Patent Application
20240068755
The disclosed embodiments relate generally to aerogels and in particular to heat transfer devices that include aerogels.
Thermal management plays an important role in operation of electronic devices. Several electrical or electronic components generate heat during operation, and excessive heat can impair the performance of electronic devices, including reduced reliability and premature failure.
Conventionally, heat transfer devices, such as heat sinks and heat pipes, have been used to transfer heat generated by electrical or electronic components.
Conventional heat transfer devices release heat in locations that are not desirable for dissipating heat. For example, conventional heat transfer devices may form thermal hotspots, which may reduce the overall performance of electronic devices and may cause other undesirable outcomes (e.g., overheating of the electronic devices in locations that may be contacted by a user).
Accordingly, there is a need for heat transfer devices with the ability to select locations of heat dissipation.
Aerogels, and in particular silica aerogels, exhibit low thermal conductivity making them useful as insulative materials. Aerogels can be used to reduce thermal hotspots or combined with high thermal conductivity materials to form a heat extraction tunnel without affecting the ambient atmosphere, and therefore, the ambient temperature. Such materials can be useful in reducing hotspot temperatures and cooling components in computers, electronics, energy storage systems (ESS), and data centers.
In accordance with some embodiments, a device includes a first insulation layer that includes aerogels and binder. In some embodiments, the device also includes a first thermally conductive layer.
The above deficiencies and other problems associated with conventional heat transfer devices are reduced or eliminated by the devices disclosed herein. Various embodiments within the scope of the appended claims each have several aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for the attributes describe herein. Without limiting the scope of the appended claims, after considering this disclosure, and particularly after considering the section entitled “Detailed Description,” one will understand how the aspects of various embodiments are used to provide improved heat transfer devices.
In order that the present disclosure can be understood in greater detail, a more particular description is made in reference to the features of various embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. The appended drawings, however, merely illustrate the more pertinent features of the present disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting, for the description may admit to other effective features.
In accordance with common practice, the various features illustrated in the drawings may not be drawn to scale. Accordingly, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. In addition, some of the drawings may not depict all of the components of a given system, method or device. Finally, like reference numerals may be used to denote like features throughout the specification and figures.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous non-limiting specific details are set forth to assist in understanding the subject matter presented herein. It will be apparent, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art that various alternatives may be used without departing from the scope of the claims, and that the subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and systems have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments. In addition, features described with respect to particular embodiments, may be combined with features described with respect to other embodiments without limitation, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
The device includes a first insulation layer 102 that comprises aerogels and binder.
As described above, the aerogels have low thermal conductivity. In some embodiments, the first insulation layer has a thermal conductivity of less than 30 mW/m·K at 25° C.
The first insulation layer may be characterized by its length, width, and height. The first insulation layer has the length and the width, which are greater than its height. In some embodiments, the length and the width are at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100 times greater than the height.
In some embodiments, the first insulation layer has a shape of a sheet. For example, in some configurations, the length and the width are substantially the same. In some configurations, the length is not greater than 2, 3, 4, or 5 times the width. In some configurations, the width is not greater than 2, 3, 4, or 5 times the length.
In some embodiments, the first insulation layer has a shape of a strip. For example, in some configurations, the length is substantially greater than the width (or the width is substantially greater than the length). In some configurations, the length is greater than 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, or 20 times the width. In some configurations, the width is greater than 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, or 20 times the length.
In some embodiments, the device also includes a first thermally conductive layer 104.
In some embodiments, the first thermally conductive layer is in contact with the first insulation layer, as shown in
The first thermally conductive layer may be characterized by its length, width, and height. The first thermally conductive layer has the length and the width, which are greater than its height. In some embodiments, the length and the width are at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100 times greater than the height.
In some embodiments, the first thermally conductive layer has a shape of a sheet. For example, in some configurations, the length and the width are substantially the same. In some configurations, the length is not greater than 2, 3, 4, or 5 times the width. In some configurations, the width is not greater than 2, 3, 4, or 5 times the length.
In some embodiments, the first thermally conductive layer has a shape of a strip. For example, in some configurations, the length is substantially greater than the width (or the width is substantially greater than the length). In some configurations, the length is greater than 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, or 20 times the width. In some configurations, the width is greater than 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, or 20 times the length.
In some embodiments, the first thermally conductive layer has the same shape as the first insulation layer. In some embodiments, the first thermally conductive layer has a shape distinct from the shape of the first insulation layer.
In some embodiments, the first thermally conductive layer includes one or more of: graphite, pyrolytic graphite, aluminum, or copper. In some embodiments, any thermally conductive layer described herein includes one or more of: graphite, pyrolytic graphite, aluminum, or copper.
In some embodiments, the second insulation layer 112 has the same thermal conductivity as that of the first insulation layer 102 (e.g., the second insulation layer 112 has the same composition of aerogels and binders as that of the first insulation layer 102). In some embodiments, the second insulation layer 112 and the first insulation layer 102 have different thermal conductivities (e.g., the second insulation layer 112 has a composition of aerogels and binders different from that of the first insulation layer 102).
In some embodiments, the second insulation layer 112 is in contact with the first thermally conductive layer. In some embodiments, the second insulation layer 112 is not in contact with the first thermally conductive layer (e.g., an adhesive layer may be located between the second insulation layer and the first thermally conductive layer).
In some embodiments, the second thermally conductive layer 114 is in contact with the second insulation layer 112. In some embodiments, the second thermally conductive layer 114 is not in contact with the second insulation layer 112.
In some embodiments, the third insulation layer 122 is in contact with the second thermally conductive layer 114. In some embodiments, the third insulation layer 122 is not in contact with the second thermally conductive layer 114.
In some embodiments, the first thermally conductive layer 104 and the second thermally conductive layer 114 form multiple heat extraction paths (e.g.,
In some embodiments, the heat transfer component includes one or more of: heat pipe, vapor chamber, or thermosiphon.
In some embodiments, the device further includes a hollow tube for allowing flow of liquid or gas for heat extraction. For example, as shown in
In some embodiments, the hollow tube includes aluminum, copper, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In some embodiments, the hollow tube consists of any combination of aluminum, copper, PVC, PE, or PET.
In some embodiments, the device is mounted in an electronic device so that the first thermally conductive layer faces a heat source.
In some embodiments, the device is mounted in an electronic device so that the first insulation layer faces a heat source.
It will also be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first layer could be termed a second layer, and, similarly, a second layer could be termed a first layer, without changing the meaning of the description, so long as all occurrences of the “first layer” are renamed consistently and all occurrences of the second layer are renamed consistently. The first layer and the second layer are both layers, but they are not the same layer, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the claims. As used in the description of the embodiments and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
As used herein, the phrase “at least one of A, B and C” is to be construed to require one or more of the listed items, and this phase reads on a single instance of A alone, a single instance of B alone, or a single instance of C alone, while also encompassing combinations of the listed items such as “one or more of A and one or more of B without any of C,” and the like.
As used herein, the term “if” may be construed to mean “when” or “upon” or “in response to determining” or “in accordance with a determination” or “in response to detecting,” that a stated condition precedent is true, depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined [that a stated condition precedent is true]” or “if [a stated condition precedent is true]” or “when [a stated condition precedent is true]” may be construed to mean “upon determining” or “in response to determining” or “in accordance with a determination” or “upon detecting” or “in response to detecting” that the stated condition precedent is true, depending on the context.
The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed concurrently herewith, entitled “Aerogel Heat Extraction Apparatus for Data Centers and Energy Storage Systems,” (Attorney Docket Number 130807-5002-US), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
