Stacked Radiator Channel Layout for Lower Pressure Drop
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radiator assemblies experience increased pressure drop due to aligned fin orientations in stacked radiators, leading to reduced airflow and degraded cooling performance.
Innovation Solution
The radiator apparatus features stacked radiators with alternating channel orientations and optional gaps between adjacent radiators, allowing airflow to change direction and reduce pressure drop.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If radiators are stacked together with aligned fin orientations to increase heat transfer area, then the heat transfer area is improved, but the pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by alternating the fin orientations between adjacent radiators in the stack. While each individual radiator maintains symmetric fin design, the relative orientation between stacked radiators is asymmetric (alternating directions), which disrupts the cumulative pressure drop effect while preserving total heat transfer area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of orientation variation in the vertical stacking direction. Instead of maintaining uniform fin orientation across all radiators, the system varies the orientation angle along the vertical axis, creating a three-dimensional flow pattern that reduces pressure accumulation while maintaining effective heat transfer surface area.
2Area of stationary object
If radiators are stacked together with aligned fin orientations to increase heat transfer area, then the heat transfer area is improved, but the airflow is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By alternating fin orientations in adjacent radiators, the system creates asymmetric airflow paths that prevent flow stagnation and maintain consistent airflow velocity through the entire radiator stack, thereby preserving productivity while maximizing heat transfer area.
Solution Approach 2:
The alternating orientation pattern introduces vertical dimension variation to the airflow path, creating a more complex three-dimensional flow pattern that enhances air distribution across all radiators in the stack, preventing bypass flows and maintaining high productivity.
3Area of stationary object
If radiators are stacked together with aligned fin orientations to increase heat transfer area, then the heat transfer area is improved, but the cooling performance is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The alternating fin orientation pattern creates asymmetric thermal flow paths that prevent hot spots and ensure uniform heat distribution across all radiators in the stack, thereby maintaining reliable cooling performance while maximizing the heat transfer area.
Solution Approach 2:
By varying fin orientations along the vertical dimension, the system creates multi-directional heat transfer paths that enhance thermal efficiency and ensure consistent cooling performance across the entire radiator assembly, preventing performance degradation despite increased stacking.
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 configuration enhances airflow efficiency and cooling performance by minimizing pressure drop and enabling effective heat transfer.
Implementation Method 1
Heat from, for example, a computing system is transferred to the radiator assembly 100 with fluid as a medium. The heat from the fluid is then dissipated through the surface area of the radiator assembly 100 by another fluid, such as forced air, which is often referred to as forced convection or the convective fluid.
Implementation Method 2
The orientations of the channels in adjacent radiators differ such that a direction of the fluid passing through the plurality of radiators changes between adjacent radiators. This configuration enhances airflow efficiency and cooling performance by minimizing pressure drop
Data Source
AI summary
A radiator apparatus and a radiator assembly include a plurality of radiators stacked together such that a fluid passing through the radiator apparatus passes through each radiator of the plurality of radiators. Each radiator has fins spanning across a thickness of the radiator. The fins define channels for the fluid to flow through the radiator. The channels have respective orientations in the plurality of radiators. The orientations of the channels in adjacent radiators differ such that a direction of the fluid passing through the plurality of radiators changes between adjacent radiators.