Vacuum Spray Evaporation Cooling for Compact PCB Heat Dissipation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cooling apparatuses for electronic elements, such as those in MIMO antenna systems, face challenges in efficiently dissipating heat while maintaining a compact size, as they rely on mechanical air-cooled heat dissipation structures that are cumbersome and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A cooling apparatus comprising a first chamber with a heat-generating element, a second chamber in a vacuum state, and an evaporation unit that sprays and evaporates a refrigerant using sensible and latent heat, reducing the need for extensive mechanical structures and enhancing heat dissipation performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If mechanical air-cooled heat dissipation structures are used, then heat dissipation function is provided, but the size and complexity of the cooling apparatus increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation performanceVSAvoidsize of cooling apparatus

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical air-cooled heat dissipation structures with a refrigerant-based evaporation system. The refrigerant is sprayed directly onto the heat-generating element, absorbing heat through evaporation and providing efficient cooling without requiring large mechanical heat sinks or fans.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the phase transition of the refrigerant from liquid to vapor during evaporation. This phase change absorbs significant latent heat from the heat-generating element, providing rapid and efficient heat dissipation in a compact form factor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

2Productivity

If the number of mechanical heat dissipation structures is increased to quickly dissipate heat, then heat dissipation speed improves, but the size of the apparatus increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation speedVSAvoidsize of cooling apparatus

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a refrigerant spraying system that delivers liquid refrigerant directly to the heat-generating element. The refrigerant flows in liquid form, absorbs heat rapidly through evaporation, and transforms to vapor, providing high-speed heat dissipation without requiring multiple large mechanical heat dissipation structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Volume of stationary object

If compact design is implemented to reduce size, then spatial utilization improves, but heat dissipation efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesize of cooling apparatusVSAvoidheat dissipation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

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 allows for rapid heat dissipation from electronic elements by leveraging the phase change of refrigerant, thereby minimizing the size and complexity of the cooling apparatus.

Implementation Method 1

evaporates the refrigerant, which is sprayed into the second chamber by the spray unit, by using sensible heat transferred from the first chamber to the evaporation unit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSensible heat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

evaporates the refrigerant, which is sprayed into the second chamber by the spray unit, by using sensible heat transferred from the first chamber to the evaporation unit and latent heat transferred from the evaporation unit to the second chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLatent heat transfer: Latent Heat

Implementation Method 3

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentUS12144149B2Cooling apparatus for electronic element

Publication Date: 2024.11.12 KMW INC

AI summary

A cooling apparatus for an electronic element includes a first chamber in a non-vacuum state, the first chamber being configured such that a printed circuit board equipped with a heat-generating element is disposed in the first chamber, a second chamber in a vacuum state, the second chamber being configured such that a spray unit configured to spray a refrigerant and a refrigerant supply unit configured to supply the refrigerant to the spray unit are disposed in the second chamber, and an evaporation unit disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber, in which the spray unit sprays the refrigerant, which is supplied by the refrigerant supply unit and condensed in the second chamber, into the second chamber, and in which the evaporation unit evaporates the refrigerant, which is sprayed into the second chamber by the spray unit.