Hollow Conductive Trace Cooling with Pressurized Gas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling methods for conductive traces on circuit boards, such as heavy-pour copper traces, consume valuable resources, add weight, and increase complexity and cost due to the need for external cooling and thermal interface materials, especially in high current applications like power electronics.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating hollow conductive traces with internal air or gas ducts that utilize pressurized air or refrigerant to directly cool the traces, eliminating the need for external heat sinks and thermal interface materials by integrating cooling channels within the traces themselves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heavy-pour copper traces are used to reduce trace resistance and prevent overheating, then thermal management is improved, but device weight and material consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The copper trace is segmented into a solid portion and a hollow portion, where the hollow portion forms cooling channels. This segmentation allows the trace to simultaneously carry current and coolant, reducing the need for excessive copper material while maintaining thermal management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Coolant (air or liquid) is forced through the hollow cooling channels in the copper trace via pneumatic or hydraulic pressure. This active cooling mechanism replaces the passive thermal management approach of simply increasing copper trace size, thereby reducing weight while improving temperature control.
2Temperature
If heavy-pour copper traces are used to reduce trace resistance and prevent overheating, then thermal management is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is merged directly into the copper trace structure by incorporating hollow cooling channels within the trace itself. This integration eliminates the need for separate external cooling components such as heat sinks and thermal interface materials, thereby reducing system complexity and cost while maintaining effective thermal management.
3Temperature
If external cooling with thermal interface materials and heat sinks is used, then trace cooling is achieved, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is merged directly into the copper trace structure by incorporating hollow cooling channels within the trace itself. This integration eliminates the need for separate external cooling components such as heat sinks and thermal interface materials, thereby reducing system complexity and cost while maintaining effective thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channels are nested within the copper trace structure, with the hollow cooling channels embedded inside the solid copper portions. This nested configuration allows the cooling system to be contained within the existing trace footprint, eliminating the need for additional external cooling components and reducing overall device complexity.
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 solution effectively dissipates thermal energy from circuit boards without adding weight or complexity, reducing the need for heavy copper traces and heat sinks, while providing efficient cooling for high current applications, thus enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of power electronic systems.
Implementation Method 1
The duct is capable of communicating pressurized air or gas from the annular member to an outlet at an opposite end of the conductive trace. The flow of pressurized air or gas through the duct provides cooling directly to the conductive trace or the high thermal flux areas of the circuit board.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electrical assembly comprises a dielectric substrate (14) and a metallic conductive trace (12) overlying the substrate. The metallic conductive trace has a hollow cross-section (18) that forms a duct (12). An annular member (20) protrudes from the metallic conductive trace. The annular member has an opening (24) in communication with the duct, the opening for receiving pressurized air or gas.