Hybrid thermal cooling system

Solution Overview

Problem

Current cooling systems face challenges in efficiently managing thermal energy in high-performance devices, leading to increased fan speeds, higher platform power usage, and acoustic energy, as they rely primarily on fans and heat pipes with limited cooling capacity.

Innovation Solution

A hybrid thermal cooling system incorporating an air mover and a thermal electric cooling (TEC) device, where a heat pipe couples a heat source to both the air mover and the TEC, allowing for active control of thermal management through a sensor hub engine that adjusts the air mover and TEC based on thermal parameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If fan speed is increased to improve cooling capacity, then temperature reduction is achieved, but power consumption and acoustic noise increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat source temperatureVSAvoidfan power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling paths: a first cooling path using a fan for general cooling, and a second cooling path using a TEC device for targeted cooling. This segmentation allows the system to distribute cooling tasks across different mechanisms, avoiding the need to continuously operate the fan at high speeds, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining effective temperature control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The TEC device acts as an intermediary cooling mechanism between the heat source and the ambient environment. Instead of relying solely on the fan to remove heat, the TEC device actively pumps heat from the heat source to a heat sink, providing an additional heat transfer pathway that reduces the burden on the fan and lowers its required power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If fan speed is increased to improve cooling capacity, then temperature reduction is achieved, but acoustic noise increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat source temperatureVSAvoidacoustic noise

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling paths: a first cooling path using a fan for general cooling, and a second cooling path using a TEC device for targeted cooling. This segmentation allows the system to distribute cooling tasks across different mechanisms, avoiding the need to continuously operate the fan at high speeds, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining effective temperature control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The TEC device acts as an intermediary cooling mechanism between the heat source and the ambient environment. Instead of relying solely on the fan to remove heat, the TEC device actively pumps heat from the heat source to a heat sink, providing an additional heat transfer pathway that reduces the burden on the fan and lowers its required power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If a single cooling system is used to cool multiple heat sources, then device complexity is reduced, but cooling effectiveness for each heat source decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling system structureVSAvoidheat source temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling paths: a first cooling path using a fan for general cooling, and a second cooling path using a TEC device for targeted cooling. This segmentation allows the system to distribute cooling tasks across different mechanisms, avoiding the need to continuously operate the fan at high speeds, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining effective temperature control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different cooling mechanisms are applied to different cooling needs: the fan provides general cooling for the entire system, while the TEC device provides localized, targeted cooling for specific heat sources that require additional cooling. This local quality approach ensures that each heat source receives appropriate cooling attention without requiring a completely separate cooling system for each component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 system effectively reduces the temperature of heat sources by up to five degrees compared to single-fan systems, minimizing noise and power consumption while maintaining cooling stability across varying workloads.

Implementation Method 1

a heat pipe couples the heat source to the heat sink and to the TEC and transfers heat from the heat source to the heat sink and to the TEC

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat pipe: Heat Pipe

Implementation Method 2

a hybrid thermal cooling system incorporating an air mover and a thermal electric cooling (TEC) device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal electric cooling: Peltier Effect

Data Source

PatentUS11649993B2Hybrid thermal cooling system

Publication Date: 2023.05.16 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that can be configured to include a hybrid thermal management system. The hybrid thermal management system can include a heat source, an air mover, a heat sink coupled to the air mover, a thermal electric cooling device (TEC), and a heat pipe. The heat pipe can couple the heat source to the heat sink and to the TEC and transfer heat from the heat source to the heat sink and to the TEC.