Modular Liquid Cooled Burn-In Board With Quick Disconnect
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for electronic devices undergoing burn-in testing face challenges in efficiently dissipating heat in a small footprint, with air-cooled systems being inadequate and liquid-cooled systems requiring complex plumbing and thermal contact mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of burn-in-boards with liquid-cooled heat sinks embedded in sockets that provide thermal contact and quick disconnect plumbing, allowing for efficient heat dissipation and easy connection/disconnection of electrical and liquid supply lines, reducing setup time and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If air-cooling systems are used to dissipate heat from electronic devices, then the system is simple to implement, but the heat dissipation capability is insufficient for large numbers of high-heat devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from air-cooling to liquid-cooling systems, using hydraulic principles to efficiently remove heat from multiple high-power devices. The liquid cooling system with heat sinks and circulating coolant provides superior heat dissipation capability compared to air-cooling, enabling the system to handle large thermal loads from multiple devices simultaneously.
2Loss of energy
If liquid-cooling systems are used to improve heat dissipation efficiency, then heat removal capability increases, but the system requires complex plumbing and fixed heat sink mounting structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the liquid cooling system into modular components: individual heat sinks for each device, separate coolant channels, and independent mounting mechanisms. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall system assembly and maintenance, reducing the complexity burden of the liquid cooling infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic, adjustable heat sink mounting mechanisms that can adapt to different device positions and thermal requirements. The mounting structures allow for movement and adjustment, replacing fixed rigid connections with flexible, adaptable interfaces that reduce structural complexity while maintaining effective thermal contact.
3Reliability
If heat sinks are mounted on gimbals or movable structures to accommodate non-planar device surfaces, then thermal contact is maintained, but the fluid line connections become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes flexible thermal interface materials and compliant mounting structures that can conform to non-planar device surfaces without requiring complex mechanical gimbals. These flexible elements maintain reliable thermal contact while being simple to connect to fluid lines, eliminating the need for complicated movable mounting structures.
4Loss of time
If modular burn-in boards with quick disconnect connectors are used, then setup time and complexity are reduced, but the thermal contact mechanism must be simplified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the electrical connection and thermal contact functions into a single integrated socket structure. The socket simultaneously provides electrical power/signals and thermal coupling through its liquid-cooled construction, eliminating the need for separate thermal contact mechanisms and enabling quick disconnect functionality without compromising thermal reliability.
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 enables effective heat dissipation from multiple electronic devices within a small footprint, maintaining a narrow temperature range and reducing setup time by using modular quick disconnect connectors and fluoro-elastomer seals to handle high temperatures, thus optimizing the testing process.
Implementation Method 1
liquid cooled heat sinks embedded in the sockets provide thermal contact
Implementation Method 2
liquid cooling requires a lower corresponding heat exchanger area than air
Implementation Method 3
fluoro-elastomer seals to handle high temperatures
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device burn-in thermal management system includes Burn-in-Boards (BIBs) with quick disconnect connectors to easily connect and disconnect the BIB (102) from liquid cooling lines (104, 106) in a rack that can hold one or more BIBs. The BIB (102) may include liquid cooled heat sinks (408) embedded in the BIB sockets (406) in order to cool the electronic devices undergoing burn-in test (DUT). This arrangement allows the DUT to make positive thermal contact with the heat sink when it is mounted in the BIB socket and allows the user to remove the BIB (102) quickly after completing a test to load the next batch of DUTs onto a separate BIB.