Thermal Venting Device With Pressurized Plenum And Varied Airflow Resistances
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling systems in modular computing devices face challenges in delivering adequate cooling air to electronic components, leading to potential performance and reliability degradation due to uneven heat dissipation among components.
Innovation Solution
A thermal venting device with a plenum and outlet ports, where an inlet fan pressurizes the plenum, and resistive elements with varied airflow resistances direct airflow specifically to each electronic component, ensuring tailored cooling based on temperature detection and airflow control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fans are provided to blow cooling air to cool electronic components, then cooling function is provided, but some components may not receive sufficient cooling air due to different heat generation levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different airflow resistances at different outlet ports to match the varying cooling requirements of different electronic components. Each outlet port is configured with a specific airflow resistance value that corresponds to the heat generation characteristics of its associated component, ensuring that components generating more heat receive more cooling air while components generating less heat receive proportionally less air.
2Temperature
If cooling air is delivered to multiple electronic components, then heat dissipation is achieved, but uneven heat dissipation occurs among components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements parameter changes by varying the airflow resistance parameter across different outlet ports. Each outlet port is assigned a specific airflow resistance value that is tailored to the thermal characteristics of its associated electronic component. This parameter variation enables precise control over the cooling air distribution, allowing the system to achieve uniform heat dissipation across components with different power consumption and heat generation profiles.
3Ease of operation
If a plenum with multiple outlet ports is used to direct airflow, then cooling air can be distributed to different components, but without resistive elements the airflow cannot be properly biased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes porous materials or resistive elements within the outlet ports to control airflow distribution. These resistive elements create different flow resistances that passively bias the airflow toward specific outlet ports based on their resistance characteristics. This approach enables the plenum structure to achieve sophisticated airflow control without requiring complex active control mechanisms, maintaining relative structural simplicity while enabling precise cooling air distribution.
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 ensures each electronic component receives the appropriate amount of cooling air, maintaining optimal temperatures and enhancing performance and reliability by addressing uneven heat dissipation.
Implementation Method 1
an inlet fan configured to pressurize the plenum
Implementation Method 2
each of the plurality of outlet ports including respective resistive elements having varied airflow resistances configured to bias airflow through the plurality of outlet ports
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal venting device is provided that includes a plenum including an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports, the plenum being substantially fluidically sealed except for the inlet port and the plurality of outlet ports, the inlet port including an inlet fan configured to pressurize the plenum, each of the plurality of outlet ports being configured to direct airflow from the pressurized plenum toward different electronic components of a plurality of electronic components, and each of the plurality of outlet ports including respective resistive elements having varied airflow resistances configured to bias airflow through the plurality of outlet ports.