Cooling device
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cooling devices for electronic components in power modules, such as those described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application H5-3274, suffer from a decrease in cooling efficiency due to the mixing of liquid coolants before and after cooling, which affects the effective heat transfer and distribution.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device comprising a heat receiver (evaporator) that evaporates coolant using the heat of electronic components, a heat discharger (condenser) that condenses vapor back into liquid, and a circulation flow path with surface area increasing members on the attachment surface to enhance heat exchange efficiency, allowing for efficient cooling of multiple electronic components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If liquid coolants are separated only by a separation member in the discharge flow path, then the structure is simple, but the liquid coolant after cooling may flow over the separation member and mix with the liquid coolant before cooling, decreasing cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge flow path is divided into a first discharge flow path for liquid coolant before cooling and a second discharge flow path for liquid coolant after cooling. This segmentation prevents mixing of the two coolant streams while maintaining structural organization through dedicated flow channels for each coolant state.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful mixing of coolants is eliminated by extracting the coolant streams into separate discharge flow paths. The first discharge flow path specifically handles liquid coolant before cooling, while the second discharge flow path handles liquid coolant after cooling, preventing contamination between the two streams.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple electronic components are cooled using radial flow from tubes, then the cooling coverage is achieved, but the liquid coolants mix in the discharge flow path, reducing heat transfer effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge flow path is segmented into separate channels: a first discharge flow path for coolant from components in the first region and a second discharge flow path for coolant from components in the second region. This prevents mixing of coolant streams that have different thermal states, maintaining heat transfer effectiveness while preserving comprehensive cooling coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition member acts as an intermediary structure that guides coolant flow from multiple tubes into separated discharge flow paths. It prevents direct mixing of coolant streams while maintaining the radial flow cooling coverage across multiple electronic components.
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 proposed cooling device efficiently cools electronic components by improving heat exchange efficiency through the use of surface area increasing members and a vertical evaporator configuration, ensuring effective separation and circulation of coolant states, thereby maintaining high cooling performance.
Implementation Method 1
the heat receiver may be an evaporator that evaporates the coolant in a liquid state by using the heat of the electronic component
Implementation Method 2
the heat discharger may be a condenser that condenses coolant vapor generated in the evaporator to reproduce a liquid coolant
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling device includes a heat receiver that receives heat of an electronic component via a coolant, a heat discharger that discharges heat of the coolant from the heat receiver, and a circulation flow path through which the coolant flows from the heat receiver to the heat discharger and the coolant flows from the heat discharger to the heat receiver. The heat receiver is provided with an attachment surface to which a plurality of the electronic components are attached, a first flow path that communicates with the circulation flow path, and a plurality of surface area increasing members that communicate with the first flow path and that are provided on a rear surface of the attachment surface corresponding to the plurality of electronic components.