Fluid-Tight Heat Sink Support for Electronic Cooling Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic components, such as power distributors or circuit breakers, face overheating issues due to inadequate heat dissipation and potential fluid exposure when fluid sealing is insufficient, leading to undesired problems.
Innovation Solution
A cooling array design featuring a heat sink support connected fluid-tight to the housing, which accommodates a thermally coupled heat sink to disperse heat from the electronic component, using various connection methods like welded, glued, friction-locking, or form-fitting connections, and optionally a sealing element like a labyrinth seal, to ensure effective fluid-tightness and reduce machining requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the heat sink is directly connected to the electronic component, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but fluid-tight sealing becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into three separate components: the electronic component, the heat sink support, and the heat sink. The heat sink support acts as an intermediate element that is fluid-tightly connected to the housing, while the heat sink is attached to the electronic component. This segmentation allows thermal coupling between the electronic component and heat sink while maintaining fluid-tight sealing through the heat sink support's connection to the housing.
2Reliability
If the heat sink is separately accommodated in a heat sink support, then fluid-tight sealing is improved, but thermal coupling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heat sink support serves as an intermediary element between the housing and the heat sink. It provides fluid-tight sealing when connected to the housing, while simultaneously supporting and thermally coupling the heat sink to the electronic component. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by enabling both sealing and thermal transfer functions through its dual role in the system architecture.
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 solution provides effective heat dissipation and fluid-tight sealing, reducing the need for laborious post-processing of the heat sink and allowing for scalable cooling solutions, ensuring the electronic component operates within safe temperature ranges while preventing fluid exposure.
Implementation Method 1
a heat sink which is thermally coupled to the electronic component in order to disperse heat generated by the electronic component
Implementation Method 2
a friction-locking connection, such as a screw connection or a snap connection
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling array for cooling of an electronic component includes the electronic component, a housing which at least partially enclosing the electronic component, a heat sink support connected to the housing in a fluid-tight manner, and a heat sink which is accommodated in the heat sink support. The heat sink is thermally coupled to the electronic component in order to disperse heat generated by the electronic component.