Arrangement for placing central processors and memory in a cryo cooled chamber

• US 5,323,293 A
• Filed: 12/18/1992
• Issued: 06/21/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Angiulli, John M., Moran, Kevin P., Levine, Samuel R., Konian, Richard R., Ghose, Arun K., Vasile, Vincent C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US07/993,271
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 174/15.1, 174/15.4, 174/16.1, 62/259.2, 62/376, 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/185, 165/104.33, 257/713, 257/714, 257/716, 361/382, 361/385-389, 361/688, 361/689, 361/699, 361/702, 361/704, 361/717, 361/707, 361/711
• US Class Current: 361/699
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20372 Cryogenic cooling; Nitrogen liquid cooling

Abstract

A low temperature conduction module comprising a cold plate having recesses around the periphery thereof to accommodate memory cubes is disclosed. The recesses accommodating the memory cubes are of such depth and dimension as to enclose the memory cube on all but one side, thereby greatly enhancing the conduction of the heat generated by the memory cube to the cold plate. The memory cube may be surrounded by a material which possesses excellent thermal conductive properties to insure efficient transfer of the heat from the memory cube to the cold plate. The plurality of memory cubes so positioned within the cold plate may be connected by a flexible cable surrounding the cold plate and having branch conductors extending to connect with computer processors enclosed within the same low temperature conduction module.

Claims

1. A cryogenically coolable thermal conduction module for containing and cooling electronic circuit chips having a plurality of faces, said module comprising:

a container having at least a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall which define an internal volume;

said bottom wall having a planar, thermally conductive plate exposed for engagement with a cryogenically cooled cold head;

said bottom wall further having an internal cylindrical portion extending axially from the periphery of said bottom wall and having a thickness in the radial direction in excess of one dimension of at least one face of at least one electronic chip; and

at least one recess formed into the exterior of said cylindrical portion which accepts at least one said chip into each said recess and which contacts at least a plurality of said faces of at least one said chip,

whereby heat generated within said chip is conducted away from said at least one chip through any of a plurality of said faces, to said plate.

2. The module of claim 1 wherein each said bottom wall recess comprises a plurality of faces which accept and contact the faces of a stack of a plurality of said chips, formed into a cube of chips.

3. The module of claim 2 wherein said bottom wall contacts said cube of chips on five sides of said cube.

4. The module of claim 1 wherein each said bottom wall recess is lined with a thermally conductive material of a malleable nature to conform to said recess and to each said chip to intimately contact each said recess and each said chip.

5. The module of claim 1 further comprising electrical connections for each said chip.

6. The module of claim 5 further comprising at least one further electronic chip disposed on and thermally connected to said bottom wall.

7. A thermal conduction module for containing and cooling electronic circuit chips assembled into a cube comprising a cubical volume of chips, said cube having a plurality of faces, said module comprising:

a container having at least a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall which define an internal volume;

said bottom wall having a planar, thermally conductive plate exposed for engagement with a cryogenically cooled cold heat;

said bottom wall further having an internal portion extending axially from the periphery of said bottom wall and having a thickness in the radial direction in excess of one dimension of at last one face of said cube of said electronic chips; and

at least one recess, formed into the exterior of said axially extending portion, which accepts at least one said cube into said recess and which contacts at least a plurality of said faces of said cube,

whereby heat generated within said chips forming said cube is conducted away from said chips through any of said plurality of said faces, to said bottom plate.

8. The thermal conduction module of claim 7 wherein each said bottom wall recess is lined with a thermally conductive material of a malleable nature to conform to each said recess and to each said chip to intimately contact each said recess and each said chip.

9. The thermal conduction module of claim 7 further comprising electrical connections for each said chip.

10. The thermal conduction module of claim 7 further comprising at least one further electronic chip disposed on and thermally connected to said bottom wall.