Manufacturing method of liquid cooling plate of array microstructure

Abstract

The invention discloses a manufacturing method of a liquid cooling plate of an array microstructure. The manufacturing method comprises the following steps: S1, modeling the liquid cooling plate, and importing Magics software to repair the liquid cooling plate; s2, based on the internal cavity structure of the liquid cooling plate, a direction-finding placement mode is adopted; s3, according to the scanning layer thickness agreed by the forming process parameters, the slice thickness is set, data is imported into special data processing software, proper process parameters are selected, and a printing task is exported; s4, a printing task is imported into printing equipment, a proper gas type is selected, and regional scanning processing is started; and S5, printing is completed, redundant powder and an auxiliary support are cleaned, and heat treatment is conducted after the supporting face is ground and polished. Workpieces are printed through the selective laser melting technology, the product quality is kept, and meanwhile the yield is increased. The structure is simplified and the weight is greatly reduced through the capillary protrusions correspondingly arranged in the cold flow cavity in a staggered mode, heat exchange is improved, and meanwhile due to the fact that the integrally-formed structure is lower in strength and heat resistance at the connecting position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of additive manufacturing technology, and in particular to a method for manufacturing a liquid-cooled plate with an array of microstructures. Background Technology

[0002] As a key component in liquid cooling systems, liquid cooling plates guide the pumped cryogenic fluid to the heat source, where heat exchange occurs within their internal channels. The heat from the heat source is absorbed into the cooling medium, which then enters the cooling system for further cooling. Liquid cooling plates achieve heat exchange through contact with the heating element and typically consist of a cold plate substrate, a flow channel cover, and fluid channels. Common designs for traditional liquid cooling plates include toothed, stamped, pipe-type, and tortuous designs. Current technologies for traditional liquid cooling plates involve machining, stamping, or cutting to form the internal cavity structure, followed by welding for sealing. This results in a smooth internal cavity surface, a small contact area between the fluid and the wall, and a low heat transfer coefficient, failing to meet the precise temperature control requirements of high-power equipment. Furthermore, the manufacturing process is complex, leading to low yield rates. Additionally, intricate structures such as dot matrix or thin-walled structures within the internal cavity are difficult to achieve through machining or casting processes, resulting in low heat exchange efficiency and significant weight.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new structure or manufacturing method to solve the problems of low heat exchange efficiency, large workpiece weight, and difficult internal cavity structure processing of existing liquid cooling plates, thereby reducing manufacturing steps and improving the workpiece manufacturing yield. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a liquid cooling plate with an array microstructure. Based on the high heat flux density heat dissipation conditions and the high efficiency and high temperature control accuracy required for thermal management, this method solves the problems of low heat exchange efficiency, large workpiece weight, and difficult processing of internal cavity structure in existing liquid cooling plates, reduces manufacturing steps, improves workpiece manufacturing yield, and meets the requirements of heating elements for high precision and high efficiency thermal management.

[0005] A method for manufacturing a liquid-cooled plate with an array microstructure according to the present invention includes the following steps:

[0006] S1. Model the liquid cooling plate and import it into the repair software for repair;

[0007] S2. Based on the internal cavity structure of the liquid cooling plate, a lateral placement method is adopted;

[0008] S3. Based on the scanning layer thickness agreed upon in the forming process parameters, set the slice thickness and import the data into dedicated data processing software, select appropriate process parameters, and export the printing task;

[0009] S4. Import the print job into the printing device and select the appropriate gas type to begin area scanning and processing;

[0010] S5. Printing complete. Clean up excess powder and auxiliary supports. After the support surface is polished, perform heat treatment.

[0011] Furthermore, in step S1, the liquid cooling plate includes a cold flow cavity and connectors disposed on both sides of the cold flow cavity. The cavity can be connected to the power battery by the connectors, and coolant is circulated into the cavity for heat dissipation.

[0012] Furthermore, the cold flow cavity has a plate cavity structure with a smooth and flat outer surface; the cold flow cavity has an inlet and an outlet facing each other at its end faces, and the coolant can enter the cavity through the inlet, and after being fully filled, it flows out through the outlet.

[0013] Furthermore, the cold flow cavity is provided with capillary protrusions, which form several cold flow grooves inside the cold flow cavity, and the coolant can flow between the several cold flow grooves.

[0014] Furthermore, the capillary protrusions are individual cylindrical and conical protrusions, arrayed and fully distributed on the upper and lower surfaces of the cold flow cavity.

[0015] Furthermore, the capillary protrusions on the upper and lower surfaces of the cold flow cavity are arranged alternately.

[0016] Furthermore, in step S5, the auxiliary support is provided around the capillary protrusions and the workpiece to assist in shaping.

[0017] Furthermore, the cold flow cavity and the capillary protrusions are integrally printed.

[0018] Furthermore, the surface of the connector is flush with the outer surface of one side of the cold flow cavity, and the connector is provided with a through hole.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention provides a method for manufacturing liquid-cooled plates with array microstructures. Utilizing 3D printing technology, particularly laser selective melting (SDM) equipment, this method employs the principle of creating three-dimensional geometries by superimposing two-dimensional cross-sections. This allows for the manufacture of complex structural components that are difficult to produce using traditional precision machining, maintaining product quality while improving yield. By redesigning and optimizing the cold flow cavity structure, a simpler structure is achieved, significantly reducing weight. Furthermore, the integrated molding structure offers superior strength and thermal resistance at joints compared to liquid-cooled plates manufactured using traditional welding processes. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2This is a front cross-sectional view of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a side cross-sectional view of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0024] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown: A method for manufacturing a liquid-cooled plate for an array microstructure according to this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0025] S1. Model the liquid cooling plate 1 and import it into Magics software for repair; the main repairs include repetitive or damaged internal cavity structures such as reverse triangular facets, bad edges, and duplicate triangular facets.

[0026] S2. Based on the internal cavity structure of the liquid cooling plate, a lateral placement method is adopted; a cutting allowance is added to the surface that is joined with the substrate, which is generally set to 0.5-2mm; this is to ensure the compensation of dimensional errors, deformation and deformation caused by subsequent heat treatment to ensure processing accuracy.

[0027] S3. Based on the scanning layer thickness agreed upon in the forming process parameters, the selected scanning layer thickness is generally 30-60 micrometers; set the slice thickness and import the data into dedicated data processing software, select appropriate process parameters, and export the printing task; currently, the types of materials that can be formed based on laser selective melting technology cover iron-based, nickel-based, titanium alloys, stainless steel, aluminum alloys, and copper alloys. In order to further improve the heat exchange capacity of the liquid cooling plate, CuCrZr with excellent thermal conductivity is selected for the overall printing of the liquid cooling plate;

[0028] The process parameters selected in this embodiment include laser power: 200-500W, scanning speed: 500-1200mm / s, and layer thickness of 30-60 micrometers;

[0029] S4. Import the printing task into the printing equipment and select the appropriate gas type to begin the sectional scanning process; argon (oxygen content <0.1%) is preferably used as the protective gas here. The sectional scanning strategy refers to dividing the single-layer printing area into multiple smaller sub-regions, and then filling these sub-regions in a specific order and strategy. This process ensures the microstructure forming accuracy and the surface roughness of the cold plate. It can also significantly reduce residual stress and warpage during printing, and improve dimensional accuracy.

[0030] S5. Printing complete. Clean up excess powder and auxiliary supports. After polishing the support surface, perform heat treatment. The excess powder can be discharged from the liquid inlet 3 and outlet 5 on both sides of the liquid cooling plate. The auxiliary supports are removed by wire cutting, and the contact points of the auxiliary supports are polished to ensure overall accuracy.

[0031] In this embodiment, the liquid cooling plate in step S1 includes a cold flow cavity 1 and connectors 2 disposed on both sides of the cold flow cavity 1. The cold flow cavity 1 can be connected to the power battery by the connectors 2, and coolant is circulated in the cold flow cavity 1 for heat dissipation. The surface of the liquid cooling plate is flat and fully adheres to the power battery, utilizing the contact surface for heat exchange. Furthermore, CuCrZr, a material with excellent thermal conductivity, is selected for the overall printing of the liquid cooling plate. In this embodiment, a liquid cooling plate with external dimensions of 150x80x10mm and a wall thickness of 1.2mm is used as an example.

[0032] In this embodiment, the cold flow cavity 6 is a plate cavity structure with a smooth and flat outer surface; the cold flow cavity 1 has an inlet 3 and an outlet 5 facing each other at its end face, and the coolant can enter the cavity through the inlet 3, and after being fully filled, it flows out through the outlet 5; the inlet 3 and the outlet 5 are set as circular inlets to facilitate the connection of the liquid guide tube and reduce the stress generated during printing.

[0033] In this embodiment, the cold flow cavity 1 is provided with capillary protrusions 4, which form a plurality of cold flow grooves inside the cold flow cavity. The coolant can flow between each other in the plurality of cold flow grooves. The cold flow grooves in the cold flow cavity 1 can disrupt the flow boundary layer of the coolant fluid layer, induce turbulence, generate local vortices, and increase the Nusselt number, i.e., the actual convective heat transfer between the fluid and the wall, by 20%-30%, thereby enhancing the thermal convection effect and improving the heat dissipation capacity.

[0034] In this embodiment, the capillary protrusions 4 are individual cylindrical and conical protrusions, specifically including structures such as cylinders, cones, frustums, polygonal prisms, and polygonal pyramids, which are arrayed and fully distributed on the upper surface and lower surface of the cold flow cavity 1. The capillary protrusions 4 form an array microstructure through the array form. The array microstructure maximizes the contact area within the limited internal cavity space through geometric expansion, increasing the effective heat exchange area while maintaining unobstructed flow channels. This design is particularly suitable for compact structural scenarios, ensuring heat exchange performance without increasing the equipment size.

[0035] In this embodiment, the capillary protrusions 401 on the upper surface and 402 on the lower surface of the cold flow cavity are staggered. This staggered arrangement effectively avoids interference between the capillary protrusions 401 and 402, allowing for proper protrusion height setting and achieving the desired effect. The selectable process parameters for the capillary protrusions 4 include protrusion height, diameter (width), array density, and arrangement. By adjusting the geometric parameters of the capillary protrusions, the liquid cooling plate can improve heat exchange efficiency while controlling the flow resistance pressure drop within 15%-20%. This balanced design avoids the increased energy consumption caused by excessive pressure drop in traditional reinforced structures. In this embodiment, the capillary protrusions 4 are selected as square pyramid cylinders. The square pyramids are evenly distributed in an array, wherein the base size of the square pyramid is 1.2x1.2mm, the height of the square pyramid is 1.5mm, the draft angle is 10°, and the bottom array spacing of the square pyramid is 0.4mm; the top surface is distributed with arrayed cylinders, the cylinder diameter is 0.8mm, the height is 0.8mm, and the spacing is 0.6mm.

[0036] In this embodiment, the auxiliary supports in step S5 are provided around the capillary protrusions and the workpiece to assist in the forming process; the auxiliary supports are selectively added for the suspended areas. This ensures the formation process and the final forming effect are achieved.

[0037] In this embodiment, the cold flow cavity 1 and the capillary protrusions 4 are integrally formed, reducing the welding process used for assembled components in traditional manufacturing processes. The resulting abrupt change in thermal resistance at the weld joint improves thermal conductivity. Furthermore, through laser selective melting technology, the integrated forming of liquid cooling plates with complex internal cavity structures can be achieved, significantly shortening the process path and improving the formability and structural strength of the liquid cooling plates.

[0038] In this embodiment, the surface of the connector 2 is flush with the outer surface of one side of the cold flow cavity, and the connector 2 is provided with a through hole; the flush bottom setting can better fit with the battery panel, reduce gaps, expand the contact surface and improve heat dissipation capacity.

[0039] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a liquid cooling plate of an array microstructure, characterized by: Comprising the following steps: S1. Liquid cooling plate modeling and import repair software for repair; S2. Based on the internal cavity structure of the liquid cooling plate, the direction finding is placed in the way; S3. According to the scanning layer thickness agreed by the forming process parameters, set the slice thickness and import the data into the special data processing software, select the appropriate process parameters, and export the printing task; S4. Import the printing task into the printing equipment and select the appropriate gas type, start the regional scanning processing; S5. After printing, clean up the excess powder and auxiliary support, and after polishing the support surface, heat treatment is carried out.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein: The liquid cooling plate in step S1, the liquid cooling plate includes a cold flow cavity and a plurality of connecting pieces arranged on both sides of the cold flow cavity, the cavity can be connected with the power battery by the connecting piece, and cooling liquid is introduced into the cavity for heat dissipation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein: The cold flow cavity is a plate cavity structure with smooth and flat outer surface; the cold flow cavity end face is provided with liquid inlet and liquid outlet, the cooling liquid can enter the cavity through the liquid inlet and flow out through the liquid outlet after filling.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein: The cold flow cavity is provided with a capillary protrusion, which forms a plurality of cold flow channels inside the cold flow cavity, and the cooling liquid can flow in the plurality of cold flow channels.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein: The capillary protrusion is a single cylindrical and conical protrusion, which is arrayed on the upper wide surface and the lower wide surface of the cold flow cavity.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein: The capillary protrusions on the upper wide surface and the lower wide surface of the cold flow cavity are staggered.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein: The auxiliary support in step S5 is arranged at the suspended part and around the workpiece to assist the forming.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein: The cold flow cavity and the capillary protrusion are integrally formed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein: The surface of the connecting piece is flush with the outer surface of one side of the cold flow cavity, and the connecting piece is provided with a through hole.

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