{"schema_version":1,"experiment_id":"eoa_inverse_innovation_exp12_substrate_denial72_20260805","research_id":"eoa_inverse_innovation_exp12_light_screen_20260805","cell_id":"inversion_of_control__computer_science","search_lanes":{"direct_problem_and_intervention":{"queries":["liquid cooled server rack passive thermostatic valve outlet temperature branch flow allocation","rack-level dynamic direct-to-chip cooling flow control device outlet coolant temperature","thermostat-controlled coolant flow heat sink electronic components passive valve"],"source_ids":["SRC1","SRC2"],"no_result_note":null},"synonyms_and_historical_terms":{"queries":["self-acting cooling water valve opens on rising sensor temperature","autonomous analog coolant valve thermal-sensitive actuator electronic heat sink","thermo-operated water valve proportional flow cooling"],"source_ids":["SRC2","SRC3"],"no_result_note":null},"products_practices_and_standards":{"queries":["Danfoss AVTA self-acting thermostatic cooling water valve","Open Compute Project water based transfer fluid liquid cooled racks safety pressure compatibility"],"source_ids":["SRC3","SRC4"],"no_result_note":null},"component_combination":{"queries":["parallel coolant channels independent passive thermostat valves electronic rack","server manifold downstream temperature flow control device dynamic cooling","cold plate thermal actuator mechanically opens coolant channel heat load"],"source_ids":["SRC1","SRC2","SRC3"],"no_result_note":null}},"sources":[{"source_id":"SRC1","title":"Experimental Assessment of Rack-Level Dynamic Direct to Chip Liquid Cooling for Data Center and IT Equipment Reliability","publisher":"University of Texas at Arlington","url":"https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/mechaerospace_theses/997/","source_type":"PRIMARY_RESEARCH","claims_supported":["Constant rack coolant flow irrespective of IT load can produce hotspots and temperature gradients under nonuniform heating.","A rack-level experiment placed a flow-control device downstream of the manifold and regulated server flow using leaving-coolant temperature, directing higher flow to higher-load servers while reducing pumping demand."]},{"source_id":"SRC2","title":"US9285050B2 — Thermostat-controlled coolant flow within a heat sink","publisher":"International Business Machines Corporation / Google Patents","url":"https://patents.google.com/patent/US9285050B2/en","source_type":"OTHER","claims_supported":["A liquid-cooled electronics rack with shared supply and return manifolds is disclosed.","Independent passive analog valves use thermal-sensitive mechanical actuators to increase or decrease coolant flow through parallel cold-plate channels according to local electronic-component heat load, without active sensor-based control.","The disclosure identifies reduced rack pumping as an intended benefit."]},{"source_id":"SRC3","title":"AVTA Thermostatically Operated Water Valves","publisher":"Danfoss","url":"https://designcenter.danfoss.com/en-us/products/sensing-solutions/valves/thermostatic-valves/thermostatic-valves---avta/avta","source_type":"FIRST_PARTY_PRODUCT","claims_supported":["Commercial self-acting valves proportionally regulate cooling-water flow from sensor temperature without electricity or compressed air.","AVTA valves open on rising sensor temperature and specify pressure and coolant operating limits."]},{"source_id":"SRC4","title":"Guidelines for Using Water-Based Transfer Fluids in Single-Phase Cold Plate-Based Liquid-Cooled Racks","publisher":"Open Compute Project","url":"https://www.opencompute.org/documents/guidelines-for-using-water-based-transfer-fluids-in-single-phase-cold-plate-based-liquid-cooled-racks-final-pdf","source_type":"OFFICIAL_GUIDANCE","claims_supported":["Liquid-cooled rack systems require compatible wetted materials, controlled operating temperatures and pressures, filtration, leak checks, monitoring, and qualified engineering oversight.","The guidance references recognized leak-testing standards and requires compatibility review when components or operating conditions change."]}],"problem_evidence":{"status":"SUPPORTED","finding":"The problem is directly visible. Rack-level research describes constant flow irrespective of server load, nonuniform heating, hotspots, and temperature gradients, then demonstrates load-responsive branch-flow allocation. The rack patent independently describes shared manifolds and varying electronic heat loads addressed by local passive flow control.","source_ids":["SRC1","SRC2"]},"closest_prior_art":[{"name":"IBM thermostat-controlled coolant flow within a heat sink (US9285050B2)","source_ids":["SRC2"],"overlap":"Discloses liquid-cooled electronics racks, shared supply and return manifolds, parallel coolant paths, independent passive thermal-sensitive actuators, mechanical valve movement, increased flow with increasing local heat load, analog operation without active sensing, and reduced pumping demand.","remaining_difference":"Its detailed embodiments place valves within cold-plate channels and sense component heat conductively, rather than specifying a wax or vapor-pressure actuator coupled to each rack branch's coolant outlet. It does not report the proposed fixed-orifice comparison at matched aggregate flow."},{"name":"UTA rack-level dynamic direct-to-chip cooling experiment","source_ids":["SRC1"],"overlap":"Uses multiple rack thermal loads, a downstream flow-control device, leaving-coolant temperature, manifold pressure, and targeted delivery of more coolant to higher-load servers to reduce pumping demand and improve reliability.","remaining_difference":"The retained abstract does not establish that its operative valve actuation is entirely passive and material-driven; the proposal narrows that element to a spring-return wax or vapor-pressure actuator with no electronic control."},{"name":"Danfoss AVTA self-acting cooling-water valve","source_ids":["SRC3"],"overlap":"Commercially implements proportional, power-free coolant-flow control that opens on rising locally sensed temperature.","remaining_difference":"The product source does not document per-rack deployment on competing parallel server branches or comparative rack-level thermal performance."}],"prior_art_disposition":"SUBSTANTIAL_COLLISION","contrastive_claim_remaining":"A narrow embodiment-and-performance claim remains: in a two-rack constant-pressure loop, outlet-coupled wax or vapor-pressure spring-return valves with minimum-flow and maximum-travel limits produce lower peak hot-branch outlet temperature than characterized fixed orifices at matched aggregate coolant use, without unacceptable neighboring-branch excursion or oscillation. The broader passive local-heat-driven coolant-allocation concept does not remain contrastive.","contrastive_claim_falsifier":"Across predetermined asymmetric heat transitions at matched aggregate coolant use, fixed orifices equal or outperform the proposed valves on peak outlet temperature; or the heated branch fails to show a timely monotonic flow increase; or actuator lag, hysteresis, hydraulic coupling, starvation, oscillation, leakage, or pressure excursion breaches preset limits.","gates":{"adequate_source_search":{"status":"PASS","rationale":"The search covered the proposal directly, older and synonymous self-acting terminology, commercial valves and official rack guidance, and combinations of manifolds, parallel cold plates, outlet-temperature sensing, passive actuators, and flow allocation. Four opened sources from four publisher groupings were retained.","source_ids":["SRC1","SRC2","SRC3","SRC4"]},"supported_problem":{"status":"PASS","rationale":"Primary rack-level research directly identifies constant-flow mismatch under nonuniform IT loads and evaluates temperature-responsive redistribution; the rack patent corroborates varying electronic heat loads and shared-manifold cooling.","source_ids":["SRC1","SRC2"]},"distinct_testable_claim":{"status":"PASS","rationale":"Although the core concept substantially collides with prior art, the specific outlet-coupled wax-or-vapor actuator, mechanical guardrails, and matched-aggregate-flow comparison form a narrow measurable claim not established by the retained sources.","source_ids":["SRC1","SRC2","SRC3"]},"bounded_next_test":{"status":"PASS","rationale":"An isolated two-branch, low-pressure surrogate loop can compare fixed restrictions and thermostatic valves while measuring branch temperatures, flows, pressure, response time, aggregate coolant use, oscillation, and neighbor excursion over predetermined load transitions.","source_ids":["SRC1","SRC3","SRC4"]},"no_obvious_safety_or_authority_stop":{"status":"PASS","rationale":"No categorical stop is apparent for a facilities-authorized non-production bench test. Component ratings, leak testing, relief, containment, coolant and wetted-material compatibility, temperature limits, isolation, and independent overtemperature protection must remain enforced.","source_ids":["SRC3","SRC4"]}},"screen_survival":false,"world_novelty_boundary":"This bounded public-web search cannot establish world novelty, patentability, market size, expert acceptance, or realized value. It found substantial collision with prior passive thermostat-controlled coolant-flow systems for liquid-cooled electronics and with rack-level outlet-temperature-based flow allocation; only a narrower actuator placement, guardrail, and comparative-performance claim remains unresolved."}