System and method for inducing turbulence in fluid for dissipating thermal energy of electronic circuitry

• US 7,359,198 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sisson, William H., Tobin, Jeffrey P., Kelly, Michael G., Johnson, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; Gregory D
• Application Number:
  US11/238,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20070242434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 257/714, 165/80.4, 361/699
• US Class Current: 361/699
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take 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 method for cooling a circuit comprises generating movement of fluid along a path through a closed-loop system. The method further comprises inducing turbulence in the fluid by movement of at least a portion of a turbulence-inducing device arranged in the path, and dissipating thermal energy from the circuit by the fluid. A system comprises a circuit, and a closed-loop cooling system comprising fluid for cooling the circuit and at least one active turbulence-inducing device. In one embodiment, the turbulence-inducing device is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device. In one embodiment, the MEMS device is solely responsible for bulk fluid movement through the closed-loop cooling system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an integrated circuit; and

a closed-loop cooling system comprising fluid for cooling said integrated circuit and at least one turbulence-inducing device adjacent to the integrated circuit and arranged in a path of movement of said fluid through said closed-loop system, wherein the path of movement of said fluid is such that the fluid traverses a leading edge and a following edge of the integrated circuit in a direction of flow.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said turbulence-inducing device is a passive device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said turbulence-inducing device is an active device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said turbulence-inducing device is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said MEMS device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

micro-actuator, micro-impeller, and micro-rotor.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein said turbulence-inducing device is a device that generates movement of said fluid through said closed-loop cooling system.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein said turbulence-inducing device is solely responsible for bulk fluid movement through said closed-loop cooling system.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said turbulence-inducing device moves, thereby inducing turbulence in said fluid.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a pump for bulk fluid movement through said closed-loop cooling system.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one turbulence-inducing device arranged in a path of movement of said fluid is solely responsible for bulk fluid movement through said closed-loop cooling system.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said fluid comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

liquid and gas.

12. A system comprising:

a circuit; and

a closed-loop cooling system comprising fluid for cooling said circuit and at least one active turbulence-inducing device adjacent to the circuit, a path of movement of said fluid through said closed-loop system traversing a leading edge and a following edge of the circuit in a direction of flow.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said turbulence-inducing device is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said MEMS device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

micro-actuator, micro-impeller, and micro-rotor.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said MEMS device is solely responsible for bulk fluid movement through said closed-loop cooling system.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein said turbulence-inducing device comprises a nanometer-scaled motor.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein said turbulence-inducing device is a device that generates movement of said fluid through said closed-loop cooling system.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein said turbulence-inducing device is solely responsible for bulk fluid movement through said closed-loop cooling system.

19. The system of claim 12 further comprising a pump for bulk fluid movement through said closed-loop cooling system.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein at least a portion of said active turbulence-inducing device moves, thereby inducing turbulence in said fluid.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein said circuit is an integrated circuit.

22. The system of claim 12 wherein said fluid comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

liquid and gas.

23. A method for cooling a circuit comprising:

generating movement of fluid along a path through a closed-loop system;

inducing turbulence in said fluid by movement of at least a portion of a turbulence-inducing device arranged adjacent to said circuit in said path, the path through said closed-loop system traversing a leading edge and a following edge of said circuit in a direction of flow; and

dissipating thermal energy from said circuit by said fluid.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said inducing turbulence comprises:

inducing said turbulence by an active turbulence-inducing device.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said inducing turbulence comprises:

inducing turbulence by a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein said inducing turbulence comprises:

inducing turbulence by a passive turbulence-inducing device, wherein said movement of said at least a portion of said turbulence-inducing device occurs responsive to force applied thereto by said fluid.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein said inducing turbulence comprises:

inducing turbulence by a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device that is also solely responsible for bulk fluid movement through said closed-loop system.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein said circuit is an integrated circuit.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein said fluid comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

liquid and gas.