Evaporator Stack Mounded Portion Passive Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid-cooled configurations for power electronics systems are costly and complex due to the need for external pumps and radiators to manage high heat flux from semiconductor devices, limiting their efficiency and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The use of an evaporator stack with a mounded portion and enclosure for passive, pumpless two-phase heat transfer, allowing for efficient heat dissipation to air, liquid, or other media without the need for active cooling systems, utilizing materials like copper and microporous layers for enhanced thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If liquid-cooled configurations are used to manage high heat flux from semiconductor devices, then heat dissipation capability is improved, but system complexity and cost increase due to external pumps and radiators
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the active pumping mechanism from the cooling system, replacing it with passive two-phase heat transfer. The evaporator stack removes the need for external pumps by utilizing natural phase change processes, while the radiator function is integrated into the enclosure structure rather than being a separate external component.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system performs self-service through passive two-phase heat transfer. The phase change material automatically absorbs heat through evaporation and releases it through condensation without external control or power input. The system self-regulates heat flow based on temperature gradients, eliminating the need for active pump control and monitoring systems.
2Loss of energy
If liquid-cooled configurations with external pumps are used, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but reliability decreases due to additional failure points
Solution Approach 1:
The passive two-phase system eliminates multiple failure points associated with active pumps, valves, and control systems. The phase change process is inherently reliable, requiring no moving parts or external power sources, thus significantly improving system reliability while maintaining effective heat transfer through the evaporator stack and enclosure.
3Temperature
If conventional liquid cooling systems are implemented, then cooling performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple functions into integrated structures: the enclosure serves both as the housing and as the radiator surface, the evaporator stack combines heat absorption and phase change functions, and the phase change material serves both cooling and thermal management functions. This consolidation reduces component count and manufacturing complexity while maintaining cooling performance.
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 reduces the maximal heat flux and enables efficient, passive cooling of power semiconductor devices, improving the longevity and reliability of power electronics systems while minimizing costs and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
passive, e.g. pumpless, two-phase heat transfer
Implementation Method 2
evaporator stack capable of improving the cooling
Implementation Method 3
transfer the heat produced by the semiconductor device to heat transfer fluids, such as air, liquid, and/or other media
Implementation Method 4
heat dissipation to air, liquid, or other media
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an evaporator stack. The evaporator stack may be used in power-dense electronic assemblies. The evaporator stack includes a lower floor including at least one mounded portion, and an enclosure surrounding the lower floor, wherein a height of the enclosure is greater than a height of the at least one mounded portion, the at least one mounded portion extending between two walls of the enclosure.