Thermoelectric-enhanced, inlet air-cooled thermal conductors
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- providing a cooling apparatus for cooling one or more heat-dissipating components within an electronics enclosure, the electronics enclosure comprising an air inlet side through which an airflow ingresses into the electronics enclosure, the providing of the cooling apparatus comprising;
providing a thermal conductor to couple to the one or more heat-dissipating components within the electronics enclosure, the thermal conductor comprising;
a first conductor portion to couple to the one or more heat-dissipating components to conduct heat therefrom; and
a second conductor portion to position along the air inlet side of the electronics enclosure, wherein in operation, the first conductor portion transfers heat, at least in part, from the one or more heat-dissipating components to the second conductor portion;
coupling at least one air-cooled heat sink to the second conductor portion of the thermal conductor to facilitate transfer of heat from the second conductor portion to the airflow ingressing into the electronics enclosure;
providing at least one thermoelectric device coupled to at least one of the first conductor portion or the second conductor portion of the thermal conductor to selectively provide active auxiliary cooling to the thermal conductor; and
providing a controller to control operation of the at least one thermoelectric device and selectively switch operation of the cooling apparatus between an active cooling mode, where the at least one thermoelectric device is active, and a passive cooling mode, where the at least one thermoelectric device is inactive.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing a cooling apparatus for cooling a heat-dissipating component(s) of an electronics enclosure includes: providing a thermal conductor to couple to the heat-dissipating component(s), the thermal conductor including a first conductor portion coupled to the heat-dissipating component, and a second conductor portion to position along an air inlet side of the electronics enclosure, so that in operation, the first conductor portion transfers heat from the component(s) to the second conductor portion; coupling at least one air-cooled heat sink to the second conductor portion to facilitate transfer of heat to airflow ingressing into the enclosure; providing at least one thermoelectric device coupled to the first or second conductor portion to facilitate providing active auxiliary cooling to the thermal conductor; and providing a controller to control operation of the thermoelectric device(s) and to selectively switch operation of the cooling apparatus between active and passive cooling modes.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
providing a cooling apparatus for cooling one or more heat-dissipating components within an electronics enclosure, the electronics enclosure comprising an air inlet side through which an airflow ingresses into the electronics enclosure, the providing of the cooling apparatus comprising; providing a thermal conductor to couple to the one or more heat-dissipating components within the electronics enclosure, the thermal conductor comprising; a first conductor portion to couple to the one or more heat-dissipating components to conduct heat therefrom; and a second conductor portion to position along the air inlet side of the electronics enclosure, wherein in operation, the first conductor portion transfers heat, at least in part, from the one or more heat-dissipating components to the second conductor portion; coupling at least one air-cooled heat sink to the second conductor portion of the thermal conductor to facilitate transfer of heat from the second conductor portion to the airflow ingressing into the electronics enclosure; providing at least one thermoelectric device coupled to at least one of the first conductor portion or the second conductor portion of the thermal conductor to selectively provide active auxiliary cooling to the thermal conductor; and providing a controller to control operation of the at least one thermoelectric device and selectively switch operation of the cooling apparatus between an active cooling mode, where the at least one thermoelectric device is active, and a passive cooling mode, where the at least one thermoelectric device is inactive. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
Specification