Removable Cooling Subassembly for Serviceable Liquid Cooled Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic modules with high power consumption require liquid cooling, necessitating enclosures made of metallic materials for efficient heat dissipation, which increases weight and complicates servicing as the entire module must be disassembled to access components like daughter cards.
Innovation Solution
A removable subassembly with a cooling element, acting as part of the enclosure, allows for decoupling of cooling channels from the enclosure, enabling the use of lighter materials like plastic and facilitating easy servicing by eliminating the need for complete disassembly, as the cooling element can be fastened directly to the daughter card or PCB.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the enclosure is made of metallic material with built-in cooling channels for liquid cooling, then efficient heat dissipation is achieved, but the weight of the module increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented from the enclosure structure. Instead of integrating cooling channels into the metallic enclosure, a separate removable subassembly containing the cooling element is used. This allows the enclosure to be made of lighter plastic material while the cooling function is provided by a dedicated component that can be independently optimized and removed.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channels are extracted from the enclosure and placed into a separate removable subassembly. This extraction allows the enclosure to be made of lighter materials (plastic) while the cooling element (with channels) remains as a distinct component that can be attached or removed as needed, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and cooling efficiency.
2Temperature
If the cooling channels are built into the enclosure, then liquid cooling is effective, but the entire module must be disassembled to access components like daughter cards
Solution Approach 1:
The module is segmented into distinct functional subassemblies: the enclosure with the circuit board, and a separate removable subassembly containing the cooling element. This segmentation allows the cooling component to be independently removed to access the circuit board and daughter cards, eliminating the need to disassemble the entire module while preserving cooling effectiveness when the subassembly is attached.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling element is extracted into a separate removable subassembly that can be taken off independently. This extraction enables direct access to the circuit board and daughter cards by simply removing the cooling subassembly, rather than disassembling the entire enclosure, thus improving ease of repair while maintaining cooling functionality.
3Ease of operation
If the entire electronic module is removed to extract PCB or daughter card, then component access is achieved, but servicing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The module architecture is segmented so that the cooling element forms a separate removable subassembly. This allows service personnel to access the PCB and daughter cards by removing only the cooling subassembly rather than the entire module, significantly reducing servicing time and operational complexity while maintaining full component accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling subassembly is extracted as a separate removable unit. This extraction enables rapid access to internal components (PCB, daughter cards) by simply removing the cooling element, eliminating the time-consuming process of disassembling the entire module, thus directly addressing the contradiction between ease of operation and time loss.
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 reduces the weight and cost of electronic modules, enhances servicing ease by allowing component removal without full disassembly, and maintains efficient liquid cooling capabilities, benefiting applications such as electric vehicles by increasing their range.
Implementation Method 1
the enclosure may be aluminum with cooling channels and paths built into the enclosure for coolant to flow through and remove heat from the electronic components
Implementation Method 2
coolant to flow through and remove heat from the electronic components of the electronic module
Data Source
AI summary
A removable subassembly is provided for use in a circuit board module. The removable subassembly includes a cooling element that is decoupled from an enclosure constructed for the circuit board module. The cooling element can be fastened directly to a daughter card or other printed circuit board of the electronic module and can act as part of the enclosure for the circuit board module. By having the cooling element fastened to the daughter card and being part of the enclosure, the daughter card or other components of the circuit board module can be removed without the need for a complete disassembly of the circuit board module.