Boiling Chamber Cooling With Submerged Condensation
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling technologies face challenges in efficiently removing high heat rates from heat sources like CPUs while maintaining compactness, low pumping power consumption, and minimal temperature difference between the heat source and the cooling medium.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with a boiling chamber that utilizes submerged condensation, where a thermally conductive boiling chamber contains liquid and vapor sections, a heating section in contact with an external heat source, and a cooling element in contact with an external cooling source, facilitating heat exchange between the liquid, cooling element, and vapor bubbles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If air coolers with finned heat sinks are used, then the device structure is simple, but the heat removal efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs phase change of the working fluid (evaporation and condensation) to transfer heat from the heat source. The working fluid evaporates at the heating section absorbing heat, and condenses at the cooling section releasing heat, achieving high heat removal efficiency through latent heat transfer rather than relying solely on conduction and convection in traditional heat sinks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a closed-loop hydraulic system where the working fluid circulates continuously between the heating section and cooling section. This fluid-based heat transfer system replaces air-based convection cooling, enabling much higher heat removal rates while maintaining a compact device structure.
2Productivity
If water cooling systems are used, then heat removal capability increases, but pumping power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the temperature difference between the heating section and cooling section to drive natural circulation of the working fluid. The heated fluid becomes less dense and rises naturally, while the cooled fluid becomes denser and sinks, creating a self-sustaining circulation loop without requiring external pumping power.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical pumping system with a natural convection-driven circulation system. Instead of using pumps to force fluid circulation, the system relies on buoyancy forces generated by temperature-induced density differences to drive the flow, eliminating the need for mechanical pumping components.
3Productivity
If vapor chambers with tall vapor sections are used, then heat removal rate increases, but device compactness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent redistributes the heat transfer function across different spatial dimensions. Instead of relying on a tall vertical vapor section, the system uses a horizontal closed-loop channel configuration where evaporation and condensation occur at different locations along the loop, achieving high heat removal in a compact footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The vapor chamber is segmented into distinct functional sections: a heating section where evaporation occurs, a cooling section where condensation occurs, and connecting channels. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall device compactness through efficient spatial arrangement.
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
Achieves a high heat transfer rate of at least 50 Watts with efficient heat removal, low thermal resistance, and compact design, suitable for applications in data centers and other high-power electronic systems.
Implementation Method 1
heating section in communication with an external heat source over a contact area and the liquid-containing section, wherein when liquid is present in the liquid-containing section and heated by the heating section resulting in boiling and vapor generation
Implementation Method 2
a cooling element configured to communicate with an external cooling source and disposed in at least the liquid-containing section, wherein when liquid is present in the liquid-containing section and heated by the heating section resulting in boiling and vapor generation, heat is exchanged between the liquid and the cooling element
Implementation Method 3
heat is exchanged between the liquid and the cooling element and between the liquid and the bubbles, resulting in submerged condensation
Data Source
AI summary
A device and method including a boiling chamber in which boiling occurs in a pool of liquid and condensation occurs in the same chamber to remove the heat from the condensation process of the bubbles generated during the boiling process mainly through submerged condensation are disclosed.