Optical Fiber Heat Exchanger Layout for Low Pressure Drop Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Optical fibers and devices generate excessive heat, leading to performance degradation and potential damage if not adequately dissipated, as existing cooling solutions fail to efficiently manage heat exchange.

Innovation Solution

An optical fiber heat exchanger with a design featuring parallel straight channels for inlet and outlet portions and U-shaped channels in the transition section, which guides a cooling liquid to effectively exchange heat from the optical fibers while minimizing pressure drop and mixing, ensuring efficient cooling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If cooling liquid flows through channels to exchange heat from optical fibers, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but pressure drop increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidpressure drop

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system is divided into multiple separate parallel channels instead of a single channel. Each channel is isolated from the others, allowing the cooling liquid to flow through multiple pathways simultaneously. This segmentation reduces the pressure drop in each individual channel while maintaining effective heat exchange from the optical fibers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The channels are arranged in a parallel configuration, adding a spatial dimension to the cooling approach. Instead of increasing the length or complexity of a single channel, the solution distributes cooling pathways across multiple parallel dimensions, reducing flow resistance and pressure drop while maintaining cooling effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If channels are isolated to prevent mixing, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidchannel isolation structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Guide walls are used to segment and isolate individual cooling channels from each other. This segmentation prevents mixing of cooling liquid between channels and maintains distinct flow paths, thereby improving cooling efficiency while the modular nature of the segmentation keeps the overall design manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide walls serve multiple functions: they define the boundaries of parallel channels, provide structural support for the heat exchanger body, and prevent mixing between adjacent channels. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If U-shaped channels are used in transition section, then flow direction change is achieved, but channel length increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflow direction controlVSAvoidchannel length

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

U-shaped channels with curved transitions are used in the transition section to smoothly change the flow direction of the cooling liquid. The curved geometry allows for efficient directional change while minimizing flow resistance and pressure drop, achieving a compact design that limits the increase in channel length.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 described heat exchanger design enhances cooling efficiency by isolating channels and preventing mixing, reducing pressure drop, and effectively dissipating heat from optical fibers, thereby preventing damage and maintaining performance.

Implementation Method 1

guide a cooling liquid through the optical fiber heat exchanger to exchange heat from an optical fiber inserted in the optical fiber heat exchanger

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

The inner body includes a plurality of guide walls that form a plurality of parallel straight channels... to guide a cooling liquid through the optical fiber heat exchanger to exchange heat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11474313B2Parallel channels for optical fiber cooling

Publication Date: 2022.10.18 WELLS FARGO BANK NA

AI summary

An optical fiber heat exchanger includes an outer body and an inner body inserted into the outer body. The inner body includes a plurality of guide walls to guide a cooling liquid through the optical fiber heat exchanger to exchange heat from an optical fiber inserted in the optical fiber heat exchanger, a first set of parallel straight channels, extending along an inlet portion of the inner body, formed by a first subset of the plurality of guide walls, a set of U-shaped channels, extending through a transition section of the inner body, formed by a second subset of the plurality of guide walls, and a second set of parallel straight channels, extending along an outlet portion of the inner body, formed by a third subset of the plurality of guide walls.