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I can appreciate the thermal engineering that has gone into this. I have executed some extremely challenging thermal designs over time. They generally used he
by robomartin 3y ago
I can appreciate the thermal engineering that has gone into this. I have executed some extremely challenging thermal designs over time. They generally used heat transfer plates of the type shown in this video.
My largest design as approximately 23 x 12 inches. Maintaining thermal efficiency and uniformity across the entire surface is where the real challenge lies. We had an extremely tight uniformity specification (0.1 deg C). This could only be achieved through a complex design process that entailed writing genetic algorithms to evolve and test solutions using FEA. In the end it was a combination of sophisticated impingement cooling and other techniques that did the job. That project was seriously challenging. I like projects that absolutely kick my butt. This one definitely did.
- allenrb 3y agoCan you share anything more about the project? This sounds fascinating.
- robomartin 3y agoSadly, I can't share details or the application domain. I can tell you that we worked very hard to try and see if we could accomplish the objectives using forced air (fans). That effort involved laser-welded fins with sophisticated airflow management, techniques to break-up the boundary layer (which impedes optimal heat transfer) and powerful centrifugal fans. It worked well, yet it was large and sounded like a jet engine. Ultimately, while still complex, fluid-based thermal management offered a far more compact solution that could exist in a room with people not having to wear hearing protection. In addition to that, with a fluid-based system you can move the hot side to a different room.
- KMag 3y agoVery interesting, though a bit odd to contrast air cooling with fluid cooling, given it takes pretty extreme conditions for air to not be a fluid.
- drjasonharrison 3y agoGasses have a lot more opportunities to engage in turbulent flow and little corners of whirlpools, where heat transfer efficiency drop, than comparatively more viscous liquids.
- KMag 3y agoYes, I'm aware. My mechanical engineering undergrad program had 2 semesters of thermal fluids engineering. I'm just saying "We tried air cooling, but switched to fluid cooling" is an odd statement, since air would have been a fluid in their use case.
- robomartin 3y agoClearly I meant to say liquid. I think this was well understood by mst readers.