Acetone Heat Pipe Cooling For Harsh Conditions

The acetone-based heat pipe cooling system works in extreme conditions, preventing freezing, shock, and vibration. It helps COMs perform reliably in various environments.

Congatec has introduced its heat pipe cooling solution for extreme conditions. Instead of water, the new solution uses acetone as the working fluid, preventing freezing in sub-zero temperatures and protecting the cooling system, module, and overall design. It also resists mechanical stresses like shock and vibration.

With these features, the acetone-based cooling solution expands the use of Computer-on-Module (COMs) in harsh environments, including arctic conditions. It reduces reliance on complex and costly COTS-based or custom system designs while ensuring reliable performance between -40 °C and +85 °C.

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The new heat pipe cooling system is designed for autonomous and conventional vehicles operating in extreme conditions, including logistics vehicles in ports, airports, and cold storage. It is also effective in rail and aviation systems, as well as other environments where extreme temperatures and mechanical stresses could impact reliability.

When combined with the COMs Type6 conga-TC675 or the ultra-rugged conga-TC675r, the acetone-based heat pipe cooling solution performs particularly well. It also supports COMs in form factors such as COM-HPC Mini, Client, and Server, making it suitable for robust edge servers. The solution will also be available as a heat pipe adapter and in other configurations upon request.

This development reinforces congatec’s commitment to efficient heat dissipation, ensuring reliable cooling for high-performance computing. By integrating cooling solutions with carrier boards and comprehensive services, the company simplifies and accelerates application development.

Jürgen Jungbauer, Senior Product Line Manager at congatec, explains: “Our new acetone-based cooling solution extends module-based designs to include applications under extreme operating conditions that could not previously be achieved with conventional cooling solutions. Using our application-ready COMs instead of expensive slots or special solutions allows developers to optimize time-to-market while reducing development effort and the overall costs of their applications.”

Concludes Jürgen Jungbauer: “We have always placed the greatest value on high-performance cooling for reliable computing. Our acetone-based cooling solution once again demonstrates our technological leadership in high-performance Computer-on-Module ecosystems.”