Liquid-Cooled Cold Plate With Bidirectional Microchannel Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid-cooled devices do not consider thermal cascading between multiple heat sources, leading to decreased heat dissipation efficiency and temperature imbalances in electronic systems.

Innovation Solution

A liquid-cooled cold plate device with microchannel groups and a cooling liquid that is divided into branches to flow bidirectionally or unidirectionally through microchannel groups, reducing thermal cascades and improving heat dissipation efficiency by optimizing the flow path and structure of the microchannel cold plate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional forced air cooling is used, then the cooling system is simple to implement, but it cannot meet the heat dissipation requirements of high heat flux density servers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling system implementation simplicityVSAvoidheat dissipation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from air cooling to liquid cooling by introducing a liquid-cooled cold plate with microchannel groups. The cooling liquid flows through the microchannels to absorb heat from electronic components, achieving high-efficiency heat dissipation for high heat flux density servers while maintaining system simplicity through integrated cold plate design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Device complexity

If existing liquid-cooled devices are used without considering thermal cascade, then the device structure is simple, but heat dissipation efficiency decreases and temperature imbalance occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid-cooled device structureVSAvoidheat dissipation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the microchannel cold plate into multiple independent microchannel groups, each corresponding to different heat sources. The cooling liquid is divided into multiple branches that flow through different microchannel groups, allowing independent heat dissipation optimization for each component and preventing thermal cascade effects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different microchannel groups are designed with customized channel configurations, densities, and flow rates according to the specific heat dissipation requirements of each electronic component. This localized optimization ensures uniform temperature distribution across different heat sources while maximizing overall heat dissipation efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Use of energy by moving object

If cooling liquid flows through multiple microchannel groups in sequence, then the cooling liquid utilizes thermal energy fully, but thermal cascade causes temperature imbalance between heat sources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling liquid thermal energy utilizationVSAvoidtemperature balance between heat sources

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the cooling liquid flow into multiple independent branches, with each branch serving a specific microchannel group. This segmentation prevents thermal cascade by ensuring that cooling liquid at optimal temperature reaches each heat source simultaneously, maintaining uniform temperature distribution while still achieving high heat dissipation efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of allowing cooling liquid to flow sequentially through all microchannel groups (which causes thermal cascade), the patent inverts the approach by providing independent parallel flow paths for each group. This ensures that each heat source receives cooling liquid at the same initial temperature, eliminating temperature imbalance caused by sequential heating of the coolant

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 enhances heat dissipation efficiency, reduces temperature differences between heat sources, and maintains system performance by effectively managing thermal cascades within the electronic system.

Implementation Method 1

a microchannel cold plate for dissipating heat of an electronic system; at least two microchannel groups, disposed inside the microchannel cold plate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the cooling liquid entering the liquid inlet is divided into one the cooling liquid branch; the cooling liquid branch passes bidirectionally through the microchannel group

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS11291136B2Liquid-cooled cold plate device

Publication Date: 2022.03.29 CELESTICA TECH CONSULTANCY SHANGHAI

AI summary

The present disclosure discloses a liquid-cooled cold plate device, comprising a microchannel cold plate for dissipating heat of the electronic system, at least two microchannel groups, disposed inside the microchannel cold plate; at least one liquid inlet, provided on the microchannel cold plate and used for the cooling liquid to flow in; at least one liquid outlet provided on the microchannel cold plate and used for the cooling liquid to flow out; the cooling liquid entering the liquid inlet is divided into one cooling liquid branch; the cooling liquid branch flows bidirectionally through the microchannels group. The present disclosure uses a combination of microchannel cold plates and microchannel groups, greatly improves the heat dissipation efficiency, reduces the influence of thermal cascade, thus is beneficial to the efficient heat dissipation of electronic system.