Conductive Contact Substrate for On-Board Coolant Leak Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid cooling systems in electronic devices face challenges with leak detection, leading to hardware damage and unsafe working conditions, as existing technologies are inadequate in minimizing leaks and providing timely detection.
Innovation Solution
A leak detection system utilizing a substrate with arrays of high-voltage and low-voltage contacts that complete circuits when a conductive fluid comes into contact, allowing for the determination of leak location, size, and growth rate, with a logic device to manage responses such as shutting down components or disabling cooling fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If liquid cooling systems are implemented to support higher power chips, then cooling capacity is improved, but risk of hardware damage from leaks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The leak detection system performs preliminary detection before actual hardware damage occurs. By monitoring electrical conductivity changes on the substrate before the leak reaches critical levels, the system enables early intervention to prevent hardware damage while maintaining the benefits of liquid cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate acts as an intermediary detection medium between the cooling fluid and the hardware. Instead of directly protecting hardware from leaks, the substrate provides an intermediate detection layer that senses conductivity changes caused by liquid presence, enabling indirect but effective leak detection.
2Reliability
If robust design is implemented to minimize leaks, then reliability is improved, but detection time and response capability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate performs self-detection of leaks through its inherent electrical conductivity properties. The leak detection circuit automatically monitors conductivity changes on the substrate without requiring external sensing components or complex detection mechanisms, enabling immediate and passive leak detection that reduces response time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or optical leak detection systems with a simple electrical conductivity-based detection system. By substituting mechanical sensing with electrical field-based detection on the substrate, the system achieves faster response time while maintaining high reliability.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If existing leak detection technologies are used, then basic leak detection is achieved, but measurement precision and location accuracy are inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is segmented into multiple detection zones with distinct conductivity monitoring regions. By dividing the detection area into segments, the system can precisely locate leak positions and determine leak size based on which segments show conductivity changes, significantly improving measurement precision while maintaining basic detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a spatial dimension to leak detection by mapping conductivity changes across the substrate surface. Instead of single-point detection, the system creates a two-dimensional detection map that enables precise determination of leak location and extent, transforming basic detection into precise measurement.
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
Effectively detects and manages liquid leaks in electronic devices, preventing damage by accurately locating and responding to leaks, thereby ensuring device safety and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
When a conductive fluid contacts both a high-voltage contact and a low-voltage contact, a circuit can be completed that indicates a leak of the conductive fluid
Data Source
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AI summary
A leak detection system includes a substrate with a plurality of high-voltage contact and a plurality of low-voltage contacts positioned on the substrate. The plurality of low-voltage contacts is positioned on the substrate wherein a closest contact to each of the low-voltage contacts is a high-voltage contact. The plurality of high-voltage contact and the plurality of low-voltage contacts are electrically coupled to a logic device, which measures any change in current across at least one of the plurality of high-voltage contacts and at least one of the plurality of low-voltage contacts to detect a fluid leak in contact with the leak detection system.