3 ms·

Can you share anything more about the project? This sounds fascinating.

• robomartin 3y ago
  Sadly, 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 ago
    Very 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 ago
      Gasses 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 ago
        Yes, 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 ago
          Clearly I meant to say liquid. I think this was well understood by mst readers.