PCB Micro Via Thermal Array for Electronic Component Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling solutions for high power electronic components, such as heat sinks and heat pipes, are limited in their ability to dissipate heat effectively as they primarily focus on the top surface, and increasing their size does not significantly enhance heat removal due to the steady state conductive properties, leading to inefficiencies in thermal management.
Innovation Solution
A passive cooling system utilizing a printed circuit board with a dielectric and conductive layer, where electronic components are thermally coupled through a micro via thermal array, allowing for heat transfer from both the top and bottom surfaces to integrated cooling components via multiple thermal flow paths, enhancing thermal conductivity and dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the size of the heat sink is increased, then the heat dissipation capacity is improved, but the effectiveness diminishes due to steady state conductive properties limiting heat transfer from distant contact surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional top-surface-only heat sinking to multi-dimensional heat extraction by integrating thermal vias through PCB layers and implementing heat sinks on both top and bottom surfaces. This dimensional expansion allows heat to be extracted from multiple locations simultaneously, overcoming the limitation where additional heat sink material becomes increasingly distant from the heat source.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat dissipation system is segmented into multiple independent thermal pathways: top surface heat extraction, bottom surface heat extraction, and lateral heat extraction through PCB layers via thermal vias. This segmentation allows each component to efficiently handle heat from specific regions, collectively providing superior cooling without requiring a single large, ineffective heat sink.
2Device complexity
If conventional heat sink designs are used that only contact the top surface, then the design is simple, but heat dissipation from the bottom surface and lateral areas is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The PCB structure is given multiple functions: it serves as both the electrical interconnection substrate and as a thermal management system. The conductive PCB layers and thermal vias simultaneously perform electrical signal/power transmission and heat conduction to cooling components, eliminating wasted heat from surfaces that would otherwise have no cooling path.
Solution Approach 2:
The PCB's conductive layers and thermal vias act as intermediaries that capture and transport heat from the component's bottom surface and lateral areas to dedicated heat sinks. This intermediary thermal pathway system ensures that heat which would be lost in conventional designs is efficiently captured and dissipated.
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 approach enables more efficient heat dissipation from high power electronic components by utilizing micro via thermal arrays to transfer heat laterally through multiple layers, improving thermal management and allowing for increased cooling capacity without the limitations of traditional heat sink designs.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling component thermally coupled to the electronic component through the first conductive layer by a micro via thermal array
Implementation Method 2
placing a heat sink or heat pipe in contact with a surface of the component, which draws heat away from the electronic component via conduction
Implementation Method 3
The heat is then dissipated by convection, possibly in conjunction with one or more fans that force air over the heat sink or heat pipe
Data Source
AI summary
A passive cooling system is provided for dissipating heat from an electronic component. The system includes a printed circuit board including a first dielectric layer and a first conductive layer, an electronic component coupled to the printed circuit board via a plurality of electrical contacts, and a cooling component thermally coupled to the electronic component through the first conductive layer by a micro via thermal array.