Method and apparatus for mounting, cooling, interconnecting, and providing power and data to a plurality of electronic modules

An apparatus for cooling an electronic module comprising:

• a housing defining a chamber, the housing having a first cooling fluid opening in fluid communication with the chamber for communicating cooling fluid between the chamber and the electronic module and a plurality of second cooling fluid openings in fluid communication with the chamber, each second cooling fluid opening being adapted for communicating cooling fluid between the chamber and a cooling module;
• cooling module valve means, disposed at each second cooling fluid opening, for allowing the flow of cooling fluid through the second cooling fluid opening when a cooling module is disposed at the second cooling fluid opening and for preventing the flow of cooling fluid through the second cooling fluid opening when the cooling module is not disposed at the second cooling fluid opening;
• a first panel pivotally mounted in close proximity to an associated second cooling fluid opening;
• and
• first biasing means for biasing the first panel toward the second cooling fluid opening when the cooling module is not disposed at the second cooling fluid opening so that the second cooling fluid opening is closed off for preventing the flow of cooling fluid therethrough.

An apparatus for cooling a plurality of electronic modules comprising:

• a plurality of cooling modules;
• a housing defining a chamber, the housing having a plurality of first cooling fluid openings in fluid communication with the chamber for communicating cooling fluid between the chamber and the plurality of cooling modules, and the housing having a plurality of second cooling fluid openings in fluid communication with the chamber for communicating cooling fluid between the chamber and the plurality of electronic modules;
• cooling module coupling means for releasably coupling each cooling module to the housing at an associated first cooling fluid opening for flowing cooling fluid through the first cooling fluid opening;
• cooling module valve means, disposed at each first cooling fluid opening, for allowing the flow of cooling fluid through the first cooling fluid opening when a cooling module is coupled at the first cooling fluid opening and for preventing the flow of cooling fluid through the first cooling fluid opening when the cooling module is not coupled at the first cooling fluid opening.

An apparatus for cooling a plurality of electronic modules comprising:

• a plurality of positive pressure cooling fluid modules;
• a plurality of negative pressure cooling fluid modules;
• a housing defining a cooling fluid intake chamber and a cooling fluid exhaust chamber, the housing having:
• a plurality of cooling fluid intake openings in fluid communication with the cooling fluid intake chamber for receiving cooling fluid from the plurality of positive pressure cooling fluid modules;
• a plurality of cooling fluid distribution intake openings in fluid communication with the cooling fluid intake chamber for distributing cooling fluid to the plurality of electronic modules;
• a plurality of cooling fluid distribution exhaust openings in fluid communication with the cooling fluid exhaust chamber for receiving cooling fluid from the plurality of electronic modules;
• and
• a plurality of cooling fluid exhaust openings in fluid communication with the cooling fluid exhaust chamber for communicating cooling fluid to the plurality of negative pressure cooling fluid modules;
• positive pressure cooling fluid module coupling means for releasably coupling each positive pressure cooling fluid module to the housing at an associated cooling fluid intake opening for flowing cooling fluid therethrough;
• negative pressure cooling fluid module coupling means for releasably coupling each negative pressure cooling fluid module to the housing at an associated cooling fluid exhaust opening for receiving cooling fluid therefrom;
• intake valve means, disposed at each cooling fluid intake opening, for allowing the flow of cooling fluid through its associated intake opening when a positive pressure cooling fluid module is disposed at the intake opening and for preventing the flow of cooling fluid through the intake opening when the positive pressure cooling fuid module is not disposed at the intake opening;
• and
• exhaust valve means, disposed at each cooling fluid exhaust opening, for allowing the flow of cooling fluid through its associated exhaust opening when a negative pressure cooling fluid module is disposed at the exhaust opening and for preventing the flow of cooling fluid through the exhaust opening when the negative pressure cooling fluid module is not disposed at the exhaust opening.