Technologies

The Need

Trends towards higher speed, higher power consumption and denser packaging of electronic components, have generated a need for effective Thermal Management solutions. The reliable performance of the component and long life are directly related to effectively controlling its junction temperature within specific limits.

In special applications, due to enclosure miniaturization, there is a need for an effective cooling solution that removes high heat flux by a very small heat exchange element. Due to the height limitation, even the most efficient air cooled heat sinks, not to mention liquid coolers, are insufficient. The only way to solve such a problem is to transport the heat from the component to an outer area, where cooling fins can be located. In some cases, in order to dissipate the heat produced by a component, it is necessary to spread it uniformly throughout the heat sink’s base plate.

The Solution – Heat Pipes or Vapor Chambers

The best solution for isothermal heat transfer is to utilize a Heat Pipe or a vapor chamber. Heat Pipes & vapor chambers have an inherent thermal conductivity which, if properly designed, can reach more than 1000 times that of copper the same size. A Heat Pipe or vapor chamber consists of a vacuumed sealed metal container (usually copper or aluminum), whose inner surfaces are made of a capillary wicking material. Inside the container is a small quantity of liquid, usually water, under its own pressure, that enters the pores of the capillary material, wetting internal surfaces. Applying heat at any point along the surface causes the liquid to boil and enter a vapor state. When that happens, the liquid picks up the latent heat of vaporization. The gas, having a higher pressure, moves inside the sealed container to a colder location where it condenses. Thus, the gas gives up the latent heat of vaporization and moves heat from the input to the output end of the Heat Pipe or the vapor chamber. Due to high efficient heat transfer by phase transformation, heat fluxes inside a Heat Pipe & vapor chambers are considerable and temperature gradients are very small.

In themselves, Heat Pipes or vapor chambers do not function as heat sinks or cold plates. They can be part of a complete cooling solution, designed to move the heat efficiently from the heat-generating device to another location where an air or liquid stream can take the heat away. Heat Pipes & vapor chambers can be designed and manufactured in various shapes and sizes to fit the customer’s specific needs and requirements.

Heat Pipes & vapor chambers Advantages

Ability to relocate the heat sink away from the device that needs to be cooled.
Reduced volume and weight.
Reliability – Long product life (more than 10 years), no moving parts.
Ability to operate in any environmental conditions, including the absence of gravitation.
Uses no outside power for heat transfer

Double Check’s Capabilities

Double Check’s expert engineers provide you with a complete Heat Pipe or vapor chamber based cooling system, designed to fit your exact requirements. A typical design process includes the following stages: Analysis of the actual thermal problem – in order to define the required solution. The data gathered in this phase enables our engineers to estimate the parameters of the suitable Heat Pipe or the vapor chamber (such as working liquid, case material, tube diameter, porous capillary structure and case wall thickness). In order to define the cooling fins’ structure, we need the following data: number, dimensions and power dissipation of each component to be cooled, maximum allowable component’s case temperature, maximum ambient air temperature, and air convection conditions. Based on this information, Double Check can obtain the characteristics of the suitable fins’ parameters.

Complete Custom-Made Solutions

Continuous innovations in the Power Electronic Packaging industry demand equally continuous improvements in Thermal Management. The design time cycles are decreasing in view of the competitive marketplace. Moreover, modern thermal demands may require the combination of one or more cooling technologies. Double Check has it all! Its strong multi-disciplinary engineering skills enable Double Check to offer complete, reliable, cost-effective and highly efficient solutions for various applications. Double Check specializes in design and production of a range of Thermal Management products, among which are: Heat Sinks, Cold Plates, Thermoelectric Systems Heat Pipes and vapor chambers. Double Check is prepared to apply any Thermal Management discipline to meet your requirements.