COMPACT TWO SIDED COLD PLATE WITH TRANSFER TUBES

• US 20110232879A1
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International Inc (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International Inc (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Laurin, Michael B., Zaffetti, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,991,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/104.28
• 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 7/20509 Multiple-component heat spreaders; Multi-component heat-conducting support plates; Multi-component non-closed heat-conducting structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49373 Tube joint and tube plate structure

Abstract

A structural cold plate assembly includes cold plates mounted to opposing sides of a panel and in fluid communication through fluid passages that extend through the panel.

Claims

1. A cold plate assembly comprising:

a support structure including first and second opposite sides;

a first cold plate disposed on the first side of the support structure;

a second cold plate disposed on the second side of the support structure; and

a conduit extending through the support structure for communicating fluid between the first cold plate and the second cold plate.

2. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the conduit comprises a tube extending through the support structure.

3. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein the tube is welded to a portion of the first cold plate and a portion of the second cold plate.

4. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second cold plates comprises a bottom plate mounted to a corresponding one of the first and second side of the support structure, and the conduit is joined to the bottom plate of each of the first and second cold plates.

5. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises an interior structure sandwiched between face sheets on each of the first and second sides.

6. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein the interior structure comprises a frame and a cellular structure disposed between the first and second sides.

7. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second cold plates comprises a first cooling circuit and a second cooling circuit that is separate from the first cooling circuit.

8. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein the conduit comprises a first conduit that communicates fluid through the support structure between the first cooling circuit in the first cold plate and the first cooling circuit in the second cold plate, and a second conduit communicates fluid through the support structure between the second cooling circuit of the first cooling plate and the second cooling circuit of the second cooling plate.

9. The cold plate assembly as recited in claim 8, including an opening through each of the cold plates proximate each of the first and second conduits and a cap disposed over each of the openings for sealing the openings.

10. A support structure comprising:

a panel including a first side and a second side;

a first fluid circuit supported on the first side of the panel;

a second fluid circuit supported on the second side of the panel; and

at least one fluid conduit extending through the panel and providing fluid communication between the first fluid circuit and the second fluid circuit.

11. The support structure as recited in claim 10, wherein the panel comprises an intermediate layer covered on the first side by a first face sheet and covered on the second side by a second face sheet.

12. The support structure as recited in claim 10, wherein the at least one fluid conduit comprises a tube welded to the first fluid circuit on one end and welded to the second fluid circuit on a second end.

13. The support structure as recited in claim 12, including an insert disposed within the panel and the first and second fluid conduits extends through the insert.

14. The support structure as recited in claim 10, wherein the first fluid circuit is defined within a first cold plate and the second fluid circuit is defined within a second cold plate.

15. The support structure as recited in claim 14, wherein each of the first and second cold plates include a secondary fluid circuit in addition to the first fluid circuit defined within the first cold plate and the second fluid circuit defined within the second cold plate.

16. The support structure as recited in claim 15, including a first inlet mounted to the first cold plate for communicating a fluid medium to the first and second fluid circuits and a second inlet mounted to the first cold plate for communicating a second fluid medium to the second fluid circuit.

17. The support structure as recited in claim 14, including at least one alignment pin for positioning at least one of the first cold plate and the second cold plate on the panel.

18. A method of assembling a structural support for a heat generating device, the method comprising:

assembling a panel including a first side and a second side;

mounting a first cold plate to the first side of the panel;

mounting a second cold plate to the second side of the panel; and

inserting a tube into a space between the first and second sides of the panel to create a passage for a cooling medium through the panel between the first cold plate and the second cold plate.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, including the step of sealing each end of the tube to a corresponding one of the first and second cold plates.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, including the step of welding one end of the tube to the first cold plate and welding a second end of the tube to the second cold plate to create a seal.