Cooling Rack with Common Plate for High-Density Electronics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooling systems for high-density electronic units are complex, expensive, and difficult to maintain, and are not well-suited for high-power electronic systems, often requiring significant space and specialized equipment.

Innovation Solution

A cooling rack system featuring a common cooling plate integrated into a rack mount structure, which eliminates the need for complex water-cooling systems by providing a large surface area for heat dissipation and efficient thermal interfaces, allowing for effective cooling of multiple electronic units while being simple and cost-effective to implement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If complex water-cooling systems are used for high-density electronic units, then heat dissipation effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and maintenance difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation effectivenessVSAvoidcooling system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system is segmented into modular rack units, each with its own cooling plate and thermal management components. This allows independent cooling zones for different electronic units while simplifying overall system complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A common cooling plate serves as an intermediary thermal management component that interfaces with multiple electronic units simultaneously. This single cooling plate replaces complex individual cooling systems for each unit, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective heat dissipation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If complex water-cooling systems are implemented, then cooling capability is improved, but manufacturing cost and maintenance cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple cooling functions are merged into a single common cooling plate that serves multiple electronic units. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate cooling systems for each unit, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining adequate cooling capability through the shared thermal management infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The common cooling plate is designed as a universal component that can interface with various electronic units through standardized thermal interfaces. This multi-functional design allows a single cooling solution to serve multiple purposes and different device types, reducing overall manufacturing cost compared to specialized cooling systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Temperature

If specialized equipment and plumbing are used for water-cooling, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but ease of operation and maintenance are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidmaintenance ease

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The complex plumbing and specialized equipment associated with traditional water-cooling systems are extracted and replaced with simplified thermal interfaces and cooling plates that integrate directly with the rack structure. This extraction eliminates the need for complex fluid distribution networks while maintaining cooling effectiveness through direct thermal contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Power

If high-density electronic units are deployed, then processing power is improved, but heat generation increases requiring more sophisticated cooling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing powerVSAvoidheat generation

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling infrastructure is merged with the rack structure itself, creating an integrated thermal management system. The common cooling plate and thermal interfaces are built into the rack design, allowing high-density electronic units to be deployed with effective heat dissipation without requiring separate, space-consuming cooling systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 cooling rack system efficiently dissipates heat from high-power electronic units, preventing overheating and ensuring proper operation, while being adaptable and easily integratable into existing systems, reducing maintenance and costs.

Implementation Method 1

The cooling plate is configured to be in thermal contact with the at least one electronic unit to dissipate heat from the at least one heating source element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS20240365519A1Cooling Rack for an Electronic Unit

Publication Date: 2024.10.31 APTIV TECHNOLOGIES AG

AI summary

A cooling rack includes at least one electronic unit, a mounting mechanism, and a cooling plate. The at least one electronic unit includes a plurality of electronic components. The mounting mechanism is configured to removably receive the at least one electronic unit. The cooling plate is configured to be in thermal contact with the at least one electronic unit to dissipate heat generated from the plurality of electronic components.