Liquid Cooled Optical Cage With Micro-Channel Cooling Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
As networking speeds increase, optical network devices generate more heat, leading to power consumption and heat dissipation challenges that existing cooling technologies struggle to effectively manage.
Innovation Solution
A liquid-cooled optical cage apparatus with a cage structure and a cooling plate that includes heat dissipation fins and deformable pads to enhance heat transfer, using a cooling liquid that flows through micro-channels and fin cuts to improve thermal performance and reduce pressure drop.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If air-cooled systems are used for optical modules, then device complexity is reduced, but thermal performance is insufficient for high-power modules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies liquid cooling technology by introducing a cooling plate with micro-channels through which cooling liquid flows. This hydraulic cooling system replaces traditional air-cooling methods, enabling effective heat dissipation for high-power optical modules while maintaining manageable system complexity through integrated design
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling plate is disposed within the cage structure in a nested configuration, with the cooling plate containing micro-channels that are themselves nested within the plate structure. This nesting approach maximizes heat transfer surface area while minimizing overall device footprint and complexity
2Temperature
If cooling liquid flow rate is increased to improve heat dissipation, then thermal performance improves, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate is divided into multiple flow paths with micro-channels segmented into different regions. This segmentation allows optimization of flow distribution, reducing pressure drop while maintaining effective heat dissipation across different areas of the optical module
Solution Approach 2:
The micro-channels are designed with varying characteristics in different regions of the cooling plate, with channel dimensions and configurations optimized for local heat generation patterns. This local optimization enables effective cooling while minimizing overall pressure drop
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 effectively maintains optical module temperatures below 70°C, achieving better thermal performance and reducing pressure drop, capable of cooling high-power optical modules with improved hydraulic and thermal efficiency compared to air-cooled systems.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling liquid flows through micro-channels and fin cuts to improve thermal performance
Implementation Method 2
The cooling plate is configured to move the cooling liquid in a flow direction, achieving better thermal performance
Implementation Method 3
The cooling plate includes heat dissipation fins to enhance heat transfer
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a cage structure and a cooling plate configured to contain a cooling liquid to cool the cage structure. The cage structure has a front end, a top surface adjacent to the front end, a first opening at the front end, and a second opening on the top surface. The first opening is configured to receive a pluggable optical module. The cooling plate is disposed on top of the second opening of the cage structure. The apparatus may further include a deformable pad disposed at the second opening of the cage structure and beneath the cooling plate.