Fluid Cooling System for Enclosed Electronic Packages

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Solution Overview

Problem

Edge computing devices face challenges in thermal management due to exposure to harsh environments, leading to reliability issues and limited cooling effectiveness, especially for high power density devices using traditional air cooling methods.

Innovation Solution

A fluid cooling system for enclosed electronic packages that creates a sealed environment, using a fluid cooling module with mounting structures and a distribution unit to circulate cooling fluid, effectively separating the electronics from the external environment and providing efficient thermal management for both high and low power density devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If air cooling is used for edge computing devices, then the cooling system is simple to implement, but the cooling effectiveness is limited and electronics are exposed to harsh ambient environment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling system implementation simplicityVSAvoidelectronics operation reliability in harsh environment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the cooling function into separate modules: a sealed enclosure isolating electronics from the environment, and an external cooling system with heat exchange components. This segmentation allows the electronics to be protected while still achieving effective cooling through the sealed structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A sealed enclosure acts as an intermediary between the electronics and the harsh ambient environment. The enclosure physically separates the sensitive electronics from direct exposure to ambient conditions while allowing thermal management through integrated cooling components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If natural conduction cooling is used, then the design is simple, but it is only feasible for low power density devices and surface temperature exceeds design limit for high power devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling design complexityVSAvoidsurface temperature of high power density devices

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs fluid-based cooling (liquid or gas) circulating through channels and heat exchange components integrated into the enclosure. This hydraulic/pneumatic cooling approach efficiently removes heat from high power density devices, maintaining surface temperatures within design limits while providing active thermal management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Adaptability or versatility

If electronics are exposed to outside environment, then the deployment is flexible, but the thermal and humidity conditions are not controlled and reliability is impacted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment environment flexibilityVSAvoidelectronics operation reliability under uncontrolled conditions

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the deployment system into a sealed enclosure containing electronics and an external cooling system. This segmentation maintains deployment flexibility while the sealed enclosure creates a controlled micro-environment for the electronics, isolating them from harsh ambient thermal and humidity conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sealed enclosure creates a protected, controlled environment for the electronics, effectively isolating them from harmful ambient conditions. The enclosure maintains stable thermal and humidity conditions internally while allowing the device to be deployed in various external environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

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 fluid cooling system ensures reliable operation of edge computing devices by maintaining optimal thermal conditions within a sealed environment, enhancing the reliability and performance of both high and low power density electronics, even in harsh deployment scenarios.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling fluid to cool the electronics package

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

The cooling system can include a fluid loop, a pump, and a heat exchanger

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForced convection: Forced Convection

Data Source

PatentUS11147192B2Fluid cooling system for an enclosed electronic package

Publication Date: 2021.10.12 BAIDU USA LLC

AI summary

A fluid cooling system for an electronics package having a chassis is disclosed. The system includes an electronics package housed within a chassis, one or more mounting structures attached to the chassis, and a fluid cooling module interfaced with one or more electronics of the electronics package, the fluid cooling module housed within the chassis and mounted to the one or more mounting structures, where circulation of a fluid of the fluid cooling module cools the one or more electronics. A chassis fluid distribution manifold is used to connect with the chassis fluid inlet and outlet and to distribute fluid within the chassis.