A preparation method of a liquid cooling plate

Abstract

The present application relates to a preparation method of a liquid cooling plate in the technical field of radiators, including: forming continuous tunnel defects inside a plate according to the trajectory designed by liquid cooling; expanding the tunnel defects to form fluid channels, thereby obtaining the liquid cooling plate. The liquid cooling plate prepared by the preparation method of the present application reduces the possibility of fluid leakage during the operation of the liquid cooling plate, improves the stability of the fluid channels, and greatly improves the processing efficiency of the liquid cooling plate through the preparation method of the liquid cooling plate of the present application.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of radiators, and particularly to a method for manufacturing a liquid cooling plate. Background Art

[0002] In the current manufacturing process of liquid cooling plate channels, first, a channel with a certain depth is stamped on a metal plate using a mold, or a channel with a certain trajectory and depth is machined on a metal flat plate by machining. Then, two symmetric metal plates with channels obtained by the above method are selected and connected by welding to form a fluid channel, leaving a coolant inlet and an outlet. However, the current method for manufacturing liquid cooling plates has a complex process and many procedures, not only with high costs but also prone to leakage due to sealing problems between the two plates. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to reduce the possibility of fluid leakage, improve the stability of the fluid channel, and improve the processing efficiency of the liquid cooling plate, this application provides a method for manufacturing a liquid cooling plate.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a liquid cooling plate, including: forming continuous tunnel defects inside a plate according to the trajectory designed for liquid cooling; expanding the tunnel defects to form a fluid channel, thereby obtaining the liquid cooling plate.

[0005] By using the method for manufacturing a liquid cooling plate in this technical solution, continuous tunnel defects are directly formed inside the plate according to the trajectory designed for liquid cooling, and then the tunnel defects are expanded to form a fluid channel, realizing the manufacture of an integral-structured liquid cooling plate, avoiding forming half of the fluid channel on two metal plates respectively and then forming the liquid cooling plate through a splicing and welding form. Compared with the current method for manufacturing liquid cooling plates, it has a simple process, fewer procedures, low costs, and no extra gaps are generated around the fluid channel, reducing the possibility of fluid leakage, improving the stability of the fluid channel, and improving the processing efficiency of the liquid cooling plate.

[0006] In addition, according to the method for manufacturing a liquid cooling plate of this application, the following additional technical features may also be provided:

[0007] In some embodiments of the present invention, a welding tool is used to form the tunnel defects. The welding tool includes a stirring head and a stirring needle connected to the end of the stirring head; the plate is placed on a backing plate, and a groove is formed on the upper surface of the backing plate according to the trajectory designed for liquid cooling; the stirring head rotates and inserts the stirring needle into the plate corresponding to the groove, and keeps rotating and advancing along the trajectory of the groove, so that the material inside the plate flows from top to bottom into the groove, forming continuous tunnel defects inside the plate.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the stirring needle includes an upper threaded portion and a lower threaded portion, and the helical directions of the upper threaded portion and the lower threaded portion are opposite.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, a shoulder is formed at one end of the stirring head close to the stirring needle. When the stirring needle travels on the plate, the shoulder is pressed against the plate.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the diameter of the shoulder is 6 - 38 mm, and the pressure of the shoulder on the plate is 0.5 KN - 30 KN.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the length of the stirring needle is 1 - 20 mm less than the thickness of the plate, the rotational speed of the stirring needle is 200 - 2500 rpm, and the traveling speed of the stirring needle is 200 - 2500 mm / min.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, in the step of expanding the tunnel defect to form a fluid channel, the plate is placed between the pressing plate and the forming die. A forming groove is formed on the side of the forming die facing the plate corresponding to the tunnel defect; the forming die and the pressing plate are heated to make the plate reach the plastic deformation temperature and maintain this temperature; an inert gas is filled into the tunnel defect, so that the material in the middle and lower parts of the tunnel defect in the plate flows from top to bottom into the forming groove, realizing the expansion of the tunnel defect to form a fluid channel.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the speed of filling the inert gas is 0.1 - 1.0 L / min, the pressure of the inert gas in the tunnel defect is 0.2 - 1.0 Mpa, and the pressure is maintained for 2 - 10 min.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the plate reaches the plastic deformation temperature at a heating rate of 18 - 22 °C / min.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, when the materials in the lower part of the tunnel defect in the plate are evenly distributed in the forming groove, the air pressure in the tunnel defect is continuously maintained and the plate is cooled until the temperature of the plate drops below 200 °C, and then the inert gas in the tunnel defect is released. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] By reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, various other advantages and benefits will become clear to those of ordinary skill in the art. The drawings are only for the purpose of showing the preferred embodiments and are not considered as a limitation to the present application. Moreover, throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same components. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 is the preparation flow chart of the liquid cooling plate of the present application;

[0018] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram showing the formation of tunnel defects in the sheet material;

[0019] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram showing heating the sheet material to the plastic deformation temperature;

[0020] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram showing the formation of a fluid channel by bulging the tunnel defect;

[0021] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the liquid cooling plate and the fluid channel of Embodiment 1 of the present application.

[0022] The reference numerals in the drawings are represented as follows: 1, sheet material; 2, tunnel defect; 3, fluid channel; 4, backing plate; 5, groove; 6, forming die; 7, forming groove; 8, pressing plate; 9, stirring head; 10, shoulder; 11, stirring pin. Detailed implementation manners

[0023] It should be clear that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments in the present application without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0024] When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The implementation manners described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all the implementation manners consistent with the present application. On the contrary, they are only examples of the devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0025] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to specific circumstances. In addition, in the description of the present application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects and indicates that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally represents an "or" relationship between the associated objects before and after.

[0026] The preparation method of the liquid cooling plate provided by the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 It is the preparation flow chart of the liquid cooling plate of the present application; Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram showing the formation of tunnel defects in the sheet material; Figure 3It is a schematic diagram showing the heating of the sheet to the plastic deformation temperature; Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram showing the formation of a fluid channel by expanding the tunnel defect of the liquid cooling plate. The preparation method of the liquid cooling plate includes the following steps:

[0028] S1. Prepare tunnel defects in the sheet;

[0029] S2. Heat the sheet to the plastic deformation temperature;

[0030] S3. Expand the tunnel defect to form a fluid channel;

[0031] S4. Demold and polish.

[0032] Prepare tunnel defects in the sheet

[0033] Specifically, the sheet 1 for preparing the liquid cooling plate can be metal materials such as aluminum alloy profiles and sheets; pure copper profiles and sheets; magnesium alloy profiles and sheets, etc., and can be specifically selected according to its application scenario.

[0034] Tools such as a welding tool and a backing plate 4 are required. Among them, the welding tool includes a stirring head 9 and a stirring pin 11 coaxially connected to the end of the stirring head 9, and a shoulder 10 is formed at one end of the stirring head 9 close to the stirring pin 11. According to the thickness of the sheet 1, the length of the stirring pin 11 is less than the thickness of the sheet 1 by 1-20 mm, and the length of the stirring pin 11 can be 2-5 mm. For example, the length of the stirring pin 11 is 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, 3.5 mm, 4 mm or 4.5 mm, etc., and the diameter of the shoulder 10 can be 6-38 mm. For example, the diameter of the shoulder 10 is 10 mm, 12 mm, 14 mm or 16 mm, etc.

[0035] The stirring pin 11 includes an upper threaded portion and a lower threaded portion. The upper threaded portion and the lower threaded portion divide the entire stirring pin 11 into two parts, and the upper threaded portion and the lower threaded portion have opposite helix directions. For example, the upper threaded portion is a right-handed thread and the lower threaded portion is a left-handed thread, or the upper threaded portion is a left-handed thread and the lower threaded portion is a right-handed thread; specifically, in this embodiment, the upper threaded portion is a right-handed thread and the lower threaded portion is a left-handed thread.

[0036] The backing plate 4 is in the shape of a rectangular plate. Along the track of the fluid channel 3 designed for liquid cooling, a corresponding groove 5 is opened on the upper surface of the backing plate 4. The cross-sectional shape of the groove 5 can be rectangular, trapezoidal or semi-circular, etc., and the depth of the groove 5 can be 0.5-3 mm. For example, the depth of the groove 5 is 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm or 2.5 mm, etc.

[0037] When the tunnel defect 2 is formed, first place the sheet 1 on the backing plate 4, keeping the contact between the bottom surface of the sheet 1 and the upper surface of the backing plate 4. Then, use a stirring needle 11 with a right-handed thread on the upper thread part and a left-handed thread on the lower thread part. Start the welding tool, and the driving device (not shown) drives the stirring head 9 to rotate counterclockwise. The rotating stirring head 9 vertically inserts the stirring needle 11 into the sheet 1 in the direction corresponding to the groove 5, and keeps rotating and advancing along the track of the groove 5. The rotational speed of the stirring needle 11 is 300 - 2500 rpm, the advancing speed of the stirring needle 11 is 200 - 2500 mm / min, and the shoulder 10 is pressed on the sheet 1. The pressure of the shoulder 10 on the sheet 1 is 0.5 KN - 30 KN.

[0038] During the rotation and movement of the stirring needle 11, the right-handed upper thread part will cause the material near the inside of the sheet 1 to flow from bottom to top, and the left-handed lower thread part will cause the material near the inside of the sheet 1 to flow from top to bottom. And the end face of the shoulder 10 contacts the upper surface of the sheet 1 to ensure that the material stirred by the upper thread part of the stirring needle 11 will not be squeezed out to form a normal flash and no defects will occur. Thus, part of the softened material flows into the groove 5 of the backing plate 4, and a continuous tunnel defect 2 is formed inside the sheet 1.

[0039] The sheet is heated to the plastic deformation temperature

[0040] In the steps of heating the sheet 1 to the plastic deformation temperature and expanding the tunnel defect 2 to form the fluid channel 3, both the pressing plate 8 and the forming die 6 are used. The pressing plate 8 and the forming die 6 are both in the shape of a rectangular plate. Among them, a forming groove 7 is formed on the upper surface of the forming die 6, and the cross-section of the forming groove 7 is trapezoidal in reverse.

[0041] When the sheet 1 is heated to the plastic deformation temperature, clamp the sheet 1 between the side of the forming die 6 with the forming groove 7 and the pressing plate 8, and place the whole in the preheated heating furnace to heat the forming die 6 and the pressing plate 8, so that the sheet 1 reaches the plastic deformation temperature at a heating rate of 18 - 22 °C / min and is kept at this temperature.

[0042] Expanding the tunnel defect to form the fluid channel

[0043] When the sheet 1 reaches the plastic deformation temperature and is kept warm, block one end of the tunnel defect 2, install an air inlet nozzle at the other end of the tunnel defect 2, and fill the tunnel defect 2 with inert gas at a speed of 0.1 - 1.0 L / min until the air pressure in the tunnel defect 2 reaches 0.2 - 1.0 Mpa. During this process, under the action of the air pressure, the material of the sheet 1 in the middle and lower part of the tunnel defect 2 flows from top to bottom into the forming groove 7, and the tunnel defect 2 will expand into a circular or nearly circular shape, and then keep the pressure for 2 - 10 min.

[0044] After that, continue to maintain the air pressure inside the tunnel defect 2, cut off the power supply of the heating furnace to cool down the sheet 1, and when the temperature of the sheet 1 drops below 200 °C, release the inert gas inside the tunnel defect 2 to ensure the shaping of the fluid channel 3.

[0045] Demoulding and polishing

[0046] After taking out the pressing plate 8, the forming die 6 and the sheet 1 from the heating furnace, remove the sheet 1 from between the pressing plate 8 and the forming die 6. Then, use the abrasive flow method to smooth the outer surface of the rough fluid channel 3, remove the air inlet nozzle, and polish the ports of the fluid channel 3 to obtain a liquid cooling plate.

[0047] To more clearly describe the technical solution of the present invention and reflect the technical effect of the technical solution of the present invention, the technical solution of the present invention will be further explained below with specific embodiments.

[0048] Example 1:

[0049] Preparation of 6061 aluminum alloy liquid cooling plate

[0050] 1) Place a 6061 aluminum alloy sheet 1 with a length × width × thickness of 800 mm × 300 mm × 3 mm on the backing plate 4 with a groove 5. The depth of the groove 5 on the backing plate 4 is 1 mm, the cross-sectional shape of the groove 5 is rectangular, and the track distribution of the groove 5 is linear.

[0051] 2) High-speed rotate the stirring head 9 with a needle and plunge it into the upper surface of the liquid cooling plate material 1. The needle length is 2 mm, the diameter of the shoulder 10 is 10 mm, the rotation speed is 500 rpm, the welding speed is 200 mm / min, the pressure of the shoulder 10 on the sheet 1 is 2.8 KN, and the plunge position is directly opposite to the groove 5. After welding, cut off the front end of the liquid cooling plate and keep the rear end sealed, so that the cross-section of the tunnel defect 2 is exposed. Weld an air inlet nozzle at the exposed tunnel defect 2.

[0052] 3) Place the liquid cooling plate with the internal tunnel defect 2 obtained in step 2) on the forming die 6. The upper surface of the forming die 6 is a trapezoidal forming groove 7 with a depth of 1.5 mm. The surface of the sheet 1 with a protrusion is closely attached to the upper surface of the forming die 6; press the upper surface of the liquid cooling plate with the pressing plate 8; place the die, the pressing plate 8 and the liquid cooling plate in a preheated heating furnace, heat the die and the pressing plate 8, and the heating rate is 20 °C / min. Keep the temperature at 510 °C for heat preservation.

[0053] 4) Pass nitrogen into the air inlet nozzle at an inlet speed of 0.5 L / min. After the pressure reaches 0.3 MPa, keep the pressure for 5 min.

[0054] 5) Cut off the power supply of the heating furnace to cool down. At this time, continue to maintain the gas pressure until the temperature drops below 200 °C.

[0055] 6) Remove the sheet 1 from the mold and use the abrasive flow method to smooth the rough outer surface of the tunnel.

[0056] 7) Remove the air inlet nozzle, open the other end of the fluid channel 3, and grind the two ports of the fluid channel 3 flat to obtain the liquid cooling plate.

[0057] Example 2:

[0058] Preparation of 6061 aluminum alloy liquid cooling plate

[0059] 1) Place the 6061 aluminum alloy sheet 1 with length × width × thickness = 800 mm × 300 mm × 3 mm on the backing plate 4 with the groove 5. The depth of the groove 5 on the backing plate 4 is 1 mm. The cross-sectional shape of the groove 5 is rectangular, and the track distribution of the groove 5 is linear.

[0060] 2) High-speed rotate the stirring head 9 with a needle and plunge it into the upper surface of the liquid cooling plate 1 material. The needle length is 2 mm, the diameter of the shoulder 10 is 10 mm, the rotation speed is 500 rpm, the welding speed is 200 mm / min, the pressure of the shoulder 10 on the plate 1 is 2.8 KN. The plunge position is directly opposite to the groove 5. After welding, cut off the front end of the liquid cooling plate and keep the rear end sealed, so that the cross-section of the tunnel defect 2 is exposed. The maximum radial dimension of the tunnel defect 2 is 2.6 mm. Weld an air inlet nozzle at the exposed tunnel defect 2, and install a steel ball with a diameter of 3 mm inside the air inlet nozzle.

[0061] 3) Place the liquid cooling plate with the internal tunnel defect 2 obtained in step 2) on the forming mold 6. The upper surface of the forming mold 6 is a trapezoidal forming groove 7. The depth of the forming groove 7 is 1.5 mm. The surface of the plate 1 with a protrusion is closely attached to the upper surface of the forming mold 6; Press the upper surface of the liquid cooling plate with the pressing plate 8; Place the mold, the pressing plate 8 and the liquid cooling plate in a preheated heating furnace, heat the mold and the pressing plate 8, and the heating rate is 20 °C / min. Keep the temperature at 510 °C when it reaches.

[0062] 4) Pass nitrogen into the air inlet nozzle at an inlet speed of 0.5 L / min. After the pressure reaches 0.5 MPa, keep the pressure for 5 min; The high-pressure nitrogen will make the steel ball move along the tunnel defect 2, which not only makes the tunnel round, but also makes the inner wall of the tunnel smooth.

[0063] 5) After the steel ball comes out of the tail hole of the tunnel defect 2, cut off the power supply of the heating furnace to cool down. At this time, continue to keep the gas pressure until the temperature drops below 200 °C.

[0064] 6) Remove the sheet 1 from the mold and use the abrasive flow method to smooth the rough outer surface of the tunnel.

[0065] 7) Remove the air inlet nozzle and grind the two ports of the fluid channel 3 flat to obtain the liquid cooling plate.

[0066] Figure 5 It is a partial schematic diagram of the liquid cooling plate and the fluid channel 3 in Embodiment 1 of the present application. As Figure 5 shown, according to the results, the prepared liquid cooling plate has an approximately circular fluid channel 3. In addition, by using high-pressure nitrogen to make the steel balls move along the tunnel defect 2, the tunnel defect 2 can be further expanded into a round shape, making the inner wall of the fluid channel 3 smooth. Moreover, the liquid cooling plate is an integral structure. Compared with the form of welding two metal plates together, it not only has a simple process, fewer procedures, and low cost, but also there are no extra gaps around the fluid channel 3, greatly reducing the possibility of fluid leakage, improving the stability of the fluid channel 3, and enhancing the processing efficiency of the liquid cooling plate.

[0067] The above are only the preferred specific embodiments of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention should be covered by the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A preparation method of a liquid cooling plate, characterized in that, Comprising: A continuous tunnel defect is formed inside the plate along a trajectory designed for liquid cooling: The tunnel defect is formed using a welding tool, which includes a stirring head and a stirring pin connected to the end of the stirring head; The stirring pin includes an upper threaded portion and a lower threaded portion with opposite helix directions; A shoulder is formed at one end of the stirring head close to the stirring pin; The plate is placed on a backing plate, and a groove is formed on the upper surface of the backing plate along a trajectory designed for liquid cooling; The stirring head rotates to insert the stirring pin corresponding to the groove into the plate and keeps rotating along the trajectory of the groove. When the stirring pin travels in the plate, the shoulder presses on the plate, causing the material inside the plate to flow from top to bottom into the groove, forming a continuous tunnel defect inside the plate. Expanding the tunnel defect to form a fluid channel: Cut off the front end of the plate and keep the rear end sealed, so that the cross-section of the tunnel defect is exposed. Weld an air inlet nozzle at the exposed tunnel defect, and a steel ball is installed inside the air inlet nozzle. Place the plate between a pressing plate and a forming die. A forming groove is formed on the side of the forming die facing the plate corresponding to the tunnel defect. Heat the forming die and the pressing plate to make the plate reach the plastic deformation temperature and maintain this temperature; Fill the tunnel defect with inert gas through the air inlet nozzle. The filling speed of the inert gas is 0.1 - 1.0 L / min, the pressure of the inert gas in the tunnel defect is 0.2 - 1.0 Mpa, and keep the pressure for 2 - 10 min. The high-pressure inert gas makes the steel ball move along the tunnel defect, causing the material in the middle and lower parts of the plate in the tunnel defect to flow from top to bottom into the forming groove, realizing the expansion of the tunnel defect to form a fluid channel. Obtaining the liquid cooling plate.

2. The preparation method of the liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, wherein The diameter of the shoulder is 6 - 38 mm, and the pressure of the shoulder on the plate is 0.5 KN - 30 KN.

3. The preparation method of the liquid cooling plate according to any one of claims 1-2, characterized in that, The length of the stirring pin is 1 - 20 mm less than the thickness of the plate. The rotation speed of the stirring pin is 300 - 2500 rpm, and the traveling speed of the stirring pin is 200 - 2500 mm / min.

4. The preparation method of the liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plate reaches the plastic deformation temperature at a heating rate of 18 - 22 °C / min.

5. The manufacturing method of the liquid cooling plate according to claim 1, characterized in that When the material in the lower part of the plate in the tunnel defect is evenly distributed in the forming groove, continue to maintain the air pressure in the tunnel defect and cool the plate until the temperature of the plate drops below 200 °C, and then release the inert gas in the tunnel defect.

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