Venturi Flow Channel Heat Exchanger for Low Pressure Drop Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluidic heat exchangers in thermal management systems for power electronic devices face inefficiencies due to pressure drops and flowrate trade-offs, which affect thermal resistance and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A fluidic heat exchanger design featuring orthogonal flow dividers forming venturi flow channels with alternating flow restriction elements and expansion chambers, optimized for laminar coolant flow, which reduces thermal resistance and pressure drop while enhancing heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If coolant flow rate is increased to reduce thermal resistance, then thermal performance is improved, but pressure drop increases adding load to the coolant pump
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple parallel flow channels created by flow dividers, which segment the coolant flow into multiple paths. This segmentation allows the system to achieve higher total flow rate for heat removal while maintaining lower pressure drop in each individual channel, resolving the contradiction between thermal performance and pumping load.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow channels incorporate curved surfaces and rounded transitions instead of sharp angles, creating smoother flow paths that reduce turbulence and pressure losses. The curved geometry of the flow dividers and channel transitions enables laminar flow patterns that minimize energy losses while maintaining effective heat transfer.
2Temperature
If higher flow rate is used to decrease power device temperature, then thermal management is improved, but pumping power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the flow into multiple parallel channels, the system achieves higher total coolant flow rate for effective heat removal from power devices while the pressure drop in each channel remains manageable. This reduces the pumping power required compared to a single high-flow-rate channel design.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow channels are designed with specific geometric parameters including curved transitions, rounded corners, and optimized cross-sectional areas that promote laminar flow. These parameter optimizations reduce friction losses and turbulence, enabling lower pumping power consumption for the required heat transfer performance.
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 design achieves reduced thermal resistance, lower pumping pressure drop, and improved thermal conductivity, along with noise and vibration reduction, thereby increasing efficiency and power density.
Implementation Method 1
the plurality of flow dividers, the first plate, and the second plate form a plurality of venturi flow channels
Implementation Method 2
Each of the plurality of pins is fabricated from a thermally conductive material
Data Source
AI summary
A fluidic heat exchanger includes a first plate, an inlet port, an outlet port, and a plurality of flow dividers. The flow dividers are arranged orthogonal to the first plate and are arranged in parallel between the inlet port and the outlet port. The flow dividers and the first plate form a plurality of venturi flow channels that are arranged in parallel. The flow dividers are arranged into flow divider pairs, with a first of the flow dividers having a first surface defining a first waveform, and a second of the flow dividers having a second surface defining a second waveform. The second surface is symmetrically opposed to the first surface along a longitudinal axis. This arrangement defines the venturi flow channel, with the flow restriction elements and the expansion chambers being alternatingly arranged in series between the inlet port and the outlet port.