Helmholtz Metasurface Sound Absorbers for Quiet Server Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing acoustic absorbers used in heat-sensitive environments, such as servers, reduce noise but compromise heat dissipation, leading to increased heat levels that can affect server performance and cause shutdowns.
Innovation Solution
A multiband and broadband sound absorption device using metasurfaces with Helmholtz resonators, designed for efficient sound wave absorption without significantly increasing heat levels, achieved through 3D printed unit cells that phase-cancel specific frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If existing acoustic absorbers are used to reduce server noise, then noise is reduced, but heat dissipation is significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses porous materials with specific pore size distributions to achieve both sound absorption and heat dissipation. The porous structure allows sound waves to penetrate and be absorbed while simultaneously permitting heat to escape through the same material matrix, resolving the contradiction between noise reduction and thermal management
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite materials combining different porous structures and thermal conductivities. These composite materials are designed to have acoustic properties for noise absorption while maintaining thermal properties for effective heat dissipation, thus addressing both requirements simultaneously
2Object-affected harmful factors
If existing acoustic absorbers are used to reduce noise, then noise is reduced, but server performance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The porous materials are engineered with optimized pore structures that provide effective noise absorption without creating thermal buildup. By allowing heat to pass through the material, the servers maintain operational temperatures, ensuring continued performance and reliability while achieving noise reduction
3Object-affected harmful factors
If existing acoustic absorbers are used to reduce noise, then noise is reduced, but overheating occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The porous structure of the acoustic absorber is designed with interconnected pores that facilitate both acoustic energy absorption and thermal energy dissipation. The same pathways that absorb sound waves also allow heat to escape, preventing the overheating that occurs with traditional dense acoustic materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical ventilation systems with passive porous acoustic materials that simultaneously manage both acoustic and thermal environments. This substitution reduces the need for additional cooling infrastructure while maintaining noise reduction effectiveness
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 device effectively absorbs multiple frequencies with minimal heat impact, maintaining server performance by converting acoustic energy into kinetic energy and dissipating it as heat, thus reducing noise without overheating.
Implementation Method 1
A multiband and broadband sound absorption device using metasurfaces with Helmholtz resonators, designed for efficient sound wave absorption
Implementation Method 2
The device effectively absorbs multiple frequencies with minimal heat impact, maintaining server performance by converting acoustic energy into kinetic energy and dissipating it as heat
Data Source
AI summary
The technology described herein is directed towards a metasurface arranged with unit cells for broadband and/or multiband sound absorption, in which the unit cells are based on the principles of Helmholtz resonators. Deeply subwavelength sound absorbing unit cells are designed and constructed based on desired resonance frequencies. Each unit cell includes a neck portion and air chamber dimensioned to resonate at a desired resonance frequency and thereby inverse phase cancel corresponding frequencies of incoming sound waves. Differently designed and arranged subgroups of unit cells are part of the metasurface, which can be positioned proximate to a noise source. As practical examples, the metasurface or multiple metasurfaces can be placed near or wrapped around a computer server or rack of servers to absorb fan noise. The metasurface components (including the unit cells) can be printed by a 3D printer to result in a thin, light-weight, and cost effective noise absorbing metasurface.