Fin Cover Flow Path Layout for Multi-IC Cooling Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic control devices face uneven heat dissipation among multiple high-heat generating ICs due to varying inter-fin flow paths and design constraints, particularly when using a single cooling fan, leading to reduced cooling efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a housing with a fin cover featuring protrusions on one side to form a comb-teeth-shaped flow path for one IC and a longer path for another, using a single cooling fan to evenly dissipate heat from multiple ICs by controlling pressure losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single cooling fan is used to cool multiple ICs, then cost is reduced and device complexity is lowered, but heat dissipation becomes uneven across the ICs
Solution Approach 1:
The fin cover is designed with different flow path lengths for different regions: a first flow path length for the first IC and a second flow path length for the second IC. This local differentiation ensures that each IC receives appropriate cooling flow despite using a single cooling fan, thereby achieving uniform heat dissipation across multiple ICs while maintaining system simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the flow path length parameter in the cooling system by designing the fin cover with varying path lengths (first flow path length vs. second flow path length) to different IC regions. This parameter change compensates for positional differences relative to the cooling fan, ensuring equal cooling effectiveness across all ICs without increasing device complexity
2Ease of manufacture
If ADC integral molding is used for heat dissipation fin, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but inter-fin flow paths cannot be narrowed leading to reduced heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into distinct flow path regions with different path lengths for different ICs. The fin cover is divided into sections corresponding to each IC, with each section having optimized flow path characteristics. This segmentation allows the use of ADC integral molding for the fin structure while still achieving effective heat dissipation through carefully designed flow path variations
3Temperature
If inter-fin flow paths are narrowed to improve heat dissipation, then cooling efficiency increases, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly narrowing all inter-fin flow paths, the patent applies local quality by creating specific flow path length variations only in the fin cover sections corresponding to each IC. This localized approach improves cooling efficiency for each IC without requiring complex manufacturing processes, as the fin cover can still be produced using ADC integral molding with appropriate flow path length variations
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 configuration ensures simultaneous and efficient heat dissipation from multiple ICs without unevenness, improving cooling efficiency by managing pressure losses in the inter-fin flow paths.
Implementation Method 1
a first electronic component and a second electronic component are in contact with a base surface of the housing via a heat transfer member
Implementation Method 2
the fin cover is disposed over the fin to form a flow path for a refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a cooling technique capable of simultaneously dissipating heat from a plurality of electronic components. An electronic control device includes: a housing including a fin; and a cooling mechanism including a fin cover disposed over the fin to form a flow path for a refrigerant, in which a first electronic component and a second electronic component are in contact with a base surface of the housing via a heat transfer member on a circuit board in the housing, the housing includes a region A having the first electronic component and a region B having the second electronic component, the flow path is longer in the region B than in the region A, the fin cover has a protrusion having a protruding shape on an inner side of the fin cover in the region A, and the flow path is formed in a comb-teeth shape.