COOLING SYSTEM FOR AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT

• US 20050091989A1
• Filed: 11/04/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Lucero, Christopher D., Leija, Javier M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,880,345 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.2
• 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 23/38 Cooling arrangements using the Peltier effect
• 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

Abstract

A cooling system for an electronic component is provided. The cooling system includes a plurality of thermoelectric elements for placement above a plurality of different areas of the electronic component. The cooling system has a plurality of conductors connected to the thermoelectric elements for providing current to the thermoelectric elements, such that the thermoelectric elements pump heat away from the respective areas. The cooling system has a control apparatus connected to the conductors for controlling current provided to the thermoelectric elements relative to one another based on heat generated at the different areas.

Claims

1. A cooling system for an electronic component, comprising:

a plurality of thermoelectric elements to place above a plurality of different areas of the electronic component;

a plurality of conductors connected to the thermoelectric elements to provide current to the thermoelectric elements such that the thermoelectric elements pump heat away from the respective areas; and

a control apparatus connected to the conductors, including a plurality of thermostats that switch current to the respective thermoelectric elements off or on depending on whether the temperatures of the respective areas are above or below a predetermined set point, respectively, to control current provided to the thermoelectric elements relative to one another based on heat generated at the different areas.

2. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of sensors, the control apparatus receiving variables from the sensors indicative of the heat generated at the different areas.

3. The cooling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sensors are temperature sensors.

4. The cooling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sensors are power sensors measuring power to the electronic elements.

9. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the areas have center points that are spaced from one another in x- and y-directions.

10. The cooling system of claim 9, wherein the center points form an array.

11. The cooling system of claim 10, wherein there is a respective one of the sensors for a respective one of the areas and a respective one of the thermoelectric elements, wherein currents to the respective thermoelectric elements at the respective areas are individually controlled.

12. The cooling system of claim 11, wherein each sensor is surrounded by thermoelectric elements of a respective array.

5-8. -8. (canceled)

13. A computer subassembly, comprising:

an electronic component that generates heat when being operated;

a plurality of thermoelectric elements placed above a plurality of different areas of the electronic component;

a plurality of conductors connected to the thermoelectric elements for providing current to the thermoelectric elements such that the thermoelectric elements drive heat away from the respective areas; and

a control apparatus connected to the conductors, including a plurality of thermostats that switch current to the respective thermoelectric elements off or on depending on whether the temperatures of the respective areas are above or below a predetermined set point, respectively, for controlling current provided to the thermoelectric elements relative to one another based on heat generated at the different areas.

14. The computer subassembly of claim 13, wherein the electronic component is a processor, further comprising a memory and an input/output device connected to the processor.

15. The computer subassembly of claim 13, further comprising:

a plurality of sensors, the control apparatus receiving variables from the sensors indicative of the heat generated at the different areas.

16. A method of cooling an electronic component, comprising:

providing current to a plurality of thermoelectric elements placed above a plurality of different areas of an electronic component so that the thermoelectric elements pump heat away from the respective areas; and

using a plurality of thermostats that switch current to the respective thermoelectric elements off or on depending on whether the temperatures of the respective areas are above or below a predetermined set point, respectively, to control current provided to the thermoelectric elements relative to one another based on heat generated at the different areas.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sensing a plurality of variables indicative of heat generated at the different areas, the current being controlled based on the variables.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the variables are temperature measurements.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the variables are power measured to the electric components.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the thermoelectric elements over each area include alternating p- and n-type thermoelectric elements connected in series.

21. A cooling system for an electronic component, comprising:

a plurality of thermoelectric elements to place above a plurality of different areas of the electronic component;

a plurality of conductors connected to the thermoelectric elements to provide current to the thermoelectric elements such that the thermoelectric elements pump heat away from the respective areas; and

a control apparatus connected to the conductors, including a central power control module and a plurality of zone-power control modules that are under the control of the power control module to provide individual currents to the thermoelectric elements to control current provided to the thermoelectric elements relative to one another based on heat generated at the different areas.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the control apparatus includes a central power control module and a plurality of zone-power control modules that are under the control of the power control module to provide individual currents to the thermoelectric elements.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein there is a respected one of the sensors for a respective one of the areas and a respective one of a thermoelectric element, wherein currents to the respective thermoelectric elements at the respective areas are individually controlled.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the thermoelectric elements over each area include alternating p- and n-type thermoelectric elements connected in series.

25. A cooling system for an electronic component, comprising:

a plurality of thermoelectric elements to place above a plurality of different areas of the electronic component, the areas having center points that are spaced from one another in x- and y-directions;

a plurality of conductors connected to the thermoelectric elements to provide current to the thermoelectric elements such that the thermoelectric elements pump heat away from the respective areas; and

a control apparatus connected to the conductors to control current provided to the thermoelectric elements relative to one another based on heat generated at the different areas.

26. A computer subassembly, comprising:

an electronic component that generates heat when being operated;

a plurality of thermoelectric elements to place above a plurality of different areas of the electronic component;

a plurality of conductors connected to the thermoelectric elements to provide current to the thermoelectric elements such that the thermoelectric elements pump heat away from the respective areas; and

a control apparatus connected to the conductors, including a central power control module and a plurality of zone-power control modules that are under the control of the power control module to provide individual currents to the thermoelectric elements to control current provided to the thermoelectric elements relative to one another based on heat generated at the different areas.

27. The computer subassembly of claim 26, wherein the control apparatus includes a central power control module and a plurality of zone-power control modules that are under the control of the power control module to provide individual currents to the thermoelectric elements.

28. The computer subassembly of claim 27, wherein there is a respected one of the sensors for a respective one of the areas and a respective one of a thermoelectric element, wherein currents to the respective thermoelectric elements at the respective areas are individually controlled.

29. The computer subassembly of claim 28, wherein the thermoelectric elements over each area include alternating p- and n-type thermoelectric elements connected in series.

30. A computer subassembly, comprising:

an electronic component that generates heat when being operated;

a plurality of thermoelectric elements to place above a plurality of different areas of the electronic component, the areas having center points that are spaced from one another in x- and y-directions;

a plurality of conductors connected to the thermoelectric elements to provide current to the thermoelectric elements such that the thermoelectric elements pump heat away from the respective areas; and

a control apparatus connected to the conductors to control current provided to the thermoelectric elements relative to one another based on heat generated at the different areas.

31. A method of cooling an electronic component, comprising:

providing current to a plurality of thermoelectric elements placed above a plurality of different areas of an electronic component so that the thermoelectric elements pump heat away from the respective areas; and

using a central power control module and a plurality of zone-power control modules that are under the control of the power control module to provide individual currents to the thermoelectric elements, to control current provided to the thermoelectric elements relative to one another based on heat generated at the different areas.

32. A method of cooling an electronic component, comprising:

providing current to a plurality of thermoelectric elements placed above a plurality of different areas that are spaced from one another in x- and y-directions of an electronic component so that the thermoelectric elements pump heat away from the respective areas; and

controlling current provided to the thermoelectric elements relative to one another based on heat generated at the different areas.