Cold Plate Cooling Layout for Autonomous Vehicle Processors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in cooling high-powered processors due to the volume and mass requirements of traditional cooling hardware, which reduces payload capacity and energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A compact and lightweight electronics cooling system comprising a heat exchanger with extended fins, a fan, and a cold plate with pin fins that minimizes pressure drop and energy consumption by optimizing the placement and design of extended surfaces for efficient heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional liquid cooling hardware is used for high-powered processors, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but mass and volume increase reducing payload capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cooling method from traditional liquid cooling to evaporative cooling using phase change of solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) to liquid carbon dioxide. This parameter change in the cooling mechanism eliminates the need for heavy liquid reservoirs, pumps, and radiators while maintaining effective processor cooling through direct contact with cold plates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of carbon dioxide from solid (dry ice) to liquid state as the cooling mechanism. The solid CO2 is placed in thermal contact with cold plates that cool the processors, and as it sublimates and transitions phases, it absorbs significant heat without requiring the heavy infrastructure of traditional liquid cooling systems.
2Temperature
If traditional liquid cooling hardware is used for high-powered processors, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but volume increases reducing payload capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cooling method from traditional liquid cooling to evaporative cooling using phase change of solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) to liquid carbon dioxide. This parameter change in the cooling mechanism eliminates the need for heavy liquid reservoirs, pumps, and radiators while maintaining effective processor cooling through direct contact with cold plates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of carbon dioxide from solid (dry ice) to liquid state as the cooling mechanism. The solid CO2 is placed in thermal contact with cold plates that cool the processors, and as it sublimates and transitions phases, it absorbs significant heat without requiring the heavy infrastructure of traditional liquid cooling systems.
3Temperature
If power is directed to liquid pump and radiator fan, then cooling performance is improved, but energy available for range is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of carbon dioxide from solid (dry ice) to liquid state as the cooling mechanism. The solid CO2 is placed in thermal contact with cold plates that cool the processors, and as it sublimates and transitions phases, it absorbs significant heat without requiring the heavy infrastructure of traditional liquid cooling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is self-regulating through the phase change process. The solid CO2 automatically sublimates and absorbs heat as needed, requiring no external power input for pumps or fans. The system self-adjusts to processor heat load through the natural phase transition process, eliminating energy consumption for active cooling components.
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 effectively cools processors while reducing the mass and volume of cooling components, enhancing the performance and range of autonomous vehicles by minimizing energy requirements and maintaining efficient data processing.
Implementation Method 1
The cold plate comprising a first plate and second plate that are mated together to form a second liquid passage... The pump forces liquid through the first and second liquid passages
Implementation Method 2
The heat exchanger has first liquid passage with extended fins. The fan forces a portion of the ambient air past the extended fins.
Implementation Method 3
The fan forces a portion of the ambient air past the extended fins
Implementation Method 4
The pump forces liquid through the first and second liquid passages
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus to cool electronics in an autonomous vehicle, where the autonomous vehicle includes significant computing power to receive data from on-board sensor, cellular data and user interactions and to navigate an environment to a predetermined location. The cooling system includes a radiator, fan, pump and cold plate. The cold plate is formed from two plates with extended surfaces that are mated together so that the cavities around the extended surfaces form a flow passage. The electronics processing the data and navigating are mounted on the outside surface of the cold plate.