System and method for maintaining efficiency of a heat sink
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A heatsink system comprising:
- a base structure configured to mechanically and thermally interface with a heat source;
a heat exchange device configured to receive heat from the base structure, and emit the received heat from a heat exchange surface of a plurality of heat exchange elements, into an external surrounding heat exchange medium, the heat exchange surface being subject to accumulation of particles, the heat exchange device being rigid and configured to communicate vibrations to the base structure;
a particle accumulation reducing device, configured to decrease an accumulation of particles on the plurality of heat exchange elements by causing the vibrations;
a feedback transducer configured to detect vibrations;
an electronic control configured to process the detected vibrations, and produce a control signal; and
an electrical-vibration transducer, which receives the control signal, configured to generate vibrations based on the control signal,wherein the electronic control controls the electrical-vibration transducer to cancel vibrations, and the base structure actively cancels vibrations received by the heat source from the heat exchange device due to the particle accumulation reducing device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A heatsink comprising a heat exchange device having a plurality of heat exchange elements each having a surface boundary with respect to a heat transfer fluid, having successive elements or regions having varying size scales. According to one embodiment, an accumulation of dust or particles on a surface of the heatsink is reduced by a removal mechanism. The mechanism can be thermal pyrolysis, vibration, blowing, etc. In the case of vibration, adverse effects on the system to be cooled may be minimized by an active or passive vibration suppression system.
898 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A heatsink system comprising:
-
a base structure configured to mechanically and thermally interface with a heat source; a heat exchange device configured to receive heat from the base structure, and emit the received heat from a heat exchange surface of a plurality of heat exchange elements, into an external surrounding heat exchange medium, the heat exchange surface being subject to accumulation of particles, the heat exchange device being rigid and configured to communicate vibrations to the base structure; a particle accumulation reducing device, configured to decrease an accumulation of particles on the plurality of heat exchange elements by causing the vibrations; a feedback transducer configured to detect vibrations; an electronic control configured to process the detected vibrations, and produce a control signal; and an electrical-vibration transducer, which receives the control signal, configured to generate vibrations based on the control signal, wherein the electronic control controls the electrical-vibration transducer to cancel vibrations, and the base structure actively cancels vibrations received by the heat source from the heat exchange device due to the particle accumulation reducing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification