Actuated Immersion Cooling With Variable Volume Body
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current immersion cooling systems for high-power density electronics in aerospace face challenges in effectively managing heat generation due to increased power requirements and harsh environments, with a need for improved mechanical robustness and efficient heat removal.
Innovation Solution
An immersion cooled electronics arrangement with a housing containing a coolant and a variable volume body, where an actuator is connected to displace coolant within the housing based on temperature, pressure, and current flow, using electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic communication, to maintain optimal coolant volume and enhance heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If immersion cooling is used to remove heat from high power density electronics, then heat removal efficiency is improved, but the mechanical robustness requirement of the housing increases to withstand pressure changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by introducing a variable volume body that can dynamically change its volume in response to pressure changes. This allows the cooling system to adapt to pressure variations without requiring the housing to withstand extreme pressure differentials, thereby maintaining heat removal efficiency while reducing the mechanical robustness requirements of the housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by modifying the volume of the variable volume body based on pressure conditions. When pressure changes occur, the variable volume body adjusts its volume accordingly, which changes the coolant distribution and maintains thermal communication with electronic devices while accommodating pressure variations without compromising structural integrity.
2Device complexity
If a fixed volume cooling system is used, then the system structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to changing environmental conditions such as temperature and pressure variations
Solution Approach 1:
The variable volume body introduces dynamic adaptability to the cooling system. It can change its volume in response to environmental conditions such as temperature and pressure variations, allowing the system to maintain optimal cooling performance across different operating conditions without requiring a completely complex redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The variable volume body operates autonomously to adjust coolant volume based on environmental conditions. Through its connection to actuators that respond to pressure and temperature changes, the system self-regulates its cooling capacity without requiring external intervention, thereby maintaining adaptability while keeping control mechanisms relatively simple.
3Temperature
If coolant volume is increased to improve heat transfer, then heat removal capability is enhanced, but the housing volume and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The variable volume body enables dynamic adjustment of coolant volume based on actual thermal and pressure conditions. This allows the system to increase coolant volume only when necessary for effective heat removal, rather than maintaining a large fixed volume of coolant, thereby improving heat transfer efficiency without permanently increasing housing volume requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the volume parameter of the coolant dynamically through the variable volume body. By adjusting the volume of the variable volume body in response to temperature and pressure conditions, the system optimizes heat transfer efficiency while minimizing the overall housing volume needed to contain the coolant.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides superior pressure control and efficient heat transfer by dynamically adjusting coolant volume in response to environmental parameters, ensuring reliable operation of high-power density electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
An actuator is operatively connected to the variable volume body and is arranged to displace coolant within the housing by increasing or decreasing a volume occupied by the variable volume body
Implementation Method 2
an electronic device submerged within the housing and in thermal communication with the coolant
Implementation Method 3
the coolant can include a dielectric coolant
Data Source
AI summary
An immersion cooled electronics arrangement includes a housing containing a coolant, an electronic device submerged within the housing and in thermal communication with the coolant, and a variable volume body. The variable volume body is disposed within the housing. An actuator is operatively connected to the variable volume body and is arranged to displace coolant within the housing.