Thermal Module With Copper-Embedded Aluminum Heat Pipes for Direct Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal modules face challenges in welding aluminum heat dissipation components due to oxidation, eutectic structure formation, and environmental pollution from chemical nickel plating, leading to poor connection and increased weight.
Innovation Solution
Replace chemical nickel plating with a copper embedding layer to facilitate direct welding between aluminum and other materials, using a copper embedding layer on the surfaces of aluminum components to enhance connection and reduce weight by replacing copper with aluminum.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If copper material is used for base seat and heat pipe, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but total weight increases and material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite structure where aluminum alloy is used for the heat pipe body to reduce weight, while copper embedding layers are applied at the welding surfaces to enable proper welding with copper base seat. This composite approach combines the lightweight advantage of aluminum with the welding compatibility of copper, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and heat dissipation efficiency.
2Weight of moving object
If aluminum material is used for base seat and heat pipe, then weight is reduced and material cost is reduced, but welding difficulty increases due to oxidation and eutectic structure formation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies copper embedding layers to the aluminum heat pipe surface before welding with the copper base seat. This preliminary action of embedding copper particles creates a transition layer that prevents oxidation and eutectic structure formation during welding, thereby enabling successful welding while maintaining the lightweight aluminum structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The copper embedding layer acts as an intermediary between the aluminum heat pipe and copper base seat. This intermediate layer facilitates welding by preventing direct aluminum-copper contact that would cause eutectic structure formation, while still enabling thermal and mechanical connection between the two materials.
3Ease of manufacture
If chemical nickel plating is used to modify aluminum surface for welding, then welding feasibility is improved, but environmental pollution increases due to toxic waste liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the expensive and environmentally harmful chemical nickel plating process with a copper embedding approach using copper particles and flux. This alternative method achieves the same welding facilitation goal without producing toxic cyanide-containing waste liquid, thereby eliminating environmental pollution while maintaining welding feasibility.
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
Facilitates secure welding of aluminum components without environmental pollution, reducing the thermal module's weight and cost while maintaining effective heat dissipation.
Implementation Method 1
the surface of the aluminum is easy to oxidize to produce oxide of high melting point in the welding process
Implementation Method 2
when the copper material is fused and welded with the aluminum material, eutectic structures such as CuAl2 are quite easy to form in the welding seam near the copper material side
Implementation Method 3
Copper has the property of high heat conductivity. Therefore, the conventional thermal module structure often employs copper base seat for directly contacting a heat source to absorb the heat generated by the heat source. The copper base seat then transfers the absorbed heat to the heat pipe
Implementation Method 4
The copper base seat then transfers the absorbed heat to the heat pipe for speeding heat conduction
Implementation Method 5
U-shaped aluminum heat pipe (2), an aluminum radiating fin assembly (3) and a copper embedding layer (4)... The heat absorption section (21) is positioned in the first heat pipe receiving channel (121)
Implementation Method 6
radiating fins for increasing heat dissipation area and enhancing heat dissipation efficiency
Implementation Method 7
The aluminum radiating fin assembly (3) has multiple radiating fins (31). A heat dissipation flow way (32) is defined between each two adjacent radiating fins (31)
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal module includes a copper base seat, at least one U-shaped aluminum heat pipe, an aluminum radiating fin assembly and a copper embedding layer. The copper base seat has a heat absorption side and a heat conduction side. The heat absorption side or the heat conduction side is recessed to form at least one first heat pipe receiving channel. The U-shaped aluminum heat pipe has a horizontal section as a heat absorption section and two vertical sections as condensation sections. The heat absorption section is positioned in the first heat pipe receiving channel. The aluminum radiating fin assembly has multiple radiating fins. The copper embedding layer is disposed on a surface of the heat absorption section of the U-shaped aluminum heat pipe. By means of the copper embedding layer, two different materials can be directly welded.