Heat Relay Network for Telecommunication Linecards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pluggable optical modules in telecommunication systems face challenges in heat dispersal, leading to operational issues and potential failure due to overheating, as conventional heat pipe assemblies are limited by soldered components and precise mounting requirements, and existing designs struggle with tolerance stack-ups and space constraints.
Innovation Solution
A heat relay network system that utilizes a heat pipe to transfer heat from pluggable optical modules to a cooling module, where the heat is dispersed through a radiator, allowing for efficient heat management even during hot-swappable operations, using thermally conductive materials and fluid-wick type heat pipes to enhance heat transfer and reduce thermal resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional heat pipe assemblies with soldered components are used, then heat transfer capability is limited, but manufacturing precision requirements and tolerance stack-ups increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat relay apparatus as an intermediary component between the pluggable optical module and the cooling module. This heat relay apparatus includes a heat pipe that thermally couples the optical module to the cooling module, acting as a mediator that facilitates heat transfer while accommodating manufacturing tolerances and reducing the need for precise direct mounting between the optical module and cooling module.
2Reliability
If heat is not dispersed effectively, then operational reliability decreases, but heat dispersal mechanisms increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling module serves multiple functions: it cools the pluggable optical module through the heat pipe, and it also provides a heat sink for the linecard's integrated circuits. The heat relay apparatus integrates heat transfer functionality into an existing structural component, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliable heat dispersal for multiple heat-generating components.
3Area of stationary object
If pluggable optical modules are positioned vertically adjacent, then space efficiency improves, but heat dispersal difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat dispersal function from the airflow-dependent passive cooling approach and implements an active heat transfer mechanism using heat pipes. The heat pipe thermally couples the vertically adjacent optical modules to the cooling module, extracting heat from the compact vertical arrangement and transporting it to a dedicated heat dissipation location, thereby enabling dense packaging without compromising heat dispersal.
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 system effectively disperses heat from pluggable optical modules, maintaining their and the linecard's operational integrity by managing temperature within safe margins, even during continuous power operation and frequent module insertions/removals, thereby preventing performance drops and failures.
Implementation Method 1
a heat pipe having a first portion thermally connected to the first integrated circuit and a second portion thermally connected to the second integrated circuit, such that heat is transferred from the second integrated circuit through the heat pipe
Implementation Method 2
thermally connected
Implementation Method 3
dispersed to the airflow from the heat sink
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, comprising a linecard including a circuit board having a front side connectable to a pluggable optical module and a back side opposite the front side; a heat relay apparatus comprising a heat pipe on the circuit board; a pluggable optical module generating a first amount of heat and being in thermal contact with the heat pipe; and a cooling module including a heat sink in thermal contact with the heat pipe, the cooling module generating a second amount of heat in a range from the first amount of heat to no heat; and wherein heat from the pluggable optical module is transferable through the heat pipe to the cooling module for dispersal from the heat sink.