the leak sensor, control the three-way valve to fluidly connect the first port to the second port in normal operation, and control the three-way valve to fluidly connect the second port to the third port to cut off coolant flow from the inlet coolant tube when the leak is detected, wherein the coolant in the cold plate is drained through the outlet coolant tube to the collection manifold when the three-way valve is controlled to cut off coolant flow from the inlet coolant tube.

A rack for holding computing devices requiring liquid cooling, the rack comprising:

• a cold coolant manifold having a plurality of fluid couplers;
• a hot coolant manifold having a plurality of fluid couplers;
• a coolant distribution unit supplying cold coolant to the cold coolant manifold and collecting hot coolant from the hot coolant manifold;
• and
• a plurality of computing devices, each including:
• a heat generating component;
• a cold plate in thermal contact with the heat generating component;
• an inlet coolant tube coupled to one of the fluid couplers of the cold coolant manifold for supplying a coolant;
• a feeder coolant tube for supplying the coolant to the cold plate;
• an outlet coolant tube having a first end coupled to one of the fluid couplers of the hot coolant manifold and an opposite second end for collecting the coolant from the cold plate, the outlet coolant tube being fluidly connected to first end of a bypass tube;
• a three-way valve having a first port coupled to the inlet coolant tube, a second port coupled to the feeder coolant tube, and a third port coupled to a second opposite end of the bypass tube;
• a leak sensor;
• and
• a controller coupled to the leak sensor and the three-way valve, the controller operable to determine a leak based on a signal from the leak sensor, control the three-way valve to fluidly connect the first port to the second port in normal operation, and control the three-way valve to fluidly connect the second port to the third port to cut off coolant flow from the inlet coolant tube when a leak is detected, wherein the coolant in the cold plate is drained through the outlet coolant tube to the collection manifold when the three-way valve is controlled to cut off coolant flow from the inlet coolant tube.