Flat-Tube Liquid Cooling Layout for Hot-Cold Stream Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional liquid cooling devices for computers and servers suffer from inadequate separation of hot and cold water streams, leading to inefficient heat dissipation due to residual heat energy transferring from cooling fins to cold water, reducing overall cooling efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The device employs separate tubes for hot and cold liquids, with hot liquid tubes closer to the air exhaust end, and cooling fins arranged to discharge heat quickly, ensuring minimal residence time and preventing mixing, thereby enhancing heat dissipation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If cold water stream comes into contact with cooling fins after hot liquid flow, then cooling fins can be utilized for heat exchange, but residual heat energy in cooling fins heats the cold water stream causing temperature rise and reduced heat dissipation efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooling fin structure into separate hot water cooling fins and cold water cooling fins that are spatially separated. The hot water cooling fins are positioned closer to the air exhaust end while cold water cooling fins are positioned closer to the air inlet end, preventing thermal interference between the two streams and ensuring each stream utilizes the cooling fins effectively without being heated by residual heat from the other stream.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension arrangement by positioning hot water and cold water cooling fins at different locations along the air flow path (different positions in the air flow dimension). This dimensional separation ensures that hot water cooling fins discharge heat toward the exhaust end while cold water cooling fins draw heat from the inlet end, eliminating thermal interference and maximizing heat dissipation efficiency.
2Device complexity
If hot and cold water streams are not effectively separated, then device structure can be simplified, but heat conduction between streams reduces cooling system performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cooling fin system into distinct hot water cooling fins and cold water cooling fins that are spatially separated along the air flow path. This segmentation prevents harmful heat conduction between streams while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure by using a unified heat dissipation assembly that accommodates both separated streams.
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
Effective isolation of hot and cold liquids and strategic placement of cooling fins enhance heat dissipation efficiency by minimizing heat transfer and residence time, stabilizing the structure, and maintaining optimal cooling performance.
Implementation Method 1
undergoes heat exchange by means of being closely fitted with the cooling fins
Implementation Method 2
discharge heat quickly, ensuring minimal residence time
Implementation Method 3
heat conduction between hot and cold-water streams results in a failure of fully practicing a cooling function
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid cooling device includes multiple flat tube assemblies parallel to one another, and each of the two of the flat tube assemblies have a heat dissipation assembly disposed in between. Each flat tube assembly includes: a first flat tube, configured to circulate a hot liquid; a second flat tube, configured to circulate a cold liquid; a liquid return assembly, in fluid communication with the first tube and the second tube to circulate the hot liquid and the cold liquid; and a first inducing assembly in fluid communication with the first flat tube to input the hot liquid, and a second inducing assembly in fluid communication with the second flat tube to output the cold liquid. The first and second flat tubes in the flat tube assembly are arranged separately, and the first tubes are closer to an air exhaust end of the liquid cooling device than the second flat tubes.