Immersion Cooling Fin Assembly With Porous Drip Tray Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

The efficiency of coolant systems in mitigating temperature increases in electronic components during high-processing simulations is compromised by coolant droplets formed from vapor condensation disrupting the liquid coolant surface, leading to reduced cooling effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A coolant system with rotatable cooling fin assemblies and porous drip trays that redirect condensation droplets away from the coolant surface, using fluid channels to reintroduce them without disturbance, combined with a flow of coolant to manage thermal energy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If coolant is used to cool electronic components during high-processing simulations, then temperature control is improved, but coolant droplets from vapor condensation disrupt the liquid coolant surface reducing cooling effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature controlVSAvoidcooling effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system is segmented into distinct functional zones: a vapor condensation region with cooling fins where vapor condenses, and a liquid coolant reservoir where droplets are collected and redirected. This segmentation prevents the harmful interaction between condensation droplets and the liquid coolant surface while maintaining both condensation and cooling functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A porous drip tray acts as an intermediary component between the condensation zone and liquid coolant reservoir. It captures condensation droplets and redirects them through fluid channels into the bulk liquid coolant, preventing direct surface disruption while ensuring proper coolant circulation and thermal management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Use of energy by moving object

If vapor condensation is allowed to occur in the coolant system, then thermal energy management is improved, but droplet formation disrupts the coolant surface leading to reduced cooling efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal energy managementVSAvoidcooling efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system converts the potentially harmful condensation droplets into a beneficial feature by redirecting them through the porous drip tray and fluid channels back into the liquid coolant bulk. This ensures continuous coolant circulation and maintains cooling efficiency while utilizing the thermal energy from condensation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses hydraulic principles to manage fluid flow, with the porous drip tray and fluid channels creating controlled pathways for coolant droplet movement. This ensures proper circulation and prevents surface disruption while maintaining thermal energy management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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

Enhances cooling efficiency by preventing coolant droplet disruption and maintaining consistent temperature management of electronic components during operation.

Implementation Method 1

condensing the coolant in the vapor state to droplets of the coolant in the liquid state along a surface of the cooling fin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Implementation Method 2

pass the coolant in the vapor state through one or more openings of a porous drip tray

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 3

a flow of fluid to and from a fluid source to allow the fluid to pass into the fluid inlets, through the fluid passageways, and out of the fluid outlets of the cooling fin assemblies

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 4

coolant system with rotatable cooling fin assemblies and porous drip trays that redirect condensation droplets away from the coolant surface, using fluid channels to reintroduce them without disturbance, combined with a flow of coolant to manage thermal energy

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS12543293B2Immersion cooling fin assembly and immersion cooling system for two-phase immersion cooling

Publication Date: 2026.02.03 TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO LTD

AI summary

A coolant system including one or more cooling fin assemblies that are movably coupled to a coolant tank. Each one of the one or more cooling fin assemblies has a first position (i.e., closed position) in which the one or more cooling fin assemblies are slightly tilted with respect to inner sides of the coolant tank. Each one of the one or more cooling fin assemblies has a second position (i.e., opened position) in which the one or more cooling fin assemblies are tiled by a greater amount than the first position exposing an access opening of the coolant tank such that a transfer device may access a coolant cavity within the coolant tank. Each one of the one or more cooling fin assemblies includes a cooling fin structure and a porous drip tray coupled to the cooling fin structure.