Fan Duct Rib Layout for Heat Sink Cooling Around Downstream Obstacles
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electronic equipment, the miniaturization of components often hinders the smooth flow of air through heat sinks, leading to deteriorated heat dissipation performance due to obstacles downstream of the heat sink.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with a fan duct assembly that includes an intake port, a heat sink, a branch wall, and ribs, which branches the air flow into two directions, allowing for effective heat dissipation even with obstacles leeward of the heat sink by directing air around them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single exhaust port is used to exhaust air from a heat sink, then the device structure is simple, but the air flow is concentrated in one direction causing high velocity and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust port is divided into multiple exhaust ports (first exhaust port and second exhaust port) positioned at different locations. This segmentation disperses the air flow into multiple directions, reducing the concentration of velocity in any single exhaust stream, thereby lowering noise levels while maintaining structural simplicity
2Device complexity
If air flow is concentrated in one direction, then the exhaust port structure is simple, but the kinetic energy concentrates causing high noise
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple exhaust ports are provided at different positions to divide the concentrated air flow into separate streams. This disperses the kinetic energy across multiple directions, preventing energy concentration and reducing noise generation while keeping the overall structure simple
3Shape
If the cooling device is disposed inside the housing, then the appearance is sleek, but the air flow path becomes long causing temperature rise and reduced cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow path is optimized by strategically positioning the intake port, heat sink, and exhaust ports in three-dimensional space. The heat sink is positioned to receive air from the intake port and direct it toward exhaust ports at optimal locations, creating efficient airflow channels that minimize path length while maintaining the sleek housing appearance
4Productivity
If the fan blows air strongly to improve cooling, then the cooling efficiency increases, but the air flow velocity increases causing higher noise
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple exhaust ports are provided to disperse the air flow generated by the fan. This segmentation allows the fan to maintain strong cooling performance while distributing the air flow velocity across multiple exhaust streams, thereby reducing noise from any single exhaust location
Solution Approach 2:
Exhaust ports are positioned at specific locations optimized for their function. The first exhaust port is positioned to exhaust air from a first region of the heat sink, and the second exhaust port is positioned to exhaust air from a second region, allowing localized optimization of air flow and noise reduction at each exhaust location
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 cooling device achieves good heat dissipation performance and allows for increased size of the heat sink within limited spaces, enabling both miniaturization and improved cooling of electronic equipment.
Implementation Method 1
A fan duct includes: an intake port to introduce air by a fan; a heat sink to dissipate heat by allowing air introduced from the intake port to pass between a plurality of fins
Implementation Method 2
a heat sink to dissipate heat by allowing air introduced from the intake port to pass between a plurality of fins
Implementation Method 3
a heat sink to dissipate heat by allowing air introduced from the intake port to pass between a plurality of fins
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A fan duct includes: an intake port to introduce air by a fan; a heat sink to dissipate heat by allowing air introduced from the intake port to pass between a plurality of fins; a branch wall disposed downstream in a flow of air, to branch the flow of air passing between the fins into two directions; and a plurality of ribs each being a plate-like member directed toward the fins in a manner of being parallel to the fins at a side where a branch angle exceeds 45°, and comprising an apex portion at a tip end thereof, the rib being configured to, at the tip end, branch the flow of air passing between the fins into two directions, a base of the ribs being connected to the branch wall; and an exhaust port to exhaust the air branched by the ribs and the branch wall.