A research team from the University of Tokyo has devised a new cooling solution that uses water’s changing phases to make it more efficient at removing heat. SciTech Daily says that water absorbs seven times the energy when it changes phase from liquid to gas (i.e., boiling the water), allowing it to capture and dissipate more heat versus the traditional method of using flowing water. However, since the coolant flows through tiny capillaries built directly into the chip, the steam would often have difficulty flowing through these narrow channels. This often makes it less efficient than traditional methods.

The researchers solved this issue using 3D microfluidic channels with a capillary structure and a manifold distribution layer. They discovered that the shape of the microchannels and how the coolant is distributed throughout the system significantly impact its thermal and hydraulic performance. By ensuring the continuous flow of water and steam, the team achieved a coefficient of performance (COP) of 100,000 — about ten times greater than what single-phase water cooling can achieve.