Active cold plate/heat sink

• US 6,408,937 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asetek Incorporated (Asetek Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sanjay K. Roy
• Inventors: Roy, Sanjay K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US09/713,109
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 165/80.3, 165/80.4, 165/80.5, 165/104.33, 165/104.34, 165/104.22, 165/104.28, 165/104.31, 361/699, 361/700, 257/715, 257/716, 174/15.1
• US Class Current: 165/104.33
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2015/0291 comprising internal rotor means, e.g. turbine driven by the working fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0029 Heat sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2250/08 Fluid driving means, e.g. pumps, fans
• 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 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes 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

Abstract

A heat sink apparatus for gathering and dissipating heat from a heat source having a heat source housing includes an impeller chamber having a chamber interior containing a heat transfer fluid and comprising a heat transfer wall for transferring heat from the heat source into the chamber; a heat transfer fluid within the chamber; a fluid circulation path including the chamber interior; a fluid propelling mechanism for propelling the fluid through the circulation path and across the heat transfer wall so that the fluid absorbs heat at the heat transfer wall and flows to a heat discharge region remote from the heat transfer wall where the heat is dissipated into the surrounding environment; where the fluid propelling mechanism includes a mechanical fluid driving structure including blades within the chamber rotatably secured to the apparatus with a blade mounting structure to move adjacent to and along the heat transfer wall and within the flow layer of the fluid adjacent to the heat transfer wall to mechanically force convection of the fluid close to the heat transfer wall. The blades preferably include an impeller having a central impeller hub and several impeller blades secured to and extending radially from the central impeller hub adjacent to and along the heat transfer wall and within the flow layer of the fluid adjacent to the heat transfer wall.

Claims

1. A heat sink apparatus for gathering and dissipating heat from a heat source having a heat source housing, the apparatus comprising:

an impeller chamber having a chamber interior and containing a heat transfer fluid and comprising a heat transfer wall for transferring heat from said heat source into said chamber;

a heat transfer fluid within said chamber;

a fluid circulation path including said chamber interior which is configured to prevent the formation of stagnant fluid dead spaces;

and fluid propelling means for propelling said fluid through said circulation path and across said heat transfer wall such that said fluid absorbs heat at said heat transfer wall and flows to a heat discharge region remote from said heat transfer wall where the heat is dissipated into the surrounding environment;

wherein said fluid propelling means comprising a mechanical fluid driving structure for rapidly moving fluid across a wall adjacent to the heat source;

wherein the heat transfer wall comprises one of;

a planar surface, and an axisymmetric surface;

wherein said fluid propelling means comprises a rotating impeller forcing the fluid in a radial fashion over said heat transfer wall;

wherein said heat discharge region comprises a heat dissipating enclosure, and wherein said impeller chamber comprises a first chamber end wall and a second chamber end wall and a circumferential side wall sealingly interconnecting said first chamber end wall and said second chamber end wall, and wherein said first chamber end wall is said heat transfer wall and wherein said second chamber end wall comprises an outer periphery and a substantially central fluid entry port and a fluid exit port at said outer periphery of said second chamber end wall;

such that said fluid is delivered into said chamber through said fluid entry port and said fluid impinges upon an opposing substantially central region of said first chamber end wall and flows radially outward from the substantially central region in all directions, across said first chamber end wall and toward said circumferential side wall, and then diverts away from said first chamber end wall, through said fluid exit port and into said heat dissipating enclosure from which heat gathered from said heat source is dissipated into the outside environment, and the fluid within said heat dissipating enclosure then flows again through said fluid entry port into said chamber thereby completing a repeating flow cycle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said central fluid port contains a fluid guide tube extending substantially perpendicular to said second chamber end wall, such that said fluid guide tube receives and passes fluid as said fluid passes from said heat dissipating enclosure into said impeller chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fluid propelling means comprises an impeller having a central impeller hub and a plurality of impeller blades secured to and extending radially from said central impeller hub adjacent to and along said heat transfer wall and within the layer of said fluid adjacent to said heat transfer wall, and comprises an impeller drive shaft joined to said impeller hub and passing through said fluid entry port and sealingly through a drive shaft port in said heat dissipating enclosure.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said impeller drive shaft is said fluid guide tube.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, additionally comprising impeller drive means drivably connected to said impeller drive shaft.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, additionally comprising fan blades on said impeller drive shaft outside said heat dissipating enclosure for blowing air over said heat dissipating enclosure.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said heat dissipating enclosure comprises a heat dissipating enclosure wall with an enclosure wall outer surface comprising a surface area increasing structure.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said surface area increasing structure comprises at least one heat fin.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said heat transfer wall is integral with the heat sink housing such that said heat transfer wall is also a wall of the heat sink housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said fluid guide tube comprises a lateral opening within said heat dissipating enclosure for receiving said fluid.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said impeller drive means comprises one of:

an electric motor, a hydraulic drive, a pneumatic drive, a belt drive, a gear drive, a magnetic drive, and an integrated turbine drive.

12. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said impeller drive shaft comprises at least one fluid mixing blade extending laterally from said impeller drive shaft within said heat dissipating enclosure.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the impeller comprises mechanical fluid driving structure including blade means within said chamber rotatably secured to said apparatus with blade mounting means to move adjacent and along said heat transfer wall to mechanically force said fluid close to said heat transfer wall.

14. A heat sink apparatus for gathering heat from a heat source having a heat source housing, the apparatus comprising:

a heat sink chamber having a chamber interior and containing a heat transfer wall for transferring heat from said heat source into said chamber;

said heat sink chamber comprising a first chamber end wall and a second chamber end wall and a circumferential side wall sealingly interconnecting said first chamber end wall and second chamber end wall;

wherein said first chamber end wall is said heat transfer wall and wherein said second chamber end wall comprises an outer periphery and a central fluid entry port and a fluid exit port at said outer periphery of said second chamber end wall;

a fluid circulation path including said chamber interior which is configured to prevent the formation of stagnant fluid dead spaces;

and fluid directing means for directing said fluid through said fluid circulation path and across said heat transfer wall such that said fluid absorbs heat at said heat transfer wall and flows to a heat discharge region remote from said heat transfer wall where heat is dissipated into the surrounding environment, said fluid directing means comprising a stationary structure directing the fluid in a radial fashion over said heat transfer wall;

wherein said stationary structure comprises a plurality of blades extending radially from said central fluid entry port adjacent to and along heat transfer wall and within the layer of said fluid adjacent to said heat transfer wall;

such that said fluid is delivered into said chamber through said chamber entry port and said fluid impinges upon an opposing central region of said first chamber end wall and flows radially outward from the central region in all directions, across said first chamber end wall and towards circumferential side wall, and then diverts away from said first chamber end wall, through said fluid exit port to said heat discharge region from where heat is dissipated into the outside environment, then flows back again through said fluid entry port into said chamber thereby completing a repeating flow cycle.

15. A heat sink apparatus for gathering and dissipating heat from a heat source having a heat source housing using a heat transfer fluid, the apparatus comprising:

an impeller chamber having a chamber interior and containing the heat transfer fluid and comprising a heat transfer wall for transferring heat from said heat source into said chamber, said chamber containing the heat transfer fluid;

a fluid circulation path including said chamber interior which is configured to prevent the formation of stagnant fluid dead spaces; and

fluid propelling means for propelling said fluid through said circulation path and across said heat transfer wall such that said fluid absorbs heat at said heat transfer wall and flows to a heat discharge region remote from said heat transfer wall where the heat is dissipated into the surrounding environment;

wherein said fluid propelling means comprising a mechanical fluid driving structure for rapidly moving fluid across a wall adjacent to the heat source;

wherein the heat transfer wall comprises one of;

a planar surface, and an axisymmetric surface;

wherein said fluid propelling means comprises a rotating impeller forcing the fluid in a radial fashion over said heat transfer wall;

wherein said impeller chamber comprises a first chamber end wall and a second chamber end wall and a circumferential side wall sealingly interconnecting said first chamber end wall and said second chamber end wall, and wherein said first chamber end wall is said heat transfer wall and wherein said second chamber end wall comprises an outer periphery and a substantially central fluid entry port and a fluid exit port at said outer periphery of said second chamber end wall;

such that said fluid is delivered into said chamber through said fluid entry port and said fluid impinges upon an opposing substantially central region of said first chamber end wall and flows radially outward from the substantially central region in all directions, across said first chamber end wall and toward said circumferential side wall, and then diverts away from said first chamber end wall, through said fluid exit port.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said substantially central fluid port contains a fluid guide tube extending substantially perpendicular to said second chamber end wall, such that said fluid guide tube receives and passes fluid as said fluid passes from said heat dissipating enclosure into said impeller chamber.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said fluid propelling means comprises an impeller having a substantially central impeller hub and a plurality of impeller blades secured to and extending radially from said substantially central impeller hub adjacent to and along said heat transfer wall and within the layer of said fluid adjacent to said heat transfer wall, and comprises an impeller drive shaft joined to said impeller hub and passing through said fluid entry port and sealingly through a drive shaft port in said heat dissipating enclosure.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said impeller drive shaft is said fluid guide tube.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, additionally comprising impeller drive means drivably connected to said impeller drive shaft.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said heat transfer wall is integral with the heat sink housing such that said heat transfer wall is also a wall of the heat sink housing.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said impeller drive means comprises one of:

an electric motor, a hydraulic drive, a pneumatic drive, a belt drive, a gear drive, a magnetic drive, and an integrated turbine drive.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said impeller drive shaft comprises at least one fluid mixing blade extending laterally from said impeller drive shaft within said heat dissipating enclosure.

23. A heat sink apparatus for gathering and dissipating heat from a heat source having a heat source housing using a heat transfer fluid, the apparatus comprising:

an impeller chamber having a chamber interior and containing the heat transfer fluid and comprising a fluid entry port and a fluid exit port and a heat transfer wall for transferring heat from said heat source into said chamber, said chamber containing the heat transfer fluid;

a fluid circulation path including said chamber interior which is configured to prevent the formation of stagnant fluid dead spaces;

and fluid propelling means for propelling said fluid through said circulation path and across said heat transfer wall such that said fluid absorbs heat at said heat transfer wall and flows to a heat discharge region remote from said heat transfer wall where the heat is dissipated into the surrounding environment;

wherein said fluid propelling means comprising a mechanical fluid driving structure for rapidly moving fluid across a wall adjacent to the heat source;

wherein the heat transfer wall comprises one of;

a planar surface, and an axisymmetric surface;

wherein said fluid propelling means comprises a rotating impeller forcing the fluid over said heat transfer wall;

wherein said impeller chamber comprises a first chamber end wall and a second chamber end wall and a circumferential side wall interconnecting said first chamber end wall and said second chamber end wall, and wherein said heat transfer wall is one of said first chamber end wall, said second chamber end wall and said circumferential side wall;

such that said fluid is delivered into said chamber through said fluid entry port and exits through said exit port.

24. A heat sink apparatus for gathering and dissipating heat from a heat source having a heat source housing using a heat transfer fluid, the apparatus comprising:

an impeller chamber having a chamber interior and containing the heat transfer fluid and comprising a substantially central fluid entry port and a fluid exit port and a heat transfer wall for transferring heat from said heat source into said chamber, said chamber containing the heat transfer fluid;

a fluid circulation path including said chamber interior which is configured to prevent the formation of stagnant fluid dead spaces;

and fluid propelling means for propelling said fluid through said circulation path and across said heat transfer wall such that said fluid absorbs heat at said heat transfer wall and flows to a heat discharge region remote from said heat transfer wall where the heat is dissipated into the surrounding environment;

wherein said fluid propelling means comprising a mechanical fluid driving structure for rapidly moving fluid across a wall adjacent to the heat source;

wherein the heat transfer wall comprises one of;

a planar surface, and an axisymmetric surface;

wherein said fluid propelling means comprises a rotating impeller forcing the fluid over said heat transfer wall;

such that said fluid is delivered into said chamber through said fluid entry port and exits through said exit port.