Additive Manufacturing of Vapor Chambers

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Thermal Management

Background:

• High-performance electronics demand advanced thermal management solutions.
• Traditional vapor chamber (VC) manufacturing has limitations in precision and performance.
• Additive manufacturing (AM) offers a novel approach to fabricating VCs with complex internal structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the thermal performance of VCs fabricated using AM with triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) Gyroid capillary structures.
• To evaluate the impact of different fill ratios and printing orientations on VC thermal performance.
• To demonstrate the benefits of monolithic VC fabrication via AM, eliminating welding.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of VCs using AM with internal Gyroid TPMS capillary structures at two fill ratios.
• Experimental thermal performance testing under various heat loads.
• Comparison of horizontal and vertical printing techniques for VC manufacturing.
• Analysis of thermal resistance reduction with capillary structures compared to solid structures.

Main Results:

• Higher fill ratio VCs showed enhanced thermal stability under high heat loads.
• Lower fill ratio VCs performed better under low heat loads, reaching 0.3688 K/W thermal resistance at 80 W.
• Vertical printing proved more feasible for mass production and maintained vapor circulation.
• AM-fabricated monolithic VCs achieved a 75% reduction in thermal resistance compared to VCs without capillary structures.

Conclusions:

• AM enables precise fabrication of VCs with integrated TPMS capillary structures for superior thermal management.
• Monolithic construction via AM eliminates welding defects, enhancing reliability and performance.
• Optimized fill ratios and printing strategies are crucial for maximizing VC performance across different thermal loads.