Multi-zone PCB Heat Sink with Thermal Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-performance cooling in compact, robust, and vibration-resistant computer systems for outdoor use is hindered by the need for large heat sinks that can inadvertently heat temperature-sensitive components and compromise system compactness.
Innovation Solution
A heat sink with thermally isolated sub-areas and a rigid mechanical connection that assigns specific areas for heat absorption to individual components, minimizing thermal bridging and allowing for targeted cooling of temperature-sensitive components while maintaining structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a large heat sink is used to improve cooling capacity, then waste heat removal is enhanced, but the space required increases and compactness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heat sink is divided into multiple thermally isolated sub-areas, each serving specific electronic components. This segmentation allows for optimized heat dissipation in each zone without requiring an excessively large overall heat sink structure, thus resolving the contradiction between cooling capacity and compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sub-areas of the heat sink are designed with tailored thermal characteristics to match the specific cooling requirements of different electronic components. High-performance components receive dedicated cooling zones with appropriate thermal conductivity, while temperature-sensitive components are isolated from thermal bridges, optimizing cooling efficiency without increasing overall size.
2Loss of energy
If a conventional heat sink is used to improve cooling, then waste heat is dissipated, but temperature-sensitive components may be heated through thermal conduction
Solution Approach 1:
The heat sink surface is segmented into multiple thermally isolated sub-areas, preventing thermal conduction from high-performance components to temperature-sensitive components. Each sub-area is dedicated to specific components, eliminating the harmful thermal bridging effect while maintaining effective waste heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
Thermal isolators or air gaps are introduced as intermediary elements between different sub-areas of the heat sink. These intermediaries block thermal conduction paths that would otherwise transfer heat from high-performance components to temperature-sensitive components, while still allowing each sub-area to effectively dissipate its designated heat load.
3Volume of moving object
If the heat sink is made compact to improve system compactness, then space is reduced, but vibration resistance and structural robustness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The heat sink employs a composite structure combining thermally conductive materials for heat dissipation with thermally isolating materials or air gaps for thermal separation. This composite design maintains structural integrity and vibration resistance in a compact form factor, as the thermal isolators can be integrated into the heat sink's mechanical structure without compromising its rigidity.
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 design enhances cooling efficiency for temperature-sensitive components, prevents overheating, and maintains the structural benefits of conventional heat sinks, while reducing the overall size and improving vibration resistance.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal isolator/insulator, which has a substantially reduced thermal conductivity as a whole in comparison with the two sub-areas, and thus substantially limits the heat exchange between the first sub-area and the second sub-area
Implementation Method 2
a first sub-area for absorption of waste heat from a first number of electronic components of the printed circuit board, and a second sub-area for absorption of waste heat from a second number of electronic components of the printed circuit board
Data Source
AI summary
A heat sink with a first sub-area and a second sub-area, designed for contacting a large area of a printed circuit board populated with electronic components. A thermal isolation extends between the first sub-area and the second sub-area, and a rigid mechanical connection that spans the thermal isolation connects the first sub-area to the second sub-area. As a result, the heat sink allows an assignment of sub-areas to electronic components on the printed circuit board, and contributes to mechanical stabilization of the printed circuit board.