Injectable Foam Heat Sink for Tool-Free Cavity Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat sinks are costly to produce and require expensive tooling, and there is a need for dedicated heat sinks in motor vehicles, which limits their application in partially enclosed spaces and increases production costs.
Innovation Solution
An injectable heat sink formed from a two-part epoxy and foaming agent, such as isocyanate and water, is used to create a thermally conductive and electrically insulating foam that can be injected into a cavity to dissipate heat without specialized tooling, utilizing carbon dioxide pockets for improved thermal conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional cast or extruded heat sinks are used, then thermal dissipation performance is achieved, but production cost and tooling expense increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, reusable metal heat sinks with a disposable foam-based thermal management material that is injected and cured in-situ. The foam is formed from liquid resin and blowing agent, creating a low-cost, single-use thermal management solution that eliminates the need for expensive tooling and metal fabrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the thermal management material from solid metal to liquid foam precursor, then to cured foam. This parameter change allows the material to be injected into complex cavities and conform to specific geometries, enabling thermal management in partially enclosed spaces where traditional metal heat sinks cannot be effectively installed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated heat sink tooling is used, then thermal dissipation is optimized, but production flexibility and adaptability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The foam-based thermal management system serves multiple functions simultaneously: thermal conduction, electrical insulation, and structural filling. The same material system can be applied to various electronic components and cavity configurations without requiring dedicated tooling for each application, providing universal thermal management solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary mixing of the resin and blowing agent components before injection, ensuring proper chemical composition and foam formation. This preliminary preparation allows the material to be ready for immediate injection into the target cavity, enabling rapid prototyping and late-stage implementation without requiring complex tooling setup.
3Ease of manufacture
If foam is injected into cavity, then thermal dissipation is achieved without tooling, but control of foam placement and expansion is challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a customized injection nozzle or plug as an intermediary device to control foam placement. These intermediaries guide the foam into the correct cavity location and prevent premature expansion or migration, ensuring accurate positioning while maintaining the cost benefits of foam-based thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different foam densities and compositions to different regions of the cavity based on local thermal requirements. By controlling the foam formation parameters and using localized blowing agents, the system achieves optimal thermal performance in specific areas while maintaining overall cost-effectiveness.
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 injectable heat sink effectively dissipates heat in partially enclosed spaces, reducing production costs and enabling late-stage implementation, while maintaining thermal protection for electronic components.
Implementation Method 1
One example of a foaming agent is the combination of isocyanate and water. This combination generates carbon dioxide which, in turn, is trapped within the curing epoxy.
Implementation Method 2
the combination of the high thermal conductivity of the epoxy and the carbon dioxide should, even at a ratio of 5:1 carbon dioxide to epoxy by final volume, yield an order of magnitude improvement in thermal conductivity over the displaced air
Implementation Method 3
A thermally conductive, electrically insulating foam heat sink is disposed in the cavity and draws heat out of the heat source
Implementation Method 4
The fins provide a large surface area within a limited three-dimensional space to thereby increase the rate of convection of heat from the heat sink to the air
Data Source
AI summary
A heat sink arrangement includes a housing associated with an electronic heat source. The housing has a cavity adjacent to the heat source. A thermally conductive, electrically insulating foam heat sink is disposed in the cavity and draws heat out of the heat source. The foam heat sink may be formed of a two-part epoxy.