WHITE PAPER 5004

The role of quick disconnect couplings in liquid cooling:

Five attributes that contribute to connector reliability

By The use of liquid cooling to mitigate heat Traditionally, data centers have relied on
David Vranish generated by electronics can be found in a air for cooling. However, forcing cold air
Applications Engineer wide variety of applications, including gaming through server racks is an inefficient and
Colder Products Company computers, supercomputers and medical costly method to remove heat. Sixty percent
equipment. But the widest acceptance of the of cooled air is lost as by-pass and through
technology is in today’s data center industry, air mixing, and cooling costs can exceed the
where server manufacturers are turning to liquid costs of running the servers. As computer
cooling for cost-efficient and effective thermal servers are pushed to run faster and data
management. Here, in particular, quick disconnect center rack densities increase, it is becoming
couplings are playing an integral role in cooling impractical to expect moving air to provide
system performance and reliability. sufficient cooling.

Implementing an efficient, effective and Water, on the other hand, is 3,500 times
safe cooling system to remove waste more effective than air2 on a volume basis
heat is an ever-growing concern for data at storing and transferring heat. In fact,
centers. Energy consumption by servers 41 percent of respondents in a recent
has risen dramatically within the last industry-wide survey expect a combination
decade as power densities of server racks of air and liquid to be the primary
have increased. While server racks of a method of data center cooling.3 Liquid
decade ago consumed 250 W to 1.5 kW cooling represents the best alternative to
each, current power racks consume around raising cooling efficiency and reducing air
10 kW. Projections for the next decade put conditioning costs.
power consumption at 50 kW. Further, it
is estimated that, by 2020, the data center Using liquid to cool computers goes back
industry will generate as much CO2 as the to the mid-’60s when IBM implemented
airline industry.1 liquid cooling for its 704 mainframe. Nearly
50 years later, IBM recently employed
processor-level liquid cooling for a
supercomputer located at a Swiss university,
where water is circulated to cool the
processors and then pumped to the under-
floor heating system where the waste heat
can be used for building heat. Compared
with air-cooled servers, IBM estimates that
the liquid-cooled system uses 40 percent
less energy, and the additional use of the
waste heat lowers carbon footprint by an
estimated 85 percent.4

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Figure 1: Advantages of liquid cooling

AIR COOLING LIQUID COOLING

Liquids are 3,500-4,000 times more efficient at transferring heat

Significant cost savings result from more efficient cooling

Energy use required for cooling is reduced

Noise is reduced due to slower fan speeds required for cooling

Carbon footprint is reduced 85 percent through a reduction in waste heat

A CRITICAL COMPONENT FOR LIQUID COOLING entire server rack to fail. This puts a critical
RELIABILITY focus on the design, construction and
quality of the quick disconnect coupling.
One of the critical components in liquid
cooling systems is the quick disconnect
When selecting quick disconnect couplings
coupling. These couplings are used to link
for liquid cooling of servers and other high-
together flexible tubes that carry cooling
end computers, it is important to look for the
liquid to individual servers and central
following five attributes to ensure reliability.
manifolds on the server rack connected to
central heat exchangers (see Figure 2). The
critical contribution of quick disconnect 1. Robust design and construction
couplings becomes more evident when Liquid cooling system quick disconnect
considering that these couplings need to couplings need to be durable and robust.
stay reliably connected for long durations They also need to be designed for low-
but then disconnect easily without valve pressure applications and able to withstand
failure. Furthermore, when servers need to long periods of connection before being
be serviced or changed out, the couplings disconnected. Couplings should also be
must easily disconnect without dripping or designed for low pressure drop in order to
spilling coolant on sensitive electronics. minimize flow restriction and the burden on
cooling system pumps.
The chief concern of server designers and
data center operators is system reliability. Some liquid cooling systems employ
According to the Ponemon Institute, the couplings developed for the hydraulics
average cost for any type of data center industry because of their perceived higher Figure 2: Quick disconnects for server
outage is more than $690,000.5 One of the durability. However, the seals and internal cooling
basic methods of achieving high reliability valves of these couplings were not designed
is through redundant components that take for low-pressure applications and where
over if primary components fail. In liquid couplings are required to be connected
cooling systems, redundant pumps are often for months or years at a time. When
employed to prevent loss of circulation. selecting quick disconnect couplings for
However, individual quick disconnect liquid cooling systems, look for couplings
couplings in the cooling system represent a that are designed specifically for low-
single point of failure. A faulty connector pressure applications and feature robust
has no backup, so a leak might cause the construction.

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2. “Dry disconnect” capability Technicians accustomed to connecting

and disconnecting Ethernet
Technicians need to be able to easily
connections and power cables will
disconnect cooling loops from servers
have little trouble with intuitively
without risk of water or other coolant
designed quick disconnect couplings.
leaking on to sensitive electronics.

Quick disconnect non-spill couplings 4. Resilient seals

can feature two styles of internal
Couplings used in liquid cooling
valves that automatically shut off the
applications remain in a connected
flow of liquid when the couplings are
state for extended periods. Upon
disconnected. One style of double-
disconnection and reconnection, they
shutoff coupling features poppet valves
need to function perfectly so there
that, by virtue of their design, trap
are no drips or leaks of coolant. Seals
a small amount of liquid within the
that are not properly formulated or
coupling body. This liquid can drip
designed can take a “set” that causes
out when the coupling is disconnected.
leaks upon disconnection. The seals
While the leakage is not a large
also have to be compatible with
amount — likely just a drop or two —
the cooling liquid to prevent seal
it might be sufficient to raise safety or
swell, shrink, brittlement or other
reliability concerns around electronics.
distortions. In some cases, couplings
may feature dual seals to enhance
In contrast, true dry-disconnect
sealing capabilities in the quest for
couplings feature flush-face valves
higher reliability. However, dual seals
that allow no more than a coating of
can introduce greater friction to the
cooling fluid on the valve surfaces.
system and might actually reduce
This virtually eliminates the possibility
reliability if not designed properly.
of dripping onto vital components.
Look for couplings that feature
precision-made, internal flush- 5. Materials compatibility
face valves and, ideally, couplings Most plastics and metals are
designed specifically for liquid cooling compatible with cooling liquids such
CPC has designed a new series
applications. of ultra-reliable, dripless quick
as water-glycol mixtures. However, if
disconnect couplings specifically
your cooling system uses a proprietary for liquid cooling of electronics.
3. Ease of use cooling liquid, be sure to determine LQ Series connectors are the first of
whether the coolant is compatible their kind, incorporating a patent-
It is important to be able to easily
with coupling housings, seals, valves pending, flush-face valve technology
disconnect the cooling loops from
and tubing. Use particular caution that allows the couplings to be
servers with no spills. Whether it
when selecting metal couplings for connected for long periods — and
is a push-to-connect or twist-lock then easily disconnected without
the cooling system that might come
type of coupling, the valves need to dripping cooling fluid on sensitive
into contact with a server chassis, as
reliably close when disconnected, electronic components. The couplings
dissimilar metals can create electrolysis
even after having been connected are designed to withstand long-term,
and corrosion where they touch.
for months or years. Another aspect repeated use and feature color-coded
Couplings developed from metal ball-
of ease of use is the availability of rings to ensure accurate cold-side
and-sleeve hydraulic couplings are
color-coded couplings, which help and return-side connections. Multiple
not intended to be used for cooling options for materials, configurations
ensure hot-to-hot and cold-to-cold
applications, so materials compatibility and sizes plus custom solutions are
connections. When a cooling system is
should be carefully checked. available to meet any liquid cooling
equipped with properly designed quick
Compatibility issues can be avoided application.
disconnect couplings, it simplifies
by using metal couplings designed
maintenance and serviceability.
specifically for liquid cooling.

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CONCLUSION
Liquid cooling of computers and servers is
the most efficient and cost-effective method
of dissipating heat generated by today’s
faster and higher-density electronics. By
providing cooling at the source of the heat, air
conditioning demands can be reduced along
with the attendant costs and carbon impact.

With cooling system designs still evolving,

it is important to understand the role that
quick disconnect couplings play in these
systems and how they contribute to system
Reliable quick disconnect couplings play a reliability. Evaluating couplings based on
significant role in liquid cooling systems that their robustness, valves, seals and materials
mitigate heat generation at the source. compatibility can help ensure long-term
performance. To make the best choice for
your application, work with a coupling
supplier that understands the demands of
liquid cooling and can offer a wide selection
of couplings, including purpose-built cooling
couplings and custom design capabilities.

About CPC References:

A leader in connection technology,
1. Data Center Journal, “The Green Data
CPC has been delivering quick
Center Opportunity,” (February 2012).
disconnect couplings for liquid
cooling of electronics for over 2. Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable
20 years. Applications for CPC’s
Energy, “Quick Start Guide to Increase
liquid cooling connections include
Data Center Efficiency,” (2008).
PCs, supercomputers, data centers, 3. “Data Center 2025: Exploring the
chillers, medical equipment and Possibilities,” (February 2014).
many others that require quality
4. CNET, “IBM Liquid-Cooled Super-
and performance for critical fluid computer Heats Building,” (May 2010).
handling solutions. Our dripless
quick disconnect couplings feature
5. Mission Critical, “Power and
Management Best Practices for
automatic non-spill shutoff valves
Enterprise Data Center Design,”
and integral terminations for safety,
(March/April 2014), pp. 32-38.
ease of use and reliability. CPC
offers multiple options for materials,
configurations, sizes and valves
and custom solutions to meet
unique needs.

Smart fluid handling to take you forward, faster.

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