APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PASSIVE PHASE CHANGE THERMAL MANAGEMENT

• US 20080066890A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Dishongh, Terrance, Searls, Damion, Pullen, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,886,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/104.21
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/063 Materials absorbing or liberating heat during crystallisation; Heat storage materials
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/00 Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/021 the latent heat storage material and the heat-exchanging means being enclosed in one container F28D20/023 - F28D20/028 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0031 Radiators for recooling a coolant of cooling systems
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 23/00 Features relating to the use of intermediate heat-exchange materials, e.g. selection of compositions heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4275 by melting or evaporation of solids
• 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: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49353 Heat pipe device making

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a phase change material, a plurality of particles intermixed with the phase change material, and a conductive structure encapsulating the phase change material. The conductive structure includes a cavity including a cone shape. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a conductive structure having a cavity, injecting a phase change material into the cavity, injecting a plurality of spheres into the cavity, and sealing the cavity.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a phase change material;

a plurality of particles intermixed with the phase change material; and

a thermally conductive body encapsulating the phase change material within a cavity, the cavity having a cavity surface including a cone shape configured to enhance formation of convection currents within the cavity during operation of an integrated circuit die thermally coupled to the conductive body.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cavity surface has the shape of a flat top cone.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the conductive body is configured to center a low area of the flat top cone shaped cavity surface above a hot spot of the integrated circuit die.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a low area of the cone shaped cavity surface includes a point, the conductive body being configured to center the point above a hot spot of the integrated circuit die.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the phase change material comprises TH58.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a phase change material;

a plurality of particles intermixed with the phase change material; and

a thermally conductive body encapsulating the phase change material and the plurality of particles within a cavity, the cavity formed from a pair of substantially identical, symmetrical halves of the conductive body coupled together, the cavity including a cavity surface having a first sloping surface configured to enhance formation of convection currents within the cavity during operation of an integrated circuit die thermally coupled to the conductive body.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the phase change material includes TH58.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least some of the plurality of particles have an approximately spherical shape.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a phase change material;

a plurality of particles intermixed with the phase change material; and

a thermally conductive body encapsulating the phase change material and the plurality of particles within a cavity, the cavity including a cavity surface having a first sloping surface comprising a wedge running along a length of the cavity, the cavity surface being configured to enhance formation of convection currents within the cavity during operation of an integrated circuit die thermally coupled to the conductive body.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the conductive body includes copper.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the conductive body includes a plurality of fins.

12. An integrated circuit heat sink, comprising:

a thermally conductive body having a cavity, the cavity including a cavity surface sloping upwardly from a low area located near a center of the cavity surface toward a side wall surface, the positioning of the cavity surface being configured to enhance formation of convection currents within the cavity during operation of an integrated circuit die to which the body is coupled, the thermally conductive body being formed with an external surface to thermally couple the body to the integrated circuit die; and

a mixture encapsulated within the cavity, the mixture including a phase change material and a number of particles.

13. The integrated circuit heat sink of claim 12, wherein the cavity surface has the shape of a cone.

14. The integrated circuit heat sink of claim 13, wherein the cavity surface has the shape of a flat top cone.

15. The integrated circuit heat sink of claim 14, wherein the conductive body is configured to center the low area of the flat top cone shaped cavity surface above a hot spot of the integrated circuit die.

16. The integrated circuit heat sink of claim 13, wherein the low area of the cone shaped cavity surface includes a point, the conductive body being configured to center the point above a hot spot of the integrated circuit die.

17. The integrated circuit heat sink of claim 12, wherein the phase change material comprises TH58.

18. An integrated circuit heat sink, comprising:

a pair of substantially symmetrical halves of a thermal conductive body, each of the pair of symmetrical halves coupled to form an enclosed cavity;

fins formed on an external surface of each of the pair of symmetrical halves; and

a mixture encapsulated within the cavity, the mixture including a phase change material and a number of particles.

19. The integrated circuit heat sink of claim 18, wherein the fins are fused on the external surface of each of the pair of symmetrical halves.

20. The integrated circuit heat sink of claim 18, wherein most of the number of particles has an approximately spherical shape.