Redundant liquid distribution units for datacenter racks

Abstract

A datacenter liquid cooling system is disclosed. At least two liquid distribution units (LDUs) are enabled to concurrently serve coolant to at least one server tray in a first configuration, and the at least two LDUs are enabled for replacement of a first one of the at least two LDUs in a second configuration, in which a second one of the at least two LDUs is enabled to serve the coolant to the at least one server tray.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A datacenter cooling system, comprising:
 at least two liquid distribution units (LDUs) to serve coolant to server trays of a rack, the at least two LDUs enabled to concurrently serve the coolant to at least one server tray in a first configuration, the at least two LDUs enabled for replacement of a first one of the at least two LDUs in a second configuration, the second configuration to enable a second one of the at least two LDUs to serve the coolant to the at least one server tray.   
     
     
         2 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of flow controllers to control the coolant from the one or more of the at least two LDUs to the at least one server tray in the first configuration or the second configuration of the least two LDUs.   
     
     
         3 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 bleeder valves or pressure valves associated with the at least two LDUs and associated with a third LDU, the third LDU to replace the first one of the at least two LDUs, the third LDU pre-loaded with the coolant, and the bleeder valves or the pressure valves to enable bleeding of air or releasing of pressure at least within the third LDU after installation of the third LDU to replace the first one of the at least two LDUs.   
     
     
         4 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the first one of the at least two LDUs to serve a full coolant load represented by a maximum of the coolant capable of being output by the first one of the at least two LDUs, with the second one of the at least two LDUs to serve a partial coolant load of the coolant.   
     
     
         5 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 at least one flow controller associated with the second one of the at least two LDUs to cause an increase from the partial coolant load prior to or upon the replacement of first one of the at least two LDUs.   
     
     
         6 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the first configuration and the second configuration are to be performed with an associated computing device in an operational state and with cooling for the associated computing device performed by the coolant from at least the second one of the at least two LDUs. 
     
     
         7 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 1 , wherein the first one of the at least two LDUs and the second one of the at least two LDUs are supplied by different coolant sources or different CDUs. 
     
     
         8 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more brackets to comprise the at least two LDUs; and   flow controllers associated with the at least two LDUs to proportionally control flow of the coolant to the at least one server tray.   
     
     
         9 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a server manifold CDU comprising flow controllers; and   the flow controllers associated with the at least two LDUs to maintain a flow rate of the coolant to the at least one server tray from one or more of the at least two LDUs in the first configuration or the second configuration.   
     
     
         10 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 9 , wherein the flow rate comprises a first flow rate established by one or more of the at least two LDUs in the first configuration, and wherein a second flow rate is adapted to match the first flow rate of the coolant from the second one of the at least two LDUs in the second configuration. 
     
     
         11 . A datacenter cooling system, comprising:
 one or more flow controllers associated with at least two liquid distribution units (LDUs), the one or more flow controllers selectable to enable a first configuration and a second configuration for the at least two LDUs, the first configuration enabled to concurrently serve coolant to at least one server tray and the second configuration enabled to serve the coolant from a first one of the at least two LDUs with a second one of the at least two LDUs deactivated to enable its replacement.   
     
     
         12 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 at least one flow controller of the one or more flow controllers to control the coolant from the one or more of the at least two LDUs to the at least one server tray in the first configuration or the second configuration of the least two LDUs.   
     
     
         13 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 features to associate the at least two LDUs with a coolant distribution unit (CDU) of a primary cooling loop and of a secondary cooling loop, the CDU to cool the coolant from the at least two LDUs.   
     
     
         14 . The datacenter cooling system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 the first one of the at least two LDUs to serve a partial coolant load represented by at most half of the coolant capable of being output by the first one of the at least two LDUs, at any time, with the second one of the at least two LDUs to serve a full coolant load of the coolant.   
     
     
         15 . A method for a datacenter liquid cooling system, comprising:
 providing at least two liquid distribution units (LDUs) to serve coolant to server trays of a rack;   enabling a first configuration for the at least two LDUs to concurrently serve the coolant to at least one server tray; and   enabling a second configuration of the at least two LDUs, the first one of the at least two LDUs replaceable in the second configuration, and a second one of the at least two LDUs to serve the coolant to the at least one server tray in the second configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining to replace at least a first one of the at least two LDUs;   adjusting at least a first flow controller associated with the first one of the at least two LDUs and at least a second flow controller associated with the second one of the at least two LDUs so that the coolant flows from the second one of the least two LDUs and so that the first one of the at least two LDUs is replaceable.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 enabling at least one flow controller to control the coolant from the one or more of the at least two LDUs to the at least one server tray in the first configuration or the second configuration of the least two LDUs.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 associating bleeder valves or pressure valves with the at least two LDUs and with a third LDU, the third LDU to replace the first one of the at least two LDUs, the third LDU pre-loaded with the coolant; and   adjusting the bleeder valves or the pressure valves to enable bleeding of air or releasing of pressure at least from within the third LDU after installation of the third LDU to replace the first one of the at least two LDUs.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 enabling the first one of the at least two LDUs to serve a full coolant load represented by at a maximum of the coolant capable of being output by the first one of the at least two LDUs at any time; and   enabling, from the second one of the at least two LDUs, a partial coolant load of the coolant.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 enabling at least one flow controller associated with the second one of the at least two LDUs to cause an increase from the partial coolant load upon determination to replace the first one of the at least two LDUs or after replacement of the first one of the at least two LDUs.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first configuration and the second configuration are to be performed with an associated computing device in an operational state and with cooling for the associated computing device performed by the coolant from at least the second one of the at least two LDUs. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first one of the at least two LDUs and the second one of the at least two LDUs are supplied by different coolant sources or different CDUs. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 enabling one or more brackets to comprise the at least two LDUs; and   proportionally controlling, using flow controllers associated with the at least two LDUs, a flow of the coolant to the at least one server tray.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 enabling a server manifold CDU to comprise flow controllers; and   enabling the flow controllers to be associated with the at least two LDUs; and   enabling the flow controllers to maintain a flow rate of the coolant to the at least one server tray from one or more of the at least two LDUs in the first configuration or the second configuration.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the flow rate comprises a first flow rate established by one or more of the at least two LDUs in the first configuration, and wherein a second flow rate is adapted to match the first flow rate of the coolant from the second one of the at least two LDUs in the second configuration.