Fan Module Segmentation for High-Power IO Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal management systems for electronic devices often fail to effectively cool heat-generating components without increasing the device's thickness, leading to performance issues and user experience problems, especially with high-power IO ports that generate significant heat.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of larger fan modules with increased airflow capacity, where the fan module has a wider footprint than traditional fans, generating 22% more airflow without increasing the device's thickness, and includes a design that separates fan and IO compartments to induce airflow over IO ports, enhancing cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional fans are used for cooling, then the device thickness can be maintained, but the cooling capacity is insufficient for high-power components
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate fan compartment and IO compartment with dedicated airflow paths. The fan compartment houses the cooling fan while the IO compartment contains high-power components, allowing independent thermal management for each section and enabling effective cooling without increasing overall device thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional Z-height thickness increase to X-Y plane footprint expansion. By widening the fan module footprint rather than increasing its height, the design achieves greater cooling capacity through larger fan diameter while maintaining the device's original thickness profile.
2Temperature
If larger fans with increased airflow capacity are implemented, then cooling capacity increases, but the device footprint would increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fan module and IO board are merged into a single integrated assembly where the IO board is positioned adjacent to the fan compartment. This integration allows the larger fan to be accommodated within the existing device footprint by sharing space with the IO components rather than adding separate cooling infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The design achieves increased cooling capacity by expanding in the X-Y plane rather than increasing Z-height. The fan module uses a wider footprint with increased diameter fan while maintaining the same overall device thickness, effectively trading vertical space for horizontal space to accommodate larger cooling components.
3Temperature
If airflow is directed over IO ports for cooling, then thermal management of high-power components improves, but airflow management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing includes a partition wall that divides the internal space into a fan compartment and an IO compartment. This segmentation creates dedicated airflow paths where air flows separately through each compartment, simplifying airflow management by preventing mixing and allowing independent thermal management of each section.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall acts as an intermediary structure that guides and separates airflow between compartments. It includes openings that control airflow direction, ensuring cool air reaches the IO board components while maintaining pressure differentials and preventing hot air recirculation, thereby simplifying overall airflow management.
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 increases cooling capacity, reduces junction and skin temperatures, enabling higher performance, greater power consumption, and supports high-data-rate peripherals without increasing the device's size or compromising IO port count, thus improving user experience and device performance.
Implementation Method 1
a fan positioned in the first compartment, the fan to generate forced airflow through the first compartment between the fan inlet and the fan outlet
Implementation Method 2
the fan to cause a low pressure at the fan outlet; and an input/output (IO) compartment having IO components positioned in the second compartment... the housing having a housing inlet and a housing outlet in fluid communication with the second compartment, the housing outlet being in fluid communication with the fan outlet such that the low pressure at the fan outlet causes a pressure differential between the housing inlet and the housing outlet to induce airflow in the IO compartment
Implementation Method 3
the induced airflow to remove heat generated by the IO components positioned in the second compartment
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed for cooling electronic devices. An example apparatus includes a fan module for an electronic device. The fan module includes a first cover; a second cover; an input/output (IO) board adjacent the second cover, the second cover and IO board beneath the first cover; and a fan between the first cover and the second cover, the fan to operate above the second cover and a portion of the IO board.