Additive Manufactured Temperature Control Unit for Electronic Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature-control units for electronic components face sealing challenges and inefficiencies in heat transfer due to component tolerances and design limitations, leading to suboptimal cooling or heating performance.
Innovation Solution
A temperature-control unit with a housing featuring a channel system and nozzles that guide cooling fluid directly to the component's surface, incorporating a thin wall structure for efficient heat transfer, impact structures for fluid distribution, and a one-piece design produced using additive manufacturing, which includes a supporting structure for enhanced thermal dissipation and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional housing design with separate components is used, then assembly flexibility is improved, but sealing reliability deteriorates due to component tolerances and multiple sealing interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the housing, receptacle, and wall structure into a single integrated component produced by additive manufacturing. This eliminates multiple sealing interfaces between separate parts, thereby maintaining sealing reliability while still allowing assembly flexibility through the monolithic design that accommodates component tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The single housing component performs multiple functions: it provides structural support, forms the receptacle for the electronic component, creates the cavity for cooling fluid, and ensures sealing. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by achieving both assembly flexibility and sealing reliability through one integrated structure.
2Strength
If a thick wall structure is used in the housing, then structural strength is improved, but heat transfer efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different wall thicknesses in different regions of the housing. The wall structure has a reduced thickness (up to 5 mm or less in some embodiments) specifically in the regions where heat transfer occurs, while maintaining sufficient strength in non-critical areas. This local optimization allows efficient heat transfer from the electronic component through the wall to the cooling fluid while preserving structural integrity.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate components are used in the housing, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the housing, receptacle, wall structure, and cooling channels into a single additive-manufactured component. This reduces assembly complexity by eliminating the need to assemble multiple separate parts, while additive manufacturing itself provides manufacturing flexibility for complex geometries that would be difficult or impossible to produce with conventional manufacturing methods.
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 solution ensures reliable sealing, improved heat transfer efficiency, and flexible production, allowing for high cooling or heating performance even with component tolerances, while reducing material consumption and assembly complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a channel system for a fluid, in particular a cooling fluid... The cooling fluid is thereby guided through the nozzle... whose temperature is to be controlled
Implementation Method 2
the wall structure has a wall thickness of at most 1 mm... the inner wall surface of which forms an impact surface... and the outer wall surface of which is designed as part of the receptacle
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to heat and temperature control. The teachings thereof may be embodied in temperature-control units for electronic components. For example, a temperature-control unit may include: a housing defining a receptacle for the component and a channel system for a fluid. The channel system runs from an inlet via a nozzle and via a cavity to an outlet. The housing comprises a wall structure with an inner surface forming an impact surface situated opposite a nozzle mouth and an outer surface serving as part of the receptacle.