EHD Cooling Channels With Enhanced Surfaces for High-Heat Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
High power density electronics generate excessive heat flux, exceeding the capabilities of current cooling solutions, and mechanical pumps introduce reliability issues, noise, and vibration.
Innovation Solution
An electro-hydrodynamic conduction pumping system with a solid-state design using electrode pairs to drive a dielectric fluid across enhanced heat transfer surfaces, eliminating the need for mechanical pumps and improving heat transfer efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical pumps are used for fluid pumping, then pumping function is achieved, but reliability decreases and noise and vibration are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical pumps with an electro-hydrodynamic conduction pumping system that uses electric fields to drive dielectric liquid flow through cooling channels. This substitution eliminates mechanical moving parts, thereby eliminating noise, vibration, and mechanical failure modes while achieving the required pumping function through electromagnetic interaction with the fluid.
2Temperature
If passive cooling is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but heat transfer capability becomes insufficient for high power density electronics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive cooling with an electro-hydrodynamic active cooling system that uses electric fields to enhance fluid circulation and heat transfer. The system incorporates electrode pairs that generate electro-hydrodynamic forces to drive liquid flow through channels in contact with electronic components, significantly improving heat removal capability while maintaining solid-state operation without mechanical pumps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and flow characteristics of the cooling fluid by utilizing electro-hydrodynamic conduction pumping. By applying electric fields to dielectric liquids with ionic impurities, the system generates bulk liquid motion that enhances convective heat transfer coefficients, allowing the cooling system to handle high power density heat fluxes that passive cooling cannot manage.
3Device complexity
If electro-hydrodynamic conduction pumping is used, then mechanical complexity is reduced, but heat transfer efficiency may be insufficient without enhanced surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates enhanced heat transfer surfaces with porous or micro-structured geometries in the cooling channels. These enhanced surfaces increase the effective heat transfer area and promote better fluid-solid interaction, thereby compensating for the reduced complexity of the pumping system and achieving sufficient heat removal efficiency for high power electronics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes enhanced heat transfer surfaces that may include curved or non-planar geometries to increase surface area and improve thermal contact between the cooling channels and electronic components. These geometric enhancements facilitate more effective heat transfer while maintaining the simplicity of the electro-hydrodynamic pumping 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 effectively manages heat in electronic components by utilizing electro-hydrodynamic conduction pumping to enhance heat transfer, reducing complexity and noise, while maintaining a compact and reliable cooling system.
Implementation Method 1
Electro-hydrodynamic conduction pumping has been proposed for cooling electric components. In general, electro-hydrodynamic conduction pumping is provided by a solid-state pumping device with no moving parts that can be easily embedded in cooling channels
Implementation Method 2
At least one electrode pair is mounted on a channel portion upstream of the portion of the channel that receives the enhanced heat transfer surface. The electrode pair induces an electric field in an inlet portion of the channel, to drive a dielectric fluid across the enhanced heat transfer surface.
Implementation Method 3
A portion of the channel includes an enhanced heat transfer surface. The electrode pair induces an electric field in an inlet portion of the channel, to drive a dielectric fluid across the enhanced heat transfer surface.
Data Source
AI summary
The electronic control has an electric control which incorporates circuitry which will generate heat in use. A cooling channel placed in contact with at least one surface on the electric control. The cooling channel has a portion which receives an enhanced heat transfer surface. At least one electrode pair is mounted on an inlet channel portion upstream of the portion of the channel that receives the enhanced heat transfer surface. A source of current is provided for the electrode. The electrode induces an electric field in the inlet channel, to drive a dielectric fluid across the enhanced heat transfer surfaces.