System and method for maintaining efficiency of a heat sink
AssigneeFractal Heatsink Technologies LLC
InventorAlexander I Poltorak
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims18
A system for maintaining efficiency of a heatsink with respect to an accumulation of deposits due to a flow of air over a surface of the heatsink, comprising:
- a vibrator mechanism configured to excite a vibration in the heatsink;
- and
- a control system, configured to produce a control signal for controlling the vibrator mechanism to excite the vibration in the heatsink over a range of different frequencies, the vibration being adapted to dislodge accumulated deposits on the heatsink, to thereby maintain an efficiency of the heatsink against reduction due to the accumulated deposits,
- wherein the heatsink has a plurality of resonant frequencies, wherein the control system is further configured to selectively excite the vibration in the heatsink at a plurality of different resonant frequencies.
A method for maintaining efficiency of a heatsink with respect to an accumulation of deposits due to a flow of air over a surface of the heatsink, comprising:
- exciting a vibration in the heatsink with a vibrator mechanism, dependent on a control signal;
- producing the control signal to excite the vibration in the heatsink over a range of different frequencies with a control system having an automated processor;
- and
- dislodging accumulated deposits on the heatsink, to thereby maintain an efficiency of the heatsink against reduction due to the accumulated deposits,
- wherein the heatsink has a plurality of resonant frequencies, further comprising selectively exciting the vibration in the heatsink at a plurality of different resonant frequencies.
A system for removing an accumulation of deposits on a heatsink, comprising:
- a heatsink heat transfer surface configured to receive heat from a heat emissive surface;
- a heatsink body, configured to transfer heat from the heatsink heat transfer surface;
- a plurality of elements extending into air, configured to receive the heat from the heatsink body and emit the heat into the air from an air interface surface, the plurality of elements having a range of resonant frequencies;
- a vibrator mechanism configured to excite a vibration in the heatsink within the range of resonant frequencies, to cause at least one of the plurality of elements to resonate and without resonant vibration of the entire heatsink;
- and
- a control system, configured to produce a control signal for controlling the vibrator mechanism to excite the vibration in the heatsink across the range of resonant frequencies, the vibration being adapted to dislodge accumulated deposits on the plurality of elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.