Liquid leakage prevention device, liquid leakage prevention method, and liquid cooling system

Abstract

In a liquid cooling system having a structure in which a joint is attached or detached while inserting or removing a card board, when a liquid is leaked from a connection portion of the joint, the leaked liquid confined within a housing is prevented from spilling out and scattering to surrounding electronic components when the card board is disconnected. The liquid cooling system includes male and female joints, and housings that fix those joints to each other. A water absorptive material is disposed on an inner wall of the housing of the male joint, and a seal member is disposed on an inner wall of the housing of the female joint. The liquid cooling system includes a liquid leakage detection function. When the liquid cooling system detects the liquid leakage, the liquid cooling system stops the operation of a pump, and prevents the liquid from being further leaked.

1 . A liquid leakage prevention device in a liquid cooling system, comprising:
 a first joint of a liquid connector which connects a pipe for allowing a refrigerant liquid to flow to a heat receiving jacket for cooling an electronic component mounted on a board;   a second joint of the liquid connector which is fitted to the first joint;   a first housing that fixes the first joint to an interior thereof;   a second housing that is fitted to the first housing from an exterior, and fixes the second joint to an interior thereof;   a seal member that is disposed on an inner wall of the second housing, and confines the refrigerant liquid leaked from a connection portion of the first joint and the second joint within a space formed when the first housing and the second housing are fitted to each other; and   a water absorptive material that is disposed on an inner wall of the first housing, and absorbs the refrigerant liquid confined within the space.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid leakage prevention device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a position at which the water absorptive material is located includes any one of all surfaces, a surface on which the refrigerant liquid is liable to be reserved, a lower surface, and lateral surfaces in the inner wall of the first housing.   
     
     
         3 . The liquid leakage prevention device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a protrusion is provided on the water absorptive material, and a groove that fixes the protrusion to the inner wall of the first housing is provided.   
     
     
         4 . A liquid cooling system, comprising:
 a board on which an electronic component is mounted, which is inserted into a backplane or removed from the backplane;   a heat receiving jacket that covers the electronic component, and internally circulates a refrigerant liquid to cool the electronic component at the time of inserting the board into the backplane;   a pump that circulates the refrigerant liquid;   a reserve tank that reserves the refrigerant liquid;   a heat radiation unit that cools the refrigerant liquid; and   a liquid leakage prevention device of a refrigerant liquid,   wherein   the liquid leakage prevention device, comprising:   a first joint of a liquid connector which connects a pipe for allowing a refrigerant liquid to flow to a heat receiving jacket for cooling an electronic component mounted on a board;   a second joint of the liquid connector which is fitted to the first joint;   a first housing that fixes the first joint to an interior thereof;   a second housing that is fitted to the first housing from an exterior, and fixes the second joint to an interior thereof;   a seal member that is disposed on an inner wall of the second housing, and confines the refrigerant liquid leaked from a connection portion of the first joint and the second joint within a space formed when the first housing and the second housing are fitted to each other; and   a water absorptive material that is disposed on an inner wall of the first housing, and absorbs the refrigerant liquid confined within the space,   wherein   the board is connected to the backplane by an electric connector, and the heat receiving jacket on the substrate is connected to the backplane by the liquid connector having the first and second joints, and   the pump circulates the refrigerant liquid in a path including the reserve tank, the liquid connector having the first and second joints, the heat receiving jacket, and the heat radiation unit, to cool the refrigerant liquid.   
     
     
         5 . The liquid cooling system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the water absorptive material is a water swellable water stop material,   the liquid cooling system further comprises:   a pressure sensor that is disposed on the inner wall of the first housing; and   a detection unit that detects the liquid leakage by the water absorptive material and the pressure sensor.   
     
     
         6 . The liquid cooling system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the water absorptive material is a water swellable water stop material,   the liquid cooling system further comprises:   a switch that is disposed on the inner wall of the first housing; and   a detection unit that detects the liquid leakage by the water absorptive material and the switch.   
     
     
         7 . The liquid cooling system according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a water leakage sensor that is disposed on the inner wall of the first housing; and   a detection unit that detects the liquid leakage by the water leakage sensor.   
     
     
         8 . The liquid cooling system according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a first flow rate sensor that is disposed on an inflow side of the reserve tank;   a second flow rate sensor that is disposed on an outflow side of the reserve tank; and   a detection unit that detects the liquid leakage by monitoring a difference between the first flow rate sensor and the second flow rate sensor.   
     
     
         9 . The liquid cooling system according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the detection unit stops the operation of the pump when detecting the liquid leakage.