Cooler Metal Member Air Bubble Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cooling systems that use liquid refrigerant, air bubbles generated during boiling can flow into the pump, causing cavitation, vibration, noise, and pipe breakage.
Innovation Solution
A cooler design with a metal member that includes multiple opening portions and a capture and reduction portion to prevent air bubbles from flowing out, by partitioning the refrigerant flow path and promoting condensation of air bubbles through the cooling process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If liquid refrigerant is used for cooling through boiling, then cooling performance is enhanced, but air bubbles are generated that may flow into the pump causing cavitation
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is segmented into a first flow path region where refrigerant boils and a second flow path region where refrigerant is cooled, with the metal member creating a partition between them. This segmentation prevents air bubbles generated in the first region from flowing into the pump through the second region, while maintaining effective cooling through the opening portions in the metal member.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal member acts as an intermediary structure with opening portions that allow refrigerant to pass through while blocking air bubbles. It mediates between the boiling region and cooling region, enabling thermal exchange while preventing harmful air bubble transport to the pump.
2Reliability
If air bubbles are condensed in the pump, then cavitation occurs, but vibration, noise, and pipe breakage are caused
Solution Approach 1:
The metal member with its specific opening portions creates a flow path configuration that prevents air bubbles from reaching the pump in the first place. This preliminary action eliminates the cause of cavitation before it can occur, thereby preventing vibration, noise, and pipe breakage associated with cavitation events.
3Reliability
If a metal member with opening portions is added to partition the flow path, then air bubbles are prevented from flowing out, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The metal member functions as a porous-like structure with multiple opening portions that allow fluid passage while blocking larger air bubbles. This approach achieves effective separation without requiring complex filtration systems or multiple components, maintaining relatively simple device structure while preventing air bubble discharge.
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
Prevents air bubbles from entering the pump, reducing vibration, noise, and pipe breakage, while maintaining effective cooling performance.
Implementation Method 1
a cooler (20) configured to cool an electronic device (11) by causing refrigerant to flow through an inside of a casing (21)
Implementation Method 2
air bubbles generated in the cooler through boiling
Implementation Method 3
a cooling system configured to circulate air or liquid refrigerant
Implementation Method 4
a capture and reduction portion (37) having such a shape as to capture air bubbles, which are generated through a connection surface (35) between the casing (21) and the electronic device (11), so as to reduce the air bubbles through cooling by the refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A cooler configured to cool an electronic device includes: a refrigerant inlet portion configured to guide refrigerant from an outside of a casing to an inside of the casing; a refrigerant outlet portion configured to guide the refrigerant from the inside of the casing to the outside of the casing; and a metal member located inside the casing and configured to define a flow path region in which the refrigerant is caused to flow from the refrigerant inlet portion to the refrigerant outlet portion. The metal member includes: a plurality of opening portions configured to cause the refrigerant to pass therethrough; and a capture and reduction portion having such a shape as to capture air bubbles, which are generated through a connection surface between the casing and the electronic device. The air bubbles are reduced through cooling by the refrigerant when the electronic device is cooled.