Chip Cooling via Gas-Liquid Vaporization Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems for microprocessor chips, whether air-cooled or liquid-cooled, face inefficiencies and space constraints, with liquid-cooled systems being prone to leaks and associated risks.
Innovation Solution
A gas/vapor cooling system that employs a vaporization chamber to partially vaporize a liquid stream before it enters a small heat sink, utilizing the mixture of gas, vapor, and liquid to efficiently transfer heat, minimizing space requirements and leakage risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If air-cooled systems use large fins and thick bases to maximize heat transfer area, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the system size increases and occupies up to 25% of enclosure space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies phase transition by vaporizing liquid into gas within the cooling system. The liquid is converted to vapor phase to enhance heat transfer efficiency, allowing for more effective cooling without requiring large physical dimensions. This phase change enables high heat transfer coefficients in a compact configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes fluid dynamics by circulating liquid through channels and using the phase change from liquid to gas to drive the cooling process. The pneumatic-hydraulic system allows for efficient heat removal in a compact design, avoiding the need for large fins and bases required in conventional air-cooled systems.
2Volume of stationary object
If liquid-cooled systems use smaller fins and thinner bases to reduce space, then space efficiency is improved, but the systems become susceptible to leaks and potential damage to electronics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs phase transition from liquid to gas to resolve the leakage risk. By vaporizing the liquid coolant, the system eliminates the free liquid phase that causes leakage problems. The vaporized coolant circulates without the gravitational flow issues and leakage susceptibility of liquid systems, while maintaining efficient heat transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the coolant from liquid to gas phase. This parameter change fundamentally alters the behavior of the coolant, eliminating leakage risks associated with liquid systems while maintaining the compact design advantages. The phase change enables the system to achieve both small size and high reliability.
3Loss of energy
If liquid-cooled systems are designed to be more efficient at transporting heat, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the systems require liquid handling infrastructure that increases complexity and leakage risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses phase transition to simplify the system by eliminating complex liquid handling infrastructure. The liquid is vaporized and circulated as gas, which requires simpler containment and handling. This phase change approach maintains high heat transport efficiency while reducing the complexity of pumps, seals, and leak-prevention mechanisms required in traditional liquid-cooled systems.
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
The system achieves efficient cooling with reduced space demands and lower risk of leakage, maintaining performance comparable to liquid-cooled systems while minimizing the risks associated with liquid-based cooling.
Implementation Method 1
a vaporization chamber for at least partially vaporizing a stream of liquid in a stream of gas to produce a mixture of gas, vapor and liquid
Implementation Method 2
a heat sink coupled to the vaporization chamber for transferring heat from the heat-generating device to the mixture
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, the invention is a method and apparatus for chip cooling. One embodiment of a system for cooling a heat-generating device, such as a semiconductor chip, includes a vaporization chamber for at least partially vaporizing a stream of liquid in a stream of a gas to produce a mixture of gas, vapor and liquid and a heat sink coupled to the vaporization chamber for transferring heat from the heat-generating device to the mixture.