Electronics Cooling Chassis With Straight-Through Coolant Flow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic cooling systems for communication systems in mobile platforms face challenges such as high resource intensity, location restrictions, and reduced reliability due to complex heat exchanger designs and gasket sealing, which compromise heat transfer performance and structural rigidity.
Innovation Solution
A refrigerant-based cooling system integrated within a chassis, featuring a closed-loop channel and evaporator with non-linear coolant flow and uniform velocity distribution, along with a baffle design to optimize coolant flow, enhances heat transfer efficiency and reduces resource intensity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a U-shaped flow path is used in the heat exchanger, then the cooling coverage is improved, but the pressure drop increases and heat transfer performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional U-shaped flow path by implementing a straight-through flow path where coolant enters at one end and exits at the other end without reversing direction. This inversion eliminates the pressure drop associated with flow direction changes while maintaining comprehensive cooling coverage across the circuit card assembly.
2Reliability
If gaskets are used to seal the heat exchanger inlet and outlet, then the sealing is achieved, but the reliability decreases and maintenance issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the gasket sealing mechanism from the heat exchanger design. Instead of using separate gaskets to seal the inlet and outlet, the design integrates sealing features directly into the heat exchanger structure itself, removing the need for replaceable gasket components and their associated maintenance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the sealing function with the heat exchanger structure by integrating sealing features directly into the inlet and outlet housings. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate gasket components, creating a more reliable sealed system that requires less maintenance.
3Strength
If tight tolerances are used for rails and slots, then the structural rigidity is improved, but the installation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mounting structure into modular components with standardized interfaces. By dividing the chassis and circuit card assembly into separate modules with defined mating features, the design achieves structural rigidity through precise modular interfaces while allowing for easier assembly and installation compared to monolithic tight-tolerance designs.
4Loss of energy
If expensive and complex heat transfer elements are used, then the heat transfer performance is improved, but the cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service cooling approach where the heat exchanger is integrated directly with the circuit card assembly, allowing the system to cool itself without requiring separate, complex external cooling equipment. The design uses the circuit card's own structure as part of the heat transfer path, eliminating the need for expensive specialized heat transfer elements.
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 achieves efficient heat transfer and improved structural rigidity while minimizing resource consumption and maintenance needs, maintaining circuit card temperatures within thermal design limits.
Implementation Method 1
The evaporator is configured to (i) facilitate a transfer of heat from the coolant to a refrigerant flowing through a second closed-loop channel of the chassis
Implementation Method 2
A refrigerant-based cooling system is disposed in the chassis and comprises an evaporator
Implementation Method 3
The evaporator is configured to facilitate a transfer of heat from the coolant to a refrigerant flowing through a second closed-loop channel
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for providing an electronic cooling apparatus comprising a chassis having an internal space that is sized/shaped to receive/structurally support circuit card(s). The internal space defined by sidewalls with a channel formed therein in which a coolant is disposed. The coolant is in thermal communication with the circuit card(s) via the sidewall(s) when the circuit card(s) is(are) disposed in the chassis. A refrigerant-based cooling system is disposed in the chassis and comprises an evaporator having inlet/outlet ports coupled to the channel of the chassis to define a first closed-loop channel for the coolant within the chassis. The evaporator facilitates heat transfer from the coolant to a refrigerant flowing through a second closed-loop channel of the chassis at least partially defined by the evaporator. A pump is disposed in the chassis and configured to cause the coolant to flow through the first closed-loop channel.