Spray Cooling Heat Exchanger for Passive Coolant Condensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dry thermal management technologies are inadequate for cooling modern high-end electronics, and existing multiple-phase thermal management systems face inefficiencies in thermally managing coolant, particularly in terms of heat rejection and space utilization.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger system with a thermal management unit, release valve, and heat exchanger connected to return liquid coolant, which passively rejects heat and centralizes condensation, using spray cooling technology and dielectric fluids to efficiently manage coolant within multiple-phase thermal management systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional dry thermal management technology is used, then the system structure is simple, but it is inadequate for cooling modern high-end electronics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs phase transition of dielectric coolant from liquid to vapor state during spray cooling process. The coolant absorbs heat during evaporation and is then condensed back to liquid in the heat exchanger, creating an efficient thermal management cycle that provides superior cooling effectiveness for high-end electronics while maintaining reasonable system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes spray cooling technology where dielectric coolant is sprayed onto hot surfaces as a liquid, and the vaporized coolant is then managed through pneumatic/hydraulic principles in the heat exchanger. This approach achieves effective cooling of modern electronics with a complexity level that is manageable and practical
2Reliability
If existing multiple-phase thermal management systems are used, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but heat rejection efficiency and space utilization are inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is designed to passively reject heat from the vaporized dielectric coolant without requiring additional active cooling components. The system uses natural convection and phase change principles to self-manage heat rejection, improving heat rejection efficiency while reducing energy loss and maintaining compact space utilization
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger utilizes phase transition from vapor to liquid state of the dielectric coolant to efficiently reject heat. As the vaporized coolant condenses, it releases latent heat that is passively dissipated, significantly improving heat rejection efficiency without requiring additional energy input or occupying excessive space
3Reliability
If existing multiple-phase thermal management systems are used, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger design merges the condensation and heat rejection functions into a single integrated component. By combining these functions and utilizing passive heat rejection mechanisms, the system achieves effective cooling while reducing the overall volume and space requirements compared to conventional multi-phase thermal management 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
The system effectively passively rejects heat, reduces space requirements, and allows for smaller fluid transfer pathways, providing efficient thermal management while being less expensive and adaptable to various multiple-phase systems.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the release valve and to the thermal management unit to return liquid coolant to the thermal management unit
Implementation Method 2
Spray cooling technology is being adopted today as the most efficient option for thermally managing electronic systems
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger system for efficiently thermally managing coolant within a multiple-phase thermal management system. The heat exchanger system includes a thermal management unit, a release valve within the thermal management unit to release vaporized coolant, and a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the release valve and to the thermal management unit to return liquid coolant to the thermal management unit.