MEMS Cooling System with Expandable Chambers for Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat transfer technologies, such as Heat Pipes and Pumped-fluid cooling, are inadequate for efficiently cooling smaller, more functional electrical devices due to size constraints and limited thermal management capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A MEMS-based thermal system utilizing expandable MEMS devices and directional valves to control the flow of a working fluid through cooling channels, enabling efficient heat transfer from a heat source to a heat sink via a Phase-Change Autonomous Transport of Heat (PATH) process, which automatically adjusts to thermal loads by activating more sub-chambers as pressure increases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If existing heat transfer technologies (Heat Pipe, Loop Heat Pipe, Thermo siphon, Heat Pump, Pumped-fluid cooling, Spray and Jet Impingement cooling) are used, then heat transfer capability is provided, but device size is too large and cannot be integrated into small electrical devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the heat transfer function into discrete MEMS components including micro-evaporators, micro-condensers, and multiple expandable chambers that can be independently fabricated and integrated at micro-scales, enabling miniaturization while maintaining thermal management functionality
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functional elements are nested within compact MEMS structures, with expandable chambers containing working fluid nested within the device housing, and micro-channels integrated within the thermal management component itself, achieving high functionality in minimal space
2Volume of moving object
If device size is reduced to fit small electrical devices, then integration is improved, but heat transfer efficiency and thermal management capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements localized thermal management by placing micro-evaporators directly at heat source locations and micro-condensers at heat sink locations, with dedicated micro-channels connecting them, ensuring efficient heat transfer specifically where needed without requiring large overall device dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamically expandable chambers that can increase their volume to accommodate working fluid during operation, allowing the device to maintain compact form when not in use while expanding to full operational size during heat transfer cycles, thus preserving both small size and high efficiency
3Device complexity
If passive heat transfer system is used, then system complexity is reduced, but control capability over working fluid flow is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses self-regulating mechanisms where pressure differences generated during phase change automatically control the opening and closing of MEMS check valves, eliminating the need for external control systems while maintaining adaptive response to varying thermal loads through the inherent physics of the phase-change process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in working fluid parameters (phase, pressure, volume) to control system behavior, where phase transitions drive automatic valve actuation and flow regulation, providing adaptability without adding mechanical or electronic control complexity
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 solution provides reliable, maintenance-free, and orientation-independent heat transfer with high heat transfer coefficients over long distances, enhancing thermal payload and system power density, particularly for microelectronic devices, while maintaining constant temperatures under variable loads.
Implementation Method 1
allowing the working fluid to changes from liquid to vapor in the heat source and changes from vapor to liquid in the heat sink
Implementation Method 2
as pressure increases, more MEMS sub-chambers are activated accordingly to accommodate the volume needed for the working fluid
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention includes a MEMS-based cooling system that can be passive or active in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The MEMS-based cooling system has an expandable MEMS device that is a MEMS device that has one or more expandable chambers to help transfer heat autonomously from a heat source using a working fluid and one or more MEMS directional devices that can control the flow of the working fluid through one or more cooling channels that enable heat transfer from one or more heat sources to one or more heat sinks via the working fluid.