Compact TEC Liquid Cooling for High-Heat Hardware Processors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid cooling systems for information handling systems, such as those with 360 mm heat exchangers, are insufficient to manage the thermal demands of high-performance CPUs, offering only marginal improvements in thermal resistance even with increased airflow, and fail to prevent condensation and maintain efficient cooling under extreme conditions.
Innovation Solution
A thermoelectric cooling (TEC) chip-based refrigeration liquid cooling system with a closed-loop design, incorporating a cold side tank, hot side tank, and radiators, utilizing the Peltier effect to transfer heat between loops, and featuring a temperature sensor for selective activation of TEC chips and fans to manage thermal thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If existing liquid cooling systems with 360 mm heat exchangers are used, then cooling capacity is provided, but thermal performance is insufficient for high-performance CPUs and system size remains large
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into two separate liquid cooling loops: a first loop that contacts the CPU and a second loop that does not contact the CPU. A heat exchanger couples these two loops, allowing thermal energy transfer without direct contact between the cooling fluid and CPU. This segmentation enables compact integration while maintaining high thermal performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates multiple cooling functions into a nested structure where the first liquid cooling loop is contained within or coupled to the second loop system. The heat exchanger acts as an intermediary that nests the thermal management functions, allowing the system to achieve high cooling capacity in a compact footprint suitable for portable devices.
2Reliability
If conventional cooling systems are used, then basic cooling is provided, but they fail to prevent condensation under extreme conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a temperature sensor as an intermediary that monitors thermal conditions and triggers selective activation of cooling components. This intermediary mechanism enables the system to respond dynamically to extreme conditions, preventing condensation by maintaining appropriate temperature differentials without requiring continuous operation of all cooling components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system transitions from static, continuous operation to dynamic, selective activation. The temperature sensor enables the system to adjust cooling component operation based on real-time thermal conditions, allowing the system to maintain reliability by preventing condensation only when necessary, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
3Temperature
If high airflow is used to improve cooling, then thermal resistance decreases marginally, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic or conditional activation of cooling components based on temperature sensor readings. Instead of continuous high-power operation, the system selectively activates cooling components when thermal thresholds are exceeded, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining effective thermal management through on-demand cooling action.
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 enhances thermal performance, reduces size, and improves power efficiency by selectively activating cooling components, preventing condensation, and maintaining effective cooling even under high heat loads, thus protecting hardware from damage.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing the Peltier effect to transfer heat between loops
Data Source
AI summary
An information handling system includes a hardware processor, a memory device, and a PMU to provide power to the hardware processor and memory device. A TEC chip refrigeration liquid cooling system to cool a heat-generating component device includes a cold plate thermally coupled to the heat-generating component device to transfer heat from the heat-generating component device into a cold side tank thermally coupled between the cold tank and a hot side tank, a TEC chip to, when a voltage is applied to the TEC chip increase a rate of thermal transfer of heat from the cold side tank of a first liquid cooling loop to the hot side tank of a second liquid cooling loop, and a radiator thermally coupled to the hot side tank in the second liquid cooling loop to dissipate heat transferred to the radiator out of the information handling system.