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Migrating State-of-the-Art Active Cooling from Data Centers into Our Pockets

5 d ago

The article discusses the evolution of electronic cooling, from early passive methods to modern active solutions, and highlights a new microfluidic cooling technology from Boréas Technologies aimed at mobile edge AI devices. The author recalls a 1980s mainframe cooling failure that caused internal condensation and rust. Today, consumer devices like iPhones generate significant heat, especially with AI workloads moving to the edge. Cooling falls into two categories: passive (heat sinks, heat pipes) – silent and efficient for mobiles; and active (fans, liquid cooling) – used in data centers for high heat loads. As edge processors demand more performance, passive cooling is reaching limits. Boréas Technologies (Simon Chaput, President; Nicholas Duchesne-Laforest, VP Products; Marc-André Morin, Marketing) has developed a microfluidic active cooling system designed for battery-powered devices. Dubbed "data center cooling in your pocket," it comprises three elements: the BOS1931 piezoelectric driver IC, a miniature piezoelectric micropump, and an ultra-thin microchannel liquid-cooling plate (copper or plastic film). The closed-loop system circulates coolant through microchannels near heat sources, absorbing heat and spreading it across a larger area to eliminate hot spots. Microchannels boost heat transfer efficiency by increasing liquid-surface contact. The pumps are millimeters in size and can be scaled in parallel or series for different devices (smartphones to laptops). The piezoelectric driver is highly energy-efficient, minimizing self-generated heat. This active cooling enables higher performance in portable devices while maintaining comfortable temperatures and long battery life.