Electronic Display Cooling via Dual Gas Pathways
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern electronic displays face challenges in cooling due to high temperature variations, increased brightness leading to heat generation, and larger screen sizes, which previous cooling systems address inadequately, often resulting in noise emissions and thermal gradients.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system utilizing a combination of circulating gas and ambient gas, where the circulating gas removes heat from the backlight cavity and front of the display without contaminating it, and ambient gas is drawn through a heat exchanger to transfer heat without mixing, with fans placed within the heat exchanger to reduce noise and manifolds for even distribution of cooling air.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If ambient gas is drawn through the display to cool it, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but dust and dirt contaminate the display cavity
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two separate gas pathways: a closed-loop circulating gas system that recirculates within the display cavity, and an ambient gas system that flows through heat exchangers outside the cavity. This segmentation allows the circulating gas to cool internal components without introducing contaminants, while the ambient gas provides additional cooling capacity through the heat exchangers.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat exchanger acts as an intermediary between the ambient gas and the circulating gas. The heat exchanger transfers thermal energy from the circulating gas to the ambient gas without allowing the gases to mix, thus enabling cooling from ambient air while preventing dust and dirt from entering the display cavity.
2Temperature
If fans are placed outside the display to move gas, then cooling capacity is improved, but noise emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fans are nested within the heat exchanger assembly, which is positioned inside or integrated with the display housing. This nesting allows the fans to be housed within the existing display structure, utilizing the display's own housing as a noise barrier and eliminating the need for separate external fan housings that would increase noise emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger serves as an intermediary structure that houses the fans and provides acoustic isolation. The heat exchanger's construction and positioning act as a noise barrier, absorbing and blocking fan noise while still allowing gas flow for cooling purposes.
3Temperature
If gas flow is increased to cool hot spots, then localized cooling is improved, but thermal gradients and uneven cooling occur
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple gas inlets and outlets are strategically positioned at different locations within the display cavity to provide localized cooling where needed. Heat exchangers are distributed throughout the display structure, allowing different regions to be cooled independently according to their specific thermal requirements, thereby maintaining overall thermal uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature sensors are positioned throughout the display to monitor thermal conditions in real-time. The gas flow rate and distribution are adjusted based on feedback from these sensors, allowing the system to respond to hot spots dynamically while maintaining overall thermal uniformity and preventing excessive thermal gradients.
4Illumination intensity
If display brightness is increased to compete with ambient light, then visibility is improved, but heat generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
Heat exchangers are positioned as intermediaries between the bright LED array and the ambient environment. These heat exchangers intercept and remove heat generated by the high-brightness LEDs before it can accumulate in the display cavity, allowing the display to maintain high brightness levels without excessive temperature rise.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system operates continuously to remove heat as it is generated by the high-brightness backlight. By maintaining constant gas flow through the heat exchangers, the system continuously extracts thermal energy, preventing heat accumulation and allowing sustained high-brightness operation without thermal degradation.
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
Effectively cools electronic displays across varying temperatures, reduces noise emissions, and prevents hot spots, ensuring consistent performance and image quality by maintaining the cleanliness of the circulating gas and efficient heat transfer.
Implementation Method 1
ambient gas is drawn through a heat exchanger to transfer heat without mixing
Implementation Method 2
circulating gas removes heat from the backlight cavity and front of the display
Implementation Method 3
heat exchanger to transfer heat
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A system for cooling an electronic image assembly with ambient gas, the system comprising: a plurality of channels placed behind the electronic image assembly, each channel having an inlet and exit; a first manifold in gaseous communication with the inlet of each channel; a second manifold in gaseous communication with the exit of each channel; a fan positioned to force ambient gas through the channels; a front plate placed in front of the electronic image assembly, the space between the front plate and the electronic image assembly defining a front channel; a circulating fan positioned to force circulating gas through the front channel; and a cross through plate having a first pathway for circulating gas traveling through the front channel and a second pathway for ambient gas traveling through the plurality of channels behind the electronic image assembly.