Heat sink having magnet array for magneto-hydrodynamic hot spot cooling

• US 7,310,231 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Ouyang, Chien
• Primary Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US11/313,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20070139885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 361/699, 361/687, 361384-385, 361/388, 165/80.4
• US Class Current: 361/699
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/201 Cooling arrangements using cooling fluid
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/34 Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or temperature compensation ; Temperature sensing arrangements thermal treatment apparatus H01L21/00
• 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 has a plurality of pipes that are connected to an array of magnets. The plurality of pipes are connected to a lid that is operatively connected to an integrated circuit. Temperature sensors are disposed on the lid to measure temperatures of hot spots of the integrated circuit. Dependent on a temperature of one of the hot spots, the array of magnets may be used to propagate thermally conductive fluid toward the hot spot through the lid using the plurality of pipes.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

an integrated circuit;

a lid disposed over the integrated circuit;

a plurality of temperature sensors disposed on the lid and arranged to measure temperatures of hot spots of the integrated circuit; and

a heat sink operatively connected to the lid, the heat sink comprising a plurality of pipes operatively connected to the plurality of temperature sensors; and

a magnet array operatively connected to the plurality of pipes and arranged to propagate fluid toward at least one of the hot spots using the plurality of pipes dependent on a temperature of the at least one hot spot.

2. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

an enclosure to which the plurality of pipes propagate the fluid.

3. The computer system of claim 1, the magnet array comprising:

a first electrical conductor disposed along a electrically non-conductive segment of one of the plurality of pipes; and

a second electrical conductor disposed along the electrically non-conductive segment,

wherein fluid flow within the electrically non-conductive segment is dependent on an electrical current induced between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the induced electrical current is dependent on at least one of the plurality of temperature sensors.

5. The computer system of claim 1, the magnet array comprising:

a plurality of magnets;

a plurality of non-metal spacers interspersed between the plurality of magnets,

wherein polarization directions of the plurality of magnetic fields are dependent on the plurality of magnets.

6. The computer system of claim 5, the magnet array further comprising:

an electrically non-conductive segment of one of the plurality of pipes, where the electrically non-conductive segment is disposed over at least one of the plurality of magnets and at least one of the plurality of non-metal spacers.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the electrically non-conductive segment is formed of plastic.

8. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

a ferromagnetic metal piece arranged to at least partially shield the plurality of magnetic fields.

9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the magnet array is disposed outside a body of the heat sink.

10. The computer system of claim 1, wherein fluid flow in each of the plurality of pipes is individually controllable.

11. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the magnet array is rectangular in shape.

12. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the fluid is at least one of thermally and electrically conductive.

13. A method of cooling an hot spot of an integrated circuit, comprising:

generating a plurality of magnetic fields using an array of magnets;

inducing electrical currents through the plurality of magnetic fields;

using a plurality of pipes to pass electrically and thermally conductive fluid through the plurality of magnetic fields;

propagating fluid toward the hot spot using the plurality of pipes dependent on a temperature of the hot spot;

measuring the temperature of the hot spot; and

adjusting at least one of the electrical currents dependent on the measuring.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

at least partially shielding the plurality of magnetic fields.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein a rate of flow of the fluid is dependent on at least one of the electrical currents.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a body having a plurality of fins configured to dissipate heat;

a plurality of pipes extending through the body and arranged to propagate electrically and thermally conductive fluid;

an enclosure having a cavity operatively connected to the plurality of pipes;

a plurality of temperature sensors disposed along a surface of the enclosure, wherein the temperature sensors are arranged to measure temperatures of hot spots of an integrated circuit operatively connected to the enclosure; and

an array of magnets arranged in a housing operatively connected to the plurality of pipes and further arranged to propagate fluid toward at least one of the hot spots through the cavity using the plurality of pipes dependent on a temperature of the at least one hot spot.

17. The heat sink of claim 16, wherein fluid flow is dependent on at least one of a plurality of magnetic fields induced between the magnets.

18. The heat sink of claim 17, wherein fluid flow is dependent on an electrical current induced across one of the plurality of magnetic fields.

19. The heat sink of claim 16, further comprising:

a ferromagnetic metal piece arranged to at least partially shield the plurality of magnetic fields.

20. The heat sink of claim 16, wherein the housing is disposed outside the body.