Sealed Evaporative Cooling System for High-Heat Flux Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic circuit package cooling systems struggle to manage the increased heat generated by high-performance components, leading to performance degradation and reduced lifespan due to inefficient heat dissipation, particularly with traditional heat pipes and vapor chambers that fail to match heat generation profiles.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system featuring a single, uninterrupted sealed enclosure with a heat transfer plate, condensing tubes, wicks, and a fluid, where the heat transfer plate forms the bottom of an evaporative region, and condensing tubes extend from it, incorporating features like copper powder coatings, grooved condensing tubes, and wicks to enhance heat transfer efficiency, optimized for high-power components by customizing fin arrangement and density based on heat generation profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional heat pipes and vapor chambers are used for cooling electronic circuit packages, then the cooling system structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the heat dissipation efficiency is insufficient to manage increased heat from high-performance components
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into distinct functional regions: an evaporative region with a heat transfer plate for heat absorption, condensing tubes for heat release, and wicks for fluid transport. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements local quality by creating regions with different thermal characteristics - the evaporative region has high heat absorption capacity with copper powder coating and fin structures, while the condensing tubes have optimized surface areas for heat dissipation. This localized optimization enables the system to match heat generation profiles of specific electronic components.
2Reliability
If heat transfer plate with fins and copper powder coating is used to enhance heat transfer, then heat dissipation efficiency improves, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple heat transfer enhancement techniques into a unified evaporative region: copper powder coating is applied to the heat transfer plate surface, fins are integrated directly onto the plate, and wicks are positioned within the region. This combination creates a synergistic effect that enhances heat transfer while treating the merged structure as a single functional unit for manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses composite material structures, particularly the copper powder coating applied to the heat transfer plate surface. This coating creates a composite structure that enhances thermal conductivity and heat transfer efficiency. The wicks also represent a composite material solution, combining porous structures with capillary action properties for efficient fluid transport.
3Reliability
If wicks are extended deeper into condensing tubes to improve fluid return, then heat transfer consistency improves, but manufacturing precision requirements and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wicks are designed to perform multiple functions automatically without external control: they self-regulate fluid transport from the evaporative region to the condensing tubes and self-adjust to maintain consistent heat transfer. The capillary action in the wicks provides automatic fluid return, eliminating the need for complex pumping mechanisms or precision-controlled positioning systems.
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 more efficient and consistent heat transfer, improving air cooling capacity and managing high heat flux, thereby enhancing the performance and lifespan of high-power electronic components by optimizing heat transfer based on the specific heat generation profile of the components.
Implementation Method 1
a heat transfer plate positioned in thermal contact with an electronic circuit package surface
Implementation Method 2
The heat transfer plate forms a bottom surface of an evaporative region of the cooling system
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of condensing tubes in fluid communication with, and extending away from, the evaporative region
Implementation Method 4
a plurality of wicks. Each wick is positioned partially within a corresponding spacer
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2G
Figure 3
AI summary
A cooling system for an electronic circuit package is provided. The cooling system includes a heat transfer plate positioned in thermal contact with an electronic circuit package surface and forming the bottom surface of an evaporative region of the cooling system. The cooling system also includes a plurality of condensing tubes in fluid communication with, and extending away from, the evaporative region, such that the evaporative region and the condensing tubes together form a single, uninterrupted, sealed enclosure. The cooling system also includes a fluid within the sealed enclosure. The cooling system also includes a plurality of spacers filling gaps between the heat transfer plate and the condensing tubes, such that each spacer is configured as an independent component to allow the passage of fluid through the interior space of each spacer. The cooling system also includes a plurality of wicks, where each wick is positioned partially within a corresponding spacer to which it is fluidically coupled.