Phase Change Material Thermal Storage for Portable Device Heat Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat transfer techniques in computing devices often limit the availability of high power states due to excessive heat generation, leading to potential device damage and user experience issues such as noise and temperature concerns, especially in portable configurations where proximity to the device increases the impact of heat and fan noise.
Innovation Solution
A heat transfer device incorporating a phase change material with a melting temperature between low and high power states' temperatures, combined with heat pipes arranged to provide uniform cooling across various orientations, buffers against high power state heat generation, allowing extended use without increasing fan noise or power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional heat transfer techniques are used in portable computing devices, then heat can be dissipated, but the device generates excessive noise and heat that adversely affects user experience due to proximity
Solution Approach 1:
The phase change material undergoes phase transition in advance during low power states to pre-cool itself, storing cooling capacity before high power states occur. This preliminary action allows the material to absorb excess heat during high power states without requiring active fan cooling, thereby reducing noise and improving user experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase change material that transitions between solid and liquid states at a specific melting temperature. During low power states, the material is in liquid state and absorbs heat. During high power states, the material undergoes phase transition from liquid to solid, absorbing large amounts of latent heat and preventing temperature rise that would otherwise require noisy fan cooling.
2Productivity
If high power states are used to improve device performance, then productivity increases, but excessive heat generation causes device damage and requires supplemental cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The phase change material is positioned in thermal communication with the heat-generating component and undergoes phase transition at a melting temperature between low and high power state temperatures. During high power states, the material absorbs excess heat through phase transition from liquid to solid, preventing temperature rise that would otherwise require supplemental cooling and enabling sustained high performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase change material acts as an intermediary thermal buffer between the heat-generating component and the environment. It absorbs and stores thermal energy during high power states, mediating the heat transfer process and preventing direct heat accumulation that would require supplemental cooling systems.
3Temperature
If cooling fan speed is increased to dissipate heat during high power states, then temperature control improves, but noise and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The phase change material pre-cools itself during low power states by absorbing heat when in liquid state, storing cooling capacity in advance. This preliminary cooling action eliminates the need for high fan speeds during subsequent high power states, maintaining temperature control while reducing fan noise and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The material undergoes phase transition from liquid to solid during high power states, absorbing large amounts of latent heat. This phase change provides passive cooling that replaces active fan cooling, maintaining effective temperature control without the noise and additional power consumption associated with high-speed fan operation.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If passive cooling devices are used to reduce heat, then noise is reduced, but cooling ability expires after a predetermined amount of heat is absorbed
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously cycles between low and high power states, with the phase change material continuously absorbing and releasing heat through phase transitions. During low power states, the material cools itself by absorbing heat in liquid state. During high power states, it absorbs excess heat during phase transition. This continuous cycling ensures the cooling ability is constantly replenished, eliminating the expiration issue of conventional passive cooling devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase change material utilizes reversible phase transitions between solid and liquid states to continuously absorb and release heat. During low power states, the material is in liquid state and absorbs heat. During high power states, it transitions to solid state absorbing latent heat. This reversible phase change process continuously regenerates cooling capacity, allowing extended operation without cooling ability expiration.
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 solution enables extended use of high power states without supplemental cooling, reducing noise and power consumption, while maintaining uniform temperature and improving user experience by leveraging phase change materials and heat pipes for efficient heat management.
Implementation Method 1
a phase change material configured to have a melting temperature that is below a temperature at which a cooling fan of the device is set to operate to cool the heat-generating device
Implementation Method 2
phase change material configured to have a melting temperature
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of heat pipes configured to transfer heat using thermal conductivity and phase transition from the heat-generating device
Implementation Method 4
transfer heat using thermal conductivity and phase transition
Implementation Method 5
A plurality of heat pipes configured to transfer heat
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A heat transfer device is described. In one or more implementations, a heat transfer device includes a heat sink and a thermal storage enclosure disposed proximal to at least a portion of the heat sink. The thermal storage enclosure configured to be disposed proximal to a heat-generating component of a device. The thermal storage enclosure includes a phase change material configured to have a melting temperature that is below a temperature at which a cooling fan of the device is set to operate to cool the heat- generating device.