Introduction

Achieving efficient heat transfer is crucial for ensuring reliable operation, especially in the electronics industry, where compact designs and high power densities are common. SOLIZE Corporation, a pioneer in digital engineering, has used ToffeeX’s thermo-fluid topology optimization technology to develop high-efficiency cold plates tailored for electronic devices. These plates, designed to handle single-sided heat loads, significantly improve temperature regulation and heat transfer efficiency. Through the integration of topology optimization and thermo-fluid analysis, SOLIZE has enabled the design of high-performance systems without compromising functionality. This case study explores how SOLIZE used the ToffeeX software to achieve a remarkable 9.6°C reduction in average measured temperature for their highly efficient cold plate.

Background

As electronic devices become more compact and powerful, maintaining optimal thermal management is increasingly difficult. SOLIZE needed to develop a cold plate capable of handling high heat loads in a confined space while meeting strict requirements for temperature variation, flow rate, and pressure loss. In the original design, cooling flow was concentrated at the center, creating vortexes and leading to inefficient heat distribution. SOLIZE utilized ToffeeX’s thermo-fluid optimization technology to address these issues and achieve superior cooling performance, specifically targeting electronics cooling solutions.

Implementation

SOLIZE’s goal was to create a more efficient cold plate with high heat transfer capability designed to handle an 80W heat load on one side. The coolant used in the system is water. The original design is a hollow panel, as shown in Fig. 1a. An analysis of the temperature distribution (Fig. 1b) reveals significant variations, with an average calculated temperature of 56.9°C.



1a) Hollow panel design 

1b) Temperature distribution
Figure 1 – Original hollow panel design.

For the project’s next phase, SOLIZE implemented an optimization process using ToffeeX’s advanced thermo-fluid topology optimization technology. The process in ToffeeX was seamless, requiring minimal user input for setup. The main objectives of the project were:

  • To minimize the surface temperature
  • To maintain a low-pressure drop
  • Uniform flow rate of 3.83L/min

Within ToffeeX, multiple design iterations were explored by adjusting the balance between key optimization targets and design constraints. 

After the initial design phase, SOLIZE further refined the design by making a quick manual adjustment to the cold plate’s design. Combined with the earlier topology optimization, these changes allowed for further temperature reductions and better overall thermal performance.

Results

The optimized design produced with ToffeeX’s physics-driven generative technology, Fig. 2b, achieved an average calculated temperature of 47.9°C (Fig. 2e), reflecting a 9°C reduction from the original hollow design. Notably, this improvement was achieved with only 20 minutes of computational time, demonstrating the optimization process’s efficiency and effectiveness.


2a) Original hollow design
2b) Phase 1: Optimization only design (ToffeeX)
2c) Phase 2: Optimization + inlet adjustment (ToffeeX + SOLIZE)

2d) Temperature distribution of the original hollow design 
2e) Temperature distribution of the optimization only design 
2f) Temperature distribution of the optimization design with inlet adjustment (out of plane)
Figure 2 – Original, optimization-only, and final cold plate designs, along with their respective temperature simulation distributions. 

The final design (Fig. 2c), a combination of ToffeeX’s optimization and SOLIZE’s design adjustments, has resulted in a cold plate with an even greater reduction in the operating temperature, efficient flow distribution, and a smaller temperature variation. The average calculated temperature on this cold plate was 44.8°C, indicating a decrease of 12.1°C. This approach provided a highly efficient thermal management solution that was impossible using traditional design methods alone.

SOLIZE conducted a test rig (Fig. 3) in each design to obtain the experimental results. Fig. 4 shows the average calculated temperature next to the average measured temperature. The experimental results show that the average measured temperature for the original hollow cold plate design was 53.8°C. In comparison, the final optimized design demonstrated a reduced average temperature of 44.2°C, resulting in a temperature decrease of 9.6°C. This significant reduction highlights the optimized design’s improved thermal management performance. 

Test rig performed by SOLIZE on the cold plates
Figure 3 – Test rig performed by SOLIZE on the cold plates

The average calculated temperature and the average measured temperature for the original, optimization-only, and final efficient cold plate designs.
Figure 4 – The average calculated temperature and the average measured temperature for the original, optimization-only, and final designs.

By using ToffeeX, SOLIZE was able to achieve several key improvements in its cold plate design:

  • 9.6°C reduction in the measured operating temperature, significantly improving heat transfer performance for electronic applications (Fig. 4).
  • Improved flow distribution, ensuring even fluid flow across the plate, eliminating vortexes and hotspots.
  • Increased product reliability and better long-term performance are crucial for sensitive electronic devices.
  • Faster design iteration reduces the time required to achieve a final design and accelerates the product development cycle.

Why ToffeeX for efficient cold plate design?

SOLIZE selected ToffeeX for its advanced capabilities, which aligned perfectly with the project’s goals of improving thermal efficiency and optimizing cooling solutions for electronic devices.

  • Advanced thermo-fluid topology optimization: ToffeeX provides advanced thermo-fluid optimization tools that allow SOLIZE to autonomously design the most efficient solution for managing single-sided heat loads, maximizing cooling performance while minimizing pressure loss.
  • Multi-objective optimization: ToffeeX enabled SOLIZE to balance performance parameters such as thermal efficiency, flow distribution, and pressure loss, ensuring the cold plate met the strict requirements for electronic devices.
  • Design flexibility: Post-optimization, SOLIZE fine-tuned the design by making adjustments such as thinning the plate in certain areas to enhance fluid distribution, achieving the final 9.6°C temperature reduction.
  • Seamless integration:  ToffeeX integrated smoothly into SOLIZE’s design workflows, allowing the team to iterate quickly and efficiently.
  • Accelerated design cycle: ToffeeX’s generative design software allowed SOLIZE to complete the design iteration in just over an hour, speeding up development for electronics cold plates.

Conclusion

The collaboration between SOLIZE and ToffeeX demonstrates the power of advanced generative design tools in addressing thermal management challenges in electronics. By autonomously designing an optimal cold plate that balances thermal efficiency, flow distribution, and pressure loss, SOLIZE maximized cooling performance while maintaining design flexibility, making fine adjustments to enhance fluid distribution. The seamless integration of ToffeeX’s tools into SOLIZE’s workflows accelerated the design cycle. It allowed for rapid iteration, ultimately leading to a 9.6°C reduction in operating temperature, meeting strict performance requirements. This case highlights how computational tools and engineering expertise can deliver high-efficiency solutions tailored for electronics.