Method and device for cooling a heat generating component

• US 10,091,909 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2015
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Inventors: Brunschwiler, Thomas J., Kloter, Urs, Linderman, Ryan Joseph, Michel, Bruno, Rothuizen, Hugo E., Waelchli, Reio
• Primary Examiner(s): Aviles Bosques, Orlando E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Attey, Joel
• Application Number:
  US14/632,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20150195955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 165 803, 165 804, 1651091, 16510433, 165287, 165288, 165908
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0417 with particular circuits for the same heat exchange medium, e.g. with the heat exchange medium flowing through sections having different heat exchange capacities or for heating/cooling the heat exchange medium at different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/34 Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or temperature compensation ; Temperature sensing arrangements thermal treatment apparatus H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/427 Cooling by change of state, e.g. use of heat pipes by liquefied gas H01L23/445
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20254 Cold plates transferring heat from heat source to coolant
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20272 Accessories for moving fluid, for expanding fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid, for removing gas or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20281 Thermal management, e.g. liquid flow control

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling arrangement comprising a heat spreader (2) comprising a first surface (5), a second surface (8), at least one heat absorption chamber (9) and at least one heat dissipation chamber (10), the at least one heat absorption chamber (9) being in thermal contact with the first surface (5) and the at least one heat dissipation chamber (10) being in thermal contact with the second surface (8) and hydraulically coupled to the at least one heat absorption chamber (9). A cooling fluid (13) can be driven from the heat absorption chamber (9) to the heat dissipation chamber (10) using a plurality of flow patterns for cooling the first surface (5).

Claims

1. A cooling arrangement, comprising:

a heat spreader comprising a first surface, a second surface, at least one heat absorption chamber and at least one heat dissipation chamber, the at least one heat absorption chamber being in thermal contact with the first surface and the at least one heat dissipation chamber being in thermal contact with the second surface and hydraulically coupled to the at least one heat absorption chamber;

at least one heat generating component arranged in thermal contact with the first surface of the heat spreader;

a cooling fluid, filling at least part of the heat absorption chamber and the heat dissipation chamber;

at least one actuator for driving the cooling fluid; and

a controller for generating at least one control signal for the at least one actuator, such that the cooling fluid can be driven through the at least one heat absorption chamber using a plurality of flow patterns;

wherein the heat spreader comprises a plurality of regions and associated temperature sensors, the plurality of temperature sensors are coupled to the controller, and the controller programmed to identify at least one cold region of the heat spreader, the at least one cold region being characterized in that it has a temperature below an average temperature of the plurality of regions, and the controller is further programmed to generate at least one control signal based on the at least one identified cold region, such that the flow of cooling fluid is sourced from the at least one cold region in at least one flow pattern.

2. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fluid oscillates between the at least one heat absorption chamber and the at least one heat dissipation chamber.

3. The cooling arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the at least one heat dissipation chamber comprises two heat dissipation chambers and the at least one actuator is at least two actuators, and the controller is adapted to drive the cooling fluid using two different flow patterns, wherein, in a first flow pattern, a flow from the first heat dissipation chamber through the at least one heat absorption chamber to the second heat dissipation chamber is created, and, in a second flow pattern, a flow from the second heat dissipation chamber through the at least one heat absorption chamber to the first heat dissipation chamber is created.

4. The cooling arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the at least one heat dissipation chamber comprises four heat dissipation chambers and the at least one actuator is at least two actuators and the controller is adapted to drive the cooling fluid using four different flow patterns, wherein, in a first flow pattern, a flow from the first heat dissipation chamber through the at least one heat absorption chamber to the third heat dissipation chamber is created, in a second flow pattern, a flow from the second heat dissipation chamber through the at least one heat absorption chamber to the fourth heat dissipation chamber.

5. The cooling arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the heat spreader comprises a multiplicity of heat dissipation chambers having a multiplicity of actuators arranged around the at least one heat absorption chamber in a substantially radial arrangement and the controller is adapted for driving the cooling fluid using a multiplicity of different flow patterns, creating a substantially radial oscillation of a flow of the cooling fluid through the at least one heat absorption chamber.

6. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the heat spreader comprises a network of hydraulically interconnected chambers, comprising the at least one heat absorption chamber and at least two heat dissipation chambers, the network comprising multiple separate flow paths, each separate flow path connected to at least one actuator, and the controller is adapted to drive the cooling fluid using at least two different separate flow paths of the network using the plurality of flow patterns.

7. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heat dissipation chamber comprises at least one membrane coupled to the at least one actuator for actuating the at least one membrane in order to drive to cooling fluid from or to the at least one heat dissipation chamber.

8. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the cooling arrangement comprises at least one first temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the heat generating component, the at least one first temperature sensor is coupled to the controller, and the controller is adapted to generate the at least one control signal based on the sensed temperature of the heat generating component.

9. The cooling arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the cooling arrangement further comprises at least one second temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the at least one heat dissipation chamber, the at least one second temperature sensor is coupled to the controller, and the controller is adapted to generate the at least one control signal based on the sensed temperature of the at least one heat dissipation chamber.

10. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the heat generating component comprises a plurality of areas and associated temperature sensors, the plurality of temperature sensors are coupled to the controller, and the controller is adapted to identify at least one hot spot corresponding to at least one area of the plurality of areas, the at least one hot spot being characterized in that it has a temperature above an average temperature of the plurality of areas, and the controller is further adapted to generate the at least one control signal based on the least one identified hot spot, such that the flow of cooling fluid is directed to the at least one hot spot in at least one flow pattern.

11. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the heat spreader comprises at least two physically separated flow paths for the cooling fluid and, in a first flow pattern, cooling fluid is driven through the heat absorption chamber using the first flow path and, in a second flow pattern, cooling fluid is driven through the heat absorption chamber using the second flow path.

12. The cooling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the heat absorption chamber is physically separated from the heat dissipation chamber.