Modular Heat Conduction Layout for Sealed Electric Housings

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing seabed-installed apparatuses face significant challenges in heat dissipation when design changes occur due to varying heat generation, requiring extensive man-hours for redesign and re-manufacturing, as traditional methods struggle to efficiently manage heat without altering the external shape or internal unit configurations.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of internal heat generating units, heat conduction units with matching cross-sectional shapes, and a device housing that allows these units to be thermally connected and overlapped, enabling efficient heat dissipation without necessitating changes to the external shape or other components, even when heat generation increases.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the external shape of the seabed-installed apparatus is changed to accommodate increased heat generation, then heat dissipation performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation performanceVSAvoidexternal shape design

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The apparatus is divided into modular internal units, each with its own heat generating body and heat sink. These standardized modules can be independently configured within the housing, allowing heat dissipation to be optimized by adjusting module arrangement rather than changing the overall external shape.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Internal units are arranged in a stacked configuration along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing, utilizing the length dimension to accommodate multiple heat-generating modules. This allows increased heat dissipation capacity without changing the cross-sectional area or external diameter of the apparatus.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Temperature

If internal units are redesigned to handle increased heat generation, then heat dissipation is improved, but manufacturing time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoiddesign change time

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The heat generating bodies and heat sinks are designed as universal, standardized components with fixed cross-sectional shapes that can be used across different internal units. This modularity allows the same standardized modules to handle varying heat generation requirements by simply changing the number or arrangement of modules, rather than redesigning each component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The heat sinks are pre-configured with specific cross-sectional shapes that match the housing geometry, allowing internal units to be pre-assembled and then easily installed in the housing. This preliminary configuration reduces on-site assembly complexity and manufacturing time when accommodating different heat generation scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Temperature

If the housing structure is modified to improve heat conduction, then heat dissipation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat conduction efficiencyVSAvoidhousing manufacturing

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is designed with locally optimized thermal conduction features, such as heat dissipation fins or extended surfaces at specific locations where heat transfer to the surrounding medium occurs. The bulk of the housing maintains a simple cylindrical structure for ease of manufacture, while only critical heat transfer zones incorporate enhanced conduction features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of making the housing itself the primary heat conduction path, the invention inverts the approach by using the housing as a structural container and relying on direct thermal contact between the heat sinks and the housing inner surface, combined with natural convection and conduction through the housing wall to the external medium.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 reduces the number of man-hours required for design changes by allowing the seabed-installed apparatus to maintain efficient heat dissipation without altering its external shape or other components, even when heat generation increases, thus optimizing operational efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs.

Implementation Method 1

one or more heat conduction units that are good conductors of heat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS12144152B2Electric device

Publication Date: 2024.11.12 NEC CORP

AI summary

[Problem] To suppress the number of man-hours required to handle design changes accompanying a change in heat generation in an internal unit stored inside an electric device.[Solution] The present invention includes: at least one internal unit, which is a heat generating body and has a prescribed cross-sectional external shape; at least one heat conduction unit, which is a good conductor of heat and has a prescribed cross-sectional external shape; and a device housing in which two or more of the internal unit and the heat conduction unit can be stored in a state of being adjacent to each other with the prescribed cross-sectional external shapes thereof overlapping each other, the device housing thermally connecting to the stored internal unit or the stored heat conduction unit.