Immersion cooling systems and methods
An electronics cooling arrangement includes a housing, an electronic device disposed within the housing, and a solid-liquid phase change material disposed within the housing and is in thermal communication with the electronic device to absorb heat generated by the electronic device. A method of cooling an electronic device and a vehicular electronics cooling system are also described.
1. An electronics cooling arrangement, comprising:
a sealed housing;
a liquid-vapor phase dielectric coolant contained within the sealed housing;
an electronic device including a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within the sealed housing and submerged with the liquid-vapor phase coolant, wherein the PCB has an exposed conductor submerged within the liquid vapor-phase dielectric coolant and in direct mechanical contact with the liquid-vapor phase dielectric coolant; and
a solid-liquid phase change material (PCM) disposed within the sealed housing at least partially submerged within the liquid-vapor phase dielectric coolant and in thermal communication with the electronic device, wherein the solid-liquid PCM is configured to absorb heat generated by the electronic device, wherein solid-liquid PCM is in direct contact with the liquid-vapor phase dielectric coolant disposed within the housing.
2. The electronics cooling arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the solid-liquid PCM is fully submerged within the liquid-vapor phase coolant disposed within the housing.
3. The electronics cooling arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the solid-liquid PCM is partially submerged within the liquid-vapor phase coolant disposed within the housing.
4. The electronics cooling arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the solid-liquid PCM includes wax body.
5. The electronics cooling arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing and a liquid-vapor phase coolant disposed within the housing define therebetween an ullage space, a condenser being disposed within the ullage space, and a portion of the solid-liquid PCM being disposed within the ullage space.
6. The electronics cooling arrangement as recited in claim 5 , further including a heat exchanger disposed on a side of the ullage space opposite the condenser.
7. The electronics cooling arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of a capacitor, a heat sink, and a solid-state power converter.
8. The electronics cooling arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing has a fixed volume.
9. The electronics cooling arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the PCM is free-floating within the liquid-vapor phase coolant disposed within the housing.
10. The electronics cooling arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing and a liquid-vapor phase coolant disposed within the housing define therebetween an ullage space, a condenser being disposed within the ullage space, and a portion of the solid-liquid PCM being disposed within the ullage space.