Grooved Heat Transfer Channel with Protrusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid flow channels in temperature control systems suffer from inefficiencies due to abrupt fluid flow transitions, collisions, and high fluidic resistance, which reduce heat transfer efficiency and require more powerful pumps.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates smooth, angled entrance and exit zones with protrusions in the grooved structure and manifold to minimize fluid swirls and stagnant flows, promoting rapid fluid flow over a larger surface area with reduced resistance, using thermally conductive materials for the grooved structure and non-thermally conductive materials for the manifold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple fluid flows enter a single channel through manifold exit openings, then the fluid flow rate increases, but fluid collisions and swirls occur reducing heat transfer efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single channel into multiple separate channels, with each manifold exit opening connected to its own dedicated channel. This segmentation prevents fluid flows from different manifold openings from colliding and creating swirls, while still maintaining the overall increased fluid flow rate by having multiple channels operating in parallel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dedicated channel structures as intermediaries between the manifold exit openings and the grooved structure. These channels serve as separate pathways that guide fluid flows without allowing them to mix and collide, thereby maintaining efficient heat transfer while accommodating multiple fluid streams.
2Ease of manufacture
If right-angled corners are present at channel entrance, then manufacturing is simplified, but abrupt fluid flow transitions create swirls and stagnant flows
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the right-angled corners at channel entrances with smooth curved transitions. This curvature modification eliminates abrupt fluid flow direction changes, preventing the formation of swirls and stagnant flows, thereby maintaining high heat transfer efficiency while the overall channel structure remains manufacturable.
3Loss of energy
If channel height is increased to reduce fluidic resistance, then fluid flow improves, but rapid fluid flow occurs away from the grooved structure surface reducing contact time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces protrusions into the channel that extend toward the grooved structure surface, creating a multi-level flow path. This dimensional modification allows the fluid to flow rapidly (maintaining low fluidic resistance) while simultaneously ensuring contact with the grooved structure surface through the protrusion geometry, thus maintaining effective heat transfer.
4Productivity
If higher fluid flow rates are used to improve heat removal, then heat transfer efficiency increases, but more powerful pumps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses smooth curved transitions throughout the channel design, including at entrances and around protrusions. These curved geometries minimize flow separation, turbulence, and pressure losses, thereby reducing fluidic resistance. This allows effective heat removal to be achieved at lower fluid flow rates, reducing the power requirements for pumps.
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 approach enhances heat transfer efficiency by allowing fluid to flow rapidly over a larger surface area with lower fluidic resistance, enabling effective heat removal with lower fluid flow rates and smaller pumps, while maintaining system efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The grooved structure is thermally conductive to promote the transfer of heat from the heat generating element to the channels 103
Implementation Method 2
The pumped fluid 105 captures heat generated by the element 101 as it passes through the channels 103
Implementation Method 3
The heated fluid is then pumped from the manifold 102 to a heat exchanger 106 that extracts the heat from the fluid 105
Data Source
AI summary
A heat transfer apparatus is described having a manifold. The manifold has a surface having a fluidic exit opening and a fluidic entrance opening. A fluid is to flow from the fluidic exit opening and into the fluidic entrance opening. The manifold has a protrusion emanating from the surface between the fluidic exit opening and the fluidic entrance opening. An apparatus is described having a thermally conductive grooved structure. The thermally conductive grooved structure has a surface having first and second cavities to form first and second fluidic channels. The thermally conductive grooved structure has a protrusion emanating from between the cavities. The protrusion has side surfaces to form parts of the first and second fluidic channels.