Azeotrope Spray Cooling for High-Heat-Flux Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spray cooling systems for electronic devices face limitations due to the poor thermal conductivity of commonly used dielectric coolants like Fluorinert, which restrict their ability to efficiently manage high heat fluxes in modern electronic systems.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an azeotrope coolant in a two-phase liquid cooling system, where the properties such as boiling points, thermal conductivity, and viscosity can be optimized by altering the components of the azeotropic mixture, allowing for improved heat management and tailored fluid properties for specific thermal applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dielectric coolant like Fluorinert is used in spray cooling systems, then electronic safety is improved, but thermal conductivity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite droplet structures combining water core with dielectric shell (Fluorinert) to achieve both high thermal conductivity from water and electronic safety from the dielectric shell. The composite droplet maintains electrical insulation while enabling efficient heat transfer through the water core.
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric shell acts as an intermediary layer that protects electronic components from direct contact with conductive water, while still allowing heat transfer. The shell mediates between the need for electrical insulation and thermal efficiency by providing a thin protective barrier with acceptable thermal resistance.
2Reliability
If conventional dielectric coolants are used, then electronic safety is maintained, but heat flux removal capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The composite droplet structure with water core and dielectric shell combines the high heat flux removal capability of water with the electronic safety of dielectric coolants. The water core efficiently removes heat while the dielectric shell provides electrical protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the cooling system by using phase change (evaporation) of the dielectric shell material to enhance heat removal. The latent heat of vaporization provides additional heat flux removal capability beyond conventional single-phase cooling.
3Device complexity
If single component coolants are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but fluid properties cannot be optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite droplets with water core and dielectric shell to achieve optimized fluid properties that neither pure water nor pure dielectric coolant can provide alone. The composite structure enables simultaneous optimization of thermal conductivity, electronic safety, and heat flux removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention optimizes fluid properties by controlling the phase change characteristics of the dielectric shell material. By selecting materials with specific latent heats of vaporization and boiling points, the system optimizes heat removal efficiency while maintaining electronic safety.
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 approach enhances the thermal management capabilities of spray cooling systems by optimizing fluid properties, reducing temperature rises in components, and improving heat transfer coefficients, thus enabling more effective cooling of electronic devices under various operating conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a portion of the azeotrope coolant is phased changed to a vapor within the thermal management unit
Implementation Method 2
spray cooling utilizes phase changing for thermally managing one or more electronic devices
Implementation Method 3
the thermal conductivity value (0.057 Wm−1K−1) at standard atmospheric conditions limits its ability to conduct heat from a cooling surface
Implementation Method 4
The vaporized azeotrope coolant enters the heat exchanger which changes the phase of the vaporized azeotrope coolant to a liquid state
Data Source
AI summary
An azeotrope spray cooling system for utilizing an azeotrope coolant for improving the performance of a spray cooling system. An azeotrope coolant is utilized within a two-phase thermal management system for thermally managing one or more heat producing devices. The characteristics of the azeotrope coolant may be adjusted for various types of thermal management applications by altering the components of the azeotrope coolant.