Cooling apparatus having low profile extrusion and method of manufacture therefor

• US 7,686,069 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Thermotek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: The Thermotek Incorporated
• Inventors: DeVilbiss, Roger S., Parish, Overton L. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg; Teresa J
• Application Number:
  US12/005,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20080110597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 165/104.21, 165/104.26, 165/104.33, 361/700, 257/715
• US Class Current: 165/104.21
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0246 heat-exchange elements having several adjacent conduits forming a whole, e.g. blocks
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0233 the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0283 Means for filling or sealing heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2015/0225 Microheat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0029 Heat sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0031 Radiators for recooling a coolant of cooling systems
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/022 with multiple channels
• 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 23/473 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49353 Heat pipe device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49377 Tube with heat transfer means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49378 Finned tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49385 Made from unitary workpiece, i.e., no assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49396 Condenser, evaporator or vaporizer making

Abstract

A cooling apparatus has a low profile extrusion with a plurality of micro tubes extended there through. The low profile extrusion is placed into thermal connection with heat producing components. A heat transfer fluid removes heat via an adiabatic process.

Claims

1. A cooling apparatus for removing heat, said cooling apparatus comprising:

a first thermoelectric cooler having a first side and a second side;

a first low profile member having an evaporator section and a condenser section, a first side of the evaporator section being in thermal contact with the first side of the first thermoelectric cooler in a manner allowing the condenser section to extend outwardly therefrom in a first direction;

a second low profile member having an evaporator section and a condenser section, the condenser section being in thermal contact with the second side of the first thermoelectric cooler in a manner allowing the evaporator section to extend outwardly therefrom in a second direction;

a second thermoelectric cooler having a first side and a second side, the first side of the second thermoelectric cooler being in thermal contact with a second side of the evaporator section of the first low profile member;

wherein the condenser section of the first low profile member is adapted to dissipate heat to a first air flow;

wherein the evaporator section of the second low profile member is adapted to remove heat from a second air flow; and

wherein the first direction is substantially opposite to the second direction.

2. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second low profile members each have an interior space containing heat transfer fluid.

3. The cooling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the interior space is divided by at least one longitudinal member.

4. The cooling apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and second low profile members each have first and second ends, wherein the interior space of the first and second low profile members is sealed at each of the first end and the second end.

5. The cooling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the interior space is comprised of a plurality of microtubes.

6. The cooling apparatus according to claim 5 and further comprising:

at least one capillary groove on an interior surface of each of the plurality of microtubes.

7. The cooling apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of microtubes is individually sealed.

8. The cooling apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plurality of microtubes are in fluid communication one with another.

9. The cooling apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a wick structure disposed within each of the plurality of microtubes to facilitate removal of heat via capillary action.

10. The cooling apparatus of claim 9, wherein the wick structure is selected from the group consisting of internal fins, grooved inner sidewalls, and metal screens.

11. The cooling apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising:

a third low profile member having an evaporator section and a condenser section, the condenser section being in thermal contact with the second side of the second thermoelectric cooler in a manner allowing the evaporator section to extend outwardly therefrom in the second direction.

12. A cooling apparatus for removing heat, said cooling apparatus comprising:

a plurality of thermoelectric coolers each having a first side and a second side;

a plurality of first low profile extrusions each having an interior space containing a heat transfer fluid, the plurality of first low profile extrusions each having an evaporator section and a condenser section, the evaporator section having a first exterior surface adapted for receiving heat from the first sides of the thermoelectric coolers and the condenser section having an exterior surface adapted for transferring heat to a first air flow;

a plurality of second low profile extrusions each having an interior space containing a heat transfer fluid, the plurality of second low profile extrusions each having an evaporator section and a condenser section, the condenser section having a first exterior surface adapted for transferring heat to the second sides of the thermoelectric coolers and the evaporator section having an exterior surface adapted for transferring heat from a second air flow; and

the first and second low profile extrusions being stacked in an alternating sequence to form an array with a thermoelectric cooler of the plurality of thermoelectric coolers being interposed between each pair of thermally coupled low profile extrusions, the first side of each thermoelectric cooler being thermally coupled to a first low profile extrusion and the second side of each thermoelectric cooler being thermally coupled to a second low profile extrusion.

13. The cooling apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first low profile extrusions are adapted to:

transfer heat from the thermoelectric coolers to the heat transfer fluid contained within the evaporator section;

migrate the heated heat transfer fluid to the condenser section;

cool the heat transfer fluid within the condenser section; and

return the cooled heat transfer fluid to the evaporator section.

14. The cooling apparatus of claim 12, wherein the interior space of the first and second low profile extrusions is comprised of a plurality of microtubes.

15. A method of removing heat comprising:

providing a first thermoelectric cooler having first and second sides;

providing first and second low profile extrusions, each having an interior space containing a heat transfer fluid;

providing a second thermoelectric cooler having first and second sides;

providing a third low profile extrusion having an interior space containing a heat transfer fluid;

coupling a first end of the first low profile extrusion to the first side of the first thermoelectric cooler;

coupling a first end of the second low profile extrusion to the second side of the first thermoelectric cooler;

coupling the first side of the second thermoelectric cooler to an opposite side of the first end of the first low profile extrusion;

coupling the third low profile extrusion to the second side of the second thermoelectric cooler;

transferring heat from the first side of the first thermoelectric cooler to a first air flow via the first low profile extrusion;

transferring heat to the second side of the first thermoelectric cooler from a second air flow via the second low profile extrusion; and

transferring heat to the second thermoelectric cooler from the second air flow via the third low profile extrusion.