Emergency Cooling via PCM and Valve Rerouting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid-cooled systems in automotive and other high-performance applications face challenges in maintaining heat source cooling during primary cooling circuit failures, as the thermal capacity of cold plates and printed circuit boards is insufficient for emergency operations, posing risks to safety-critical functions like digital cockpits and autonomous driving.
Innovation Solution
A liquid-cooled system with a primary cooling circuit and an emergency cooling unit using Phase Change Material (PCM) within a containment structure, where distributor valves reroute the cooling liquid from the primary circuit to the emergency unit upon failure, enabling continuous cooling through the PCM's heat absorption and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If the thermal capacity of cold plates and PCBs is used for emergency cooling, then the system can maintain operation during primary cooling failure, but the duration of emergency operation is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-charges the cold plate assembly with cooling liquid and maintains it in a ready state before emergency situations occur. The cold plate assembly is pre-positioned with sufficient cooling capacity to immediately take over when the primary cooling circuit fails, ensuring continuous cooling without interruption and extending the emergency operation duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the thermal parameters of the cold plate assembly by pre-cooling it to a lower temperature than ambient, creating a thermal buffer. This parameter change increases the effective thermal capacity available for emergency cooling, thereby extending the duration that safety-critical functions can operate independently of the primary cooling system.
2Reliability
If the cold plate assembly is disconnected from the primary cooling circuit during emergency mode, then the cooling liquid can be cooled using the emergency cooling unit, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two independent circuits: the primary cooling circuit for normal operation and the emergency cooling unit with pre-charged cold plate assembly for failure scenarios. This segmentation allows the emergency unit to operate independently without requiring complex integration, reducing the overall system complexity while ensuring cooling continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
A control unit acts as an intermediary between the primary cooling circuit and the emergency cooling unit. It monitors the status of the primary circuit and automatically activates the emergency unit when needed, simplifying the control logic compared to manual switching mechanisms and ensuring reliable transition between cooling modes.
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
Ensures continuous cooling of heat sources during primary cooling circuit failures, maintaining system uptime and safety by utilizing the PCM's thermal energy storage to keep the heat source within a safe temperature range, even during extended emergency operations.
Implementation Method 1
an emergency cooling unit comprising a Phase Change Material (PCM) housed within a containment structure
Implementation Method 2
utilizing the PCM's thermal energy storage to keep the heat source within a safe temperature range
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid-cooled system comprises a primary cooling circuit designed to circulate a cooling liquid for the purpose of dissipating heat from a heat source. A cold plate assembly is thermally coupled to the heat source, facilitating the exchange of heat with the cooling liquid. In emergency situations, in which a failure of the regular cooling circuit may occur, the system activates an emergency cooling unit comprising a Phase Change Material (PCM) housed within a dedicated containment structure. A pair of distributor valves are mechanically linked to both the primary cooling circuit and the emergency cooling unit. The pair of distributor valves are configured to selectively disconnect the cold plate assembly from the primary cooling circuit and to connect the cold plate assembly to the emergency cooling unit when prompted by a control signal, thus providing emergency cooling functionality for a predetermined period of time.