Segmented Heatsink Cavity for Liquid Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing liquid-cooling conduits with internal structures to enhance heat transfer is challenging due to complex design requirements.
Innovation Solution
A heatsink with an internal cavity featuring staggered arrays of fins on two interconnected parts, allowing for efficient coolant flow and thermal energy dissipation, manufactured through casting techniques using aluminum parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conduits are designed with internal structures to improve heat transfer, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heatsink is divided into two separate castable parts (first part and second part) that are manufactured independently and then assembled. Each part contains a portion of the fin array, allowing the complex internal fin structures to be created through simpler casting processes rather than attempting to form the entire structure in one piece.
Solution Approach 2:
The fins from the first part and second part are nested together when assembled, with the fins of one part fitting among the fins of the other part. This nesting arrangement creates the complex internal heat transfer structures while allowing each component to be manufactured separately using standard casting techniques.
2Temperature
If fins are arranged in staggered arrays to enhance cooling efficiency, then heat dissipation performance is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The staggered fin array is segmented across two parts, with each part containing a portion of the staggered pattern. This segmentation allows the complex staggered arrangement to be achieved through assembly of simpler individual components rather than requiring a single complex structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The first array of fins and second array of fins are merged when the two parts are assembled together. The merging of these two fin arrays creates the complete staggered pattern that enhances cooling efficiency while keeping individual components manufacturable.
3Device complexity
If a single complex conduit is used for liquid cooling, then thermal management is simplified, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal management system is segmented into two castable parts that are manufactured separately with standard precision requirements. By dividing the single complex conduit into two simpler parts, the manufacturing precision requirements for each individual part are reduced while maintaining the overall thermal management functionality through assembly.
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
The heatsink effectively enhances heat transfer and thermal energy dissipation, providing a balanced thermal mass and efficient cooling solution for electronic components, suitable for applications like electric vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
Heat is absorbed by the air/coolant as it passes by the heated region, and thermal energy is then dissipated from the cooling medium
Implementation Method 2
the coolant is usually circulated through one or more conduits that are designed to absorb the generated heat and transfer it to the medium flowing inside
Data Source
AI summary
A heatsink with an internal cavity for liquid cooling includes: a first part having a first group of fins extending into the internal cavity; a second part attached to the first part so that the internal cavity is formed, the second part having a second group of fins that extend into the internal cavity and that are configured to fit among the first group of fins; an inlet into the internal cavity on at least one of the first and second parts; and an outlet from the internal cavity on at least one of the first and second parts.