Compact Liquid Cooling Unit With Segmented Radiator Bridges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling systems for small form factor computers face challenges in efficiently dissipating heat generated by processing units, leading to reduced parts lifespan, thermal throttling, and noise issues with air cooling, while water cooling solutions often require external loops that compromise the compact design.
Innovation Solution
A liquid-cooled cooling unit with a radiator unit and airflow unit that uses a serpentine path for the cooling liquid, combined with a pseudo-counterflow structure and adaptable radiator shape, to enhance heat exchange efficiency while maintaining a compact form factor, utilizing radial fans for effective airflow and modular design for easy integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional water cooling systems are used, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to external cooling loops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling loop components (radiator, channels, liquid path) into a single integrated unit that can be mounted directly on the motherboard. This merging eliminates the need for separate external cooling loops while maintaining effective heat dissipation, directly resolving the contradiction between cooling efficiency and device complexity
2Device complexity
If air cooling systems are used, then device complexity is reduced, but temperature control deteriorates due to insufficient heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs liquid cooling technology with cooling liquid flowing through channels in the radiator unit. This hydraulic approach enables significantly more efficient heat dissipation compared to air cooling, while the integrated design keeps the system relatively simple, thus improving temperature control without excessive complexity
3Temperature
If the radiator unit size is increased, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but volume of the computer system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The radiator unit is divided into multiple radiator bridges with parallel channels, allowing the heat exchange surface area to be increased efficiently within a compact footprint. This segmentation enables high heat exchange efficiency without proportionally increasing the overall volume of the cooling system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes a multi-dimensional layout with radiator bridges arranged in specific patterns and liquid paths that traverse through multiple levels and directions. This dimensional optimization allows maximum heat exchange efficiency within minimal space, preventing volume increase while maintaining effective cooling
4Temperature
If the liquid path length is increased, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to serpentine path configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid path is designed as a serpentine (sinuous) configuration that winds through the radiator bridges in a curved, snake-like pattern. This curved path arrangement maximizes the liquid flow path length and heat exchange efficiency within a compact space, while the regular repeating pattern keeps the configuration relatively simple and manufacturable
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 improved cooling efficiency, reduced noise, and increased adaptability, allowing for efficient heat dissipation in compact computer systems without the need for external cooling loops, while being easy to manufacture and integrate into various computer configurations.
Implementation Method 1
a flow of air generated by said airflow unit passes into said compartment and between said channels of said radiator bridges, to exchange heat between said flow of air and said radiator unit
Implementation Method 2
a flow of air generated by said airflow unit passes into said compartment and between said channels of said radiator bridges, to exchange heat between said flow of air and said radiator unit
Implementation Method 3
an inner liquid path for conducting liquid between said liquid inlet and said liquid outlet
Implementation Method 4
The temperature of the air nears ambient and cools the radiator and the air inside it progressively in steps
Data Source
AI summary
With increased demand for compact computing and easy to install computer components, there is an increased demand for user-friendly cooling solutions. Therefore, there is provided a cooling unit (100) for cooling liquid in a liquid-cooled computer system (10), wherein the cooling unit (100) comprises: an airflow unit (110) for generating an airflow in a first direction (170) along an airflow path, a radiator unit (130) having a liquid inlet (126) for receiving an inflow of a cooling liquid, a liquid outlet (127) for releasing an outflow of cooling liquid, an inner liquid path (171) for conducting liquid between said liquid inlet (126) and said liquid outlet (127), an array of at least two radiator bridges (131, 132), each having a plurality of parallel channels (160), said radiator bridges (131, 132) traversing said airflow path and being spaced apart along said first direction (170), said radiator bridges (131, 132) further being thermally separated from one another by gaps (141), where a first radiator bridge (131) from among said array of at least two radiator bridges (131, 132) is arranged to receive liquid from said liquid inlet (126, 127) to pass through its channels (160), said first radiator bridge (131) being the radiator bridge that is the farthest from said airflow unit (110), where said inner liquid path (171) is conducted from said liquid inlet (126), sequentially via said radiator bridges (131, 132) by order of proximity to said first radiator bridge (131), and to said liquid outlet (127), whereby a flow of air generated by said airflow unit (110) passes through said radiator bridges (131, 132) to exchange heat between said flow of air and said radiator unit (130). Thereby, a cooling unit is provided that provides efficient cooling while fitting into hitherto inconvenient form factors.