Embedded Vapor Chamber Cold Plate for Uniform Remote Heatsink Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cold plates for electronic devices, such as ASICs and CPUs, fail to evenly distribute heat to heat pipes, leading to inefficient cooling and potential overheating due to uneven heat flux and thermal resistance.
Innovation Solution
A cold plate assembly comprising a sub-plate with channels and a vapor chamber that evenly distributes heat across the sub-plate, using a vapor chamber with a non-uniform cross-section and a wick to facilitate heat transfer from the heat source to the cooling fluid, and fluidly coupled conduits to a remote heatsink for enhanced heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional cold plate is used to cool the heat source, then the heat sink can dissipate heat, but the heat distribution along the heat sink becomes uneven leading to inadequate cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The vapor chamber is designed with variable thickness (thinner at the heat source interface, thicker at the remote end) to create non-uniform thermal conductivity distribution. This local variation in geometric properties enables uniform heat flux distribution across the heat sink while maintaining effective thermal coupling at the heat source interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameter of the vapor chamber from uniform thickness to variable thickness. This parameter modification transforms the thermal conduction characteristics, allowing the chamber to compensate for heat loss along the heat pipe and achieve uniform heat distribution to the remote heat sink.
2Area of stationary object
If heat is conducted through the limited area of the ASIC/CPU to the heatsink, then the heatsink can be thermally coupled to the ASIC/CPU, but the heat distribution becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The vapor chamber extends the thermal conduction path from a two-dimensional interface contact to a three-dimensional volume with variable cross-section. This dimensional transition allows heat to be distributed uniformly across the entire heat sink area by utilizing the volumetric thermal conduction capability of the vapor chamber.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a remote heatsink is used to cool the heat source, then the cooling system can be configured flexibly, but thermal resistance increases reducing cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The cold plate assembly combines the vapor chamber (phase change material) with traditional heat pipe technology and heat sink fins. This composite structure leverages the high thermal conductivity of the vapor chamber for heat distribution and the surface area of the heat sink for heat dissipation, achieving both flexible remote configuration and high cooling efficiency.
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 solution improves heat flux and cooling efficiency by ensuring even heat distribution across the cold plate assembly, reducing thermal resistance, and maintaining the heat source at a stable temperature, thereby preventing overheating.
Implementation Method 1
a vapor chamber that evenly distributes heat across the sub-plate
Implementation Method 2
facilitate heat transfer from the heat source to the cooling fluid
Implementation Method 3
fluidly coupled conduits to a remote heatsink for enhanced heat dissipation
Implementation Method 4
remote heatsink for enhanced heat dissipation
Data Source
AI summary
Presented herein is a cold plate assembly including a sub-plate and a vapor chamber for use as part of a remote fin cooling system for an electronic device. The sub-plate includes a first surface, a second surface, and a plurality of pipes. The vapor chamber includes a first wall and a second wall opposite the first wall. The first wall and the second wall define an interior cavity having a first depth for one or more first portions of the vapor chamber and a second depth for one or more second portions of the vapor chamber. The second surface of the sub-plate is attached to the first wall of the vapor chamber.