Immersion Cooling Apparatus for Microgravity Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing immersion cooling devices for electronic equipment in harsh environments, such as space, face challenges in achieving high heat dissipation efficiency and are prone to dry-out phenomena due to convection issues in weightless conditions.
Innovation Solution
An immersion cooling apparatus featuring a pressure vessel with a detachable lid containing a coolant outlet and inlet, where the circuit board is immersed in liquid coolant and subjected to forced coolant flow between the outlet and inlet, enhancing heat dissipation and resistance to harsh environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If natural convection cooling is used in weightless space environment, then cooling system structure is simplified, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to dry-out phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces natural convection (which relies on gravity-induced density differences) with forced convection using a pump-driven liquid circulation system. The pump actively circulates coolant through channels contacting the circuit board, ensuring reliable heat removal in microgravity where natural convection fails due to bubble accumulation and dry-out phenomena.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a liquid coolant circulation system with a pump to force coolant flow through cooling channels. This hydraulic system ensures continuous liquid contact with heat-generating components, preventing vapor bubble formation and dry-out that plague gravity-dependent convection systems in space environments.
2Reliability
If immersion cooling with pump-driven liquid flow is used, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional flowing means
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the pump directly into the pressure vessel structure, merging the cooling function with the housing. This consolidation reduces overall device complexity by eliminating separate pump housings and connections, while maintaining effective forced convection cooling through internally routed coolant channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure vessel serves multiple functions: it houses the circuit board, contains the coolant reservoir, provides structural protection, and integrates the pump mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, offsetting the complexity added by the active cooling system.
3Device complexity
If heat dissipation is achieved through thermal conduction through multiple components, then structural simplicity is maintained, but heat dissipation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts heat directly from the circuit board by immersing it in or contacting it with coolant channels, eliminating intermediate thermal conduction paths through multiple components. This direct liquid-to-solid heat transfer significantly improves thermal efficiency by reducing thermal resistance at each interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase change of the coolant (liquid to vapor and back) as it absorbs heat from the circuit board. This phase transition process provides high heat absorption capacity, dramatically improving heat dissipation efficiency compared to simple thermal conduction through solid components.
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 enhanced resistance to harsh environments and improved cooling efficiency by ensuring continuous coolant flow around the circuit board, preventing dry-out phenomena even in microgravity conditions.
Implementation Method 1
heat from integrated circuits is dissipated by means of thermal conduction through multiple components
Implementation Method 2
the liquid coolant forcedly flows from one side of the circuit board to outside the pressure vessel through the coolant outlet and forcedly flows into the other side of the circuit board from outside the pressure vessel through the coolant inlet
Data Source
AI summary
An immersion cooling apparatus includes a pressure vessel including a vessel body and at least one lid. The at least one lid is detachably joined to the vessel body, wherein a certain lid of the at least one lid has a coolant outlet and a coolant inlet. The pressure vessel is filled with liquid coolant. A mounting member places the circuit board at a position between the coolant outlet and the coolant inlet within the pressure vessel. The circuit board is immersed in the liquid coolant within the pressure vessel such the circuit board is surrounded with the liquid coolant. The liquid coolant forcedly flows from one side of the circuit board to outside through the coolant outlet and forcedly flows into the other side of the circuit board from outside through the coolant inlet.