Direct Spray Cooling CPU Chamber
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spray cooling devices for electronics are inefficient due to non-optimized coolant flow and require modifications to the circuit board and CPU socket, leading to increased costs, complex installation, and maintenance challenges.
Innovation Solution
A modular, hermetically sealed spray chamber system that directly contacts the CPU's exposed cooling surface, using a closed-loop coolant circulation with a pump, heat rejection unit, and customizable nozzle array for efficient two-phase spray cooling, compatible with standard CPU sockets without requiring modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If direct spray cooling is implemented, then heat removal efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to need for sealed chamber and circulation system
Solution Approach 1:
The spray chamber is divided into distinct components including a wall assembly and a lid assembly that can be separately manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows for easier manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance while achieving the complex function of direct spray cooling with improved heat removal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealed spray chamber acts as an intermediary enclosure between the coolant delivery system and the CPU surface. This intermediary structure enables direct spray cooling to achieve high heat removal efficiency while containing the coolant and allowing for a manageable system design with separate components.
2Productivity
If custom spray chamber design is used, then cooling performance is improved, but compatibility with standard CPU sockets is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The spray chamber wall assembly is designed with a universal mounting interface that is compatible with standard CPU socket configurations. This allows the high-performance direct spray cooling system to be adapted to various standard CPU sockets without requiring custom modifications to each socket, achieving both improved cooling performance and broad compatibility.
3Reliability
If hermetic seal is implemented, then coolant containment is improved, but manufacturing and assembly difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hermetic seal is achieved through segmented design with separate wall and lid assemblies that each have their own sealing surfaces. This allows for standardized sealing components and procedures, improving coolant containment reliability while making manufacturing and assembly more manageable compared to a monolithic sealed structure.
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 design enhances heat removal efficiency by eliminating the need for cold plates and thermal interface materials, simplifies installation and maintenance, and is cost-effective by integrating with existing systems, while maintaining a sealed environment for the coolant.
Implementation Method 1
a nozzle which sprays coolant that impinges on the exposed cooling surface of the computer processor
Implementation Method 2
coolant-circulation assembly for transporting the coolant through the pump, the spray chamber and the heat rejection unit
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
There is described a spray chamber for cooling a computer processor on a circuit board. The spray chamber comprises: a wall assembly for sealable mounting on an exposed cooling surface of the computer processor defining an enclosure having a top opening and a bottom opening which opens on the top surface of the computer processor; and a lid for covering the top opening of the wall assembly in a sealable manner, the lid having a nozzle which sprays coolant that impinges on the exposed cooling surface of the computer processor.