Directed-Flow Heat Exchange Device for Multi-Component Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air-cooled heat exchange systems are inadequate for efficiently dissipating heat from advanced electronic components, leading to increased size, weight, complexity, and cost due to the need for multiple heat sinks and fans, which are less effective in high heat generation scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchange device with a blower, diffuser, and heat sink base that directs air flow spirally to enhance heat transfer, allowing the cooled air to be directed over multiple electronic components, potentially through a plenum or enclosure, reducing the need for additional fans and heat exchange devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple heat sinks and fans are used to cool multiple electronic components, then heat dissipation capability is improved, but system size, weight, complexity, and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple heat sinks into a single integrated heat sink structure with multiple heat sink bases that can cool multiple electronic components simultaneously. A single fan is used to generate airflow that is distributed to multiple heat sink bases through a plenum chamber, eliminating the need for multiple separate fans and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining heat dissipation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The single fan serves multiple functions by generating airflow that is distributed to multiple heat sink bases through the plenum chamber, allowing one fan to cool multiple electronic components. The integrated heat sink structure also serves multiple functions by providing thermal management for multiple components simultaneously
2Volume of stationary object
If a single fan blows air over the entire electronic system, then system size is reduced, but cooling effectiveness for high heat-generating components decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat sink is divided into multiple heat sink bases, each positioned adjacent to a specific electronic component that generates heat. The plenum chamber segments the airflow into multiple streams that are directed to specific heat sink bases, ensuring that high heat-generating components receive targeted cooling rather than being cooled by general ambient airflow
Solution Approach 2:
The plenum chamber acts as an intermediary between the single fan and multiple heat sink bases. It receives airflow from the fan and distributes it to multiple heat sink bases, enabling a single fan to effectively cool multiple components by directing airflow where needed rather than allowing it to disperse over the entire system
3Reliability
If heat sink and fan combinations are located at every electronic component, then cooling performance is improved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple heat sink bases are merged into a single integrated heat sink structure that can cool multiple electronic components simultaneously. This eliminates the need for separate heat sink and fan assemblies at each component, reducing overall system weight while maintaining cooling performance through the shared airflow system
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 results in a compact, high-performance heat exchange system that reduces power requirements by up to ten times, volume by four times, and weight, enabling effective heat dissipation in spaces where conventional systems are infeasible, while maintaining efficiency and flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
pulling air into a central airway in a heat exchange device using a blower
Implementation Method 2
directed from the blower through a diffuser and across a heat sink base, wherein a first component positioned underneath the heat sink base is cooled when the air passes over the heat sink base
Implementation Method 3
The diffuser has a first plurality of vanes that form fluid flow channels extending spirally outward
Implementation Method 4
transferring the fluid through a plenum and into a heat exchanger before using the fluid to cool an electronic component
Data Source
AI summary
A method of cooling a component with a heat exchange device includes pulling air into a central airway in a heat exchange device using a blower; directing the air from the blower through a diffuser and across a heat sink base, wherein a first component positioned underneath the heat sink base is cooled when the air passes over the heat sink base; and directing the air out from the diffuser and across a second component to cool the second component.