Optimized multiple heat pipe blocks for electronics cooling

• US 7,090,001 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vertiv Corporation (Vertiv Holdings Co.)
• Original Assignee: Cooligy Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Zhou, Peng, Upadhya, Girish, Goodson, Kenneth, van Der Heide, Dolf
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, THO V
• Application Number:
  US10/440,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20040244950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 165/104.21, 165/104.27, 165/104.33, 165/185, 165/146, 165/80.3, 361/700, 361/702, 361/705, 174/15.2, 257/714, 257/715
• US Class Current: 165/104.21
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/00 Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0266 with separate evaporating and condensing chambers connected by at least one conduit; Loop-type heat pipes; with multiple or common evaporating or condensing chambers F28D15/043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/026 with different heat storage materials not coming into direct contact
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2210/08 Assemblies of conduits having different features
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 23/00 Features relating to the use of intermediate heat-exchange materials, e.g. selection of compositions heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00
• 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

Abstract

A plate is thermally coupled to a heat generating device and thermally coupled to two heat pipes. Each heat pipe is configured to have a predetermined boiling point temperature selected according to design criteria. One or more additional heat pipes can be coupled to the plate. A heat spreader can be in thermal contact with the heat generating device and with at least one of the heat pipes. The heat pipes can differ in outer cross-sectional dimensions depending on thermal distance position relative to the heat generating device, such that the heat pipes located a farther thermal distance from the heat generating device have smaller outer cross-sectional dimensions than the heat pipes located a shorter thermal distance from the heat generating device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing heat from a heat generating device comprising a plate thermally coupled to the heat generating device and thermally coupled to two heat pipes wherein the thermal distances relative to the heat generating device are not the same and wherein each heat pipe is configured to have a predetermined boiling point temperature selected according to design criteria and thermal distance position relative to the heat generating device whereby the boiling point temperatures are not the same, to achieve substantially simultaneous onset of boiling within the two heat pipes in response to heat energy from the heat generating device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including one or more additional heat pipes coupled to the plate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a heat spreader, wherein the heat spreader is in thermal contact with the heat generating device and with at least one of the heat pipes.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat pipes differing in boiling point temperature by at least 1 degree Celsius.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat pipes differing in outer cross-sectional dimensions depending on the thermal distance position relative to the heat generating device, such that the heat pipes located a farther thermal distance from the heat generating device have smaller outer cross-sectional dimensions than the heat pipes located a shorter thermal distance from the heat generating device.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the heat spreader is made of copper.

7. An apparatus for removing heat from a heat generating device by optimizing boiling points of heat pipes in an enclosure, the enclosure being coupled to a heat spreader, the apparatus comprising:

a first heat pipe positioned at a first thermal distance from the heat generating device; and

a second heat pipe positioned at a second thermal distance from the heat generating device, wherein the first heat pipe has a first boiling point corresponding to the first thermal distance and the second heat pipe has a second boiling point different from the first boiling point and corresponding to the second thermal distance to achieve substantially simultaneous onset of boiling of the heat pipes, wherein the first thermal distance and the second thermal distance are not the same.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further including one or more additional heat pipes, each additional heat pipe located a thermal distance from the heat generating device.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the heat spreader is in thermal contact with the heat generating device and with at least one of the heat pipes.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the heat pipes differing in boiling point temperature by at least 1 degree Celsius.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the heat pipes differing in outer cross-sectional dimensions depending on thermal distance position relative to the heat generating device, such that the heat pipes located a farther thermal distance from the heat generating device have smaller outer cross-sectional dimensions than the heat pipes located a shorter thermal distance from the heat generating device.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second heat pipe is separated by a predetermined distance from the first heat pipe.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the boiling points of heat pipes are predetermined.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the heat spreader is made of copper.

15. An apparatus for removing heat from a heat generating device by optimizing boiling points of heat pipes in an enclosure, comprising:

a first heat pipe positioned at a first thermal distance from a heat generating device;

a second heat pipe positioned at a second thermal distance from the heat generating device; and

means for achieving substantially simultaneous onset of boiling of the heat pipes according to thermal distance positions relative to the heat generating device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further including one or more additional heat pipes.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further including a heat spreader, wherein the heat spreader is in thermal contact with the heat generating device and with at least one of the heat pipes.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the heat pipes differing in boiling point temperature by at least 1 degree Celsius.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the heat pipes differing in outer cross-sectional dimensions depending on the thermal distance positions relative to the heat generating device, such that the heat pipes located a farther thermal distance from the heat generating device have smaller outer cross-sectional dimensions than the heat pipes located a shorter thermal distance from the heat generating device.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second heat pipe is separated by a predetermined distance from the first heat pipe.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the boiling points of heat pipes are predetermined.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the heat spreader is made of copper.

23. A method of removing heat from a heat generating device by optimizing boiling points of heat pipes in an enclosure, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a first heat pipe having a first boiling point at a first thermal distance from the heat generating device; and

positioning a second heat pipe having a second boiling point different from the first boiling point at a second thermal distance from the heat generating device, wherein the first thermal distance and the second thermal distance are not the same for achieving substantially simultaneous onset of boiling of the heat pipes according to thermal distance positions relative to the heat generating device.

24. The method of claim 23, further including one or more additional heat pipes.

25. The method of claim 23, further including a heat spreader, wherein the heat spreader is in thermal contact with the heat generating device and with at least one of the heat pipes.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the heat pipes differing in boiling point temperature by at least 1 degree Celsius.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the heat pipes differing in outer cross-sectional dimensions depending on the thermal distance positions relative to the heat generating device, such that the heat pipes located a farther thermal distance from the heat generating device have smaller outer cross-sectional dimensions than the heat pipes located a shorter thermal distance from the heat generating device.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the second heat pipe is separated by a predetermined distance from the first heat pipe.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the boiling points of heat pipes are predetermined.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the heat spreader is made of copper.

31. An apparatus for removing heat from a heat generating device by optimizing boiling points of heat pipes in an enclosure, comprising:

a plurality of heat pipes each having a predetermined thermal distance from the heat generating device wherein the thermal distances of the heat pipes from the heat generating device are not all the same and wherein a boiling point for each of the plurality of heat pipes is selected in accordance with the thermal distance whereby the boiling points are not all the same to achieve substantially simultaneous onset of boiling within the plurality of heat pipes in response to heat energy from the heat generating device.

32. An apparatus for removing heat from a heat generating device by optimizing boiling points of heat pipes in an enclosure, comprising:

a plurality of heat pipes each having a predetermined thermal distance from the heat generating device wherein the thermal distances of the heat pipes from the heat generating device are not all the same and wherein a boiling point for each of the plurality of heat pipes is selected in accordance with the thermal distance whereby the boiling points are not all the same, such that each of the plurality of heat pipes begins to boils at substantially the same time in response to heat generated by the heat generating device.