Computer Cooling Plenum Directing Airflow to Heat-Sinked Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-power and densely packed computer systems often face overheating issues due to insufficient heat removal by cooling fans, especially in environments with elevated ambient temperatures, necessitating auxiliary cooling systems that are costly and space-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A customizable air plenum system that directs cooling air flow specifically to the most heat-producing and sensitive components, using multiple cooling fans and a controller to optimize airflow rates based on component needs and environmental conditions, potentially eliminating the need for auxiliary cooling systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If cooling fans are used to remove heat from electrical components, then heat removal capability is improved, but cooling effectiveness deteriorates when ambient temperature is elevated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by directing cooling air specifically to components with the highest heat generation rates through a plenum chamber with strategically positioned outlets. This concentrates cooling effectiveness on critical components rather than distributing it uniformly, maintaining effective heat removal even when ambient temperatures rise.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent airflow paths controlled by individually adjustable fans and plenum outlets. This allows optimization of cooling airflow to specific high-heat components while reducing airflow to lower-heat components, improving overall cooling efficiency in elevated ambient temperatures.
2Loss of energy
If auxiliary cooling systems are employed to cool air in the room, then heat removal from electrical components is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the computer's own airflow infrastructure (case fans, component airflow paths) to provide enhanced cooling through the plenum chamber configuration. This self-service approach avoids the need for separate auxiliary cooling systems while still achieving improved heat removal from critical components.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than cooling the entire room air or providing uniform cooling to all components, the system applies partial cooling action concentrated on the specific components generating the most heat. This partial action approach achieves effective heat removal without the complexity and cost of comprehensive auxiliary cooling systems.
3Loss of energy
If heat sinks with cooling fins are attached to electrical components, then heat transfer surface area is increased, but cooling effectiveness deteriorates in high ambient temperature environments
Solution Approach 1:
The plenum chamber concentrates cooling airflow locally at the inlets of heat sinks on components with the highest heat generation rates. This localized quality enhancement ensures that even in elevated ambient temperatures, the most critical heat sinks receive sufficient cooling airflow to maintain effective heat transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses adjustable fans that can dynamically increase airflow to heat sinks when ambient temperatures rise. This dynamic adjustment compensates for reduced cooling effectiveness in high ambient conditions by increasing the cooling airflow to match the elevated thermal load.
4Productivity
If multiple racks of computer servers are located in the same room, then system productivity is improved, but ambient temperature rises making heat removal difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Each server rack or critical component receives concentrated cooling airflow through the plenum chamber system, rather than relying on general room cooling. This local quality approach allows multiple racks to operate in the same room without their combined heat generation raising the ambient temperature to problematic levels, as each system independently manages its thermal load.
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
This solution effectively prevents overheating in computer systems with reduced airflow rates or higher ambient temperatures, saving costs and space by concentrating cooling efforts on critical components, thereby maintaining system performance and reducing ambient temperature.
Implementation Method 1
a flow of cooling air that is directed over the electrical components that produce heat
Implementation Method 2
cooling fans which generates a flow of cooling air
Implementation Method 3
The heat sinks typically have cooling fins that increase the amount of surface area which can be used for heat transfer to the flow of cooling air
Implementation Method 4
heat transfer to the flow of cooling air
Data Source
AI summary
A plenum for guiding a flow of cooling air through the interior of a computer is designed to maximize the airflow over those electrical components within the computer which are most sensitive to temperature, and/or which require the greatest amount of cooling. The plenum is designed to be mounted over top of a computer motherboard which includes a plurality of electrical components mounted thereon. One or more apertures are formed in the lower wall of the plenum so that electrical components mounted on the computer motherboard can protrude through the apertures and into the interior of the plenum. The lower surface of the plenum is designed to prevent the flow of cooling air passing through the plenum from escaping through the apertures on the lower wall. Also, upper and lower protrusions on the plenum can extend into the interior of the plenum to concentrate the flow of cooling air onto the electrical components which are protruding through the apertures and into plenum.