Vapor Vortex Heat Sink for High Flux Waste Heat Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for waste heat extraction from high heat flux electronic components, such as CPUs, face limitations in heat flux capacity due to vapor bubbles forming at heating surfaces, which impede heat transfer and require external pumping mechanisms, while conventional Rankine cycles rely on external work input.
Innovation Solution
A hermetic Rankine cycle with an internal turbine and pump, utilizing an organic working fluid to power the system, where forced convection boiling creates a vapor vortex that swirls and condenses within a sealed casing, minimizing heat exchange between vapor and condensate and eliminating the need for external pumping, thereby maximizing heat flux and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pool boiling is used for waste heat extraction, then heat flux can be achieved, but vapor bubbles form at the heating surface and impede heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts vapor bubbles from the heating surface by introducing a wick structure that draws liquid away from the surface, preventing vapor accumulation and maintaining high heat flux through continuous liquid contact
Solution Approach 2:
The wick acts as an intermediary between the heat source and coolant, facilitating heat transfer while preventing direct vapor-liquid contact that would impede heat flux. The wick's capillary action mediates the transport of liquid to the heating surface
2Productivity
If forced convection liquid cooling is used, then heat flux increases significantly, but external pumping mechanisms are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses thermosiphon convection where heated liquid naturally rises and cooled liquid sinks, creating self-sustaining circulation without external pumps. The density difference driven by temperature gradient provides the forcing mechanism for continuous heat extraction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic flow patterns where liquid circulation adapts to heat load variations. The natural convection currents automatically adjust their intensity based on temperature differences, providing responsive cooling without mechanical control systems
3Loss of energy
If vapor is allowed to accumulate at the heating surface, then phase change heat transfer occurs, but superheating makes condensation harder and reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The wick structure enables vapor to rapidly move away from the heating surface through capillary channels, preventing vapor accumulation and superheating. The system skips the problematic vapor accumulation phase by continuously replacing vapor with fresh liquid through capillary action
Solution Approach 2:
The wick's porous structure provides numerous capillary channels that facilitate rapid liquid transport and vapor removal. The porous material's capillary pressure gradient drives liquid to the heating surface and allows vapor to escape, preventing superheat buildup
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 enables high heat flux transfer without external work input, efficiently extracting waste heat as latent heat through a vapor vortex, enhancing cooling power and reducing energy consumption, while preventing vapor from forming insulating bubbles on the heating surface.
Implementation Method 1
Forced convection boiling creates a vapor vortex that swirls and condenses within a sealed casing
Implementation Method 2
utilizing an organic working fluid to power the system, where forced convection boiling creates a vapor vortex
Implementation Method 3
a vapor vortex that swirls and condenses within a sealed casing
Implementation Method 4
efficiently extracting waste heat as latent heat through a vapor vortex
Implementation Method 5
The vapor vortex heat sink utilizes the organized turbulence of hurricanes, which is due to heat flow alone, to sustain mass flow and power the pump
Implementation Method 6
Heat exchange between the vapor and the returning condensate should be avoided so that there may be heat flux from the hot chip to the heat rejection means as directly as possible
Data Source
AI summary
A hermetic Rankine cycle in a sealed casing powers an internal centrifugal condensate pump with an internal vapor turbine during forced convective heat transfer between a heat source and a heat sink. No work is imported into the cycle during operation. A centrifugal pumping disk shears the working fluid against a heating surface, sweeping evolving vapor into radial vortices which provide sink flow conduits to a vapor space at the center of the cylindrical turbine. Convective mass flow through the vapor space to the condensing end of the casing spins the turbine and the centrifugal pumping disk which is connected to it. Vapor is continuously swept from the heating surface, so bubbles do not form and superheat while blocking heat flux into liquid working fluid. Vapor is sucked through the radial vortices into the central vapor space and into the condensing end of the casing along the low pressure gradients in vortex cores established by cooling power. A high heat flux surface is thereby thermally connected to a conventional heat sink having high cooling power, for maximal heat extraction at data centers or other heat sources. Vapor vortices organize counterflow of vapor and condensate in a continuous mass flow cycle, and extract work from heat. Organic working fluids can be used in the casing to make even low temperature waste heat a power source.