Sensor Cooling Device with Heat-Conducting Layer and Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor cooling devices face challenges in maintaining sensor temperature below critical thresholds in high-temperature environments due to large heat flow requirements, which can compromise measurement accuracy and sensitivity, and often have bulky designs that increase thermal contact areas and reduce responsiveness.
Innovation Solution
A sensor arrangement with a protective housing featuring a thermal insulation system using ceramic materials and heat pipes for efficient heat dissipation, where the insulation system includes an outer and inner cup-shaped insulation elements and an insulating layer, and heat pipes with capillary backflow for independent orientation, ensuring effective thermal coupling and reduced thermal resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a complex multi-layer housing structure with helical coolant flow paths is used to achieve effective cooling, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat-conducting layer as an intermediary component between the sensor element and the sensor carrier. This layer mediates heat transfer from the sensor element to the carrier, simplifying the overall cooling structure by eliminating the need for complex helical coolant flow paths within the housing. The heat-conducting layer directly conducts heat away from the sensor element, achieving effective cooling through a simpler thermal conduction mechanism rather than complex fluid dynamics.
2Temperature
If the detector element is arranged deep inside the housing to achieve sufficient cooling, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but measurement accuracy and response sensitivity deteriorate due to increased switching distances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat-conducting function from the housing structure and implements it as a separate heat-conducting layer directly coupled to the sensor element. This allows the sensor element to be positioned closer to the measurement area (reducing switching distances) while still achieving effective heat dissipation through the dedicated heat-conducting layer that connects to the thermally conductive sensor carrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling function is segmented into distinct components: the heat-conducting layer in direct contact with the sensor element, the thermally conductive sensor carrier, and the cooling device. This segmentation allows the sensor element to be optimally positioned for measurement accuracy while the thermal management functions are handled by specialized components, decoupling the positioning constraints.
3Power
If a cooling device with large radial dimensions is used to dissipate heat, then cooling capacity is improved, but the thermal contact area with the examination area increases, reducing responsiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing thermal conduction enhancement only in the critical area where the sensor element contacts the sensor carrier, rather than requiring a large-volume cooling device. The heat-conducting layer is specifically positioned at the sensor element location, providing localized heat extraction where it is most needed, thereby maintaining sensor responsiveness while achieving adequate heat dissipation.
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 effectively maintains the sensor temperature within safe limits, enhances measurement sensitivity, and reduces the risk of thermal damage while minimizing the cooling device's radial dimensions, thus improving responsiveness and accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
a heat-conducting layer in the base area, which is arranged between the sensor element and the object to be monitored and has an elevated temperature and is thermally connected to the sensor carrier
Implementation Method 2
a heat pipe device is provided, by means of which heat can be dissipated at least from the window area of the protective housing
Implementation Method 3
heat pipes with capillary backflow for independent orientation
Implementation Method 4
a thermal insulation system which comprises an outer cup-shaped insulation element, an inner cup-shaped insulation element arranged coaxially therewith and having a receptacle for the sensor element, and at least one insulating layer made of heat-insulating material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 2c~3a
AI summary
The invention relates to a cooling device (10) for a sensor (11) provided for detecting a physical variable e.g. path, angle, pressure, force, colour, structure etc, the operational temperature of said sensor not allowing a threshold value Ts to be exceeded. Said sensor surrounds a tubular-shaped sensor housing (14) which distributes the dissipated heat from the sensor (11) to a cooling body of the cooling device (10), and said sensor can be securely inserted in a firm manner onto one end of a tubular-shaped sensor support (16) based on the base form and made of a good heat-conducting material, the other end is coupled to the cooling body (17) via which heat is transferred to a coolant surrounding the cooling body or flowing there-through. According to the invention, a cylindrical pot shaped protective housing (26) surrounds the sensor support, displaying mechanical and also thermal protection, which is embodied as a window on the base area (26/1) adjacent to the sensor element, via which the measurement variable which is to be detected is reached whilst interacting with the sensor element (13). Said sensor support (16) is adapted to the protective housing (26) and the insulation layer thereof (29), such that the heat resistance (39) is much smaller than the heat resistance (38) of the insulation layer (29). A thermal pipe arrangement (50) is provided for thermally coupling the sensor support (16) and the cooling body (17).