Segmented Cold Plate Layout for Lower Refrigerant Pressure Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cold plates experience increased pressure loss when refrigerant flows through an elongated blade group due to the configuration of the refrigerant flow path.
Innovation Solution
The cold plate design includes multiple blade groups arranged side by side with gaps in the extending direction, each with a corresponding inlet, and the refrigerant flow path is optimized to reduce pressure loss by ensuring uniform refrigerant distribution and minimizing flow resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the blade group is elongated in the extending direction to increase cooling area, then the cooling performance is improved, but the pressure loss when refrigerant flows through the blade group increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade group is divided into multiple sub-blade groups arranged in parallel along the extending direction. Each sub-blade group has a corresponding inlet positioned at different locations, creating multiple independent refrigerant flow paths. This segmentation reduces the flow resistance in each individual path while maintaining the total cooling area, thereby resolving the contradiction between cooling performance and pressure loss.
2Temperature
If the blade group is elongated to provide sufficient cooling area, then the cooling coverage is improved, but the refrigerant flow resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elongated blade group is segmented into multiple sub-blade groups with corresponding inlets positioned at different locations along the extending direction. This creates multiple parallel refrigerant flow paths that are simpler individually but collectively provide sufficient cooling coverage. The segmentation reduces flow resistance in each path while distributing the refrigerant flow more evenly across the entire blade group area.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the blade group have locally optimized configurations with inlets positioned according to the local heat generation distribution and flow requirements. This local quality approach ensures that each sub-blade group receives appropriate refrigerant flow based on its specific cooling needs, improving overall cooling efficiency without excessive flow resistance.
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 design reduces refrigerant pressure loss, lowers power consumption of the pump, and ensures uniform cooling effect across the blade groups, while allowing for a compact and cost-effective cold plate configuration.
Implementation Method 1
The bottom wall includes a lower surface to be in thermal contact with a heat generating component
Implementation Method 2
The side wall connects the bottom wall and the top wall, and defines a refrigerant flow path through which a refrigerant is capable of flowing
Data Source
AI summary
A cold plate includes a bottom wall, a top wall, a side wall, an inlet, an outlet, and a blade group. The bottom wall includes a lower surface. The top wall covers an upper surface of the bottom wall. The side wall connects the bottom wall and the top wall, and defines a refrigerant flow path through which a refrigerant is capable of flowing into the refrigerant flow path through the inlet and out of the refrigerant flow path through the outlet. The blade group is in the refrigerant flow path, and includes linearly extending blades arranged in a direction intersecting an extending direction of the blades. A plurality of blade groups are arranged side by side with a gap in the extending direction of the blades, and a plurality of the inlets are correspondingly positioned with respect to the plurality of blade groups.