Modular heat exchanger
First Claim
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1. A modular heat exchanger comprising:
- a chassis having a mounting surface;
plural modules, each of said modules being removably attachable to said mounting surface and comprising,a thermally conductive plate for carrying electronic components, anda heat transfer duct attached to each of two opposing edges of said plate for conveying a coolant along an edge of said plate, each said duct being connected so that coolant does not pass through more than one said duct,said plate and each said heat transfer duct forming an uninterrupted thermal path for conducting heat from the electronic components to the coolant; and
plural fins in said duct for facilitating conduction of heat from said duct to the coolant, said fins being in thermal communication with said duct.
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Abstract
A heat exchanger and method for mounting and cooling electronic components includes a chassis with plural removable mounting modules and a coolant distributor mounted on the modules. Each of the modules has a thermally conductive core for mounting electronic components and heat transfer ducts integral therewith that form uninterrupted thermal paths for conduction of heat from the electronic components to the coolant in the ducts. Each module has it own coolant ducts so that the weight of the heat exchanger may be reduced by the weight of the ducts when a module is removed, and so that cooling for each module may be separately tailored.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A modular heat exchanger comprising:
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a chassis having a mounting surface; plural modules, each of said modules being removably attachable to said mounting surface and comprising, a thermally conductive plate for carrying electronic components, and a heat transfer duct attached to each of two opposing edges of said plate for conveying a coolant along an edge of said plate, each said duct being connected so that coolant does not pass through more than one said duct, said plate and each said heat transfer duct forming an uninterrupted thermal path for conducting heat from the electronic components to the coolant; and plural fins in said duct for facilitating conduction of heat from said duct to the coolant, said fins being in thermal communication with said duct. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A module for carrying electronic components and for conducting heat therefrom, said module being carried on a chassis for a heat exchanger that includes a system for conveying a coolant to said module to conduct heat therefrom, said module comprising:
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a thermally conductive plate for carrying the electronic components, said plate having two opposing edges; a heat transfer duct at each of said edges, each said heat transfer duct having openings for conveying a heat transfer fluid therethrough along one of said edges to conduct heat from said plate, said plate and said heat transfer duct being integrally formed to thereby create an uninterrupted thermal path for conducting heat away from electronic components carried by said plate to interior surfaces of each said heat transfer duct, wherein at least one said duct comprises two coolant conduits separated by an extension of said plate through said duct. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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- 12. A heat exchanger for electronic components comprising a coolant distributor, a coolant distributor cover and plural modules removably mounted on a chassis, each of said modules having its own coolant ducts attached to opposing edges thereof that are in communication with said coolant distributor cover that overlies said plural modules such that the coolant passing through any one duct does not pass through any of the other ducts.
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16. A method of mounting and cooling electronic components carried on modules comprising the steps of:
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providing each of the modules with a thermally conductive core for mounting the electronic components; providing a thermal transfer duct at an edge of the core, the duct and the core forming a thermal path from the electronic components to an interior surface of the duct; providing the duct with two coolant conduits separated by an extension of the core through the duct; providing plural fins in the duct for facilitating conduction of heat to a coolant in the duct; removably attaching the modules to a chassis having a mounting surface; and conveying the coolant through the duct to thereby cool the electronic components. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification