Microstructure Vapor Chamber for Fast Condensate Return
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vapor chambers are too thick and do not meet the requirements for thinness and lightweight in modern electronic devices, leading to inefficiencies in heat dissipation due to liquid droplets accumulating in condensation regions and failing to return to evaporation regions effectively.
Innovation Solution
A vapor chamber with a microstructure layer is introduced, featuring a first and second plate cover forming a sealed cavity with capillary structures and a microstructure layer on the inner surface, guiding liquid-phase working medium back to the evaporation region, enhancing wettability and capillary performance without increasing thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional vapor chamber structures are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but heat transfer performance and thermal conductivity are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a porous wick layer with controlled porosity (30-70%) that enables capillary action for efficient heat transfer. The porous structure provides capillary channels that draw liquid from the evaporation region to the condensation region, significantly improving heat transfer performance while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material structures including the combination of porous wick materials with metallic or non-metallic layers. The wick layer is composed of composite materials that provide both structural integrity and thermal conductivity, resolving the contradiction between performance and complexity.
2Reliability
If vapor chamber size is increased to improve heat dissipation, then thermal management coverage increases, but device weight and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes key parameters including wick porosity (30-70%), layer thickness ratios, and material thermal conductivity to maximize heat transfer efficiency per unit weight. By carefully controlling these parameters, the vapor chamber achieves high thermal management efficiency without excessive weight gain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different material properties and structural characteristics to different regions of the vapor chamber. The evaporation region, condensation region, and transport region have optimized local structures that maximize heat transfer efficiency while minimizing overall weight.
3Productivity
If wick layer porosity is increased to improve liquid transport, then capillary action enhances, but structural strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent identifies and controls the optimal porosity range (30-70%) that balances capillary transport efficiency with structural integrity. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by finding the sweet spot where liquid transport is sufficient while maintaining adequate mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite wick materials that combine porous structures for liquid transport with reinforcing elements that maintain structural strength. The composite construction allows high porosity for capillary action while preventing structural collapse under operational 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 microstructure layer improves the timely return of liquid-phase working medium, prevents droplet accumulation, enhances heat dissipation stability, and maintains temperature uniformity, while reducing resistance and thickness, thus improving heat dissipation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
comprising a phase change material layer configured to store thermal energy
Implementation Method 2
Vapor chambers are passive thermal management devices that utilize phase change and capillary wick action to move heat
Implementation Method 3
comprising a porous wick layer sandwiched between the first surface and the second surface, the porous wick layer comprising a plurality of capillary channels
Data Source
Figure 1(a)
Figure 1(b)
Figure 1(c)~2(a)
AI summary
This application relates to the field of vapor chamber technologies, and in particular, to a vapor chamber with a microstructure layer, a circuit module, an electronic device, and a method for forming a vapor chamber. The vapor chamber includes a first plate cover, a second plate cover, and a capillary structure, where the first plate cover and the second plate cover form an accommodating cavity. Capillary structures are in a shape of a long strip, and are arranged at intervals in the accommodating cavity in parallel. Two opposite surfaces of the capillary structure are respectively connected to the first plate cover and the second plate cover, to support the first plate cover and the second plate cover in an overlapping direction of the first plate cover and the second plate cover. A vapor channel is formed around the capillary structure, and the capillary structure is filled with a working medium. The microstructure layer is introduced to an inner surface of the accommodating cavity and the capillary structure in the vapor chamber, so that a liquid-phase working medium in a condensation region returns to an evaporation region on the vapor chamber in time after being guided by the microstructure layer. In the vapor chamber, the liquid-phase working medium in the condensation region can return in time. This improves a problem that liquid droplets gather in the condensation region in the vapor chamber and are less likely to return to the evaporation region.