Liquid Cooling Cold Plate for Electronic Cards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rack-mountable servers face inefficiencies in cooling due to insufficient airflow, and existing fluidic cooling systems are complex and prone to leakage, especially when dealing with electronic components of varying sizes.
Innovation Solution
A compact and reliable liquid cooling system for electronic cards in rack-mountable servers, utilizing a single cold plate with a channel for heat transfer fluid that covers all components, including deformable pads for thermal conductivity and adjustable geometry to accommodate components of different heights, reducing the risk of leakage and enhancing cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If air cooling is used for electronic cards in rack-mountable servers, then the cooling system is simple, but the airflow is insufficient to cool the circuit boards effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from air cooling to liquid cooling by implementing a cold plate with channels through which heat transfer fluid circulates. This hydraulic approach provides superior heat removal capability compared to air cooling, effectively cooling the circuit boards and electronic components while maintaining reasonable system complexity.
2Temperature
If multiple cold plates are used to cool different electronic components, then each component can be cooled effectively, but the cooling system becomes complex and prone to leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple cold plates into a single integrated cold plate structure. This unified cold plate contains internal channels that can be configured to cool multiple electronic components simultaneously, reducing the number of separate cold plates needed and eliminating the complex interconnections between them, thereby reducing leakage risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The single cold plate is designed with multi-functional capability to cool various electronic components of different sizes and heat dissipation requirements. The channel geometry and configuration within the cold plate can be customized to accommodate different component layouts, making one cold plate serve multiple cooling functions.
3Quantity of substance
If copper tubing is brazed onto cold plates to interconnect them, then heat transfer fluid circulation is enabled, but the risk of leakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the channels directly into the cold plate structure rather than using separate copper tubing connections, the patent eliminates the brazed joints that are prone to leakage. The unified cold plate with internal channels provides a leak-free pathway for heat transfer fluid circulation.
4Area of stationary object
If a cold plate covers all electronic components, then cooling coverage is maximized, but access to taller components for maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cold plate is designed with selective openings or removable sections that allow access to taller electronic components while maintaining coverage for smaller components. This segmented approach enables maintenance personnel to access specific components for replacement or repair without removing the entire cold plate structure.
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 solution provides efficient cooling for all electronic components, including smaller ones, with reduced risk of leakage and complexity, while allowing for easy access and maintenance of taller components through strategically placed openings, optimizing thermal performance and mechanical compatibility.
Implementation Method 1
the bottom electronic components being connected to the cold plate via deformable pads made of thermally conductive material
Implementation Method 2
a channel capable of being traversed by a heat transfer fluid
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an electronic board (5) comprising: - a support (7) on which are fixed electronic components called "low electronic components" (9), the low electronic components (9) having a height less than a first threshold height h1; - a cold plate (14) which extends parallel to the support (7), the distance between the cold plate (14) and the support (7) being equal to the first threshold height h1, the cold plate (14) comprising a base plate (15) in which is hollowed at least one channel (16) suitable for being traversed by a heat transfer fluid, the base plate (15) being integral with a complementary plate (17) closing the channel (16), the cold plate (14) covers all the low electronic components (9), the low electronic components (9) being connected to the cold plate (14) by means of deformable pads (30) made of thermally conductive material.