Integrated Pump Cooling Module for Immersion Microjet Heat Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional immersion cooling systems for high-powered electronic components face inefficiencies due to low thermal conductivity of coolant fluids and the development of dead flow regions, leading to uneven cooling and hot spots, and require expensive thermal interface materials (TIMs) for finned heat sinks.
Innovation Solution
A cooling module with an integrated pump that pressurizes coolant fluid through microjet nozzles to enhance circulation and convective cooling, eliminating the need for TIMs and improving heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If immersion cooling is used, then electronic components can be cooled without TIMs, but the coolant fluid has low thermal conductivity resulting in insufficient heat removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies hydraulic principles by using pressurized fluid flow through microjet nozzles to enhance heat transfer. The coolant is pumped at high pressure and directed through arrays of microjet nozzles that create high-velocity impingement on the electronic component surfaces, dramatically improving convective heat transfer coefficients and enabling sufficient heat removal from high-powered components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the flow parameters of the coolant by increasing velocity and pressure. By directing high-velocity microjets at the component surfaces, the system transforms the low thermal conductivity limitation into effective cooling by enhancing the convective heat transfer coefficient through increased fluid velocity and reduced boundary layer thickness.
2Ease of operation
If immersion cooling is used, then components are fully submerged, but dead flow regions develop leading to hot spots and uneven cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cooling approach by using arrays of multiple microjet nozzles distributed across the cooling module surfaces. This segmentation creates numerous localized high-velocity jet streams that target specific regions, ensuring comprehensive coverage and eliminating dead flow zones by directing coolant flow to all critical heat-generating areas independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by directing high-velocity coolant jets specifically at the hottest regions or high heat flux areas of the electronic components. The microjet arrays are positioned and oriented to target specific thermal hot spots, providing localized intensive cooling where needed most while maintaining overall temperature uniformity across the component array.
3Reliability
If finned heat sinks are used in immersion cooling, then some heat can be absorbed, but expensive TIMs are required and heat removal reliability is questionable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the TIM component entirely from the cooling system. By using direct impingement cooling with microjet nozzles that spray coolant directly onto the component surfaces, the system removes the need for thermal interface materials and adopts a simpler direct-contact liquid cooling approach that is more reliable for immersion environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the solid-contact heat sink approach with hydraulic impingement cooling. High-velocity liquid jets directly impinge on the component surfaces, creating extremely high convective heat transfer coefficients that exceed the heat transfer capability of finned heat sinks with TIMs, while eliminating the complexity and reliability issues associated with thermal interface materials.
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 integrated pump system achieves higher cooling rates and uniformity, reducing the risk of hot spots and extending component lifespan while minimizing reliance on seals and lubrication, thus enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of immersion cooling.
Implementation Method 1
the pump draws in immersion coolant from the surrounding dielectric bath fluid and drives it through microconvective nozzle arrays inside the cooling module
Implementation Method 2
accelerate the fluid through microjet nozzles achieve much higher rates of cooling than immersion bath systems alone can achieve
Implementation Method 3
enhancing overall system circulation and convective environment for other nearby electronic components
Implementation Method 4
The pump draws in immersion coolant from the surrounding dielectric bath fluid and drives it through microconvective nozzle arrays inside the cooling module to enhance cooling of the heat-generating device
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a cooling module for cooling heat-generating electronic devices in an immersion cooling system. The cooling module includes an integrated pump, which draws immersion fluid from the surrounding dielectric bath and drives it into a pressurized plenum to pressurize the coolant fluid and drive the pressurized coolant fluid through a nozzle plate containing a microconvective nozzle array. The array accelerates the fluid to produce a multiplicity of microjets that impinge on a surface of the heat-generating electronic device to be cooled. The effluent from the cooling module may be directed to flow into and wash over nearby heat-generating devices to help cool the nearby heat-generating devices. The effluent may also be directed to the inlets of daughter cooling modules attached to other heat-generating electronic devices. In some embodiments, cooling modules of the present invention may include fluid collection and fluid discharge manifolds that may be configured and arranged to target specific regions of an immersion bath that might otherwise become relatively stagnant, thereby enhancing overall system circulation and convective environment for other nearby server components. In some embodiments, cooling modules of the present invention may include daughter cooling modules connected to the pressurized inlet plenum of the parent cooling module pressurized by its coolant pump. The addition of the cooling module to immersion bath cooling systems achieves much higher rates of cooling than can be achieved with immersion baths alone.