Method and apparatus for cooling electrical components

• US 6,038,878 A
• Filed: 12/01/1998
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Pfister, Dennis M., Byrd, Charles M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Doerrler, William
• Application Number:
  US09/203,080
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 62/476, 62/480, 62/497, 62/259.2
• US Class Current: 62/259.2
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 17/08 the absorbent or adsorbent being a solid, e.g. salt F25B17/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2333/005 the generator or boiler uses electromagnetic energy in the form of microwaves for desorbing the sorbate from the sorbate/sorbent compound
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 35/04 using a solid as sorbent
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 39/026 specially adapted for sorption type systems
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/046 Operating intermittently
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/12 Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove
• 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: 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: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/701 using microwave applicators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/802 for heating fluids methods of heating fluids in conventional microwave ovens H05B6/687
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/808 Microwave heating adapted for vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20363 Refrigerating circuit comprising a sorber

Abstract

An apparatus for cooling an electrical component is disclosed which comprises a sorber containing a sorbent; a condenser in fluid communication with the sorber; an evaporator in fluid communication with both the sorber and the condenser and connected in heat-exchange relation to the electrical component; wherein a sorbate which has been condensed in the condenser is evaporated in the evaporator, thereby absorbing heat from the electrical component, and then adsorbed onto the sorbent; an electromagnetic wave generator; a waveguide coupler for directing the electromagnetic waves to the sorbent; wherein the sorbate is desorbed from the sorbent by the electromagnetic waves and condensed in the condenser; and wherein the desorption of the sorbate from the sorbent is substantially isothermal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cooling an electrical component which comprises:

at least one sorber having a housing forming an enclosure,

a sorbent located within the enclosure

the sorber including at least one port through which a sorbate may be communicated to the sorbent;

wherein the sorbate is adsorbed by the sorbent to form a sorbate/sorbent compound;

an electromagnetic wave generator coupled to the sorber;

wherein electromagnetic waves transmitted by the electromagnetic wave generator are propagated through the enclosure to desorb the sorbate from the sorbate/sorbent compound;

wherein the sorbate/sorbent compound is not heated by the electromagnetic waves to a degree sufficient to thermally desorb the sorbate from the sorbate/sorbent compound;

a condenser connected downstream of the sorber in communication with the enclosure;

an evaporator connected between the condenser and the port and coupled in heat-exchange relation to the electrical component, and

a controllable valve interposed between the condenser and the evaporator;

wherein sorbate which is desorbed in the sorber is condensed in the condenser and then controllably released into the evaporator to create a cooling effect and thereby cool the electrical component, after which the sorbate is drawn back into the sorber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the evaporator comprises:

an evaporator housing having a depending shroud adapted to be positioned over the electrical component;

a manifold located in the evaporator housing above the shroud;

a plurality of holes connecting the manifold with a space encompassed by the shroud;

an inlet for providing fluid communication between the manifold and the condenser; and

an outlet for providing fluid communication between the space and the sorber.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the manifold comprises a plurality of interconnecting branches.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the holes are preferably approximately 0.004 to 0.030 inch diameter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sorber comprises a hollow outer conductor and an inner conductor extending coaxially into the outer conductor, the inner and outer conductors being sized and spaced to form a waveguide for the electromagnetic waves.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a waveguide which is electrically coupled to the inner and outer conductors and to the electromagnetic wave generator.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a coaxial connector which is electrically coupled to the inner and outer conductors and to the electromagnetic wave generator.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a coaxial cable connected between the electromagnetic wave generator and the coaxial connector.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the inner conductors extends substantially the length of the outer conductor and the sorbent is positioned between the inner and outer conductors.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is constructed of a dielectric material and the sorber comprises a first stripline transmission line formed in or positioned adjacent the housing for propagating the electromagnetic waves through the sorbent.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first stripline transmission line comprises a ground plane conductor located on a first side of the enclosure and a stripline conductor located on a side of the enclosure opposite the first side.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a second stripline transmission line which is electrically coupled to the first stripline transmission line.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a coaxial connector which is electrically coupled to the first stripline transmission line.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a waveguide which is electrically coupled to the first stripline transmission line.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave generator comprises a solid state device.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit board which is adapted to be removably plugged into an expansion slot of a computer;

wherein the sorber and the electromagnetic wave generator are mounted on the circuit board.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the housing is constructed of a dielectric material and in the sorber comprises a first stripline transmission line formed in or positioned adjacent the housing for propagating the electromagnetic waves onto the sorbent.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the electromagnetic wave generator comprises a solid state device.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sorber and the evaporator are integrated into a single structure which is adapted to be connected to a circuit board.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the electromagnetic wave generator comprises a solid state device which is integrated into the single structure.

21. An apparatus for cooling an electrical component which comprises:

at least one sorber containing a sorbent;

a condenser in fluid communication with the sorber;

an evaporator in fluid communication with both the sorber and the condenser and coupled in heat-exchange relation to the electrical component;

wherein a sorbate which has been condensed in the condenser is evaporated in the evaporator, thereby absorbing heat from the electrical component, and then adsorbed onto the sorbent;

an electromagnetic wave generator coupled to the sorber;

wherein the sorbate is desorbed from the sorbent by the electromagnetic waves and then condensed in the condenser;

wherein the desorption of the sorbate from the sorbent is primarily isothermal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the sorber comprises a housing forming an enclosure for the sorbent, the housing being constructed of a dielectric material and wherein the electromagnetic wave generator is configured to propagate the electromagnetic waves onto the sorbent.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a first stripline transmission line formed in or positioned adjacent the housing, wherein the first stripline transmission line is coupled to the electromagnetic wave generator and the sorber and configured to propagate the electromagnetic waves onto the sorbent.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the first stripline transmission line comprises a ground plane conductor located on a first side of the enclosure and a stripline conductor located on a side of the enclosure opposite the first side.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a second stripline transmission line which is electrically coupled to the first stripline transmission line.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a coaxial connector which is electrically coupled to the first stripline transmission line.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a coaxial cable connected between the electromagnetic wave generator and the coaxial connector.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a waveguide which is electrically coupled to the first stripline transmission line.

29. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a first waveguide, wherein the first waveguide is coupled to the electromagnetic wave generator and the sorber and configured to propagate the electromagnetic waves onto the sorbent.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a second waveguide which is electrically coupled to the first waveguide.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the first and second waveguides comprise a single waveguide.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a coaxial connector which is electrically coupled to the first waveguide.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising a coaxial cable connected between the electromagnetic wave generator and the coaxial connector.

34. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the evaporator comprises:

an evaporator housing having a depending shroud adapted to be positioned over the electrical component;

a manifold located in the evaporator housing above the shroud;

a plurality of holes connecting the manifold with the space encompassed by the shroud;

an inlet for providing fluid communication between the manifold and the condenser; and

an outlet for providing fluid communication between the space and the sorber.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the manifold comprises a plurality of interconnecting branches.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the holes are preferably approximately 0.004 to 0.030 inch in diameter.

37. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the sorber comprises a hollow outer conductor and an inner conductor extending coaxially into the outer conductor, the inner and outer conductors being sized and spaced to form a waveguide for the electromagnetic waves.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the inner conductor extends substantially the length of the outer conductor and the sorbent is positioned between the inner and outer conductors.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a waveguide which is electrically coupled to the inner and outer conductors and to the electromagnetic wave generator.

40. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a coaxial connector which is electrically coupled to the inner and outer conductors and to the electromagnetic wave generator.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising a coaxial cable connect ed between the electromagnetic wave generator and the coaxial connector.

42. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the electromagnetic wave generator comprises a solid state electromagnetic wave generating device.

43. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a circuit board which is adapted to be removably plugged into an expansion slot of a computer;

wherein the sorber and the electromagnetic wave generator are mounted on the circuit board.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the sorber comprises a housing forming an enclosure for the sorbent, the housing being constructed of a dielectric material.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising a waveguide coupled to said electromagnetic wave generator and said sorber and configured to propagate electromagnetic waves onto the sorbent.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising a stripline transmission line formed in or positioned adjacent the housing, the stripline transmission line being coupled to said electromagnetic wave generator and said sorber and configured to propagate electromagnetic waves onto the sorbent.

47. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the electromagnetic wave generator comprises a solid state electromagnetic wave generating device.

48. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the sorber and the evaporator are integrated into a single structure which is adapted to be connected to a circuit board.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the electromagnetic wave generator comprises a solid state electromagnetic wave generating device which is integrated into the single structure.