VAPOR CHAMBER WITH THREE-DIMENSIONAL PRINTED SPANNING STRUCTURE

• US 20180156545A1
• Filed: 12/05/2016
• Published: 06/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Delano, Andrew Douglas, Stellman, Jeffrey Taylor, Jenkins, Kurt Allen, Ghioni, Lincoln M.
• Application Number:
  US15/369,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20180156545A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/043 forming loops, e.g. capillary pumped loops
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/046 characterised by the material or the construction of the capillary structure
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/003 by using permeable mass, perforated or porous materials F28F13/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2255/18 sintered
• 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: H05K 7/20309 Evaporators

Abstract

A three-dimensional printed vapor chamber device is provided. A chamber from a first surface and a second surface at least partially enclosing a volume includes a spanning structure extending from the first surface to the second surface throughout a region within the volume. A defined gap between the first surface and second surface is maintained by the spanning structure, which also defines a plurality of flow passages. Evaporated working fluid flows from an evaporation region proximate a heat source through looped flow passages to a condensation region at a distal end of the chamber before returning as condensate by way of capillary action to the evaporation region.

Claims

1. A vapor chamber device, comprising:

a chamber including a first surface and a second surface at least partially enclosing a volume;

a three-dimensional printed spanning structure extending from the first surface to the second surface throughout a region within the volume and structurally supporting the first surface and second surface so as to maintain a defined gap therebetween, the spanning structure also defining a plurality of flow passages including;

looped flow passages through which evaporated working fluid flows from an evaporation region proximate a heat source in an outbound flow to a condensation region and in which condensed working fluid flows in an inbound flow from the condensation region to the evaporation region.

2. The vapor chamber device of claim 1, wherein the looped flow passage include:

outbound flow passages through which evaporated working fluid flows; and

inbound flow passages through which condensed working fluid flows;

wherein the outbound flow passages are fluidically connected to the inbound flow passages at the condensation region at a distal end; and

wherein the inbound flow passages are fluidically connected to the outbound flow passages at the evaporation region proximate the heat source.

3. The vapor chamber device of claim 1, wherein the second surface is printed in continuity with the spanning structure by three-dimensional printing.

4. The vapor chamber device of claim 1, wherein the second surface is structurally attached to the spanning structure.

5. The vapor chamber device of claim 1, wherein the spanning structure includes a repeated pattern within the volume of the chamber.

6. The vapor chamber device of claim 1, wherein the spanning structure includes flow passages that have an internal dimension of 100 to 300 microns to promote capillary flow.

7. The vapor chamber device of claim 1, wherein an internal dimension of the flow passages decreases with distance from the evaporation region proximate a heat source.

8. The vapor chamber device of claim 1, wherein the flow passages in the spanning structure have at least one form selected from the group consisting of a parallel form, a Y-pattern form, a corrugated form, a curvilinear tunnel form, a crossed pattern, and a rectilinear form repeated on the surfaces and longitudinally offset.

9. The vapor chamber device of claim 1, wherein the first and second surfaces and spanning structure have been formed by at least one of the group consisting of direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), selective laser melting (SLM), electron-beam melting (EBM), screen printing, selective laser sintering (SLS), and stereolithography apparatus (SLA);

and

wherein the spanning structure includes at least one of the group consisting of aluminum, copper, titanium, stainless steel, metal alloy, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, nylon, polyphenylsulfone (PPSF), cyanate ester, urethanes, epoxies, aluminum oxide, zirconia and ceramics.

10. A method for manufacturing a vapor chamber device, the method comprising:

constructing a first surface as a component on which three-dimensional printing will be conducted;

adding, by three-dimensional printing, a spanning structure extending from the first surface to a second surface throughout a region within a volume structurally supporting the first surface and second surface so as to maintain a defined gap therebetween, the spanning structure also defining a plurality of flow passages including;

looped flow passages through which evaporated working fluid flows from an evaporation region proximate a heat source in an outbound flow to a condensation region and in which condensed working fluid flows in an inbound flow from the condensation region to the evaporation region; and

forming the second surface to enclose, with the first surface, the spanning structure extending from the first surface within a volume created by the first surface and second surface to form a chamber.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the looped flow passages include:

outbound flow passages through which evaporated working fluid flows; and

inbound flow passages through which condensed working fluid flows;

wherein the outbound flow passages are fluidically connected to the inbound flow passages at the condensation region at a distal end; and

wherein the inbound flow passages are fluidically connected to the outbound flow passages at the evaporation region proximate the heat source.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second surface is printed in continuity with the spanning structure by three-dimensional printing.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the second surface is structurally attached to the spanning structure.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the spanning structure includes a repeated pattern within the volume of the chamber.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the spanning structure includes flow passages that have an internal dimension of 100 to 300 microns to promote capillary flow.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the internal dimension of the flow passages decreases with distance from the evaporation region proximate the heat source.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the flow passages in the spanning structure have at least one form selected from the group consisting of a parallel form, a Y-pattern form, a corrugated form, a curvilinear tunnel form, a crossed pattern, and a rectilinear form repeated on the surfaces and longitudinally offset.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second surfaces and spanning structure have been formed by at least one of the group consisting of direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), selective laser melting (SLM), electron-beam melting (EBM), screen printing, selective laser sintering (SLS), and stereolithography apparatus (SLA);

and

wherein the spanning structure includes at least one of the group consisting of aluminum, copper, titanium, stainless steel, metal alloy, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, nylon, polyphenylsulfone (PPSF), cyanate ester, urethanes, epoxies, aluminum oxide, zirconia and ceramics.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming non-structural material remaining after adding the spanning structure by three-dimensional printing to promote capillary flow.

20. A vapor chamber device, comprising:

a chamber including a first surface and a second surface at least partially enclosing a volume;

a three-dimensional printed spanning structure extending from the first surface to the second surface throughout a region within the volume and structurally supporting the first surface and second surface so as to maintain a defined gap therebetween, the spanning structure including a repeated pattern within the volume of the chamber and thereby defining a plurality of flow passages including;

looped flow passages through which evaporated working fluid flows from an evaporation region proximate a heat source in an outbound flow to a condensation region and in which condensed working fluid flows in an inbound flow from the condensation region to the evaporation region, the internal dimension of the flow passages decreasing with distance from the evaporation region proximate the heat source.