Field-Replaceable Immersion-Cooled Electronic Bank
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional air cooling methods are inadequate for effectively managing heat in high-power density electronic devices, leading to thermal runaway conditions, and existing liquid cooling techniques face challenges with temperature uniformity and component replacement complexity.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid liquid-cooling approach involving a field-replaceable bank of electronic components immersed in a dielectric fluid within an enclosure, with a heat sink and thermal conductors to facilitate efficient heat rejection and simplify component replacement by allowing the entire bank to be swapped as a unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If traditional air cooling methods are used, then device structure remains simple, but heat removal capability is insufficient for high-power density components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies liquid cooling instead of air cooling to remove heat from high-power density electronic components. A liquid coolant circulates through channels in contact with the heat-generating components, efficiently absorbing heat through convection and conduction, thereby overcoming the limitations of air cooling for high power density applications
2Power
If liquid cooling is implemented, then heat removal capability improves, but temperature uniformity and component replacement complexity become issues
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into modular components with quick-connect couplings. Each module can be independently connected or disconnected from the liquid cooling circuit, allowing components to be replaced without draining the entire cooling system or complex disassembly procedures
3Ease of repair
If field-replaceable bank design is used, then component replacement complexity reduces, but enclosure sealing and fluid containment become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A removable plate or barrier is introduced as an intermediary element between the field-replaceable bank and the cooling fluid reservoir. This plate can be easily removed to allow bank replacement while maintaining fluid containment when closed, simplifying both the replacement process and sealing requirements
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 method enhances heat management by allowing for efficient immersion-cooling of high-power components, reducing the complexity of component replacement, and improving energy efficiency by minimizing fluid flow rates and pump power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
The electronic components of the field-replaceable bank of electronic components are, at least partially, immersed within the compartment in the fluid to facilitate immersion-cooling thereof
Implementation Method 2
the heat sink facilitates rejection of heat from the fluid disposed within the compartment
Data Source
AI summary
A cooled electronic system and cooling method are provided, wherein a field-replaceable bank of electronic components is cooled by an apparatus which includes an enclosure at least partially surrounding and forming a compartment about the electronic components, a fluid disposed within the compartment, and a heat sink associated with the enclosure. The field-replaceable bank extends, in part, through the enclosure to facilitate operative docking of the electronic components into one or more respective receiving sockets of the electronic system. The electronic components of the field-replaceable bank are, at least partially, immersed within the fluid to facilitate immersion-cooling of the components, and the heat sink facilitates rejection of heat from the fluid disposed within the compartment. In one embodiment, multiple thermal conductors project from an inner surface of the enclosure into the compartment to facilitate transfer of heat from the fluid to the heat sink.