GPU Heat Radiating Structure Using Liquid Metal Mesh Retention

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing heat radiating structures in electronic devices face issues with leakage of liquid metal heat transfer fluids due to vibrations, which can lead to reduced heat transfer performance and potential short circuits, especially when space for insulation is limited and the liquid metal reacts with components like copper and solder.

Innovation Solution

A heat radiating structure that incorporates a porous material, such as a mesh, impregnated with liquid metal, which is sandwiched between the heat generating element and the heat radiating element, with a recessed part in the heat radiating element to hold the mesh in place and a belt-shaped adhesive material to fix the non-abutment region, preventing leakage and misregistration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If liquid metal is used as heat transfer fluid, then heat transfer performance is improved, but leakage risk increases due to fluidity and vibrations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer performanceVSAvoidleakage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a porous material (such as a mesh or sponge) as a heat transfer medium that is impregnated with liquid metal. The porous structure provides capillary forces to retain the liquid metal while allowing thermal conduction, thus preventing leakage during vibrations while maintaining heat transfer performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite heat transfer system combining liquid metal (for high thermal conductivity) with a porous solid matrix (for structural stability and leakage prevention). This composite approach allows the liquid metal to be contained within the porous structure, resolving the contradiction between fluidity-induced leakage and heat transfer efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If liquid metal is used, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but short circuit risk increases due to electrical conductivity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer efficiencyVSAvoidshort circuit risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The porous material acts as a physical barrier that confines the electrically conductive liquid metal within its structure, preventing contact with surrounding electrical components. This maintains the electrical insulation property while preserving the thermal conduction benefits of the liquid metal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

3Object-affected harmful factors

If porous material is sandwiched between heat generating element and heat radiating element, then leakage is prevented, but misregistration may occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleakage preventionVSAvoidmisregistration
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The porous material acts as a flexible intermediary layer that can deform to accommodate slight misalignments between the heat generating element and heat radiating element. This flexibility compensates for positioning tolerances while maintaining the leakage prevention function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 effectively prevents leakage of the heat transfer fluid and maintains heat transfer performance by ensuring the liquid metal remains within the porous material, reducing the risk of short circuits and misregistration, thus enhancing the reliability of heat transfer in electronic devices.

Implementation Method 1

The liquid metal which is impregnated into the mesh almost never leak out and is maintained in the mesh... receives heat from the electric component

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a porous material such as a mesh and so forth into which the liquid metal is impregnated... The liquid metal which is impregnated into the mesh almost never leak out

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentEP4303914A1Heat radiating structure and electronic apparatus
Publication Date: 2024.01.10 LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
  • EP4303914A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4303914A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4303914A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention aims to provide a heat radiating structure which makes it possible to prevent degradation of a performance of heat transfer between an electric component which generates heat and a heat radiating element and further to more prevent misregistration of a porous material and an electronic apparatus which has the heat radiating structure. The heat radiating structure includes a mesh which abuts on a surface of a die of a GPU and a copper plate which is equipped with a recessed part into which the mesh fits and which sandwiches and holds the mesh together with the surface of the die. The mesh includes a heat generating element abutment range part into which a liquid metal is impregnated and which abuts on the surface of the die and receives heat from the die and a heat generating element non-abutment region part which is formed in a state of being contiguous to the heat generating element abutment range part and does not abut on the surface of the die. The heat generating element non-abutment range part is fixed to the copper plate with the use of a sponge tape. The heat generating element abutment range part is shaped to protrude from the heat generating element abutment range part.