Unified Liquid Cooling Heat Solution

The objective of this Senior Design project is to design a thermal management system for a multi-kilowatt, multi-phase, power converter based around a unified thermal core with liquid cooling. This will require that the semiconductor transistor dies to be removed from the normal packaging found in a commercial device to maximize heat transfer to the thermal core and into the coolant. We will adapt a heat sink to the newly configured shape and use math models and simulation to fine the optimum design. After completion of this modeling we will be manufacturing a sink and then using experimental methods to determine the best option for our Heat sink to properly manage the systems waist heat as efficiently as possible.

Problem Statement
The objective of this Senior Design project is to design a thermal management system for a multi-kilowatt, multi-phase, power converter based around a unified thermal core with liquid cooling. –Rachel Peterson

The first phase of the process will be designing a heat sink to fit within the constraints for the thermal and physical properties defined by board configuration and MOSFET placement.

The second phase will be focused around testing for the purpose of refining heat dissipation, functionality, and efficiency.

Project Goals
Our Project Goals are to Complete a robust heat removal system to fit within the constraints required by the project. We will design the heat sink to be able attach securely to the MOSFETS with a pressure of at least 10 PSI.The current goal is to explore natural convection if this is not feasible forced convection will be explored. We hope to be able to manufacture the Heat sink in house, but will evaluate all options. In addition we will preform tests and gather on the various sinks both as simulation and in an experimental capacity, with the aim of finding the optimum solution.

Heat Sink CAD Design
We began my making various solidmodels of our heat sink based on the mechanical specifications. We ended up with 4 basic models which we presented at the Snapshot day. We tried to maximize the surface are of the heat sink while deceasing the weight and making it machinable. Currently two of these models, the triangular design and crossed fin design, are being simulated as potential candidates. If favorable data is found then machining will begin on each model.

We have since narrowed down our designs to include the Triangular Sink Design and the Cross Hatched Sink Design.

Heat Sink Math Modeling and Simulations
We began by creating models to determine how much heat the sinks would need to draw as well as how air would flow through them. Grad student Rachel Peterson has been modeling these designs and helping us determine there eligibility as working heat sinks.

Manufacturing
After choosing our Final Two Air Cooled Heat Sink Designs we began to finalize there drawing and determine how we would manufacture them

Triangular Heat sink
We began with the triangular heat sink using a slitting saw. Manufactured one of the side of the sink with the new blades. Still using approximately 1 mm blades and .8 mm gaps. It worked well with only small user error in manufacturing. When manufacturing second side teeth on the blade broke off due to moving too fast through the material.The lesson we learned was that saw blade metal is extremely bridle and this plus the fact that our saw blades our incredibly thin means that ours are very easy to damage. This means we had to take lots of care with how we manufacture the last few sinks.

Cross Hatched Heat Sink
For the next iteration of the air Cooled sinks we plan to look at our second design option. Originally we had narrowed down our designs to the Triangular air sinks, which we chose as the primary sink design and the slotted alternating sinks. We have found though that the triangular sinks are very rigorous to machine as they take a lot of time and have little room for error. Therefore we began to look into the second design option as an option for testing. After a few modifications we came up with our final crosshatched heat sink design, based around the shops capability. We were able to crate a Mastercam code for the sink and then manufacture 4 of them side by side on the shops Hass Mill.

Redesigned Cross Hatched Heat Sink
After making and testing the crosshatched sink we decided to do a redesign that would work better with a 2 fan configuration and better fit the air inlet. To do this we increased the fin and slot width and decreased the height, as well as decrease the number of slots and fins and draw then closer to the center. While this did add some weight, it also allowed us to make the sink better fit the second fan and reduce pressure loss, as well as better fit the boards air intake.

Drilled Heat Sink
We were partway through machining our first air cooling system, when one of our partners in the project on the electrical side asked if we could make him a rough sink so that he could begin to test his setup for the MOSFET's and board. We brainstormed the quickest sink we could imagine manufacturing and then spend an afternoon in the shop quickly creating a drilled heat sink. So fars it has appeared to meet his needs.

MOSFET Brackets
We Ran into issues with attaching the MOSFET brackets. Holes in the block for attaching cold plate interfered with placement. So we came up with 3 designs to replace the old design. We finally settled on a design that interconnected the ends of each of the bracket sides. Next we drafted brackets in solid works then machined. So for it has worked well to secure MOSFET’s to the heat sink, although they did need to be altered once.

Case
We designed using Solidworks. We used different brackets due to availability. Cut 20 gauge sheet metal to 8 x 12 in sheets for the sides and 8 x 8 for the top and bottom. Brackets connect the sides together as well as the bottom. Brackets were machined to mount and secure the board and the MOSFETS to the case.

Experimental Designs
For our experimentation we planed to use a combination of thermocouples and thermal imaging cameras to best test how well the Heat sink operates within the system. We plan to encase the the board and sink and using a controlled environment model how well each Heat sink works.Test both systems (air and water) outside of the case in the senior design suite the temperature is relatively constant. We can establish basic ground readings and finalize testing steps and procedures. Thermal imaging as well as thermal couples places in key locations on the system will be used to gather data that can describe system variables. Variable and steady state power will be supplied to the MOSFETS to get multiple data points at involving different scenarios. The Variables we are looking at include:

-System Variables Energy efficiency – 7/10 Steady Temp of the mosfets-9/10 Weight-6/10 Maintenance-5/10

-Variables to measure during testing Power Input Heat Dissipation Thermal imaging Thermal couples

In addition we need to look at how to balance and compare Air vs. Water Systems. Some possible modifications we might need to make after testing are Aluminum/acrylic body, Different brackets, Case design to make modifications easier, and to Change inlet outlet locations. Models such as the one shown below have been made modeling the case for the experimental design. The case for the experimental design is also shown.

Liquid Cooling Option
There is a possibility that we may switch to using a liquid cooled system if we don't get favorable results with our air cooled system. we have begin looking into the alternative of a liquid cooled system and how we might implement one into our system. There are various considerations that need to be taken into account if we switch to a liquid cooling system.These are: Mass Considerations- Switching to a liquid cooling system will greatly increase our weight. We plan to try to choose a design that minimizes our added weight and stays within our limit. Leak considerations- liquid cooling has a much greater risk of issues like leaks and pump failure. We plan to make sure everything stands up to durability testing. Size considerations- there is an added increase in size with new components being added. We plan to redesign the case to compensate for this increase in size and minimize it. Thermoelectric generator considerations- If excess cooling capacity is achieved a Thermoelectric generator may be added to convert waist heat to power. Will design case to integrate generator design and minimize size effects. So far Water cooling system has been assembled and tested, and It appears to be functioning properly. The system was tested using 5 volt input and pumped water through the system fine but seemed a bit  	sluggish. The pump requires a 6-12 volt input and it is believed that this will enable greater flow rate.

Testing
We....

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