Liquid Cooling Pad Mounting for Electronic Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat removal methods in computing devices, such as passive and active airflow, can damage sensitive electronic components during the mounting process and are inefficient for components like hard disk drives and solid state drives, which require optimal thermal contact for effective cooling.
Innovation Solution
A liquid-cooling mechanism with a thermally conductive plate and pad, where the electronic device is mounted in a way that minimizes translational movement against the pad, ensuring perpendicular compression and reducing the risk of damage, allowing for toolless mounting and efficient heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional heat removal methods (passive/active airflow) are used, then cooling is achieved, but sensitive electronic components can be damaged during mounting and cooling efficiency is insufficient for storage devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs liquid cooling through a cooling plate with channels that circulate coolant directly against the storage device. This hydraulic approach replaces conventional airflow methods, providing superior cooling efficiency for storage devices while the controlled liquid delivery mechanism prevents damage during mounting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mounting component as an intermediary between the installer and the storage device. This mediator applies compression force through defined mounting surfaces, ensuring reliable thermal contact without allowing direct manual manipulation that could damage sensitive components during installation.
2Ease of operation
If the electronic device is mounted with translational movement against the pad, then mounting is simpler, but thermal contact quality deteriorates and damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting component features a curved compression surface that applies force perpendicular to the pad surface. This geometric design ensures optimal thermal contact by directing compression normal to the interface, preventing lateral sliding that would compromise contact quality while maintaining straightforward mounting procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting component provides localized compression at specific mounting surfaces rather than uniform pressure across the entire device. This concentrated force application ensures high-quality thermal contact at the critical pad interface while keeping the mounting process simple and controlled.
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 approach effectively reduces the risk of damage during mounting and enhances the thermal conductivity between the electronic device and the cooling system, improving heat management and ease of installation while maintaining optimal thermal contact.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally conductive plate in which a cooling liquid channel is disposed and having a thermally conductive pad disposed on the thermally conductive plate
Implementation Method 2
a cooling liquid channel within which cooling liquid is circulated
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid-cooling mechanism, or sub-system, has a thermally conductive plate in which a cooling liquid channel is disposed, and a thermally conductive pad disposed on the thermally conductive plate. An electronic device is mounted to the thermally conductive pad, such as via a mounting component, in a manner that decreases translational movement of a contact surface of the electronic device against a contact surface of the thermally conductive pad. When mounted to the thermally conductive pad, the electronic device compresses the thermally conductive pad.