PCB Power Converter Layout With Dual-Side Cooling Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices, such as microprocessors and graphics processing units, generate significant heat during operation, which can lead to decreased performance, shorter lifespan, and potential failures if not effectively managed.
Innovation Solution
A power and cooling system for printed circuit boards (PCBs) that includes a specific arrangement of cooling plates and thermally conductive material layers to efficiently manage heat generated by processing circuits and power converters. This system utilizes separate cooling plates for the processing circuits and power converters, with thermally conductive material layers, such as graphene, to facilitate heat transfer from these components to the cooling plates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If liquid-cooling solutions are used to cool high-power GPUs, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but the system becomes bulky, heavy, and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function from complex liquid-cooling systems and implements it through simple thermal conduction plates. The cooling mechanism is separated from the computational components, allowing independent optimization of each function without the bulk and complexity of traditional liquid cooling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical liquid-cooling system with a thermal conduction-based cooling approach. Instead of using pumps, tubes, and liquid coolant, the system uses thermally conductive materials to transfer heat away from the GPU, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
2Temperature
If high water flow rates are used in liquid cooling, then cooling performance is improved, but the risk of leaks and damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the liquid coolant system entirely in favor of solid thermal conduction plates. This substitution removes the leak risk associated with high-flow liquid cooling while maintaining effective heat transfer through thermal conduction through the plate structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If power converters are placed on the same side as the GPU, then power delivery is simplified, but heat management becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power delivery and heat management functions by placing power converters on one side of the PCB and the GPU on the other side. This spatial separation allows independent optimization of power delivery paths and heat dissipation routes, with each component having its own dedicated cooling plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the third dimension (PCB thickness) to separate power converters and GPU into different planes. By leveraging the vertical dimension, the system achieves both simplified power delivery and effective heat management without compromising either function.
4Temperature
If thermally conductive material layers are used, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material structures that combine thermally conductive materials with standard PCB substrates. These composite layers are integrated into the PCB manufacturing process, allowing thermal management functionality to be achieved through material composition rather than complex structural designs.
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 system effectively manages heat generated by electronic devices, preventing overheating and associated performance issues, while simplifying the motherboard design by delivering power from underneath the PCB, thus enhancing cooling efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally conductive material layer attached to the DC-DC PCB and extending along a plane of the DC-DC PCB, wherein the thermally conductive material layer is operatively connected to the thermal conductor, and wherein the thermally conductive material layer transfers heat generated by the power converter along the plane of the DC-DC PCB to the thermal conductor
Implementation Method 2
a first cooling plate arranged adjacent the first side of the PCB, wherein the first cooling plate is operatively coupled to the at least one processing circuit
Implementation Method 3
a metal plate that transfers the heat generated by the at least one processing circuit to an environment that is apart from the at least one processing circuit
Implementation Method 4
the metal plate comprises a coolant path disposed therein, and wherein the metal plate is cooled by a coolant that flows through the coolant path from an inlet to an outlet of the metal plate
Data Source
AI summary
A power arrangement and cooling system for electronic devices includes a processing unit electrically interconnected and disposed to a first side of a printed circuit board and a power converter electrically interconnected and disposed on a second side of the printed circuit board. The power converter includes a thermally conductive material layer that transfers heat generated by the power converter during operation away from the power converter toward a heatsink that is disposed adjacent the second side of the printed circuit board. Heat generated by the processing unit is absorbed by a heatsink disposed adjacent the first side of the printed circuit board. Power for the processing unit is provided, by the power converter, through a thickness of the printed circuit board.