A modular microchannel liquid-cooled heat sink

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of heat dissipation device technology, specifically to a modular microchannel liquid-cooled radiator, belonging to the category of energy-saving heat exchange equipment. It includes a main manifold, a secondary manifold, and a mounting frame. The main and secondary manifolds are symmetrically mounted on the mounting frame. Inlet and outlet pipes are connected to the upper and lower sides of the main manifold, respectively. A partition is connected inside the main manifold, dividing it into two vertically distributed chambers. Multiple flat tubes are arranged at equal intervals along the length of the main and secondary manifolds. Each flat tube has a fluid channel inside, and both ends of each flat tube are connected to the main and secondary manifolds via detachable connectors. This invention achieves rapid replacement of damaged units through detachable modular connections, significantly reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, the elastic clamping of the fins and the slope guidance ensure stable heat conduction and prevent loosening, maintaining overall heat dissipation efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of heat dissipation device technology, and more specifically, to a modular microchannel liquid-cooled heat sink. Background Technology

[0002] Microchannel radiators are a type of high-efficiency, compact heat exchanger. Their core structure mainly consists of densely arranged fins and flat tubes. The flat tubes contain microchannels for coolant flow. By increasing the heat dissipation surface area and optimizing fluid distribution, they achieve efficient heat dissipation. This design provides excellent heat exchange performance in a limited space and is widely used in fields involving energy-saving heat exchange equipment, such as automotive, air conditioning, and electronic equipment cooling.

[0003] However, in existing common microchannel radiators, multiple flat tubes and fins are usually fixedly connected to the manifolds on both sides by welding to form an integrated structure. Although this manufacturing method ensures overall strength and sealing, it brings significant drawbacks in maintenance: once a single flat tube becomes blocked or leaks, or the fins become blocked, corroded, deformed, or even curled due to foreign objects after long-term use (such as damage to the fins caused by flying stones, mud and sand accumulation, or chemical corrosion during vehicle operation), it is often impossible to replace the damaged parts individually. Instead, the entire radiator assembly must be replaced. In particular, radiators are more prone to the above problems when vehicles frequently travel long distances, operate under high loads, or are in heavily polluted environments. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a modular microchannel liquid-cooled radiator, which solves the problem mentioned in the background art by making the flat tube detachable, namely: when the flat tube and fins are damaged, the damaged parts cannot be replaced individually.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, a modular microchannel liquid-cooled radiator is provided, comprising a main manifold, a secondary manifold, and a mounting frame. The main manifold and the secondary manifold are symmetrically mounted on the mounting frame. An inlet pipe and an outlet pipe are connected to the upper and lower sides of the main manifold, respectively. A partition is connected inside the main manifold, dividing it into two chambers distributed vertically. Multiple flat tubes are arranged at equal intervals along the length of the main and secondary manifolds. Each flat tube has a fluid channel inside, and both ends of each flat tube are connected to the main manifold and the secondary manifold via detachable connectors. A fin is connected to the lower end of each flat tube, with an upper contact portion and a lower contact portion at the upper and lower ends, respectively. The upper contact portion is fixedly connected to the adjacent flat tube above it, and the lower contact portion abuts against the upper end face of the adjacent flat tube below it.

[0006] In the above technical solution, the connecting part includes a fixed pipe fixedly connected to the main manifold and the auxiliary manifold, and both ends of the flat pipe are connected to a movable pipe communicating with the fluid channel. The movable pipe is connected to the fixed pipe by screws, and the fixed pipe, the movable pipe and the fluid channel are interconnected to facilitate the installation and disassembly of the flat pipe.

[0007] Based on the above, a plug tube is connected to the port of the movable tube, and a socket is provided on the port of the fixed tube. The plug tube is inserted into the socket, and a sealing ring is provided on the inner wall of the socket. Both the plug tube and the socket are tapered in shape, and the tapered outer wall of the plug tube and the tapered inner wall of the socket are in close contact with each other to ensure the sealing between the fixed tube and the movable tube.

[0008] Based on the above, multiple fixed pipes are staggered on the front and rear sides of the main manifold and the auxiliary manifold, so that the ports of two adjacent fixed pipes face opposite directions. When liquid flows from the main manifold into each fixed pipe, the liquid flow direction in the adjacent fixed pipes forms an angle, which is used to prevent the coolant in the main manifold and the auxiliary manifold from impacting their inner walls too much.

[0009] Secondly, the upper contact portion has a triangular cross-sectional shape, and the lower contact portion has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape, making the lower end face of the lower contact portion planar. The planar lower end face of the lower contact portion is attached to the upper surface of the adjacent flat tube below, which is used to ensure the heat conduction efficiency between the fins and the lower flat tube.

[0010] Furthermore, the upper end of the flat tube is provided with an inclined slope; when the movable tube is connected and locked to the fixed tube, the middle part of the fin is deformed by pressure, and the lower contact part abuts against the slope surface. The slope surface shape is adapted to the shape of the lower contact part. When the lower contact part abuts against the slope surface, the lower contact part and the slope surface are basically coincident, so as to facilitate the installation of the flat tube and the fin.

[0011] Furthermore, the fluid channels are provided with multiple channels arranged along the width direction of the flat tube, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the multiple fluid channels decreases sequentially from the windward side to the leeward side of the flat tube. In order to make the coolant temperature in the multiple fluid channels more uniform, optimize the coolant flow distribution, improve the heat exchange energy efficiency, and realize the high-efficiency heat exchange of the energy-saving heat exchange device.

[0012] Therefore, the detachable modular connection enables rapid replacement of damaged units, significantly reducing maintenance costs. The elastic clamping of fins and the ramp guidance ensure stable heat conduction and prevent loosening, maintaining overall heat dissipation efficiency.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0014] 1. In this modular microchannel liquid-cooled radiator, the flat tubes, fins and manifolds are flexibly connected by a detachable connection part consisting of a fixed tube, a movable tube, screws and a tapered plug structure. When a single flat tube is blocked, leaks or the fins are damaged, the faulty unit can be replaced by simply loosening the screws, without having to replace the entire radiator. This can significantly reduce maintenance costs and spare parts waste, and is especially suitable for the long-term stable operation of energy-saving heat exchange devices under high load and harsh environments.

[0015] 2. In this modular microchannel liquid-cooled radiator, the fins are connected by an overlapping method in which the upper contact part is fixed and the lower contact part is elastically pressed. Combined with the sloping guide structure at the upper end of the flat tube, this ensures that the fins are installed firmly and are not easy to loosen. It also forms a reliable heat conduction path between adjacent flat tubes and fins. Even if some fins are damaged and replaced, the heat conduction continuity of the overall heat dissipation surface can still be guaranteed, thereby maintaining stable heat dissipation efficiency.

[0016] 3. In this modular microchannel liquid-cooled radiator, by staggering the fixed tubes on both sides of the manifold, the coolant flows in and is dispersed and impacted, breaking the flow inertia and promoting uniform temperature mixing. At the same time, the top pressure at the connection is dispersed to both sides of the manifold, enhancing the overall structural strength and further improving the heat exchange stability of the energy-saving heat exchange device. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional view of the main manifold of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the flat tube installation state of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the movable tube and fixed tube structure of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 6 For the present invention Figure 2 Sectional view at point AA;

[0023] Figure 7 For the present invention Figure 2 Schematic diagram of part A in the middle;

[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the flat tube and fin structure of the present invention.

[0025] The meanings of the labels in the diagram are as follows:

[0026] 1. Main manifold; 2. Secondary manifold; 3. Inlet pipe; 4. Outlet pipe; 5. Baffle; 6. Flat pipe; 7. Fin; 8. Lower contact part; 9. Upper contact part; 10. Fixed pipe; 11. Movable pipe; 12. Inserted pipe; 13. Insertion port; 14. Screw; 15. Ramp; 16. Fluid channel; 17. Fixture. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of this invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this invention, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0028] Because traditional microchannel radiators use a welded integrated structure, when individual flat tubes or fins become blocked, corroded, or physically damaged during long-term use, they cannot be replaced locally. The entire radiator assembly must be replaced, resulting in high maintenance costs and significant resource waste. This fails to effectively meet the long-term, low-consumption, and high-efficiency maintenance requirements of energy-saving heat exchange devices.

[0029] Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a modular microchannel liquid-cooled heat sink, with reference to... Figures 1-3 As shown, it includes a main manifold 1, a secondary manifold 2, and a mounting bracket 17. The main manifold 1 and the secondary manifold 2 are symmetrically mounted on the mounting bracket 17. The upper and lower sides of the main manifold 1 are respectively connected to an inlet pipe 3 and an outlet pipe 4. A partition 5 is connected inside the main manifold 1, which divides the main manifold 1 into two chambers distributed vertically. The two chambers are the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber of the radiator, respectively. The inlet pipe 3 is connected to the inlet chamber, and the outlet pipe 4 is connected to the outlet chamber. Multiple flat tubes 6 are arranged at equal intervals along their length between the main manifold 1 and the secondary manifold 2. Each flat tube 6 has a fluid channel 16 inside.

[0030] During operation, the coolant enters the inlet chamber of the main manifold 1 from the inlet pipe 3, then flows into the flat pipe 6 and into the secondary manifold 2; subsequently, the coolant flows back to the outlet chamber of the main manifold 1 through the flat pipe 6 below, and is finally discharged from the outlet pipe 4. When the airflow passes over the surface of the flat pipe 6, the heat exchange is completed.

[0031] Reference Figures 2-5As shown, each flat tube 6 has its two ends connected to the main manifold 1 and the secondary manifold 2 respectively through a detachable connecting part; the connecting part includes a fixed tube 10 fixedly connected to the main manifold 1 and the secondary manifold 2, and both ends of the flat tube 6 are connected to a movable tube 11 that communicates with the fluid channel 16. Both the movable tube 11 and the fixed tube 10 are flat pipes. The movable tube 11 is connected to the fixed tube 10 by a screw 14, and the fixed tube 10, the movable tube 11 and the fluid channel 16 are interconnected.

[0032] During operation, the coolant in the inlet chamber first flows through the fixed pipe 10 and the movable pipe 11 in sequence, and then enters the fluid channel 16 in the flat pipe 6. Next, the coolant flows out through the movable pipe 11 on the other side of the flat pipe 6 and enters the fixed pipe 10 connected to it, and finally flows into the secondary manifold 2.

[0033] When the flat tube 6 needs to be replaced, simply loosen the screw 14 and pull the movable tube 11 away from the fixed tube 10 to completely separate the fixed tube 10 from the movable tube 11. The flat tube 6, along with the movable tubes 11 connected to both ends, can then be removed. After replacing the flat tube 6, reconnect and tighten the screw 14 to complete the quick replacement without replacing the entire heat exchanger, thus significantly improving the flexibility and economy of radiator maintenance.

[0034] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 7 As shown, each flat tube 6 has a fin 7 connected to its lower end to improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the flat tube 6. The upper and lower ends of the fin 7 are the upper contact part 9 and the lower contact part 8, respectively. The upper contact part 9 is fixedly connected to the flat tube 6 above it, which can be connected by welding. The lower contact part 8 is pressed against the upper end face of the adjacent flat tube 6 below it.

[0035] During operation, the coolant in the fluid channel 16 transfers heat sequentially to the flat tube 6 and the fins 7. Heat exchange is completed when the airflow passes over the surfaces of the flat tube 6 and the fins 7. Since each fin 7 is fixed to a corresponding flat tube 6, when a set of fins 7 is damaged, only the flat tube 6 connected to it needs to be replaced, without replacing the entire set, which significantly improves the flexibility of maintenance. At the same time, the lower contact part 8 of the fin 7 is pressed against the upper end face of the adjacent flat tube 6, so that the lower flat tube 6 can also effectively conduct heat to the upper fin 7, ensuring that heat conduction can be achieved between adjacent fins 7 and flat tube 6, thereby ensuring the overall heat dissipation efficiency of the radiator.

[0036] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a tube 12 is connected to the port of the movable tube 11, and a socket 13 is provided on the port of the fixed tube 10. The tube 12 is inserted into the socket 13, and a sealing ring is provided on the inner wall of the socket 13. Both the tube 12 and the socket 13 are tapered in shape, and the tapered outer wall of the tube 12 and the tapered inner wall of the socket 13 are in close contact with each other.

[0037] When the movable tube 11 is assembled and pressed towards the fixed tube 10, the tapered outer wall of the insertion tube 12 and the tapered inner wall of the socket 13 fit together. The tapered mating structure gives the two a certain ability to center and compensate for position, thereby ensuring the sealing effect of the connection. The sealing ring set on the inner wall of the socket 13 can further improve the sealing performance of the connection.

[0038] Reference Figure 5 As shown, furthermore, elastic plates (the elastic plates are shown in the figure but not labeled) are fixedly connected to both sides of the movable tube 11 and the fixed tube 10. The two corresponding elastic plates are fastened together by screws 14. The elastic deformation generated by the elastic plates after fastening can provide the movable tube 11 with a continuous pre-tightening force toward the fixed tube 10, thereby effectively preventing the connection from loosening.

[0039] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown, multiple fixed pipes 10 are staggered on the front and rear sides of the main manifold 1 and the secondary manifold 2, so that the ports of two adjacent fixed pipes 10 face opposite directions. When liquid flows from the main manifold 1 into each fixed pipe 10, the liquid flow direction in adjacent fixed pipes 10 forms an angle, which is less than 180°. This layout helps to reduce the overall structural thickness of the radiator.

[0040] When the coolant enters the main manifold 1, the liquid flow will enter the corresponding fixed pipes 10 from both sides. This diversion method reduces the impact force of the liquid on the side wall of the main manifold 1 and breaks the flow inertia of the coolant, allowing it to be fully mixed in the main manifold 1. Similarly, when the coolant flows into the secondary manifold 2, it will also be mixed there. The above structure can make the coolant temperature more uniform when flowing through the radiator, which helps to improve the stability of the overall heat dissipation efficiency.

[0041] In addition, during assembly, the top pressure of the movable tube 11 on the fixed tube 10 will be dispersed to the front and rear sides of the main manifold 1 and the auxiliary manifold 2 through the staggered fixed tubes 10, thereby effectively dispersing local stress and improving the overall structural strength and reliability of the main manifold 1 and the auxiliary manifold 2.

[0042] Reference Figure 7 As shown, the upper contact portion 9 has a triangular cross-sectional shape, and the lower contact portion 8 has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape, making the lower end face of the lower contact portion 8 planar; the planar lower end face of the lower contact portion 8 is attached to the upper surface of the adjacent flat tube 6 below.

[0043] After assembly, the distance between adjacent flat tubes 6 is slightly less than the natural width of the fins 7, causing the fins 7 to undergo elastic deformation under the compression of the upper and lower flat tubes 6. This elastic deformation causes the lower contact portion 8, which was originally in a planar state, to receive continuous pressure, thereby tightly adhering to the upper surface of the lower flat tube 6 and ensuring good thermal conductivity between the two.

[0044] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 8 As shown, the upper end of the flat tube 6 is provided with an inclined ramp 15; when the movable tube 11 is connected and locked to the fixed tube 10, the middle part of the fin 7 is deformed by pressure, and the lower contact part 8 abuts against the slope surface of the ramp 15. The shape of the ramp surface of the ramp 15 is adapted to the shape of the lower contact part 8. When the lower contact part 8 abuts against the slope surface of the ramp 15, the lower contact part 8 and the slope surface of the ramp 15 are basically coincident.

[0045] During assembly, the flat tube 6 can be inserted laterally between two installed flat tubes 6. The inclined surface of the ramp 15 can guide the lower contact part 8 of the fin 7 to smoothly snap into and fit onto the flat tube 6. At the same time, under the cooperation of this structure, a certain pre-tightening force is generated and maintained, so that the lower contact part 8 at the lower end of the fin 7 is installed firmly and is not easy to loosen.

[0046] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, the longitudinal width of the fixed pipe 10 is greater than the longitudinal width of the fluid channel 16, and the cross-sectional areas of both the fixed pipe 10 and the movable pipe 11 are greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid channel 16, so as to reduce the resistance when the coolant enters the fluid channel 16 from the movable pipe 11.

[0047] Reference Figure 8 As shown, the fluid channels 16 are arranged in multiple ways along the width of the flat tube 6, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the multiple fluid channels 16 decreases sequentially from the windward side to the leeward side of the flat tube 6. For example, the widths of the fluid channels 16 arranged from the windward side to the leeward side are 5mm, 4mm, ..., 1mm respectively.

[0048] When air flows across the surface of the flat tube 6, the fluid channel 16 near the windward side has a stronger heat exchange capacity due to more sufficient contact with the airflow, while the heat exchange capacity of the fluid channel 16 near the leeward side is relatively weaker. By configuring the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid channel 16 to decrease sequentially from the windward side to the leeward side, the flow rate and heat load in the channels at different locations can be effectively balanced, thereby making the heat exchange of the coolant in each fluid channel 16 more uniform, maximizing the utilization of the coolant's heat exchange potential, reducing heat exchange energy consumption, and achieving the high-efficiency and energy-saving design goal of the energy-saving heat exchange device.

[0049] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely preferred examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A modular microchannel liquid-cooled heat sink, comprising a main manifold (1), a secondary manifold (2), and a mounting bracket (17), wherein the main manifold (1) and the secondary manifold (2) are symmetrically mounted on the mounting bracket (17), and an inlet pipe (3) and an outlet pipe (4) are respectively connected to the upper and lower sides of the main manifold (1), and a partition (5) is connected inside the main manifold (1), the partition (5) dividing the main manifold (1) into two chambers distributed vertically, characterized in that: Multiple flat tubes (6) are arranged at equal intervals along their length between the main manifold (1) and the secondary manifold (2). Each flat tube (6) has a fluid channel (16) inside. The two ends of each flat tube (6) are connected to the main manifold (1) and the secondary manifold (2) respectively through a detachable connecting part. Each of the flat tubes (6) is connected to a fin (7) at its lower end. The upper and lower ends of the fin (7) are an upper contact portion (9) and a lower contact portion (8), respectively. The upper contact portion (9) is fixedly connected to the flat tube (6) at the upper adjacent position, and the lower contact portion (8) abuts against the upper end face of the lower adjacent flat tube (6). The connecting part includes a fixed pipe (10) fixedly connected to the main manifold (1) and the auxiliary manifold (2). Both ends of the flat pipe (6) are connected to movable pipes (11) that communicate with the fluid channel (16). The movable pipe (11) is connected to the fixed pipe (10) by screws (14), and the fixed pipe (10), the movable pipe (11) and the fluid channel (16) are interconnected. The upper contact portion (9) has a triangular cross-sectional shape, and the lower contact portion (8) has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape, so that the lower end face of the lower contact portion (8) is planar; the planar lower end face of the lower contact portion (8) is attached to the upper surface of the adjacent flat tube (6) below. Multiple fixed pipes (10) are staggered on the front and rear sides of the main manifold (1) and the secondary manifold (2), so that the ports of two adjacent fixed pipes (10) face opposite directions. When liquid flows from the main manifold (1) into each fixed pipe (10), the liquid flow direction in the adjacent fixed pipes (10) forms an angle. The upper end of the flat tube (6) is provided with an inclined ramp (15). When the movable tube (11) is connected and locked to the fixed tube (10), the middle part of the fin (7) is deformed by pressure, and the lower contact part (8) abuts against the slope surface of the ramp (15).

2. The modular microchannel liquid-cooled heat sink according to claim 1, characterized in that: The movable tube (11) is connected to a tube (12) at its port, and the fixed tube (10) is provided with a socket (13) at its port. The tube (12) is inserted into the socket (13), and a sealing ring is provided on the inner wall of the socket (13).

3. The modular microchannel liquid-cooled heat sink according to claim 2, characterized in that: Both the insertion tube (12) and the insertion port (13) are conical in shape, and the conical outer wall of the insertion tube (12) and the conical inner wall of the insertion port (13) are closely attached to each other.

4. The modular microchannel liquid-cooled heat sink according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slope (15) has a slope shape that matches the shape of the lower contact part (8). When the lower contact part (8) abuts against the slope of the slope (15), the lower contact part (8) and the slope of the slope (15) basically coincide.

5. The modular microchannel liquid-cooled heat sink according to claim 1, characterized in that: The longitudinal width of the fixed tube (10) is greater than the longitudinal width of the fluid channel (16), and the cross-sectional area of ​​both the fixed tube (10) and the movable tube (11) is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid channel (16).

6. The modular microchannel liquid-cooled heat sink according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fluid channels (16) are provided with a plurality of channels arranged along the width direction of the flat tube (6), and the cross-sectional area of ​​the plurality of fluid channels (16) decreases sequentially from the windward side to the leeward side of the flat tube (6).

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