Cooling Block Assembly With Heat Pipes for Power-Dense Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling blocks are inefficient in dissipating heat from high-power density electronic components due to their design being suited for less power dense components.
Innovation Solution
A cooling block assembly featuring a boss with a smaller thermal transfer surface offset from the upper block portion, combined with heat distributing devices like heat pipes or phase change materials, which distribute heat through phase change to a larger surface area for efficient heat absorption and dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a cooling block is designed for less power dense components, then it can effectively cool those components, but it becomes inefficient when used with more power dense electronic components
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling block is segmented into an upper block portion and a boss portion, with the boss being a separate structural element connected to the upper block. This segmentation allows the thermal transfer surface to be optimized independently for high power density components while maintaining the overall cooling block structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The boss is provided with a thermal transfer surface that has different dimensions and properties than the upper block portion. Specifically, the boss has a smaller footprint area than the upper block, creating a localized high-density thermal contact area that matches the power density of modern electronic components.
2Reliability
If the thermal transfer surface is offset from the lower surface of the upper block portion, then heat distribution is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The boss acts as an intermediary element between the upper block portion and the electronic component. It is offset from the lower surface of the upper block, creating a stepped configuration that allows heat to be transferred from the component through the boss to the upper block, improving heat distribution while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The boss is positioned in a different vertical dimension (offset from the lower surface) rather than being coplanar with the upper block. This dimensional offset creates a stepped structure that improves heat distribution by allowing heat to spread laterally through the boss before reaching the upper block.
3Productivity
If heat distributing devices are disposed partially between the boss and the lower surface, then heat dissipation is enhanced, but the assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat distributing devices are merged into the space between the boss and the lower surface of the upper block portion. This partial disposition allows the heat distributing devices to be integrated into the existing stepped structure, enhancing heat dissipation without requiring separate mounting structures or additional assembly steps.
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 assembly effectively cools high-power density components by spreading heat over a larger surface area, enhancing thermal management and heat dissipation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of heat distributing devices configured for distributing heat through a phase change of a working substance contained within each heat distributing device
Implementation Method 2
each heat pipe comprising: a casing having a heat input surface in contact with the boss and a heat output surface opposite the heat input surface, the heat output surface being in contact with the lower surface of the upper block portion; and the working substance contained within the casing and configured to sequentially evaporate and condense to spread heat from the heat input surface to the heat output surface
Implementation Method 3
a cooling block which is a liquid cooling heat sink, can be thermally coupled to a heat-generating electronic component and water (or other liquid) is made to flow through a conduit in the cooling block to absorb heat from the heat-generating electronic component
Implementation Method 4
water (or other liquid) is made to flow through a conduit in the cooling block to absorb heat from the heat-generating electronic component. As water flows out of the cooling block, so does the thermal energy collected thereby
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling block assembly for cooling a heat-generating electronic component includes: an upper block portion defining at least one internal fluid conduit and having a lower surface configured to face toward the heat-generating electronic component; a boss spaced from the lower surface and having a thermal transfer surface configured to be in thermal contact with the heat-generating electronic component, the thermal transfer surface being offset from the lower surface, a periphery of the thermal transfer surface being smaller than a periphery of the upper block portion, the periphery of the thermal transfer surface being contained within the periphery of the upper block portion in a projection thereof on a plane parallel to the thermal transfer surface; and heat distributing devices for distributing heat through a phase change of a working substance contained therein, each heat distributing device being disposed partially between the boss and the lower surface.