Liquid-Cooled Cooler Partition Member for Uniform Coolant Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional liquid-cooling-type coolers face issues with increased size and pressure loss due to fixed port locations and elongated flow paths, leading to uneven coolant distribution and higher temperatures near heat generating elements, which complicates the cooling process and enlarges the device.

Innovation Solution

A liquid-cooling-type cooler design featuring a heat sink with two layers of heat dissipation fins separated by a partition member, where the coolant flows from an inlet header region to an inlet flow path and then to heat dissipation regions, allowing for deflection and even distribution across the entire surface, maintaining uniform cooling and minimizing pressure loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the cooler is enlarged in the coolant advancing direction to ensure a mounting surface for heat generating elements, then the mounting surface area is increased, but the temperature difference between coolant temperatures at different locations increases and pressure loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting surface areaVSAvoidcoolant temperature uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the coolant flow direction from the longitudinal direction (coolant advancing direction) to the lateral direction (width direction of the cooler). This dimensional change allows the mounting surface to be enlarged in the longitudinal direction without extending the coolant flow path, thereby maintaining uniform coolant temperature across the mounting surface while increasing the mounting area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of extending the cooler in the coolant advancing direction to increase mounting area, the patent inverts the approach by orienting the coolant flow in the lateral direction. This allows the mounting surface to be expanded in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the coolant flow, achieving area increase without the associated temperature non-uniformity and pressure loss problems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Area of stationary object

If the cooler is enlarged in the coolant advancing direction to ensure a mounting surface for heat generating elements, then the mounting surface area is increased, but the pressure loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting surface areaVSAvoidpressure loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the coolant flow direction from the longitudinal direction (coolant advancing direction) to the lateral direction (width direction of the cooler). This dimensional change allows the mounting surface to be enlarged in the longitudinal direction without extending the coolant flow path, thereby maintaining uniform coolant temperature across the mounting surface while increasing the mounting area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of extending the cooler in the coolant advancing direction to increase mounting area, the patent inverts the approach by orienting the coolant flow in the lateral direction. This allows the mounting surface to be expanded in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the coolant flow, achieving area increase without the associated temperature non-uniformity and pressure loss problems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of operation

If a flow rate adjusting header and increased flow path cross-sectional area are provided beside each heat dissipation region, then the coolant flow distribution is improved, but the projected area of the cooler increases and the size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoolant flow distributionVSAvoidprojected area
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the coolant flow direction from the longitudinal direction (coolant advancing direction) to the lateral direction (width direction of the cooler). This dimensional change allows the mounting surface to be enlarged in the longitudinal direction without extending the coolant flow path, thereby maintaining uniform coolant temperature across the mounting surface while increasing the mounting area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

This design ensures uniform cooling across the heat dissipation regions, suppresses the increase in pressure loss, and prevents the enlargement of the device, maintaining efficient cooling performance even with increased mounting surfaces for heat generating elements.

Implementation Method 1

a heat sink (2)... having heat dissipation fins (2b)... a jacket (3)... having heat dissipation fins (3b)...

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a liquid-cooling-type cooler... for cooling a heat generating element... coolant flows from an inlet header region to an inlet flow path and then to heat dissipation regions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3770958B1Liquid-cooled cooler
Publication Date: 2022.01.26 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP3770958B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3770958B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3770958B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

In a liquid-cooling-type cooler (1), an inlet header region (6) and an outlet header region (9) are formed by a partition member (4) disposed between heat dissipation fins (2b, 3b). If an inflow direction of a coolant to an inflow port (31) is defined as a Y direction and a direction perpendicular to the Y direction is defined as an X direction, the partition member (4) guides a coolant, which has flowed in the Y direction into the inlet header region (6), to an inlet flow path (7) while deflecting an advancing direction of the coolant by a partition wall (43), thereby causing the coolant, which has passed through the header region (6), to flow into the entire area of the inlet flow path (7) at an approximately equal flow rate and to further flow in the X direction into one side surface of each of heat dissipation regions (11) at an even flow rate. Accordingly, a uniform cooling effect is obtained on mounting surfaces on heat generating elements (50).