Water-filled boiling-driven heat diffuser plate
The aluminum-based boiling-driven heat diffusion plate addresses high heat density challenges by utilizing water's latent heat and surface tension, ensuring efficient and stable heat transfer without a separate fluid supply, thus preventing overheating and enhancing structural rigidity.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- AJOU UNIV IND ACADEMIC COOP FOUND
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-10
AI Technical Summary
Conventional air-cooled and water-cooled heat management systems are inadequate for efficiently managing high heat density in miniaturized and lightweight electronic devices, leading to performance degradation and reliability issues due to overheating, and they occupy excessive space in large-scale energy-consuming systems.
A boiling-driven heat diffusion plate made of aluminum with anodized surfaces and internal structures to promote boiling heat transfer, utilizing water's high latent heat and surface tension, and incorporating rib structures for improved flow and structural rigidity.
The plate achieves effective and stable heat diffusion over time, simplifying the design by eliminating the need for separate fluid supply and enhancing heat transfer efficiency through boiling-induced water flow.
Smart Images
Figure 2026116721000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a heat dissipation plate that can cool a heating element by quickly dissipating the heat generated from the heating element through heat transfer due to the boiling of water.
Background Art
[0002] With the increasing performance of electronic devices, data centers, electric vehicle batteries, etc., the heat density has increased rapidly, and the importance of heat management has attracted attention. In particular, beyond the problem of heat concentration due to the miniaturization and integration of semiconductor processes, with the development of new packaging technologies such as chiplet re-integration, 2.5D / 3D packaging, HBM integration, and inter-die interconnection, the total heat generation itself has increased significantly. If heat cannot be effectively removed in such an environment, there is a risk of performance degradation and reliability problems due to overheating, and even system damage. Also, in large-scale energy-consuming systems such as data centers and electric vehicle batteries, heat management is recognized as an important issue because it directly affects energy efficiency and environmental problems.
[0003] However, conventional air-cooled or simple water-cooled heat management systems have limitations in efficiently solving high heat density by relying only on convection and conduction heat transfer mechanisms. Also, conventional air-cooled and water-cooled heat management systems are heavy and occupy a large space, so they are not suitable for application to electronic devices that have been miniaturized and lightweight.
[0004] To solve such problems, heat management systems that utilize the boiling phenomenon of liquids have been developed. Heat transfer using boiling utilizes the latent heat of the evaporation-condensation process rather than sensible heat transfer by convection or conduction, so it can achieve much better heat management performance than air-cooled or water-cooled methods even with a small temperature difference.
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a boiling-driven heat diffusion plate made of aluminum that can diffuse or transfer heat using the boiling phenomenon of water. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] A boiling-driven heat diffusion plate according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises an upper plate structure having an upper aluminum plate; a lower plate structure having a lower aluminum plate facing the upper aluminum plate and a partition wall extending along the edges between the lower aluminum plate and the upper aluminum plate, forming an internal space together with the upper aluminum plate and the upper aluminum plate; and water filled in the internal space; wherein an aluminum oxide film formed by an anodizing process may be formed on the lower surface of the upper aluminum plate and the upper surface of the lower aluminum plate that form the internal space.
[0007] In one embodiment, the upper plate structure may further include a boiling heat transfer promoting structure formed on the lower surface of the upper aluminum plate.
[0008] In one embodiment, the boiling heat transfer promoting structure may include a hydrophobic or hydrophilic coating film.
[0009] In one embodiment, the boiling heat transfer promoting structure includes a coating film, and the coating film may include any one of copper, aluminum oxide, or carbon material micro or nanoparticles.
[0010] In one embodiment, the lower plate structure may further include a rib structure that protrudes from the bottom surface of the lower aluminum plate and forms a fluid channel in the internal space.
[0011] In one embodiment, the height of the rib structure is less than or equal to the height of the bulkhead.
[0012] In one embodiment, the height of the partition wall is 0.5 to 2 mm, and the height of the rib structure is also 0.5 to 2 mm.
[0013] In one embodiment, an injection pipe may be further included, which is coupled to the partition wall so as to communicate with the internal space and provides a passage for injecting the water into the internal space. [Effects of the Invention]
[0014] According to the heat diffusion plate of the embodiment of the present invention, by forming an aluminum oxide film on the surface that forms the internal space for containing water, effective heat diffusion performance can be achieved for a long period of time using water, which has high surface tension and high latent heat, as the heat transfer medium. Furthermore, since water is supplied by the flow generated by boiling, a separate fluid supply structure is unnecessary, the internal design can be simplified, and the flow of water can be improved through the rib structure arranged in the internal space, thereby ensuring structural rigidity. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0015] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view illustrating a heat diffusion plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the thermal diffusion plate. [Figure 3] Figures 1 and 2 are plan views illustrating the upper plate structure of the heat diffusion plate. [Figure 4] Figures 1 and 2 are plan views illustrating the lower plate structure of the heat diffusion plate. [Figure 5] This graph shows the measurement of hydrogen concentration over time for two heat diffusion plates: a comparative example ("Water & bare aluminum") made of aluminum without an aluminum oxide film formed on its surface and filled with water, and an example ("Water & anodized aluminum") made of aluminum with an aluminum oxide film formed on its surface and filled with water. [Figure 6]This graph shows the change in thermal resistance due to heat flux for two heat diffusion plates: a comparative example heat diffusion plate ("Acetone-filled Heat Spreader") made of aluminum with an aluminum oxide film formed on its surface and filled with acetone, and an example heat diffusion plate ("Water-filled Heat Spreader") made of aluminum with an aluminum oxide film formed on its surface and filled with water. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Since the present invention can be modified in various ways and take many forms, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail herein. However, this should not be understood as limiting the invention to any particular disclosure, but rather as including all modifications, equivalents, or substitutions that fall within the spirit and technical scope of the invention. Similar reference numerals have been used for similar components in the illustration of each drawing. In the attached drawings, the dimensions of structures are enlarged for clarity of the invention.
[0017] Terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by these terms. The terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without exceeding the scope of the rights of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may also be named the first component.
[0018] The terms used in this specification are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless explicitly stated otherwise in the context. In this specification, terms such as "including" or "having" are intended to specify that there are features, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and one or more other features, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof are not precluded from existing or being added.
[0019] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries shall be interpreted to have a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and shall not be interpreted as ideal or overly formal meanings unless explicitly defined in this specification.
[0020] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are perspective views and cross-sectional views illustrating a heat diffusion plate according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are plan views illustrating an upper plate and a lower plate of the heat diffusion plate shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a heat diffusion plate 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can include an upper plate structure 110, a lower plate structure 120, and an injection pipe 130. The upper plate structure 110 and the lower plate structure 120 can be coupled to each other to form a sealed internal space for containing water therein.
[0022] The upper plate structure 110 may include an upper aluminum plate 111 having an aluminum oxide film formed on at least the lower surface forming the internal space through an anodizing process. Such an aluminum oxide film prevents direct contact between the upper aluminum plate 111 and the water contained in the internal space, prevents the hydrolysis reaction from being promoted by the aluminum of the upper aluminum plate 111, and can suppress the generation of hydrogen.
[0023] In one embodiment, the upper plate structure 110 may further include a boiling heat transfer promotion structure 112 formed on the lower surface of the upper aluminum plate 111. The boiling heat transfer promotion structure 112 is formed of a micro- or nano-sized aluminum structure and may be formed in a part of the lower surface of the upper aluminum plate 111, for example, in a part of the region disposed below an electronic device (not shown) that generates heat. The boiling heat transfer promotion structure 112 is not particularly limited as long as it can activate the boiling phenomenon of water and increase the critical heat flux (CHF), and known boiling heat transfer promotion structures can be applied without limitation.
[0024] As one embodiment, the boiling heat transfer promotion structure 112 may use a material having a high heat transfer coefficient, such as copper, aluminum, a carbon material, etc., and include a coating film of micro- or nano-particles formed by a chemical reaction. For example, the nano-particle coating film can maximize the heat transfer area and improve the heat conduction or heat diffusion performance. The surface of the boiling heat transfer promotion structure 112 can also form an aluminum oxide film to prevent reaction with water.
[0025] The lower plate structure 120 may include a lower aluminum plate 121, a partition wall 122, and a rib structure 123.
[0026] The lower aluminum plate 121 is positioned opposite the upper aluminum plate 111, and an aluminum oxide film may be formed on at least the upper surface forming the internal space through an anodizing process. As described above, when an aluminum oxide film is formed on the upper surface of the lower aluminum plate 121 that forms the internal space in which water is contained, the aluminum oxide film prevents direct contact between the lower aluminum plate 121 and the water contained in the internal space, thereby preventing the aluminum of the lower aluminum plate 121 from accelerating the water splitting reaction and suppressing the generation of hydrogen.
[0027] The partition wall 122 protrudes along the edge of the lower aluminum plate 121 to a predetermined width and height, and is connected to the edge of the upper aluminum plate 111, and together with the upper aluminum plate 111 and the lower aluminum plate 121, it can form an internal space in which the water is contained.
[0028] In one embodiment, the partition wall 122 is formed integrally with the lower aluminum plate 121 and joined to the upper aluminum plate 111 by welding, thereby sealing the internal space. For example, the lower aluminum plate 121 and the partition wall 122 can be manufactured by processing a base aluminum plate material, and an aluminum oxide film can be formed on at least the surface of the partition wall 122 that forms the internal space through an anodizing process. In one embodiment, the partition wall 122 may be formed to have a height of 0.5 to 2 mm or 0.5 to 1 mm; and a width of 1 to 8 mm or 1 to 5 mm.
[0029] The rib structure 123 protrudes from the bottom surface of the lower aluminum plate 121 and can form a fluid channel in the internal space. When a fluid channel is formed in the internal space through the rib structure 123, it not only enhances the flow due to boiling but also separates the flow of liquid and steam, thereby improving heat transfer efficiency. In addition, the rib structure 123 reinforces the rigidity of the lower plate structure 120.
[0030] In one embodiment, the height of the rib structure 123 is less than or equal to the height of the partition wall 122, and the cross-section of the rib structure 123 may have a polygonal shape such as a rectangle or a triangle. For example, the rib structure 123 may have a height of 0.5 to 2 mm or 0.5 to 1 mm; and a width of 10 to 60 mm or 10 to 40 mm; so that the rib structure can form one or more fluid channels in the internal space having a height of 0.5 to 2 mm or 0.5 to 1 mm and a width of 5 to 15 mm or 5 to 10 mm.
[0031] In one embodiment, the rib structure 123 can be manufactured together with the lower aluminum plate 121 and the partition wall 122 by processing a base aluminum plate material. In this case, an aluminum oxide film may be formed on the surface of the rib structure 123 through an anodizing process. In another embodiment, the rib structure 123 may be manufactured independently of the lower aluminum plate 121 and the partition wall 122, and then attached to the lower aluminum plate 121 through welding, adhesive, or the like.
[0032] The injection pipe 130 is connected to the partition wall 122 so as to be in communication with the internal space and can provide a passage for injecting water into the internal space. For example, the injection pipe 130 may be connected to the partition wall 122 by welding or soldering.
[0033] According to the heat diffusion plate of the embodiment of the present invention, by forming an aluminum oxide film on the surface that forms the internal space for containing water, stable heat diffusion performance can be achieved for a long period of time by using water, which has high surface tension and high latent heat content, as the heat transfer medium. Furthermore, since water is supplied by the flow generated by boiling, a separate fluid supply structure is unnecessary, the internal design can be simplified, and the flow of water can be improved through the rib structure arranged in the internal space, thereby ensuring structural rigidity.
[0034] The following describes specific embodiments and experimental examples of the present invention in detail. However, the following embodiments and experimental examples are merely one embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.
[0035] Figure 5 shows a graph of hydrogen concentration over time measured for a comparative example heat diffuser plate ("Water & bare aluminum") made of aluminum without an aluminum oxide film formed on its surface and filled with water, and an example heat diffuser plate ("Water & anodized aluminum") made of aluminum with an aluminum oxide film formed on its surface and filled with water.
[0036] Referring to Figure 5, in the example thermal diffusion plate, the concentration of hydrogen contained in the internally filled water did not change over time, whereas in the comparative thermal diffusion plate, the concentration of hydrogen contained in the internally filled water increased rapidly over time. This is because aluminum in contact with water promotes the decomposition reaction of water, whereas aluminum oxide does not promote the decomposition reaction of water.
[0037] Figure 6 is a graph showing the change in thermal resistance due to heat flux measured for a comparative example heat spreader ("Acetone-filled Heat Spreader") made of aluminum with an aluminum oxide film formed on its surface and filled with acetone, and an example heat spreader ("Water-filled Heat Spreader") made of aluminum with an aluminum oxide film formed on its surface and filled with water.
[0038] Referring to Figure 6, in the case of the comparative example's heat diffusion plate using acetone, which has relatively low latent heat and surface tension, as the heat transfer medium, the thermal resistance increased sharply when the heat flux increased above a certain value. However, in the case of the example's heat diffusion plate using water, which has relatively high latent heat and surface tension, the thermal resistance hardly increased even when the heat flux increased.
[0039] Although the above has been described with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be modified and altered in various ways, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims.
Claims
1. An upper plate structure having an upper aluminum plate, A lower plate structure comprising a lower aluminum plate facing the upper aluminum plate, and a partition wall extending along the edges of the lower aluminum plate and the upper aluminum plate, which together with the upper aluminum plate and the lower aluminum plate form an internal space, The internal space is filled with water, and A boiling-driven heat diffusion plate, wherein an aluminum oxide film formed by an anodizing process is formed on the lower surface of the upper aluminum plate and the upper surface of the lower aluminum plate that form the internal space.
2. The boiling-driven heat diffusion plate according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper plate structure further includes a boiling heat transfer promoting structure formed on the lower surface of the upper aluminum plate.
3. The boiling-driven heat diffusion plate according to claim 2, characterized in that the boiling heat transfer promoting structure includes a hydrophilic or hydrophobic coating film.
4. The boiling heat transfer promoting structure includes a coating film, The boiling-driven heat diffusion plate according to claim 2, characterized in that the coating film contains any one micro or nanoparticle selected from copper, aluminum oxide, and carbon material group.
5. The boiling-driven heat diffusion plate according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower plate structure further includes a rib structure that protrudes from the bottom surface of the lower aluminum plate and forms a fluid channel in the internal space.
6. The boiling-driven heat diffusion plate according to claim 5, characterized in that the height of the rib structure is less than or equal to the height of the partition wall.
7. The height of the aforementioned partition wall is 0.5 to 2 mm. The boiling-driven heat diffusion plate according to claim 6, characterized in that the height of the rib structure is 0.5 to 2 mm.
8. The boiling-driven heat diffusion plate according to claim 1, further comprising an injection pipe connected to the partition wall so as to communicate with the internal space and providing a passage for injecting the water into the internal space.