Aluminum Liquid Cooler Brazing Bead Structure for Void Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
As automotive water-cooled radiators become thinner and larger, the brazing tolerance between island-shaped structures and the upper plate cover increases, leading to large-sized brazing voids and a risk of water channel perforation, especially when the size ratio of the island-shaped structure to the upper plate cover exceeds 5%.
Innovation Solution
A liquid cooler with an aluminum brazing bead structure featuring a first and second outer cover, water holes, a liquid flow channel, and divider islands with open holes that are brazed to form blind holes, allowing gas discharge and reducing brazing voids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the radiator is made thinner and larger with island-shaped structures, then heat dissipation uniformity is improved, but brazing tolerance increases leading to larger brazing voids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large radiator structure into multiple island-shaped flow channel regions separated by divider islands. This segmentation allows each island to be brazed independently with controlled tolerances, preventing large cumulative brazing voids while maintaining overall heat dissipation uniformity across the entire radiator surface.
2Area of stationary object
If the size ratio of island-shaped structure to upper plate cover exceeds 5%, then heat dissipation coverage is improved, but brazing void rate increases beyond 40% causing water channel perforation risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-configures the upper plate cover with opening positions that align with the divider islands before brazing. These openings allow gas to escape during the brazing process, preventing gas entrapment that would otherwise create large brazing voids exceeding 40% and cause water channel perforation, thereby ensuring water channel integrity even with large island structures.
3Ease of manufacture
If open holes are formed in divider islands, then gas discharge during brazing is improved, but structural strength of divider islands is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent strategically positions openings only in specific regions of the divider islands where they will effectively discharge brazing gas without compromising the structural load-bearing areas. The openings are sized and positioned to provide adequate gas escape paths while maintaining sufficient divider island strength to support the radiator structure and withstand thermal and mechanical loads.
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 reduces brazing voids and prevents water channel perforation by discharging excess gas through open holes, maintaining structural integrity and reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
an upper surface of the at least one divider island and a lower surface of the at least first outer cover are brazed together
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid cooler having an aluminum brazing bead structure includes a first outer cover, a second outer cover, a plurality of water holes formed on at least one of the first outer cover and the second outer cover, a liquid flow channel formed between the first outer cover and the second outer cover and in spatial communication with the water holes, at least one divider island integrally formed on the second outer cover and dividing the liquid flow channel into a plurality of sub-flow channels, and one or more open holes formed between the at least one divider island and the first outer cover. An upper surface of the at least one divider island and a lower surface of the first outer cover are brazed together, so that the one or more open holes are formed into one or more blind holes.