Shared Heat Exchanger for Pluggable Optical Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-density network pluggable optical modules face challenges in cooling due to increased heat generation with higher transmission rates, leading to inefficiencies in heat dissipation and limited cooling capabilities, especially when adjacent ports are not populated, resulting in wasted heat exchanger space.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a shared heat exchanger integrated into a module with a faceplate and cage assemblies, where springs press pluggable optical modules against the heat exchanger, ensuring thermal contact and minimizing thermal resistance, and allowing for increased finned area interaction with cooling air or liquid cooling configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual heatsinks are used for each pluggable optical module, then thermal contact is ensured for each module, but heat exchanger space is wasted when adjacent ports are not populated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual heatsinks into a single shared heat exchanger structure that serves multiple pluggable optical modules. This merging approach eliminates wasted heat exchanger space when adjacent ports are not populated, while maintaining thermal contact through spring-loaded cage assemblies that press modules against the shared heat exchanger surface.
2Productivity
If higher transmission rates are used on optical ports, then data transmission capability is improved, but heat generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of increased heat generation from higher transmission rates into a beneficial thermal management solution. By providing a shared heat exchanger with extended finned areas and spring-loaded thermal contact mechanisms, the system effectively dissipates the additional heat produced by high-speed optical modules, enabling higher transmission rates without thermal overload.
3Area of stationary object
If dense packing of pluggable module cages is implemented, then space utilization is improved, but cooling capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the cooling limitation in densely packed cages by extending the heat exchanger structure in the vertical dimension with extended finned areas. This dimensional extension provides increased surface area for heat dissipation without occupying additional horizontal space, thereby maintaining dense packing while improving cooling capability.
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 enhances cooling efficiency by ensuring thermal contact between pluggable optical modules and the heat exchanger, optimizing the use of available heat exchanger space and reducing cooling complexity, even when higher-rate modules are not adjacent, thereby improving overall heat dissipation and system performance.
Implementation Method 1
a first wall extending from the front face, the first wall including a heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
optimizing the use of available heat exchanger space and reducing cooling complexity, thereby improving overall heat dissipation
Data Source
AI summary
A module for multiple network pluggable optics is disclosed. The module includes a Printed Circuit Board (PCB); a faceplate connected to the PCB; a plurality of cage assemblies connected to the PCB, each cage assembly is configured to receive a pluggable optical module via a corresponding opening in the faceplate; and a shared heat exchanger that is integrally formed and substantially covers the plurality of cage assemblies, wherein the shared heat exchanger is configured to cool multiple pluggable optics in the plurality of cage assemblies.