Housing comprising a composite wall integrating at least one cooling conduit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing composite wall heat transfer devices are insufficient for cooling microprocessors dissipating high powers, as they struggle to efficiently manage heat transfer beyond 7 W due to limited conductivity.
Innovation Solution
A housing with a composite wall incorporating woven or braided carbon fibers covered with a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin, integrated with a heat transfer device featuring a cooling conduit containing a cooling fluid, which enhances thermal conductivity and cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If metal inserts are arranged inside a composite wall to improve thermal conductivity, then mass gain is reduced, but thermal conductivity remains limited and insufficient for high power dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite wall structure made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) with woven or braided carbon fibers. The carbon fibers themselves provide high thermal conductivity (up to 800 W/m/K), creating a composite material that inherently conducts heat better than traditional metal inserts while maintaining the lightweight advantage of composite structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cooling fluid circulation system with cooling conduits integrated into the composite wall. Liquid coolant flows through these conduits to actively remove heat from electronic components, providing a hydraulic cooling solution that complements the passive thermal conduction through the carbon fiber composite structure.
2Temperature
If a cooling conduit is integrated inside the composite wall to improve cooling efficiency, then thermal conductivity increases, but the conduit becomes vulnerable to external attacks such as humidity and vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling conduits are embedded within the carbon fiber reinforced plastic composite wall structure. The resin matrix and carbon fiber layers act as protective encapsulation, isolating the metal conduits from direct exposure to humidity and mechanical vibrations. This composite encapsulation protects the conduits while allowing thermal coupling for efficient heat transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling conduits are nested within the composite wall structure, with the conduits placed inside the fiber preform before resin injection. This nesting arrangement protects the conduits by embedding them deep within the composite material, shielding them from external environmental attacks while maintaining their cooling function.
3Temperature
If separate cooling conduits are positioned and mounted to achieve effective cooling, then cooling performance is improved, but the mounting process becomes complex and requires additional positioning operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling conduit positioning and composite wall manufacturing into a single integrated process. The conduits are placed within the fiber preform before resin injection, so that the composite wall formation itself secures the conduits in their final positions. This merging of operations eliminates separate mounting and positioning steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling conduits are positioned and fixed within the fiber preform before the resin injection step. This preliminary positioning ensures that the conduits are correctly located before the composite structure is finalized, avoiding the need for complex post-manufacturing adjustment or mounting operations.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional heat transfer devices are used to cool electronic components, then manufacturing is simpler, but the device size increases and mass is not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer function is merged with the structural wall of the housing. The composite wall serves dual purposes: providing structural support and enabling heat transfer through its high thermal conductivity carbon fiber composition and integrated cooling conduits. This eliminates the need for separate, additional heat transfer components that would increase mass.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite wall structure performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support for the housing, acts as a thermal management system through its high thermal conductivity, and serves as a mounting structure for electronic components. This multi-functionality reduces the overall device mass by eliminating dedicated heat transfer 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 solution provides a compact, lightweight cooling device with high thermal conductivity, effectively cooling microprocessors dissipating powers greater than 7 W, while also protecting the cooling conduit from external attacks and simplifying the mounting process.
Implementation Method 1
the heat transfer device comprising at least one cooling conduit containing a cooling fluid
Implementation Method 2
at least one composite wall comprising woven or braided carbon fibers covered with a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a housing comprising at least one composite wall comprising woven or braided carbon fibers covered with a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin, an electronic card carrying electronic components, and a heat transfer device having at least one portion facing an electronic component to be cooled of the electronic card, said heat transfer device being inserted inside the composite wall, the heat transfer device comprising at least one cooling conduit containing a cooling fluid.