Finned-tube heat exchangers and cold plates, self-cooling electronic component systems using same, and methods for cooling electronic components using same

• US 20030161104A1
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perfect Galaxy International Limited
• Original Assignee: Satcon Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Oleksy, John, Hartzell, Dennis E., Breaux, Lyle, Ognibene, Edward J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,819,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/699
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/045 with assemblies of stacked elements
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/04 the means being integral with the element
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/12 Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3672 Foil-like cooling fins or heat sinks being part of lead-frames H01L23/49568
• 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: H01L 2924/09701 Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

The present invention provides a heat exchange system for conducting heat away from high-power, heat-producing electronic components by conduction and convection. The heat exchange system comprises a metal tube that has been forged and drawn so as to define a flow channel for a cooling fluid, wherein the tube has an inner surface that comprises a plurality of integral fins that are structured and arranged to increase the available surface area of the inner surface of the metal tube exposed to the fluid and an outer surface that is in direct communication with the heat producing components. Coolant fluids are circulated through the flow channel, preferably, at turbulent flow conditions to minimize thermal resistance. The invention further provides a self-cooling, self-supporting electronic assembly that comprising one or more high-power electronic devices, the heat exchange systems, and an attaching system for attaching high-power electronic devices to the heat exchange system. The invention further provides a method of cooling a heat producing means comprising the steps of: providing a heat exchange system that is in direct communication with the heat-producing electronic components and circulating a fluid through the heat exchange system to conduct heat away from said heat exchange system and the heat producing electronic components.

Claims

1. A self-supporting heat exchange device for removing heat from one or more heat-producing devices, the self-supporting heat exchange device comprising a thick-walled tube having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface is in thermal communication with the one or more heat-producing devices and the inner surface defines a flow channel for a cooling fluid, wherein said inner surface includes a plurality of integral fins that are structured and arranged about the flow channel to optimize heat transfer from said inner surface and said plurality of integral fins to the cooling fluid.

2. The heat exchange device as recited in claim 1, wherein the tube is fabricated from a material that has been forged over a spline to provide the plurality of integral fins on the inner surface of said tube and subsequently drawn through a die to provide a geometrical, cross-sectional shape.

3. The heat exchange device as recited in claim 1, wherein the tube is fabricated from a material selected from the group comprising metal, copper, copper alloys, aluminum, and carbonaceous materials.

4. The heat exchange device as recited in claim 1, wherein the cooling fluid is selected from a group comprising air, gas, vapor, water, oil, coolants, water ethylglycol, and any combination thereof.

5. The heat exchange device as recited in claim 2, wherein the die provides a geometrical, cross-sectional shape that is substantially rectangular with a cross-sectional, width to depth aspect ratio that ranges between about 1 to 1 and about 20 to 1.

6. The heat exchange device as recited in claim 5, wherein the die provides a geometrical, cross-sectional shape that is substantially rectangular with a cross-sectional aspect ratio that is at least about 4 to 1 but no more than about 5 to 1.

7. The heat exchange device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of integral fins are structured and arranged in a pattern, wherein the pattern is selected from the group comprising an open tip-to-tip arrangement, an interleaved arrangement, and a merged end tip-to-tip arrangement.

8. The heat exchange device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of integral fins disposed on the inner surface of the tube have a pitch and a height-to-width ratio to optimize the total surface area of the inner surface that is exposed to the fluid.

9. The heat exchange device as recited in claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the tube has been tooled to provide at least one of rifling, alligator patterns, and fish-scaling.

10. A self-cooling, self-supporting electronic assembly comprising:

one or more high-power electronic assemblies;

a heat exchange device that is in thermal communication with the one or more high-power electronic devices to support and to remove heat therefrom; and

an attaching substrate to which said one or more high-power electronic devices are releasably attached and said heat exchange device is coupled to provide rigidity, structure, and strength to the electronic assembly.

11. The electronic assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the heat exchange device comprises a thick-walled tube having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface is in thermal communication with the one or more high-power electronic assemblies and the inner surface defines a flow channel for a cooling fluid, wherein said inner surface includes a plurality of integral fins that are structured and arranged about the flow channel to optimize heat transfer from said inner surface and said plurality of integral fins to the cooling fluid.

12. The electronic assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the one or more high-power electronic assemblies are selected from a group comprising electronic devices including high-power switch assemblies, MOSFETs, and IGBTs, digital electronic sub assembly power supplies, and SEMS modules.

13. The electronic assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the attaching substrate is selected from a group comprising a carrier block, a plurality of spacers, a plurality of washers, and one or more clamping substrates.

14. The electronic assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the attaching substrate includes one or more recessed slots into which the heat exchange device is disposed.

15. The electronic assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the heat exchange device is in a tight interference fit with the one or more recessed slots.

16. The electronic assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the heat exchange device is pressed into the one or more recessed slots and bonded to said one or more recesses slots.

17. The electronic assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the electronic assembly further comprises one or more conduits through which a cooling fluid can be circulated to remove heat produced by the one or more high-power electronic assemblies by convection, wherein the one or more conduits are disposed at least one of a proximal end of the heat exchange device and a distal end of the heat exchange device.

18. The electronic assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more conduits are disposed at a proximal end of the heat exchange device and a return manifold is disposed at the distal end of the heat exchange device to circulate the cooling fluid in series.

19. The electronic assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein one or more first conduits are disposed at a proximal end of the heat exchange device and one or more second conduits are disposed at the distal end of the heat exchange device to circulate the cooling fluid in parallel.

20. The electronic assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the one or more high-power electronic assemblies comprises a pair of high-power electronic assemblies that are structured and arranged back-to-back to one another with the heat exchange device and attaching substrate disposed therebetween.

21. The electronic assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the heat exchange device is in cast or set in a molding.

22. A method of cooling one or more heat-producing assemblies, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a heat exchange device that is in direct thermal communication with said one or more heat producing means, wherein the heat exchange device comprises a tube having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface is in thermal communication with the one or more heat-producing devices and the inner surface defines a flow channel for a cooling fluid, wherein said inner surface includes a plurality of integral fins that are structured and arranged about the flow channel to optimize heat transfer from said inner surface and said plurality of integral fins to the cooling fluid; and

circulating a fluid through said heat exchange device to conduct heat away from said heat exchange device and said one or more heat producing assemblies.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the fluid is circulated in turbulent flow.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the method further comprises the step of providing an attaching system to removably attach the one or more heat-producing assemblies for greater strength and structure.

25. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the heat exchange device is fabricated by a process comprising the steps of:

forging a thick-walled tube to provide the heat exchange device with a plurality of integral fins on an inner surface thereof; and

drawing the forged thick-walled tube through a die to provide said heat exchange device with a desired geometrical, cross-sectional shape.