Removable Board Cooling System with External Heat Exchanger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems for electronic components face challenges in densely packed enclosures, where ventilation systems are ineffective, liquid cooling systems are difficult to maintain, and external heat exchangers are hard to implement due to space and operational constraints.
Innovation Solution
A removable board system with an internal heat exchanger and a coolant pipe filled with a working fluid, which transfers heat to an external heat exchanger located outside the enclosure, allowing for efficient heat dissipation using cost-effective ventilation techniques and minimizing the risk of leaks during installation and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional ventilation systems are used for cooling electronic components in densely packed enclosures, then the system structure is simple, but the cooling effectiveness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into modular components: internal heat exchangers attached to individual removable boards, and external heat exchangers housed in a separate cooling unit. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall cooling effectiveness in densely packed enclosures.
Solution Approach 2:
Internal heat exchangers serve as intermediaries between the electronic components and the coolant pipes, enabling efficient heat transfer from compact components to the circulating coolant without requiring direct external access to each component.
2Temperature
If liquid cooling systems are implemented in densely packed enclosures, then cooling effectiveness improves, but maintenance difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid cooling system is divided into removable board modules with integrated internal heat exchangers and a separate external cooling unit. This segmentation allows maintenance personnel to easily remove and replace individual boards without draining or disassembling the entire liquid cooling system, significantly reducing maintenance complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The external heat exchangers and coolant circulation system are extracted from the densely packed enclosure and placed in a separate cooling unit. This extraction allows maintenance of the liquid cooling system without requiring access to the enclosed electronic components, simplifying repair procedures.
3Temperature
If external heat exchangers are installed within the enclosure, then heat dissipation is effective, but space availability and operational flexibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The external heat exchangers are taken out from the densely packed enclosure and installed in a separate cooling unit. This extraction frees up valuable space within the enclosure while maintaining effective heat dissipation through the external heat exchangers that process coolant from the removable boards.
Solution Approach 2:
Coolant pipes act as intermediaries, transporting heat from internal heat exchangers on removable boards to external heat exchangers outside the enclosure. This intermediary approach enables effective heat dissipation without occupying space within the densely packed enclosure.
4Temperature
If the cooling system is fixed to the enclosure, then heat management is stable, but component replacement and system flexibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into removable board modules with integrated internal heat exchangers that can be independently inserted and removed from the enclosure. This segmentation maintains stable heat management through continuous coolant circulation while enabling easy replacement of electronic components on the removable boards without affecting the overall cooling system.
Solution Approach 2:
The external cooling unit with its heat exchangers and coolant circulation system serves multiple removable boards simultaneously. This universal design allows the same cooling infrastructure to support different electronic components on removable boards, maintaining heat management stability while providing operational flexibility for component replacement.
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 effective heat management for densely packed electronic components by dissipating heat externally, reducing the risk of contamination and energy consumption, and simplifying maintenance by allowing the cooling system to remain attached to the removable board during insertion and removal.
Implementation Method 1
an internal heat exchanger to receive heat from the electronic component
Implementation Method 2
a coolant pipe that is at least partially filled with a working fluid and that is attached to the internal heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
an external heat exchanger that is located external to the enclosure and that is attached to the coolant pipe to dissipate heat from the electronic component
Data Source
AI summary
A system may include a removable board that is adapted for inserting into and removing from an enclosure, an electronic component that is attached to the removable board, and a cooling system that is attached to the removable board. The cooling system may include a first heat exchanger that is attached to the electronic component by a physical interface. The cooling system may include a coolant pipe that that is at least partially filled with a working fluid to receive heat, generated by the electronic component, via the first heat exchanger. The cooling system may include a second heat exchanger, attached to the coolant pipe and situated to be located outside of the enclosure when the removable board is inserted into the enclosure. The cooling system may be adapted to remain attached to the removable board when inserting and removing the removable board.