Reversible Air Mover Cooling for Multi-Source Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermal cooling systems face challenges in efficiently cooling multiple heat sources within a device, particularly when a single central air mover is used, as it often biases airflow towards one heat source, leaving another source inadequately cooled, leading to thermal inefficiencies and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A reversible direction thermal cooling system that dynamically adjusts airflow direction based on thermal parameters of multiple heat sources, utilizing a symmetric rotor design in the air mover to redistribute cooling flow without loss of efficiency, allowing for optimized cooling of both sources by reversing the fan spin and redistributing airflow as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single central air mover is used to cool multiple heat sources, then device complexity is reduced, but thermal management effectiveness deteriorates due to biased airflow towards one heat source
Solution Approach 1:
The air mover is designed with reversible rotation capability, allowing the airflow direction to be dynamically switched between different heat sources based on thermal conditions. The system transitions from a static airflow configuration to a dynamic one where the same air mover can serve multiple heat sources by reversing its rotation direction, thereby improving thermal management effectiveness without increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter of the air mover from unidirectional rotation to bidirectional rotation. By reversing the rotation direction, the airflow bias is switched from one heat source to another, enabling a single air mover to effectively cool multiple heat sources at different times, thus resolving the contradiction between simplified structure and effective thermal management
2Temperature
If multiple air movers are used to cool different heat sources, then thermal management effectiveness is improved, but system size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The single air mover is designed to perform multiple cooling functions by reversing its rotation direction. Instead of requiring separate air movers for different heat sources, one universal air mover is configured to serve multiple heat sources sequentially through bidirectional operation, thereby achieving effective thermal management for multiple heat sources while avoiding the increased weight and complexity that would result from using multiple air movers
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the function of multiple air movers into a single bidirectional air mover. By combining the cooling capability for multiple heat sources into one reversible air mover, the system achieves the thermal management effectiveness of multiple air movers while significantly reducing system weight and complexity
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 effectively manages thermal resources between heat sources, optimizing cooling performance without increasing system size, weight, or acoustic noise, ensuring efficient and balanced thermal management across both heat sources.
Implementation Method 1
activate an air mover, where a majority of air moved by the air mover is biased a first direction
Data Source
AI summary
Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that can be configured to receive data related to thermal properties of a first heat source, activate an air mover based on the received data related to the thermal properties of the first heat source, where a majority of the air moved by the air mover is biased in a first direction, determine that the majority of the air should have a bias in a second direction, and reverse a direction of rotation of the air mover to cause the air moved by the air mover to have a bias in the second direction. In an example, the first direction towards the first heat source and the second direction is opposite the first direction and towards a second heat source.